What I’m Reading (6.10.24)

Hi, friends! I want to direct you to NGS’ blog today, as I was lucky enough to guest post for her 20th Blogiversary. I talked about what it’s like to be a 30-something single, so I hope you hop on over there to read it, and then subscribe to Engie’s blog because she’s a gem!

Zorrie by Laird Hunt (★★★★☆)

Audiobook • Library • Historical Fiction • 2021

Short synopsis: Spanning an entire lifetime, a life convulsed and transformed by the events of the 20th century, Zorrie offers an intimate portrait of the life of one tenacious woman who experiences love, loss, and new beginnings.

I heard about this book on Currently Reading, and Meredith talked about how it was a quiet, slow, contemplative novel. There’s not much plot; it’s just about one woman’s life in the mid-20th century. I was looking for a quick audiobook to listen to right before I left for vacation and this one was just 4.5 hours—perfect! I really enjoyed this novel and I think listening to it on audiobook was the perfect way for me to consume it. There was a lot to dig into in this book (at one point, Zorrie finds work at a radium processing plant and it’s very interesting to see the way that job reverberates throughout her life), and I really enjoyed Zorrie’s character. She was a sympathetic character to root for. This book won’t change your life, but it’s a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

Planes, Trains, and All the Feels by Livy Hart (★★★★★)

E-book • Library • Contemporary Romance • 2023

Short synopsis: When Cassidy gets stranded at an airport in what feels like the middle of nowhere, she never dreams that she’s going to end up sharing a rental car with her nemesis, Luke. They met in the airport parking garage when he stole her spot and then found themselves seated near each other on the plane, and they can’t stop bickering with each other. But then they get stranded when their plane has to make an unscheduled landing and with only one rental car available and no flights leaving for their destination anytime soon… it seems like the only option is to road trip together. 

Gosh, I really loved this romance! The enemies-to-lovers trope will always be one of my favorites, and I really love the way the author brought these two people together and helped them break down their walls with each other. There were some crazy twists and turns this book took that I was not expecting, but it all worked to bring these characters closer together, so I was okay with them! The novel’s dark moment felt really true and authentic, not shoved in just to create some drama. It made sense with everything the author had been building up to, and the way everything resolved was so sweet. I loved these two characters a whole lot and when I finished the novel, I wanted to start it all over again because I didn’t want to let Cassidy and Luke go!

Love Irresistibly by Julie James (★★★★☆)

E-Book • Owned (Amazon) • Contemporary Romance • 2013

Short synopsis: Cade Morgan, assistant U.S. attorney, needs the help of Brooke Parker, general counsel for an upscale restaurant group. In order to take down a corrupt politician, he needs to bug a table at one of Brooke’s restaurants. While they work together on this sting operation, sparks fly.

This is a reread for me, as I’m working my way through Julie James’ backlist for the second or third time. I love her books! This book was fun, sexy, and heartfelt. She really played with this idea of being someone “married” to their job and if they can really have it all: the career and the relationships? Not just romantic relationships, either, because Brooke started to notice how her friendships started to take a huge backseat to her career. I love the way Cade and Brooke learned to care for one another and how doing so allowed them to reevaluate their own priorities and figure out what really mattered. It was a fun romance!

What are you reading?