August was a sloooowwww reading month. No, I did not have my baby yet! I’m still dealing with heartburn from hell and extreme exhaustion, so napping takes priority over reading every time. It’s a season, it’s a season, it’s a season. I did read one summer standout and listen to three fun historical romances in August, so let’s get into the reading report.
The Wedding by Dorothy West has sat on my TBR list and in my online shopping cart for almost three years. Sara’s recommendation in the
Paperback Summer Reading Guide finally gave me the push to pick it up. On the heels of The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, I needed something equally absorbing and well-written—both structurally interesting and thematically rich. The Wedding was perfect. Set in a Black community on Martha’s Vineyard in the 1950s, this lesser-known Harlem Renaissance classic takes place over just a few days—and, in flashbacks, over centuries. The core storyline follows Shelby Coles, daughter of a prominent Black doctor and generational wealth, who is set to marry a white jazz musician in just a few days. Her family members all have differing opinions on the union, as do her neighbors—and through detailed backstories and family histories, we learn of how these complex opinions came to be over decades of migration, social climbing, interracial marriages, and love stories gone wrong. The Wedding pairs well with two of my favorites: Neighbors by Diane Oliver and There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset.I can recall only a few details of It Had to Be a Duke, When You Wish Upon a Duke, or A Duchess by Midnight for you as my brain is losing significant gray matter and I listened to these novels while attempting to find a comfortable spot to sleep. I count my “sleepytime historicals” as read books because I do go back and re-listen to portions I missed, and overall I feel that I’ve achieved basic comprehension.
I almost exclusively read historical romance as I’m falling asleep because it’s my comfort genre. With consistent stylistic choices, familiar historical detail/vocabulary, and tried-and-true tropes, historicals allow me to somewhat turn off the analytical part of my brain and escape. Much like the fantasy genre, historical romance is akin to entering another world for awhile—and the more you read, the easier it is to enter that world and find your way around. I have more to say on how historical versus contemporary romance novels fit into my reading life, but it’s 10 pm, and I have a lot of tossing, turning, and bathroom visits to get to—so let’s save those thoughts for another day.
As far as steam ratings: all three of these sit somewhere between 🌶️🌶️—🌶️🌶️🌶️, adhering to typical standards of one make out scene, one open door sex scene about halfway through, and maybe one more open door scene sprinkled in.
It Had to Be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret. I’m always satisfied with a Regency romance from Lorret, and even though I only remember its expert execution of enemies-to- lovers, I know I’m looking forward to this fresh new series.
When You Wish Upon a Duke by Charis Michaels. An inventive Tinker Bell story, with references to Peter Pan and Captain Hook but little overt plot line connection to the classic fairytale. I enjoy a road trip romance, and this one delivered with a trip to Iceland!
A Duchess by Midnight by Charis Michaels. This was my favorite of the Awakened by a Kiss series, featuring Cinderella’s stepsister on a redemption journey. In addition to a lovely romance, Michaels wove in a fascinating cult backstory and how to set boundaries with an evil mother figure.
What was your favorite book of August 2024?
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I read through the 3 Wizard Howl books by Diana Wynne Jones, written years ago but recently reprinted due to the animated version of "Howl's Moving Castle" that came out (the story has significant and unnecessary changes to it in the movie). All 3 books, intended for a young audience (probably tween to early teens) were delightful even to someone who has left that age far behind. I definitely recommend them.