Spring is the perfect time to refresh your reading list with stories that feel light, hopeful, and just a little bit escapist. Whether you’re in the mood for swoony romances, charming cozy mysteries, or a few thrillers that add a twist of chaos to all the sunshine, this list has something for every reading mood.

These spring reads lean into fresh starts, small towns, travel, and seasonal charm—with just enough drama to keep things interesting.

🌷 Romance Picks

The Bodyguard — Katherine Center

A sunshiney, laugh out loud romance featuring fake dating, lovable characters, and a heartfelt emotional core. This one is equal parts funny and tender, with a story that feels like it’s meant to be a rom com movie.

Check it out here

A Novel Love Story — Ashley Poston

A whimsical, bookish romance where a woman finds herself inside a fictional town from her favorite series. Charming, magical, and deeply rooted in the love of stories.

Check it out here

What Happens in Amsterdam — Rachel Lynn Solomon

A fresh start abroad turns into a marriage of convenience with an ex, blending travel, second chances, and emotional growth into a romantic and engaging story.

Check it out here

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie — Rachel Linden

A reflective and uplifting story about second chances, following a woman who gets to experience the life she didn’t choose. Thoughtful, magical, and perfect for a fresh start season.

Check it out here

🫖 Cozy Mysteries

Live and Let Chai — Bree Baker

Set in a seaside town, this cozy mystery follows a tea shop owner who becomes the prime suspect in a murder. Light, charming, and filled with small town vibes.

Check it out here

Arsenic and Adobo — Mia P. Manansala

A food focused cozy mystery with humor and heart, where a woman must solve a murder after a food critic drops dead in her family’s restaurant.

Check it out here

Murder at the Lemonberry Tea — Darci Hannah

A lakeside bakeshop setting, a celebrity chef, and a deadly twist make this a perfect seasonal cozy with strong spring to summer vibes.

Check it out here

Toxic Toffee — Amanda Flower

A spring festival, a small town setting, and a poisoned treat create a fun and festive mystery with just the right amount of intrigue.

Check it out here

🌿🔪 Thrillers (Spring… but make it unhinged)

Not in your soft, sunshiney era? These bring the drama.

The Hunting Wives — May Cobb

A scandalous, addictive thriller filled with toxic friendships, obsession, and secrets set against a lush Southern backdrop.

Check it out here

The Villa — Rachel Hawkins

A glamorous Italian getaway with a dark past, told through dual timelines full of secrets, betrayal, and a haunting history.

Check it out here

Whether you’re in the mood for romance, cozy mysteries, or something a little more chaotic, spring is the perfect time to mix things up and explore new reads.

Let me know your current reading mood—are you in your romance, cozy, or chaos era?

Goodreads

Release date: April 14, 2026

Publisher: Gallery

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

From USA TODAY bestselling author Chloe Liese, a clever and heartwarming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Annabel Monaghan about two best friends who must fake a relationship for their exes.

Thea and Alex have three things in common—they love food, they hate where they live, and they’re both divorced. Otherwise, they couldn’t be more different.

Thea’s never cooked a day in her life. Alex is a world-class chef. Alex resents feeling stuck in his hometown. Thea resents the town for not feeling more like home. Thea and her ex are in a contentious custody battle for their dog. Alex and his ex amicably coparent their daughter. Beyond a few friends in common, a couple small-world connections (welcome to life in a mid-size city), their lives look nothing alike. Fast forward two years, and they’re truly the best of friends. No one would ever know their friendship began as a lie…

Two years ago, their exes got together immediately following their divorces, and somehow, Thea and Alex found themselves spinning a spite-fueled story about being old friends and first loves. Two years later, what began as a ruse has grown into real friendship—just friendship, despite what friends and family seem to think. But when their exes invite them on a two-week, “two family” beach vacation—daughter and dog included—Alex and Thea start to wonder if this story they’ve spun might have gotten away from them, and if it’s led them to the last place they ever thought it could: a happy ending.

Review:

Happy Ending by Chloe Liese is  the kind of romance that quietly sneaks up on you and then completely owns your heart. This is a slow

burn, friends to lovers story that leans heavily into emotional intimacy, shared history, and the kind of connection that feels both effortless and deeply earned. Told through past and present timelines, the story beautifully builds the foundation of Alex and Thea’s relationship—starting from a messy, spite fueled fake backstory and evolving into something so genuine and meaningful it’s impossible not to root for them.

What really makes this book shine is how character driven it is. Alex and Thea feel like real people navigating real life baggage; divorce, complicated exes, feeling stuck, and figuring out what “home” even means. Their friendship is the heart of the story, and it’s written with so much care and tenderness. You can feel the trust, the safety, the slow shift from platonic love to something deeper. It’s swoony in a soft, grounded way—more about lingering glances and emotional vulnerability than big dramatic moments.

This is a mature, heartfelt romance that prioritizes growth, healing, and connection. The beach vacation setting adds just enough tension to push everything to the surface, but it never overshadows what matters most: Alex and Thea choosing each other in a way that feels intentional and real. Sweet, charming, and deeply endearing, this is one of those romances where you want to wrap both characters in a blanket and protect them at all costs.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

March felt like a transition month in the best way — a little bit of everything, but with spring slowly starting to sneak in. I found myself reaching for lighter reads, small town settings, popcorn thrillers and especially cozy mysteries (which I fully cannot get enough of right now). It’s been such a fun, comfort reading kind of season.

If you missed anything this month, here’s a quick catch up, plus what I’ve been reading, listening to, and watching lately.

ICYMI: March Highlights

March Book Recommendations

A little bit of everything — from cozy escapes to emotional reads and addictive thrillers.

→ Read the full list here

Full March Reading Recap

I had a strong month that had a slow start but then had a bunch of 5 stars in a row!

(Insert link once it’s live)

→ Read the full list here

Spring Break

I also shared a spring break recap filled with bookstore browsing, life lately moments, and a little peek into the balance of reading and real life.

→ See the post here

A Few of My Favorite March Reads

The Me I Used to Be by Kristan Higgins

A beautifully layered, character driven story about friendship, grief, and the lasting impact of the past. Told through dual timelines, this follows four former best friends as they reunite and confront the secrets that changed everything. It’s emotional, thoughtful, and incredibly moving, with just enough warmth and humor to balance the heavier themes. The kind of book that stays with you — and would make an excellent book club pick.

→ Read the full review here

Ryder by Jessica Peterson

Cowboy romance will always have me, and this delivered. Brother’s best friend, friends to lovers, small town, and a bold heroine who goes after what she wants? Say less.

This was emotional, spicy, and full of tension, and the audiobook absolutely elevated the experience — the accents, the chemistry, everything just worked. A perfect final book in the series, and I’m already fully invested in what’s coming next.

→ Read the full review here

Story Lake Series by Lucy Score

Story of My Life

A chaotic, cozy romcom that fully leans into its charm. Think small town antics, quirky residents, and a romance author heroine living out her own messy storyline. It’s funny, heartfelt, and packed with found family vibes — pure comfort reading.

Mistakes Were Made

Such a fun return to Story Lake. Opposites attract, messy in the best way, with great banter, tension, and emotional payoff. I read these back to back and had the best time and this series is officially a comfort read obsession.

Currently Reading / Listening / Watching

• Reading: Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass — fast paced, dramatic, and already pulling me in. Picture a seemingly perfect lake community unraveling after a shocking act of violence… and secrets everywhere.

• Listening: The Hayley Powell series by Lee Hollis — cozy, foodie mysteries set in a small Maine town. Think lobster bakes, small town drama, and murder mixed with humor. I’m having so much fun with these.

• Watching: Summer House on Bravo — I’ve been here since day one and this current drama?? I cannot look away. The West and Amanda situation is wild, and I’m firmly Team Ciara forever. Some of my fave accounts giving updates are facereality16 Bravohistorian and Queensofbravo if you wanna follow the mess.

What’s Next

Very much in my mood reading era right now, but you can definitely expect more seasonal content as we move into spring.

On my radar:

• a spring reads guide (coming soon)

• themed stacks and cozy mystery roundups

• more quick hit rec carousels when I find a new favorite

⸻

Thank you for being here — whether you’re reading every post or just checking in when something catches your eye. I appreciate it more than you know 💕

Goodreads

Release date: April 7, 2026

Publisher: Knopf

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

A traditional American woman, a beautiful wife and mother who sells her pioneer lifestyle of raw milk and farm-fresh eggs to her millions of social media followers, suddenly awakens cold, filthy, and terrified in the brutal reality of 1805—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel.

My name was Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive.

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the Republican equivalent of a Kennedy? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. And The Angry Women? The privileged, Ivy League, coastal elite haters who call her an antifeminist iconoclast? They’re sick with jealousy. Because Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it.

Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a brutal reality show? Could it really be time travel? Is she being tested by God? By Satan? When Natalie suffers a brutal injury in the woods, she realizes two things: This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible.

A gripping, electrifying novel that is as darkly funny as it is frightening, Yesteryear is a gimlet-eyed look at tradition, fame, faith, and the grand performance of womanhood.

Review:

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is one of those buzzy pre publication reads that immediately makes sense once you’re in it—and just as quickly explains why it’s been so polarizing. This is not a comfortable novel, nor is it trying to be. With a premise that hooks you instantly, (Natalie, a hyper curated tradwife influencer, waking up in what appears to be the brutal reality of the 1800s)the story wastes no time pulling you into a disorienting, unsettling unraveling. I was completely locked in, desperate to understand what was happening, even as the narrative grew darker and more unsettling with each page.

What makes this book so compelling (and divisive) is Natalie herself. She is not likable, not particularly self aware, and often deeply frustrating—but she is endlessly fascinating. If you need to connect with or root for your main character, this may not work for you. But if you’re drawn to sharp character studies, Natalie is a case you won’t be able to look away from. Through her, the author digs into heavy, layered themes: motherhood, marriage, religion, identity, the performance of womanhood, and the commodification of “tradition” through social media. The exploration of influencer culture—especially involving children and curated domesticity—feels especially pointed, and at times, genuinely disturbing.

At its core, Yesteryear is a biting, darkly funny, and at times outright bleak dissection of tradwife culture and modern American identity. Burke examines these cultural pockets with a razor sharp lens, exposing both the allure and the rot underneath. It’s uncomfortable, provocative, and will absolutely not land the same way for every reader, but for me, it was completely absorbing. The kind of book that leaves you unsettled, thinking, and maybe even a little horrified long after you’ve finished.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: April 7, 2026

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

From the author of Partners in Crime, comes a sparkling new adventure rom-com where a con woman and a lawman team up on an epic cross-country road trip to save their families…and each other. 

Sejal Chaudhary inherited her mama’s calculating brain, her daddy’s quick fingers, and the boatload of trauma that comes with being the eldest daughter of criminals. Although Sejal has never claimed to be a good girl, she’s spent the last couple years laying low and going (mostly) straight. That is, until a con gone wrong sends her into the arms of a handsome stranger who’s set on dragging her back into her messy family drama.

Krish Anand never mastered the fine art of being a bad boy…he would take a book over bullets any day. But when his FBI agent brother goes missing, he has no choice but to suit up for the adventure of a lifetime. Certain that someone in Sejal’s little crime family is behind the disappearance, a desperate Krish manages to convince the beautiful thief that his brother’s badge is actually his. 

The deal is simple: help him find his brother, and Krish and the law will leave Sejal be. With an up-to-no-good ex also hot on her trail, Sejal reluctantly agrees. As they wind their way across the country on planes, buses, and automobiles, sparks ignite, and what began as a fragile temporary truce starts to look more and more like a partnership. 

Falling for the enemy? So cliche, but so good…if only they can survive long enough to chance a happily ever after.

TROPES

Enemies-to-Lovers
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Love
Adventure Rom-Com

Review:

Enemies to Lovers by Alisha Rai delivers a fresh, high energy twist on the rom com space by leaning into adventure without tipping fully into romantic suspense. This was such a fun surprise, think action packed and chaotic in the best way, but still grounded in banter, chemistry, and emotional payoff. The story follows Sejal and Krish, two layered, secretive characters whose complicated pasts make them instantly intriguing. Their forced partnership sets the stage for a fiery dynamic that slowly reveals unexpected depth, and watching that shift unfold is where the magic really happens.

What stood out most is how seamlessly the story balances tone. It has moments of real tension and danger, but never feels heavy—instead, it keeps things playful, zany, and fast moving, especially with the road trip element adding a sense of unpredictability. The slow burn romance works beautifully here, fueled by sharp banter, undeniable chemistry, and just enough spice to keep things sizzling. Sejal and Krish both have compelling reasons for their guardedness, which makes their emotional progression feel earned rather than rushed.

Also worth noting: this reads perfectly well as a standalone, even though it’s technically the second in a series. If you’re looking for something that sits in that sweet spot between rom com and light adventure—with a little chaos, a little danger, and a lot of sparks—this one absolutely delivers.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 15, 2026

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

At a high school reunion, old secrets and heartbreaking truths come to light for four estranged friends in a poignant, humorous and bittersweet novel by a New York Times bestselling author.

Audrey, Micah, Jasmine and Beck—the lucky one, the beautiful one, the smart one, the sporty one—are called the Core Four. Full of promise, laughter and loyalty, they promise to be best friends forever. But the night after graduation, they’re in a devastating accident, and the friendship that seemed unbreakable is shattered.

Twenty-five years later, the four women agree to reunite for their high school reunion. None of them is where they hoped to be way back when, and all have scars and secrets. But for one, the diagnosis of early-onset dementia means this is the last chance to revisit their once-golden friendship.

Over the weekend, they’ll come to terms with that tragic accident, as well as the dreams and realities of their lives. Can they forgive each other and peel away those secrets? Is there anything left of that old friendship? After all these years, it’s time to see if the Core Four can come together once more.

Review:

The Me I Used to Be by Kristan Higgins is a beautifully layered, character driven story that perfectly captures why she remains such a standout voice in contemporary fiction. Blending her signature humor with deeply poignant themes, this novel explores friendship, family, grief, and the complicated ways the past continues to shape who we become. Through dual timelines that move seamlessly between past and present, Higgins crafts a narrative that feels both intimate and expansive, drawing you into the lives of four former best friends whose bond was once unbreakable.

Set against the backdrop of a twenty five year reunion, the story slowly unravels long buried secrets and unresolved heartbreak, revealing how one tragic night altered the course of their lives forever. The shifting timelines are handled with care, making the pacing feel compelling and immersive rather than disjointed. Each character is richly developed, carrying their own regrets, losses, and quiet hopes, and the emotional weight of their shared history builds steadily as the story unfolds. It’s incredibly moving—at times devastating—but balanced with moments of warmth, connection, and even levity that keep it from feeling overwhelmingly heavy.

The ending is both heartbreaking and perfect, the kind that leaves you sitting in your feelings long after you’ve turned the final page. Fans of Pack Up the Moon will find similar emotional depth here, as Higgins once again delivers a story that is as thought provoking as it is tear inducing. This is the kind of novel that begs to be discussed, making it an ideal pick for book clubs, there’s so much to unpack about friendship, forgiveness, and whether the past can ever truly be left behind. A truly beautiful, unforgettable read—even if you’ll likely be sobbing through parts of it.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.