May Newsletter 🐝

Hellows lovely book readers,

I hope you’re doing well!

The sunny days are back in Dublin and I got sunburnt but I am happy.

I haven’t read my books in April. I was in a reading slump and favoured to put my mind at piece through crochet instead of forcing myself to read. However that reading slump is over thanks to Elsie Silver’s Flawless, which will be May’s first review.

Without further due let’s jump into the components of this blog with the books read in April, my TBR for May and upcoming releases in both books and TV Shows I’ll be keeping an eye on and a fantastic news in relation to Ana Huang…

Books Read in April

First book read and reviewed is Carrie Soto is back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It is a book related to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Malibu Rising and Daisy Jones & The Six.

Review can be found here.

Second book is Make Me by Tessa Bailey, which is the third instalment in the Broke and Beautiful series and yet I haven’t read any of the prior books of that series, but thoroughly enjoyed it.

Review can be found here.

May TBR

Here is a list of the books I’ll be reviewing this month.

Charlie, love and clichés by Ella Maise

The brand new novel from bestselling author and TikTok sensation Ella Maise. Perfect for fans of Elena Armas and Ali Hazelwood.

Charlie might work at her dad’s company but that doesn’t make her life easy. She’s the kind of person who always goes the extra mile for a client, remembers colleagues’ birthdays and arranges the cake. And yet her dad still favours her sister.

 So Charlie shouldn’t be surprised when her dad brings someone in to manage her and the team. But what does surprise her is that the new boss is her guy.

 The man who she went out with years ago and could never stop thinking about. Charlie wants to hide under the desk… but then she realises she doesn’t have to.

Because William doesn’t seem to remember her at all.   

Flawless by Elsie Silver

The rules were simple. Keep my hands off his daughter and stay out of trouble.

But now I'm stuck with her. There's only one bed. And well, rules are made to be broken.

I'm the face of professional bull riding-the golden boy. Or at least I was, until it all blew up in my face. Now my agent says I have to clean up my image, so I'm stuck with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as my "full-time supervision."

But I don't need a goddamn babysitter, especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she can't stop running.

A mouth I can't stop thinking about.

Because Summer isn't just another conquest. She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn't run-she pulls me closer, even when she shouldn't.

She says this means nothing.

I say this means everything.

She says there are boundaries we shouldn't cross. That my reputation can't take any more hits-and neither can her damaged heart.

I say I'm going to steal it anyway.

Love on the brain by Ali Hazelwood

"Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Kèonigswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project -- a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia -- Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward. Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school -- archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away. Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it's her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas ... devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Kèonigswasser do?"--

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

An Instant Indie Bestseller

Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon's sparkling romantic comedy debut.

 Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio. 

 When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it's not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts.  

 As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.

By a Thread by Lucy Score

From Sunday Times and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over

Dominic:

I got her fired.

Okay, so I'd had a bad day, but there's nothing innocent about Ally Morales. Maybe her colourful, annoying, inexplicably alluring personality brightens up the magazine's offices that have felt like a prison for the past year. Maybe I like that she argues with me in front of the editorial staff. And maybe my after-hours fantasies are haunted by her brown eyes and sharp tongue.

She's working herself to death at half a dozen dead-end jobs for some secret reason. And I'm going to fix it all. Don't accuse me of caring. She's nothing more than a puzzle to be solved. If I can get her to quit, I can finally peel away all those layers. Then I can go back to salvaging the family name and forget all about the dancing, beer-slinging brunette.

Ally:

Ha. Hold my beer, Grumpy Grump Face.

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Seventeen-year-old Mia, an American girl at an elite summer ballet program, has six weeks to achieve her dreams: to snag an audition with one of the world’s best ballet companies. But there’s more to Paris than ballet—especially when a charming French boy, Louis, wants to be her tour guide—and the pair discover the city has a few mysteries up its sleeve.

In the vein of romances like Love and Gelato, this is the perfect summer adventure for anyone looking to get swept away in the City of Love.

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Upcoming books and events of the month

TV wise

Selling the OC which is a twin show to the famous reality TV show Selling Sunset, however we change location and agents. This is a world of bling, shoot me behind my back vibe while still being boogie in selling multi-million dollars properties in Orange County. Season 3 is coming out on May the 5th and I'll be binge watching it for sure.

Bridgerton season 3. It is Penelope's and Colin's season, despite the fact that I would have loved for Netflix to use the book order with normally Sophie and Benedict being next. But hey, I am not complaining it is still something I will enjoy.

Book wise

The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields

coming out May, 14th 2024

The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.

 Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.

 When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart.

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy

coming out May, 14th 2024

The second in the steamy, hilarious Campus Diaries series by New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy, set in the same world as Off Campus and Briar U.

"I told them I had a girlfriend."

I start to laugh. "This is the greatest day of my life."

"Oh, it gets better, Dixon. I told them it was you."

Diana Dixon has a lot going on this summer. She's rehearsing for a ballroom dance competition, juggling two jobs, and dealing with an ex-boyfriend who can't take the hint it's over. Yet despite all that, she still has plenty of time and energy to tell Shane Lindley to screw off.

Shane just moved into her apartment building and seems dedicated to sleeping his way through her entire cheerleading squad. Sure, he's a tall, gorgeous hockey player, but he's messing with her turf. This calls for some ground rules: no parties in her apartment, leave her teammates alone, and―most importantly―leave her alone.

What Diana doesn't realize is that Shane's sick of hookups and tired of being on the rebound after his long-term girlfriend called it quits. He wants a relationship. And when his ex comes back into the picture, he pretends he has one to make her jealous…and who better to play the girlfriend role than his sassy new neighbour ?

Despite Diana's reluctance to break her rule, a fake relationship is the perfect solution for her own ex issues, and soon she can't deny something is sizzling between her and Shane. Something hot and completely unexpected.

And it might just be getting a little too real.

Swiped: A Novel by L.M. Chilton

coming out May, 21st 2024

“As if Bridget Jones found herself in a Scream film. Murderously clever!” —Rupert Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of Murder Your Employer

“Fast-paced, twisty and great fun!” —Amy Tintera, New York Times bestselling author of Listen for the Lie

A clever and darkly hilarious thriller/romantic comedy about a young woman who must unmask a serial killer that everything thinks is her, all before her best friend’s wedding

Gwen Turner has made a bloody mess of her life. She recently broke up with the best man she’s ever known for reasons even she can’t admit to herself and quit a lucrative job to open her own coffee shop. To top it all off, her best friend is getting married and leaving her behind in singlehood.

Along with too much cheap wine and bad reality TV, Gwen turns to a dating app to help fill the void in her life. Swiping through the few eligible bachelors left in town, she spends her evenings out on one disastrous date after another. But when a string of murders suddenly occurs in her small coastal English city, she’s shocked by the connection between each of the victims—they’ve all been on a date with her.

Before she knows what’s happening, Gwen finds herself the main suspect in a serial killer’s murderous spree, and the only way she can clear her name is to track down her former dates (even those that have ghosted her) and unmask a killer before it’s too late.

Savor It: A Novel by Tarah DeWitt

coming out May, 21 2024

"An absolutely delightful treat to savor! Relatable, sexy, and beautiful." ―Elena Armas, New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception

A LibraryReads May 2024 pick!

Summer won't last forever.

Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She's learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the town’s inhabitants. But when her 5-year relationship ends and her ex, town-golden-boy Ian, suddenly gets engaged, Sage needs a win―something that will convince everyone to stop pitying her all the time, and to put Ian in his place. The Festival of Spunes, the town’s annual summer competition, would be the perfect opportunity. She just needs a partner.

Fisher Lange was a hotshot chef in New York City until the loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for his teenage niece Indy. When Fisher loses his Michelin star along with his love of cooking, his boss sends him and Indy to Spunes on a much-needed summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening. But when clashes with the townspeople threaten his last chance to redeem himself and a kiss with his new neighbor Sage leads to dating rumors, a strategic alliance might just be the best way to turn things around.

A deal is struck. Sage will improve Fisher’s image in the eyes of the town and remove the roadblocks he is facing with the restaurant, and Fisher will be Sage’s partner for the competition. But as their pact quickly turns into steamy rendezvous, emotional wounds begin to heal, and the pair tries to savor every moment, they start to realize that summer is racing by much faster than they would like...

Filled with spicy summer fun, small-town charm, and Big Feelings, this highly anticipated romcom is Tarah DeWitt’s best yet.

"Simply unputdownable. A top read for me this year!" ―Elsie Silver, USA Today bestselling author of Flawless

"DeWitt’s sprightly narrative is by turns funny and red-hot, as Sage and Fisher, who share a love of puns, develop some serious chemistry... This is a charmer." ―Publishers Weekly

Events

As of the 30th of April, Ana Huang’a fourth instalment of the King of Kin Series is out and you can expect a review in the coming days as I have paused every other book and started reading it.

Additionally as the geek, I’ll be participating in May the 4th Star Wars Marathon from morning till evening and hopefully I’ll be watching the series as I have been postponing them for such a long time.

Love,

Manon