Today, let’s look back on March and look forward to April.
Side note: How is it April already?!?!?!?!?!
Favourite March reads
I read 15 books in March. My favourite few of the month are below, in no particular order. Just click on the images to be taken to the book’s Amazon page.
Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell was sooooooo good! I loved it so much I almost started a reread as soon as I’d finished it. I adored Kiem and Jainan’s super slow-burn, opposites attract romance, and the mystery element was super intriguing too.
The Night Of by Tal Bauer was so engrossing. It was like going back to his Executive Office series, which is one of my all-time favourites. The mystery, the romance…I was here for all of it!
Heartscape by Garrett Leigh was just lovely. One of the more romantic books I’ve read in a long time. Tanner and Jax’s strangers to roommates to friends to lovers romance was so beautifully done.
Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala is a young adult contemporary novel set during the biggest con competition, and it’s told in dual timelines—half in the past and half in the present, to give readers an idea of what happened between Jazzy and his ex-boyfriend. It was a really sweet novel, and while I thought the ending was rushed, overall this was great.
Tarnished Empire by Danielle L. Jensen is a prequel to her Dark Shores series. Danielle paints such vivid pictures with her words and I can’t get enough of them.
Books I’m looking forward to reading in April
Storm From the East and Southern Sun, Northern Star are books 2 and 3 in Joanna Hathaway’s Glass Alliance series. I read book one, Dark of the West, back when it was released in 2019 and absolutely fell in love with it. It’s one of my all-time favourite books (I’m actually re-reading it right now!). I waited to read book two until book three was released so I could binge-read them, and I finally get to do that in April since Southern Star, Northern Sun is releasing on the 20th!
Like I’ve mentioned before, I’m slowly making my way through Lily Morton’s books. On tap for April is Charlie Sunshine, which I’ve heard nothing but good things about, so I’m looking forward to it.
Believe it or not, I ended up with two copies of This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria: one came in my February Rainbow Crate book box, the other in my February Fairyloot box. (Maybe I’ll do a giveaway of my extra copy in my Facebook Group this month, hint hint, nudge nudge.) It features an asexual and aromantic main character, which is definitely lacking in young adult fantasy, so this will definitely be an interesting read.
Lore & Lust by Karla Nikole has been on my TBR since it arrived in my Rainbow Crate book box late last year. I’m not a huge fan of vampires in my books, but this is gay vampires, so bring it on!
On the writing front
This isn’t at all writing related, but my family added a new member last week! My nephew was born on March 26th at a healthy 8 lbs 9oz. Mom and baby are both doing well, and Mom and Dad are adjusting to life at home with two kids.
Now, in actual writing news…
My newest release, Keeping Casey, came out in late February! Have you read it yet? It’s got friends to lovers, a fake boyfriends romance, and college hockey. Find out why readers are saying it’s “a story with so much heart” and “the best book I read so far this year” and “so much more than a simple friends to lovers story.”
Casey Preston is the guy with the plan. The list-maker. The one who micromanages his own life.
Spontaneously offering to be his best friend’s fake boyfriend to get Ethan’s annoying team captain off his back?
That’s not thinking things through. It’s not even smart given Casey’s been fighting his feelings for Ethan for years.
Ethan Rain just wants to play hockey and get his college degree. Adding a fake boyfriend to the mix? He doesn’t need that complication.
If Casey were his real boyfriend, though? If he got to keep Casey forever? Now we’re talking.
But what if Casey doesn’t want to be kept?
At the beginning of March, I finished the first draft to the sequel to Keeping Casey, Keeping Kellan. April and May will be dedicated to edititing and revising, as well as formatting and setting up promotions. Keeping Kellan features a brand new character named…you guessed it…Kellan! His love interest is none other than Brant Harkrader, who you met in Keeping Casey. (Those of you who guessed Brant on last month’s High Five Friday poll were right!) Kellan is Brant’s older sister’s best friend. The novel takes place about six years after the events of Keeping Casey—or five years after the epilogue. Stay tuned for cover and blurb reveal coming soon. Anticipated release day is sometime in June.
While Keeping Kellan was with my beta readers, I worked on my character arcs and outline for my next WIP: book five in the Stick Side series. It’s tentatively called Two-Man Team, but that might change so don’t hold me to it. It features Stanton and Xappa from Risking the Shot. Expect this one in the fall!
What books are you looking forward to reading in April? Leave a comment below!
