What I Read in May + My June TBR
It’s been a while since I posted a reading roundup on the blog. To be honest, I’m struggling to find the line between Substack and my blog. I love writing for my blog, because it feels real on here and like my digital diary — my corner of the Internet I can call home. But with Substack on the rise and sooo many publishers, influencers, and content creators leaning in that direction, I feel like I have to, too. Do I generally like Substack? Yes. I think it’s a great avenue for content creators to begin their blogging journey. But as someone who’s had a blog for five years, I don’t want to stop blogging. I like my blog that has my design and my words. I like having my own corner on the Internet that doesn’t rely on an app.
Yes, Squarespace is an app, but I still purchased this domain with my money. I own the content.
But alas. I’m trying to find a balance between posting on my blog and writing on Substack, so bear with me. I’ve decided to keep my book reviews and roundups on my blog. I plan to make my Substack more of a “From the Editor” letter, like what you see in magazines. That will introduce my blog, and essentially, be a gateway to my blog. The blog that I love and have worked hard to improve every single day.
Anyway, let’s dive into the books I read in May. A lot on Kindle — which is surprising, sort of. Because I’m not really a Kindle gal. I love a physical copy of a book so much. I’ve tried e-readers, and love my Kindle, but I can’t read on a screen forever. I need to see words on a physical page and hold a book in my hands. However, I moved this past month and so I was packing all of my physical books, so that means my Kindle was my only option. And I’m glad! I got to read a couple of ARCs (which is completely new for me, by the way!) and a couple other books that I loved. I haven’t listened to an audiobook in a hot minute, which is unfortunate because I love audiobooks. My brain has felt like a hot mess with moving and other life things, and so when it comes to listening, I’ve prioritized listening to my favorite playlists and albums. (Yes, including Taylor Swift’s first 6 albums that she now OWNS!) That being said, I have Kennedy Ryan’s Can’t Get Enough (Skyland, 3) loaded up on Apple Books so I am very excited to start listening to that this month. It’s one of my most anticipated books of the year.
But! Let’s dive into the books I read in May. And stay tuned for the books I want to read in June!
What I Read In May
Cash (Lucky River Ranch, 1) by Jessica Peterson
Oh boy, was this a month for cowboy romances. It started with Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage last month, and it poured over into May. This one is less popular on bookstagram, but it was such a delight! Cash and Mollie, the main characters, were so good together — their banter and initial clash made the story intriguing enough from start to finish. This book was spicy and steamy — however, it’s not just the spicy scenes that made the story. Their tension helped build the story. It felt a tad slow in the beginning, like it was difficult to get into, but it didn’t take that long to fully get immersed into their beautiful and captivating romance. That epilogue! It made me buy the next book immediately. I started and finished the next book in the series, which you can read about below.
Rating: 3.5/5
Buy on Amazon, Bookshop.org.
Set Piece by Lana Schwartz
I listened to this on audio, thanks to Netgalley and 831 Books. Such a delightful romance book! Some parts had me laughing out loud. The dialogue was engaging and the story was intriguing. I loved the Hollywood and film set as a backdrop — I’m a sucker for a good Hollywood love story. Super quick read. If you’re looking for a fun yet heartwarming romance with a lot of depth this summer, this is for you!
Rating: 4/5
Buy on Amazon, Bookshop.org.
Pitcher Perfect (Big Shots, 4) by Tessa Bailey
I’ve said this about every Tessa Bailey book so far: her books are such a delight. They’re funny and light-hearted yet still serious when scenes call for it, and spicy. She’s a career romance author. She writes when she has idea and she turns those ideas into enjoyable, fun stories with emotional depth. I wrote a longer review on the blog earlier this month, so go read it there! In short, I didn’t like it as much as my other favorite books by her, but it was still such a delight. Thank you Avon Books for making this available for 24 hours on Netgalley, you rock! Out 9/9.
Rating: 3.5/5
Pre-order on Amazon, Bookshop.org.
Play Along (Windy City, 4) by Liz Tomforde
I didn’t think anything in this series could top Stevie and Zanders in Mile High (Windy City, 1), but Isaiah and Kennedy are perfect. They are everything to me. I wrote a longer review on the blog earlier this month, so go read how much I loved this book! In short, if you’re looking for a romance series to get sucked into this summer that has a found family trope, then this is the series for you. I’m so excited to dive into her newest release in this series, Rewind It Back, with Rio!
Rating: 5/5
Buy on Amazon, Bookshop.org.
Wyatt (Lucky River Ranch, 2) by Jessica Peterson
I didn’t like this as much as Cash (Lucky River Ranch, 1), but it was still enjoyable enough for me to read and finish. By the halfway mark, it turned into complete smut, as the couple (Sally and Wyatt, two childhood best friends now all grown up who are fake dating each other to have fun — idk) decided they wanted to be together. Every other chapter after the 50% mark was smut. Not like that’s annoying or anything, but I wanted a little more conflict in the last half. If you’re looking for a cowboy romance with a lot of spice, then this childhood friends to lovers with a sprinkle of fake dating is for you.
Rating: 3.5/5
Buy on Amazon, Bookshop.org.
My June TBR:
Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (about to finish but I wanted to put on my TBR for giggles)
Can’t Get Enough (Skyland, 3) by Kennedy Ryan
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood // I’m about to have an Ali Hazelwood summer, y’all.
Worth Fighting For (Meant to Be, 5) by Jesse Q. Sutanto