Romance Quick Reviews: The Single Dad Edition

Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage (2024)

Gus' demanding job on his family's ranch causes him to need a babysitter for the summer for his daughter, and his sister Emmy's friend Teddy is available.  Even though the two are sworn enemies, Gus has no other choice, but their summer together may have them changing their minds about each other.  I had mixed feelings about this one.  I loved returning to Rebel Blue Ranch and getting enveloped in the closeness of the Ryder family and friends.  I sympathized with Teddy as she worried how her friendship with Emmy was changing, now that Emmy was getting married.  And I enjoyed seeing Gus and Teddy get to know each other better; even though they've known each other their whole lives, there was an animosity there that was relieved by more time spent together.  My main issue with this book is how Teddy is portrayed.  Yes, she's this vivacious, life-of-the-party creative type - but she loses her job at a boutique in town, still lives at home with her dad (granted, she does take care of her ailing father), and has to rely on a babysitting job to make ends meet.  Gus needs Teddy because he has too many responsibilities.  I don't know, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I just feel like she was kind of relegated to this downtrodden, damsel in distress role.  I wanted more for her.  3.5 stars

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey (2024)

Hockey player Burgess needs a nanny for his pre-teen daughter, so he hires graduate student Tallulah.  Their working relationship quickly veers into personal territory, as Tallulah helps Burgess get back into the social scene and he comes along on her adventures in an effort to find her outgoing spirit again.  Could these two find real happiness together?  Tessa Bailey's books are always good for a fun time, a laugh, and some seriously spicy scenes.  She injected a dose of seriousness with a scary backstory for Tallulah, but I was rooting for Tallulah to overcome her past.  I appreciated that she did have reservations about a relationship with Burgess, because even though she had feelings for him, she wasn't really looking for something serious.  Burgess, on the other hand, wants to lock Tallulah down almost immediately.  I didn't get a ton of love at first, just a lot of lust, as boundaries are crossed right from the start.  It was a little overwhelming to see Burgess be ready to drop anything for Tallulah (including leaving his daughter home alone in the middle of the night??).  He was too possessive and protective.  3 stars

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Top Ten Tuesday: 2025 Bookish Goals

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is our bookish goals for 2025.  Here are some things I want to achieve in 2025:

• Read my 2025 preorders in 2025.  I preordered a lot of books in 2024 and still haven't read some of them.  If I was excited enough about a book to preorder it, I need to make it a priority.
• Use my library more.  I did a decent job of reading from my own shelves last year, but I want to use my library more (and maybe spend less money on books, ha!).  About 32% of my books came from the library last year; I'd like to increase that to at least 40%, especially since I cancelled my Kindle Unlimited subscription and won't be getting books from there for the foreseeable future.
• Read 75 books.  This is the same number I chose last year.  I read more than this in 2024 (110), but I want to keep the number manageable!
• Attend two bookish events.  Over the past few years, we've been fortunate enough to attend some fantastic events and meet some great authors, so I definitely want to do more of it!
• Complete 30 states in the Literary Escapes Challenge.  My sister and I have been unofficially doing the Literary Escapes Challenge hosted by Dollycas for a couple years.  In 2024, I crossed off 22 states, but I'd like to get at least 30 this year!

Here are Michele's goals for 2025:

• Read 225 books – This is less than my 2024 total, but life has gotten so busy the last couple years.  With my daughter getting older and being involved in more activities and wanting to devote time to other hobbies of my own, I have been trying to be more selective with my reading.
• Read books from a wide variety of genres – my most read genre over the last few years has definitely been romance, but I can see myself getting burned out from it.  I want to read more thrillers, speculative fiction and nonfiction.  My husband and I even have a comic book series we are looking forward to in 2025!
• Don’t be afraid to DNF books or take a break from certain authors – I know every book I pick up won’t be a winner and it’s ok to DNF a book.  Similarly, there are a few authors that I have been really meh about their last few books – I need to really consider whether I should take a break from them.
• Utilize my library more – Especially now with my daughter getting more into reading, I will try to be more proactive in using our township library and its resources.
• Buddy read with my daughter and husband – Luna is reaching the age where she will start getting into Middle Grade books and I am really excited to share those with her.  James got into reading some of my physical books in 2024 so I look forward to finding things we both will enjoy – first up is Onyx Storm next month!

What are your reading goals for 2025?

Michele's Monday Picks #61

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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Gradchanted

By Morgan Matson

Expected Publication: March 4, 2025

From Goodreads:

Escape to the Disney Parks in this page-turner about the power of love and friendship. . . and the most inconvenient time loop ever.

Eighteen-year-old Cass Isaac is the queen of ghosting. She's had to move a lot due to her dads' house-flipping business—always a different school, a new friend group. She’s learned that there’s no need for drawn-out-goodbyes with people you'll lose touch with anyway. Which makes Grad Nite at Disneyland the perfect way to finish up high school, and have a magical last night with her bestie, Bryony.

But amid the roller coaster rides and Cars Land dance party, the night turns into one big disaster. When she meets cute British bassist Freddie Patel, she accidentally ruins his big break. Worse still? Cass gets in a major fight with Bryony. And instead of being able to make a quick exit, she’s thrown for a literal time loop. Forced to relive the most dramatic night of her life, Cass will have to find a way to make set things right . . . or be stuck at Grad Nite forever.

Morgan Matson is my go-to for YA and Middle Grade reads. Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Museum Edition

 Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan (2024)

Sir Griffin, a medieval knight, has been trapped as a statue for hundreds of years, cursed by someone he believed to be a friend.  He is brought back to life by Emily, a museum art conservator.  Can the two overcome their differences and find their happily ever after?  Was this book a literary masterpiece?  No.  Was it well-written?  At times.  But, was this a compelling premise that revealed a silly but often romantic story? Yes!  As soon as I heard about this book, I had to read it - a knight brought back to life in the present day?  Sign me up.  It's over the top, it's a bit goofy, but I loved watching Griffin learn about the world he's found himself in, as well as getting to know Emily, who is the perfect match for him with her background in art history.  There were some other elements to the story that I wish had been fleshed out further (particularly with Emily's boss), but ultimately this is the unconventional love story of Griffin and Emily, and it was just the escape I needed.  3.5 stars

All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley (2023)

After his brother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Patrick Bringley decided he needed a change in his life and so he became a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  He wanted a place of quiet and solitude, where he could be alone with his feelings among beautiful art (yes, even amongst the many daily visitors).  He brings the reader into his world, telling personal stories and ruminating on the role art plays in our lives.  Bringley is a great storyteller, and I loved the behind-the-scenes look at how such a huge institution runs.  We see how Bringley grows over the years, from first wanting to be very solitary in his job to befriending other guards and having conversations with visitors as he works through his grief over his brother.  His love for art comes through clearly, as he brings us to various parts of the museum and introduces us to certain pieces.  I enjoyed his ruminations on art and life, although at times it did feel a bit overwritten.  4 stars

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: Let's Call Her Barbie

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

Let's Call Her Barbie

Renee Rosen

Expected publication date: January 21, 2025

She was only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, but she would change the world. Barbie is born in this bold new novel by USA Today bestselling author Renée Rosen.

When Ruth Handler walks into the boardroom of the toy company she co-founded and pitches her idea for a doll unlike any other, she knows what she’s setting in motion. It might just take the world a moment to catch up.

In 1956, the only dolls on the market for little girls let them pretend to be mothers. Ruth’s vision for a doll shaped like a grown woman and outfitted in an enviable wardrobe will let them dream they can be anything.

As Ruth assembles her team of creative rebels—head engineer Jack Ryan who hides his deepest secrets behind his genius and designers Charlotte Johnson and Stevie Klein, whose hopes and dreams rest on the success of Barbie’s fashion—she knows they’re working against a ticking clock to get this wild idea off the ground.

In the decades to come—through soaring heights and devastating personal lows, public scandals and private tensions— each of them will have to decide how tightly to hold on to their creation. Because Barbie has never been just a doll—she’s a legacy. - from Goodreads

Michele's 2024 Reading Wrap-Up!

2024 was a fantastic reading year!  I was able to read 266 books – here is my breakdown by format, genre and source:

Format

⦁ Ebook 107

⦁ Physical 89

⦁ Audio 70

Source

⦁ Haul (purchased, borrowed, Audible subscription) 151

⦁ Library 56

⦁ Kindle Unlimited 59

Genre

⦁ Romance 133

⦁ Thriller 50

⦁ Adult – Other 27

⦁ YA 33

⦁ Nonfiction 15

⦁ Middle Grade 8

My most read authors were Sierra Simone (16), Katee Robert (8), and Christina Lauren (7).  I caught up on some backlists and also found some really fantastic new-to-me authors.  Romance was still my top genre, but I definitely branched out into some new genres.  Here are some of my favorites of the year:

                           

         

                          

                                  

Do we share any favorites?  What books are you looking forward to in 2025?

2024 Reading Year in Review

Happy new year, everyone!  Today I thought it would be fun to share some reading stats from the year.

Let's start with a look at Goodreads.  I read 110 books this year, which is way more than I thought I would!

Now, onto some more specific 2024 stats - the majority of my reading is still backlist reads.

I'm still reading female authors way more than male authors - the lopsidedness of this just makes me laugh!

Romance is still my most-read genre, although it is more than 10% less than last year.  As always, some books are hard to place in just one category, but I did my best!

Almost half my books came from my unread shelf!

I didn't have a format chart last year but thought it would be interesting to track this year - I'm kind of surprised that I read more audiobooks than ebooks!

Do you have any interesting or fun stats from your 2024 reading year?