August 2021 Book Recommendations
August 2021 Book Recommendations: What to Read & What to Skip
Welcome to my regular round up of mini book reviews for my August 2021 book recommendations! Included in these quick lit recaps are two new romance releases from August that I adored and highly suggest pre-ordering. There’s also a family drama that I expected to be slow (and boring??) but enthralled me from start to finish!
In my list of August 2021 book recommendations, I include everything I’ve read recently that I finished. I like to share both my five star reads and any misses to help you get a better idea of what you should read or might want to skip.
As always, I love to hear if you agree or disagree with my ratings! Let me know in the comments what you thought of my August 2021 book recommendations.
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August 2021 Book Recommendations
Physical Books:
We Are The Brennans
by Tracey Lange
This Book Of The Month (try it for $5!) selection caught my eye because of the Irish ties – an Irish family drama about a group of siblings brought back together after a near tragedy. I never expected to be absolutely enthralled in the lives of this family! Simple, but powerful writing made this whole story feel entirely authentic. It is an absolute must read!
Sunday wakes up in the hospital after a drunk driving accident and realizes there’s no one left in her life to turn to except her older brother. When he persuades her to come back home, she discovers just how much she’s missed over the past few years.
While she’s figuring out how to fit back in, her brother Danny is struggling with marital problems and keeping the family bar afloat. When financial issues and a person from the past threaten the bar, they all must start to divulge secrets that have been kept hidden far too long.
5 Stars | Amazon | Bookshop.org
The Dating Playbook
by Farrah Rochon
This was one of my most anticipated romance new releases of 2021, since I adored The Boyfriend Project last year. Luckily, it lived up to every expectation! I can’t say I ever expected to adore a football-related romance, but here we are 🙂
Taylor is passionate about fitness, but she’s struggling to turn that passion into revenue for her personal training business. A chance of a lifetime to get a former NFL player back into the game is exactly what she needs. But she’ll have to keep her crush on him completely under wraps if she hopes to turn this opportunity into legitimate exposure.
This story contains all the delightful banter and strong female energy that I’ve learned to count on from Farrah!
4.5 Stars | Amazon | Bookshop.org
Battle Royal
by Lucy Parker
Tell me, is there anything better than a dessert-themed romance novel? I’m willing to fight off suggestions in the comments! Battle Royal has everything I could possibly want: a competition that suspiciously mimics the all time best Great British Bake Off, a royal wedding cake, and rival bakers turned lovers!
Now, I’m not always a fan of the enemies to lovers trope, but this romance was handled with care and respect. These two actually developed a real foundation to turn their enmity into something more. And I ate up every minute of it 😉
*True confession – I actually dislike the cover? The two pictured are nothing like what I imagined in my head! Alas, all covers can’t be picture perfect!
4.5 Stars | Amazon | Bookshop.org
Save For Later!
eBooks (reading from Netgalley / Library):
All Your Twisted Secrets
by Diana Urban
A rare thriller book is making an appearance on my list this month! A group of high schoolers is trapped in a room and forced to make some impossible decisions to save their lives. As time ticks down, the true nature of the relationships between them all are revealed. And when death is on the line, it doesn’t take long for chaos to take over.
For what this is, I surprisingly enjoyed it! The story jumps back and forth between the months and days leading up to the event and the minutes ticking away in the room. I was engrossed reading about the different characters and how they got to where they are.
Ultimately, the whole concept is a bit far-fetched, but take my rating with a grain a salt since I generally don’t enjoy these books haha! It was a solid read for me!
3.5 Stars | Amazon | Bookshop.org
Love Scenes
by Bridget Morrissey
I’m writing up this mini book review two weeks after finishing this book and I’m STRUGGLING to remember what even happened. The fact that nothing really sticks out probably says all you need to know!
Hollywood fans will appreciate this love story that takes place on a movie set. Sloane is given a last minute chance to work on set solely because her family is producing and directing the historical film. Alas, a former co-star who she detests is the male lead. Various drama ensues, family, career, and love all included.
Truthfully, this book was fine but not one I can recommend as worth the time!
3 Stars | Amazon | Bookshop.org
AudioBooks:
The Off-Limits Rule
by Sarah Adams
Sarah Adams’ cute covers have caught my eye on bookstagram for ages, but it wasn’t until I was browsing Hoopla for another audiobook that I finally decided to give one a try.
The Off-Limits Rule stars a single mom who returns home to give herself a fresh start. Right off the bat, she discovers her brother’s former roommate is insanely attractive and actually a decent guy. Naturally, they both know her brother would flip out if anything happened, so they keep things entirely friend-zone only…for as long as possible.
The tension build up between Lucy and Cooper was scrumptious! It was thrilling and exasperating to read how they danced around their feelings, but all worth it in the end. The bits with Lucy’s son were also authentic and adorable, adding a lovely dimension to this relationship!
As a bonus, it’s currently free with Kindle Unlimited (which you can try free for 30 days)!!
4 Stars | Amazon | Bookshop.org
If you’d like to track and analyze your reading, check out my Reading Tracker!
What was the best book you read recently?
For more mini book reviews, check out What I Read in July 2021!
I skipped this past month for BOTM because I have so many unread selections, but We Are the Brennans would probably have been my selection. It may need to be an add-on or library borrow someday because you’re not the first to share your great enjoyment of it.