Summer Book Recs from Leah!
1. The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Hannah is an elite bodyguard and her subject is Jack Stapleton, Hollywood's biggest star. He doesn't want anyone to know he needs extra protection, least of all his family, because his mom is dealing with a health crisis. Hannah pretends to be Jack's girlfriend to keep her cover. I would read Katherine Center's grocery list. Truly. I've read The Bodyguard multiple times. Side note: my favorite book of Centers is Things We Save In A Fire, though it's a bit more high-stakes, in my humble opinion. But it's so good. So there's your bonus book rec, if that's something that interests you!
2. Meet Me In the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Savannah hides the romance manuscript she's been secretly working only to come back to it and discover it marked up by a mystery editor. She works for a publishing house, but they don't do romance books, and she has no idea who is editing her book. They communicate only in the margins. Merriment ensues as she's also getting to know her boss's son. You've Got Mail meets the publishing industry. Yes, please. (Fantastic in audio, as well!)
3. Take It From the Top by Claire Swinarski
Summer captured in book form in this High School Musical coded Middle Grade! I am a certified Claire Swinarski fan girl, and I'm so grateful for all her books, because both my daughters and I have been able to enjoy them. This story of summer camp and secrets and song hits all the right notes. If you or your middle grader are a fan of Wicked, don't sleep on this story!
4. A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
My most recommended read. I seriously tell everyone who asks for a book rec to read A Place to Hang the Moon. Just do it. This is a modern classic, in my humble opinion. It's also fantastic in audio. A trio of orphan siblings hope to find a forever home after being moved out of London during WWII.
5. Rebel Summer by Cindy Steel
A perfect summer love story that’s equal parts tender and funny. This one has a blue collar MMC, complex family dynamics, a waterfront setting, a scheming small town, and the best sort of banter. I read this book two times straight through, and then I purchased the paperback and annotated and highlighted it to my heart’s content.
6. Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry
A moving and beautiful story of one woman's life and loss. So much of this is about grief and suffering, but ultimately it's a story of gratitude and joy. My favorite quote: "Love held us. Kindness held us. We were suffering what we were living by."
7. Better than the movies by lynn painter
A YA book. After I read it, I said right out loud, "this is hilarious and so realistically captures the teenage experience." These characters leap off the page, and the next door neighbor, enemies to friends to more storyline is delicious.
8. the start of me and you by emery lord
When I started this book, one of my friends warned me to be prepared to ignore my family until I finished it. She wasn't wrong. This is a YA romance, and I adored Paige and Max and their quiz bowl team connection. I cried and I laughed and I loved this story.
9. The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall
I lol'd my way through this story about a woman jilted hours before her own wedding and the series of crazy antics her friends scheme up to make the rest of her summer of weddings bearable. This reads like women's fiction with a heavy side of romcom.
10. Break the Fall by Jennifer Iacopelli
A YA Romance that'll make you feel like you're at the Olympics, gripping the edge of your seat as you cheer on the women's gymnastic team. I've re-read this story countless times, and I love Audrey and her tenacity and her grit and her growth more with each pass.
Christmas Book Recs from Leah!
1. Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel
One of my all-time favorite Christmas books and just a stellar book in general. If you doubt my rec, read the first few pages of email exchanges and tell me you aren't laughing out loud and anxious for more. Miles is my favorite MMC, and this entire book is just a massive win. Read it now, thank me later!
2. Have Yourself a Married Little Christmas by Claire Cain
This entire series of marriage of convenience, military romances set at Christmas is excellent! I *think* this one is my favorite (I'm always here for a grumpy hero), but you can't go wrong with anything by Claire!
3. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
This is cozy and mysterious and fun, with a side of guy falls first romance, and I ate up every single bit of it. The premise is an Agatha Christie-like figure invites a bunch of authors to her estate and then she disappears. They have to figure out what the heck is going on. One of my favorite reads in 2024!
4.Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost
My go-to Christmas cozy mystery series. This is the first book in the series, and they just get better and better. I've enjoyed the audio version of these, as well, and I think they're available via Hoopla.
5. My Merry Mistake by Courtney Walsh
This one's for the eldest daughters. It's part of a series but can easily be read as a standalone. I loved it. Finn's family and the time on the ranch might have been my favorite part. It gave me all the Christmas-y feels.