Recent Reads: Summer 2020

Wow, I can't believe it's been over two months since I last shared what I've recently read! I was on a total kick at the beginning of quarantine but then stopped reading consistently in July and August. I know for a fact it's because I've been spending way too much time on my phone and messing around on my computer. My goal for September alone is to read four books!

As always, I keep my Goodreads page constantly updated with the books I'm currently reading, want to read, and have read if you are interested in my recommendations and/or similar books! I also have all of my past book reviews in this section of my blog.

Let's get into everything I have read since my last reading update. I have to admit, after I wrote this list of books I wanted to read by black authors, I did not follow through. This month I intend to read at least one book by a female black author!

Here's To Us by Elin Hilderbrand // 3.5/5 Stars

I love Elin Hilderbrand, as I've shared many times before. This book was not one of my faves by her, but still, of course, pretty good. Throughout the beginning, I was disenchanted, but toward the end, it picked up, as most books do. I honestly read this about a month ago and can't even remember what happened, but it's a good beach read if you love summer on Nantucket stories like I do!

The Last Mrs. Parrish // 5/5 Stars

This book... omg. 

Ok, so I have to admit I didn't even know what this book was about when I read it, I just picked it up because I had heard it was good. It was amazing. I tore through it and did not see the ending coming at the end! It reminded me a bit of Behind Closed Doors, which I read this summer (review here) and also loved.

Basically, a wannabe Amber Patterson sets out to steal Daphne Parrish's husband, and will do whatever it takes to have him... he's one of the wealthiest, most handsome men in Connecticut. There is a huge twist! It's a bit of a mystery and super trashy... such a page-turner.

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle // 4/5 Stars

This book was precious and I was in tears (!!!) by the end. Like, cried kind of hard and it sort of left me sad for a day afterward... but in case you're wondering, a lot of books can do this to me. It's not that sad... haha. This book reminded me a bit of One Day in December (review here)... love, loss, destiny...

It's Sabrina's 30th birthday dinner and she arrives to see five people at the table, including Audrey Hepburn, her father, a college professor, her BFF, and Tobias, the man she thinks is her soulmate. Throughout the dinner (they only have one night!) the story unfolds why they are all there and what it means for Sabrina's future.

Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand // 5/5 Stars

Another Hilderbrand book! Who's surprised!

I was hooked to this one from the start. It's a bit of a longer book, so there was a little lull in the middle, but overall it was fabulous, and the ending did not disappoint. 

Elin Hilderbrand's writing, to me, always pays so much attention to detail, and I find myself consistently impressed by her ability to intertwine multiple character developments and storylines in each of her novels. In this particular book, I noticed these things even more!

It's the summer of '69, and the Foley-Levin family is experiencing some changes to their usual Nantucket-bound summer. They have just sent their only son, Tiger, off to war, and one of their daughters, a free-spirit named Kirby, plans to venture to Martha's Vineyard instead of Nantucket this year to work. Their eldest daughter, Blair, is pregnant and staying in Boston, leaving the youngest, Jessie, to spend her 13th summer on Nantucket alone with her mother and impeccable, well-bred grandmother. The secrets of each character are revealed throughout the book and it's just so enthralling, with a few history lessons (hello, Bobby Kennedy!) thrown into the mix. It's an absolutely fabulous beach read, definitely one of my top three favorite Hilderbrand books now (first being The Matchmaker, and second probably The Identicals, although I've read so many it's hard to choose!

Have you read anything you've loved recently?

xoxo