2025 Books I Read

As in the last few years, I'm always aiming for 100 books (including audiobooks) read each year. I like having a goal to strive for while doing something I enjoy (reading!). And, as my latest post details, I read most nights before bed, and listen to audiobooks during mindless tasks at work or when I'm driving, so the number is achievable with my daily routine.  

My 2024 TOTAL books read is ... 104 books and audiobooks!

This was the year of cowboy rancher books, more historical romance (some rereads of longtime favorites) and some fun, very-light mysteries. It's hard to pick my favorite by Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage book, Folk Around and Find Out by Penny Reid and The Riley Thorne Series were standouts with characters I still think about. Honorable mention to Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey and Bride by Ally Hazelwood for being the spiciest but also the most heartstrings-pulling of the group. 

Also to note: Not listed in my annual total is my Kindle Reading Total, which is 225 titles. The majority of these stories are short romances that are under 130 pages and take around 2 hours to read. They are my right-before-bed reading and they're usually fun and steamy and sweet. And short. So, I don't include those titles in my main list, though some notable series will creep onto my list if their page counts number a feature-length book. Cowboy and mountain man themes are most common.  

Without further ado, my full list is below. I have divided by audiobook and book (mostly paper but some were Kindle). I write a quick review of each book, so I can later recall what I've read, and what I thought about it. Highlighted books are favorites. 

AUDIOBOOKS - 🎧

1. Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura -- honestly, there wasn't enough swashbuckling adventure and being chased through the jungle, and too much at base camp boring times. And the MCs were SO into each other and just wouldn't admit it. Is that considered a lying trope? Which is my least favorite.
2. He's Not My Type by Meghan Quinn -- absolutely loved the full-cast reading and the hilarious banter between the boys on the hockey team. Yup, hockey romance so it was super middle-of-the-road cute. Nothing special.
3. The Wake Up Call by Beth O'Leary -- I picked up the book, but glad I listened to these narrators with the cute brit accent and the lovely Brazilian one. Always love a "he falls first" troupe. Just not as good as The Flat Share by the same author.
4. My Darling Bride by Ilsa Madden-Mills -- she's not the most exciting or great writer, her stories are pretty ho-hum and a 4 on the romance meter. Not my favorite. But the paradise setting was fun.
5. The Secret by Judy Garwood -- the narration and Scottish brogues weren't as pleasant by this narrator but the story was cute and the whispering was especially endearing.
6. The Improbable Meet Cute Collection -- Series of 6 short stories by awesome romance writers all read by great narrators and all so cute and sweet. Swept through the series in a few days.
• The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren
• Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson
• With Any Luck with Ashley Poston
• Drop, Cover and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory
• Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne
• Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez
7. Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas -- in honor of Derek Craven day, this is a reread from 2010(ish), an absolutely dead-on romance. Perfect in every way.
8. Lie by Moonlight by Amanda Quick -- these action/romance novels are pretty good. Funny, the end when they piece the mystery together is far less interesting to me. I am not in it for the whodunit, that's for sure.
9. The Inn on Harmony Island by Anne-Marie Meyer -- a promo for this book was circulating on social media that was fairly compelling, so I got this free on Hoopla. It was sweet and maybe a little too innocent. Also, there wasn't a satisfying ending, just a "to be continued in the next book" so that was disappointing. Not sure if I'll bother with the next book.
10. Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips How is this series -started in 2010 still going?! I love it! SEP has maybe lost a step along the years, but it's still terrific story building and her trademark lovable characters. So good.
11. Cold Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas -- I'm rereading the Ravanels series. It's been too long and the stories and characters are so good. Nothing beats a Kleypas romance!
12. Marrying Winterbourne by Lisa Kleypas -- the one where the shy women seduces the department store billionaire and then finds out she's the illegitimate daughter of his worst enemy. Classic Kleypas!
13. Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas -- I went out of order, because I had forgotten that I just listened to the 3 and 4th Ravenel book last year. This is the one were the book author falls for the book publisher and nothing truly exciting happens except adventurous sex.
14. The Cinderella Deal by Jennifer Crusie -- I don't know if this story takes place in the past, maybe the 50s or 60s, but it doesn't make sense if it takes place in the present because of the blatant "be my housewife" deal this guy makes. Otherwise, it was so-so.
15. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross -- journalist, rivals to lovers, lonely girl, this book delivered all my favorite troupes and didn't disappoint. And the narrators were perfect. The ending tore a little of my heart out. (But I DNFed the sequel. They restarted up the magic typewriter after a MC got amnesia?? No. Just no.)
16. No Offense by Meg Cabot -- I really don't like this author. These MCs suffered from "newborn character syndrome," as in they never had a feeling or normal life experience before the story started. Ugh.  
17. The Wrong Bride by Gayle Callen -- love a Scottish accent and a rough laird, amiright. Nothing too special about this one, just a solid Scottish historical romance with lots of kilts.
18. The Counterfeit Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath -- one of the "Chessmen" series of books with a lady detective, it got a little long in the middle but otherwise a great read. Spicy. Will gladly add the other books in this series to my TR pile.
19. Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano -- the third book in these series is always good for some madcap crazy. And she even set it up for the next book ... so hooray hooray, Finlay's crazy shenanigans continues!
20. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez -- devastating and lovely, these characters really go through some bad stuff. Not my usually fare (too serious) but got to the happily ever after. Yay for this author who really rode that line between a tad spicy, but big-time swoony.
21. Folk Around and Find Out by Penny Reid -- geez, this book gutted me. I love this series so much. I love the dang narrators and the heart they put in their narrations. I cried through the epilogue ("we ate pizza," you'd have to read the book to understand). Gah. It's too good.
22. She Temps the Duke by Lorraine Heath - Lords of Pembrook series is pretty dramatic and fun. This one starts with the disfigured war hero and the girl that saved all the brothers. Of course the oldest brother wants to say thanks, so he marries her. obviously.
23. Lord of Temptation by Lorraine Heath - the second book in the Lords of Pembrook series with the wild sea captain and the prim widow. Yes, sea captain, com on!
24. Lord of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath -- had to read the third book in this series. This one is the gaming club owner with no heart and the bastard daughter. Lorraine Heath may be my new favorite historical romance author.
25. The Duchess Hut by Lorraine Heath -- one of the Chessmen books, a simple and delightful historic romance with interesting characters who deserve the HEA they get.
26. Not the Duke's Darling by Elizabeth Hoyt -- first, the love scenes were HOT. Second, this Wise Women concept is annoying. So won't be reading more of them. Overall, a great set-up and good payoff at the end.
27. Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt — a little too melodramatic for me but sizzling hot and moved along quickly. Elizabeth knows the job. 
28. How the Duke Was Won by Lenora Bell -- cute story that finally, after many attempts with other books, held my attention. Will find the next in the series.
29. Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb-- falls into the cute but predictable with a side of minor spice category. Likeable people falling live. Could have used more humor or suspense, as it was pretty drab in parts, but a solid romance. 
30. The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center -- this author always hits me square in the heart with her gently-broken characters -- I just invest so quickly in her damn characters, and as hard as I tried, I fell for Charlie and Emma.
31. The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson -- If you can get over the MC LYING to the hero for 80% of the book, it's a solid romance. But GAH I hate that trope. Note to self, stop listening to lying books!
    
32. Hello Stranger by Katherine Center -- I'll be honest, after Chapter 15 I jumped forward to Chapter 28 to skip over the sad, depressing part. She was too sad and broken, so I jump forward to the happy ending. No regrets. Again, Center's epilogue was annoyingly long and "explained" the journey. Eye roll.
33. Riley Thorn and the Corpse in the Closet by Lucy Score -- the second book in this delightful series. I'm not so much a fan of the whodunit but I love the banter and crazy scenarios. Picking up the third one as soon as I can.
34. Butterface by Avery Flynn -- this one kept being recommended to me, so I downloaded it (free) and gave it a listen. I don't think I'm ever impressed with this author. It was sweet and cute and did the job but it wasn't special or exciting.
35. Riley Thorn and the Blast from the Past by Lucy Score -- the storyline got a little lost in the middle but it was filled with silliness and wild scenes like the others. Similar to the Finlay Donovan books.
36. Caribbean Crush by R.S. Grey -- So so. Read it for the vacation location. But it did have a lonely good MC and that's always a favorite.
37. Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan -- This sounded A LOT like her debut novel which I loved (Nora Goes Off Script, fyi) about a confused and stuck newly-divorced mother who falls in love with a wonderful why-is-he-still-single guy and they work on each other's stuck together. But I liked it well enough.
38. Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood -- an audio-only short story by my favorite romcom+STEM writer, so of course I bought and listened the day it was released. It's so her style and it's such a fun listen. Always Ali.
39. Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley -- this author uses a lot of older MCs in her book and sometimes I really appreciate the more mature perspective. I like the dual narration. But the story was a little sedate, a little boring. Not bad, but not rise-to-the-top good.
40. Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese -- ok, so I tried this popular author and she's a NO. Mom dies. And then the MC spends the last 1/4 of the book denying feels for the perfect, patient man. Like wayyy too much time denying them. Dumb. Honestly, I left an hour unread and not regretting it.
41. Riley Thorne and the Body in the Backyard by Lucy Score -- the plot definitely got lost in this one, but it was still a fun ride to listen to while I worked. I think it's the end of the series.
42. Playing Pretend by Eden Summers -- this is a great example of how NOT to write a romance. They're clearly made for each other and the lady spends the entire book worrying (agonizing, whining, complaining, dithering) that if become more then friends, it will ruin their friendship. Imeancomon.
43. A Murder to Remember by Brynn Kelly -- Good narration, entertaining story. Small murder mystery but a lot being too drunk to remember and bits coming back at just the right time. Just good fluff.
44. My Vampire Plus One by -- omg this book was so bad. So many inconsistencies (eg. "I googled vampires for hours last night.... what? you're over 100 years old!" "I'm too busy at work and work all hours, ... going away for the weekend") then they get the bad vampires on TAX LAW?! WTF? I hated the first book I don't know why I tried the second.
45. The Spy and I by Tiana Smith - awk! I waited a whole month to listen to the second half of this book and I should not have bothered. Such as waste of my Spotify audiobook minutes. DNF because there was so much exposition I really didn't even know what was actually happening in real life. The editor screwed us all on this one. 
46. The Takedown by Carlie Walker -- the second spy romance adventure that I read and it was so fun and good.
47. Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt -- what a masterclass in Historical Romance! I hated this hero, Val, at the start and thought I'd never come to cheer for him. Then we slowly see the gooey center of him and BAM love him. The slow reveals, the moves that are withheld and discover it was all part of the plan, the perfect MC Bridget. Lord, it's the perfect book. Plus, the narration is perfection.
48. Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt -- not as great as the last one, the MCs didn't seem to belong together and I never really understood what made Alf attractive to Kyle. Sorry to say but Elizabeth did not do the job in this one.
49. Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt -- this one is also a little too much back story. All Iris and Raphael did was argue and go about their business separately. Not great. 
50. Text Appeal by Kylie Scott -- this author's earlier work was so good and I keep trying but yet her books are boring and lackluster. Ugh. Her heroes are always incredibly attractive, but her heroines are usually whiney and stunted.
51. Staged by Elle Cosimano -- short story with a who-dunnit and a tiny bit of romance. Same author of Finlay Donovan, and it showed. Cute.
52. A Classic Case by Alicia Thompson -- short story with a missing elder gentleman and a side of romance. Same author as a bunch of other romances based in Florida and this feels like her writing.
53. The One Night by Meghan Quinn -- Kinda boring and dull. And it must be a part 1 because it ended with a cliffhanger, and I wasn't really interested enough to seek out part 2.
54. The Forbidden Duke by Darcy Burke -- a solid and slightly modern historical romance that's got lots of pacing.
55. The Duke of Daring by Darcy Burke -- really solid and I liked the set-up on this one. ON HOOPLA, HIT THE LIMIT, WILL WAIT FOR THE NEXT MONTH TO CONTINUE.
56. Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews -- Cute short story with a fun set-up and nice ending. Wish is was a little longer.
57. Under the Mistletoe Collection -- romantic shorts
• Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria
• Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur
• All by My Elf by Olivia Dade
• Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey -- my favorite, of course
• Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood --
58. Sweet Talk by Cara Bastone -- My favorite male narrator voice Chris Brinkley makes this simple and sweet story even better. And the girl is fantastic, too.
59. A Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole -- These books are Sarah MacLean favorites so I found the first (maybe) and it's super spicy but entertaining and very romantacy.
60. A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole -- there's a lot of story building with all the secondary characters that I probably won't ever read (30some books in this series), but these stories are fun and hot.
61. Lothaire by Kresley Cole -- the worst of the three I listened to, and half because the southern accent was done so poorly, I didn't finish but got most of the way and now I don't really care. I might be done with this series.
62. Is She Really Going Out with Him by Sophie Cousins -- quaint little enemy to lovers in the workplace. Gotta love a divorced MC with kids and a complicated life fall in love. A solid B.
63. Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh -- I really just choose this for the Irish accent. It's a pretty cute, banter-filled story. Just average, though.
64. Room Maid by Sariah Wilson -- terrible, utterly bad. The narrator was awful and the story was kinda dumb and shallow.
65. Banana Pants by Penny Reid -- this author has the ability to just gut me. I read the content warnings but proceeded with the bi-polar character story anyway and his depressive episode and panic attack made me so sad. Gah! But I loved the story and the narrators were the best (Joy Nash!)
66. The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan -- it was a little sad and little boring.

BOOKS - 📚

1. The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score -- reliable author giving a enemies to lovers in a small town with a DIY show. Also single dad! Where's the Hallmark movie?
2. To Swoon and Spar by Martha Watters -- it's like dropping modern characters into the Regency period and seeing how they do. Just a really nicely-put-together story. (I DNF'ed so many books before I finally committed to this one.)
3. Bride by Ally Hazelwood -- holy moly this was such a great story. Super steamy. Super fun. Loved the MCs. Loved the whip-fast banter and chapters. This author has my number. Will be reading this one again, for sure.
4. Fangirl Down by Tessa Baily -- geez do I love what this author does with lovable characters and sexual tension. So steamy and sweet and fun. All of a sudden I don't hate golf. Can't wait for the second book in this series.
5. Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee -- a house reno love story with a new mama with an infant, Southern charm and unsupportive boyfriends. And with a very satisfying ending. I love a "good man" who changes a wronged woman's mind about men.
6. Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers -- second book in this YA series about a team of lady assassins in France. The large, fierce lead guy in this one is especially perfect.
7. Bass-Ackwards by Eris Adder -- the sexual tension in this book was off the freaking charts. I didn't even mind all the description of workplace tasks because it broke up all that hotness so well.
8. Slightly Married by Mary Balogh -- The used bookstore had the entire Bedwyn series so I had to buy them (using the credit of selling books back) and dig back into this series. This one of the oldest brother coming back to war and fulfilling the wishes of a dying man to look after his sister.
9. Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh -- I love Rannulf -- maybe my favorite Bedwyn. The sweet and funny guy who isn't at all serious, until his lady is threatened. He looks like Thor, so ok. I'm in. 
10. Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage -- the second in this little western series about an idyllic ranch with wonderful people you just want to be friends with. Ada being the grumpy with Wes the sunshine.
11. One Night with the Duke by Jodi Ellen Malpas -- not well written, not a great story, really flat characters. I did finish it but really should have passed. 
12. Slow Burn by Julie Garwood -- contemporary thriller romance. It took me a while to get into it, but it was a pretty fun read. Not too spicy.
13. To Woo and To Wed by Martha Waters -- low stakes and fun banter, these are good palette cleanser books for me.
14. Some Like it Wild by Teresa Medeiros  -- read this all on the trip to Alaska. It was a pretty bananas story and it held my attention on the plane.
15. Cowboy Seeking Nanny by Janice Whiteaker -- a series about cowboy brothers on a ranch in Montana. Sweet story about a widower and a untrusting nanny. Love a tight-family on a ranch.
16. Cowboy Seeking Second Chance by Janice Whiteaker -- second in the series with Mae and the second brother who is on his mother's bad side. Love this family but I hate a second chance romance, it's sooo lame. Just get together already.
17. Cowboy Seeking a Wedding Date by Janice Whiteaker -- This is the one with Nora the city interior decorator, with the terrible ex and no love for a country life. And the guy that changes her mind. It was pretty good.
18. Cowboy Seeking Someone to Love by Janice Whiteaker -- This is the one with the youngest brother Brett and Camille, the abused wife of the guy Mae nearly killed. Lots of heart in this one.
19. Where Dreams Begin by Lisa Kleypas -- I didn't realize I hadn't read this one yet. It's so typical Kleypas, though I didn't like the very end (brush with death? oh no no no ). But the rest was fantastic. 
20. The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne -- new author to me, really liked the (rather dramatic) storyline and characters. The MC was really sweet and good amount of action, too.
21. The Corpse Next Door by Lucy Stone -- what a fun series! It's goofy and Riley feels really real and silly. And even her magic powers (talking to the dead, etc) didn't really bug me. Also, Nick is a fabulously hot hero. All the stars for this one. Reading the rest, but as audiobook.  
22. Prince of Danger by Amanda Scott -- nothing cures a reading slump like a good historical romance! This one had a little Knights of the Templars mythology in it and a treasure hunt. YES! Will keep my eyes peeled for the second book "Lady's Choice" from 2006.
23. Funny Story by Emily Henry -- not as fun or great or swoony as her other books. Dare I say the worst of them all? I liked the MCs but I never really got over the guy's "slobby loser" start. They both came off as too whiney for me. I won't give up on Emily but her next book better be way better.
24. The Littlest Cowboy by Maggie Shayne -- recommended to me and it was right in my wheelhouse. Ranch brothers/family, check. Lonely, broken girl, check. Baby, check. Just the right amount of danger/chivalry, check. Loved it. Moving on to the next book.
25. Happily Never After by Lynn Painter -- just about the cutest, sweetest, low drama, high banter book ever. I want to be Sophie's best friend, please.
26. The Baddest Virgin in Texas by Maggie Shayne -- this the Texas Brand series with the little sister Jesse. She falls for a transit ranch hand. It's fantastic. She's a great MC.
27. Long Gone Lonesome Blues by Maggie Shayne -- ranch brothers so good. Ben Brand is morning the loss of his wife ... when she comes back from the dead (she was in a coma in England) and has no memory of him. Like what?! It's a good one!
28. Lone Star Lonely by Maggie Shayne -- ok this one is about Adam Brand and the fiancé that left him on their wedding day. She has a BIG SECRET that's pretty fabulous. There's a 3rd act showdown that's bonkers. I tried the others in this series but they don't sounds as good. Maybe moving on to the Oklahoma Brands?! They're all sisters!
29. Rootbound by Tarah DeWitt -- I didn't think I'd love this one the way that I did. The MCs are swoony. They are both really forthcoming and honest, so there's no lying or should I tell/not tell. Tait could have lied to the family about who she was, and the story could have been about that, but she told them immediately, so the story went in a completely different direction. This one is going to stick with me for awhile.
30. Au Pair Affair By Tessa Bailey -- there was a helluva lot of whining and sexual tension that swirled around for way too long. "Can I get over myself and love him/her?" Tessa is usually such a go-to and the first book in the series was GAH intense all-the-stars. This one was little less. Will I read the next book? Hell yes.
31. Mountain Man Series from KU -- adding this as an entry because I've read like 10 books in this series of novellas and it's more than just a novel and they're super fun.
32. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren -- this is soo in their signature style of funny banter and super-duper sexy situations and sweet talk, and a nice wrap-up at the end. I loved the MCs and the short chapters and took my time with it because I knew I'd miss it when it was over. So lovely.
33. Not in Love by Ally Hazelwood -- This author is always good and I absolutely loved Rue the main character and this book was both spicy and beautiful and I loved the way the story came together. All the stars here.
34. Hannah and the Hitman by Venessa Vale -- I really liked the setup here and this author is usually reliable but it went in a completely wild direction when she developed super powers. So skip.
35. Tycoon by Joanna Shupe -- Gah, I did it again. I got pulled into this author again because it was recommended and it was awful. So lame.
36. Runaway Whirlwind and Stowaway Whirlwind by May Adler -- These two books are super spicy, super crazy and
37. Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage -- the third book in this delightful ranch series and an enemies to lovers in the best way. Really sweet. A little more dull than the first one. Lots of swoony moments.
38. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter -- emotional and awesome! Short chapters. All my favorite tropes: He falls first. Lonely girl. Off-the-charts witty banter. Closed door, too. Might read it again next year.  

What a great way to end the year, with one of my all-time favorite authors Ally Carter and a Christmas book. So lucky to have read all the books I did this year and looking forward to another year of amazing titles.