My 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge: March - April

Wild Side by Elsie Silver

I'd always dreamed of my wedding day. But not like this. Not looking into the eyes of the man who betrayed me. But when my nephew's guardianship is contested, I decide I'll do whatever it takes to keep him in Rose Hill. Even if it means marrying the enemy. Rhys Dupris. However, he's not at all who I thought he was. And that makes hating my husband so much harder and loving him just a little too easy.

This was a unique concept and one that I hadn’t read before. There was also some nice tension between them and it dealt with heavier themes while giving us a solid slow burn. I also had no idea that a professional wrestler MMC would draw me in like it did, but I did grow up watching the WWE, so should I be surprised? As a sucker for a marriage of convenience, there wasn’t that same reluctance that there normally is from one of the parties. I also didn’t fully understand how them getting married really resolved the whole custody agreement. And once they started sleeping together, Milo essentially disappeared, which was a shame. But I am 100% seated for book four.

Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

If everyone was eating human meat, would you? Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans - only no one calls them that. He works with numbers, consignments, processing. One day, he's given a specimen of the finest quality. He leaves her tied up in an outhouse, a problem to be disposed of later. But she haunts Marcos. Her trembling body, and watchful gaze, seem to understand. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost - and what might still be saved.

This was shocking for the sake of being shocking and way too on the nose for me. While I appreciated the way that the zoo felt like an allegory for all the ‘heads’ being kept in cages like animals, it got repetitive real fast. And you’re asking me to feel sorry for a man like this? Just because his dad’s in a home/dying and he lost a child? I don’t think so. And then the ending, WTF? If you think the chopping up and consuming of humans is revolting, it’s got nothing on a man just being a man. The only good thing was it was fast paced with short, snappy chapters. And that it didn’t drag on any longer.

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson

In seven days Jet Mason will be dead. On Halloween night, Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder. She suffers a catastrophic brain injury. The doctor is certain that within a week, she’ll suffer a deadly aneurysm. Jet never thought of herself as having enemies. But now she looks at everyone in a new light: her family, her ex-best friend turned sister-in-law, her former boyfriend. And as her condition deteriorates she has only her childhood friend Billy for help. Jet is going to solve her own murder.

The entire concept was such a strong and inspired choice. Even though the ticking down of the clock is always present in the background, it doesn’t give you a chance to think about how little time Jet has left in a negative way. I also liked Jet’s sense of humour and how she continued to push for the truth right up until the very end. There were lots of great twists and turns, with quite a few red herrings. And despite having a good inkling as to who the culprit might be, it didn’t take away from the eventual reveal at all. I especially adored Jet’s handwritten letters and how everything was resolved, even if I did feel a lump in my throat at the end.

Publication date: 17th July 2025

Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane

Bel’s joined the tiny Manchester office of a national paper from her indie podcast. Thirty-something Connor is going to back to the start as the new intern. The latest office news? They can’t stand each other. So of course Bel bumps into Connor when she’s working undercover on the biggest scoop of her career. And of course she’s forced to improvise, pretending they’re a couple. A couple deeply in love. Two rivals. One fake romance. The headline writes itself.

I always appreciate that there are layers to Mhairi's stories. These aren't just surface level romance or women's fiction. Heavier subject matter and topics are tackled and done so in way that keeps you engaged, while the romance is simmering away in the background. I loved the combination of more traditional romance tropes with the investigation into and takedown of the slimy mayor. There's also the issue of Bel's stalker and Connor's struggle with depression, which again, were handled well. Towards the end I was literally kicking my feet and the chemistry between them was just so good. And Shilpa was one of the best best friends I've read in a while.

Publication date: 8th May 2025

Wish You Were Her by Elle McNicoll

Allegra has skyrocketed to fame after starring in a hit television show, and she's the overnight success that everyone's talking about. Now, all she wants is a normal teenage summer. Her destination for escape is the remote Lake Pristine and its annual Book Festival, organised by the dedicated but unfriendly senior bookseller, Jonah. Before long the two are drawn into high-profile hostility. Thank goodness for her saving grace: the increasingly personal emails she's been sharing with a charming and anonymous bookseller who is definitely not Jonah.

Taking inspiration from two of my favourite romcoms, You've Got Mail and Notting Hill, I adored the small town bookshop and book festival setting. I also liked seeing Allegra make friends and experience the teenage years that she had missed out on. Plus, the dual POVs were handled well, too. As someone who is undoubtedly neurodivergent herself, it was nice to see some autistic representation, but it did feel a bit heavy handed and repetitive at times. And I wasn't the biggest fan of the way George treated Jonah or the expected miscommunication either. But it was a quick and easy read.

Publication date: 5th June 2025

The Daughter by T.M. Logan

Lauren can't wait to see her daughter again, to pick her up from university at the end of her first term. But when she arrives at her hall and knocks on the door to her room, a stranger opens it. At first, Lauren thinks she must have the wrong room, or the wrong floor. Maybe even the wrong building. But she soon realises the truth: Evie's not there. She hasn't been there for weeks. So where is she?

This story completely grabbed me and drew me in from the off. In fact, the strongest part had to be when we're put in Lauren's shoes as she searches for Evie at the university. The chapters from Evie's POV were interspersed nicely. I also really liked Lucas and his personality, as well as how he got involved in the search. It did drag a tiny bit in the middle but soon picked up. And while I had a feeling that a certain character wasn't really dead I didn't anticipate the twist at the end. I did enjoy the way that it was all wrapped up, even if it did become a bit far-fetched.

The God Of The Woods by Liz Moore

Some said it was tragic, what happened to the Van Laars. Some said the family deserved it. That they never even thanked the searchers who stayed out for five nights in the freezing forest trying to help find their missing son. Some said there was a reason it took the family so long to call for help. That they knew what happened to the boy. Now, fifteen years later, the Van Laars' teenage daughter has gone missing in the same wilderness as her brother. Some say the two disappearances aren’t connected. Some say they are.

I think I’m a bit of a sucker for a summer camp mystery and this one did pull me in. The changing of both the POVs and the timelines was handled well. It was quite unfocused at times and certainly could have been significantly shorter. But I didn’t mind all the additional scenes and background that we got. This made it feel all the more immersive. I liked and was rooting for Judyta. But I didn’t really care for anyone else. And the eventual reveal as to what happened to Bear was definitely anticlimactic, as well. But I did like Barbara's ending.

The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, and Charlotte and Seth are not looking for romance. Charlotte is in self-imposed isolation and on guard from men. Having a stalker can do that to a person’s nerves. Just across the hall is Seth, a recently divorced arborist. As in today recently. But when disaster traps them one flight up with no way down, an outrageously precarious predicament forces a tree-loving guy and the rattled girl next door to embrace their captivity. Soon their defences are breaking away. Considering how close they both are to the edge, Charlotte and Seth could be in danger of falling -- in love.

Despite only being 80 pages or so, I fell hard for this story. Obviously, it was a quick and easy read, but like all of Abby's books, it tackled tougher subject matter too. I really felt for Charlotte and enjoyed seeing her learn to trust someone new and open up her world that bit more beyond her apartment. I was also rooting for them to be together from the very moment they met. I'm not normally a fan of insta-love, yet it worked so well in this case. And I was fully invested in both their stories. I just wish it had been longer. I would definitely read a full length story about them and their two best friends, as well.

That's Not My Name by Megan Lally

Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there -- or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station, and not long after, a frantic man arrives. He’s been searching for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos. He is her father. Her name is Mary. Or so he says. When Lola stormed off into the night, Drew thought they just needed some time to cool off. Except Lola disappeared, and the sheriff, his friends, and the whole town are convinced he murdered his girlfriend. Forget proving his innocence, he needs to find her before it’s too late.

This immediately drew me in and even though I expected it to go a certain way, the ending still added a few gut punches. Frustratingly, there were quite a few plot holes that didn’t make a whole lot of sense, though. I get we’re in a small town and Wayne had ID, but surely it’s not responsible to allow a minor with memory loss and a possible concussion to leave with someone they don’t recognise? And nobody is putting two and two together that something suss is going on when the neighbour goes missing? As a Criminal Minds fan, it definitely had those sort of vibes. And I thought ‘Mary’s’ chapters, where she slowly starts to piece things together, were particularly effective. I also liked Drew’s POV, too.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

It’s a beautiful day in Newport, when Phoebe arrives alone at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years and is determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan -- which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.

I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this book. Yes, I raced through it and enjoyed the hotel setting/general cast of characters. I also liked watching the journey that Phoebe went on. But, it didn’t affect me quite like I expected it to. The concept was definitely an intriguing one and had me invested from the very beginning. The message of living life on your on terms was successful, and I highlighted so many sections and sentences. The gasp I let out when I realised ‘hot tub guy’ was the groom showed that it got me, too. But, frustratingly, Lila felt a bit one dimensional. There were also way too many mentions of the pandemic, too.

Beach Bodies by Sienna Sharpe

No one in Lily's life can understand why each of the past five summers, she has shut her successful business and chosen instead to be paid minimum wage life-guarding at the exclusive Riovan Wellness Resort on a sun-soaked Caribbean island. Fortunately for her, they also aren’t aware of the mysterious deaths that have occurred on the island every time she’s there. But this year (very attractive) guest Daniel is asking a few too many inconvenient questions. Can she manage her growing attraction towards him at the same time as getting away with murder?

Despite it being really immersive, we don’t get all that much background on Lily’s previous kills. And maybe I’m used to the ‘bodies’ in question being the worst of the worst, but I’m not entirely sure that they deserved to or warranted being offed in the first place. Even when she was deciding who to kill this year, I was struggling to agree with her choices. We also don’t really see a single kill, either. And I get that this is a taxing thing for her to go through, but Lily’s behaviour was all over the place, making it difficult to root for her. However, I liked how everything was resolved in the end and didn’t anticipate the way that it would go or what actually happened to Jess.

Publication date: 19th June 2025

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Alice has always been happiest behind the safety of her lens. But when her Nan takes a fall, Alice takes a break from her photography career to take them back to Barry’s Bay. Though their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat. Charlie was nineteen when Alice unknowingly took his photo and now he’s all grown up. Sun-kissed days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart. Because Alice sees people, but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.

This was escapist in the very best way, making it the perfect summer/beach read. I appreciated watching Alice grow and I loved the photography angle. Seeing her attempting to complete the list of things that she would have loved to do aged seventeen, but was too shy to, felt really relatable and wholesome. Yet, there were still a few steamy scenes, as well. It was, however, frustrating watching Charlie push Alice away and say that he wasn’t a relationship kind of guy. But I liked the way that it ended and will definitely be picking up another Carley Fortune book before summer is over.

Publication date: 8th May 2025