What I Read In May 2025
Clearly I was in a romance mood in May and I’m not mad about it! I finished one romance series and finished what’s out so far for another (who else is so excited for Pucking Strong in July?!). In between cowboy and hockey romance, I also started the Twisted Love series, read a cute fantasy book about witches and greatly enjoyed Everything Here Is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee. That was probably my top read of the month, but overall I enjoyed every book I picked up.
I did end up DNF-ing two books toward the end of the month. I tried Catch-22 by Joseph Heller and found myself really struggling through the first few chapters. This is a book I might return to in the future, but I found the story tough to grasp. This may have just been because I needed to give it more time, or maybe it’s just not for me! I also attempted Forrest Gump by Winton Groom. This was one of my all-time favorite movies, so when I found a used copy of the book years ago I grabbed it. Heads up: the book is very different. It’s much more satire mixed with dark humor, which isn’t my favorite genre so I ended up casting it aside so someone else can enjoy!
Check out the books I did read and enjoy below!
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Once I start a series it’s pretty rare that I won’t finish it, so of course I checked out Pucking Wild, the second book in the Jacksonville Rays series. This book was a little more romantically conventional than the first in the series - it follows a woman in her early 30s as she seeks to end her marriage to her narcissistic husband. She ends up in Jacksonville with her best friend and meets a young hockey player who steals her heart quickly. This one was probably my least favorite of the series, but still very enjoyable!
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This was another book recommendation I got while working in the store one day. It follows a young woman as she falls in love with her brother’s best friend, a cold, closed-off man with some ulterior motives. The story didn’t wow me and the spice wasn’t quite as spicy as I expected, but overall the story was fun and kept me hooked. I plan to continue on with the series.
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This book follows three sisters who are also witches. They’ve grown apart, but at the beginning of the novel they are drawn back together and decide together to fight for women’s rights and to reinstate magic in a town looking to squash women and the poor. This book was a slow burn for sure - I went in expecting more action and excitement. Still, the story concept was really cool and I love the author’s outlook on magic, the queer representation and the focus on love among sisters - both blood and found.
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This is one of my best friend’s favorite books and it was about time I picked it up. It’s a poetic novel spanning several decades where people experience the same strange phenomenon in the same place. This book is hard to describe but a phenomenal read, and the ending couldn’t have been more perfect. I’ll definitely have this one on my go-to recommendations list for folks moving forward.
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Of course I had to continue on with the Rebel Blue Ranch series after starting it in April. This one follows Wes and Adah as they fall for each other while renovating part of the ranch into a bed and breakfast. Their storyline wasn’t my favorite of the series but still very enjoyable. I loved the frank talks about chronic depression and that we got to see more of the other characters of the novel.
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I love an enemies to lovers trope and Lyla Sage did not disappoint with Gus and Teddy’s story. I had been hoping for this one since their first interaction in the first book. I love Teddy as a character and her love for her father. Gus is still just a little too grumpy and serious for me, but I loved seeing his soft side in this book.
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This was a gorgeous story of two Chinese-American sisters who grow apart after one sister begins displaying signs of Schizophreniz and Bipolar Disorder. I absolutely loved this book and found it hard to put down. Every character felt real - at times frustratingly so - and the look at mental illness various immigrant communities throughout the book was so well done. This is a story that will stick with me for a long time.
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This is the latest book in the Jacksonville Rays series and another why choose romance. It follows the team’s director of PR, Poppy, a preppy ray of sunshine dealing with more than she lets on. I wasn’t sure about Poppy’s character at first but I ended up loving her most out of all the female main characters in the series so far. I flew through this one and am excited for the fourth book, slated to be released in July.
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Clearly these books were readily available on my Libby app this month and I was motivated to finish the story! I absolutely loved the final book in this series - it was definitely my favorite, followed by Done and Dusted, but all were really fun romance reads. This was the perfect second-chance romance that was messy and real and so beautiful all at once. I also love that the very end brings it back to the first book and ties it all together again. Beautifully done, Lyla Sage!
Need other recommendations? Ask me for some ideas!