I thought I was going to read more this month. LIES I told myself, mid-month. But then I ended up finishing books pretty quick at the end so it ended up not being a bad month on the reading front after all.

Many books were bought if not read. But let’s not talk about those 👀

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Gracie’s Guide to Dating by Rebecca Jo Jackson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I was waiting for this book for what felt like forever. I was SO excited and…

IT DELIVERED. It literally got delivered, but it delivered on the hype. I loved this book just as much as I knew I would.

Gracie grew in this and partially because of Nathan. That man was literally tall, dark and handsome, but man, was he a cinnamon roll. He only had eyes and smiles for Gracie.

There’s so much about this I LOVED. I can’t decide and my notes are going to be long.

Notes:

• Gracie Rhodes – 23
• Nathan Hadaway – 25ish
• She’s a dancer
• He’s a music producer
• Swap dance lessons for dating lessons
• He’s her matchmaker and also a distraction on dates
• He only smiles for her
• He’s a cinnamon roll
• He has a motorcycle
• She’s a people pleaser who always says yes
• Single POV

You could pick up on Nathan’s yearning throughout the book and the hint that he’s always noticed her? Come onnnnnnnn. Loved it.

This is the fifth story in Sweet River with more to come! So many side characters I can’t wait to see stories of.

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The Setup Man by Kate Watson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

If you want a book of yearning… THIS IS IT.

I loved this book so much. Lucas had it so bad for Scottie, which we saw glimpses of in prior books, too. But Scottie is fake dating someone else to improve Jake Rodgers’ image. What’s a guy to do?

I loved how it was the fake dating trope, but she’s fake dating the wrong guy. She doesn’t end up falling for the guy she’s fake dating. Like what a switch up! LOL

I also loved (I know, it’s a lot) all the baseball in this one. Like he’s the setup man… and I liked how that was explained. Baseball is over my head for some reason. Sit me in front of a hockey game, I get it, but I just can’t grasp baseball and it seems so easy, but it’s not.

This series is so fun and if you haven’t started it, I highly recommend this one. It’ll touch all the feels.

Notes:

• Scottie (Prescott) – player coordinator
• Lucas Fischer – pro baseball player – 26
• Scottie’s fake dating Jake Rodgers – MLB player
• He takes care of her
• She’s always taking care of everyone and everything
• Lucas and Logan are two of the triplets – their sister Liesel has big sister energy even though she’s one of the triplets, LOL
• Banter for days
• Character growth and self reflection

Quotes:

I didn’t mean to keep track.

But once I started watching, I couldn’t stop.

That’s the thing Logan doesn’t understand. Scottie doesn’t do it for credit or to be seen.

She does it because she’s decided the people she loves deserve a soft landing, and she’s going to be the one to make sure they get it.

I just want to make the list.

I put my phone face down and tap three fingers between my brows, trying to stave off the deepest, angriest elevens any woman has ever had. I’m too young for elevens!

Jake is family, and family helps each other.

You’ve always been the glue.

Mom’s words feel less like praise and more like a permanent assignment I stupidly volunteered for, because it’s easier to be needed than to be seen.

Because it’s easier to never ask for something than to risk no one answering if you do.

This is book three in the Catching Feelings series.

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Wish You Were Mine by Judy Corry

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I wasn’t sure I’d like this one, but it turned out to be a great book. When I heard it was a professor x student romance, I was like…. idk, seems kind of out there. But they’d met before they were in the same class setting so I mean… I get that feelings were already there.

It was pretty descriptive on kissing/makeouts so I know that’s not everyone’s thing. It was almost too much for me.

Most of the book is about them and trying not to get caught or ya know, fired. The age gap was brought up quite a bit, too, and Owen was pretty concerned about it more than she was (obvi). There is a touch of danger (other than danger of getting fired, haha) and suspense, but it was super light and barely took up any of the book, imo. I think the stalking (not that it’s good) could have been a bigger deal. It seemed more like it was just thrown in twice and it was settled easily.

If stalking or safety while out is a trigger, I’d recommend reading with caution or not at all.

Notes:

• She’s a senior at college, on gymnastics team
• He’s a bartender and chemistry professor
• He’s her older brother’s best friend
• He has a PhD
• 7yr age gap
• Her dad is the university president
• Her brother, Theo, is a corporate attorney (book four)

I read another reader say there were a few curse words, but I don’t recall this??? Judy Corry doesn’t usually throw those in, so I’m unsure.

This is book three in the Kings of Eden Falls series.

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The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins by Melanie Dickerson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

ABSOLUTELY. LOVED. THIS.

This was… so good.

It had all the vibes. Like… ALL OF THEM. It was kind of a grumpy sunshine? Like he only smiled and talked to her that way. He went all soft for her. He kind of had Darcy vibes???

I will say the second half was slower and not as many moments of just them, but he was always there watching out for her and obviously the ending was great.

I don’t know how anyone gave this less than 5 stars, but am I just fangirling again? Maybe.

Notes:

• Charlotte Robbings – 25
• Lord Brookhaven (William) – 26
• He’s an Earl
• She’s an orphan
• Living at a school for young ladies – working as a teacher
• She writes for a governess position – offered and accepted the post as Lord Brookhaven’s governess to his two young half siblings
• She has a wild imagination and thoughts of taking the position as a governess and marrying…. like a steward or gamekeeper, among others, LOL.
• Charlotte’s friends
• I thought it was single POV until page 56!!
  • It’s first person for FMC and when it’s MMC, his view is third person
• He’s tall, dark and handsome (basically) with dark hair and a Roman nose. He has blue eyes
• OH MY GOODNESS THE WAY HE CARES ABOUT HER PG 106-107

Quotes:

“How did you do that?” Millicent said.

I couldn’t help smiling as I turned to Lord Brookhaven. “Your turn, my lord.”

“I’m not sure if there’s any need for me to take a turn now.”

“Don’t forget what you said, that we would play in a cutthroat manner and that there were to be absolutely no tears.”

His mouth fell open slightly.

Yes, he was still conceited enough to believe that she would prefer to marry him over Merritt and Markeley. They had a connection, did they not? He felt as if she knew him and he knew her, that they were similar enough in temperament and priorities that they could fall in love and live happily together. But even if she did not choose him, it would give him pleasure to see her happy.

His heart swelled as he saw Charlotte, in his mind’s eye, smiling and full of joy. And he suddenly wanted that more than he wanted anything else.

“I don’t care if Anthony Welton is your friend’s grandson—if he gets any closer to Miss Robbins, I will take him by the collar and throw him off the balcony.”

This is a standalone novel.

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Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I enjoyed this more than I expected. I loved the growth that Claire had to step out on her own and not depend on her now ex-husband or his opinions. Miles brought all the swoon, even with all her assumptions. He just couldn’t help but help and care for her.

This book had me cracking up at times at what she got into and sometimes Miles’ response, LOL.

Add to your TBR to end your summer!

Quote:

I smile at that, because a year ago, I couldn’t have imagined feeling happy again. And now I can’t imagine feeling sad. I suppose that’s how life goes, though. It’s not all peaks and it’s not all val-leys. Not all joy or sadness. It’s everything all at once, sometimes in drips and sometimes in waves.

This is a standalone novel.

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Neverending Mercy by Latisha Sexton

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

There’s just… so much to unpack with this one. I loved this one so much. I couldn’t put it down once I started it. It’s beautifully written. Ruth was 11 when she met her mom’s best friend’s daughter, whom she’d heard of for so long, but they’d lived in NY until they moved to Lavender Falls where Ruth lived. Haley was 13, a teenager, which was so cool to Ruth. Soon she meets Crosby, her older brother who comes to live with them. Instant crush moment when he pops onto the scene.

So many things happen between Ruth and Haley over the years through Ruth’s high school years which leads up to their fall out and Crosby and Ruth being collateral damage of Haley’s mistakes.

This deals with heavy themes, but an ultimate Christian message of grace and mercy, and love overcoming a multitude of sins. If anything is too much of a trigger, I wouldn’t read it. If you do read, please have tissues close by.

Notes:

• Ruth Peterson – 25
• Crosby Jude Burnham – 30
• Best friend’s older brother
• age gap
• peer pressure / fitting in
• betrayal
• coming to faith
• terminal cancer

This is book one in the Lavender Falls series. Book two will be out later in August!

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The RomCom Remake by Jen Atkinson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

Oh my goodnessssssss, this was hilarious! I thoroughly enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. Fran’s antics were over the top and she just would nooooot let the romcom remake go. Callum was so patient with her. He didn’t like it, but he’d give in and humor her. I can’t wait to read the rest of this series that, yes, I already have ready on my stack! LOL

Notes:

• Frances “Fran” Fairchild – 25
• Callum Archie Whitaker
• She’s in college (late start)
• He’s a pro soccer player (minors)
• She’s obsessed with remaking romcom moments and on the hunt for love
• He’s not looking for love at all but needs help
• The way he cares about her and becomes her friend
• All her date disasters, LOL
• The team chats
• The family chats! (He has 3 other siblings)
• He has Isaiah 41;10 tattooed ♥

This is book one in the Just a Guy with a Goal series.

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Baby Llama Drama by Kate Watson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating explained:

I didn’t love this one like I have other Kate Watson books. I didn’t like the rush of their relationship it seemed to take and I guess I didn’t like all the family dynamics and the need to console Lottie so much. It was just a lot. I did listen to most of this through audio instead of physically reading so maybe that’s why.

Notes:

• Duke – football player
• Millie Jane – therapist
• single / divorced dad
• she bonds with his daughter, Lottie
• family dynamics / difficult relationships
• reconciliation and communication

This is book two in the Sweet as Sugar Maple series. (I read book one a long time ago it seems lol)

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Books read this month: 8

Books read this year: 82

Book goal for year: 96

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Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/notyourseason?igsh=MW5kMnltOXJocTEyOQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Books I have for sale:

https://pangobooks.com/bookstore/notyourseason

GoodReads:

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/131896341-summer

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I hope you read some great books in July as well! Feel free to comment what they were.