308. The Other Man By: Farhad J. Dadyburior 7/10 ⭐️ Ved is a closeted gay man living in Mumbai. In order to please his mother, he agrees to an arranged marriage to Disha (a women). However, when he meets Carlos on Grinder, he begins to question what he’s doing. This was kinda out of my comfort zone, but I thought this was a really interesting listen. You can listen to this on Audible for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited account. Thanks to @NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheOtherMan
307. Asking for a Friend By: Andi Osho 4/10 ⭐️ Jemima, Meagan, and Simi are best friends who have all been unlucky in love. The three decide to start asking out men…but only for each other. And that is basically all that happens… This was just not for me…nothing really happened. The book is told from all three perspectives. I hated that they just wouldn’t talk to each other. Thanks to @NetGalley and Harper360 for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #AskingForAFriend
306. An Accidental Odyssey By: kc dyer 6/10 ⭐️ Gia hops on a flight to Athens after learning her father has checked himself out of the hospital without his medications. The two travel around the Mediterranean following Odysseus’s path. I think this should have been labeled Women’s Fiction instead of Romance. The main relationship in the book was between Gia and her dad. I really wanted to shake some sense in Gia when it came to her love life, and I think that made it hard for me to relate to Gia. Also, the author included references to Covid and wearing masks. Overall, this was just okay. Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #AnAccidentalOdyssey
305. Delia Suits Up By: Amanda Aksel 6/10 ⭐️ When Delia’s birthday wish to become a man comes true, she uses it to secure her dream job - and her dream guy. The premise of this was absolutely ridiculous, but the book was a quick read. I kept thinking about how I’d feel if I woke up as a man, and I think Delia’s reactions were spot on. Again, its ridiculous, but I enjoyed it! Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #womensfiction #audiobook #DeliaSuitsUp
304 Getting His Game Back By: Gia De Cadenet 6/10 ⭐️ Vanessa is a Black women working in tech, and Khalil is am Armenian-French barber/entrepreneur. The two meet when Vanessa comes in for a haircut, and they continue working together on an app for Fade. Vanessa has decided not to date white men anymore, but Khalil checks all the rest of her boxes. I enjoyed this, but there were a couple of things that just didn’t work for me. Khalil suffers from depression, and I couldn’t get passed the fact he stopped taking his medicine and going to therapy. There was also a lot of focus on race, and as a white woman, I do recognize that I just don’t get it. With that being said, I felt like Vanessa was very focused on race. I also felt Khalil was written as he was black (he played basketball, worked in a barber shop, best friend was black, went to Moorehouse), and his race was changed just to make things complicated. Overall, I felt like this had potential, but it didn’t quite live up to it. Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for my ARC! Getting His Game Back is out on January 25. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #GettingHisGameBack
303. The Pick-Up By: Miranda Kenneally 8/10 ⭐️ Mari and TJ meet in a rideshare on the way to a music festival. The two have an instant connection, but is love at first sight or a weekend fling? I really enjoyed this! I think that Miranda Kenneally is the best at Young Adult romance. I’ve read all of her books in one sitting, and this was no exception. This is a quick, fun young adult read! Thanks to @NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #youngadult #audiobook #ThePickUp
302. Madame President By: Tara Sue Me 4/10 ⭐️ This is about the first female president, Anna (who is a 36-year-old Independent) and famous news correspondent, Navin. The two were law school classmates twelve years ago and had one night together. Their paths cross now that Anna is the President and Navin has been demoted to work in the press pool. Ok - if you take this at face value, it’s a second chance romance. If you start getting into the details, it’s doesn’t really work (no way Anna gets elected, why they broke up was stupid, etc. etc.). I read it for the romance, so it was fine. Also, the cover made Anna look more like Toddlers & Tiaras than Presidential. Thanks to @NetGalley and After Six Publishing for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #MadamePresident
301. No Ordinary Christmas By: Bella Calhoun 5/10 ⭐️ This was super cheesy - think max Hallmark Christmas movie levels of corny. This is a second chance romance, and I had a hard time believing Lucy forgave Donte so easily. At the beginning of the book, she HATED him and then she’s making out with him. She did a complete 180 - just like most of the Christmas Hallmark movie heroines. It wasn’t for me, but if you’re in the mood to read a Hallmark Christmas movie, this is the book for you. Thanks to @NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #NoOrdinaryChristmas
300. Not Your Average Hot Guy By: Gwen Bond 4/10 ⭐️ When a satanic cult summons Luke (the son the devil and the Prince of Hell) to Callie’s escape room, they must work together to prevent the apocalypse. I requested this because of the cute cover and not because of the blurb. (I didn’t read the blurb.) This just wasn’t for me. It was too out there, and I had a hard time following parts of the book. Thanks to @NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #NotYourAverageHotGuy
299. No Memes of Escape A Brooklyn Murder Mystery #2 By: Olivia Blacke 6/10 ⭐️ Amateur sleuth Odessa Dean is back in the second installment of the Brooklyn Murder Mystery series. In this book, Odessa, Izzy and Izzy’s friends visit an escape room, and one of them winds up dead. Odessa has to solve the mystery, so Izzy doesn’t take the fall. This is a cute cozy mystery, and this series is a fresh, modern, and younger take on the genre. I enjoyed it! (I prefer to read a whole series rather than one at a time when reading cozy mysteries.) Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #cozymystery #audiobook #NoMemesOfEscape
298. Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around By: Camille Pagan 5/10 ⭐️ When Libby is declared cancer free, she still feels like something is missing. Her life is a mess: her husband is distant, one of her teenage daughters has diabetes, her brother is divorcing his husband, and she is still grieving her father. Determined to “fix” things, she and her family fly to Puerto Rico for vacation - right into the path of a tropical storm. This was a super quick listen! It’s not the best book I’ve ever read, but I enjoyed it. You can listen to this on Audible for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited account! Thanks to @NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #Don’tMakeMeTurnThisLifeAround
297. Under the Mistletoe By: Sue Moorcroft 6/10 ⭐️ Laurel has returned home to help out her agoraphobic sister and niece. Being home reminds her of a time when she was dramatically bullied as a child by the older brother of her childhood sweetheart, Grady. As Laurel grows closer to Grady, she has to decide if she can forgive his brother in order to be with Grady. The cover of this is super misleading - this is not a fun “Hallmark movie” holiday romance. The book was thought provoking and sad in the best way, but it was totally not what I was expecting to be reading. If you want a holiday cry, read this! Thanks to @NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #UnderTheMistletoe
296. Weather Girl By: Rachel Lynn Solomon 9/10 ⭐️ Ari has her dream job as a TV meteorologist in Seattle working under her hero Torrence Hale. However, Torrence and her ex-husband (the station’s manager) make work miserable with their constant fighting. Ari and sports reporter Russell team up to get their bosses back together. The more time Ari spends with Russell, the more she likes him. However, Ari hides her depression behind her sunny disposition, and she isn’t sure Russell will be able to weather her storms. (I had too.) I started 2021 by reading Rachel Lynn Solomon’s The Ex Talk and loving it, and I’m ending 2021 by read another Rachel Lynn Solomon book and loving it. I read the Weather Girl in one sitting, and I’d highly recommend you pre-order it It was so, so good. I love when a romance dives a bit deeper, and Ari’s depression allows for the discussion of mental health that isn’t normally found in romance. And I loved Russell! Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! Weather Girl is out 1/22/2022, so preorder this now! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #WeatherGirl
295. A Season for Second Chances By: Jenny Bayliss 8/10 ⭐️ After find her husband her husband with a waitress in booth 9, Annie decides to leave him and her restaurant. Needing to start over, Annie takes a housesitting position at beach cottage in Willow Bay. Everyone welcomes her with open arms - except the homeowner’s nephew. I loved this story of starting over, and I liked Annie more and more throughout the book. For the record, I wouldn’t say this is a Christmas book, but I liked this SO much more than The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss. I would love to move to a town like Willow Bay, and I love to have a book club like Annie! I would say this is more women’s fiction (think Evvie Drake Starts over) than romance, but Annie does have a love interest. Thanks to @NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #womensfiction #audiobook #ASeasonOfSecondChances
294. The Lucky Escape By: Laura Jane Williams 5/10 ⭐️ After Annie is abandoned at the alter, she takes her honeymoon with an old friend. And that’s about all you need to know…this was fine. I wasn’t super impressed - I feel like “the scorned woman on her honeymoon falls in love again” has been done before. It also felt long at times. I just wasn’t a fan. Thanks to @NetGalley and Harper 360 for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheLuckyEscape
293. The Wedding Ringer By: Kerry Rea 9/10 ⭐️ After Willa finds her fiancé in bed with her best friend, she abandons her life as an influencer and moves in with her sister. Working as a children’s birthday princess isn’t particularly lucrative, so she agrees to be a paid bridesmaid in Maisie’s wedding after randomly meeting her at a coffee shop. Over the course of her bridesmaid duties, Willa meets Liam (the best man). I thought this was so fun! I listened to in a day (only stopping to watch The Hating Game). I liked Willa’s romance with Liam, but I really enjoyed her friendship with Maisie and her relationship with her sister. Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley Romance for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheWeddingRinger
292. The Christmas Dress By: Courtney Cole 2/10 ⭐️ At a certain point, I was basically hate listening to this. It was so unbelievable that I couldn’t enjoy it. I don’t want to spoil this by listing all the things I didn’t like, but I also don’t care if I spoil it because you just shouldn’t read this. There were so many coincidences, and all the conflict was easily resolved. It just felt so fake. Thanks to @NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheChristmasDress
291. Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships By: Sara Grunder Ruiz 9/10 ⭐️ Jo is yacht stewardess who is working on a 30 before 30 bucket list when she receives the devastating news that her nephew was killed in a bicycle accident. With one summer left before she turns 30, Jo spends the summer finishing her list with her nieces’ (and Grayson’s) help. When her new neighbor/coworker turns out to be the stranger she kissed for “kiss a stranger” item, things get more complicated. I really enjoyed this! I felt like this was a good balance between the slow burn “romance” between Alex and Jo and the “other stuff.” I enjoyed Jo’s relationship with her nieces and their bucket list exploits. The audiobook is really well done, and I’m ready to read what Sarah Grunder Ruiz writes next. I’m a fan! Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley Romance for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #LoveListsAndFancyShips
290. Rock the Boat By: Beck Dorey-Stein 4/10 ⭐️ After Kate’s boyfriend of 12 years dumps her, she heads back home to Sea Point, NJ. Miles has also returned home to prove to his mother he can take over the family business. Ziggy has never left Sea Point and is grieving the loss of his father. And then not much else happens… this book felt too long. I didn’t particularly like Kate, Miles, or Ziggy, so it was hard for me to get into to. This just wasn’t for me. Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #womensfiction #audiobook #RockTheBoat
289. Love at First Spite By: Anna E. Collins 8/10 ⭐️ After Dani’s fiancé cheats on her with the realtor, she decides to buy the lot next door and build a vacation rental that will block his perfect view. Dani recruits grumpy Wyatt (an architect at her firm) to draw up the plan. The Spite House is meant to be a revenge project, but Dani finds herself wanting more that just revenge. This was a quick read for me, and I enjoyed it. However, I feel like building a whole house to spite an ex is a ridiculous plot for a romance book - and honestly, Dani felt more focused on the ex and the house than she did on Wyatt and her new romance. I hated that Dani and Wyatt did not just talk to each other, and I hated how Dani handled her ex at the end of the book. Overall, it’s a cute book. Thanks to @NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC! Love at First Spite comes out on January 4, 2022. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #LoveAtFirstSpite
288. The Love Con By: Seressia Glass 8/10 ⭐️ When Kenya needs a partner for the final round fo reality competition Cosplay or No Way, her best friend and roommate Cameron agrees to be her fake boyfriend. Listen, I’ll read any book that @berkleyromance publishes even romances about cosplay. I don’t understand cosplay, but I definitely understood the chemistry between Kenya and Cam. I’m not normally a fan of friends-to-lovers, but I loved this fake romance. You should definitely read this! Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheLoveCon
287. American Royalty By: Tracy Livesay 8/10 ⭐️ When Prince Jameson is forced to help with a tribute concert for his late grandfather, he recommends American rapper Duchess (Dani’s raunchy alter ego) to perform. Dani agrees to perform because she needs positive publicity to secure a deal for her skincare line. When Dani ends up staying at Jameson’s house in the weeks leading up to the concert, sparks fly between Professor Prince and Duchess Dani. If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know I love a Royal Romance, and I really enjoyed America Royalty. I enjoyed Dani and Jameson’s chemistry, and this is the steamiest royal read that I’ve read. It felt a little insta-love at times, and I would have enjoyed reading more about their relationship. I was a little disappointed by the epilogue, but I’m hoping it means we will get a sequel. Definitely, preorder this if you’re a fan of a royal romance! Thanks to @NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my ARC! The Pub date for this is June 28, 2022 - but I started it as soon as I got approved for an ARC. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #AmericanRoyalty
286. The Arctic Curry Club By: Dani Redd 7/10 ⭐️ Maya moves with her boyfriend to the Arctic where her anxiety is exacerbated by sub-zero temperatures and 24-hour darkness. Maya begins cooking her late mother’s Indian food for the first time, and she begins to remember parts of her life she had blocked out. Through her cooking, she makes friends, secures a job as a chef, and life in the Arctic no longer freezes her with fear. Can Maya face the past and forge a future for herself and the Arctic Curry Club in this new town? While I have absolutely no desire to move to the Arctic to find myself, I enjoyed this story about finding yourself and your footing in a new place. I did feel like this book was a little long in places, and I disagreed with Maya stance on medicine for managing her anxiety. Don’t let the sweet cover fool you - this is an emotionally intense story. Overall, this was heart-warming reading. Thanks to @NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #womensfiction #audiobook #TheArcticCurryClub
285. Without a Hitch by: Mary Hollis Huddleston and Asher Fogle Paul 7/10 ⭐️ I started this on my Kindle over Thanksgiving break, and I could not get into it. I picked it back up on audiobook when it came out. Lottie works in the world of high end weddings in Dallas, TX. She had her heart broken by her college sweetheart where she is forced to celebrate happily-ever-afters daily. I really enjoyed this, and it may be because I spent three years working weddings as a bartender/cater waiter. I think that Lottie’s struggles with her life not being what she thought was super relatable. I liked her growth throughout the book - even if it took her planning her ex’s (of nine years) wedding for her to finally get over him. Thanks to @NetGalley and Harper Muse for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #WithoutAHitch
284. Manic Monday, Inc. By: Melissa Storm The Sunday Potluck Club #3 3/10 ⭐️ The Sunday Potluck Club is composed of four friends who met while their parents were fighting cancer. This is the third book and Nichole’s story. (And it will be my last.) Nichole is in social work, and I really did NOT like her reluctance to be diagnosed with a mental illness. Nichole just wasn’t a likable character for me. (Also, her love interest was man who still lived a at home and had no ambition until she organized his life.) Overall, I’d skip this series all together if I were you. Thanks to @NetGalley and Kensington Books for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #ManicMondayInc
283. Wednesday Walks & Wags By: Melissa Storm The Sunday Potluck Club #2 3/10 ⭐️ The Sunday Potluck Club is composed of four friends who met while their parents were fighting cancer. This is the second book and Bridget’s story. I don’t think I could get past Bridget’s love interest being in prison. It just felt glossed over. I didn’t like this any better than the first, so I’d skip the entire series if I were you. Thanks to @NetGalley and Kensington Books for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #WednesdayWalksAndWags
282. The Sunday Potluck Club By: Melissa Storm The Sunday Potluck Club #1 3/10 ⭐️ The Sunday Potluck Club is composed of four friends who met while their parents were fighting cancer. This is Amy’s story. Overall, I wasn’t a huge fan of this one. It felt very surface, and everything worked out a little too quickly for me. I’d pass. Thanks to @NetGalley and Kensington Books for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheSundayPotluckClub
281. How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days By: K. M. Jackson 7/10 ⭐️ After hearing tabloid reports that Keanu Reeves is getting married, Bethany Lu becomes determined to get him to call off the wedding and marry his actual soulmate (her). Her BFF, True, agrees to help her find Keanu, and the two go on one wild adventure after another - just barely missing Keanu each time. Will she get Keanu to call off the wedding in time? Or will she discover that her True love (she what I did there?) has always been there for her? I really enjoyed this friends-to-lovers romance, but I think it was just a little too over-the-top for me. I need my romance books to be believable - and I couldn’t buy that they could basically find Keanu Reeves multiple times. It was a cute, quick read! If you’re a Keanu fan, I recommend you read this. Thanks to @NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #HowToMarryKeanuReevesIn90Days
280. Always in December By: Emily Stone 8/10 ⭐️ Every December, Josie sends a letter to the parents she lost on Christmas. On the way to the mailbox, she has a collision with Max. Josie and Max end up spending Christmas together, and he ends up disappearing without saying goodbye. However, they keep bumping into each other over the course of the next year. I couldn’t put this down - I just had to know why Max disappeared and if they would end up together. It was so good but so devastating. This is a book that will make you cry! Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #womensfiction #holidayread #audiobook #AlwaysInDecember
279. Jackie and Maria By: Gill Paul 5/10 ⭐️ This is a historical fiction book about Jackie Kennedy, Maria Callas, and Aristotle Onassis. I knew that former First Lady Jackie Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis, but I knew nothing about opera singer/original diva Maria Callas. It was an interesting story (and I did multiple Wikipedia deep dives on all the characters), but overall, it moved a little slow for me. Thanks to @NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #historicalfiction #audiobook #JackieAndMaria
278. The Wreckage of the Presence By: Casey Wilson 8/10 ⭐️ was in a little bit of a reading slump, and I was not in the mood for another romance book. I love the Housewives, and I occasionally listen to Casey Wilson’s Real Housewives podcast Bitch Sesh. I checked our her memoir/book of essays from my library, and I listened to it on the way home from my sister’s. The audiobook is narrator by Casey Wilson, and I always love when that happens. It is really well done, and I enjoyed learning more about Casey. I really enjoyed it! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #memoir #audiobook #TheWreckageOfThePresence
277. The Holiday Switch By: Tif Marcelo 8/10 ⭐️ It’s winter break in Holly, NY - home the best Christmas movie of all time of Holiday by the Lake, and Lila Santos is ready to work her tail off at the local inn, take on a holiday bucket list with her best friend, and secretly update her book blog with holiday reads. The problem? Her boss’s nephew is stealing her hours at work, and Lila is tasked with training Teddy. When the two switch accidentally phones, secrets are revealed. Will a snowstorm bring theses two enemies together? This was a fun holiday young adult romance, and I would love to read Lila’s critique of The Holiday Switch. It is a quick read, and it’ll get you in the holiday spirit! Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Children’s for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #youngadultbooks #audiobook #TheHolidaySwitch
276. In Pursuit of Porsha By: Porsha Williams 5/10 ⭐️ I’m a Real Housewives Junkie, so I grabbed it from the library. Porsha reads the book (with some help from her sister), and I definitely enjoyed that. I learned some things that I didn’t know before, but I was pretty disappointed that none of the Simon stuff was mentioned! If you’re a RHOA fan, you should listen to this one. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #memior #RealHousewivesReads #audiobook #InPursuitOfPorsha
275. Battle of the Brothers By: Robert Lacey 1/10 ⭐️ This came up as a recommended read on Hoopla, so I listened to it one night when I couldn’t sleep. Don’t waste your time! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #nonfiction #audiobook #BattleOfTheBrothers
274. The Jane Austen Society By: Natalie Jenner 6/10 ⭐️ After reading Jane in Love, I listened to The Jane Austen Society. I enjoyed this a lot - I normally have a hard time starting historical fiction, but I am always glad when I get into them. Set after World War II, this is a fictional account of a group of villagers in Chawton who band together to save Jane Austen’s home. It is told using multiple POVs, and each member of The Jane Austen Society has used Austen’s works to get them through hard times. (I was a little disappointed to find out the characters were total fiction and not based on actual people.) If you are a Jane Austen fan, you’ll like this. Thanks to @NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #historicalfiction #audiobook #TheJaneAustenSociety
273. Jane in Love By: Rachel Givney 4/10 ⭐️ I requested this from NetGalley without reading the blurb because of the adorable cover. Once I realized it was about a time traveling Jane Austen, it took me a long time to get to it. I listened to the audiobook, and it was well done. However, I just couldn’t get into it. I couldn’t get past the time travel aspect - specifically, how quickly Sofia believes Jane when she tells her she in Jane Austen from 1803. This just wasn’t for me. Thanks to @NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #JaneInLove
272. Wait For It (Paris Is Always a Good Idea #2) By: Jenn McKinlay 10/10 ⭐️ When Annabelle’s first ex-husband (yes, she isn’t even 30 and she’d had two divorces) proposes unexpectedly, she decides to take a job in Phoenix working Creative Director for her best friend’s graphic design studio. Her new landlord is a grumpy, rich, and anonymous. Annabelle and Mr. Dare trade notes back and forth until she throws a pool party in the pool she is forbidden to use. When Annabelle finally meets Nick, she is shocked that he’s young, handsome, and recovering from a stroke. Annabelle and Nick fall hard and fast, and I loved it. Wait for It is told in dual POV, so we hear from Annabelle and Nick. (The audiobook was great!) The secondary storylines and characters really felt realistic and relatable. Nick and Annabelle don’t meet until halfwayish, but their meeting is worth the wait. I love anything Jenn McKinlay writes, and I have my fingers crossed for a Vasquez Squared story next! Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #WaitForIt
271. The Christmas Bookshop By: Jenny Colgan 8/10 ⭐️ After Carmen loses her job, she moves to Edinburgh to live with her perfect sister (and her kids and the nanny) and work in Mr. McCredie’s bookshop. The bookshop is in danger of closing if they don’t turn a profit. Can Carmen use her Christmas magic to save the bookshop? This book felt like Christmas! This is classic Jenny Colgan: books and the holidays. I loved Carmen’s growth as a character. I also loved Sophia’s kids - they were funny. Thanks to @NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #womensfiction #audiobook #TheChristmasBookshop
270. The Shaadi Set-Up By: Lillie Vale 9/10 ⭐️ Six years after her high school sweetheart, Milan, broke her heart, Rita has turned her passion for furniture restoration into a career and has an almost-perfect new boyfriend. When her mother sets her up to help Milan stage a house, he is just as charming, cocky, and confident as he was back in school. To prove she's definitely over him, she signs herself and Neil up on MyShaadi.com, a Desi matchmaking site, to prove she is perfect for Neil. However, her perfect match is Milan. When Rita agrees to help Milan renovate a beach house, she begins to wonder if Milan deserves a second chance. I really thought this was fun! I loved the home renovation aspect of the story, I’m a big fan of second chance romances, and I always like interfering families. I will say that the original breakup situation was ridiculous, and it was hard for me to buy how it ended. (I don’t want to say more and spoil anything.) This is cute! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheShaadiSetUp
269. A Certain Appeal By: Vanessa King 4/10 ⭐️ This was a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the world of New York City burlesque. I can’t really put my finger on what I didn’t like, but this was just not for me. However, if you like Jane Austen retelling, I did think this was a creative reimagining. Thanks to @NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #retelling #audiobook #ACertainAppeal
268. Donut Fall in Love By: Jackie Lau 8/10 ⭐️ I enjoyed this so much! After the death of his mother, actor Ryan Kwok is back home in Toronto to be with his dad, sister, and new nephew. He randomly wonders into Lindsay McLeod’s bakery and knock overs two dozen donuts. When Ryan signs up to compete of a celebrity baking show, he asks Lindsay for baking lessons. And of course…falling in love never tasted so sweet. I liked how Lindsay and Ryan bonded over their grief of losing a parent; this made the relationship feel really real to me. Ryan’s relationship with his dad was rocky, but I loved Ryan’s dad’s Twitter account and how he trolled Ryan. I also liked that Ryan was a celebrity, but he felt down to earth. I appreciated the pressure on him to represent all Asian actors. I do think I’d struggle his fame with it the same way Lindsay did. I definitely liked Ryan more than Lindsay - which normally I connect more with the female lead storyline. Overall, this was sweet book with a lot of substance. I can’t wait for her next one! Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #DonutFallInLove
267. Blame It on the Mistletoe By: Beth Garrod 3/10 🎄 The cover of this was adorable, but the book wasn’t for me. This was the young adult book version of The Holidau but with teenagers. It could have been a cute story, but I couldn’t get over the fact that parents would let their high schools swap houses for Christmas in different countries. Thanks to @NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #youngadult #BlameItOnTheMistletoe
266. Just Haven’t Met You Yet By: Sophie Cousens 8/10 ⭐️ Laura is a reporter who tells love stories for a living. When she takes a business trip with the goal of telling her parents’ love story, she has a run in at the airport with a handsome stranger. When she accidentally switches luggage with that same stranger, she assumes he must be The One. In the meantime, Laura recruits grumpy cab driver Ted to help her retrace her parents steps. As Laura learns more about her family, she realizes everything isn’t as meant to be as she always thought. I liked this a lot! It’s a slower moving romance even though the timeline is pretty fast. At times, I got annoyed with Laura because she was too “hopelessly romantic” and a little silly. It is definitely predictable, but I enjoyed reading about Laura’s happily ever after. Thanks to @NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #JustHaventMetYouYet
265. The Village Inn of Secret Dreams By: Alison Sherlock 5/10 ⭐️ I’m pretty neutral on this one. It was a quick listen. It’s Christmasy in that part of the story happens at Christmas, but I wouldn’t say it’s a Christmas book. I really just wanted the main characters to talk to each other! Overall, it was a quick listen. Thanks to @NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheVillageInnOfSecretDreams
264. How Lulu Lost Her Mind By: Rachel Gibson 5/10 ⭐️ Lou Ann (aka Lulu the Love Guru) steps away from her online writing career to take care of her mother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Lou Ann, her mom, and a live-in nurse move to the family’s decrepit plantation in Louisiana. I listened to this, and I think I may have dozed off during part of it. Not much happened, but it was still It was one of those book where not much happened, but the story moved. I’m pretty neutral on it. Thanks to @NetGalley and Gallery Books for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #HowLuluLostHerMind
263. Siri, Who Am I? By: Sam Tschida 4/10 ⭐️ I feel like the premise of this was really cute, but the execution wasn’t great. It kept getting weirder and weirder, and I just couldn’t buy it. I mean - do hospitals really release people who have amnesia to Uber drivers? I’d pass. Thanks to @NetGalley and Quirk Books for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #SiriWhoAmI
262. Never Fall For Your Fiancee By: Virginia Heath 8/10 ⭐️ I feel like sometimes historical romances can feel serious, but Never Fall For You Fiancee was super fun. Hugh has invented a fake fiancee named Minerva to keep his mother from interfering in his love life. When Hugh learns that his mother is coming from America for a visit and meets a real life Minerva, Hugh feels like his problems are solved and offers to pay Minerva to be his fake fiancé. When Minerva (and her sisters) arrives at Hugh’s estate, things don’t go according to plan. I enjoyed reading about how Hugh and Minerva fell in love, and I’m excited that this is the first in a series. Thanks to @NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #NeverFallForYourFiance
261. The Donut Trap By: Julie Tieu 4/10 ⭐️ Meh. I didn’t really enjoy this. Jasmine seemed immature - and rightfully so since she was fresh out of college. I just wanted her to have a conversation with her parents! Talk to them! I didn’t really buy/believe the love story between her and Alex. It seemed too perfect and quick for me. Thanks to @NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheDonutTrap
260. The Swag Is in the Socks By: Kelly J. Baptist 8/10 ⭐️ I loved Isaiah Dunn is My Hero, so I knew I wanted to read The Swag Is in the Socks too. I loved Xavier’s story, and I will definitely be buying a copy for the library. Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Children’s for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #middlegrades #audiobook #TheSwagIsInTheSocks
259. The Singles Table (Marriage Game #3) By: Sara Desai 8/10 ⭐️ Zara is a quirky, celebrity-obsessed lawyer who has decided that while love is not for her, she will make more matches that the aunties this wedding season. Jay is former military and current CEO of a security company who doesn’t have time for love. Jay and Zara make a deal - he’ll introduce her to celebrity clients and she’ll match him with someone so his mom will get off his back. The problem? The two might just be a perfect match. This was so cute! It’s an opposites attract book: Zara is quirky, Jay is serious. They both have reasons for avoiding love, but they both grow over the course of the book. The book was ridiculous like Zara (Zombies, paintball) and serious like Jay (cancer, PTSD, divorce) at times and just so fun. Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheSinglesTable
258. The Bookshop of Second Chances By: Jackie Fraser 7/10 ⭐️ Thea is having a rough time: she lost her job, and her husband left her for one of her friends. When she finds out that her great uncle left her his home in Scotland, she decides to escape her life for awhile. She ends up working for grumpy Edward at his bookshop. I really enjoyed The Bookshop of Second Chances - it was a delightful read. I liked that the main characters were older, and I liked that Thea’s feelings (and hesitancy to start a new relationship) felt real, and I liked Edward’s grumpiness. This was just quaint. Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TheBookshopOfSecondChances
257. Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family By: Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand 2/10 ⭐️ This was a hate read for me; I fully admit it. If you follow the Royals any, you know that Meghan Markle had to apologize for “misleading the court about the extent of her cooperation with the authors” of this book. Her lawyers had previously denied invovlement any involvementwith the book, but emails to her former communication director show otherwise. Anyways, I read it. Its totally pro-Meghan. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #nonfiction #audiobook #FindingFreedom
256. The Sweetest Remedy By: Jane Igharo 8/10 ⭐️ After Hannah learns that her estranged father wants her to attend his funeral, she travels to Nigeria to meet her siblings she never knew. The days leading up to the funeral are crazy - she gets to know her siblings, her culture, herself. She also meets a guy! I loved Ties That Tether, and now with The Sweetest Remedy, Jane Igharo is a must read for me. I really enjoyed this story about finding your family and finding yourself. Read it! Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #womensfiction #romance #audiobook #TheSweetestRemedy
255. The Rehersals By: Annette Christie 3/10 ⭐️ I didn’t like Megan; she was super selfish. Tom wasn’t much better, but at least he didn’t cheat on her multiple times with her best friend. It’s hard to read a romance if you are rooting for the couple to be together in the end. It’s a cute premise, but it was not a good book. Thanks to @NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #womensfiction #audiobook #TheRehearsals
254. The Fastest Way to Fall By: Denise Williams 9/10 ⭐️ I LOVED THIS! Britta works for a lifestyle website, and her first writing assignment is to review a fitness app. Britta is a bigger girl and has her own issues with body image and exercise. Wes is the CEO of the fitness app Britta is reviewing, and he is pretty restless with work at the beginning of the book. Wes takes on Britta as a client to get back o what he loves doing, and they click immediately. Britta and Wes start by messaging back and forth, and they eventually meet in person. The lines blurb on their professional relationship, and their feelings may cost them their careers. Personally, I really felt for Britta and could connect to what she was saying about body image and health. I loved Wes and Britta’s banter, and I loved that Wes could be this hot guy and in love with Britta without it being this huge deal. This was just so good. Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #FastestWayToFall
253. Apples Never Fall By: Liane Moriarty 7/10 ⭐️ Apples Never Fall tells the story of the Delany family. When their mom goes missing, the four grown siblings start reexamining their shared family tennis history. I’ve like Liane Moriarty for a long time - like I think I read Three Wishes in college. Anyways, I keep reading her new books hoping they will be as good as her older books, but they just aren’t. I liked Apples Never Fall, but I was a little disappointed in in because it wasn’t Big Little Lies good. I mean it’s a page turner - but it just kinda ends. Thanks to @NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company and Macmillian Audio for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #womensfiction #audiobook #ApplesNeverFall
252. Tacos for Two By: Betsy St. Amant 6/10 ⭐️ Tacos for Two is about Rory and Jude and their rival food trucks. Even though she doesn’t cook, Rory’s aunt left her a food truck, and it is struggling. Jude wants to leave the family law firm to open his own food truck. Their town is hosting a food truck festival, and they both want the prize money. While they are in person rivals, Rory and Jude also happen to be communicating anonymously through a dating app. This just kinda fell flat for me. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. I didn’t really connect with Rory or Jude, but I did think the food truck setting was fun! Thanks to @NetGalley and Revell for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #TacosForTwo
251. I Hate You More By: Lucy Gilmore 4/10 ⭐️ Meh. This was just okay. It was a quick listen - the narrators were fine. I didn’t really like the characters, and the love story was unbelievable. It just wasn’t for me. Thanks to @NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #IHateYouMore
250. The Brightest Star in Paris By: Diana Biller 5/10⭐️ This was “different” than what I’m used to reading, and while I liked it, I’m not in a hurry to go back and read Sam + Alva’s book. There was a lot going on. There were ghosts and a fake relationship and war trauma and just a lot going on. I also wanted to shake Amelie several times because she wasn’t doing what I wanted. I don’t know - this is a terrible review. I have a lot of mixed feelings. Thanks to @NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #historicalromance #audiobook #TheBrightestStarInParis
249. The Party Crasher By: Sophie Kinsella 7/10⭐️ Effie’s parents have gotten divorced, and her dad’s new girlfriend has decided to throw a “house cooling” party when the family home (Greenoaks) has to be sold. Effie decides to crash the party in order to save her Russian dolls after she was conveniently left off the guest list. By sneaking around the house and listening in on conversations, Effie learns more about her family, her first love, and herself than she planned on. The Party Crasher is classic Sophie Kinsella, and it is a fun read! Effie is quirky, her family is quirky, the book is quirky. There were cringe-worthy moments that made me laugh out loud. The audiobook is great! Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Publishing for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #ThePartyCrasher
248. Murder Outside the Lines Pen & Ink Mystery #3 By: Krista Davs 6/10⭐️ I love all of Krista Davis’ cozy mysteries, and Murder Outside the Lines is the newest book in the Pen & Ink Mystery series. I liked it! In general, I think I like listening to the whole series rather than one cozy mystery here and there. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #cozymystery #audiobook #MurderOutsideTheLines
247. Window Shopping By: Tessa Bailey 8/10🎄 Y’all, I love Tessa Bailey books, and this one did not disappoint. It is definitely an insta-love holiday romance, but it’s way too steamy to be a Hallmark movie! I liked how Aiden + Stella were nontraditional main characters (I mean Stella had been to prison), the department store setting, and the Christmas spirit! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #WindowShopping
246. Paddlers, Promises, and Poison A Campers & Criminals Cozy Mystery #16 By: Tonya Kappes 5/10⭐️ I was in the mood to listen to some #cozymysteries, so I knocked out all of the Campers & Criminals Cozy Mysteries available on Hoopla. This series has shorter books, so the audiobooks last around 4-5 hours. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #cozymystery #audiobook #PaddlersPromisesAndPoison
245. Ropes, Riddles, and Robberies A Campers & Criminals Cozy Mystery #15 By: Tonya Kappes 5/10⭐️ I was in the mood to listen to some #cozymysteries, so I knocked out all of the Campers & Criminals Cozy Mysteries available on Hoopla. This series has shorter books, so the audiobooks last around 4-5 hours. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #cozymystery #audiobook #RopesRiddlesAndRobberies
244. Eggnogs, Extortion, and Evergreens A Campers & Criminals Cozy Mystery #14 By: Tonya Kappes 5/10⭐️ I was in the mood to listen to some #cozymysteries, so I knocked out all of the Campers & Criminals Cozy Mysteries available on Hoopla. This series has shorter books, so the audiobooks last around 4-5 hours. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #cozymystery #audiobook #EggnogsExtortionAndEvergreens
243. Gears, Grills, & Guns A Campers & Criminals Cozy Mystery #13 By: Tonya Kappes 5/10⭐️ I was in the mood to listen to some #cozymysteries, so I knocked out all of the Campers & Criminals Cozy Mysteries available on Hoopla. This series has shorter books, so the audiobooks last around 4-5 hours. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #cozymystery #audiobook #GearsGrillsAndGuns
242. Sunsets, Sabbatical, & Scandal A Campers & Criminals Cozy Mystery #10 By: Tonya Kappes 5/10⭐️ I was in the mood to listen to some #cozymysteries, so I knocked out all of the Campers & Criminals Cozy Mysteries available on Hoopla. This series has shorter books, so the audiobooks last around 4-5 hours. #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #cozymystery #audiobook #SunsetsSabbaticalAndScandal
241. No Words Little Bridge Island #3 By: Meg Cabot 4/10⭐️ I keep reading the books in this series, and they just keep being a disappointment. The blurb for the books are great, but the actual books are a disappointment. Jo was annoying and immature and completely unrealistic. She HATES Will until she LOVES him. It was ridiculous how fast she changed her (stupid) opinions of him. Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I’ll probably read the next one in the series, but I don’t think Meg Cabot deserves to be able to publish a next one. HARD PASS. At least the cover is cute? Thanks to @NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #NoWords
240. Battle Royal By: Lucy Parker 6/10⭐️ Sylvie is quirky and whimsical, and Dominic is serious and classic. When they are both asked to submit designs for Princess Rose’s wedding cake, opposites attract. It’s an enemies to love trope with a sunshine heroine and a grumpy hero. I liked this but I don’t think I’m the target audience (I’ve never seen an episode of the Great British Bake Off). It was a quick listen, and I’d recommend the audiobook. Thanks to @NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #BattleRoyal
239. First Love, Take Two (The Trouble With Hating You #2) By: Sanji Patel 8/10⭐️ I really enjoyed the Trouble With Hating You and The Knockout, so I knew I’d enjoy Sanji Patel’s newest book. As unbelievable as the “only one bed in the apartment we both happened to be staying in” storyline was, I loved Preeti and Daniel’s second chance romance! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #audiobook #FirstLoveTakeTwo
238. How to Save a Life By: Eva Carter 8/10⭐️ I couldn’t put this down - I listened to it until like 4:00am. I really liked it! With that said, I did get frustrated with the main characters at certain parts. There was a lot going on, and Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romance #womensfiction #audiobook #HowToSaveALife
237. Killer Research A Library Lover’s Mystery #12 By: Jenn McKinlay 7/10⭐️ This is the newest book in Jenn McKinlay’s Library Lover’s Mystery series, and this time Lindsey must solve a murder in order to keep Mrs. Cole (the Lemon) out of jail. I love this series because of the library setting and the cast of supporting characters. I did feel like this one solved a little quickly, but it is still a fun addition to the series. Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC! #callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #cozymystery #audiobook #KillerResearch