I seem to be on a roll with my reading at the moment and pretty much enjoying everything I pick up. However, of my August reads two stood out and I’ve found it quite difficult to choose between them.
So without further ado, my favourite read for August was…
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Far out, this was fun. Fun and sexy and very romantic. The interplay between Lucy and Joshua—who (apparently) loathe one another and are complete opposites personality wise—was a delight.
I also really liked Thorne’s writing. It was clever and there were many times when I thought, with not a little envy, I wish I’d written that. There’s sexual tension up the wazoo, lots of great banter, and a hero to swoon (and probably drool) over.
A smart and different romance that I adored and could easily read again. And the author is Australian!
All That’s Left Unsaid by Rowena Holloway
All That’s Left Unsaid comes a VERY close second as my favourite read of the month. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Rowena at the recent ARRA booksigning in Adelaide where I picked up this book, read the opening and was hooked. All That’s Left Unsaid is beautifully written and Rowena expertly brings the Amalfi Coast to vivid life. I also liked that the heroine was so flawed; it made her even more interesting. As for the twists and turns, they’ll keep you guessing to the end. I’ll definitely be buying Ashes to Ashes when it comes out.
End of Watch by Stephen King
The last book in the Bill Hodges trilogy and a fab read, as you’d expect from the master. I enjoyed Finders Keepers, the second in the series, but End of Watch has definitely trumped it and made a satisfying end to the trilogy. A highlight is the characters. Hodges, Holly and Brady especially were wonderfully drawn.
Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva
Israeli intelligence operative and art restorer Gabriel Allon does his thing again in this brilliant thriller. I love this series. It’s fascinating. Not only fascinating but highly entertaining. I haven’t read any of the books in order and it doesn’t seem to matter a scrap. Silva is adept at bringing the reader up to speed with the characters’ backstories, making them clear but never boring, which is very appreciated. Hmm. His new one The Black Widow has just come out. I may have to buy…
Stranded with the Scottish Earl by Anna Campbell
Anna Campbell’s novellas are such a delight and this was no exception. Lord Lyle was very swoonworthy (he can wrestle sheep as well as damsels – handy skills indeed), while the heroine Charlotte was nicely feisty. I love it when characters are trapped together and are forced into closeness, as is the case here. Anna’s book Her Christmas Earl does that premise perfectly too. That’s a great story.
Hanover House by Brenda Novak
This is a prequel to Novak’s Evelyn Talbot series that I was fortunate enough to pick up as an ebook freebie. I’d never read a Brenda Novak book before but have been meaning to try her for ages. I wasn’t disappointed. This was cool (literally and metaphorically – it’s partly set in Alaska) and I may have developed a bit of a crush on the hero Sergeant Amorak.
Animal Attraction by Jill Shalvis
Oh, this series is fun! The heroes are wonderful and the heroines perfectly matched. I normally want to smack alpha heroes but Shalvis makes hers hugely likable. This was sexy, funny and heart-warming, and I loved, loved, loved the animals, Peanut the parrot in particular. That bird had some of the best lines in the book.
Suspicious by Heather Graham
A romantic suspense set in the Florida Everglades with lots of alligators, wild and farmed, and some of them scarily super-sized. Interesting premise and fantastic location for a novel. Nearly makes me want to visit. Except for those gators, not so sure about those…
What were your favourite reads?
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