Mini Book Reviews – July 2025
Mini Book Reviews – July 2025: What To Read & What To Skip
Welcome to my regular round up of mini book reviews of what I’ve read this past month! It has been a fantastic month, full of incredible books, including possibly my favorite book of the year so far!?
In my list of mini book reviews, 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 July 2025 mini book reviews.
*Disclosure – I earn a small commission for any items purchased through the links below at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my book blog!!
Mini Book Reviews – July 2025
Physical Books:
The Lost Book Of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne
This novel is a blend of women’s fiction and romance, about two women navigating a family secret. Plus, it’s set on a breathtaking ranch in Wyoming! This is a perfect summer read if you want an escape to the mountains. After her literary icon of a father dies, Alison discovers that she has a biological sister. She gets hired as June’s intern to try to get to know her, but ends up saving her life when June has a cardiac event.
Ali convinces June to take a much needed break and come to stay on her ranch, but still hasn’t broken the news about their connection. Over the next few weeks and months, the two opposites find friendship and maybe even love. This is the definition of heartwarming! I loved seeing June reevaluate her workaholic tendencies, find peace, and slowly open herself up to romance. Meanwhile Alison’s story about trying to find her path in life and her changing relationship with her childhood friend was just as fun!
I highly recommend this if you’re looking for a sweet summer novel with a hint of romance and a literary twist!! 4.5 Stars | Buy From Amazon
Roll For Romance by Lenora Woods
I know a Dungeons and Dragons themed romance isn’t going to be for everyone, but I absolutely adored this! The cover is so cute and whimsical too! It is a cute contemporary romance, but includes the fantasy element that sets it apart.
After Sadie loses her job in New York City, she escapes to Texas to spend the summer with her best friend Liam. Looking for something to lift her spirits, she reluctantly joins his Dungeons & Dragons group and steps into the role of Jaylie, a human cleric with divine luck. When a new player joins their game, Jaylie is swept away by the bard’s charms. And in real life, Sadie seems to be falling under the bard’s player, Noah’s, spell. As their in‑game chemistry mirrors their real-world connection, Sadie begins to hope her luck has finally turned around.
The D&D sections and the real life romance are equally entrancing! Sadie and Noah are pulled in opposite directions as the summer draws to an end and have to decide if they’re willing to take a chance on each other. 4.5 Stars | Buy From Amazon
AudioBooks:
As always, I recommend using Libro.fm if you’re an audiobook listener!! Libro.fm directly supports indie bookstores, but costs the same as Amazon’s Audible! You can get TWO audiobooks for only $15 with my link and code CHOOSEINDIE.
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This is one of those books that will stay with me for a very long time. I was BLOWN AWAY by it, completely taken by surprise at how invested I got in these characters. Absolutely masterful writing from TJR!
The story follows Joan, one of the first female astronauts at NASA as she endures training, finds her place in this world, and unexpectedly finds a love she never thought was possible. Intermixed with this narrative is Joan’s experience one day when she was assigned as the CapCom for the current mission. A disaster occurs and Joan finds herself fighting with her team to bring the astronauts, her friends, home safely.
This is both a thriller and a romance, all wrapped up in a beautiful love letter to the stars. It is incredibly emotional in all the best ways, as you experience heartbreak and terror and joy right alongside these characters. This book will change you. I guarantee it. 5 Stars | Buy From Amazon
Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
The narrator is honestly incredible. She incorporates buckets of emotion into the story – it’s so impressive. Especially since the main character, Lenny, is an absolute mess as she tries to just survive after the loss of her best friend.
Lenny takes a short term nannying job for an overworked mom and her adorable, quirky daughter, Ainsley. Unfortunately, Ainsley’s grumpy uncle keeps hanging around. Miles eventually gets Lenny to open up about her grief after he reveals he’s also dealt with a significant loss. He offers to help her basically survive these first few months if she will help him connect with Ainsley. It turns out his severe, stoic demeanor is hiding an insecure man who desperately wants to be a part of this family.
I can’t wait to see where the rest of the story goes – Cara Bastone tackles the worst parts of grief head on. As well as the complexities of families and kids and how difficult they can be to navigate.
This is one where you’ll absolutely get lost in the story and laugh and cry along with the characters. There’s so much humor alongside the grief, making this a book you won’t be able to put down.| 4.5 Stars | Buy From Amazon
eBooks:
Maid For Each Other by Lynn Painter
Lynn Painter is a go-to author for me and her newest is another hit! It’s a play on Pretty Woman, with a rich man and a working girl. I adore a good rom-com retelling, so this was right up my alley. It is simply delightful – the banter between Abi and Declan is so fun!
Abi is juggling grad school and her cleaning job when a pest problem forces her out of her apartment. With nowhere to go, she secretly spends the night at the luxe penthouse of one of her wealthiest clients, Declan Powell—a swoony tech heir with his own messy schedule and zero idea she’s crashing at his place. When Declan’s parents arrive unexpectedly and assume Abi is his girlfriend, the two are thrown into a fake-dating scheme to maintain the lie.
As Abi and Declan play the part of a couple, sparks begin to fly despite their different worlds—hers full of struggle, his built on privilege. What starts as a convenient arrangement soon morphs into something more complicated and heartfelt, forcing both of them to question what they want from life and each other. 4.5 Stars | Buy From Amazon
Love Among Vines by Madison Score
Did you know this is Lucy Score’s sister!? This is my first book by Madison and I’m hooked! Jade is on a bachelorette trip for her best friend (who happens to be getting married to her ex…). When she starts chatting with the owner of one of the wineries they visit, they realize they can help each other out.
She would love nothing more than showing up to the wedding with a hot new date and he needs a girlfriend to finally stop his parents matchmaking attempts. Rett also realizes that Jade desperately needs someone in her corner, so while they’re “faking” a few dates, he also plans to show her how she actually deserves to be treated.
It’s so sweet how he listens to her and anticipates her needs. I loved the side story about her artistic career and her renewed ability to create as well! The writing is snappy, the chemistry is spicy and the setting is simply gorgeous! I highly recommend giving this a try for summer! 4 Stars | Buy From Amazon
For more mini book reviews, check out What I Read in May 2025!
Atmosphere gave me all the feels. I listened to the audio, and it was perfect! I just wish I could read it again for the first time, but I got a physical copy to reread parts that I loved.
I also have Promise Me Sunshine on my Kindle. Can’t wait to get to that one.