Posted in Next Month in Books

Next Month in Books – May 2024

As usual, if you’ve got any suggestions for May 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.


7TH MAY 2024

The Match (It Happened in Charleston #1) by Sarah Adams

OK so this isn’t technically a brand-new release because it was 1st published on 30 May 2020 but it’s a revised and extended edition and I haven’t read it before.

Sometimes love finds you when you least expect it.

Evie Jones has dedicated her life and very limited funds working for Southern Service Paws, the company that matched her with the love of her life: Charlie, a service dog trained to assist with her epilepsy. But it’s no secret that the company has been struggling to make ends meet. It’s up to her and her long-time mentor and boss to throw the fundraiser of the century to keep the doors open.

Then Evie meets Jacob Broaden at a client consultation meeting. There are instant sparks-but not the good kind, because Jacob’s daughter set up the meeting without his knowledge. Ten-year-old Sam has been recently diagnosed with epilepsy, and has wanted a service animal ever since. While he had hesitations at first, it doesn’t take long for Jacob to be convinced that a service dog, and possibly Evie, with her magical, woodland-green eyes, might just be the best thing for him and his daughter.

As Evie spends more time with Jacob and helps Sam find her perfect match with a lovable golden retriever named Daisy, she starts longing for something she’s never had before: a loving family. For Jacob, falling in love with Evie is the last thing he should be doing, but love has a way of finding those who need it most.

Tags: Favourite Author / Pupsters

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


9TH MAY 2024

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette

Supermodel Emerson seemingly has the perfect life – but she’s tired of looking for love in all the wrong places.

When a reminder for the marriage pact she and her former best friend Theo made as teens goes off on her phone, she realizes she has a chance to rekindle the only relationship that ever really made sense.

Emerson convinces her grumpy agent to book her as the face of the campaign that Theo, now a fashion photographer, is shooting.

The good news: the campaign is being shot in ridiculously romantic Cinque Terre, Italy.

The bad news? Theo might not be as happy to see her as she’d hoped . . .

Will this be her one last shot at love, or a final goodbye?

Tags: Fashion / Italy / New-to-Me Author / Second Chance

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


14TH MAY 2024

A Wedding in Lake Como (Meet Me in Italy #3) by Jennifer Probst

Best friends Ava, Madison, and Chelsea made a pact to reunite for each other’s weddings when their careers sent them in different directions. But after one of them makes a choice that tears the group apart, an upcoming wedding might be their last chance to heal old wounds.

Ava is about to marry the man she loves in a lavish ceremony on the shores of Lake Como, but she’s haunted by the mistakes she’s made.

Madison’s made a name for herself as an influencer in the fashion world but is threatened by a scandal impacting everything she holds dear.

And Chelsea has the perfect family she always craved, but her professional dreams have fallen by the wayside.

As they return to Italy’s gorgeous coast, the three women revisit their life-changing first trip to Lake Como during college. When Madison comes face-to-face with the college sweetheart who was at the heart of one of the most pivotal times of her life, can they forge a new way forward?

Tags: Favourite Author / Italy

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


14TH MAY 2024

The Dixon Rule (Campus Diaries #2) by Elle Kennedy

‘I told them I had a girlfriend.’

I start to laugh. ‘This is the greatest day of my life.’

‘Oh, it gets better, Dixon. I told them it was you.’

Diana Dixon has a lot going on this summer. She’s rehearsing for a ballroom dance competition, juggling two jobs, and dealing with an ex-boyfriend who can’t take the hint it’s over. Yet despite all that, she still has plenty of time and energy to tell Shane Lindley to screw off.

Shane just moved into her apartment building and seems dedicated to sleeping his way through her entire cheerleading squad. Sure, he’s a tall, gorgeous hockey player, but he’s messing with her turf. This calls for some ground rules: no parties in her apartment, leave her teammates alone, and – most importantly – leave her alone.

What Diana doesn’t realize is that Shane’s sick of hook-ups and tired of being on the rebound after his long-term girlfriend called it quits. He wants a relationship. And when his ex comes back into the picture, he pretends he has one to make her jealous . . . and who better to play the girlfriend role than his sassy new neighbour?

Despite Diana’s reluctance to break her rule, a fake relationship is the perfect solution for her own ex issues, and soon she can’t deny something is sizzling between her and Shane. Something hot and completely unexpected. And it might just be getting a little too real.

Tags: Fake Dating / Favourite Author

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


14TH MAY 2024

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam ‘West’ Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living pay-check to pay-check while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents – his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

Tags: Favourite Author / Marriages of Convenience

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


23RD MAY 2024

The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan

A summer escape

When Cecilia Lapthorne’s 75th birthday celebrations take an unexpected turn, she seeks solace away from the festivities and escapes to Dune Cottage – without telling her family where she’s going.

A new friendship

Lily Thomas, a struggling artist, has secretly been staying in the unoccupied cottage. When Cecilia discovers Lily during a late-night visit, an unexpected bond forms between the two women.

A chance to start over

Then Cecilia’s grandson, Todd – and Lily’s unrequited crush – shows up, sending a shockwave through their unlikely friendship. Will it inspire Lily to find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new…

Tags: Favourite Author

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


 

Posted in Next Month in Books

Next Month in Books – April 2024

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I’ve been AWOL from the blog for the last few weeks because I went to New York for my birthday and came back with an unwanted gift aka COVID (even though I did my best to social distance, I’m obsessive about using hand sanitiser and I’ve been 3x vaxxed). I’ve had COVID before but this second time was so much worse. When I first had COVID at least I could still read but this time, I felt like I’d been hit by a Mack truck and dumped in a snowdrift and all I wanted to do was shiver and sleep. When I wrote the scene in Happy When It Rains when Emmy gets the flu and Sierra insists on wearing a Hazmat suit to keep from catching it, it was just a joke but I’m seriously considering it now.

Today’s blog post is my favourite to put together every month and there are 6 x amazing books that I’m really excited about being published in April 2024 so even though it’s later than usual, I still wanted to share them with you.

As usual, if you’ve got any suggestions for April 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 APRIL 2024

The Rule Book by Sarah Adams

Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it’s come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge.

Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved-she won’t quit easily.

Instead of giving in, Nora starts a scheme of her own. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married. With their rule book out the window, could this new relationship be the thing to save their careers?

Tags: Favourite Author / Second Chance / Sports Romance (American Football) / Vegas Weddings

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


5TH APRIL 2024

Wild Card (Roseville Ramblers #1) by Staci Hart

The hot baseball player I’m forced to stay with for my best friend’s wedding is off limits.

Remy Winfield has more muscles than manners, and he’s on a mission to get me into bed by way of the filthiest mouth I’ve ever wanted to kiss. He doesn’t care about my long time crush or my certainty that we’re finally about to happen.

Remy’s sure I’ll break first and kiss him, and he’ll tease me to the limit to make sure I do. I might be a Lady, but I can still play his dirty little game. It’s perfectly safe, totally harmless.

Until I fall for him.

Suddenly, Mr. Long-Time Crush doesn’t matter at all.

And my best friend can never know.

Tags: Favourite Author / Sports Romance (Baseball)

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


11TH APRIL 2024

Dr. Single Dad (Doctors #5) by Louise Bay

When a one-night stand announces I just became a father to a baby girl, my world is thrown into turmoil. My choice: single fatherhood or sign adoption papers. The decision is easy. Within hours, I’m on a plane to collect my daughter.

I’m in over my head. I barely know one end of a baby from the other. Luckily, I have the perfect plan. I’ll hire live-in help, have limited involvement with the kid, and keep my life just the same as it’s always been.

I finally find a nanny who lives up to my exacting standards. But the only problem is, every time I look at her, the future I thought I wanted starts to crumble.

Nothing in my life is going according to plan… and the wriggling poo machine in my arms is unexpectedly worming her way into my heart.

Life was ordered and logical until I got myself two roommates and started falling in love with both of them.

Tags: Favourite Author / Favourite Series / Nanny / Secret Babies

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


11TH APRIL 2024

My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes

Anna has just lost her taste for the Big Apple…

She has a life to envy. An apartment in New York. A well-meaning (too well-meaning?) partner. And a high-flying job in beauty PR. Who wouldn’t want all that?

Anna, it turns out.

Trading a minor midlife crisis for a major life event, she switches the skyscrapers of Manhattan for the tiny Irish town of Maumtully (population 1,217), helping old friends Brigit and Colm set up a luxury coastal retreat.

Tougher than it sounds. Newsflash: the locals hate the idea. So much so, there have been threats – and violence.

Anna, however, worked in the beauty industry. There’s no ugliness she hasn’t seen. No wrinkle she can’t smooth over.

There’s just one fly in the ointment – old flame Joey Armstrong.

He’s going to be her wingman.

Never mind their chequered history. Never mind what might have been.

Because no matter how far you go, your mistakes will still be waiting for you . . .

Tags: Favourite Author / Second Chance

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


23RD APRIL 2024

Funny Story by Emily Henry

Daphne always loved the way Peter told their story.

That is until it became the prologue to his actual love story with his childhood bestie, Petra.

Which is how Daphne ends up rooming with her total opposite and the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles.

As expected, it’s not a match made in heaven – that is until one night, while tossing back tequilas, they form a plan.

And if it involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex . . . right?

Tags: Favourite Author

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


25TH APRIL 2024

Degrees of Engagement by Jennifer Hennessy

Bianca Dimitriou has attended countless bridal showers, bachelorette weekends and destination weddings for her friends and family. But when they all fail to show up to celebrate her PhD, she realises it just isn’t a milestone they value.

Angry, sad and yes, a little drunk, Bianca decides a fake engagement to brooding classmate Xavier Byrne is the perfect revenge. It’s only supposed to last long enough to prove her point. But when her loved ones’ reaction to her ‘engagement’ is everything Bianca was afraid of, she’s tempted to let it go on just a bit longer. . .

The tension that’s always simmered unspoken between them morphs into a very real attraction, but with Xavier’s work about to take him halfway around the globe, Bianca can’t forget that it’s temporary. When the time comes to give up their charade, will they be able to give up their feelings just as easily?

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


Posted in Next Month in Books

Next Month in Books – March 2024

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Did you know that March is National Reading Month? If you’re looking for inspiration for your March 2024 reads, you’ve come to the right place because I’ve got 5 x amazing new releases for you including 4 from my favourite authors and a tribute to the actor Luke Perry, best known for playing Dylan McKay (Everybody’s Rebel Boyfriend) in Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000).

As usual, if you’ve got any suggestions for March 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.


4TH MARCH 2024

Small Town Swoon (Cherry Tree Harbor #4) by Melanie Harlow

Only in the movies does the Hollywood heartthrob fall for the small town diner waitress.

So when Dashiel Buckley returns to Cherry Tree Harbor for a wedding, I’m determined not to let my massive crush on my best friend’s older brother hijack my good sense.

(It happened once before. Do not recommend.)

But when my hand is injured, it’s Dash who steps in at the diner. The moment he realizes I can’t afford to fix my car, he takes care of it. And when he hears about the way my toxic ex treated me, he refuses to let it go.

Now it’s not just his blue eyes and sexy smile that have me swooning, it’s the way he wants to help me. Encourage me. Protect me.

I can’t resist.

Our text messages heat up. Our phone calls melt all my defences. “Just friends” turns into “just once,” and “just once” becomes a distant memory. Night after night, he warms my bed, my body, and my heart.

But it can’t last.

Our dreams have us on two different paths–Dash wants the lights, camera, action of Hollywood, and I’ll always be a small town girl.

If only I could be his.

Tags: Favourite Author

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


5TH MARCH 2024

A Good Bad Boy: Luke Perry and How A Generation Grew Up by Margaret Wappler

Best known for playing loner rebel Dylan McKay in Beverly Hills 90210, Luke Perry was fifty-two years old when he died of a stroke in 2019. There have been other deaths of 90’s stars, but this one hit different. Gen X was reminded of their own inescapable mortality, and robbed of an exciting career resurgence for one of their most cherished icons—with recent roles in the hit series Riverdale and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time In Hollywood bringing him renewed attention and acclaim. Only upon his death, as stories poured out online about his authenticity and kindness, did it become clear how little was known about the exceedingly humble actor and how deeply he impacted popular culture.

In A Good Bad Boy, Margaret Wappler attempts to understand who Perry was and why he was unique among his Hollywood peers. To do so, she uses an inventive hybrid narrative. She speaks with dozens who knew Perry personally and professionally. They share insightful anecdotes: how he kept connected to his Ohio upbringing; nearly blew his 90210 audition; tried to shed his heartthrob image by joining the HBO prison drama Oz; and in the last year of his life, sought to set up two of his newly divorced friends. (After his death, the pair bonded in their grief and eventually married.) Amid these original interviews and exhaustive archival research, Wappler weaves poignant vignettes of memoir in which she serves as an avatar to show how Perry shaped a generation’s views on masculinity, privilege and the ideal of “cool.”

Timed to the fifth anniversary of Perry’s death, A Good Bad Boy is a profound and entertaining examination of what it means to be an artist and an adult.

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


5TH MARCH 2024

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell by Allison Winn Scotch

Birdie Maxwell thought she’d gotten everything she wanted out of life: fame, adoration, and an A-list Hollywood career. But after an on-set feud goes viral, she leaves L.A. for the one place no one would think to find her: her hometown. There, she’s startled to stumble upon a love letter from a former boyfriend asking for a second chance–but there’s just one problem: the letter was unsigned and she’s not sure which ex sent it. Still, a public reunion with an ex-boyfriend could turn the wave of public opinion back in her favour. Life imitating art. What could go wrong?

Elliot O’Brien, star reporter, knows life isn’t an actual rom-com. Case in point: He’s spent two decades suppressing his long-simmering feelings for his twin sister’s best friend, Birdie. But with his journalism career cratering and Birdie back in their hometown at the same time he is, he realizes chronicling her search for her long-ago ex may be his opportunity to right some wrongs.

As they hit the road in an ancient RV, Birdie and Elliot retrace her romantic history for clues as to who wrote the letter and come face to face with their own romantic missteps, all while grappling with whether happy endings are found only on the big screen–or whether their own happily-ever-after could be closer than they both ever imagined.

Tags: Favourite Author / Road Trip / Second Chance

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


21ST MARCH 2024

The Dating Contract (Last Girls Standing #2) by Stacey Agdern

Sports Agent Leah Nachman is knee deep in her sister’s wedding drama and inches away from her biggest career goal when she runs into the high school boyfriend who broke her heart. The last thing she needs is another confrontation with the man too many people are convinced is her bashert. But perhaps he can be of use. After all, she’s totally over him. Right?

Sofer and Comic Letterer Samuel Levine is at a professional crossroads when he runs into what he believes is a fated second chance. He hasn’t seen Leah in ages, but the guilt over how they broke up still eats at him. When Leah proposes a fake ‘dating contract’ to help her make partner at her agency, and thwart her sister’s matchmaking, Samuel agrees. His goal is forgiveness, after all.

But the more time they spend together as ‘plus ones,’ the more like fate the dates feel. Leah is convinced love and ambition can’t co-exist and Samuel’s convinced he’s losing her. Will they let their dating contract expire or give love another chance?

Tags: Fake Dating / Favourite Author / Jewish / Second Chance

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


28TH MARCH 2024

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

Their name? The objectors.

Their job? To break off weddings as hired.

Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other.

When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her saviour comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”

During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.

The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hook-up session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.

And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.

Tags: Favourite Author

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


Posted in Next Month in Books

Next Month in Books – February 2024

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As befitting for the month of Valentine’s Day, February 2024 brings with it a bumper stack of 9 x new releases to keep every romance reader happy.

Even if you’re not a fan of V-Day, February has still got you covered because 5 of this month’s new releases come out on the 13th so you can spend the 14th snuggled up with your Kindle and pretend V-Day doesn’t exist (everyone knows boys in books are better anyway).

As usual, if you’ve got any suggestions for February 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.


1ST FEBRUARY 2024

Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead

Although this was first published in 2022, I’ve been waiting not-so-patiently for Fool Me Once to be released in the UK ever since I finished reading The Boyfriend Candidate, which was one of My Favourite Books of 2023 (Alexis from TBC & Lee from FMO are sisters).

Lee Stone is a twenty-first-century woman: she kicks butt at her job as a communications director at a women-run electric car company (that’s better than Tesla, thank you), and after work she is ‘Stoner’, drinking guys under the table and never letting any of them get too comfortable in her bed…

That’s because Lee’s learned one big lesson: never trust love. Four major heartbreaks set her straight, particularly grad-school boyfriend Ben Laderman – who wasn’t actually cheating, but she could have sworn he was, so she reciprocated in kind.

Then Ben shows up five years later as a policy expert for the Texas governor, just as Lee is trying to get a clean-energy bill rolling. Tension builds as old sparks reignite when they’re forced to work together, fanning the flames for a romantic dustup the size of Texas.

Tags: Favourite Author / Fictional Politicians / Second Chance

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


6TH FEBRUARY 2024

Ready or Not by Cara Bastone

Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life. Her apartment in Brooklyn is cozy and close to her childhood best friend Willa, but far from her midwestern, traditional family who never really understood her. While her job is only dream- adjacent , she’s hoping her passion and hard work will soon help her land a more glamorous role. And sure, her most recent romantic history has consisted of not one but two disappointing men named Derek. At least she always knows what to expect…until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.

The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve’s loyal friendship with Willa is feeling off , right when she needs her most. And it’s Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help. He has always been friendly, but now he’s checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her complaints, and is… suddenly kinda hot? Then there’s the baby’s father, who is supportive but conflicted. Before long, Eve is rethinking everything she thought she knew about herself and her world.

Over the course of nine months, as Eve struggles to figure out the next right step in her expanding reality, she begins to realize that family and love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it.

Tags: Friends to Lovers / New-to-Me Author / Oopsie Babies

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


13TH FEBRUARY 2024

The Catch by Amy Lea

In a last ditch attempt to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? Burly fisherman Evan Whaler – who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are ‘nice’.

After a boating incident lands Evan in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family. And, in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for just. one. week.

But reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult than expected.

Is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at true love in the wild?

Tags: Fake Dating

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


13TH FEBRUARY 2024

Fangirl Down (Big Shots #1) by Tessa Bailey

Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.

Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…

As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighbouring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?

Tags: Favourite Author / Unusual Sports Romance (Golf)

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


13TH FEBRUARY 2024

Fish Out of Water by Katie Ruggle

Why date a mountain man? Because he knows how to pitch a tent.

When Dahlia Weathersby’s sister disappears on what should have been a simple day hike, Dahlia immediately heads deep into the Colorado Rockies to find her. Knowing she’ll never survive the mountains alone, she convinces the local hermit—adorably grouchy survival expert Winston Dane—to be her guide. All it takes is a good helping of Dahlia’s charm…and just the teeniest bit of blackmail…before she’s got all six-foot-something of him wrapped around her finger. But even with her very own mountain man in tow, things aren’t going to be easy. There are:

Long hikes through gorgeous wilderness? Check.

Bears? Check.

A single shared sleeping bag? Check.

Enough sparks to set the Rockies ablaze? Check, check, check.

With everything the wilderness has to throw at them, it’ll take more than charm and some city girl ingenuity to make this trek anything but a disaster waiting to happen…and an adventure she’ll never forget.

Tags: New-to-Me Author / One Bed

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


13TH FEBRUARY 2024

Girl Abroad by Elle Kennedy

When nineteen-year-old Abbey Bly gets the opportunity to study abroad for a year in London, it’s the perfect chance to finally slip out from under the thumb of her beloved but overbearing retired rock star father. She’s ready to be free, to discover herself – but first off, to meet the girls she’s rooming with. That is, until she arrives at her gorgeous new flat to discover those roommates are actually all boys. Charming, funny, insufferably attractive boys. And off-limits, with a rule against fraternizing between housemates after unwanted drama with the previous girl.

Abbey has never considered herself a rule-breaker. But soon, she’s lying to her father about her living situation and falling for not one, but two men she can’t have: her rugby-player roommate and a broody musician with a girlfriend. Not to mention, her research for school has gotten her tangled in a deeply hidden scandal of a high nobility family, surrounding her in secrets on all sides.

If there’s any hope of Abbey finding love, answers, or a future in London, she’ll have to decide which rules – and hearts – might be worth breaking . . .

Tags: College / Favourite Author

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


13TH FEBRUARY 2024

Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee

Hannah Tate can hardly believe her sleep-deprived eyes when she finds an engagement ring hidden in the closet. Killian, her super responsible, incredibly attractive boyfriend—and the father of her new baby, Bowie—is finally going to propose. But a romantic night out goes horribly wrong when Killian reveals he’s dumping Hannah, not proposing.

Furious and heartbroken, Hannah takes Bowie and moves in with her mama and stepdaddy in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia. Hannah realizes that her parents’ cabin has vacation property gold written all over it—and could save her mama from going broke. Again.

Only problem? The cabin’s décor is . . . mildly terrifying and it’s in desperate need of renovation. Hannah hires the hot carpenter living in the treehouse next door to fix up the place. Not only does River respect Hannah’s business acumen, he looks at her like she’s a woman, not a hot mess. And Hannah can’t deny that River awakens something new inside her.

Can Hannah embrace a future that looks different from the picture-perfect family she once dreamed of . . . and maybe start living life on her own terms?

Tags: Cabin in the Woods / New-to-Me Author / Love Under Construction

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


20TH FEBRUARY 2024

Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff

Culinary student Lexi Berman, 24, has one goal: to make her late mother proud by becoming an executive chef in a Michelin-star restaurant. And she isn’t going to let anything–or anyone–get in the way. But when she meets Jake Taylor, a dive bar musician who charms her with show tunes, she makes a rare exception to her no-dating rule. After a steamy weekend together, Jake leaves for L.A. to record his demo, and Lexi never expects to see him again. And she definitely doesn’t expect him to become an overnight celebrity, with a breakout single that’s almost certainly about her famous blueberry pancake recipe.

As Jake’s star rises and the world speculates about the subject of his song, Lexi keeps the affair to herself. After all, she’s finally found her footing at her new restaurant job, and even has a prospective romance with her co-worker. But when a distraught Jake turns up on her doorstep late one night, her carefully-laid plans are thrown for a loop. Though she and Jake try to be friends, things between them soon reheat faster than a bowl of Lexi’s matzah ball soup. But a relationship with Jake means risking her face in tabloids, withstanding cruel internet comments, and worst of all, jeopardizing her career. As Jake’s upcoming tour approaches, and rumours swirl about him and another pop star, Lexi has to decide if holding onto her meticulously-planned future is worth walking away from what could be the perfect recipe for love.

Tags: Chefs / Fictional Musicians / Jewish / New-to-Me Author / Second Chance

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


29TH FEBRUARY 2024

A Villa with a View (Romantic Escapes #11) by Julie Caplin

Lia Bathurst had always dreamed of escaping to the white sandy beaches and turquoise blue seas of the Amalfi coast – but that dream hadn’t included meeting her real father. A father she had never even known about until a few weeks ago! Yet here she was, standing outside the gates of a gorgeous pink villa being refused entry by the insufferable – and insufferably handsome – Raphael Knight, her father’s business manager.

When an old black and white photo proves Lia’s claim to be true, Raph is determined to make sure this stranger, with her long caramel waves and infectious smile, doesn’t have an ulterior motive. Even if that means not letting her out of his sight.

As temperatures rise, and not just from the heat of the Mediterranean sun, could Lia and Raph’s forced proximity lead to something more like… amore?

Tags: Italy

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


Posted in Next Month in Books

Next Month in Books – January 2024

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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

Links: Amazon UK / Goodreads


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

Links: Amazon / Goodreads


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

Links: Amazon / Goodreads