Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: April 2026

May 2, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

April showers brings May flowers! And a lot of books. Maybe the most I will get to this year. Have you read any of them?

[ARC/ALC] A Deal with a Debutante (London’s Most Eligible #1) by Chelsea Bobulski
[ARC/ALC] Start at the End by Emma Grey
[Reread] The Assassin’s Blade (Throne of Glass #0.5) by Sarah J. Maas
The Speed of Lightning (The Hebridean Shield #3) by Ashley Worrell
A Ghastly Catastrophe (Veronica Speedwell #10) by Deanna Raybourn
[ARC/ALC] I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang
Anytime I Want by Meredith Logan
Weavingshaw (Weavingshaw #1) by Heba Al-Wasity
Rites of the Starling (Shield of Sparrows #2) by Devney Perry
[ARC] The Duke’s Bargain by Megan Walker
From the Silence of the Shadows (The Veridian Empire #3) by V.B. Lacey
[ALC] Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West
[ALC] Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai
[Reread] Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas
Because the Beasts Came (Wells of Istri #1) by Madeline James
[ARC] The Commons (The Commons World #1) by Rebecce Ihim
Beneath (Rebirth #1) by Ariel Sullivan
[Non-fiction] Big Kids, Bigger Feelings by Alyssa Blask Campbell
The Wicked and the Damned (Dark Inheritance Trilogy #2) by Rebecca Robinson
A Desert of Bleeding Sand (A Desert of Bleeding Sand #1) by Lucia Damas
The Last Wayfinder by Ellen McGinty
[ARC/ALC] Rolls and Rivalry (Gaming and Romance #3) by Kristy Boyce
[ARC/ALC] First and Forever by Lynn Painter
Heart Check (Varsity #1) by Emily Charlotte
Perfect Wreckage (Wrecked #2) by Catherine Cowles
Heir of Twisted Lies (Stonegate #2) by LJ Andrews
[ARC] This Silent City (The Grim Empire #2) by A.C. Hobbs
A Love Most Brutal (Morelli Family #2) by Kath Richards
A Foolish Proposal (The Gentlemen’s Gamble) by Kasey Stockton
[ARC] Storm Breaker (Storm Breaker #1) by Nisha J. Tuli
[ARC/ALC] Student Union (The Undergrads #1) by Julie Murphy
Vengeful (Villains #2) by V.E. Schwab
[ARC] The Last Page by Katie Holt
[ARC/ALC] Spur of the Moment (Willow Creek #1) by Juliana Smith
The Thorn Queen (The Rose Bargain #2) by Sasha Peyton Smith
[Reread] Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas
[ARC/ALC] The Shippers by Katherine Center
I’m Only Me When I’m With Him (Sweeter Than Fiction #3) by Amanda Schimmoeller
Wrecked Palace (Wrecked #3) by Catherine Cowles
Reckless Refuge (Wrecked #4) by Catherine Cowles

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ARC/ALC Book Review: Rolls and Rivalry (Gaming and Romance #3) by Kristy Boyce

May 1, 2026April 18, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Kristy Boyce
Publisher: Delacorte Romance
Release Date: May 5th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Roll the dice, strike up the band, and get ready for a swoon-worthy summer! A charming gaming romance that blends the magic of D&D with the camaraderie of band camp–from the bestselling author of Dating and Dragons!

Hazel’s senior year at band camp is set to be epic—until Max, her childhood crush turned drum-playing troublemaker, waltzes back into town.Their sections have always been rivals, but a shared love for Dungeons & Dragons pulls them together, sparking a romance Hazel never saw coming.

Just when things feel perfect, rumors Did Max ask her out because of a lost bet? With band drama mounting and her first D&D game spiraling, Hazel must prove their love—and her leadership—are the real deal.A swoony, nerdy romance full of rivalry, redemption, and roll-the-dice chemistry from the bestselling author of Dating and Dragons!

Thank you PRH Audio for the audiobook and Get Underlined for the copy (gifted).

ADORED.

This might be my favorite of the series?? I was super into this y’all. I think it helped I had read eight fantasy books prior and really needed a contemporary break-up and this hit the spot. It was big on the nostalgia and even though I was not a band girlie it totally transported me back to high school.

I appreciated that the drama wasn’t wild. Yes, it’s a bit *high school* but it worked and made sense so I’m not going to complain about that. It’s even better that this series is true young adult and that it’s easy to hand it to the age group and not worry about the content.

The romance was sweet and genuinely went from an enemies to lovers vibe (with some childhood friendship mixed in). I liked that they bantered and bickered and how that moved into meaningful conversation and hashing out the past. It was a good show of communication.

This had the right level of D&D content without overwhelming the plot (I struggle when too much of the story is just the characters playing the game). I liked the friendships and all of the band things. It was just a genuinely great read.

Overall audience notes:

YA Contemporary Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Content warnings: separated parents

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Book Review: What If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon

April 29, 2026May 5, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Paige Toon
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s
Release Date: April 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One Day meets a contemporary Bridgerton in this high-drama, escapist wonder of a love story, Paige Toon’s best yet.

Three days to fall in love. Six years to try to forget.

Ellie didn’t expect to fall in love while interrailing through Europe. But she also didn’t expect to meet a man like Ash. Three blistering days in Lisbon is all it takes to form an unforgettable connection—a bond deep enough for them to scrap their itineraries and plan to meet again in Spain. But Ellie arrives late, and Ash is nowhere to be found.

Six years later, Ellie has landed her dream job working as a gardener for a viscount and viscountess on their sprawling five-hundred-year-old estate in Wales. She finds peace amongst the towering topiary hedges and colorful gardens, but her idyll is shattered when Ash crashes back into her life. And when it becomes clear why he didn’t show in Madrid, her heart breaks anew—for what the truth means for her, and for his fate.

But they have never been able to resist each another, and when the sparks of their attraction fly, Ellie’s life will catch flame. She will have to make a choice.

OH I’M ANGRY.

The more I think about this book the angrier I become (and I loved Paige Toon’s previous book…go read that one instead).

UGHHHHHH.

I got very sick and tired of the FMC, Ellie, CoNsTaNtLy telling Ash that they couldn’t be together, go be with that other woman, I don’t want my life to look like this, etc. ad nauseum. AND when she ran away (if I read another book with a woman who runs) FOR YEARS?????? OF COURSE HE’S GOING TO BE MAD AT YOU????? And with another plot point unthoughtfully tossed into the story to try to satisfy the reasoning just sent me over the edge.

He gave up way too much. Ellie is the red flag.

AND SURPISINGLY I loved the beginning??! I was totally behind the whirlwind travel romance.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: moderate
Romance: brief open door
Violence: mild
Content warnings: death of a sibling, sexual abuse

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ALC Book Review: Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West

April 28, 2026April 11, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★.25
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: Saturday Books
Release Date: April 14th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Can fake dating lead to real love? In Kasie West’s next sexy adult romcom two people must decide where the lie ends and the chemistry begins.

Sutton knows she needs therapy. After all, she’s managing her newly opened restaurant remotely while taking care of her ungrateful sick mother. Plus, her boyfriend of two years just dumped her over the phone. But does therapy with a handsome stranger, who she has to pretend to be engaged to, in order to help her friend’s struggling relationship count? Probably not. Then why did she just agree to go? Because she’s had a few too many drinks? Because this stranger, Elijah, is smug and annoying and really, really handsome? Because she feels guilty that she abandoned her best friend, Tara, after high school and this might just make up for it? Whatever the reason, she has committed to this unhinged plan.

What the hell is Sutton doing?

Helping Tara prove a point: a good therapist can tell the difference between real love and fake love. That’s what she’s doing. But as they attend their sessions, Sutton and Elijah only seem to be proving one thing—the lines between pretend desire and real desire are very blurry. This true connection forming between them is threatening to unravel everything Sutton thought she knew about family, friendship, and her own heart.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

THIS WAS FANTASTIC.

Oh so I’m totally here for this?? Easily my new favorite adult romance from Kasie West. I flew through this without a thought because I was smitten with the relationship between Sutton and Elijah. The chemistry burned well and I loved the small ways they started showing up for each other. I think the concept of going to therapy to see if the therapist could tell was an interesting idea and fun for the story.

It lost me a little in the second half because the spice felt ramped up unnecessarily. And I had a few thought about the third act? But it wasn’t a total bother. I’m grateful things for Tara went the way I thought they should and the growth for all of the characters [except one who I won’t name].

And Sutton’s Mom bugged me too, but I digress.

I just really loved Sutton and Elijah together. They felt like a well matched pair and it was simple to fall into their love story. I loved all of the little pieces that made this book sing.

Overall audience notes: