May recap

We've come to an end to yet another month and I have to say May might've been the busiest month regarding the reading. So many new books have been released that I just couldn't wait to get my hands on them! 

I've made a list at the beginning of the month for what I want to read and I have to say I was successful because I've read all those books and some more! 

I've also read one poetry book, which was my goal at the start of the month and I started reading one book about self-help, which makes me very happy and proud. 

Let's just dig into what I've been reading this month, shall we?

1. A DUKE WILL NEVER DO by Darcy Burke (ARC)

Read the review here

Release date: May 19th, 2020
Series: The Spitfire Society #3
Pages: 248
Genre: Historical romance

After failing on the Marriage Mart, Jane Pemberton has two choices: submit to her parents’ edict to marry their boring neighbor or become a self-declared spinster and take up residence in the official headquarters of the Spitfire Society. It’s really no choice at all, and Jane is eager to embrace her newfound independence. She soon finds an unconscious viscount on her doorstep and nurses him back to health. When he offers to compensate her, she requests payment in the form of private instruction of a scandalous and intimate kind.

Having spiraled into a self-destructive abyss following the murder of his parents, Anthony, Viscount Colton, physically recovers under the care of an alluring spitfire. But it is her charm and flirtatiousness that soothes his soul and arouses his desire—until an extortion scheme forces him to face the sins of his past. Now, to save the woman who’s given him everything he lost and more, he’ll have to pay the ultimate price: his heart.

2. ORIGINAL SIN by Lydia Micheals (ARC) 

Read the review here

Release date: May 12th, 2020
Series: The Order of Vampires #1
Pages: 774
Genre: Paranormal (vampires)

Adam Hartzler has always been an honorable immortal, but the fine line between right and wrong begins to blur when he is called to his true mate. If he does not find and claim her soon, he will lose his soul and humanity, transforming into a vile predator controlled by insatiable bloodlust, sentenced to a demonic and tortured eternity as a vampire.

Adam sets out on a quest to hunt his mate and claim her before it is too late. His salvation relies on his destined mate’s surrender, but when she refuses to cooperate, Adam must set aside his morals and do what is needed to survive. Time’s slipping away with his control, and his territorial instincts refuse to let her go.

Annalise Snow awakens on a primitive farm removed from modern civilization and in fear of her life. Her captor is determined to keep her prisoner and believes he is somehow entitled to her future. But she will not surrender easily. When Adam asks for the ultimate sacrifice, she must decide if he lives or dies.

Passion and emotion collide in an explosive meeting of destined souls, but love is never a guarantee, especially when eternity begins with betrayal.

3. COACH ME by Shanora Williams

Read the review here

Release date: May 7th, 2020
Series: / standalone
Pages: 320
Genre: Romance

When I met Amber Lakes, I had no idea that she’d become a shining star in my dark, miserable life.

Her smile was never supposed to warm my heart, and the sight of her tears was never supposed to make me want to hunt down the person who’d caused them.

We were never supposed to touch, or kiss, or do so many dirty things on campus that I knew could jeopardize my career...

None of it was supposed to happen because she’s the student—my athlete—and I’m her college track coach.

I could lose everything by being with her, but I’ve fallen too damn hard, and despite how big the risks are, it’s too late to turn back now.

4. THE DARK BETWEEN STARS by Atticus

Read the review here

Release date: September 4th, 2018 

Pages: 240

Genre: Poetry

Atticus, has captured the hearts and minds of nearly 700k followers (including stars like Karlie Kloss, Emma Roberts, and Alicia Keys). In his second collection of poetry, The Dark Between Stars, he turns his attention to the dualities of our lived experiences—the inescapable connections between our highest highs and lowest lows. He captures the infectious energy of starting a relationship, the tumultuous realities of commitment, and the agonizing nostalgia of being alone again. While grappling with the question of how to live with purpose and find meaning in the journey, these poems offer both honest explorations of loneliness and our search for connection, as well as light-hearted, humorous observations. As Atticus writes poignantly about dancing, Paris, jazz clubs, sunsets, sharing a bottle of wine on the river, rainy days, creating, and destroying, he illustrates that we need moments of both beauty and pain—the darkness and the stars—to fully appreciate all that life and love have to offer.

5. A SECRET FOR A SECRET by Helena Hunting

Read the review here

Release date: May 12th, 2020
Series: All In #3
Pages: 304
Genre: Romance

My name is Ryan Kingston, and I’m a rule follower. I’ve never been in a fistfight. I always obey the speed limit. I don’t get drunk, and I definitely don’t pick up random women at bars.

Except the night I found out that my whole existence has been a lie.

I got drunk. And picked up a stranger.

Her name was Queenie, and she was everything I’m not: reckless, impulsive, and chaotic. We did shots and traded secrets. And ended up naked at my place.

She left me a thank-you note in the morning and her panties as a parting gift. But no way to contact her.

Six weeks later I’m sitting in the first official team meeting of the season, and there she is. I neglected to mention that I’m the goalie for Seattle’s NHL team.

And Queenie? Turns out she’s the general manager’s daughter.

6. DIRTY CHARMER by Emma Chase

Read the review here

Release date: May 19th, 2020
Series: Royally #5
Pages: 264
Genre: romance

Abigail Haddock is stunning, sensible, and some would say . . . stuffy. But it’s not really her fault. She was raised in one of Wessco’s oldest, most affluent, aristocratic families—“stuffy” is their middle name. So is successful. Abby’s working overtime to distinguish herself as a top-notch physician, just as her family legacy demands.

She doesn’t have time for nonsense.

Tommy Sullivan’s all about nonsense.

Sure, he’s an elite bodyguard with lethal skills and co-owner of the renowned, S&S Securities Firm—protector of the wealthy and titled. But he’s also rowdy, fun and thoroughly irresistible.

Tommy knows how to have a good time, and he’s never seen someone more in need of a good time than Abby. The lass needs long, wet, filthy kisses—STAT—and he’s just the man for the job.

It doesn’t take long for a wildly sexy, sinfully satisfying, no-strings attached arrangement to turn into something more. Something sweet and addictive and real. But Tommy and Abby are too royally stubborn to admit it.

Opposites attract, everyone knows that. But can they last—can they love…for forever?

7. JOCK ROW by Sara Ney

Read the review here

Release date: May 3rd, 2018
Series: Jock Hard #1
Pages: 376
Genre: Romance (new adult)

Scarlett is always the sensible one: The sober driver. The planner. The one holding your hair back while you're worshiping the porcelain gods.

Week-after-week, she visits Jock Row with her friends — the university's hottest party scene and breeding ground for student athletes. And if keeping her friends out of trouble, and guys out of their pants, was a sport, she'd be the star athlete.

Being a well known jock-blocker gets her noticed for all the wrong reasons; just like that, she's banned from Jock Row. NO GUY WANTS A GIRL AROUND WHO KEEPS THEIR JOCK FRIENDS FROM GETTING LAID.

"Rowdy" Wade is the hot shot short-stop for the university's baseball team — and the unlucky bastard who drew the short straw: keep little Miss Goody Two-Shoes out of the Baseball House.

But week-after-week Scarlett returns, determined to get inside.

8. BROKEN KNIGHT by L. J. Shen

Read the review here

Release date: August, 2019
Series: All Saints High #2
Pages: 367
Genre: romance (new adult)

Not all love stories are written the same way. Ours had torn chapters, missing paragraphs, and a bittersweet ending.

Luna Rexroth is everyone’s favorite wallflower.

Sweet.

Caring.

Charitable.

Quiet.

Fake.

Underneath the meek, tomboy exterior everyone loves (yet pities) is a girl who knows exactly what, and who, she wants—namely, the boy from the treehouse who taught her how to curse in sign language.

Who taught her how to laugh.

To live.

To love.

Knight Cole is everyone’s favorite football hero.

Gorgeous.

Athletic.

Rugged.

Popular.

Liar.

This daredevil hell-raiser could knock you up with his gaze alone, but he only has eyes for the girl across the street: Luna.

But Luna is not who she used to be. She doesn’t need his protection anymore.

When life throws a curveball at All Saints’ golden boy, he’s forced to realize not all knights are heroes.

Sometimes, the greatest love stories flourish in tragedy.

9. ANGRY GOD by L. J. Shen

Read the review here

Release date: February 15th, 2020

Series: All Saints High #3

Pages: 384

Genre: romance (new adult)

Vaughn Spencer.
They call him an angry god.
To me, he is nothing but a heartless prince.
His parents rule this town, its police, every citizen and boutique on Main Street.
All I own is a nice, juicy grudge against him for that time he almost killed me.
Between hooking up with a different girl every weekend, breaking hearts, noses and rules, Vaughn also finds the time to bully little ole’ me.
I fight back, tooth and nail, never expecting him to chase me across the ocean after we graduate high school.
But here he is, living with me in a dark, looming castle on the outskirts of London.
A fellow intern. A prodigal sculptor. A bloody genius.
They say this place is haunted, and it is.
Carlisle Castle hides two of our most awful secrets.
Vaughn thinks he can kill the ghosts of his past, but what he doesn’t know? It’s my heart he’s slaying.

10. DIRTY LETTERS by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

Read the review here

Release date: November 5th, 2019
Series: / standalone
Pages: 294
Genre: romance

I’d never forgotten him—a man I’d yet to meet.

Griffin Quinn was my childhood pen pal, the British boy who couldn’t have been more different from me. Over the years, through hundreds of letters, we became best friends, sharing our deepest, darkest secrets and forming a connection I never thought could break.

Until one day it did.

Then, out of the blue, a new letter arrived. A scathing one—one with eight years of pent-up anger. I had no choice but to finally come clean as to why I stopped writing.

Griffin forgave me, and somehow we were able to rekindle our childhood connection. Only now we were adults, and that connection had grown to a spark. Our letters quickly went from fun to flirty to downright dirty, revealing our wildest fantasies. So it only made sense that we would take our relationship to the next level and see each other in person.

Only Griff didn’t want to meet. He asked that I trust him and said it was for the best. But I wanted more—more Griff, in the flesh—so I took a big chance and went looking for him. People have done crazier things for love.

But what I found could change everything.

11. LONG SHOT by Kennedy Ryan

Read the review here

Release date: March 22nd, 2018
Series: Hoops #1
Pages: 460
Genre: romance

Think you know what it's like being a baller's girl?

You don't.

My fairy tale is upside down.

A happily never after.

I kissed the prince and he turned into a fraud.

I was a fool, and his love - fool's gold.

Now there's a new player in the game, August West.

One of the NBA's brightest stars.

Fine. Forbidden.

He wants me. I want him.

But my past, my fraudulent prince, just won't let me go.

*Some aspects of this story may be sensitive for some readers.

I'll be posting a June TBR list some time these days, although it won't be as long as May's one. Whew. This was a ride. An enjoyable one, I have to say!