Life/Reading/Writing Update

I had such a great reading year in 2024. Goodreads tells me I read 340 books. My biggest year yet. For 2025 I’m going to try to slow down. I think I’ve been in such a reading mood that it’s drowning out anything else. Why write when I can read? It’s an ongoing joke with my coworkers when they talk about a popular TV show/movie and I’ll tell them I’ll get to it one day or that it’s on my list to watch soon. Spoiler alert: I will never get to it. I had a bit of a health scare this year (one of those situations where thankfully, and very luckily, everything fell into place to prevent a time-bomb in my body from going unnoticed until it was too late. Get those checkups, people!) and it pushed me into trying to find escapism in books (my version of sticking my head in the sand). But this year, I hope to come somewhat out of my reading cave. I’m nearing the end of a completed very rough draft of a new Christmas story. My goal is to have that out by the end of this year. If I can manage more than that, then that’s a bonus. But having a goal of one book this year feels achievable and less overwhelming. I want to slow down. My day job is hard to do that for (since I need money to live) but I’m trying to be better about switching off without the crutch of needing a book or my phone to do that. Whether I succeed or not, I at least want to try.

I’m going to highlight some books I discovered and read in 2024 that I loved.

 

The Fake Boyfriend series by Eden Finley

I loved how funny, sweet and hot these books are. My standout favourite was Deke. I listened to these while I was dog sitting and thinking about this series takes me straight onto the streets around my house as I walked the dog, probably looking a little crazy as I randomly would burst out laughing. *Photo down below of what I see when I think of this series*

Special mention to the Puckboy Series (co-written with Saxon James), and the Famous Series which I both read and also loved this year. I’m going to be shocked if my top author on audible isn’t Eden Finley for 2024.

 

The Maverick Insurance Mysteries by MJ May

I fell for MJ’s writing with the Perfect Pixie series (one of my all-time favourites) so I was excited to see what this one was all about. And as with the PP series, I fell straight into this world. Perry and Nate will always hold a special place for me. Their love story is full of heartbreak and setbacks, but wow are they strong and resilient. I felt this story was so unique and consuming. The ending was perfect (even if I wished I could follow these guys for twenty more books) and I highly recommend this author and this series.

Secondhand Skin by Hailey Turner

Another all-time favourite series for me is the Soulbound Series by Hailey Turner. So when she announced Wade was getting a story (a very beloved character) I was so excited. And Hailey didn’t disappoint, even with expectations set super high. I loved falling back into this world and all it made me want to do was go back to the Soulbound series and start over again.

The Hartbridge Christmas series by N.R Walker

This turned out to be the perfect heartwarming Christmas series I needed in my life. It was wholesome, sweet, hot, and left me feeling warm and fuzzy. I get the feeling this series will be a new Christmas tradition come December.

Special mention to Davo, On Davis Row, Switched, and Galaxies and Oceans which I read and loved this year by Walker.  

Other books that I loved and still think about even now are:

Kimberly Lemming – That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon (m/f)

RJ Scott & Eli Easton – Zenith (m/m)

Emmy Sanders – To Catch a Firefly (m/m)

Dianne Duvall – The Renegade Akseli Cyborg (m/f)

Ali Hazelwood – Bride (m/f)

Alice Winters - Ghost of Retribution (m/m)

Sarina Bowen – The New Guy & I’m Your Guy (m/m)

Eve Langlais – The Barbarian King’s Assassin (m/f)

Hopefully I’ll be back again soon with a positive update with my writing.

Happy New Year!