As we're winding down to the final days of 2023, I thought it would be fun to look back at the books we read this year and list our favorites. I tasked Hellie and Santa with giving me the titles of their five favorite reads then tried to do it myself and - wow - not easy! There were some great books this year that touched me in a variety of ways. But that's a good thing, right? I hope you all had a similar reading experience.
Here are the books that made us smile during 2023. If a book listed was reviewed here at The Romance Dish, the title will be highlighted. Click on it to read the full review.
Hellie:
Three Holidays & a Wedding: This one and Much Ado About Nada, same author (Uzma Jalauddin), are probably my favorite-favorites of the books I read this year. The author is just perfection. Lots of laughter and all of the feels.
Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalauddin
Read on my own, which features a lot more mysteries than I review on site:
A Sinister Revenge: The Veronica Speedwell series (Deanna Rayborne) is my favorite find of 2022 and the newest episode delivered as much as the rest.
All the Victoria Thompson Gaslight mysteries: so once I ran out of Veronica Speedwell, I floundered in a desert of reading material until I found these—and then I read them (there are like 25+) all too fast. Very depressing reading-wise (back in the desert), but what a wonderful set of stories. LOVE! (I believe the newest one is Murder on Bedford Street, but I read them all this year so I'm counting them as one item.)
All the Victoria Thompson Counterfeit Lady mysteries: I wasn’t sure I’d like these (though I already loved the author) because the heroine is a grifter—and I don’t like my heroines to be too…flawed (if you will). Not a fan of heroes who are cat-thieves either, come to think of it. Anyway…I was wrong. This series is HILARIOUS, filled with lots of historical detail, always a compelling mystery, and possibly even better than the Gaslight mysteries. Newest one is City of Fortune, I think, but again, read all of them this year, but they're a set and you need to read them all.
Santa:
Here are my favorite books of 2023, They are not in any specific order except for the first one and, surprising no one, most of them are historical!
How To Tame A Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long. Stellar.
A Kiss In The Moonlight by Cathy Maxwell. She never misses.
Never Seduce A Duke by Viviene Lorett. Banter on point always.
PJ:
Okay, I tried to narrow it down to five but, I'm sorry, it was impossible. And I had to include some honorable mentions because they were just that good. This was a very good year for books! My favorite book of the year was How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long. The other titles are listed in no particular order. They were all fabulous.
Julie Anne Long paints pictures with words like no other author I have ever read. Composers create stunning, immersive, soul-stirring masterpieces that send our souls into flight. Long does it with words. They challenge, entice, anger, seduce, empower, excite. They swirl her characters - they swirl me - into an emotional maelstrom then deposit all of us, still, spent, changed, in the gentle swirl of waves lapping the shore in sunset's lambent light. That is the power - and the beauty - of this book.
This story is, in a word, enchanting. Other words also come to mind: immersive, uplifting, magical, welcoming, all-encompassing, romantic, transformative. I lost myself completely in these characters and their story, especially Harlow. I'm firmly convinced the Hacienda Estrada is in full bloom south of the border. J.C. Cervantes brought it, and her characters, vividly to life with exquisitely detailed descriptions that encouraged layers of visceral feelings within me to the surface. This was not just a reading; it was an experience.
An intensely compelling thriller that kept me reading into the wee hours of the night. With intriguing characters, edge-of-the-seat suspense, impeccably placed humor, emotional depth, and more twists than a two-lane mountain road, there was no way I was going to be able to put this one down until I turned the final page. If you enjoy twisty suspense, action, heart-tugging romance, quirky characters, and unexpected laughter, add this book to your reading list.
I gobbled up this book like a bag of Peanut M&M's after a 40-day fast. Would I want to be part of this dysfunctional (dare I say, murderous?) family of con artists in real life? Absolutely not! But, in the capable hands of HelenKay Dimon, and a fictional story I happily immersed myself in, I couldn't get enough of them. Moorewood Family Rules is quirky, twisty, cringey, laugh-out-loud fun.
Royal Caleva: Gabriel by Nancy Herkness
If you enjoy fast-paced books brimming with danger, emotional turmoil, mystery, heart-tugging romance, and complex characters you can't help but root for, do not miss Royal Caleva: Gabriel, book one of a new series by Nancy Herkness. I couldn't put it down and these characters - especially Gabriel - are still lingering in my mind months after I turned the final page.
Sleep No More may be the title of this Jayne Ann Krentz novel but it was also what happened to me once I turned to the first page and began reading. Krentz plunged me straight into the heart of the pulse-pounding action of this story and had me completely hooked before I reached page ten. And then she kept me hooked, guessing how it would all turn out, through unexpected twists and turns right up until the final scene. There would be no sleep for me until all of my questions were answered!
Honorable Mention:
Because they're too good to not be mentioned and I still think about them...
What were your favorite 2023 reads?
Three randomly chosen people who post a comment by 11:00 PM, December 30 will each receive a print book from my giveaway stash.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
I've read 110 books this year but picking favorites from that many is just too hard lol. I've been reading a variety of genres too so can't even pick that but yours looks like a wonderful list!
ReplyDeleteI read so many good books this year. Narrowing down the list was HARD!
DeleteThe Enemy Beside my by Naomi Ragen, The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer. Many novels whiich are unforgettable and captivating.
ReplyDeleteThe Paris Agent is on my TBR. I checked out The Enemy Beside Me on Amazon and - wow - that sounds like a real page turner.
DeleteI've read so many great books this year, but my three favorite ones are The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Sadeqa Johnson's books. The House of Eve is on my TBR. One of these days I'll get to Fourth Wing!
DeleteI have read so many great books this year, so it's hard to narrow them down! After a quick peek at my Goodreads list there are a few that have jumped out at me: Love & Saffron by Kim Fay, multiple books in the Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams, A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas, Arc of a Scythe series by Neal Shusterman, and probably the coziest book that I've ever read, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. I'm so thankful for books, they truly add so much to my life :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding more titles to my TBR! :)
DeleteI have read 136 books this year. Reading kept me in my right mind this year. I read quite a few books which were amazing for me. Some of the books y'all loved are some of the books I loved too. I think it would be easier if I said...Jayne Ann Krentz, Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery and Emily March all gave me a great deal of joy this past year. I would like to say thank you for what you do for me. I learn about new authors and new books and about who you are. I learn that y'all love books as much as I do. I hope that 2024 gives all of you exactly what you need to make life even better.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, that's a lot of books! Those four authors are among my favorites. I'm very excited to be going to a Robyn Carr book signing in January. I've met her in person before but it's been years since the last time. She's one of those authors who is just as warm and gracious in person as you would hope she would be.
DeleteI don't generally read non-fiction, but I found David Grann's The Wager to be an engrossing read. I caught up on all of Jenn McKinlay's Library Lover's Mystery books this year. I enjoyed all of them. I'm a big fan of Kate Morton's books and her most recent, Homecoming, was very good. I'm a fan of Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mystery series. I read Murder on Bedford Street this year. I have read all of her other books in previous years. I haven't read any of her Counterfeit Lady books. I would like to. I've read a lot of cozy mystery books--too many to list. I think I will leave it at this for now. I have many want to read books for the coming new year.
ReplyDeleteI love Jenn McKinlay's writing.
DeleteThank for this giveaway, Forget what you Know really piqued my interest; I read mostly contemp romance and often suspense. Love twists. I read so many good books this year: Malinda Martin Sleep In Heavenly Inn Peace series, Jane Porter - A Christmas Miracle for Daisy, Kristen Iten - Mending his Scars, (good series), Clara Pines - The Cowboy's Christmas Librarian and others in the series, Elana Johnson - The Day He series books, Annie Rains - Through the Snow Globe, Sheila Roberts - The Snow Globe, Lynette Austin - I've Got You Babe, Steve N Lee - As The Stars Fall (for dog lovers), Ira Hughes - The Christmas Bell, Jeannie Moon - her Compass series books, Tamara Ashenazi - One Day I'll Meet You, Elia Trent - The Christmas Miracle Bell, Vivian Porter - The Wishing Well, Tess Thompson - Come Tomorrow, Tom Grier - The Nimmy Nimmy Dance, Catherine Ryan Hyde - Allie & Bea, Annie Rains - The Good Luck Cafe, Rosie Walsh - The Love of my Life, Jane Porter - Oh, Christmas Night, Jane Porter - Flirting with the Beast, Annie Rains - The True Love Bookshop.
ReplyDeleteForget What You Know was so good. I love Dodd's suspense thrillers. She hooks me from the get-go and usually keeps me reading way past my bedtime. I think I finished that one around 3:00 AM. ;-)
DeleteThere are so many fantastic books and I didn't even get to all of the ones I wanted to read! Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey, Right Man, Right Time and He's Not My Type by Meghan Quinn, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman, Ashley Poston's The Dead Romantics and the Seven Year Slip, Hello Stranger by Katherine Center, Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez, The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren, Love Buzz by Neely Tubati Alexander.
ReplyDeleteOoh...more new titles to add to my reading list!
DeleteMeghan's hockey series is excellent. I would suggest reading them in order. And also, I would suggest reading Christina Lauren's The Soulmate Equation before The True Love Experiment. The audio is excellent. British hero in True Love. ;)
DeleteThis was a bad year for finding time to read. I usually read at least 4 books a month and was lucky if I managed to read every couple of months. The two books I read and enjoyed were Jane and Edward by Melodie Edwards and Mermaid Beach by Sheila Roberts. I certainly hope things calm down and I can read more of the great books I have waiting for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed Mermaid Beach. I really enjoyed that one.
DeleteI am hard pressed to pick favorites. I do thank you for giving me some new ones to read. I have not read either the Long or London book. Thanks for all the hard work you do!
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend Long and London. Both books are part of a series but can be enjoyed on their own.
DeleteI read and loved several of those titles and have others on my TBR.
ReplyDeleteA couple of my favorites are: Seaspoken by Sarah Delena White, High Stakes Blizzard by Rebecca Hopewell, Streets of Promise by Tracy Schuldt Helixon, Here Comes the Body by Maria Dirico, A Call for Kelp by Bree Braker, Her Secret Amish Match by Cathy Liggett, The English Breakfast Murder by Laura Childs, The Little Amish Matchmaker by Linda Byler, Murder at the Blueberry Festival by Darci Hannah, Archangel's Ressurection by Nalini Singh, The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs, Closely Harbored Secrets by Bree Baker and The Trouble with Turkeys by Kathi Daley are some of my favorites of 2023.
ReplyDeleteJulie Anne Long's How to Tame a Wild Rogue is currently on sale in e-book for only $1.99. Limited time sale.
ReplyDeleteSo many great books! I loved How To Tame A Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long, We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian, Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller, and Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron
ReplyDeleteReading is my escape especially this year. Impressive novels which were memorable. Homecoming by Kate Morton, The Book Spy by Alan Hlad, Shadows of Berlin, The Flight Girls. Happy New Year! Wishing you great health and happiness.
ReplyDelete