book reviews

Everything I Read in May 2025

1. Deep End

I’m just going to warn you off the bat that this is a spicy romance book – not saying it’s good or bad but it’s definitely SPICY. LOL That being said, I really did like this book overall. Two college swimmers competing at the highest level begin falling for each other but their arrangement is not a normal one. Just when they think they can keep things casual, feelings get involved and it starts to get messy. It’s a good beach type read that kept me entertained and I really loved the two main characters’ dynamic together. Rating: 8.5

2. Beautiful Ugly

I had absolutely NO idea where this book was going and was actually finding it a bit dull at times. But something told me to stick with it and I was so glad I did! The last 1/4 of the book was a whirlwind and left me speechless!

Grady is grieving the unexpected loss of his wife in a tragic car accident that is still unexplained. To deal with his grief, Grady retreats to a remote Scottish island where his book agent offers him her cottage to use to help him heal. While using this cottage, Grady is trying to write his next novel but is finding it so difficult to begin. In addition to his writer’s block, the residents of the island are quite strange and he can’t seem to figure out why he doesn’t feel welcome here. Trust me, stick with this book because the ending is totally worth it! Rating: 9

3. The Violin Conspiracy

This book is equal parts beautiful and heart breaking all at the same time. Ray is a black boy growing up in rural North Carolina with a home life that isn’t setting him up for success. His grandmother is his biggest supporter and believes he is destined for greater things. She gifts him an old fiddle that was his grandfather’s and this sparks a love of music for him almost immediately. That violin becomes his ticket away from his current life and opens doors he never knew were possible. When he decides to have the violin appraised, he discovers that it is a rare priceless model that is worth millions. And what was once seen as his key to freedom becomes the thing that could ruin him. The story explores so many difficult topics but in the most graceful and beautiful way. It’s truly a must read. Rating: 9

4. The Love Of My Life

Another book that I wasn’t sure I would finish because it was taking a long time to capture my attention. But then it did and I ended up really loving it. Emma is a well known marine biologist who is suffering from a serious illness. Her husband and daughter are her world but she has kept a huge secret from them that could entirely ruin her life. Emma’s husband is an obituary writer and because his relatively famous wife could be facing the end of her life, he is tasked with writing her obituary.

As he begins to look into her past, questions arise that Emma can’t explain and could threaten to unravel their seemingly happy life as a family. The first 1/4 of the book didn’t make a ton of sense to me and I almost stopped reading, but I am so glad I stuck with it because it gets so much better and ended up being so enjoyable. Rating: 8.5

5. I Could Live Here Forever

This book is a slow burn but I really liked it. It’s a heartbreaking story that really makes you feel all the emotions. Leah and Charlie meet in line at a grocery store and their connection is instant. Their attraction to one another is intense and their relationship develops quickly. Leah soon discovers that Charlie is a recovering heroin addict and is worried about falling for him and if he can remain sober. But their connection is too strong to deny so Leah decides to give Charlie a chance. This book really does a wonderful job at describing what it is like to love an addict and how codependent that relationship can be. Rating: 8.5

6. Small Great Things

I’m sorry that my list this month is mostly books that are EXTREMELY emotional and will break your heart over and over. This is another one of those books but it was absolutely beautiful from start to finish. I loved every single bit of this book and envy anyone who is reading it for the first time.

Ruth is a labor and delivery nurse at the Yale New Haven hospital in Connecticut. She has been a stellar employee for nearly 20 years and is beloved by her patients and fellow staff members. During her shift one evening, she cares for a white supremacist and his wife who demand she be taken off their care because she is black. The hospital complies with the man’s request and Ruth feels betrayed that her hospital didn’t stand behind her. But a few days later, her unit is short staffed and Ruth is left alone with the man’s child who goes into cardiac arrest. Since she has been forbidden to touch the child, Ruth must make a crucial decision. Sadly the outcome of this decision leads to a fate Ruth could never imagine. Rating: 9.5

7. The Dead Romantics

I included this book in my list but I did not finish it because I could not get through it. It has tons of great reviews but was not for me. Rating: DNF

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Everything I Read in April 2025 – Part 2

1. Weyward

I tried with this one and did finish it but it was a struggle. I also couldn’t really see the connection between all the characters so the story didn’t make much sense to me. The story follows three different women from three different time periods. Altha is living during 1619 and is awaiting trial for murder because people think she is a witch who influenced a herd of cows to stampede a local farmer. Violet is living during WWII and struggling with the societal expectations she is forced to adhere to and wants to receive all the same opportunities as her brother. The third character in the story is living in 2019 and has just escaped her abusive boyfriend and fled to a cottage she inherited from her great-aunt.

The three stories showcase the resiliency of women and how they must fight to endure various hardships but I couldn’t really understand the connection between them. I think they are family or related in some way, but honestly the story was not engaging enough for me to really lock in. Rating: 5

2. One True Loves

This is the book that really brought me back after reading Weyward and instantly had me hooked from the first chapter. I knew from the first few encounters that this book would carry me through a range of emotions – and it did! Emma is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Jesse, and they are planning their lives together. During a solo trip to Alaska, Jesse is involved in a tragic helicopter crash where there are no survivors reported. Emma is devastated and feels like her life is over. Slowly she tries to find her place again without Jesse and moves back to her hometown in Massachusetts.

On a random afternoon, Emma runs into an old high school friend named Sam who she worked with as teenagers. Sam has always had a crush on Emma but never acted on it because she met Jesse shortly after they became friends.  Now that Emma is single again, Sam decides to make a move. He and Emma fall deeply in love and are engaged nearly a year later. All seems like a happy ending for Emma after such tragedy until she gets a phone call one day during lunch with her family and Sam. It’s Jesse. He is alive and coming home. The emotions in this kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and many tears were shed! Rating: 8.5

3. Slammed

I’m a Colleen Hoover fan but this was just ok. I enjoyed it but it wasn’t my favorite out of this group. Layken has recently lost her father so her mother moves her and her brother to a new city for a fresh start. On the first day of their arrival, Layken meets her new neighbor Will, who is a few years older than her and incredibly welcoming. Layken and Will go out together and instantly have a connection. Layken is so happy that her mother moved them to this new place. But when Layken starts at her new school, she is faced with an issue that will threaten her entire relationship with Will. This is an easy read and will keep you entertained but isn’t a top pick for me. Rating: 7.5

4. More Than You’ll Ever Know

Another book that was entertaining but not a favorite for me. Cassie is a true-crime writer and looking for her next story. During an internet trawl, she comes across an article about a murder case that left many confused and with no real answers. So Cassie decides to reach out to the woman at the center of this scandal, Lore, and see if she wants to tell her story. At first, Lore is hesitant to talk about this tragedy with a stranger. But decides to share as much as she feels comfortable and hopefully have some closure for her own well being. But Cassie feels like Lore is not telling her everything and leaving out vital details that explain the murder of her lover by her husband. It’s not a gripping thriller/mystery but it did keep me guessing for most of the book. Rating: 7

5. Famous Last Words

This was definitely the month of books that were only a like not a love. I do love many of Gillian McAllister’s books, but this was not my favorite.

Camilla is a new mother and about to drop her daughter off a daycare for the first time now that her maternity leave has ended. But when she wakes that morning, her husband Luke is not home and has left her a cryptic note that makes Camilla worried. Hours later there are reports of a hostage situation in their area and the police contact Camilla to tell her that Luke is the person holding the prisoners hostage. Camilla is shocked and unable to believe that her loving husband could do such a horrific thing. The police are finally able to gain access to the building but Luke is long gone and Camilla is left with no answers. It’s years later that Camilla will finally understand what truly happened and if the man she married was truly a monster. Rating: 7.5

6. The Boyfriend

Frieda McFadden’s books are hit or miss with me – I like some and others are not a hit. This was definitely entertaining and I loved the twist at the end. Sydney is having an awful time dating in NYC and meeting one horrible guy after another. During a particularly bad date where the man tried to physically assault her, a stranger steps in to help her. This heroic stranger is incredibly handsome but simply walks away after their encounter and Sydney wonders if she will ever see him again.

Fast forward a few months and she runs into him again while she is on another date. The date doesn’t end up working out and she reconnects with this handsome stranger and they begin dating. All seems to be going great until reports of women being murdered around the city has Sydney scared and nervous. And her new boyfriend has begun acting strange and Sydney doesn’t know why. Is he hiding something or is Sydney just paranoid? Lots of loose ends in this book that all tie up in the end which will leave you shocked over and over. Rating: 8.5

See Part 1 of Everything I Read – April 2025.