My parents instilled a love of reading in me at an early age. Before I could even read, they’d read me a bedtime story. My grandparents were also big fans of books, TV shows and magazines with heartwarming stories. 

 

My bookshelves were filled with books before I’d even started school; Golden Books, a few from my mom’s childhood, Disney picture books and Bible stories. I still remember loving that little corner of my room, picking up a book to sit in the blue plastic chair and wishing I could read. 

 

 

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a book in my hand or that reading didn’t play such an integral part of my life. I was the kid excited about trips to the library. 

 

I always looked forward to “quiet reading time” after lunch in second grade. I’d gotten Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” books and truly fell in love with stories. I was the one hitting all the marks for those Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Contests. Every summer that rolled around, I spent my days begging to go to, either Barnes & Noble or Borders, or was at home reading away, to add to the reading log, for our local library reading contest, where they’d partner with my favorite local news station. 

 

But, it wasn’t even just books that sparked my love of story. It was sitting at the foot of the ottoman where my grandma sat, as she flipped through photo albums of my mom, aunt and uncle growing up. I loved hearing stories when they were kids; their family vacations, traditions, funny anecdotes.  

 

It was also watching sitcoms and soap operas with my grandparents in the afternoon. It was walking through antique and thrift stores, wondering who the items belonged to and what their story was. It was Disney movies and fairytales 

 

Storytelling was weaved all around my childhood. I didn’t have a chance of not doing something that stirred my imagination and creativity. I went into journalism in college, wanting to tell stories, whether it was based around human interest pieces of students on campus and others in the community to the entertainment world/things to do in our area, I was all about it. 

 

Now, it's part of my livelihood working in marketing and communications, whether it's through a newsletter, social media posts, reels, interviews, articles or a podcast. I love finding new ways to tell stories! 

My love of books has only grown over the years! I'm rarely without a book or my Kindle. This year was no different! Check out my list of favorites from the past year! 

While Rebecca Yarros is more known for the fantasy worlds she's created lately in “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Flame," I wanted to try more of her contemporary romances. 

Ella knows loss and has learned to be there for herself and her kids. Her parents died, her husband left after finding out she was pregnant with twins and her brother, Ryan, is overseas in the military. 

They keep in touch through letter correspondence and, through Ryan, is introduced to “Chaos.” Chaos also knows what it's like to be your own family. Ryan knows they'd be good for each other and tells his sister to write for him. Without ever having met, they've already fallen half in love, becoming each others' confidants and safe place. 

When her brother is killed, her brother's close friend, Beckett, shows up to take care of Ella. He's already in love with her but knows he's harboring too many secrets to ever truly let her in. 

Through heartache, lies, pain and love, Ella and Beckett just might be a better fit for each other than either of them imagined. It's one of those books that left me speechless and still has me thinking about it one year later. 

After an unfortunate life event, Phoebe is D-O-N-E. She’s looking for an answer and spontaneously decides to visit a resort in Rhode Island that she’s always wanted to. Only, it’s closed for a wedding and she winds up in the middle of the wedding party. The bride befriends her and brings her into the week’s festivities, which turns out to be a blessing in disguise.

But, more than it’s about overcoming personal challenges or a celebration of two people entering into marriage, it’s about the beautiful complexities that come with being a human — The desire for connection, love, hope, happiness. Simple things we all want out of life. And yet, there’s so much that could be said of the story. In this novel by Alison Espach, you will find:

🥂Dark humor

🍾Witty dialogue

🌴Rhode Island hotel setting

💍Wedding drama

🗣️Important topics and conversations of the human experience in a beautiful and poetic package

💘Love story woven throughout

👭Friendship and belonging

 

This is a character-driven novel that peels back the layers on the idea that maybe we’re all a little more alike than we realize. We struggle with loneliness, being ourselves and wondering if we show our true colors, will those we’re closest to accept us for who we are? Or how can we ask for what we want, even if others don’t understand, including ourselves?

Emily Henry is the Nora Ephron of our time. Her romances tend to fall under more of the contemporary literature than just pure romance. There's usually an overarching plot, aside from just the male and female lead characters. 

 

Daphne and her fiance, Peter, are perfect together…on paper. But, when he realizes he's still in love with his childhood best friend, Petra, Daphne suddenly has to start over and create a new life for herself. This also lands her a roommate in a similar position…Petra's ex-boyfriend, Miles. 

 

These two couldn't be more different from one another. When they receive invitations to their exes wedding, they decide to pretend to be a couple and RSVP for the event together. But, of course, the more time they spend together, the lines are blurred as to what is fake and what is real. 

 

🧡 Fake dating 

🧡 Starting over 

🧡 Opposites attract | She's Type A and he's…Not. 

🧡 Found family and a sense of belonging 

🧡 Learning to trust yourself and make decisions even when life isn't originally what you thought it would be.

 

This is one of my top three Emily Henry books now! And it will be made into a movie with screenplay adapted by Henry herself. 

I love a good Hollywood love story and this has all the makings of a juicy television show. Two costars/former best friends reunite for their teen drama, Girl on the Verge, but Liv Latimer has gotten used to a mostly normal life (aside from a few roles here and there). After experiencing a lot of changes, over the last 20 years since the show's debut, like her father's death and no longer speaking to her on-screen love interest/off screen best friend. 🎬🌟

 

This was such a fun concept and brings you into the world of what it's like to work on a hit TV show (a dream!). But, it isn't just a guilty pleasure read or something to read purely for entertainment – This book has heart and characters filled with real flaws, fears and dreams, who feel as real as your best friends. It's a sort of coming of age novel that helps Liv find what she wants in her next chapter of life, and is relatable for any of us, who have often wandered the ‘what if’ routes. 

“The Rom-Commers” by Katherine Center is delightful from start to finish. Like many of her other books, this story is embedded in realism but sprinkled with just the right amount of romance and whimsy to have you swooning and sighing throughout your reading journey. Katherine Center can do no wrong and this is another reminder of that. And, also, going to need a movie of this PRONTO. Because it’s just that good!

 

Emma Wheeler is used to being the caretaker in her family, often putting her own dreams, as an aspiring screenwriter, on hold. Until she gets the opportunity of a lifetime from her ex-boyfriend, Logan. He tells her he needs her to ghost write on a project with Charlie Yates — Who just happens to be one of Hollywood’s best screenwriters…When it comes to action, but not so much in the romance department.

 

Only problem is…He has no idea she’s coming when she shows up at his front door. But, he eventually gives in and the two find a way to make their writing relationship work. Or is it just the beginning of something more?

 

The two begin to teach other about their worlds and step outside of their comfort zones - It’s friendship, it’s grace, it’s love and possibility. They create their own magic in the midst of their writing to make their words come alive and give it that *SPARK.” Without giving all the secrets away, they learn to lean on each other and learn the lesson of letting someone else in on the crazy that happens in life.

 

The dialogue is fantastic, the banter is witty and fast-paced and makes you eagerly bite your nails at the chemistry jumping off the page. It’s the anticipation build up of wondering if Charlie will let Emma push him to try new things he’d never otherwise do in a million years. And does Emma learn to lean on someone else instead of always taking charge?

As a One Tree Hill fan, I was beyond excited to hear about Bethany Joy Lenz's book coming out. “Dinner For Vampires” not only explores her time on the show, but her life in a cult, which was happening simultaneously. This book is extremely well-written, poignant, brilliant and honest about all the aspects of life that Joy was dealing with. 

 

Haley/Joy was always my favorite from the show and I've followed her for years, including her side project and music duo, Everly, her blog featuring adventures, fashion and stories from her life and more recently her Hallmark films over the last few years. 

 

This book peels back the layer of that “fourth wall” often noted in television and opens up to the ugly side of what people are often experiencing behind closed doors. I remember thinking she had it all and was living her dream. Who had any idea that she was experiencing everything in her life? Just goes to show you that the grass isn't always greener. 

 

Her story is one of true grace, strength and shows the courage it can take to walk away from something that doesn't serve you even when it's hard. Whether you've experienced life in a cult or not, there's a lot of wisdom to be gained from the lessons Joy faced, especially when it comes to religion, faith and those vampires in our daily lives who try to take away what's ours. 

I always say the latest book of Nora and Derek dated in college but broke up. Now, they're both in the football world (Nora as an agent, Derek as a football player) and she's assigned to be his agent! YIKES! Then, a trip to Vegas and accidental marriage has them feeling all the feels and wondering if there's still potential to reignite the love story they once had. But, at what cost? 

You'll want to read this if you enjoy —

🩵 College sweethearts

🩵 Accidental marriage

🩵 Sport setting

🩵 Heartfelt tension and angst between the once lovers who are kind of, sort of, not exactly on the best terms at the beginning. 

This feels like a different start to a typical Sarah Adams read (and I mean that in the best way possible) because she's always taking her writing to the next level. There's a bit more mystery in how this relationship will resolve itself and I 👏 ATE👏IT👏UP! 

A woman finds herself in the ‘waiting room’ after death from choking on a microwaved hamburger. It's in the waiting room that she discovers meeting ‘the one.’ It's only if she can find him again before her 10 days are up, that she might have a second chance at life. Only, he ends up going back to earth after a mixup. So, she has to search high and low for him in a world of millions. Then, she gets the help of her neighbor, Cooper. 

Will she find her soulmate? Or discover something better in her search? She spends time with her afterlife therapist as she works through finding her one true love, a bit of self-discovery, peeling back the layers of her fears and what true love really means. 

 

There have been many storylines like this that talk about the after life, but this is one with a bit of a new take. This was a quick read that I completed over a weekend, but thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. It's a lighthearted read that also addresses very real concerns and questions humans tend to ask about mortality, decisions we make and how it all plays into a bigger picture. 

 

This one is also set to become a movie with Justin Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios. I, for one, can't wait to see it! 

Two authors, June Hayward and Athena Liu, make their debut around the same time. However, Athena's star rises to the top rather quickly and no one knows who June Hayward is. 

After Athena dies in a freak accident, June decides to take her life and career into her own hands. She finds Athena's latest manuscript about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I…And then decides to edit and pass it off as her own work when sending to her agent. 

 

June rebrands herself as Juniper Song, along with a deceiving author photo, in order to pass as an ethnic author. Secrets, lies, covering who she really is for a shot at success, fill this book with fast pacing, clever inner dialogue and thought process for the sneaky acts and a closer look at diversity, racism and cultural appropriation, as well as the effects of social media on our world these days.

 

This book makes you feel as though you are June Hayward, moment by moment, as she takes the next step ultimately decides her own fate. What lengths will she go to in order to keep her identity hidden and keep this persona she's adapted? 

Rebecca Serle's books are always thoughtful, fresh and thought-provoking. She brings an interesting take to a universal story line we might think we have figured out. Even if you think you know exactly what's going to happen, there's always some little twist or mic drop that leaves you with your jaw hanging on the floor. 

"Expiration Dates" is another quintessential Serle book, and one I have been anxiously awaiting since it was announced. 

The log line of the book says it all — "Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all."

What would you do if you knew what to expect of any given romantic relationship? Daphne Bell finds out. Every time she meets a romantic interest, she receives a slip of paper noting the amount of time they'll be together. Knowing this information, she often lets it determine how their time together plays out rather than listening to her heart and trusting what it could be. But, it's more than a book of girl meets boy and they live happily ever after. It's about self-discovery, trusting yourself, not giving in to the appeasement of others to keep them happy, but considering our own happiness throughout the journey. Our time isn't guaranteed, no matter what a slip of paper says, but the decisions we make are still up to us. 

This is a love letter to Los Angeles, a love letter to true love, a love letter to happiness and a love letter to friendship.

 

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