I honestly have reached a point where I read books from the
same authours, either to get through their back lists, or keep up with their
new releases. I still try out someone new, but it doesn’t happen as much as it
used to. That was a factor when I went to figure out my top reads of 2023,
there were several books by the same authours that I loved, so I decided I had
to pick my favourite
There is quite a selection here: fantasy, MM, DD/lg, womens
lit, fake dating, hockey, alien angels, and former service men. They deal with
prejudice, abuse, addiction, homophobia, disabilities, and PTSD. Not all were
new releases, some had been on my TBR, and made it out this year. They were the
stories that stuck with me, brought me into their world and took me along with
them, the ones that made me remember and think about the characters long after
the I finished. It wasn’t easy wheedling this list down, I started with over
20, but I ended up with these eight because I was immediately drawn back to
them time and time again. So, in no particular order, my top reads of 2023
The Rising by Kristen Ashley. I am crying just
thinking about this book as I write this. This is a fantasy read, a four book
story arc that ends with The Rising, the name of the series. It follows 4
couples, destined to be together, to save the world. It has a rich and full
cast of characters, and even more, side characters that are just as important
as our couples. I listened to it on audible, and each character has their own
narrator, with one narrator for the common story threads. Alternating POV’s,
flawed and broken, proud and strong, this whole cast will take you through a
myriad of emotions and situations. The audiobooks are only on audible, but the
ebooks are available everywhere and in Kobo Plus
https://www.tumblr.com/dargeereads/723646890710859776/the-rising-by-kristen-ashley?source=share
The Tragedy of Felix and Jake by J Daniels.
Don’t let the title turn you away, this is a heart wrenching story of two
addicts, trying to keep their lives together, while falling for each other. It
was smart, it was sexy, and it ran the gamut of emotions more than once. It
didn’t shy away from the struggles and pain, and the joy and the fun, that life
alternately gives to you, and depending on where you are, how it affects you. Ebook
available in KU
Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield. Kicking
myself on this one, because I had it on my TBR forever, and when I finally dove
in, I completely understood what all the fuss was about that I heard for years!
This is a workplace romance. This is a journey of self-acceptance for both our
hero and heroine, and the DD/lg dynamic they crave. Add in their age gap,
family drama, and possible conditioning elements, and there was a lot for them
to unpack, know themselves, and accept their desires. I listened to this with
Kobo Plus (with Australian actors narrating), and both the ebook and audio
books are available everywhere and in Kobo Plus
https://www.tumblr.com/dargeereads/731093735781318656/act-your-age-by-eve-dangerfield?source=share
The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader. When Molly
writes a story, I know she is taking me on a journey. This book covers the
friendship between two women, who take very different paths in life, yet, stay
connected throughout it all. It consumed me, my thoughts, my feelings, and all
my moments while I was listening to it, and, long after I finished. Not only do
we get our two friends, we get the daughters of one of them, as they try to
figure out the connection and why they didn’t know about the friendship. Available
everywhere in ebook and audio
https://dargeereads.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-sunshine-girls-by-molly-fader.html
Three to Get Ready by Skye Warren. This is the
third book in a trilogy, and what made it stand out for me was that everything
wasn’t wrapped up in a neat “life is wonderful” bow when it ended. There is an
HEA, there are two people deeply in love and living life, it is just life has
some adjustments and situations as a chronic disease is part of the package. Over
the course of the three books, which starts with fake dating, we learn more
about the strengths and weaknesses of our characters, as the maneuver in
uncharted waters. Audiobook available at audible and ebook in KU
https://www.tumblr.com/dargeereads/709405314767847424/three-to-get-ready-by-skye-warren?source=share
I’m Your Guy by Sarina Bowen. The irony of
this book, featuring a gay hockey player, is it came out during the real-life
ban of pride tape in the NHL. This book highlighted the homophobia the LGBTQ2+ players
would be presented with, and the scariness, of being able to be who you are, in
those conditions. Our main character has hidden who he is all his life,
conditioned by his family and society, to not rock the boat. It doesn’t mean he
wasn’t abused, ridiculed, or mocked, he just learned to accept it. His outside
persona doesn’t match his inner turmoil, which skewers peoples perceptions. When
he can’t hold back his feelings or actions, he becomes even more conflicted. Loved
how it worked through it all, without fanfare or comment, just deciding to live
his life. Audiobook available at audible, ebook available everywhere and in
Kobo Plus
https://www.tumblr.com/dargeereads/730827495442710528/im-your-guy-by-sarina-bowen?source=share
Elija by Eve Langlais. I love how Eve can take
preconceived notions of religion and turn it on its’ head! Her space angels
series, Elyon’s Warriors, is a serious take on that, with devoted angels to
heavens cause, with a twist. Elija was the one book that I loved a little bit
more than the rest, though they all were on my top list. For a bit of a
paranormal/alien/angel story, with all of our angels finding love with a human
woman, you need to check this series out! Ebooks and audiobooks available
everywhere. Ebooks in Kobo Plus and audiobook available in Everand
https://www.tumblr.com/dargeereads/726479530406084608/elija-by-eve-langlais?source=share
Deserving Henley by Susan Stoker. The series, The
Refuge, is all about having a safe place for people suffering from PTSD to go
and be themselves. Deserving Henley takes one of the owners who is the most
reclusive, and letting him be himself. That was what made the book for me, he
didn’t need to change, he just needed to have a life that worked for him. Audiobook
available at audible and ebook available everywhere and in Kobo Plus
https://www.tumblr.com/dargeereads/705175332475584512/deserving-henley-by-susan-stoker?source=share
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