May 2025 Wrap-Up
🌸 Sunshine, great books, and birthday cake! 🌸
May was such a fantastic reading month! I devoured a mix of swoony romances, twisty thrillers, and unforgettable character-driven stories. Here’s a quick look at everything I read and loved this month:
⭐️ 5-Star Reads:
- The Nanny by Lana Ferguson – A fun, flirty, and feel-good romance with a slow-burn that totally delivers. Cassie’s Snapple obsession and Aiden’s devoted single dad vibes made this an absolute joy to read.
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (eARC) – A powerful, emotional journey of a woman breaking barriers as one of NASA’s first female astronauts. Heartfelt, vivid, and utterly unforgettable.
- Mindf*ck Series by S.T. Abby – Dark, intense, and layered with emotion. Lana Myers’ quest for revenge mixed with a complex romance kept me hooked until the very last page.
- Wild Love by Elsie Silver – My first Elsie Silver, but definitely not my last. A perfect blend of angst, banter, and heartfelt romance set in a charming small town. Rosie and Ford’s chemistry was off the charts.
- Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez – A sweet, emotional summer romance filled with humor and heart. Abby always delivers!
- The Situationship (novella) by Abby Jimenez – Quick, charming, and full of the signature Abby Jimenez wit and warmth.
- Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas – An addictive, steamy read with tension and desire.
- Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – A gripping and thought-provoking addition to a thrilling series. Hands down, my favorite book of The Hunger Games series!
⭐️ 4-Star Reads:
- Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage – A heartfelt Western romance with strong characters and a slow-burn connection and second chance.
- The Forgotten Names by Mario Escobar – Historical fiction that shines a light on important stories with vivid detail and heart.
- Along Came a Spider by James Patterson – A fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and tension.
- Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers – A dark, atmospheric thriller with a mind blowing narrative voice. Go listen to that audio!
- The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – A satisfying conclusion to the initial series, packed with intrigue and clever plotting.
- Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney – A psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.
- Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher – A unique blend of suspense and romance with strong emotional stakes and a dash of magical realism.
- Red Gate by Desi Stowe – A gripping contemporary thriller with complex characters.
- Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry – A literary shift from Henry’s usual rom-coms, this character-driven story offered rich emotional layers and a surprising twist.
📚 Currently Reading
- Every Wave After by Kristi Ayers (eARC) – I’m loving this series so much and am so excited to be on Kristi’s ARC team!
- Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry – Because who isn’t reading it right now?! Total FOMO read and I’m not mad about it.
☀️ Vacation TBR (aka the “I’m packing ten books for a five-day trip” stack)
- Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson – Now that I’m officially a fan, this is a must!
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry – Time to finally dive into this one.
- Story of My Life by Lucy Score – Hoping for laughs, heart, and maybe a few tears.
- The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore – Because cozy, sweet small-town romance is my vacation comfort read.
🎉 May Highlights:
- Celebrated my birthday in Vegas! 🎂
- Joined a new book club in my neighborhood! This introvert is expanding her bubble!
- Got to read an early copy of Atmosphere and be part of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Launch Team, what a dream!
- Received a new Kristi Ayers’ ARC for Every Wave After! I’m absolutely loving it and can’t wait to share my review.
- And ICYMI: Both Atmosphere and Every Wave After release Tuesday, June 3rd. If you haven’t preordered yet… now’s your sign to order!
✨ Final Thoughts
May was full of bookish joy, new author obsessions, unforgettable ARCs, and getting to be part of some truly amazing launch and ARC teams. It reminded me how much I love being part of the book community, sharing stories that move me, and connecting with others who are just as obsessed with fictional characters as I am.
June is shaping up to be another exciting month, packed with new releases, vacation reading, and of course, more reviews to come!
Until next time!
Brews, Books & BFFs 
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