April 2025 Book Roundup
Hello, bookish friends. It's time for another book roundup! This month, I actually read a physical book for the first time in months. What a concept! As always, if you go to my 2025 Reading List on Bookshop.Org and buy something, I'll get some sort of kick-back for being an influencer.
The Love of My Afterlife (Kirsty Greenwood)
Rating: 4.75 ⭐️
Genre: Romance, Magical Realism/Fantasy
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libby
Summary: Delphie suddenly appears in what seems to be an overly-bright laundromat with a very perky woman who tells her that, sorry, she's dead and this is the place where she waits to move on. A very attractive man suddenly pops in and they feel an instant connection; thing is, he's not meant to be there so he soon pops out. After begging, her host allows her to return to Earth for only 30 days and, should she find that mystery man and he kisses her, she can stay. Otherwise, back to the waiting room to determine her fate. Oh, and it'll be hard because 1) he won't remember ever having met her and 2) they both live in NYC.
Mini Review: While being focused on death, this is a pretty light read. I actually put this on a slightly faster speed than I'd normally be comfortable with so I could find out what happens next. Will she find him? Will they still have chemistry? How in the world can she convince him to kiss her? And why is her waiting room host so energetic?
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Likely re-read
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love (Lex Croucher)
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Romance, historial fiction
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libby
Summary: Gwen and Art are not in love, though they have been betrothed to each other since they were babies. Their families decide it's finally time for them to marry but, again, they're not in love. Thing is, neither prefers the opposite sex. Can they figure out a way to make their families happy while being with the ones they actually have romantic feelings for?
Mini Review: After you get past how annoyingly childish Art can be, this is a sweet story of finding a way to love against obstacles.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend for fans of LBTQ romances looking for a historical approach
The Alchemy of Moonlight (David Ferraro)
Rating: 4 ⭐️
Genre: Fantasy, historical, romance
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libro.fm
Summary: Emile has a decision to make: marry before his next birthday or miss out on the family inheritance. He decides to run away to a mansion in another part of France, pretending to be a servant and not a Lord. There's something very wrong with the people that live there, staff and family alike, especially when it's a full moon.
Mini Review: You probably can guess what exactly the family and staff are dealing with but this is an amusing enough story you watch Emile try to hide his real identify while trying to figure out what's wrong with everyone while also trying not to give in and sleep with the young Lord.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend but with the caveat that there's not much of a twist coming (or that you'll guess it way before the main character does)
A Marvellous Light (Freya Marske)
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Fantasy, romance, historial
How I Read It: Audiobook with libro.fm
Summary: Robin takes a new job to try to save his family's estate which is nearly out of money. Turns out, the "special office" of the Home Department is the one that makes sure the secret that magic exists doesn't get out. He's got to deal with the mysterious disappearance of his predecessor, a boss that seems to want him to disappear..and some weird visions of what may be his future?
Mini Review: It took me a little while to get into this book, I'll admit. Perhaps too many details up front? Eventually, it pulled me in and I wanted to see where the story lead us. I knew it was a romance before starting but there's several possible men for Robin to wind up with and I kept having to change my guess.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend but would caution the reader that it may take a few chapters to get into
Note: This is the first book in the series, though I haven't yet continued said series. Perhaps a bit telling that I didn't immediately get my hands on the next book.
Deep End (Ali Hazelwood)
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Genre: Romance (make sure you check out the content warnings!)
How I Read It: Physical book!
Summary: Scarlett is a pre-med student and also on the college's dive team; Lukas is a swimmer on the team who just broke up with Scarlett's best friend after years of being together. Turns out, their preferences in the bedroom align perfectly so her friend recommends they use each other to blow off steam. As Scarlett navigates recovery from an injury (mostly mental at this point) and pre-med, Lukas is dealing with the pressures of returning to represent Sweden in the Olympics with his own dream of going to medical school in the future.
Mini Review: This was my first book that ever focused on a power dynamics sexual element. It was interesting enough that I read whenever I had the time to pick up the book but I won't be seeking out any similar books. I felt I wanted much more about the emotional side of their relationship which Ali usually delivers.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend if someone fully understands the content warnings and wants to read a book with some of those themes (or who likes the take on the characters being elite athletes)
Happily Never After (Lynn Painter)
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Romance
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libby
Summary: Turns out, there's a market for people to stand up at weddings and object to the union on behalf of one of the people being married. Maybe she found out he cheated and wants to humiliate him? Maybe both just aren't ready to be married but don't know how to tell their parents? Sophie and Max can help - they'll even let you name the price.
Mini Review: I liked this new take on strangers-to-lovers (they meet at Sophie's wedding when Max was hired by a friend to object). Seeing how each couple handled the objection was amusing.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend for people in their 20s/30s who are seemingly going to weddings every weekend in the summer and want something to chuckle to themselves about when the "does anyone object?" line is spoken
A Vile Season (David Ferraro)
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Fantasy, romance
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libro.fm
Summary: Lucas is given a task by the Lord of Vampires: pretend to be one of the suitors vying for the hand of a Duke and work to figure out who amongst the aristocracy are actually vampire hunters. Along the way, he makes new friends amongst the Duke's family and suitors.
Mini Review: I agree with how the book is characterized in its marketing: Bridgerton meets The Bachelor. You'd also have to add in monsters, a bisexual bachelor, and not nearly so many manipulations by those running the contest.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend for a somewhat cheesy, period romance with some vampires thrown in
A Gentlemen's Gentleman (T.J. Alexander)
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Historial fiction, romance
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libby
Summary: Christopher decides its time he finally finds himself a wife though he quite enjoys hanging out with his staff over anyone else who is landed gentry, prefers men, and isn't quite your average man. As he begins to enter the season, he gives in to his butler's recommendation to finally have a valet who is very particular about how a gentleman must comport himself. The two get to know one another slowly but surely and realize they have fan more in common than they realized.
Mini Review: Liked this historical take on a trans-for-trans romance and, bonus, it's also written by a non-binary person.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend for anyone who wants to read a T4T story in a historical setting or who isn't new to T4T but hasn't read outside of contemporary stories
Chef's Choice (T.J. Alexander)
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Romance, Fiction
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libby.fm
Summary: Luna decides to say yes when a very attractive Frenchman asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend for a short phone call with his grandfather (he'll pay handsomely!). Unfortunately, his grandfather is a very famous celebrity chef and their little lie quickly gets out of hand, eventually leading to Luna promising to help JP re-created his grandfather's complicated menu. She'll get $100 grand out of the deal and he'll get, if he's successful, access to his inheritance and (maybe / finally) his grandfather's approval. Too bad neither of them can barely cook.
Mini Review: It was fun to be back in the same universe as Chef's Kiss which I'd read back in December. (Yes, this is technically a sequel.) I'll be honest that the characters both got one my nerves at different points but their story is cute enough that I wanted to get back to it every time I had to take a break from it.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend for another T4T story, this one contemporary
Triple Sec (T.J. Alexander)
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Romance, Fiction
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libro.fm
Summary: Mel, a bartender at a fancy cocktail bar, meets the beautiful Bebe and they enjoy some flirting. Soon, though, Bebe's spouse, Kade, walks in. Was Mel taking the wrong hint or..? Turns out, they have an open marriage and Bebe would like to date Mel, with Kade's blessing. Thing is, Kade eventually comes to have feelings for Mel, too.
Mini Review: Yes, I went and read basically all of the T.J. Alexander back catalog. I was really feeling their writing. This was my first book about a poly relationship and I love their writing..but not reading about a poly relationship. I will never, ever yuck someone's yum who's into that sort of thing but, I'm good. It's a lot of people to keep happy and feelings are complicated and, yeah.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend for a first book about the poly romance lifestyle that I've heard is pretty accurate, at least if you're very wealthy like two of the three main characters