I’m officially back in my reading era this year, thanks to getting myself a library card. Whilst I do need to get through my ever-growing physical and Kindle TBR, I’m happy to just be reading anything! So far, I’ve read 22 books and I’m sure I’ll get through more now I’m in more of a routine. For now, here’s what I’ve read in 2024 so far.
The Break Up – Charlotte Barnes
This book was mostly about Edi’s journey of self-discovery. The men in this book are awful with some horrendous, misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic opinions. It wasn’t as much of a rom-com as I was expecting, especially considering it’s LGBTQIA+ marketing. I was looking forward to Edi’s relationship with a woman and how she would evolve within that but it didn’t explore this enough. However, I did enjoy Edi and her friendship group, which sounded like a group of girls most of us would fit in with.
The I Heart series – Lindsey Kelk
I Heart New York, I Heart Hollywood, I Heart Paris, I Heart Vegas, I Heart London, I Heart Christmas, I Heart Forever, I Heart Hawaii
I’ve been a fan of this series ever since the first book came out back in 2009. Lindsey’s writing is such fun and I’ve grown up with Angela for my entire adult life. She feels like a friend! She made me dream of packing up my life in the UK and moving to New York. I’m also a huge Alex Reid fan as he’s the perfect man. I’ve been wishing for years that we get a TV or movie adaptation because I need to see this series on screen!
The Love Hypothesis – Ali Hazelwood
I really wanted to love this book but it felt too hot and cold for me. It started off super slowly, maybe it’s because I’m not a scientist, but I didn’t really love either lead character. It wasn’t until about halfway when they visited a conference that it finally picked up. Yes, that’s when the spicy scenes start but you finally get to know the characters a little better. From then on, it feels like everything is a little rushed.
Love on the Brain – Ali Hazelwood
Reading my second Ali Hazelwood book, I was expecting something a little different. Unfortunately, it was pretty much the same storyline, just in a different setting. Again, it was slow to start with until the spicy scenes. However, I did prefer the two characters in this one, compared to The Love Hypothesis. I’m just not sure that STEM romance novels are the ones for me!
Same Time Next Summer – Annabel Monaghan
This was the first Annabel Monaghan book I’ve read and now, I can’t wait to read more. The lead female seemed a little immature for someone who’s over 30 but I loved the childhood crush element of the story. Maybe there was too much focus on the back story and less on the current day but nevertheless, it was still enjoyable. If I want to read more by the same author, you can tell that I enjoyed it!
The Charm Offensive – Alison Cochrun
This is one of the best books what I’ve read in 2024 so far. The chemistry between the two leads was gorgeous and I loved that it deals with depression, anxiety and OCD. Neither Dev nor Charlie are perfect people but together, they shine. They also felt very realistic as a couple (despite the crazy story) as often, chick lit couples feel so out there. Yes, it’s fiction but we like relatable characters and couples! Also, hooray for lots of LGBTQIA+ representation!
Check & Mate – Ali Hazelwood
Of all the Ali Hazelwood books I’ve read, this is the best one yet. Despite knowing next to nothing about chess, I really enjoyed the dynamics between Mallory and Nolan, our two leads. Mallory’s backstory is pretty tough and I liked both of the characters outside of the romance elements.
The Chesnut Springs series – Elsie Silver
Flawless, Heartless, Powerless, Reckless, Hopeless
Wow, this series is going straight into my favourites of all time. I love that each book follows a different duo but they’re all intertwined through family or friendship. I’d definitely read it in order or else, you’ll get confused when they mention a specific character! I gave them all five stars (apart from Hopeless with four stars) and I’m sure I’ll read them again soon. I’m just glad that I got them all in paperback from The Works!
The Friend Zone series – Abby Jiminez
The Friend Zone, The Happy Ever After Playlist, Life’s Too Short
Yet another five-star series. I loved all of the leading characters, both men and women, and Abby’s writing style. It’s so funny and sad within one page sometimes. Sometimes, female leads in romance novels are a bit naive but all three of these are strong women with their own lives and meet men who complement them. Again, you need to read them in order so you don’t get confused with the mentions of other characters!
And that’s everything what I’ve read in 2024 so far. I’ve really enjoyed discovering new authors and series because I often just read the same books repeatedly. Yes, I mostly read chick lit but I always say to read what you enjoy. After such a reading slump, picking up any book is an improvement!
If you enjoyed what I’ve read in 2024 so far and want to see more of my bookish content, you can find more posts here. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok too.
