Stacking The Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!
Audiobooks:
I don’t listen to many audiobooks anymore. Back when I had a long commute for work, they were a lifesaver. I really enjoy the “performance” value of a good audiobook, and will listen to some that are recommended.
I recently finished Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Malibu Rising and wanted to read more of her backlist. Daisy Jones and the Six was highly recommended so I used my Audible credit for this. I’m not sure when I’ll get to it, but I hope it’s soon.
Synopsis: Daisy is a girl coming of age in LA in the late ’60s, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock ’n’ roll she loves most. By the time she’s 20, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things. Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road. Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together.
What happens next will become the stuff of legend. The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the ’70s. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice
NetGalley:
NetGalley is where I get most of my reading these days. I can’t stop myself from requesting more books, and then my feedback ratio suffers so I keep reading more from my list to get my feedback ratio better. For those that don’t know NetGalley is a site where you can request Advance Reader Copies (ARC) of books that are not published yet. In return for the ARC, you provide an honest review of the book in order to stir up buzz for an upcoming release.
Let Sleeping Murder Lie by Carmen Radtke is my first book in the Cozy Mystery Genre. I’ve read so many reviews for Cozy Mysteries that I decided to try the genre as it really appeals to me. I’ll let you know soon whether this genre is for me or not!
Synopsis: American Eve Holdsworth is living her quintessential English dream in a picturesque village in the countryside. Meeting an attractive stranger adds to the appeal.
But Ben Dryden is a pariah in Eve’s new neighbourhood, since his wife was murdered five years ago, and he was the only suspect.
Eve, who is absolutely sure someone as charming as Ben could never be a killer, is
determined to solve the case and clear Ben’s name, even if it’s against his will.
Soon enough Eve finds herself in deep waters, and with her life at stake, she can only pray that her romantic notions won’t be the end of her …
One Night Only by Catherine Walsh was kind of an impulse request. I’m a sucker for a cute cover, and this is solidly in the Women’s fiction genre which is my favorite genre.
Synopsis: Who could have predicted this? Being at the same wedding. In Ireland. There’s a reason one-night stands are one-night stands. You’re not supposed to see each other again, especially not when you’re the maid of honor, and he’s the groom’s brother…
Sarah Anderson has never been more excited about anything in her life. She’s going to her best friend’s wedding. And not just any wedding. An Irish wedding. Goodbye New York, hello rolling green hills and men with beautiful accents and twinkling eyes.
But Sarah should have known that not all guests are fairy-tale princes…
There’s the chinless Uncle Trevor, whose idea of small talk is to claim climate change is a conspiracy.
Then there’s Great Aunt Eileen, who doesn’t talk at all (she’s too busy replacing the hotel cutlery with her own set).
Worst of all, there’s Declan Murphy. Best man. Brother of the groom. And the man Sarah last saw naked.
Is there anything more mortifying than bumping into a one-night stand halfway across the world? Especially as Declan seems determined to embarrass Sarah at every turn. At least when the wedding’s over she’ll never have to see him again.
But, back in New York, Sarah finds the more she tries to forget Declan, the more she can’t shake the thought of that infuriatingly charming smile and the way he wears a tux…
Was he really just for one night only, or might Declan Murphy be The One?
Back Home to You by Maggie Wild is the second in her Hope Valley series. I requested this one because I had read the first book in the series Simply You (you can find my review for Simply you here) and I liked it very much.
Synopsis: Harriet “Harry” Belmont feels like a total failure. Returning from San Francisco to England to care for her grandmother after being fired and discovering her boyfriend is married, she’s determined to turn a mess into something vaguely positive. But when her woeful cooking skills send her gran’s dinner up in smoke, the big-city refugee is stunned when the man who jumps to her rescue is a handsome old flame.
Jamie Forrest’s love of culinary creations has come back to bite him. Though the small-town chef loves the meal-kit business he built to help others, it’s become so successful he no longer has time to spend in the kitchen. But his stress multiplies exponentially when the woman he saves from a food-prep disaster turns out to be his gorgeous childhood sweetheart.
As Harriet’s forgotten feelings resurface, she’s torn between helping him open his dream restaurant and fleeing back to the life she promised she’d never sacrifice for a man. And though Jamie realizes he never got over her, he’s terrified that if he lets her in, she’ll just break his heart again.
Can the reunited friends find a way to put love on the menu?
Back Home to You is the charming second book in the Hope Valley contemporary romance series. If you like feisty females, kindhearted men, and wry humor, then you’ll adore Maggie Wild’s sweet tale.
I requested Holiday Ever After by Jill Shalvis because I’ve read other books by Ms. Shalvis and have enjoyed them very much. Plus I’m a bit of a sucker for holiday themed books (all holidays!).
Synopsis:
One Snowy Night
It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to her family. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, her long-time crush, and his big, goofy, lovable dog. A long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past…and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.
Holiday Wishes
When Sean O’Riley shows up for his older brother’s bachelor weekend, the last person he expects to see is Lotti Hartford, the woman he lost his virginity to a decade ago. As the weekend continues, Sean realizes he wants to leave his hook-up life behind, but can he convince Lotti to open her heart to him again?
Mistletoe in Paradise
Years after their secret fling ended, Hannah isn’t eager to see James during their families’ annual joint holiday-themed yacht adventure. But when they’re the only people who show up, James and Hannah are stuck together on the high seas for days. As the former lovers try to make the best of the Christmas snafu, they soon realize the best things in life can’t be planned, and sometimes love is sweeter the second time around
I requested How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan because I had read an early favorable review and it’s got such a cute cover! I love a good RomCom and this one looks like it will fit the bill.
Synopsis: How to Love Your Neighbor is a high-concept enemies-to-lovers rom com from sparkling romance author Sophie Sullivan…
That’s all I have for this week. Have you read any of these books? What’s on your list to read? Comment below!
I have How to Love Your Neighbor, too. I think it looks really good! ❤️ Happy reading 📖
It will be interesting to see how we both like it. Thanks Tessa!
I love TJR’s books and enjoyed Daisy Jones! I also love holiday reads and am adding Holiday Ever After to my TBR list! Thanks for sharing!
I tend to read on a little more of the darker end of the romance spectrum and have three books I’m eagerly awaiting in the coming week:
Lexi Blake’s TREASURED (releasing June 22), where the hero is the step-son of the hero from one of Blake’s earliest Masters & Mercenaries series. This one features the bodyguard-client trope—but this time, it’s the bodyguard who’s female. Yes please!
Also arriving on June 22 is Pam Godwin’s LESSON IN SIN, which features one of my transgressive catnips: a Catholic priest who is driven by passion to break his vow of celibacy. (He’s also the headmaster of a Catholic boarding school and the heroine is a pupil at the school—so even more transgressive, although I’m hoping/assuming that the heroine is at least 18 before anything of a sexual nature takes place.) Based on the heroine’s name—Tinsley Constantine—I think the book may be part of the Midnight Dynasty series which is being written by different authors and features the rival Morelli and Constantine crime families. Tinsley Constantine was the name of the character whose 16th birthday party/ball was the central conceit of last year’s DARK FAIRY TALES anthology—so this is either a continuation of her story or an odd coincidence in Godwin’s choice of the heroine’s name.
One of my favorite (and, in my opinion, one of the most underrated) romance writers, Julie Kriss, releases COLD DARK HEART on June 23. This is the fifth book in Kriss’s Filthy Rich series—all of which feature heroes who grew up rough on the wrong side of the tracks and earned unexpected wealth later in life. The heroine is a divorced mom who owns a bar; the hero shows up to protect her from some bad guys. Can’t wait!
Wow, you’ve got a great list. Have you read the Thornbirds? That’s about a catholic priest and a young girl, and about their lives as they grow old. It’s interesting. I’ll definitely check out Julie Kriss.
Yes! I read THE THORNBIRDS many, many years ago—perhaps that was my introduction to the Priest taboo. I think in more recent times, Sierra Simone’s PRIEST was the first contemporary romance I read with the “vow-breaking Priest” trope.
I’ll have to check that out. I think the Thorn Birds scarred me as I read it when I was young?
Great haul Wendy. I have requesting the Jill Shalvis one and am waiting patiently to hear back. I have a few others as well and I hope we both enjoy all our new reads.
Thanks Carla, I hope you get the Jill Shalvis one. I’ve read a few of her books, and they are always good. Happy reading!
Great haul! I hope you will enjoy these and I can especially recommend Daisy Jones & The Six. I imagine it’s fantastic on audio!
Thanks, and I’m really looking forward to Daisy Jones. I’ve heard NOTHING but great things about that book.
Fabulous list of books Wendy! I hope you love Daisy Jones! It’s one of my all time favorite audio books! And I’ll be watching to see what you think of One Night Only. It does look super cute.
Thank you Kaceey, I’m soooo looking forward to Daisy Jones!
Happy reading Wendy! I hope we both love the Jill Shalvis!📚🤗💜
Thanks Susan. It will be interesting for sure.