What I Read in July 2024

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Hello everyone! My goal for the month was 20 books, but I was only able to read 12. I had a birthday in July though, so I may have read less around that time. Without further ado, let's get started!

Good Girl Bad Blood by Holly Jackson: I rated this ebook 4/5 stars and finished it on July 4th. This is the second book in the Good Girl's Guide to Murder trilogy and honestly, I didn't like it nearly as much as the first one. I just felt like it was really slow, and I had a hard time trying to justify if I should keep going or not. I loved Pip again, and I loved seeing her relationship with Ravi grow, despite romance being a subplot and not the main plot. The thriller aspect was just...meh. I would've given it three stars but the twists toward the end shocked me. I'm excited to read the finale this month, and I'd definitely recommend the series. However, if you don't feel like reading three books, the first one has been the best in my opinion.

"Pip is not a detective anymore. With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her. But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh. The police won't do anything about it. And if they won't look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town's dark secrets along the way... and this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it's too late?"

Mercy by Sara Cate: I rated this book 4.5/5 stars and finished it on July 12th. This is the fourth book in the Salacious Players Club series and follows Maggie and Beau. I bought this one at Barnes and Noble for my birthday the day before and I'm so glad I did. I read it in one sitting because it was addictively good. I plan on reading the rest of the series for sure, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you're into books on the spicier side.

"I don’t want to hurt him—I just want to punish him. ⁠It’s bad enough being the only female owner of the Salacious Players’ Club, but I’m also the only one without a kink, or so I thought. ⁠Imagine my surprise when the kink quiz suggests that I’m not so vanilla after all.

In fact, I’m a lot more like Emerson Grant than I thought.⁠ Just one problem—I have no idea how to be a Domme.⁠ That is, until the app matches me with someone willing to help me learn. ⁠He’s too young for me.⁠ Too stubborn. Too good looking. ⁠And, oh yeah, my friend’s son.⁠ Beau Grant is a brat. I’d hate that about him if I didn’t love punishing him so much. ⁠Underneath all of that attitude is a man who is misunderstood, selfless, and in need of direction.⁠ But if he wants mercy, he has to earn it. ⁠There are a million reasons why I should stay away, but I’m tired of doing what everyone thinks I should do.⁠ I finally know what I want, and I’m ready to take what’s mine.⁠"

Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher: I rated this book 6/5 stars and finished it on July 13th. This is the second book in the Lakefront Billionaires series and follows Rafael and Ellie. This was one of my most anticipated releases for the year and let me tell you, it did not disappoint at all. I read the first one back in November when it came out and haven't read anything by her since then, so reading this was like jumping right back into Lake Wisteria and everyone that came with it. I think I loved this one more than Dahlia and Julian's story somehow, though they did make appearances throughout this story which I enjoyed. My favorite part of Rafa and Ellie's story was Ellie's relationship with Rafa's son Nico. It felt like more of a motherly relationship and less of a nanny relationship between them. I actually ended up crying while I was reading this one, something to do with Nico and his illness I believe. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this one. I'd recommend reading Love Redesigned first, but honestly they're both great. I can't wait for the finale to come out next year!

"Rafael: Ellie Sinclair is a hopeless romantic who writes love songs. I’m a struggling workaholic who could inspire a hundred breakup albums. On paper, we have nothing in common except for my son. For eight months, I avoid her until our summer trip. Fourteen days. Two islands. And one nanny I shouldn’t be attracted to. Spending time with Ellie is expected, but enjoying her company? That isn’t part of our travel plans. After my divorce, I swore to protect my heart at all costs. Even if it means breaking hers in the process.

Ellie: What’s worse than working for a grumpy single dad? Admitting that I once had a secret crush on him in high school. Thankfully, Rafael Lopez and I have changed since we graduated from Wisteria High. He is a billionaire with a company to run and a child to take care of. I’m an unemployed songwriter he hired to watch his son and teach music. We coexist without any issues until a vacation changes everything. Lines blur and old feelings for Rafael return with vengeance as I face a new dilemma. Being his son’s nanny is one thing, but wishing for more? Sounds like a heartbreak song waiting to be written."

The Locked Door by Freida McFadden: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on July 16th. I was nervous about picking this up because I didn't enjoy the last book I read by her but I was pleasantly surprised by it. It kept me on my toes with the twist which was good, I thought I knew it but I'm so glad I didn't. An underrated one by her for sure, I'd recommend it.

"Some doors are locked for a reason…While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her father was killing women in the basement. Until the day the police arrived at their front door. Decades later, Nora’s father is spending his life behind bars, and Nora is a successful surgeon with a quiet, solitary existence. Nobody knows her father was a notorious serial killer. And she intends to keep it that way. Then Nora discovers one of her young female patients has been murdered. In the same unique and horrific manner that her father used to kill his victims. Somebody knows who Nora is. Somebody wants her to take the fall for this unthinkable crime. But she’s not a killer like her father. The police can’t pin anything on her as long as they don’t look in her basement."

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on July 22nd. I got through about 45% of the audiobook before having to return it but I've been wanting to finish it, so I found the hardcover at my library and was able to binge the rest of it. I ended up loving it! I loved Zoe and Sawyer, especially when it got super twisty at the end. The ending kinda set up for a sequel but I'm not sure if it's happening or not. I hope it is though. I'd recommend this if you're into spy movies or you're looking for a super fluffy action/comedy-type romance book.

"It's the middle of the night in the middle of Paris and a woman just woke up with no memory. She only knows three things for certain: 1. She has a splitting headache. 2. The hottest guy she has (probably) ever seen is standing over her, telling her to run. And oh yeah...3. People keep trying to kill her. She doesn't know who. Or why. But when she sees footage of herself fighting off a dozen men there's only one explanation: obviously. . . she's a spy! Except, according to Mr. Hot Guy, she's not. She's a spy's identical twin sister. Too bad the only person who knows she's not the woman they're looking for is this very grouchy, very sexy, very secret agent who (reluctantly) agrees to help her disappear. That's easier said than done when a criminal organization wants you dead and every intelligence service in the world wants you caught. Luckily, no one is looking for a pair of lovesick newlyweds on their honeymoon. And soon they're lying their way across Europe--dodging bullets and faking kisses as they race to unravel a deadly conspiracy and clear her sister's name. But with every secret they uncover, the truth shifts, until she no longer knows who to trust: the twin she can't remember or the mysterious man she can't let herself forget..."

Reckless by Elsie Silver: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on July 23rd. This is the fourth book in the Chesnut Springs series and follows Theo and Winter. I read this in one sitting because Elsie's writing is so addicting. This was a birthday gift to myself and I absolutely loved it. It's probably my favorite in the series honestly. I liked Winter and Theo a lot, and I like how well done the accidental pregnancy was. I'd absolutely recommend this one to anyone who loves small-town cowboy romances.

"Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies’ man. Scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. And he’s looking at me like I might be his next meal. But I’m almost free of my toxic marriage and have sworn off men entirely. So all I see when I look back is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak. The man is hard to trust—and even harder to resist. Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard I try to freeze him out, he melts my icy exterior and pulls apart all my defenses. Over a drink in a small town bar, I blurt out my deepest, darkest secrets. Then I spend the singular hottest night of my life with him. He worships my body. He makes me blush. I come alive beneath his hands. Then I tell him to forget it ever happened. I want simple, and with him it all feels complicated. It was supposed to be a one-time thing. A secret. But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep."

Hopeless by Elsie Silver: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on July 26th. This is the fifth book in the Chesnut Springs series and follows Beau and Bailey. I've loved seeing Bailey's character development from the shy girl she was in the first book to the more outspoken girl she is now. She's grown a lot and I love that. However, the reason why this is a four and not a five is because of Beau. Beau was a jerk to Winter in Reckless and I hated that, but I had a feeling his and Bailey's book would be good regardless and I was kinda right. I'm not sure I'd recommend this one, but I've loved the rest of the series.

"Beau Eaton is the town prince, a handsome military hero with a tortured past. I’m the outcast bartender, a shy girl from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s thirty-five and all man, and I’m twenty-two and all… virgin. He’s also my fiancé. Correction: my fake fiancé. We start out as a bet. He doesn’t believe that anyone holds my last name against me. So he offers me his to prove a point. It’s win-win. He gets a break from his concerned family’s prying, and I get a chance to shed my family’s reputation while I save up to ditch this small town. He says all I have to do is wear his ring, follow his lead, and pretend I can’t keep my hands off of him in public. But it’s what happens between us in private that blurs all those carefully drawn lines. It’s what transpires behind closed doors that doesn’t feel like pretending at all. This engagement was supposed to be for show. This agreement? It has an end date. He once told me he’d never fall in love. And yet here I am, head over heels for my fake fiancé."

He's Not My Type by Meghan Quinn: I rated this book 3.5/5 stars and finished it on July 26th. This is the fourth book in the Vancouver Agitators series and follows Halsey and Blakely. I had been looking forward to this one since Silas and Ollie's book was such a miss for me. However, somehow, this one was also a miss. I loved Blakely and Halsey in the beginning of the book, but somewhere along the way, Halsey kinda changed himself and I didn't really like it. Also, I felt like there was A LOT of miscommunication for no reason?? I'm not sure. All I know is, I hope Posey's book is better. Wouldn't recommend this one unfortunately.

"Word to the wise, never become roommates with a girl you’ve been pining over for the better part of a year. You’re probably wondering why I would do such a thing? Well, I didn’t. It was my teammates. The moment they found out Blakely White was single, they took it upon themselves to play cupid and instruct me on how I should win her over. Don't wear a shirt around her. Make her dinner. Lightly touch her shoulder when you say goodbye. I'm so flustered, so overwhelmed, so madly in love with this woman who barely notices me, that I lose control of the situation and make one huge mistake: I offer to be her fake date for a wedding so she can make her ex jealous. That means, for one whole night I get a free pass with her. I get to hold her, dance with her, kiss her…stare at her from across the room like she’s my entire world because she has been for months now. But when the night comes to an end, I’m faced with two options: bring her back to my bedroom and show her how I really feel, or let her walk away, succumbing to the fact that I very well might not be her type."

Bouncey by B. Sobjakken: I rated this ebook 5/5 stars and finished it on July 26th. This is part of the DNF series and follows Acacia and Callum. I wasn't expecting to apply for this ARC series and get accepted for it, but it's hilarious. This one was one of my favorites for sure because of the language Callum uses. I'd only recommend it if you can handle the cringe of it, but I loved it. Oh, comes out August 9th by the way!

"Acacia is a horny, but virgin, gym receptionist obsessed with watching her well-endowed boss do his jump rope routines. When she finally decides to take matters into her own hands, her failing attempts at seduction leave much to be desired. Callum has been trying to keep professional boundaries with the quirky girl leading his front desk. But when she crosses the line first, all bets are off and he's going to show her what he's willing to do to keep her."

Gooey by K. L. Mann: I rated this ebook 4/5 stars and finished it on July 26th. This is part of the DNF series and follows Winter and Moore. It's much more tame than Bouncey in terms of content, I just thought the age gap was a little weird. Winter was supposed to be 20 but she was written like a 15-year-old. Other than that though, it was pretty good! The entire DNF series comes out on August 9th!

"Winter shouldn’t be almost drowning in the middle of the ocean during a storm. Moore shouldn’t be foolish enough to jump in after her. They definitely shouldn’t fall in love after…What happens when the grumpy, off-shore rig worker earns the affection of the sweet stowaway who is far too young for him? Find out."

Thick by Leslie Ayla: I rated this ebook 4/5 stars and finished it on July 27th. This is part of the DNF series and follows Zelda, Kaz, and Brennan. This one wasn't as cringe either but the age play still kinda gave me the ick. It was well-written though, I'd probably read more of her work in the future.

"Five easy steps on how to spice up your dating life. 1. Forget your dinner in the oven. 2. Burn down your kitchen. 3. Move in with the sexy married gay couple across the hall. 4. Crush on the sexy married gay couple. 5. Try not to fall in love with them. Then don't forget to throw in some serious freak-outs, crazy, unreasonable rules and a very naughty couch."

Hung by Summer O'Toole: I rated this ebook 5/5 stars and finished it on July 27th. This is part of the DNF series and follows Alfie and Georgie. I loved this one! It's probably my favorite that I've read so far. The humor was well-written and not as cringe as some of the other ones. Get your hands on it when it comes out on August 9th!

"Alfie is a man in love the second he sees Georgie and quickly becomes as obsessed with her as he is with Pumpkin Spice lattes. Georgie finds herself equally smitten by Alfie, but a little intimidated by the not-so-little thing in his pants. Come along for this goofy ride as they make it fit--I mean, work."

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That's everything! I know it's not a lot, as I was pretty busy this month. Hopefully, next month won't be as busy, and I'll get to read more. See you next month!