August was such a fun reading month!
It was also a month of completion which is always satisfying.
I finished off my summer tbr and read everything on my book list for The Romance Readathon. If you’re curious what that is, I went into detail on it in my July Wrap Up.
I plan to share a post about the experience later this month but it was my first readathon and I had an amazing time! I can’t wait for next year’s.
In August I read 23 books and I completed 5 romance series!
Three were historical romance series that I’d taken breaks from – Julia Quinn’s Bridgertons, Beverly Jenkins’ Destiny trilogy, and The Rules of Scoundrels by Sarah MacLean. I cover reviews for each in the Mid August Reading Recap.
I also finished both Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians and Icehome series – an adventure I’ve been on since May.
There were a few misses in August, but the majority of my books were 4.5 and 5-star reads, so I loved most of what I read!
August Reading Wrap Up:
By the Season and Reading Format
Summer Reads
- Mr. Nobody by Catherine Steadman ?
Book Club Picks
- Ignite by Melanie Harlow
- The Book of Boundaries by Melissa Urban ?
For The Romance Readathon
- Destiny’s Embrace by Beverly Jenkins ?
- Destiny’s Surrender by Beverly Jenkins ?
- No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean ?
- Never Judge A Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean ?
- It’s in His Kiss by Julia Quinn ?
- On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn ?
- The Wolf and the Wallflower by Stacy Reid ?
- Indigo by Beverly Jenkins ?
- A Lady for A Duke by Alexis Hall ?
- Sea of Ruin by Pam Godwin ?
- A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera ?
Next in Series
- Raven’s Return by Ruby Dixon ?
- Bridget’s Bane by Ruby Dixon ?
- Barbarian’s Bride by Ruby Dixon ?
- Steph’s Outcast by Ruby Dixon ?
- Sam’s Secret by Ruby Dixon ?
- Daisy’s Decision by Ruby Dixon ?
- Flor’s Fiasco by Ruby Dixon ? (also KU)
Kindle Unlimited Library
- Deviant Hearts by Jagger Cole ?
- Prison Planet Barbarian by Ruby Dixon ?
Recaps and Reviews
You can find my reviews for Destiny’s Surrender (5 stars), Deviant Hearts (5 stars), Ignite (4.5 stars), Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover (3.5 stars), It’s in His Kiss (5 stars), Prison Planet Barbarian (4.5 stars), and Mr. Nobody (3 stars) plus ratings for further books in some of these series in my Mid August Reading Recap.
Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
Rating: 3.5 stars
Steam Level: 2
In the first half of the month, I finished up Beverly Jenkins’ Destiny trilogy. So far she has been a 4 to 5 star author for me!
I picked up this one because it was a buddy read for The Romance Readathon. I’m glad I read it but I definitely prefer buddy reading on Fable over Discord.
I listened to the audio version of this story through hoopla.
From goodreads:
“As a child Hester Wyatt escaped slavery, but now the dark skinned beauty is a dedicated member of Michigan’s Underground railroad, offering other runaways a chance at the freedom she has learned to love. When one of her fellow conductors brings her an injured man to hide, Hester doesn’t hesitate even after she is told about the price on his head. The man in question is the great conductor known as the “Black Daniel” a vital member of the North’s Underground railroad network, but Hester finds him so rude and arrogant, she begins to question her vow to hide him.
When the injured and beaten Galen Vachon, aka, the Black Daniel awakens in Hester’s cellar, he is unprepared for the feisty young conductor providing his care. As a member of one of the wealthiest free Black families in New Orleans, Galen has turned his back on the lavish living he is accustomed to in order to provide freedom to those enslaved in the south. However, as he heals he cannot turn his back on Hester Wyatt. Her innocence fills him like a breath of fresh air and he is determined to make her his, but traitors have to be found, slave catchers have to be routed and Hester’s refusal to trust her own heart have to be overcome before she and Galen can find the freedom only love can bring.”
My Thoughts
It’s obvious from the synopsis that this story deals with very heavy and heartbreaking content. Even knowing that, the beginning of the book made me pause to consider if I was really up for this.
I continued because I trust Beverly Jenkins to handle these topics with the care they deserve.
And in my opinion she did.
As a romance though, a lot of this couple’s love story was overpowered by historical facts and tragic side stories.
There was a lot going on in this book. It reminded me more of an old school historical saga rather than a romance.
Galen and Hester’s relationship was built slowly but steadily. Which was great but the many subplots often overshadowed the romance.
The ending felt a little too perfect for me and very rushed. If Jenkins was going to go the route that she did with new developments at the end, I would have preferred seeing the couple together for longer and exploring how those new things (I’m being purposefully vague) panned out.
Definitely a solid historical story but not my favorite in terms of romance.
Barbarian’s Bride by Ruby Dixon
Rating: 5 stars
Steam Level: 4
This was my final book in Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians series ?
My reading experience was made a little less bitter and more sweet by the fact that this was one of my most anticipated couples and at the time I still had a few books to go in the Icehome series.
This entire 19 book series (plus even more novellas and short stories) is available on KU but I listened to the audio version through hoopla. I’m a little bit in love with the narrators at this point – Hollie Jackson and Mason Lloyd.
From goodreads:
“Nora says she’s happy.
Dagesh isn’t so sure. He loves his pretty human mate and wants nothing more than to bring a smile to her face…so she’ll go running into his arms. When he asks the tribe what she’s missing, someone suggests a wedding.
All right, then. He’ll throw the best barbarian wedding ever.
So how does Nora tell her determined, thoughtful mate that what she wanted wasn’t a wedding…but something a little different in bed?”
My Thoughts
I loved being back with the original tribe.
This is definitely my favorite of the books that revisit a longstanding couple and flashback to tell their initial romance.
I was a little nervous by the amount of coincidental miscommunication at the start of this book. Luckily we quickly move into Nora and Dagesh openly talking about their sexual preferences and compatibility. It was refreshing to see them respectfully work through things and above all communicate.
This was a great conclusion to the series. Somehow being in this world has become a comfort read experience for me. This one ticked all the boxes – quick read, humor, entertaining, tribal dynamics, and the right spice.
I also loved the hints at possible resonances in the next generation. That would be so fun future series! I’m here for it!
A Lady for A Duke by Alexis Hall
Rating: 4 stars
Steam Level: 2.5
This was my first book by Alexis Hall. It was another buddy read option for The Romance Readathon.
From goodreads:
“When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood.
Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become.
As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again.”
My Thoughts
This was another audiobook for me and while it wasn’t a favorite, it was a solid romance. I really enjoyed my reading experience!
It was a unique combination of sweet, funny, and romantic to balance intensely emotional themes like postwar trauma and grief. It was also spicier than I expected from the tone of the rest of the story. But it worked.
The book felt a little long but listening to the audio made it so that didn’t really bother me.
The pacing was a bit different too. At the mid point when it seems the couple is together, I did wonder where the story would go. The third act felt a little bizarre and definitely a bit sickening.
When some buddy readers pointed out how tidily things work out given the religious and societal tones at the time, I agree it probably wasn’t historically accurate or plausible. But I enjoyed this much more than I would have a darker more realistic story.
It felt like a historical setting reworked for modern relationships. Similar to the Netflix Bridgerton adaptation actually. I will definitely be reading more from Alexis Hall!
A quick note on the steam:
I feel like each time I read a romance, my steam scale recalibrates. It’s incredibly subjective but I’ll be working on my system again this month to better define the possible content within each number. I think giving examples of authors who usually fall in that category may be helpful too.
My rating is for the spicy content that is between the main couple not any side shenanigans that may take place in the story. For instance there’s a brothel scene in this book that was explicit and uncomfortable. I didn’t factor that into the steam level for the book because it didn’t involve the main couple.
I’m not sure I’ve read anything quite like how the spice was written in this book. I found it deeply emotional, very romantically written, but also surprisingly kinky. Do with that what you will.
The Book of Boundaries by Melissa Urban
Rating: 4.5 stars
This was August’s pick for my nonfiction book club, Pearls of Wisdom, over on Fable.
From goodreads:
“Set the limits that will set you free. From the beloved co-founder of the Whole30, this straightforward and practical guide to setting boundaries will revolutionize your relationships.
Do your relationships often feel one-sided or unbalanced? Are you always giving in just so things will go smoothly? Do you wish you could learn to say no—but, like, nicely? Are you depleted, overwhelmed, and tired of putting everyone else’s needs ahead of your own? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to establish some boundaries.
Since launching the mega-bestselling wellness program the Whole30, Melissa Urban has taught millions of people how to establish healthy habits and successfully navigate pushback and peer pressure. She knows firsthand that boundaries—clear limits you establish to protect your energy, time, and health—are all that stand between you and feelings of security, confidence, and freedom.
Now, in The Book of Boundaries, she shows you how boundaries are the key to better mental health, increased energy, improved productivity, and more fulfilling relationships.
In her famously direct and compassionate style, Urban offers:
- 130+ scripts with language you can use to instantly establish boundaries with bosses and co-workers, romantic partners, parents and in-laws, co-parents, friends, family, neighbors, strangers—and yourself
- actionable advice to help you communicate your needs with clarity and compassion
- tips for successfully navigating boundary guilt, pushback, pressure, and oversteps
- techniques to create healthy habits around food, drink, technology, and more
User-friendly and approachable, The Book of Boundaries will give you the tools you need to stop justifying, minimizing, and apologizing, leading you to more rewarding relationships and a life that feels bigger, healthier, and freer”
My Thoughts
I found this to be a really interesting read and a helpful book. It accomplishes exactly what it sets out to.
Urban immediately identifies what boundaries are and promises to give the reader actual scripts to use when setting them. She delivers on that promise.
I enjoyed how Urban broke up her information with relatable personal stories and real life questions and conversation examples.
This book is a helpful one to have on hand. Whether it’s to refer back to as the need for new boundaries in different areas of life come up or to use the scripts she offers. The whole book was full of great information for understanding boundaries but those scripts are definitely the most applicable part for me.
The book gave me a lot to reflect on, plan for, and implement. And my slow read led to a bunch of interesting discussions with loved ones too.
Flor’s Fiasco by Ruby Dixon
Rating: 6 stars
Steam Level: 4
This is the final book in Ruby Dixon’s Icehome series. I’m obsessed with this book in particular but I see the potential for many comforting rereads in my future with this series.
And once again I’m doing ok with the fact that this was the last book because I don’t have to say goodbye to the characters. Ruby Dixon has graced us with another spinoff series on Not-Hoth and I’m so grateful!
This entire 16 book series is available on Kindle Unlimited. I actually read this one with my eyes! To my knowledge there isn’t an audiobook version available yet.
From goodreads:
“I’m not supposed to resonate to him.
It’s been a few years since I’ve landed here on Icehome Beach, and as resonance after resonance dwindled the list of bachelors, I knew who I’d end up with. As soon as we got past our differences, I’d end up as R’jaal’s mate.
On an everyday excursion, however, my khui decides otherwise. It sings all right…but not to R’jaal. Instead, I resonate to I’rec – the forceful, brash, overly-alpha leader of Shadow Cat. Did I mention he’s got a long-distance girlfriend already?
It’s a big mess, and it’s about to get messier.
But as things get chaotic on the beach and our way of life is threatened with upheaval, it’s the small things that end up mattering. Small things like the way I’rec kisses. Or the way we seem to have a lot more in common than we thought. Or the way I’rec can be gentle, but only with me…”
My Thoughts
The previous book, Daisy’s Decision, sets up this story so great!!! I was anticipating this couple so hard!
It actually made me come to terms with the fact that I sometimes like drama in my romance. This felt like the first in the series where Ruby Dixon went there. And it was delicious!
I did not want this book to end. She shares in her author’s note that she debated what to do with these characters and when she had the idea to pair them up, it was like tossing gasoline on a fire. I 100% felt that!
This book starts off with a bang ? Literally ?
There’s a touch of terribly timed conversations that are overheard and lead to miscommunication but it doesn’t last long. And the drama we were promised plays out perfectly. It’s enough to keep things angsty but it isn’t overdone to the point where it takes over the story.
I loved the way this couple handled their situation. They were friends first who became lovers and they were very mature about their unexpected resonance. Especially considering the way they both tend to be busy bodies. I’rec is bossy and Flor has a wicked sense of humor.
There’s a lot of humor throughout this one (bots and bats, taters ?) and I adored it!
I loved the moments spent with the entire Icehome tribe. It’s that sense of simple community that makes these books feel so cozy and comforting.
I loved that this story let us reflect on how the tribe came to be, how far they’ve come, and how they’re now a family. It was a perfect conclusion!
Ruby Dixon doesn’t shut the door on Not-Hoth either. This book sets up a whole new series and I am so stoked for Ice Planet Clones!
Other Books in the Series that I Read this Month:
- Raven’s Return (5 stars)
- Bridget’s Bane (5 stars)
- Steph’s Outcast (4 stars)
- Sam’s Secret (5 stars)
- Daisy’s Decision (5 stars)
General Thoughts on the Series
I was so sad to be saying goodbye to these characters. Thank goodness there’s another spin off series – I’m totally here for it!
Please keep them coming Ruby Dixon. I will happily read them! I will need to learn to pace myself now that I’m caught up though.
These are cozy escape from reality at its finest.
I much prefer this series to IPB but I do think it’s best to read IPB first so you get that entry into the world to fully appreciate these.
One of the things I struggled with in IPB was that many of the Sa-Khui heroes felt interchangeable. There wasn’t a lot of development to distinguish their personalities. That definitely is not the case with this series and I loved it!
There’s still our beloved blue alien smut but also so much more going on in these books. I love how Dixon gave this cast of characters more detailed backstories. She really dug into heavier topics in these book, often exploring how much of a struggle this adjustment to an alien world would be and the trauma that could go along with it.
I love how there’s more to these plots than one main love story. We get so much interaction between tribe members, further developments and dangers of this world, and quite a bit of mental health representation.
Sea of Ruin by Pam Godwin
Rating: 1 star
Steam Level: 4.5
This was another buddy read option for The Romance Readathon. The book has been on my radar since June when romance booktube began raving about it.
From goodreads:
“Bennett Sharp is on the run.
Wanted for piracy, she fears neither God nor death nor man.
Except Priest Farrell.
The unfaithful, stormy-eyed libertine hunts her with terrifying possessiveness. Nothing will stop him from coming for her. Not his unforgivable betrayal. Not when she’s captured by the ice-cold pirate hunter, Lord Ashley Cutler.
She must escape Ashley’s prison and Priest’s deceit. But can she walk away from their twisted desires?
Two gorgeous captains stand on opposite sides of the law. When they collide in a battle to protect her, the lines blur between enemies and lovers.
Passion heats, secrets unravel, and hearts entangle until they break.
Can love prevail in the sea of ruin?”
My Thoughts
This may be a first. I’m not sure I’ve given a book 1 star before. But this really really didn’t work for me. The only thing I liked was the cover.
This was the ultimate moment of finishing a book and feeling like I must not have read the same book as everyone else because I DO NOT GET IT!
The hype around this one definitely got to me. I heard so many amazing things that my expectations were pretty high. And many of the things I heard misrepresented the story in my opinion. It might have been a 2-star read if I hadn’t been anticipating it so much.
Why did I keep reading? I asked myself that many times. Especially as I wrote my own novella sized note of reactions while reading.
Mostly I’m stubborn and I used a credit for the audiobook so I wanted to finish it. There was also a sliver of hope that the story would pick up in the end.
It did not.
I will attempt to spare you my rant and keep it to some key points.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
- This is not a trouple (MFM) romance as it was marketed. That element doesn’t even come into play until the last hour of the book and it wasn’t done well.
- Very little actual pirate adventures and only a tiny bit of battle on the high seas.
- The female main character (fmc) is sexually assaulted (once that a “hero” allows) and raped many times (including sodomized by one of her “heroes”).
- There are also endless bouts of torture that aren’t logically survivable but the fmc is regularly magically healed.
- There is zero relationship or character development after the prologue. The prologue was ok storytelling wise but little did I know that would be the only tolerable part of this book.
- The entire book is written from Bennett’s POV but she only sees herself as having worth based on the heroes wanting her. Any time she thinks about the horrors inflicted on her, her concern is whether the heroes will still desire her. Once they show they do, poof, everything is ok.
I get that this is a dark romance and maybe dark romance isn’t for me. I’ve only read a few but I did enjoy those.
Dark or not, I still need character, relationship, and emotional development for a story to work.
And whatever world the author is creating, the logic system within that world should still make sense. There is absolutely no way Bennett would have survived all the assault, rape, and torture the author put her through with very little healing time and no trauma to work through.
It became absolutely absurd and formulaic. I don’t understand what the point of all that was if the author wasn’t going to use it as a tool to develop the story or the characters.
A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera
Rating: 4.5 stars
Steam Level: 3
I checked this one out in case I had extra time to read for The Romance Readathon. I was intrigued by Mangos and Mistletoe (3.5 stars) from Adriana Herrera last December and wanted to read more from her. Plus this book worked for all the bonus points.
After the train wreck of my last read, I binged this one in a day to end the month on a positive note. I’m so thankful it delivered.
From goodreads:
“Paris, 1889
The Exposition Universelle is underway, drawing merchants from every corner of the globe. Luz Alana Heith-Benzan set sail from Santo Domingo armed with three hundred casks of rum, her two best friends and one simple rule: under no circumstances is she to fall in love.
The City of Light is where Luz Alana will expand Caña Brava, the rum business her family built over three generations. It’s a mission that’s taken on new urgency after her father’s untimely death and the news that her trust fund won’t be released until she marries. But buyers and shippers alike are rude and dismissive; they can’t imagine doing business with a woman…never mind a woman of color.
From her first tempestuous meeting with James Evanston Sinclair, Earl of Darnick, Luz Alana is conflicted. Why is this man—this titled Scottish man—so determined to help her? And why, honestly, is he so infuriatingly charming?
All Evan Sinclair ever wanted was to find a purpose away from his father’s dirty money and dirtier politics. Ignoring his title, he’s built a whiskey brand that’s his biggest—and only—passion. That is, until he’s confronted with a Spanish-speaking force of nature who turns his life upside down.
Evan quickly suspects he’ll want Luz Alana with him forever. Every day with her makes the earl wish for more than her magnificent kisses or the marriage of convenience that might save them both. But Luz Alana sailed for Paris with her eyes on liquor, money and new beginnings. She wasn’t prepared for love to find her.”
My Thoughts
This was such a fun read. The female characters were quite badass! They felt very modern which translates to unconventional in a historical setting.
I loved that they knew their worth!
I enjoyed the first meeting between Evan and Luz. They had great banter and chemisty! I particularly loved the hero’s accent ? on audio.
There were quite a few storylines in addition to the romance and I enjoyed them all. Especially Evan’s family history and Luz’s attempt to gain control of her own future along with her family business.
Their arrangement was a great element!
It was an interesting book all around with humor, spice, and vivid side characters. I’m excited to continue the series!
While this one felt surprisingly steamy for a historical romance, it was quite tame for what I’ve read from Adriana Herrera in the past.
I wish I’d read a little slower to savor this unique story, but with the readathon ending I wanted those points for Team Hoyden!
What was your favorite read in August?
