The Books I Read In June 2023
- Alexa Burban
- Jul 3, 2023
- 6 min read
I honestly cannot believe we're more than halfway through the year however, I'm happy with where I currently stand for my reading goal for 2023 (44/52). The original plan was to read one book a week, something that now seems like I completely underestimated, however, stuff comes up throughout the year (my trip to Europe, quitting and starting a new job, etc) so I'm pleased with how many I've read and likely, how many more books I will read for the remaining half of the year. Odds I can make it to 100?
Anyway, I LOVED the books I read this month. Two books have made my favourites list for 2023, one of which is part of a series I know I will return to because they were just so good! It was such a fun reading month!
⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was adorable! I was genuinely smiling so hard my face started to hurt.
Jess is a single mother who hasn't put a lot of time or energy into dating since having her daughter 7 years ago. She meets the seemingly grumpy and dull Dr. River Pena, who is in the middle of launching a dating app/site that measures and compares users' DNA to match couples together genetically (it's a bit more sciency than that but I'm not a science gal). Her best friend, Fizzy, convinces Jess to submit a sample and gets alerted that she is a 98% match to the founder of the app/site, River. From "enemies to lovers", River and Jess begin "dating" to keep up PR appearances for the app/site launch all while River's company is compensating Jess but when the pair start falling for one another, all bets (and carefully calculated data) are off the table.
While this started off rather slow, I was swooning around the 50% mark for River. I loved him and how he treated Jess. I HAD to finish the final 45% before I went to bed (this was an "up to 3am read"). I'm excited for Fizzy's story!
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Oh I absolutely LOVED this. Not only did I fall head over heels for the swoon-worthy, Connor Prince but I was also so completely taken by the bold and charismatic, Fizzy. But my god their chemistry!!!!!!!
Successful romance novelist, Felicity "Fizzy" Chen has never been one to shy away from going after what she wants but when she finds herself no longer craving that next romantic adventure and realizes that she's never truly been in love, she's in a bit of a rut. Enter Connor Prince, a British dad and documentary filmmaker who just unwillingly received his next assignment from his boss - to create a reality dating show with ratings and revenue in mind. He finds Fizzy's work and pitches the idea of casting the ultimate romance novelist as the dating show lead where she will meet her soulmate. Fizzy agrees on the condition that many elements of romance novels are incorporated and that Connor learns more about the genre he's diving into. Through forced friendships, Fizzy and Connor begin to fall (hard) for one another all the while Fizzy is contracted to meet her soulmate in front of the camera not behind it with the show's producer.
I tend to like or find myself indifferent to many romance novel heroines but I genuinely loved Fizzy so much. She was a bold, witty, firecracker who was not afraid to say what was on her mind. There were many moments throughout the book where I said to myself, "I don't know if I want to be her best friend or just be her". I laughed out loud countless times at her one-liners but also found myself so moved by her inner monologue. As a romance-reading hopeless romantic (oh boy), seeing Fizzy advocate so fiercely for the genre made my heart swell:
"I'm going to tell you to live your life like it's a romance novel. [Romance is] about elevating stories of joy above stories of pain. It is about seeing yourself as the main character in a very interesting - or maybe even quiet - life that is entirely yours to control. It is, my friends, the fantasy of significance." - Fizzy, pg. 4
"I love romance. I love the swooping in my chest when I read a good kiss, the choking of my lungs when I get to the angst, the shaken-carbonated blast of joy reading the happily ever after." - Fizzy, pg 183
But I was also laughing out loud:
"Last week I considered going jogging in flip-flops just to remind myself how sex sounds." - Fizzy, pg. 11
"If I could get paid for disappointing white men in suits, I would be a gazillionaire." - Fizzy, pg 33
'"I invited him inside after the signing." Jess's wince tells me she's read this right, but she gives me an out. "Please tell me you mean inside for a cup of coffee." "No, inside my vagine." - pg 97
I also love when strong female friendships are included in the mix and the friendship between Fizzy and Jess (from The Soulmate Equation) is one for the history books. Their dynamic together was so fun!
But Connor. Oh sweet Connor, that man was magic. He's easily made my top 5 book boyfriend list with his charming (British) and charismatic ways. And the way he fell so hard for Fizzy?! I was giggling and kicking my feet.
"I don't know how to go about the rest of my life pretending I don't want her with a force that rivals the pull of the tides." - Connor, pg 175
"I think you are the masterpiece." - Connor, pg 206 - I CRY
"I'm so fucking in love with her I can barely take a full breath." - Connor, pg 278 - STILL CRYING
He was perfect and the bar is now that much higher :)
But in all seriousness, this was incredible, one of my favourite reads of the year and it's my favourite Christina Lauren book. I look forward to rereading it in the future and falling in love with this couple again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 | 🌶️🌶️
I’m currently on a country music kick so this tracks. I’m so excited for this series, I’ve heard it only gets better from here!😋
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️.5
Caaaaaddddeeeeee 😮💨
I knew I would enjoy the second (this one) in the series more than the first. I know the characters, the world, etc. but I didn’t think I’d enjoy Cade as much as I did. He was grumpy and serious but rightfully so? I’m typically opposed to books with young kids that have major roles in the plot but I really loved Luke. He served his purpose without getting annoying (yay).
I’m not a fan of the pregnancy trope so that was a hard pass for me but Harvey’s declaration of Cade’s … “preferences” made me laugh.
It also irked me how often Cade (38) brought up how old Willa (25) was. As someone who’s always been told “oh you’re such a baby” it made me roll my eyes. We get it, she’s younger than you! NEXT!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 | 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Jaasspppeeerrrr!😮💨
I had high hopes and while overall, I really enjoyed this, the plot left me a bit disappointed? It was much more somber and emotional than I was prepared for and was just genuinely hoping both Sloane and Jasper would get their happy endings.
Childhood friends (not cousins but people would refer to them as such) to lovers with lots of emotional damage.
I will say though, Jasper has a way with words.😏
“Eyes on me, honey.” goodbye 🙃
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Theo Silva - yes, please & thank you! He's made it (high) on my book-boyfriend list!😮💨
Hands down my favourite in the series. I LOVED Theo the second Winter laid eyes on him - all confident and flirty. The two had so much chemistry I was giggling and kicking my feet the entire book.
Theo was so smooth. He knew what (who) he wanted the second he saw it (Winter) and I ate it up. I love when the man falls hard and fast and we can read it in his POV. I just love a man written by a woman, period.
"I don't want to be the one-night stand who's used to scratch an itch. I want a woman like Winter Hamilton - beautiful, and smart, and sharp-tongued - to look at me and see a future." - Theo, 16%
"I leaned against the bar, bottle of beer in hand, burning lasers into a guy I generally like for daring to dance with the woman I'm in love with while I wait for her to decide if she might like to be in love with me too." - Theo, 60% - as if I couldn't have already loved him more at this point, I did after that.
He also said a lot of things that I highlighted that I cannot share publically - haha
This was Winter's redemption story and I'm so thrilled with how everything worked out for her. I truly loved Winter and she's my favourite lead of the series. Her mending her very broken relationship with Summer warmed my heart. I loved seeing the two sisters together and attempting to overcome the wrongdoings of their childhood.
Harvey is also a literal gem. Hilarious(ly inappropriate) and so wise:
"Doesn't much matter who she's dancing with when her eyes are on you." - Harvey, 60%
I'm in love with Theo and will be purchasing the physical for my collection. One of my favourite reads of the year (thank you Ash xoxo)!
I'm taking a brief pause from the romance train to (finally) finish the Throne of Glass series (I have three books left)! Hoping for another great reading month ahead.
xx
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