Getting lost in a good book has become just as important to us as enjoying our free time to sit down and craft. Our mental health (as well as our family) thanks us for taking these mini breaks throughout the day to recenter and prioritize our goals!
Here’s our second book list of 2022 ranging from historical romance to thrillers:
Reminders of Him // Colleen Hoover
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Our thoughts: As always with a Colleen Hoover book the story immediately consumes you with so much heartache and glimmers of hope. Throughout the book I could relate to different points of views from each of the characters. So many feelings with lots of ups and downs!! The power of forgiveness can not only change your own life, but also the lives of others. Such a powerful, emotional ride that does not disappoint.
The Wedding Party // Jasmine Guillory
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Our thoughts: Such a fun, quick rom com story! Sharing a best friend proves to have some hilarious moments throughout the main characters’ love/hate romantic relationship. Even though there were lots of steamy love scenes and miscommunication, this book left me wanting to eat pizza! Even though I was hungry a lot, I still enjoyed this book! I also enjoy that Jasmine Guillory adds in guest appearances of characters from previous books.
Party of Two // Jasmine Guillory
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Our thoughts: As soon as I finished The Wedding Party I immediately started reading this book. The main characters made me laugh from their first meet cute. Starting a romantic relationship while also running a start-up company and being a senator can prove to have lots of hiccups, especially when social media is involved. This was a very cute read.
Portrait of a Scotsman // Evie Dunmore
Genre: Historical Romance
Our thoughts: I enjoyed this period piece taking place in the 1880s – it centered around a love story but also discussed gender equality and other social issues. I really enjoyed Lucian’s character but found Hattie to be frustrating at times! Still, their non-conventional union was interesting and I found myself rooting for them until the end. Also, I had my dictionary next to me the whole time! Ha!
A Not So Meet Cute // Meghan Quinn
Genre: Romance
Our thoughts: This one was steamy! It gave me Fifty Shades of Grey vibes with a Pretty Woman-type rom-com mixed in. I found myself enjoying each character on their own but at times was very frustrated by their interactions with one another. It’s probably a perfect book if you’re in the mood for some spice. 🙂
The Summer Place // Jennifer Weiner
Genre: Holiday Fiction
Our thoughts: I’ve always loved Jennifer Weiner books and this book got added to the list! I wasn’t sure I was ready for a pandemic/post-pandemic book, but I’m glad I decided to try it. This was a quick read for me and I was constantly being surprised by the characters’ behavior and choices. Lots of ups and downs with this read!
The 12 Week Year // Brian P. Moran, Michael Lennington
Genre: Self-help
Our thoughts: I liked that this book gave a different way at looking at yearly goals – in that you can work more efficiently by setting 12 week goals (12 weeks being a year and each week being a month) rather than just goals to finish by the end of a year. It gave good tips, mindset shifts and brainstorming ideas to make this work. Although a lot of it was geared towards business, I did get some ideas on how to incorporate it into my personal life. Work smarter, not harder.
The Miranda Obsession // Jen Silverman
Genre: Drama
Our thoughts: I have to admit I’m a huge fan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel so when I saw that Rachel Brosnahan was the lead female voice of this Audible Original I had to give it a listen. It didn’t hurt that Gilmore Girls and This is Us star Milo Ventimiglia was another voice along with other A-Listers. Born in 1980 I was even more intrigued by this 80’s Hollywood story of Miranda Grosvenor.
The Woman in the Window // A. J. Finn
Genre: Thriller
Our thoughts: This book has been on my must read list before I even knew there was a movie and I finally listened to it! And wow was I constantly shocked by this rather dark thriller. There were so many plot twists and unexpected revelations until the very end of the book. Although I enjoyed the book, I’m not sure I could watch the movie – it seems a bit too creepy for me!
Happy Reading, Friends!
– Maghan & Katie