I can’t believe it is OCTOBER! So much so, that when I initially went to title this post, I thought this was my August reading recap and not my September one.
In September, I didn’t read as much as I would have liked, but I am giving myself a pass—work started to be really, really busy again and I also spent a lot of my free time packing up for the move and then unpacking and getting settled in my new apartment. When all was said and done, I ended up reading four books and I am still more than on track to meet my reading goal of 72 books in 2020.
As always, you can always follow along with what I am reading in real-time over on Goodreads—feel free to friend me there! I’d love to know what you’ve been reading and loving lately as I need some books to add to my nightstand.
LOUISIANA LUCKY // JULIE PENNELL
Three sisters, who have always struggled a little bit to make ends meet, from Louisiana play the lottery every week. One week, much to their surprise, they win the $204 million jackpot and everything changes overnight. Each sister uses their earnings to go after something they think will bring them more happiness. For Lexi, it’s a huge wedding that will please her future mother-in-law, for Callie, it means having the courage to go after her career dreams, and for Hanna, it’s a big new house and the ability to send her kids to private school. But they all quickly learn the old cliche—more money, more problems.
Would I recommend it? Yes! This was a really cute, easy read—if you enjoy Rom Coms, you’ll love this one.
THE YOUNG WIVES CLUB // JULIE PENELL
Laura, Claire, Gabby, and Madison all grew up in the same small Louisiana town where Friday night football was the religion. Now that they’re in their early 20s and a couple of years out of high school, each of them finds themselves facing a different crossroads in both their lives and romantic relationships—and quickly realize their “one true loves” might not be the men they thought they were.
Would I recommend it? I picked this one up because I really enjoyed Louisiana Lucky, and while I enjoyed it, I think I prefer the former.
AMERICAN ROYALS II: MAJESTY // KATHARINE McGEE
Majesty picks up where the first book left off—Beatrice’s father dies, and she suddenly finds herself as first Queen of America. So the American people will take her more seriously, she is encouraged to marry and is engaged to Teddy, Duke of Boston. One problem—Beatrice’s sister, Samantha, has a huge thing for Teddy and as her jealously spirals out of control, she finds herself in the tabloids living up to her “party princess” persona. Oh, and the other problem? Beatrice is in love with someone else. All the while, the rest of the gang from the first book—Prince Jefferson, Nina, Ethan, and Daphne—find themselves embroiled in scandals of their own.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely! If you loved the first American Royals book, this one will not be disappointing in the slightest. All of the characters have great storylines and there is a lot of character development. The book concludes nicely since right now there’s not plans for a third book—but I hope that changes at some point!
THE SIMPLE WILD // K.A. TUCKER
When Calla was a baby, her mother could no longer handle Alaska and its extreme isolation, so she took Calla and moved her back to her native Toronto. Over the years, Calla fell out of touch with her father, Wren, who stayed behind in Alaska, after his promises to visit turned up empty time after time. One day out of the blue, Calla gets a call that her father has cancer and is dying. Recently laid off from her job, she decides to make the journey back to the small Alaskan town where she was born. It’s there that she tries to forge a better relationship with her father and undo the hurt from the last 20+ years. In addition to mending the relationship with her father, Calla also struggles to adapt to the rugged lifestyle of “The Great Alone”—she’s a tried-and-true city girl, so it’s quite a challenge. But then Calla realizes Jonah, Wren’s next door neighbor and star employee, is convinced she isn’t cut out for the Alaskan lifestyle—and she becomes determined to prove him wrong.
Would I recommend it? 100%! This is the best book I read all month, and is definitely in the running for one of my favorite books this year. I bought the sequel the second I finished it!
