The Five Books I Read in July 2020

How was everyone’s July? I found that I was a bit preoccupied and had a hard time focusing on reading this month! We were busy tying up loose ends and waiting on the arrival of our sweet little one that reading wasn’t at the forefront of my mind! I did end up reading five books this month and thoroughly enjoyed all of them! If you’re looking for a good book to dive into I highly suggest any of the ones I read this month but really loved Dear Emmie Blue and Party of Two!

As always, you can see my latest reads on my bookstgram account @enw_reads (I share ALL things books there!) and on my Amazon Shop page! If you have any book recs, send them my way! I would love to hear what you have read recently in the comments. Thanks for stopping by!

ONE TO WATCH by Kate Steadman-London | Bea Schumacher is a plus-size fashion blogger who, like the rest of America, indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show and tweets her displeasure with the show. Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star. Bea agrees, on one condition–under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She’s in this to supercharge her career, change beauty standards, inspire women across America to feel confident in their body. But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. Will she find her happy ever after? review: Every year when the Bachelor(ette) comes on I swear that I’m not going to watch it… but then I get sucked in and can’t look away. That’s exactly how I felt about this book. I got sucked in from the very start and it was hard to put down until the end! I loved the premise of a plus-sized lead on a reality dating show and appreciated that it was a great romance novel that had depth and touched on social issues. The format of the book was really interesting. It included texts, news headlines, tweets, and episode overviews, which I thought was a fun way to expand on the story and made it really entertaining! If you’re looking for a good, easy summer read, be sure to pick this one up! rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

DEAR EMMIE BLUE by Lia Louise | At sixteen, Emmie Blue released a red balloon into the sky. Attached was her name, her email address…and a secret she desperately wanted to be free of. Weeks later, on a beach in France, Lucas Moreau discovered the balloon and immediately emailed, sparking an intense friendship between the two teens. Now, fourteen years later, Emmie is hiding the fact that she’s desperately in love with Lucas. She has pinned all her hopes on him and waits patiently for him to finally admit that she’s the one for him. But nothing in life ever quite goes as planned, does it? Emmie Blue is about to learn everything she thinks she knows about life (and love) is just that: what she thinks she knows. Is there such thing as meant to be? Or is it true when they say that life is what happens when you are busy making other plans? review: Dear Emmie Blue is a heartwarming and emotional book that enchants you from the very start! I knew from the very first chapter that I was going to enjoy this book and fall in love with the characters and I certainly did! This book shares a tale of loss, love, and finding yourself. Each of the characters felt so real and relatable and I found myself cheering them on every step of the way. I really enjoyed how the story was told, including the text messages and the mix CD messages. Little did I know when I picked up this book that it was exactly what I needed to read. If you’re looking for a heartwarming book with substance, definitely give this one a shot! rating: 5 out of 5 ⭐️

A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman | Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon, the kind of man who has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unexpected friendship, which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations. review: A Man Called Ove is a book that everyone praises and I let it sit on my shelf for far too long because I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to the hype. In an effort to read more of my backlist books I picked this one up this month and I’m really glad I did! It was a nice mix up from the other books I read and I ended up having a soft spot for Ove. From the outside Ove seems like an angry old man, but once you learn more about him, he slowly grows on you until you can’t help but adore him and all of his quirks. He’s such an endearing character, flaws and all, and the story really made me appreciate that everyone has a story and those collection of stories make up who they are. This book is written with such emotion and it’s one I think everyone will enjoy! rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

PARTY OF TWO by Jasmine Guillory | Dating is the last thing on Olivia Monroe’s mind when she moves to LA to start her own law firm. But when she meets a gorgeous man at a hotel bar and they spend the entire night flirting, she discovers too late that he is none other than hotshot junior senator Max Powell. Olivia is surprised to find that Max is sweet, funny, and noble—not just some privileged white politician she assumed him to be. Because of Max’s high-profile job, they start seeing each other secretly.  But when they finally go public, the intense media scrutiny means people are now digging up her rocky past and criticizing her job, even her suitability as a trophy girlfriend. Olivia knows what she has with Max is something special, but is it strong enough to survive the heat of the spotlight? review: This may be one of my favorite Jasmine Guillory books to date! The author always does such a great job at writing a page turner with strong female leads and Olivia’s character is no exception. What I particularly enjoy about Guillory’s books is that while it’s romance forward, it always deals with tougher subjects as well like racial injustice. I always walk away with a different perspective after reading her books! I really enjoyed how Olivia and Max’s biracial relationship unfolded and how mature each of them were when tough situations arose. This is definitely a smart rom-com that you should add to your reading list ASAP! rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

THE WIFE WHO KNEW TOO MUCH by Michele Campbell | Tabitha Girard had her heart broken years ago by Connor Ford. He was preppy and handsome. She was a pool girl at his country club. Their affair should have been a summer fling. But it meant everything to Tabitha. Years later, Connor comes back into Tabitha’s life—older, richer, and desperately unhappy. He married for money, a wealthy, neurotic, controlling woman whom he never loved. He has always loved Tabitha. When Connor’s wife Nina takes her own life, he’s free. He can finally be with Tabitha. It seems to be a perfect ending to a fairy tale romance that began so many years ago. But then, Tabitha finds a diary that makes her question everything. review: I have really enjoyed the author’s other books A Stranger on the Beach and She Was the Quiet One, so I was really looking forward to another book by her! The Wife Who Knew Too Much packs a punch from the very beginning and will leave you questioning who to trust throughout the book. The short-lived love triangle between Nina, Conner and Tabitha is what soap operas are made of and leaves a mess in it’s path. Throughout the book I had a love-hate relationship with the characters – one minute I would be rooting for them, then the next I was rooting against them. It made for a really fun domestic thriller and fast-paced read. rating: 3.5 out of 5 ⭐️

books I read in July