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Aug 13, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday: Merry Little Kissmas

 

Can't Wait Wednesday

This week's book is.... Merry Little Kissmas



Author: Lauren Blakely
Publisher: Lauren Blakely Books
Release Date: October 28th, 2025


Blurb:
Wanted: A fresh shot at love for the holidays. But fake dating my brother’s grumpy best friend? He’s my new client, for Santa’s sake!

As a professional matchmaker, my biggest job this holiday season should be simple: find a date for the sexy single dad hockey player—aka my brother’s best friend—for his team’s fancy Christmas Eve gala.

Sure, Rowan’s hot as a crackling fire and spicier than a gingerbread man, but he hasn’t just sworn off romance. The Christmas hater has made a bet that I can’t find him a holidate.

What’s a matchmaker to do?

Win, of course. Even if it means fake-dating the Grinch myself to get him ready for the real thing.

Only…these fake dates at Christmas tree farms and hot cocoa competitions in the snowy small town of Evergreen Falls start to feel a little too real as I get to know the man behind the scowl. Somewhere between kisses under the mistletoe and a snowed-in night in his cabin curled up by the fire (where the stockings aren’t the only thing hung), I realize I’m in over my elf-loving head.

And when Rowan opens up to me at last about his painful past, I’m determined to give my brother’s best friend the holiday he deserves.

But what if the only gift I want him to unwrap this season is… me?


Explanation:

I am a big fan of Lauren Blakely's books as of late. Also, this cover alone would totally sell me on this book! Isn't it totally adorable?

As summer is winding down, I am totally getting geared up for colder weather. As such, I am hyped for holiday reads! I just know Lauren's funny banter is going to play in perfectly to a book like this!

Come back next week to discover another book I am excited for!

Aug 12, 2025

Top 5 Tuesday: Books Guaranteed to Put an End to Your Reading Slump

 Top 5 Tuesday: Books Guaranteed to Put an End to Your Reading Slump

Welcome back to Top 5 Tuesday, now following the list from That Artsy Reader Girl! As always, I do a top 5 instead of a top 10 because I tend to struggle to find 10 books for prompts.

This week's prompt is..... books guaranteed to put an end to your reading slump


These are in no particular order

  1. Red Card by Maren Moore
  2. When Ivy Met Adam by Jennifer J. Coldwater
  3. Punt in the Dark by Ariana St. Claire
  4. The P*ssy Next Door by Amy Award
  5. The Party by Natasha Preston


Red Card by Maren Moore comes out today and is personally healing my reading slump, so it absolutely deserves a spot on this list. The rest of these are relatively quick reads that can help you get another book under your belt. For me it is always ease of reading that lets me get back into things.

As a preschool teacher, I do want to share that I will count some of my picture book reads to my total as well. I sat down and read the book; it has words, therefore it is allowed to count. If you are really feeling extra slumpy, this can be a super-easy way to finish a story, which can ignite your passion for reading again.

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic 😁



I am admittedly proud of myself for all that is going on in my life right now! I have truly been doing a lot better and getting a lot of wins after a while of struggles. Despite the new business, you aren't gonna get rid of me that easily! I'm still gonna post when I can and read lots of great books, just maybe not as fast. See you next week!

Aug 8, 2025

Free for All Friday: In My Audiobook Era Tag

 Free for All Friday: In My Audiobook Era Tag


Intro

I am very much in my audiobook era lately. As such, this challenge is absolutely perfect for me right now! I cannot wait to gush about all of my favorite audiobooks with all of you lovelies!

I found this from Dini Panda Reads, so thank you for the inspiration!

As always, anyone who sees this and is interested is allowed to do this tag. 

The Prompts

  • What is the first audiobook you ever listened to?
  • Who are your favorite narrators?
  • What audiobook platform do you use?
  • What book did you love on audio that you might not have enjoyed reading physically? 
  • What is your go-to audiobook speed?
  • Do you prefer single or dual/multi-narration?
  • Do you listen while multitasking, or do you sit and listen like a movie?
  • What's your biggest audiobook pet peeve? 
  • If you could have any book made into an audiobook, which one would it be?
  • What's your all-time favorite audiobook experience?
  • Have you ever listened to an audiobook that made you pause and say, "Wait... what did I just hear?!"

My Responses and Discussion

What is the first audiobook you ever listened to?

Becoming by Michelle Obama

This was the first audiobook I remember reading, and I must say it was a fantastic choice! It is narrated by her, and that adds oh so much value. Hearing her read her own life story was truly inspiring. I highly recommend it if you haven't read it already! It certainly opened up the world of audiobooks for me. 

Who are your favorite narrators?

Jacob Morgan

Admittedly, I do not know many narrator names. It is something I want to work on. Jacob is one of the few ones I recognize, and I know I enjoy his intonation. 

What audiobook platform do you use?

Libby, Bookfunnel, and occasionally Spotify

Libby is the platform I use the most by far. I love using my local library, and bonus points that it is free! It also allows good speed customization and scrolling, which I appreciate. Bookfunnel is usually how I get and listen to any ALCs (advanced listener copies) of audiobooks. It is always exciting when I get the chance to use them. Every once in a while, I use Spotify for audiobooks. I do enjoy the platform for listening, so perhaps I will use it more soon.

What book did you love on audio that you might not have enjoyed reading physically?

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle

This book would be way too scary for me in any format other than audio. With audio, I am able to let the scary parts play very quickly, so it went by speedily. It makes sure I do not focus on my fear too much, but get to enjoy the whole narrative. 

What is your go-to audiobook speed?

3x speed

Yes, really. I do, in fact, listen to almost all books that quickly. My ADHD works better when I can process words faster. Especially on low focus days, if I wanna read, it's gonna have to be a quick audiobook. My partner says it is my superpower, which I do not really deny.


Do you prefer single or dual/multi-narration?

Multi-narration

I enjoy multiple narrators because I feel it makes the experience feel a lot more immersive. Then you get the feeling of real dialogue and different accents as applicable. That said, I will never skip a book just because it has single narration. 

Do you listen while multitasking, or do you sit and listen like a movie?

Multitasking

As mentioned before, my ADHD makes my listening needs and experience unique. As such, I often use audiobooks to make mundane tasks feel bearable. Things like laundry, grinding in video games, or even calming activities like coloring are made so much better with an audiobook for me. That said, there are times that I do just listen to the book if I have nothing else I need to be doing, or I feel like the book requires more attention to follow. 


What's your biggest audiobook pet peeve?

Continuous mispronunciation

To be clear, I am not talking about different accents or dialects. I am talking about things like the "freesh ava ca do" meme. It does not happen often, but when it does, I cannot stand the book and have to turn it off. 

If you could have any book made into an audiobook, which one would it be?

Bunny Season by Bindi Kennedy

I have mentioned this book countless times on my blog this year, but it is for good reason. It is an incredible story that absolutely needs more love. I highly enjoyed the story and think the banter and funny moments would transfer fantastically to audio. 

What's your all-time favorite audiobook experience?

Lights Out by Navessa Allen

This was an incredibly tough choice to make for me, but I remember thinking the narration for this one was truly perfect! The tone and sarcasm at various moments translated so well and made me feel like I was really there with the characters.

Have you ever listened to an audiobook that made you pause and say, "Wait... what did I just hear?!"

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs by Caitlin Doughty

I feel like the name says it all. It definitely had moments that were surprising, but I still quite enjoyed it for its informative nature. I've discussed this book many times on here, so I shall not rant more. 


Outro

This challenge was a lot of fun! It has a nice variety of questions that really made me think. Are you an audiobook fan? I'd love to hear all about your favorites! See you next Friday for another something fun!

Aug 7, 2025

July 2025 Reads

  July 2025 Reads 

This month, I read 8 books 

These books were 100% fiction

They were 13% physical, 38% digital, and 50% audio

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and childrens

My average rating was 4.28 stars

My longest reading day was the 13th


The Books

The Brave Bats of Congress Avenue Bridge by Sandra LJ

➽ Sara's Game by Erine Lindsey

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Nights with Him by Lauren Blakely

Forbidden Nights by Lauren Blakely

Citlali and the Spiny Lizard by Sandra LJ

Icebreaker by Ariel Dawn

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Can't Wait Wednesday: Merry Little Kissmas

  Can't Wait Wednesday This week's book is.... Merry Little Kissmas Author: Lauren Blakely Publisher: Lauren Blakely Books Release D...