Today, let’s look back on October and look forward to November.
Favourite October reads
Because I was so busy this month, I only read 2.5 books. Well, more like 2.25. And since they were on my TBR for this month, skip on down to TBR Wrap-Up below for a recap.
Books I’m looking forward to reading in November
New Christmas book from L.C. Chase? I’m here for it! Breakfast Included has got the whole trapped-with-your-high-school-crush trope, and is there anything better?
Pinewood Lodge by new-to-me author Odessa Hywell is another holiday book I’m looking forward to. Stepfather and son sounds perfectly taboo and I want it!
Camera Shy by E.J. Russell is all cued up on my Kindle, and it’s going to be my next read. I’ve always enjoyed this author’s works and this fake boyfriend romcom sounds both funny and sweet.
Opposites attract in Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey’s Terribly Tristan. I haven’t read the previous books in this series, but I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve ever read by Lisa Henry, and I’ve heard good things about this story from fellow readers.
Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan is the second book in the Celestial Kingdom duology. I absolutely adored the first book in the series, and with this one releasing mid-November, it’s definitely a must-read next month.
TBR Wrap-Up: October
On last month’s High Five Friday post, the books below were on my TBR list. Here’s what I thought about them.
Super sweet, and it was wonderful on audio. It’s not often you get books set around Halloween, so that was a fun change!
I didn’t have the time for this one, so I plan on reading it in November.
I will read anything Layla writes. This book was so good, and I just love how Layla perfectly blends romance and suspense.
I’m about 130 pages into this, and while Maggie’s writing is as gorgeous as always, the book isn’t holding my attention. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s boring or if it’s not what I’m in the mood to read right now. I may set it aside for now and pick it back up later.
The 12 Challenge
If you’re on Instagram, you might’ve seen the 12 Challenge going around at the beginning of the year. The goal is to read 12 books recommended by 12 friends, and I’m going to be participating!
These are the 12 books that have been recommended to me by 12 of my Instagram friends.
I’ve read five so far:
Always Eli by Charlie Novak: cute and sweet. My fist novel by this author, but it certainly won’t be my last.
Off Balance by Jay Hogan: incredibly lovely and one of my favourite reads of the month.
Let There Be Light by A.M. Johnson: Camden and Royal were absolutely perfect together and the writing was just beautiful.
Cute Mutants by SJ Whitby: this was a fun take on superheroes with great queer rep.
To Hold a Hidden Pearl by Fearne Hill: I ended up DNF’ing this one, though perhaps I would’ve liked it better had I read it instead if listening to the audio. The narrator makes one of the main characters sound like a pompous asshole, making him unlikeable to the point where I didn’t understand why the second main character was attracted to him. Perhaps I’ll try reading it at a later date.
The Dating Experiment by Briar Prescott: cute, lighthearted, and kept me entertained for several hours.
On the writing front
A Gift-Wrapped Holiday
Did you miss the cover reveal for A Gift-Wrapped Holiday? Check it out below! I love this cover so, so much. I can’t even tell you how perfectly it encapsulates Luca, my eco-friendly gift-wrap store owner.
It’s up for pre-order too, and if you’re on my ARC team, I’ll be sending ARCs out in the next couple of weeks.
Mal’s first priority is giving his six-year-old son the best Christmas ever, a goal made trickier by a recent move to New England after losing his job. As a single dad, he’s not looking for romance—especially not with a blond California boy ten years his junior.
After being ridiculed at the family business, Luca sets out to prove himself by opening an eco-friendly gift-wrapping store in a small town with a hard-on for Christmas that’s about as far from LA as he can get. Out of his comfort zone in snowy Maine, love is the last thing on his mind.
But the magic of the season has other ideas. As Mal and Luca collide on wintery streets, will they let their first Christmas in Lighthouse Bay lead to happily ever after?
Pre-order it here:
Star of the Game (Stick Side #6)
Star of the Game is with my copyeditor, on track for a December 27th release! It’s also the reason I was so busy this month…there were a lot of revisions I needed to make after I completed the first draft: subplots that needed to come out, new ones that needed to go in. And I was working on a deadline, hence why I only read two books this month.
Pre-orders are up for Star of the Game…which means it has a blurb! You can find both the blurb and the pre-order links right here.
Lighthouse Bay Trilogy — Special Edition Illustrated Covers
I absolutely adore illustrated covers, so I had special ones made for the Lighthouse Bay trilogy! They’re available as paperbacks on Amazon. Note that there’s no special or extra content in these versions; the only difference from the original is the cover. And the original covers are still available too, of course.
Because these aren’t linked to the original paperbacks yet, they’re kind of hard to find on Amazon, so I’ve linked each book below.
What I’m Working On Next
What am I working on next?
Writing Star of the Game inspired a spin-off trilogy featuring a side character—actually, two side characters—you’ll meet in Star of the Game. The trilogy is called Vancouver Orcas and is set around an AHL (American Hockey League) team callled…you guessed it! The Vancouver Orcas! All three books will release in 2023: Game Plan, Game Changer, and Game On. Look for Game Plan, featuring the Orcas’ head coach and his best player’s dad (gasp!), in March or April.
Multi-author Giveaway
And finally, don’t forget to check out the Your Book Boyfriend’s Boyfriend giveaway on Prolific Works, where more than 100 m/m romance novellas are available free until the end of the year. My contribution is Chasing Sunsets! Check out the cover and blurb below!
Check out all of the books here.
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A sex scandal wasn’t how NHL player Dane Roxborough imagined starting his summer. Neither was fleeing Boston with his tail between his legs. Seeking refuge at his parents’ inn in his hometown, all he wants is to hide from the press…and reconnect with his college sweetheart.
Grant Lilly’s had enough of broken hearts. Sure, Dane still owns his, but that doesn’t mean anything when Dane left him to play hockey once already. Grant has a life and a career in Glen Hill, and he doesn’t need Dane resurrecting old feelings.
Amid Green Mountain summer nights, can Dane and Grant chase the sunset to their happily ever after?
What was your favourite read of the month?
Looking forward to Star of the Game’s release. A New Year’s gift to myself!