The books I read in June
After months of uninspired reading, I’m finally out of the book slump woods! Below are the books I read and enjoyed in June.
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I was waiting to watch this film until I’d read the source material, and I’m glad I did! Both were enjoyable in their own way, but the book gave me some more layered character backstory that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
When I read the synopsis for this story, my jaw legit dropped to the floor. Emma’s husband (her high school sweetheart) presumably dies in a helicopter crash, and Emma does the only thing she can—move on. As she is set to marry the man who has pined after her for decades, her husband returns after years on a deserted island. I mean!
This was my very first TJR book! Her writing is compulsively readable, and I love how Reid creates scenarios that craft an ethical dilemma for the main characters. In this case, should someone continue with their life as they’ve been planning it, or give it up for the life they had dreamed of having for so long and even grieved over?
Sinner (Priest #2) by Sierra Simone
I enjoyed the first book in this series, Priest, and was looking for something spicy and quick-paced. This book follows the brother of the priest from the first book and his love affair with an almost-nun. It’s got age gap and the virgin tropes, neither of which I love, but they were utilized well in this book.
I also love how the books in this series are from the men’s point-of-view only—Simone does an amazing job at getting us in the character’s head and understanding them. The author does erotic literature really well while still weaving in an amazing plot.
Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
What a delight! I’ve read a couple Katherine Center books, and her books always bring a smile to my face. They’re entertaining and well-written, and the stories always draw me in. As mentioned above, I’m not normally a fan of age gap romances, but I thought it worked perfectly for this story.
Helen, 32, is one year post-divorce and ready for her own miniature Eat, Pray, Love experience, except she wants to go into the wilderness on a camping trip with a bunch of strangers. Imagine her surprise when one of the “strangers” on this trip is none other than her annoying little brother’s best friend.
I highly recommend the audiobook for this one. It made an afternoon of chores fly by like a breeze.
Bloody Sunrise and Blood Moon by Gwendolyn Harper
Some books just scratch an itch you didn’t even know you had, and these zombie apocalypse romances did that for me. Caitlin’s plane is shot down as a mysterious illness breaks out in Atlanta, and she’s the sole survivor of the crash. But in order to continue surviving in this new world, she must team up with Jake Booker. While they don’t initially get along, they soon start to appreciate having the other around in more ways than one.
I yearned for more time in this world to better understand it—but I guess that’s why my first read for July was the final installment of this trilogy! Each book ends on a devastating cliffhanger, so you can’t help but continue reading.