In How to Get a (Love) Life, Rosie Blake introduces us to Nicola Brown, a somewhat obsessive woman who lives a routine life without much excitement, or love. Her co-worker Caroline dares her to start putting herself out there and try to find love by Valentine’s Day. Taking the dare, Nicola spends the next three months finding dates by a variety of methods, hoping to find the perfect guy for her.
This was a fun read with a lot of humor and wit. I liked the characters and enjoyed reading about all the disastrous dates Nicola went on in her quest to find love. This is the second book I have read from Blake, and I plan to read more.
I was looking through my TBR last week and noticed that I had a bunch of short stories on it, most of which were already on my Kindle. So last weekend, I decided to read them all.
The first three are part of a series called Once Upon a Bookshop by Alice Hoffman. The main characters are two sisters who have been estranged for years but come back together when one of their children reaches out for help.
The Bookstore Sisters
The Bookstore Wedding
The Bookstore Keepers
The rest are standalone stories.
The One That Got Away by Mike Gayle – fun story about a guy trying to get over his ex and how he spends the day of her wedding to another guy
The Sublet by Greer Hendricks – chilling story about the hidden cost of perfection
The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez – sweet, funny story about two neighbors who get stranded together over Valentine’s Day
The Tomorrow Box by Curtis Sittenfeld – part of the Currency collection of Amazon original short stories, an interesting look at two men who were friends in college and meet to catch up many years later
Giraffe & Flamingo by Curtis Sittenfeld – an Amazon original short story about a woman reflecting on her college experience
The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin – a classic science fiction story first published in 1954. This was shared with me by a good friend.
Sebastian and the Troll by Fredrik Backman – a story about pain that Backman has published on his blog
It was kind of fun to read all of these stories back to back. They reflect a range of styles and topics, but each one has something to offer.
Do you enjoy short stories? Or do you prefer to stick to full length books?
Somehow I had read the third book in this series back in 2022, so I decided I should read the first two as well.
These books are sexy romances that feature autistic women at the center of the stories, and I really appreciate the representation of autism in fiction. It’s important to show that autism presents differently in women than in men and to provide an understanding of the challenges we face. Hoang does a good job of this, especially as she was going through her own journey of being diagnosed with autism at the time.
As for the plot, it was pretty standard fare for a sexy romance. The main character Stella wants to learn how to enjoy sex and decides to hire a professional to teach her, and that’s how we meet Michael, an escort with his own story to tell. From there, it’s basically a reverse Pretty Woman scenario.
In the end, my take is that it was a fun romance with some good insight into autistic women.
I am currently reading Billy Straight by Jonathan Kellerman. It was published in 1998 and was the first in his Petra Connor series which ended up only having two installments. I am really enjoying it.
What I Recently Finished
Fiction
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick (Contemporary Fiction)
Pick Me Up by Cecelia Joyce (Romance)
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Fantasy)
Pages to Fill by Travis Baldree (Fantasy Short Story)
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (Romance)
Ordinary Life: Stories by Elizabeth Berg (Contemporary Short Stories)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Young Adult)
Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Beth Harbison (Chick Lit)
Nonfiction
Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? The Bible and Modern Science and the Trouble of Making It All Fit by Janet Kellogg Ray
What I Added to my TBR
In March, I added 27 novels and 2 short stories to my TBR.
TBR Stats/Goal Updates
I currently have 171 books on my TBR (yes, it keeps growing!)
Of those, 17 are nonfiction and 154 are fiction
I finished 7 more of my 25 in 2025 list, bringing that total to 13
I have finished 28 books so far this year, so I am well on my way to my goal of 75
One of my goals was to read 2 nonfiction books each month. So far this year I have read 1 per month. I’m not mad about that; I have a hard time making myself read nonfiction even when I am interested in the topic.
If you’re on Goodreads, feel free to add me as a friend. I’m always looking for new recommendations!
I am currently reading The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick. This was published in 2016 and is part of my 25 in 2025 challenge to read some of the backlist books on my TBR. It was also her debut novel. I just started it but I like it so far.
What I Recently Finished
Fiction
Lawyers and Lattes: Happily Ever After in Devon by Rebecca Paulinyi – I found this author during a stuff your Kindle day a year or so ago and liked the free book enough to want to get this one. This book was entertaining enough that I have added book three to my TBR.
The London Flat: Second Chances by Juliet Gauvin – I had enjoyed the first book in this series, which I got during a stuff your Kindle day a while back, but this one fell flat for me. I didn’t find the plot believable.
Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison – Fun read! The action flips between the present day and the characters’ time in junior high and high school. I actually liked the chapters from the past better than the present; the author does a good job writing the younger characters. The present-day plot felt a bit childish to me, like the characters hadn’t really grown up since high school, which perhaps was the point.
What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg – I didn’t love it, even though Elizabeth Berg is one of my favorite writers. It started out good, but I just lost interest partway through.
Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb – I have been a longtime fan of the In Death series, and this book delivered on all fronts. I loved it!
Crime Scene by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman – I am a big fan of Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series, so I had high hopes for this collaboration with his son Jesse. I thought it was alright, but it didn’t pull me in like the Delaware books do. I couldn’t really relate to the main character, or any of the characters, very much, and I didn’t find the storyline very compelling.
The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak – I am still mulling over this one and plan to write a review soon. I gave it three stars for now.
Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman – I usually love the books in the Alex Delaware series, but this one didn’t hold my interest very well. The main draw of the series is that Delaware is a psychologist, and the crimes usually involve some psychological twists and turns. This one felt like more straightforward police work to me.
Nonfiction
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby – This book was so intense. I am still processing it and plan to write a full review soon.
What I Added to my TBR
Not Quite by the Book by Julie Hatcher – my Amazon First Reads pick for February
The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez – bonus short story from Amazon First Reads
A Good Indian Girl by Mansi Shah – a recent release from this author I discovered last year
More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa – a sequel that I want to read
Feeling the Fireworks: Starting Over in Devon by Rebecca Paulinyi – #3 in the South West series
Twisted by Jonathan Kellerman – #2 in the Petra Connor series, I have #1 on my 25 in 2025 list
TBR Stats
I currently have 152 books on my TBR
Of those, 20 are nonfiction and 132 are fiction
I have finished 6 of my 25 in 2025 challenge
If you’re on Goodreads, feel free to add me as a friend. I’m always looking for new recommendations!
Here are quick reviews of the books I have read so far this month…
⭐⭐⭐
Lawyers and Lattes by Rebecca Paulinyi – I found this author during a stuff your Kindle day a year or so ago and liked the free book enough to want to get this one. This book was entertaining enough that I have added book three to my TBR.
⭐⭐
The London Flat by Juliet Gauvin – I had enjoyed the first book in this series, which I got during a stuff your Kindle day a while back, but this one fell flat for me. I didn’t find the characters’ actions believable.
⭐⭐⭐
Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison – Fun read! The action flips between the present day and the characters’ time in junior high and high school. I actually liked the chapters from the past better than the present; the author does a good job writing the younger characters. The present-day plot felt a bit childish to me, like the characters hadn’t really grown up since high school, which perhaps was the point of the story.
⭐⭐⭐
What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg – I didn’t love it, even though Elizabeth Berg is one of my favorite writers. It started out good, but I just lost interest partway through.
This month, Amazon Prime members are able to pick one free book from a selection of eight from a variety of genres.
My pick:
Not Quite by the Book by Julie Hatcher – a novel about Emma Rini, a bookstore owner who needs a break and rents a crumbling manor house. I am intrigued by this one because it was inspired by the work and life of Emily Dickinson.
Bonus:
We also were able to download a bonus short story, The Fall Risk by Abby Jiminez, about two people who get stuck together on Valentine’s Day. It looks cute!
No, these aren’t recommendations for books on fixing your toilet or creating your own website. Check out these “how to” novels for your next great read.
How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O’Neal
How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry
How to Get a (Love) Life by Rosie Blake
How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes
How to Read a Book by Monica Wood
How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
How to Stuff Up Christmas by Rosie Blake
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
Have you read any of these? If not, which one looks the most interesting?
Being a big fan of Jane Austen and always willing to give an adaptation of her work a try, I was excited to come across The Rajes series by Sonali Dev. There are currently four books in the series, which conveniently cover the four Austen books I am most fond of. I was able to get the first one from the library recently and read it over the last week of last year. I have to say this was one of the best adaptations of Pride and Prejudice I have ever read.
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors tells the story of Dr. Trisha Raje, a San Francisco neurosurgeon from a successful Indian American family. She is at the top of her game professionally but has had a strained relationship with certain members of her family following something that happened while she was in college. At a dinner for her brother, who has political aspirations, she meets DJ Caine, an up-and-coming chef who has left a position at a top restaurant to help his sister Emma, who is in San Francisco for surgery with none other than Dr. Raje.
Their first meeting does not go well, of course. The rest of the book is a masterful exposition of how their relationship develops, despite their continued clashes and misunderstandings, against the backdrop of high-stakes medicine and sumptuous food. We also get an intimate view of the dynamics in both families.
I enjoyed this book greatly and am looking forward to the next one in the series, Recipe for Persuasion.
I love the concept of hygge, which is a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling ofcontentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture). I was first introduced to it by a creator I used to follow on YouTube and loved the idea. I incorporate touches of it into my life wherever I can.
In The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake, we meet Clara, a young Danish woman who has just arrived in the small village of Yulethorpe. She is intrigued by the town and arranges to house and pet sit for Louisa, who has decided to close her toy shop and jaunt off to warmer climes. As Clara wields her hygge magic on Louisa’s flat and shop, she slowly becomes a part of the local community.
Not everyone is happy she is there, however. Louisa’s son Joe is suspicious of her motives and starts coming down from the big city to check on her. And Roz, a local who is contemptuous of both Louisa and Clara, makes her objections known very loudly.
I found this book charming. I liked the dual POV with Clara and Joe, which is interspersed with the emails Louisa is sending to Gavin, the owner of the local pub. I also appreciated how relatable all of the characters were (well, maybe except for Roz, who is completely unlikable). There is some humor (can you say unfiltered parrot), some romance, and a lot of the promised hygge.
This is the first novel I have read by Rosie Blake, but it certainly won’t be the last!
In So Many Words 