romance

What I Read in August 2025

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I didn’t read anything in August and that’s actually just fine by me. I’ve had a lot of other things on my mind. It’s been a busy month with a ton of travel and taking a few different courses for work. On top of that I’ve been adjusting to a new medication that had some side effects that were messing with my brains (but I’ve adjusted now and I’m feeling great btw). There was a time when I’d be so embarrassed to come to this space to say I didn’t read anything but I’m a new man.

Ryan and I after we locked the front door of the shop for the last time before handing over the keys to the new owner.

When I started working at the bookstore that would eventually become mine (the one I sold exactly a year ago last week), one of the first things I noticed was how some people seem to carry pride or shame around their reading life. The proud ones were loud, rare, and super annoying. A lot more folks seemed embarrassed about what they had or hadn’t read or some other aspect of their relationship to books. It didn’t take long for me to make that my whole mission at the store: eliminate shame around reading.

I’m not saying there are just two types of readers. As with anything, there’s a whole spectrum. Still, more people walked in feeling like their reading life wasn’t good enough than I ever would have expected.

When I first took over the store, we were selling used books on Amazon. One of the first things I noticed was that we sold so many more romance mass market paperbacks online than we ever did in store. Once I sold and shipped a book to someone who lived in my town! Now, odds are they didn’t know where they were ordering from. But the point is that it felt like people were embarrassed of their love of romance (though there’s no way to know if that was the case). And that was the first thing that tipped me off to this dynamic.

Thankfully over the course of the past ten years, the landscape of the romance genre has completely changed. Now there are entire stores dedicated to romance–if you’re in Portland, OR check out my friend Katherine’s store Grand Gesture. Or if you’re closer to Kansas City, you need to check out Under The Cover.

But I started to see it in other places, too.

Most often it was from parents who used to be big readers but haven’t been able to finish anything longer than If You Give a Mouse a Cookie in the past decade. Dear Parents–you’re not failing at anything by being in a season of your life that requires every ounce of your body and brain for the caretaking and question-answering duties of young children. No one is judging you, no one blames you, and everyone just wants to bring you a blanket and a cup of tea.

Sometimes it was from the I’m-not-a-big-reader-but-my-wife-is type of guy. This fella is often loud and pretending to be too cool to read to cover up his insecurities about not being smart enough. I keep wondering if there will ever come a time when folks realize that we can tell they’re overcompensating for an insecurity when they make a big deal about how confident and fine they are. Anyway–not to sound like a sales expert or anything but these people were so easy to sell to. I let his wife go look for what she knows she likes. And then he and I get into a conversation about what he likes to watch on TV and from there my recommendations were so seamless. “Oh! You like Yellowstone? I think I read somewhere that the creators of that show used Lonesome Dove as a huge inspiration for that series. We never have a copy though because it’s always sold out. …Oh wow! Look! We DO have a copy today! I know you’re not much of a reader though, so I’m not trying to sell you on it. I am just surprised we had a copy. That’s wild.” And then they always say, “Well now let me take a look at that.” And when they’re at the checkout and his wife almost always says something along the lines of, “You’re buying a book?” And he looks so proud. And I love that.

I can’t tell you how many people used to sheepishly admit they were just comfort reading Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings again, like it was something to be embarrassed about. But honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that! There are so many benefits from reading a familiar book over and over again. Every time you go back, you notice little details you missed before, and it ties you to who you were the first time you read it. Also, studies show that this is also a resilience building activity, which I think is so cool. Think about it. That feeling of “I’ve been here before and I know it ends okay” can actually help you feel braver facing the unknowns of real life over time. Sometimes it’s not about chasing a new book at all, it’s about finding comfort in the one that already feels like home. You’re no less of a reader just because you’re not reading something brand new every time.

I know there’s a lot of discourse around Harry Potter and whether or not it’s ethical to still read and talk about it. Here’s where I stand: if you love it, read the books you already have. Get them from friends or used bookstores or little free libraries. That way you get the joy of these books you love and none of the money goes into the pockets of the author. This is the one instance I wouldn’t recommend using the public library because the more people who check out those books, the more the library has to buy new. That being said, do go to the library to find new books that can help to scratch that itch for you and maybe will even become your new favorite! I recommend checking out the Legendborn series by Tracy Deonn, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, or obviously the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

Have you noticed shame around reading in your own life or in those of your loved ones? There are so many more types of book shame–I just had to stop myself at some point. I could write a whole series on that alone!

What I Read in July 2025

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Do you have a thing with your friends where you’re like “we should do XYZ sometime” but then you never actually make the plans because just daydreaming about it is fun enough? I thought that’s what we were doing when we would say, “We should get a cabin for a weekend and have a reading retreat.”

But early in the summer one person reached out and said she had a friend with a house down at the lake and she’d let us borrow it for a weekend. All we had to do was plan this thing. It was on! Look–having a friend who actually gets the ball rolling is invaluable.

I made plans to bring extra things like games and coloring books because I thought we’d get bored of reading but… we never did. I did take a break from my paperback and popped on my headphones to color while listening to my audiobook but if I’m being honest it was just so that I could justify all the extra crap I brought along. Next time–only books.

I know that “comparison is the thief of joy” or whatever but comparing my reading speed to that of my friends was actually really validating to me. On Saturday S read 1.5 books, J started and finished one whole book, and I… got through the last 40% of mine. I have never, ever in my life started and finished a novel on the same day. I’ve always wondered if I’m just a slow reader or if I’m not as “committed” to reading as other people (there’s got to be a less negative way of saying that since I don’t feel bad about it–just curious). But when we were all reading at the same time, it was fun to see how different we all are! I wonder what it is about our brains that make some of us read so quickly and some much more slowly–I’m sure there are a ton of factors.

Anyway, here’s what my slow-reading ass read this month 😉

The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman

It was…. fine. I gave it 3.5 stars. No complains but also nothing that, like, blew me away. But that’s also the nature of a cozy book–that’s how I’d classify this one anyway. It’s entirely possible this book will be someone’s absolute favorite of all time and it just wasn’t for me personally. So I say if there’s any part of you that says, “that sounds good!”, then you should definitely read it and let me know what you think.

Mattie Russell finds herself back in Ivy Ridge, Georgia, after the death of her mother. They’ve been two peas in a pod, living a nomadic life and never really setting down roots their whole life–to the point that even though Mattie is an adult, she’s not really sure what to do now that her compass is gone. So she heads back to the family home to stay with her aunt until she can gain her footing and can receive her inheritance–which comes with some really odd stipulations put in place by her mother years ago.

While she’s there she starts to discover some special things about the Russell home and the Russell women. Like how the house seems to be able to hear your conversations or how Mattie’s mother seemed to know exactly when she would pass away–and set everything in motion.

Again, this wasn’t my most favorite delivery on this premise (but I’m also not sure that you can beat The Unmaking of June Farrow when it comes to witchy themes, coming of age, and complicated mother-daughter dynamics) but I’d love to hear someone else’s take!

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

I know that Abby Jimenez is a beloved author in the romance space but for some reason I’d just never picked her up before and I regret that after reading this book! I really, really liked it!

Here’s how this book came to be in my possession. I was in Red Fern Booksellers in Salina, KS (a stunning, jewel of a shop if you ever get the chance to go). I was browsing around, minding my own business. I heard two customers in the romance section chatting about their favorites and one of them said she’d read everything by Abby Jimenez. So I approached–something I never, ever do by the way because I believe in the sanctity of browsing with your bestie in a book shop. But I did it. I explained that everyone has said I need to read this author but I have no idea where to start. After walking me through every single title they had on the shelf, and confirming that I was okay with a little grit and trauma in my romance–we settled on Just for the Summer. I wish I’d gotten her Instagram or something so I could tell her thank you!

I love the way that certain authors can write romances with heavy themes without losing the humor and heart. I feel like Hannah Bonam-Young does this really well, too. It’s not that the tough stuff permeates every page but it’s there to ground it in reality–which is what I want when I’m reading. I want things to feel believable and in real life tough shit affects us and our relationships. But it’s a fine line.

Also, can someone tell me if this is true in all Abby Jimenez books: the singular sex scene was on one page and I loved that.
Look, I love all romances (that’s actually not true, I’m actually super picky about my romances but for the sake of not having to come up with another way to say it let’s go with it). But sometimes I just am not in the mood to read about every single detail of this couple’s fifth sexual encounter while I’m waiting for my oil change. You know what I mean? Damn. It’s just–it’s a lot sometimes.

Aaaannyway that’s what I read. That’s where I read.

What about you? Would you plan a Bookcation with your friends? Where would you go? What would you read?

Rainbow Ranch Novella Series: Stirring Spurs Review

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There’s something about a low-angst romance that feels like a deep exhale. When the world feels overwhelming, (and when doesn’t it these days, amirite?) I want to curl up with a story where I know everything will be okay in the end—and that’s exactly what Rainbow Ranch delivers.

M.A. Wardell has long been one of my go-to authors for gentle, affirming love stories with plenty of heat to keep things interesting. When he announced he was part of a four-part novella series–each one focusing on one of the Rainbow Ranch siblings (and each written by a different author), I was immediately intrigued.

When I saw he was offering advance copies in exchange for reviews, I threw my name in the hat—never expecting to be picked. My bookstagram is…let’s just say modest. 😆 But I was thrilled when the ARC landed in my inbox!

Stirring Spurs by M.A. Wardell is releasing July 1, 2025!
Pre-order your copy today!

In a cowboy community that can often feel unwelcoming, Rainbow Ranch is a rare place that opens its doors to everyone. That sense of belonging runs through every page.

Stirring Spurs introduces us to Boone, the ranch cook who keeps everyone fed with his mama’s recipes and so much heart. I have a personal soft spot for boys who just want to make sure everyone is fed.
Boone is content with his quiet life until Wylie Anderson arrives–tasked with gentling Noodles, a guarded horse who isn’t too keen on letting anyone in. Watching Boone and Wylie find their own kind of peace together was such a joy.

If you’re wondering whether “low angst” means “fade to black,” let me reassure you: it does not. The love scenes here leave the door (when there is a door) wide open. It just means there’s no prolonged “will they, won’t they.” And honestly, sometimes you just need a story where love is allowed to unfold without constant drama.

One of my favorite surprises was Dennis, a tiny horse with an enormous attitude. He provides some genuinely hilarious moments that balance out the sweetness and spice perfectly.

If I had to come up with a complaint (the thing that knocked it down to a 4.5 for me)—it’s so minor that it’s probably not worth mentioning, but the way these siblings engage with one another is… 
Look, it’s fine, maybe some siblings are very casual and eager to intimately discuss one another’s sex lives while also smacking each other on the butt and kissing each other in greeting. Thats just not the relationship I have with my siblings and I found it very jarring. There’s one sibling wrestling scene that’s described in so much detail and with so much affection, it felt a lot like reading a love scene. That was a liiiiiittle much for me. But not enough to make me put the book down or anything. 

This is just the first installment—there will be four novellas in total, each exploring the story of a different sibling. I love the idea of seeing this world through multiple perspectives and authors’ voices.

If you’re craving a warm, inclusive cowboy romance that delivers big-hearted characters, open-door heat, and plenty of midwestern-er-southern? charm, I can’t recommend heading to Rainbow Ranch enough.

There’s even a Spotify playlist curated for this book, which I’ll link here if you’d like a soundtrack for your reading.

Stirring Spurs by M.A. Wardell is releasing July 1, 2025!
Pre-order your copy today!

Do you have a favorite western romance? I’d love to hear about it!

What I Read in May 2025

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Currently listening: El Camino High by Moody Joody
Currently reading: Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
(Remember how Xanga entries used to include this? I’ma try to remember to bring it back.)

Ohhhh I’m so excited to be back to reading audiobooks again. I listened to two this month which means I have been plowing through books like I used to. Which is exciting!

Back when I was a bookseller, I got way more free audiobooks from Libro.fm than I ever could have finished. So I have this app on my phone with over 500 books that, at some point, I was interested in reading and they’ve just been sitting there since August of 2024. So let’s start chipping away at it (to be fair, I’ve listened to a lot of them but there’s a lot that I haven’t).

So what did I read this month? Well we started with a DNF. I have DNF’d God of the Woods twice now. What the hell is it with me and this book? Usually when I’m not vibing with a book I just put it away but I really want to like this one. The premise is so good. I’ve tried to listen to it on audio both times and not only are there a lot of characters and jumpy timelines, but the narrator sounds bored as hell. I think it just doesn’t work well with the way my brain handles audiobooks. So I’m going to grab this book from the library and try reading it with my eyeballs one day. And if I DNF it then, then okay. I’ll officially give up on it.

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

Oh I liked this one a lot! It reminded me of the few things that I often really like about Stephen King’s stories. Which is to say–stories about back when men were boys and generally there’s a baseball involved in some way. When I pictured this book playing out, it was giving Stand By Me (even though it definitely took place in the late 90’s).

When Ethan Marsh was 10 years old, he was camping in his backyard with his best friend Billy. The next morning there was a slit in the tent and Billy was missing and he was never heard from again.

Riley Sager is so good at doing this thing where he has great plot twists–but first he has a fake-out twist. He makes you feel so self-satisfied that you saw the twist coming and just as you’re getting cocky then BLAMO! He hits you with something you didn’t see coming at all. And that’s my favorite. That’s what I love in my thrillers–a juicy plot twist with a good pay off. You’ll hear me talk about this again when I talk about Claire Douglas in a bit.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

So many people whose tastes I love told me to read this book and I’m so glad I did. But, damn, this book took forever to finish. I started on April 24th and read almost every day but still didn’t finish until May 20th. It wasn’t particularly long. It’s just that some books can be chewed up quickly and some are so rich they need to be nibbled in small doses.

It has all of my favorite things–a story that spans generations and an exploration of family dynamics. It’s said that this book is a modern retelling of Little Women but (and here’s where I’ll make one of those literary confessions that make people respond in a really annoying way) I’ve never read Little Women. Or seen it. (Pause for gasp and gentle shaming.) Should I just get it all over in one fell swoop and admit that I hate Jane Austen and Shakespeare, too? Well there you have it, folks.

What I liked so much about this book was the way that it compares and contrasts what it is to live a life held with a controlling fist and what it is to live with an open hand. In the end, whether you left yourself open to love or not you will still experience the pain and heartache of life. So you might as well choose the freedom, the love, the joy to walk along beside you right? 

But at the end of this book I read the letter from the author, the discussion questions, the acknowledgements and absolutely nothing references this. So I wonder if I’m the only person who saw that in this book? To me, that’s what this whole book is ultimately about.

It’s so funny to me. I love the way these things happen. When one person takes something from a work of art that no one else seems to see. I think that’s really cool.

The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas

Since it was taking so long to finish Hello Beautiful, I was getting a liiiittle bit bored. So I decided to reach for a book that I knew would hook me fast–something I could just plow right through. So obviously I downloaded my Claire Douglas book from my Libro.fm stash. Claire hits every single time ‘yall!

This book… okay I’m just now realizing that 50% of the books I read this month were about missing and murdered children from, like, 20 years ago. Am I okay???
Yeah so anyway, when Liv was a teenager she was out on the town with her besties. They got into a car accident and when she came-to, the other three girls were gone. They’d just vanished. But a podcaster has come to town and is bound and determined to figure out what happened here.

My entire review on StoryGraph was this: I just think Claire Douglas deserves to be far and away more famous than she is. In my opinion, no one writes satisfying plot twists better than her. She’s so good at her work—better than a lot of other authors who have much wider audiences. 

I mean it, too. I don’t hear nearly enough people talk about this author. If you love thrillers that are quick and pulpy and satisfying–grab one or two. I recommend starting at The Couple at No. 9.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Oh I’ve been looking forward to this book for ages. Emily Henry is one of the few auto-buy authors that I read. In my opinion her writing just keeps getting better and better. Every story is better than the last and this is no different.

I recently learned that… I’m in the minority on that one. A lot of people don’t like this one. But you know what? Book club is always more fun if the group is divided on whether or not the book was any good. At first I was offended that people didn’t like this book as much as me. I made a whole reel about it.

But I read one review that made it all make sense to me. It said something like how this book was far more boring and “forgettable than Book Lovers or Beach Read“. And I realized–OH! I think we’re coming to our romance books with different expectations. Because, if I’m being honest, I don’t remember a damn thing about Book Lovers or Beach Read (that’s not true exactly, I remember that in Beach Read there’s an incredibly short and random bit involving a cult).

I like a quick and dirty romance as much as the next guy but in the books I love–the ones that really stick with me and live on my shelf the longest are the ones that have some grit to them. And I see that happening with Emily Henry’s writing. Happy Place was the book that took me from “oh I like Emily Henry” to “Oh, I love Emily Henry.” And a lot of people didn’t like that one either. I think probably because it dealt with some pretty heavy topics (just like GBBL did). But I just happen to be of the mindset that the sunshine is so much brighter when you have some darkness to compare it to. And I don’t begrudge anyone for thinking otherwise–especially when they’re coming to romance for pure, unadulterated escapism.

This book is about two writers (Alice and Hayden–of course his name is Hayden) who were invited to a tiny island in Georgia where a rich and famous, once-media-darling (Margaret Ives) has been living out of the public eye for decades. Both authors are auditioning for the chance to write her biography and they both signed NDAs–which means that they can’t tell anyone what they’re working on. Not even each other. Not even when they start to fall in love.

Margaret’s family story is long and cursed–at least that’s what she believes and to be fair she’s got plenty of evidence to support it. There’s a lot of heartache in her family (as much as there is in anyone’s life–but my heartache has never been splashed across every newspaper in the nation) and Alice is ready to tell Margaret’s side of the stories. The way that Alice has so much understanding for Margaret is so special and an underrated aspect of the story. I imagine writing this story and really wanting to make that point–it would be so easy to go heavy handed with it. But Emily Henry is a professional.

I think that, ultimately, what I loved the most about this book is the way it demonstrates that we might think we aren’t hurting anyone but ourselves by closing ourselves off or telling half truths. But the reality is that we live in an interconnected world where we affect one another in big and small ways. 

I’m so glad that I’m not reading with a bookseller’s brain anymore. I’m glad I got to experience Big Beautiful Life without wondering how I would sell it. I got to just let it touch me and I got to fall in love with all of these characters and understand and regret all the ways they’d hurt one another (and come back together again–which is not a spoiler if you understand that one of the major tenants of the romance genre is that it ends with a happily ever after).

Well I could have made an entire post about Big Beautiful Life, turns out. I hope you like long, rambley book reviews.

What I Read in April 2025

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April 26, 2025 marks the first time I’ve missed being a bookstore owner since we sold the shop back in September. It was Independent Bookstore Day and I kept remembering the dramatics of how that day felt. You’re so excited so you make big plans! Like stuffing give-away bags or bringing in musicians or pop-up shops or planning an extra special story time–and then the day before you find a way to convince yourself that there’s no way anyone’s showing up and you’ve just wasted a ton of money on things no one will use and you won’t be able to pay rent and then you’ll have to close your store and the world will end and then and then and then…

And then inevitably–the whole community shows up and buys you clean out of everything. Which is both a blessing and a curse. Such is life as a small business owner!

Anyway, I promoted the hell out of different indie bookstores across the country to my dozens of followers on instagram and it felt really good. I feel like I have a unique perspective as someone who has a lot of insight into the world of bookselling and small business ownership but no longer has to keep a customer-service personality at all times. I feel like I have a lot to say in that regard but I have no idea what people want to know. I’m really good at answering questions or chatting about a topic presented to me–not so good at coming up with the topic myself. Which is why this blog has had one singular theme for the past… 4? years?

April also marks another first since I sold the store–I read an audiobook!! 😀 I’m back, baby!! Anyway–let’s get into what we’ve been reading.

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young

One of my dear internet friends, Jackie, had an HBY author event at her store in Florida. When it was over, she sent me a signed copy of this ARC because she knew how much I loved the last book in this series. Jackie and I didn’t even meet through being booksellers! I love the internet even more than I hate it.

Anyway I ADORED this book! Oh, I related to this main character so much. She and her husband have been married for 10 years and she is in kind of an “I don’t know what I’m doing with my life” sort of space right now. Sound like someone else you know (points at self)? She even had a parent die just after she graduated from high school (just like me). Uncanny.

Anyway–she and her husband are feeling a little… stagnant in their marriage and decide that they need to go on a week-long couples’ camping trip in the wilderness. Even though neither of them have ever gone camping before. So fun.

I liked this book because of the way that Hannah Bonam-Young can take romance (a genre that can, let’s be honest, get kind of repetitive at times) and turn it into something that we’ve never seen before. I mean I, at least, have never read a contemporary romance about a married couple! Usually once they get married, they become supporting characters in other stories within the series but they’re done. They lived happily ever after, after all right? Well… maybe not.

Anyway–because of her ability to spin this genre on its head while keeping what we love about it, I’m a loyalty reader of HBY from now on.

Now, onto something completely different…

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

I found myself at Red Fern Booksellers in Salina KS and while I was there I saw the cover of this book and I was drawn in. First of all–something about reading books that take place in the south is almost a guaranteed yes for me. I don’t know why. And I had no idea what I was looking at with this cover but I loved it. But finally, I saw this was written by T. Kingfisher–an author that most of my friends are obsessed with. The only other thing I’ve ever read by her was a middle grade book about a baking wizard who has a sourdough starter as a familiar and a gingerbread man that sits on her shoulder everywhere she goes. Highly recommend, btw.

But generally speaking I’m not that into middle-grade OR fantasy. So that was kind of a one-off for me. But this was a horror book–and I’ve been trying to get myself out of my contemporary romance rut. So I snagged this. And DAMN IT WAS SO GOOD!

Look, I can’t tell you what this book is about but I can tell you that it’s hilarious. So even when it’s scary–the tension relaxes a lot with the narrator’s side-track rants or little jokes. Which is what I need in my horror, tbh. The rest that I can give you is just a list of words and phrases and hope it’s enough to convince you to read it: grandma’s house, rose. garden. filled with. thorns, suburbia, buried family secrets (literally), and… VULTURES.

Oh! And then I read an audiobook in two days. Finally. I’ve missed plowing through books and that’s basically the only way that I can do that.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

This is one of those that I keep hearing about everywhere–everyone saying it’s so good. And I gotta agree. I loved this one!

At first I worried that it was just going to be a typical sad-girl-book (which used to be my bread and butter but I just can not abide these days, personally). And, sure, there’s a sad girl. But… nah. You know, plot-wise it’s a LITTLE like A Man Called Ove. LOL!

Our main character goes to a really fancy hotel to… how do people on the internet say this? Unalive herself. But then she runs into a bride who is hosting her wedding in this hotel this week and she begs her not to ruin her wedding by making everyone look at a corpse being wheeled through the lobby in the morning. A fair ask, I think. Despite the bummer-sounding opening, this book was really funny and really endearing. I can see it being turned into an excellent dark rom-com starring Allison Brie as Phoebe and Julia Garner as Lila. (I do want to say that in addition to suicide there’s an infertility and divorce theme running through as well.)

Anyway–I love the way that books have these somewhat kooky premisses so that they can really dig into something a lot bigger. Like, this book is ultimately about the way that it’s so hard to ask for what you need. Or even recognize it, sometimes. And A House With Good Bones has to do with generational trauma and also about how sometimes the people who hurt us the most have a lot of hurt inside of them, too.

All of these were five star reads for me! And I’m excited about the books I’ve snagged to read in May, too!