It’s definitely quality over quantity for the first Next Month in Books of 2024 with 3 x new releases to get excited about in January: Last Call at the Local (02/01), The Breakup Tour (25/01) & Wild for You (30/01).
As usual, if you’ve got any suggestions for January 2024 releases I might have missed out on, please let me know in the comments or by e-mail at louisehallbooks@gmail.com.
Until next time, happy reading x
Note: I don’t get paid for including any of the links below, they’re just the books I’m most looking forward to being published each month.
2ND JANUARY 2024
Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
To say I’ve been waiting a long time for Last Call at the Local is a massive understatement because I actually pre-ordered it all the way back in December 2022. Sarah is a New-to-Me Author (although I’ve got Love, Lists and Fancy Ships on my TBR). What really drew me to this book was (1) I love books set in Ireland (the first ever grown-up romance books I fell in love with were written by Marian Keyes), (2) it’s got a tattooed LI and (3) I’m still waiting for my formal autism diagnosis so I’m always happy to find books with neurodiverse characters.
Raine Hart is used to the challenges of living with ADHD. It’s why she ditched her life in Boston to busk around Europe as a traveling musician. No boss. No schedule. No one to disappoint but herself. But when a careless mistake in Ireland leaves her unable to perform, she sees no other option but to give up her nomadic life.
Since inheriting the Local, Jack Dunne has wanted to make the pub his own. But the baggage of running a family business and the intrusive thoughts that stem from his OCD make changing things a challenge.
Over a pint with handsome, tattooed Jack, Raine accidentally insults him and the pub. Instead of taking offense, Jack, impressed by her vision of what the pub could be, offers her a job bringing it to life.
But when Raine and Jack develop feelings for one another their opposite lifestyles won’t accommodate, it becomes clear the pub isn’t the only thing that needs reinventing. As the end of their business collaboration draws near, they’ll have to find a way past the limits they’ve placed on themselves or let go of a love that could last a lifetime.
Tags: Fictional Musicians / Mental Health Rep / Neurodiversity Rep
25TH JANUARY 2024
The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
The question is will The Breakup Tour finally be the one to break my EW & ASB duck? Technically I could call them New-to-Me Authors even though I’ve already got The Roughest Draft on my bookshelf and Do I Know You? on my Kindle and I’m really excited to read them both but I keep being thwarted by my ever-increasing TBR. I was planning to set my 2024 Goodreads Challenge super low but maybe I need to set it high again given how many amazing books I own but haven’t read yet?
Riley Wynn went from a promising singer-songwriter to a superstar overnight, thanks to her breakup song concept album and its unforgettable lead single. When Riley’s ex-husband claims the hit song is about him, she does something she hasn’t in ten years and calls Max Harcourt, her college boyfriend, and the real inspiration for the song of the summer.
Max hasn’t spoken to Riley since their relationship ended. He’s content with managing the retirement home his family owns, but it’s not the life he dreamed of filled with music. When Riley asks him to go public as her song-writing muse, he agrees on one condition: he’ll join her in her band on tour. As they perform across the country, Max and Riley start to realize that while they hit some wrong notes in the past, their future could hold incredible things. And their rekindled relationship will either last forever or go down in flames.
Tags: Fictional Musicians / Second Chance
30TH JANUARY 2024
Wild for You (The Wilds of Montana #1) by Kristen Proby
Kristen Proby is one of my favourite authors and after being introduced to Bitterroot Valley during the ski trip taken by London, Drew and the Montgomery cousins in The Stand-In, I’m really looking forward to Erin & Remington’s story.
Remington Wild is a single dad of two adorable kids, and as the oldest son of the Wild family, has recently taken over the Wild River Ranch from his father. Life is crazy, and he’s finally willing to admit that he needs help, and the sooner the better. He has no idea that the beautiful woman he sees every day at Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co. is the woman who would show up for the job.
Erin Montgomery couldn’t get out of Seattle fast enough. It’s not that she doesn’t love her big, loud family, but living in the big city just wasn’t for her. The minute she stepped foot in Bitterroot Valley, she knew she was home. She loves the slower pace, the friendly people, and her job at the coffee shop. Even the smoking hot grumpy guy who stops in every afternoon can’t put a damper on how much she loves small town life!
Thanks to car trouble, and her stubbornness when it comes to using her trust fund, Erin needs a second job and applies for the position of a part-time nanny. She’s surprised to find that it’s Grumpy himself who answers the door at the ranch, but Erin quickly learns that she loves his kids and the ranch, and it’s a no-brainer to take the job. She just has to remind herself to resist the sexy rancher and keep it strictly professional.
Remington is attracted to his younger nanny, and finds himself falling headfirst in love with her. He and his kids have never been happier, and he knows she is the perfect addition to their family for as long as she’s willing to stay. Hopefully forever.
But when secrets are exposed, one of which endangers his children, will their love survive? Or will it tear them apart?
Tags: Favourite Author / Nanny
Louise Hall 