Welcome to the very first Monthly Reading Wrap-Up!
I’ve always been a book love kinda gal. When I was in high-school and university, I’d read up to 3 books a week – I don’t know how I had the time, but apparently I did.
However, as I started my adult life (having a job and all that fun stuff), reading became an after thought- at first it was the lack of time to read, then it became the lack of willingness to read. I still read a few books, though, but nothing like before.
Last year I set as goal on my Goodreads challenge to read 12 books, which meant one book a month. Doable, right? Yeah right. I spent the better half of the year not readding at all and in the last 2/3 scrambling to meet my goal. I achieved it, in case you’re wondering.
This year though, I decided to challenge myself and read 2 books a month, making it a total of 24 books to read before December 31st.
It’s June 2nd today and I’ve read 30 books. Quite a step up from last year (and the previous years tbh), right?
I think I’ve curated a TBR list that I’m actually excited to go through (mainly consisting of hockey romance books, but that’s neither here nor there) and that has helped me read more this year.
Since I’ve been reading a ton and LOVE to share my read with my friends, I thought ‘why not share it with my audience as well?’. That’s how this monthly reading wrap-up series idea came to fruition.
Every month, I’m going to share with you the books I’ve read the previous month, my thoughts on it as well as a little summary of the book (spoiler free, of course). Be prepared for a lot of romance books, especially sports romance books.
Let’s start, shall we?
Monthly Reading Wrap-up
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In May, I read a total of 5 books, 2 of which came out this month. Let’s get into them.
Rewind it Back by Liz Tomforde
Summary
This is a second-chance romance between childhood sweethearts who haven’t seen each other since a heartbreaking split six years ago. Hallie, an aspiring interior designer, moves to Chicago for a dream internship — only to find out she’s been assigned to renovate the home of the one man she never thought she’d see again: Rio DeLuca, now a professional hockey player.
To make things even messier? He’s her next-door neighbor. Again.
Tension, unresolved feelings, and emotional baggage bubble to the surface as these two navigate working together, living close, and trying to ignore a past that clearly isn’t finished with them. With strong themes of nostalgia, healing, and soulmates-who-timed-it-wrong, this story is filled with angst, longing, and that delicious slow burn Liz Tomforde does so well.
Trope Breakdown
- Second Chance
- Childhood Friends to Lovers to Strangers to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Dual Timeline
- Dual POV
- Emotional Baggage & Healing
- Found Family
My Thoughts
The Windy City series is my favorite romance series, point blank.
I’ve been waiting for this book to launch ever since I read the first 4 books in the Windy City series back in march/april and let me tell you, it did not disappoint at all. If I had to rank the books I’d say Rewind it Back and Play Along are tied at number 1.
I just love when the mmc is obsessed with the fmc and those 2 books give exactly that.
I actually bought the physical copy of this book- and the rest of the series too- , something I haven’t done in a long time. I’ve been reading exclusively on my kindle for a long time now, but these books deserved to be added to my physical bookshelf.
This book made me cry a bunch of times, made me laugh a bunch more and it’s an overall hit.
My Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Hat Trick by Chelsea Curto
Summary
Riley Mitchell had it all — two Stanley Cups, a thriving NHL career, and a life he genuinely loved. But after a devastating accident leads to the loss of his leg, everything changes. Struggling to figure out who he is without hockey, Riley faces a brutal reality: he’s no longer the man he used to be.
Then comes Lexi Armstrong — a sharp-tongued, fiercely independent athletic trainer tasked with guiding him through his rehab. She’s sunshine and sarcasm wrapped in confidence, and while she’s fully focused on Riley’s recovery, the chemistry between them is impossible to ignore.
What starts as a no-strings-attached hookup quickly turns into something deeper. But with emotional walls, past wounds, and life-changing adjustments standing in the way, Riley and Lexi have to decide — is this just a temporary escape, or the start of something real?
Trope Breakdown
- Age Gap (where she’s older)
- Injury Rehabilitation
- Friends to Lovers
- Former Sunshine x Sunshine
- Forced Vulnerability
- Rope & Breath Play
- Found Family
- Dual POV
My Thoughts
Riley and Lexi appeared on the other D.C. Stars series books, Lexi more so than Riley, but it was known that Riley had a crush on Lexi and that she didn’t really give it much thought. I was waiting for the books because I know it was going to have the boy obsessed trope, which I love.
I didn’t know how I’d feel about the spice on this one, since it involved rope and breath play, but it’s kinda subtle and well-written.
My Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy
Summary
Gigi Graham has a plan: crush it on the ice, land a spot on the women’s national team, and finally prove she’s more than just Garrett Graham’s daughter. She’s got the talent, the drive, and the legacy — but what she doesn’t have is solid strategy behind the net. And unfortunately, the one person who can help her fix that is Luke Ryder.
Ryder is big, broody, and annoyingly hot. As co-captain of the recently merged Briar U men’s team, he’s got his own mess to deal with — a team at war with itself and a coaching opportunity on the line. So when he finds himself needing a favor from Gigi, the two strike a deal: he helps her on the ice, she puts in a good word with her legendary dad.
Neither of them expects the jaw-dropping chemistry. But with personal goals, high stakes, and some very complicated feelings in the way, what starts as a strictly professional alliance might just turn into something worth fighting for.
Trope Breakdown
- Enemies to Lovers
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Forced Proximity
- Dual POV
- Found Family
My Thoughts
I re-read The Deal (the story if Gigi’s parents) back in April because I love that book so I knew I’d love this one as well (as I love all Elle Kennedy books).
And I did.
I loved Gigi’s character a lot, especially the way she faced her father when he opposed to her and Luke’s relationship. Ryder was just as I expected: grumpy but obsessed. I was surprised by his life’s history but that made me like him even more.
My Rating: 4/5 ⭐
The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy
Summary
Diana Dixon’s summer is fully booked: she’s rehearsing for a ballroom dance competition, working two jobs, and dodging an ex who just won’t let go. The last thing she needs? A hot, cocky hockey player moving into her building and charming every girl on her cheer squad.
Enter Shane Lindley — tall, handsome, and so not her problem… until he becomes her problem. He’s tired of casual hookups and trying to prove something to his ex, so he proposes a deal: Diana pretends to be his girlfriend, and he’ll help her scare off her own ex.
Diana has rules — lots of them — and dating hockey players is a hard no. But with their fake relationship solving more problems than it causes (at first), the line between pretending and something real starts to blur. And suddenly, the one guy she swore off might just be the one worth breaking all the rules for.
Trope Breakdown
- Fake Dating
- Grumpy x Flirty
- Neighbors to Lovers
- Opposites Attract
- Jealous Exes
- Mutual Pining (with Denial)
My Thoughts
I love a fake-dating trope so I knew I’d eat this book up. It was a fun read but with a heavy topic (trigger warning for light stalking and domestic violence). I loved Shane’s character development from a playboy to a serious relationship kinda-guy and always being willing to help Diana out.
My Rating: 4/5 ⭐
First Time Caller by B.K. Borison
Summary
Aiden Valentine is the voice behind Baltimore’s beloved romance hotline, Heartstrings — ironic, since he’s secretly lost all faith in love. But when a precocious young girl calls in looking for dating advice for her single mom, everything changes. The sweet, unexpected moment goes viral, and suddenly Aiden’s once-fading radio show is the hottest thing in town.
Lucie Stone wasn’t looking for love. She’s content juggling work, motherhood, and life with her clever, slightly chaotic daughter. But when her personal life becomes the city’s favorite topic, she starts wondering if she’s been missing something — or someone.
Now all eyes are on Lucie’s love life, and sparks are flying behind the scenes… especially with a certain grumpy radio host who might just be the last person she expected to feel something for.
The question is: will she chase the fairytale that’s being curated for her, or follow her heart straight into the arms of the man who never believed in love to begin with?
Trope Breakdown
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Single Mom Romance
- Workplace/Behind-the-Scenes Romance
- Viral Media/Public Pressure
- Opposites Attract
- Forced Proximity / Collaboration
- Slow Burn
My Thoughts
When I started reading this book, it wasn’t doing it for me. I don’t know if it was because I had been reading a ton of sports romance books of because the last radio-related book I read was a bit of a lack-luster, but as I read it I started liking it more and more. I loved the relationship between Aiden and Lucy- it was so cute to read about it.
My Rating: 4/5 ⭐
So, these were my May read. Have you read any of these books? Let mw know your thoughts in the comments.
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