Book Club: July

It's Book Club Day!  Always a favorite around here.  Summer reads are so fun and even though we are in back-to-school mode it very much still feels like Summer. And on our reviews today are some great ones to hold you over until temps dip lower. 

WHAT WE READ...

CARRIE BETH

First up for me is Book Lovers by Emily Henry. I thought this was such a cute story!  It follows a New Your City literary agent and a New Your City editor who have a not-so-nice business encounter in their history.  They both find themselves in a tiny town for the summer that just happens to be the setting of a best-seller book. Despite their former dislike for each other they end up hitting it off and realize they have more in common than they first thought.  They are both dealing with some family drama and neither of them feel like their big-time jobs will allow them the time for relationship...until they can't ignore their feelings for each other anymore.  It was a sweet story and fun to get a little peek into the literary world behind all of these books we love! 

It took me all summer long, a chapter at a time by the pool before getting called in to swim with the kids, but I finally finished Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne. I really, really loved The Hating Game by Thorne so was excited to dive into this one.  It had the same quick-witted banter between the characters, which I loved, and kept the story light and fun.  Ruthie, a twenty-something, manages a retirement community and has let the wealthy residents overtake her life and her youthfulness.  Then she meets Teddy, a bad-boy saving up to start his own tattoo parlor and he just happens to be the son of the new developer who bought the retirement community.  Teddy becomes her neighbor, starts working on site, and quickly charms her into wanting to follow her own dreams.  It was a super cute story!  

JEN

I'm saying this now... Out of the Clear Blue Sky book is going down as one of my favorite I’ve read all year. I’ve already told all my book besties to read it. 

Higgins has a way of making a story laugh out loud funny and gut wrenching all at the same time. The story follows a Lillie, a mom who is on the verge of her only child leaving for college. In the throws of planning her life as an empty nester, her husband informs her that he is leaving her for another woman. How Lillie handles it...well, you've got to read for that (no spoilers here!). ;)

Lillie is one of those characters I can imagine being in my best friend circle. Her nemesis, Melissa, was also well written. And even though I wanted to hate her, I couldn’t.

Funny. Heartfelt. Amazing characters, and a heroine you can’t help but cheer for. A Cape Cod setting. 

From start to finish it was a story I never wanted to end. This one gave me all the feels! Perfect summer read!

Another good Summer reading option...The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. This was a fun read. I’ve never read any books by this author, but this rom-com had me laughing out loud more than once. It’s a slow burn romance with a cute cast of main characters. I loved the twist on the traditional body guard.  

Remember the movie with Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard? Well reverse the roles, and make the body guard the female. Then give her a self-centered boyfriend/co-worker, a betrayal from a friend, and a stalker situation. But then make it funny. Now you have Center's version. 

It was a quick and easy read, and I enjoyed it. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of Center's books!

When I read the synopsis of Counterfeit, it sounded like such a unique and fun story to sit pool side with. As I was reading, I could totally see a mom getting excited about being pulled into a world of counterfeit luxury handbags - especially in her situation. The glamour of it all.

The story was cute, but touched on a lot of heavier topics mixed in with humor. It’s written from a dual timeline point of view that is easy to follow, and adds to the mystery of what happened.

Quick, easy, light mystery read if you are looking for one!

Last up for the month was The Lies I Tell. This is my first book by Julie Clark, but it won’t be my last! The two main characters are strong women who have been wronged in different ways but are tied together by a series of actions. One is a con-artist and one is a reporter. Both have revenge on the brain.

 As the book moved forward I love how their “friendship” kept you guessing. The twists and turns had me reading the pages at warp speed. As the whole book wrapped up, I was cheering. It was such a unique way to bring everything to a head and have the characters come full circle. Such a great way to spin a fun thriller. Can’t wait to read grab another one by this author!

WHAT'S UP NEXT...

CARRIE BETH 

Next up for me is Karina Halle's The Royals Next Door.  I always love any type of royal reference and this one just sounds fun! 

JEN

In keeping with my thriller mood I seem to be in lately, I grabbed It Girl by Ruth Ware. I've heard mixed reviews, but I love her previous novels, so I've got high hopes for this one too!

WHAT DID YOU READ LAST MONTH? ANYTHING YOU LOVED THAT WE SHOULD PUT ON OUR READING LISTS? SHARE WITH US!

BOOK CLUB 2022

| January | February | March | April  | May | June | 

BEST BOOKS OF SUMMER 2022

BEST BOOKS OF 2021

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