Reading Lately – March Book Review

Throw a vacation into a month and I’m able to knock out some reading! It was a good month with three books read and one book listened too. Here is what I’ve been reading lately March book review.

Amazon: When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

This is a love story about what happens when the love fades. It’s about staying in love, seizing love, forsaking love, and committing to love with everything you’ve got. And above all, After I Do is the story of a couple caught up in an old game—and searching for a new road to happily ever after.

My thoughts: After I Do has been on my list for some time and it was a win for me. It it a story of finding yourself but also a finding your way back story.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed listening to Prince Harry tell his story in Spare. It has shocked me how many people commented when I shared this on Instagram that they were tired of his and Megan’s whining. While I have definitely watched all the royal weddings, I’m not a daily follower of the royals. A very small portion of this book is dedicated to his love story and marriage to Megan. This book is HIS story and listening to him tell about the personal trauma he sufferred from losing his mom at such a young age and how it affected him growing up and into adulthood touched me. I believe he poured his heart into this book and shared his honest account of what it has been like being a royal. I also can understand how his own experience losing his mom along with the role the paps played in her death have made him realize he had to do better for his family. I also would say, in my opinion, this a situation of just because it’s always been this way doesn’t mean it’s the way it should continue to be.

That being said, this book is LONG! I think the listen was 16 hours or so but hearing it in his own voice was really good. In the past I always thought Will was the cute one but I’m team Harry now. 🙂 I actually listened to it to and from Hawaii.

Amazon: Shelby Springfield has spent the last ten years trying to overcome her past, sanding it away like she does the rough spots on the vintage furniture finds she makes over. But as a former child star, it’s hard to forget a mediocre pop career, a meltdown widely documented by the paparazzi, and a huge public break with her former co-star Lyle Jessup. It’s also hard to forget her other co-star and childhood sweetheart, Cameron Riggs—the one who got away.

Anytime Shelby has called, Cameron has come running… And then he runs right off again to chase stories around the world by making documentaries, too scared to admit what he really wants. But when Lyle stirs the pot, getting the two back in the spotlight with a home renovation show, Cameron can’t help but come on board.

There’s something in it for everyone—almost. Cameron wants to come home and set down some roots. Shelby wants to prove to the world she’s not the messy party girl anymore. And Lyle wants to twist the screws on his two childhood friends who had more chemistry than he could dream of with anyone. Sparks and sawdust fly as Shelby and Cameron film the pilot for “Homemade” and battle Lyle’s shenanigans at every turn.

My thoughts: Built to Last is a cute little chic lit romance novel. It was an easy read and just what I needed on vacationo. I loved the characters together and was definitely rooting for them to work out.

Amazon: After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late. 

My thoughts: Don’t think I wasn’t skeptical going in on how much I might be able to love a book with an octopus as a character. After reading quite a few reviews I decided it had to be on my list. Y’all, I fell in love with Marcellus and Tova. I really felt like all the characters were so well developed and I could really picture them in my mind as I read. Remarkably Bright Creatures was a page turner for me and I loved it.

I have one more month of using audible for a free trial and just downloaded the new Beth Moore book, All my Knotted up Life. I’m not going to lie, I’m having a hard time getting into it but I’m only on chapter 2!

What are you reading lately that. I need to add to my list?