It was my last chance to read Best of the Year contenders, so I spent the week starting and setting aside a pile of books, lol. I find this to be a great way to clean out my TBR at the end of the year, and it’s been very successful thus far. Not only have I discovered a few excellent books that have been sitting on my kindle or off my radar, but I also identified which books are a no from me, and which should be good picks for another day. However, that means I didn’t actually finish many books this week.
One book that has been gathering dust on my kindle for months is Mile High, which I ended up LOVING. It’s a beefy book by a new author, so I was hesitant to devote so much time to it, and this end of the year experiment forced me to dive in – and I’m so glad that I did! It felt fresh, and I couldn’t anticipate where the storyline would go, which made it all the more engaging. I also binged a lighthearted holiday novella from Emma St. Clair that wasted no time getting right into the swoony roadtrip vibes. It was quick and cute, exactly what I was in the mood for. I posted my mini review for Hidden Waters, my first read from Cowles. The vibe wasn’t for me (too laidback), but I could definitely see the appeal. Finally, I re-shared my review of the Wicked Ways duet. This time of year always makes me think about my Top 20 picks of the past, and that’s one that has stayed with me. Here’s hoping that this year’s do as well!
After this, I switch gears into celebrating my favorite books of the year. I’ll be sharing a variety of recommendation lists as well as my Top 20 of 2022. We’ve got a little bit of a release lull in the next few weeks, then January brings a ton of exciting new books.
If you missed any of this week’s reviews, I’ve got the blurb and rating for each below. There’s also a link to my new release list.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Loved it
Zanders
Chicago hockey isn’t complete without me—everyone’s favorite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night.
What I don’t like is the new flight attendant on our team’s private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I’ll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she’ll be begging to quit her job.
But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can’t quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons or if it’s more than that.
Stevie
I’ve been a flight attendant for years. I thought I’d see it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again…no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.
Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it.
Everything but him.
Read the review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YlLaGH
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Short and sweet
My life is nothing like the movies we make at the studio where I work–especially not when it comes to relationships.
Which means that there will be absolutely NO romance between me and Case, the grumpy exec I’ve had a crush on from our very first not-so-meet-cute.
We’re simply two coworkers scouting the town of Sheet Cake, Texas as a location for filming.
That’s it.
Though, to be honest, I’m suspicious of why Case came on this trip at all.
Whatever the reason, there will be no Christmas magic, and definitely NO mistletoe kisses.
But when Case actually starts talking to me–gasp!–and reveals the humor and kindness buried beneath his gruff persona, my little crush explodes into something a lot harder to hide.
Except he’s harboring secrets of his own.
And I’m starting to wonder if his cagey behavior is because he’s planning to take credit for my (admittedly brilliant) idea to make this town our central filming hub.
He’s not that kind of man … right?
All I wanted for Christmas was a promotion, and now I’m falling for the man who might be trying to steal it.
A Holly Jilly Christmas is a grumpy sunshine Christmas novella set in the world of Sheet Cake, Texas. You’ll get all the chemistry and laughs in this closed door romance.
Read the review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HrRdDq
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Retro review
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Driven series comes a powerful romance about reaching great heights through low depths.
Who says you have to play by the rules to get what you want?
Agreeing to meet Ryker Lockhart is my first mistake. Rich, handsome, and more than intriguing, he thinks blackmail will bend me to his will.
But he’s wrong.
I may have done a few things that weren’t exactly legal, but I have my own reasons for that. The last thing I’m going to do is let some high-powered divorce attorney come into my life, have my body, and rule my heart. Not to mention ruin everything that I have carefully built in just a short amount of time.
But as much as I try to resist him, and against my better judgment, there is something about him that has me agreeing to his proposal.
I’m putting everything on the line for him. I just hope I won’t lose everything when this is all over.
Read the review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VWY8cf
Mini Review 🎧
My family tried to break me. But, somehow, I made it out alive, even though the wounds from that survival are forever carved into my bones. Now, my only wish is for…normal. To know what it’s like to have friends, a job, a home.
The last thing I want is for my new roommate to see the scars I’m so desperate to keep hidden, especially not the ruggedly handsome man who steals my breath and sends my heart into overdrive.
But something tells me that Beckett has demons, too. I see it in the shadows haunting his gorgeous eyes and the way he looks at me with gentle understanding.
As our unlikely friendship becomes so much more, forces from my life slink out of the shadows. And we could both lose everything we’ve fought so hard for—down to our very last breaths…
Read the mini audiobook review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Rfd2bi
Check out this week’s new releases here.
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