Good People by Patmeena Sabit (★★★★☆)

Print • Owned (Book of the Month) • Contemporary Fiction • 2026

Short synopsis: After a shocking tragedy shatters the carefully crafted image of a wealthy refugee family living the American dream, dark secrets emerge that force the public to question whether their success was built on a lie.

This is a super buzzy book that’s been making the rounds on blogs and bookish podcasts. I was excited to snag it as one of my Book of the Month selections! It’s a fast-moving novel that unfolds through a variety of perspectives, including family friends, acquaintances, bystanders, and journalists eager to capitalize on a sensational tragedy. The most interesting thing about this book is that we never hear directly from the family at the heart of the story. Instead, we learn about the family through the opinions and observations of everyone around them. I’m fascinated by this narrative choice because it creates a sense of distance while also highlighting how differently people can view the same person or situation. I can’t say I loved this book as much as other people (I struggle with ambiguous endings), but I appreciated what the author was trying to do. It’s a thought-provoking look at perception, reputation, and the stories we tell ourselves about the people we think we know.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 5 by Beth Brower (★★★★★)

Audiobook • Hoopla • Historical Fiction • 2021

Short synopsis: Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be, which comprise a series of novella-length volumes. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

Oh, my dear sweet Emma M. Lion. I love following her adventures in St. Crispian! In this series of journal entries, it seems like Emma is truly coming to terms with her grief and finding a path forward in a new life that includes new friends, new dreams, and new hopes. I adore Emma’s relationship with Young Hawkes, the vicar, and their sweet friendship. (Okay, I went down a Google rabbit hole trying to remember his title, and there are definitely a lot of people who think Emma and Hawkes are endgame. I am… stunned.) Anyway, I am both trying to go slowly and savor these books while also not wanting to listen to any other kind of audiobook because the narrator is so damn good. Maybe I’ll restart the series once I finish it until Beth Brower gives us a new book. Hm.

Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore by Patric Richardson (★★★★☆)

Print • Owned (Amazon) • Nonfiction • 2021

Short synopsis: Patric Richardson, aka the “Laundry Evangelist,” reveals his revolutionary methods for cleaning clothes—and making laundry loads more fun.

I imagine this book could be revolutionary for people with large families or anyone who seems to need to do laundry every day. That is not my life, as I’m only doing laundry for myself. Once every two weeks, I do a load of clothes, a load of towels, and a load of sheets. Done and done!

So, there was a lot about this book that didn’t apply to me (I completely skipped over the chapter on ironing), but there were enough useful takeaways to make it worthwhile. For example, I loved the list of laundry supplies Patric recommends, and I definitely want to switch from Tide pods I use to using soap flakes/washing soda. I’m also planning to follow his advice to wash everything on warm and pick up some wool dryer balls to see if they help shorten drying times. The standout chapter, though, is the one on stains. Patric includes an extensive glossary of different stain types and the best ways to remove them. I also appreciated his chapter on caring for “dry clean only” clothing. (He’s very adamant that virtually nothing we wear or use actually needs to be dry cleaned.) What comes through most, though, is Patric’s genuine passion for textiles. He loves fabric. He loves caring for fabric. There’s something delightful about someone finding a niche passion that’s both fascinating and genuinely useful to the rest of us. Three stars for the advice I can use, five stars for his enthusiasm.

What are you reading?

6:42 a.m.: My damn internal clock had me awake before 7 a.m. on a day off. At least the cats are cute, Lila giving her sister a little “good morning” ear sniff.

7:31 a.m.: After doing my NYT games, it was time for coffee and a light breakfast. I scrolled through some Reddit forums while I ate breakfast.

8:38 a.m.: I’m leaving for my cardiology appointment on time! This is a feat for me. I hate being late, but I also have a bit of time blindness these days.

9:21 a.m.: My cardiology appointment! The appointment went well, and I really liked my cardiologist. As I explained my symptoms and how I’d been feeling in the past few months, he started to get very concerned that I might have a blood clot in my lungs. He wanted me to get a CT scan immediately, and if the scan came back positive, then I would have to go straight to the ER so they could get me started on warfarin. (This isn’t something that could be handled outpatient, as I would need monitoring and intravenous medication.)

I was not expecting this! I had figured I’d talk through my symptoms, we would schedule some additional testing in a few weeks, and I’d be on my way. Instead, after this appointment, I headed straight downstairs to the imaging lab to get scheduled for a CT scan. Thankfully, they were able to fit me in for an 11:30 a.m. appointment. It’s at this point that I first thought I would really like my mom to be with me. Usually, I can handle these medical appointments on my own. No biggie! But thinking about having to be admitted to the ER immediately if my test was positive made me very emotional. I texted her what was happening, and her response was to ask for the address so she could wait with me. I could tell I was in a state since I started crying knowing she would be by my side. (I am not a crier by nature!)

10:22 a.m.: Waiting, waiting. I’m very glad I brought a book with me to this appointment! I don’t always do that because I figure I can mess around on my phone, but I tucked All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert in my purse before leaving home. (Side note: I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book, but she has so many insights about codependency, and it is rocking my world, since that’s something I’m working on hard in therapy right now.) My bigger problem was that I was starving, and my light breakfast was not tiding me over at all. I couldn’t eat until after the scan, so I just stared longingly at the cafe nearby and thought about blueberry muffins and cookies the size of my face.

Thankfully, I was able to get my CT scan started right before 11 a.m. and had the results within an hour: negative for any blood clots! Whew. The next step to figuring out why I keep experiencing shortness of breath/chest tightness is an echocardiogram, which is scheduled for mid-July. I’m glad we got the worst-case scenario ruled out immediately, even if it did cause some heightened anxiety on my end that I’m still processing. My hope is that this is all related to long-term steroid use, but I also want to make sure nothing is underlying causing these symptoms.

11:54 a.m.: After the CT scan (I was allowed to leave while I waited for the results), my mom and I drove to her house so she could drop off her car. We had errands to run, and I’m very glad I could still enjoy my day! I got to have some quality time with my furbabies. I came into the house while they were outside with my mom, and I could see through the sliding glass windows as Chip started sniffing the air like crazy and then got super excited! I guess he smelled me in the air and knew I had arrived before I even showed myself. It was adorable!

12:35 p.m.: I had been craving a croissant turkey sandwich from my favorite local deli, and it truly hit the spot.

1:25 p.m.: A retailer that rhymes with Schlobby Knobby already has their fall decorations out. In June. I cannot process this at all.

2:59 p.m.: Other errands were run, and I kept forgetting to take pictures, so instead, I snuck in this picture of the girls in the nick of time. I’m finally home from my long morning/afternoon, and the girls, of course, do not care to hear about it! They just want their damned treats. (Lila is mid-yawn; she’s not screaming at me.)

3:26 p.m.: I’m sad for anyone who doesn’t have a sweet kitty cat to watch over them while they sleep. <3

No picture in the 4:00 hour because I was in dreamland. 

5:23 p.m.: My nap was a good 90 minutes, which is longer than usual these days. It was much-needed! When I woke up, I did some chores around the apartment and worked on some bloggy things.

6:56 p.m.: I made nachos for dinner because what’s a better way to celebrate not having an emergency heart condition? Tortilla chips covered with ground beef, cheese, and sour cream? My cardiologist would be so happy with this meal. So happy.

7:26 p.m.: (Excuse the dirty iPad.) I’m watching the end of season 3 of The Traitors Canada. I had maybe 2.5 episodes left when I started watching tonight, and decided I would spend the evening finishing up the season, coloring, and relaxing.

8:50 p.m.: I made some break-and-bake cookies, paired with a Dr. Pepper because I am the picture of health tonight.

9:52 p.m.: Almost done! This scene is the “Fire of Truth,” which is the final part of the show. The host of this iteration of The Traitors is Karine Vanasse, and her style is wild. You can see her finale outfit here, which was an 80s-style prom dress with wet curly hair? IDK.

10:35 p.m.: After three hours of watching TV (oops), I need to get Saturday’s blog post ready to publish! I spend a little time on that and read through a handful of email subscriptions, too.

11:39 p.m.: After an abbreviated evening routine (meaning: I skipped my skincare routine), I’m finally ready for bed, and so is Eloise. She’s often sitting on my bed waiting for me, starting around 10 p.m. Then, when I come into the bedroom, she starts meowing at me, as if to admonish me for getting to bed so late. I hear you, girl!

Have you ever had a CT scan? What’s the last TV show you watched?

June 13, 2026 – In case you thought I lived an exciting, glamorous life, I spent Saturday night sitting on the floor of my office while I tried to troubleshoot my printer, which decided it didn’t want to print anymore. Thankfully, I had a cute assistant sitting nearby!

June 14, 2026 – A lazy Sunday means hammock naps in the sunshine.

June 15, 2026 – The last page of my mystery coloring book! Don’t you worry, though. Once I discovered I was getting near the end, I bought another one so I could start it with no interruptions. Muahaha!

June 16, 2026 – It’s been nice to start my day with a walk. The heat isn’t as oppressive (although the humidity surely is), and it’s calm and peaceful.

June 17, 2026 – Trivia night! Thank heavens for smart friends because we came in FOURTH! Since we’re usually in last place, this was very exciting for us.

June 18, 2026 – Around 10pm on Thursday, I exclaimed to Lila, “I need to take your picture, so I have a picture for today!” And she posed purrfectly.

June 19, 2026 – I had a lovely nap on Friday after a very interesting day that I will explain in detail on Monday. The nap was very much needed and very much restorative.

anticipating therapy tomorrow, where we will most likely start EMDR

researching everything I can to build the perfect New England itinerary for our fall road trip

buying another bookshelf because I can do what I want and what I want is MORE SPACE FOR BOOKS

thinking about my upcoming cardiology appointment (Friday!) and hoping it won’t be too overwhelming

reading a book about laundry (Laundry Love by Patric Richardson) and making a lot of notes

happy that work is picking up after a slow few weeks

excited every time I get to work on the novel I’m writing

using two different Zevo filters to deal with a very annoying fruit fly infestation, along with some bowls filled with apple cider vinegar + dish soap to catch even more

committed to making sure I tell my girls that I love them multiple times a day (they’re probably like “alright already!” after the 10th time)

hoping to spend some time at one of my THREE apartment pools this weekend

loving my new twice-weekly grocery shopping routine – it’s working out so well!

needing to get to bed earlier, especially since my body thinks 6:30am is an appropriate time to wake up, no matter what time I went to bed

proud of myself for setting boundaries, even when they feel uncomfortable

relieved that lowering my medrol dose hasn’t impacted my pain levels

loathing the freaking weather. It’s so hot and we’re still in a severe drought.

obsessing over all of the metrics I’m getting from my Oura ring (in a good way, I think?)

watching The Traitors Canada (sooo happy they finally released all three seasons on Peacock!)

wondering when my tooth sensitivity will go away (I miss ice cream)

listening to Noah Kahan’s latest album, albeit very slowly

savoring sweet moments with my cats, like when Lila curls up next to me when I’m in bed or when Eloise jumps up on the table and sits right in front of me because she wants attention from her favorite person

What is something you’re obsessing over?

Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes (★★★☆☆ 1/2)

Print • Owned • Mystery • 2023

Short synopsis: At a secretive academy where aspiring killers learn the art of the perfect murder, students must prove their worth by eliminating someone they believe deserves to die—and escaping justice in the process.

The premise of this book is rather morbid, but I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and inventive concept. In this story, we follow three students at McMasters Conservatory, a secretive academy where students learn how to commit the perfect murder. Each of them has a compelling reason for wanting their target dead, which made me invested in seeing how their plans would unfold. I especially enjoyed the first half of the novel and all the darkly fun “private boarding school for murderers” vibes. Unfortunately, the second half of the book lost me a bit. Once the students left the school and began carrying out their murder plots in the real world, the writing started to feel overly explanatory. Time and time again, the author would give us a great scene—one of the students disguising themselves to fool a security guard, for example—and then immediately explain it afterward to be like, “Hey guys, this was X character, not a weird old lady! Totally fooled you, didn’t I?” It was so frustrating. If someone misses a detail, that’s one thing, but repeatedly spelling everything out took away some of the fun of piecing things together myself. It’s a shame because I really loved the setup and was hoping this would become a new mystery series to binge. Meh.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick (★★★☆☆ 1/2)

Audiobook • Hoopla • Historical Fiction • 2025

Short synopsis: Four dissatisfied sixties-era housewives form a book club turned sisterhood that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and alter the course of each of their lives.

I think this book might have been a DNF for me in print, so I’m glad I picked it up on audio. The first half is slow and meandering, and watching these women navigate their miserable lives was, to put it bluntly, super depressing. While I appreciated the story’s exploration of women’s limited options in the 1960s, the author occasionally came across as a little too determined to make her point, spelling out injustices rather than trusting readers to connect the dots. For example, there’s a whole scene about one of the women trying to open a bank account and getting outraged when she needs her husband to sign off on it. I KNOW THIS IS SHITTY! But… isn’t it something she would have known? Why is she so surprised? I think the scene could have been more impactful if we had seen all the ways this character skirted the system to get a bank account without her husband knowing. That said, I enjoyed seeing these women gradually find more agency in their lives, even if some of the biggest changes came from their husbands’ choices rather than their own. What ultimately won me over was the friendship at the heart of the story. The sisterhood felt genuine, messy, and supportive, and it was easily the book’s strongest element. It’s not exactly a book I would recommend, but if you love a good friendship story, you might enjoy this one.

Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane (★★★☆☆ 1/2)

Print • Owned (indie bookstore) • Contemporary Fiction • 2025

Short synopsis: When rival journalists Bel and Connor are forced to pose as a lovestruck couple while chasing a career-making scoop, their fake romance starts blurring into something far more real.

Do yourself a favor and don’t go into this expecting a cutesy contemporary romance novel. While the fake-dating setup is front and center in the marketing, this is really a work of contemporary fiction centered on Bel’s investigation into a powerful politician accused of sexually harassing young interns. It’s also about Connor is grappling with the aftermath of a five-year relationship, while Bel is dealing with a stalker ex, so there’s no shortage of drama. I just wanted more from Connor and Bel. They had such cute banter and sizzling chemistry, and I was so disappointed that nothing substantial happened between them until the final chapter. (Even then, they only had a very chaste kiss.) As I got closer and closer to the end of the book with no resolution about Bel and Connor’s relationship, I started wondering if there was a sequel where they finally got together. The ending felt abrupt and unsatisfying. I don’t think McFarlane is the author for me! But if you love a closed-door romance or fiction that has a very light romantic touch, then I would recommend this book.

What are you reading?

June 6, 2026 – It was dance recital day! This is Olive’s second year in dance (she’s six, just finished kindergarten), and she was in seven dances in the morning session, including their big performance number with all of the big kids. At the spring performance, they do a parent/child dance routine, and it was adorable to see Nick (Mikaela’s husband) dancing with Olive and Eleni. So cute!

June 7, 2026 – A new lamp for the shelf in my dining area. I love it!

June 8, 2026 – Started my week off with a morning workout. This is my apartment gym – pretty snazzy! I’m excited to start using the weights soon. Today, I did a 25-minute workout on the elliptical, although I had to keep slowing myself down when my heart rate went bonkers. Blergh.

June 9, 2026 – Sweet Eloise. This is currently her favorite spot in the morning while she waits for me to sit down and start my workday. I think it’s because of the way the sun hits this spot because she gradually moves to the other side of the window as the morning progresses.

June 10, 2026 – Lila positioned herself like this, as if the corner of my monitor stand was the fluffiest pillow to lay her head. I love this girl!

June 11, 2026 – A lovely afternoon walk! I really need to move these walks to the morning before it’s a billion degrees outside, but there’s something invigorating about taking a walk in 95-degree weather!

June 12, 2026 – A lovely night out with friends! We saw Beetlejuice the Musical, and it was so good. I went in completely blind because I had never seen any of the Beetlejuice movies. (It was definitely not the type of movie allowed when you grew up evangelical!) While I wish I had gotten the disclaimer that it was about a dead mom, I still very much enjoyed myself. The actors were incredible!

There have been some exciting developments in my psoriatic arthritis treatment! I am on week four of injections, and honestly, I think I might prefer giving myself a shot once a week rather than taking a handful of pills! It’s not painful, and I feel a little like a scientist as I draw up the solution in the syringe. Heh. The other exciting development is that this week, I dropped my steroid dose! I’ve been taking 12mg Medrol (a slightly more potent steroid, compared to prednisone) for months now, and I am now taking 8mg. We’re going to stay at this dose for a few weeks to see how my body adapts. So far, so good! I’ll go for bloodwork in a few weeks to test my inflammation markers.

2) Sleep woes

Sleeping is one of my superpowers. I used to be someone who could take a three-hour nap in the afternoon and sleep like a baby at night (one of those magical babies that sleeps soundly for 8 hours, no wake-ups). I could drink caffeine late in the evening, and it would not affect my bedtime. I fell asleep quickly, stayed asleep, and mostly just had a bear of a time getting out of bed in the morning. These days, though, sleep has become a burden.

First, the naps. I can’t take a nap that’s longer than an hour these days! Which, I mean, is great for my productivity and not sleeping the day away, but it still feels weird to me. And I get SO HOT during my naps. It doesn’t happen in the evening, only when I’m taking a midday nap. It could be due to having more windows in my bedroom than in my previous apartment, so maybe it just gets warmer in there during the day? Or maybe it’s the steroids. If I’m going to take a nap, I have to prepare. I keep my blinds closed, make sure the air is turned down low (I sleep at 70 degrees, but push it up to 73 degrees during the day), and even got a special blanket that’s lightweight and breathable. It seems to be working, but I’m just a little annoyed that I have to put so much effort into my nap routine now.

Second, I’ve become an early riser. I do not like this about me! I cannot seem to sleep past 7am anymore! Even if I go to bed late, I will be up before 7am and unable to fall back to sleep. Sometimes, I can trick myself by getting up, having breakfast, and doing a few productive things before crawling back into bed around 9-9:30 for a short snooze, but that’s only a viable option on the weekends. It’s very frustrating because I like sleeping in, and I am very bad about going to bed early.

We’ll see if any of this improves once I’m weaned off steroids… or perhaps it’s just a function of getting older and it’s time to do things like not drink caffeine at 8pm.

3) Raccoon roommate

Well, friends, my rodent-repellant trash bags are no match for Rocky the raccoon. I put my trash can outside yesterday, and about an hour later, I heard a noise, and opened my door to see my trash can on the ground and a sheepish-looking Rocky standing nearby. I berated him, took my can inside, rebagged everything, put it back outside. Not five minutes later, I hear a noise outside my apartment and there he is again! This time, instead of looking sheepish, he looked mischevious and started walking towards me as if he was just going to waltz inside my apartment and take up residence! I hurriedly brought the can inside and slammed my front door. Sigh.

I think my next step is to start bungee cording my trash can closed and hoping that a) it deters Rocky and b) the valet company will still pick up my trash even though it’s raccoon-trapped.

4) Kim & Steph’s Purr-sonal Tampa Bay Tour 2026

I am building the perfect tour of my favorite spots in Tampa Bay for Kim who is visiting soon. This is basically an excuse for me to visit all of the bookstores and cat cafes in my town. Muahaha! So far, our itinerary includes three bookstores, two cat cafes, one coffee shop, one food hall, and one gorgeous neighborhood. Also, hopefully, she will get to meet my cats! Well, meet Eloise. Lila hides from everyone. I will, of course, detail our adventures on the blog!

4) Weekend plans

My weekend will be busy on the front end, relaxing on the back end. Tonight, I’m going to my third musical this year alone with Bri, her husband, and our friend Amber. We have dinner reservations beforehand and Sean will be doing all of the driving again, so I am stoked! Tomorrow, I have a writing date, a waxing appointment, errands to run, and then my mom and I are going to go into our gym to officially cancel our memberships. (I’m sad about it but I know it’s the right call.) The rest of the weekend is free! I love that I have a whole Sunday to myself. Whatever will I do with all that free time?!

How is your sleep these days? What are your weekend plans?

On Monday, I experienced something that could have made it onto a Never Have I Ever list: feeling the effects of an earthquake! There was a 6.1 magnitude earthquake in Cuba around 2pm Monday, and I felt the (very minor) effects from my little third-floor apartment in St. Petersburg! It was the weirdest experience: my lampshade started shaking on its own, and my desk chair was making weird noises like it was moving even though I was sitting still. Lila kept staring at the lamp like she expected it to fall on her head. I legit thought the floor was caving in! And then, all of a sudden, it was over, and everything was back to normal. I went about my day and didn’t think anything of it, until I was talking with my mom later, and she mentioned the earthquake and how people in Florida felt the effects. Wild!

Here are some of my actual Never Have I Ever’s…

1) Eaten at a Michelin-star restaurant – There are a few in Tampa (including one that offers tableside mozzarella and housemade pasta, mmm!) that I should go to at some point.

2) Flown in first class – My first business class experience was last year, and that was seriously luxurious! First class would be even better!

3) Eaten lobster – Maybe I’ll try it for the first time when I’m in Maine later this year?

4) Been in a snowstorm – I don’t know if I want to experience this, but maybe.

5) Been a guest on a podcast – I’ve hosted my own podcast for four years now, but I’ve never guested on a podcast!

6) Raced in anything beyond a 10K – And I never will.

7) Drank a full beer – And again, I never will. Yuck.

8) Gotten Wordle in 1 – I have faith it will happen for me someday!

9) Been on a reality TV show – My mom and I always joke about applying for The Amazing Race, and how she’d become America’s Sweetheart while I would become a villain. Essentially, I can be a real brat to my mom when I’m stressed out and usually take my anxiety out on her. There was one memorable time when we were in Ireland, and I had a big blowup on the street at her, and she took it on the chin, got us to a restaurant, and after I had gotten some food in my system, I was all, “So that was an overreaction…” (I always apologize, and I’m trying to be better! Moms are truly the saints among us.)

10) Attended an Olympic event – I would love to! I probably wouldn’t love the crowds, but it would be a cool experience.

How many “Never Have I Ever’s” have you done?

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn (★★★☆☆)

Audiobook • Libby • Contemporary Romance • 2024

Short synopsis: Jess, who has spent years hiding her family’s ties to a notorious con man, finds her carefully constructed life upended when her younger sister, Tegan, and the creators of a hit podcast set out to find their missing mother.

I think the audiobook experience hampered my enjoyment of this novel because I really didn’t like the narrators. The book alternates between Jess’s and Adam’s perspectives, and while neither narrator worked for me, Adam’s was especially distracting because he sounded nothing like the sexy hero I imagined. Maybe that’s shallow of me, but it made it harder to get invested in the story. Even beyond the narration, I found the central mystery surprisingly dull, and I’m not entirely convinced Kate Clayborn has ever listened to a true crime podcast (the podcast snippets, especially, didn’t feel believable to me). The romance didn’t really work for me, either. “Instalove” is one of my least-favorite tropes, and this novel solidifies why I dislike it so much. Jess and Adam had known each other for all of two weeks before they were suddenly in love and willing to completely upend their lives for each other. It all felt a little too convenient without the emotional depth I look for in my romances.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 4 by Beth Brower (★★★★★)

Audiobook • Hoopla • Historical Fiction • 2021

Short synopsis: The Year is 1883, and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

These novels are a balm to my soul, truly. Emma M. Lion has become such a dear friend to me. She is both witty and so much fun, but then there’s also this darkness to her as she has suffered an unimaginable loss recently (before the journals began) and is still grieving and coming to terms with what that means for her life. In this volume, Emma finds out that there is going to be a funeral that she knows she must attend, even though it is going to be one of the most difficult things she’s ever had to do. I loved every bit of this novel, even the sad parts, and most especially the continued storyline involving Emma and a potential love interest. Ooh, it’s just so sweet! I want to take my time working through these novels, but I also don’t want to listen to anything else!

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (★★★☆☆ 1/2)

Print • Owned (Target) • Contemporary Romance • 2025

Short synopsis: Maya, a struggling grad student, gets more than she bargained for when a destination wedding in Sicily forces her into close quarters with her brother’s older best friend, Conor—the successful biotech entrepreneur she’s secretly loved for years.

I had a tough time rating this one. On the one hand, it was sweet, heartfelt, and set against the backdrop of a destination wedding in Sicily. What’s not to love?! I also adored Maya, who was spunky, confident, and always willing to ask for what she wanted. On the other hand, this romance tested my patience. I don’t love a slow-burn romance, and this one was frustrating. I did not need hundreds of pages of Conor insisting that his attraction to Maya was wrong. Sir, we get it. The age gap (23 and 38) didn’t bother me nearly as much as Conor himself, who came across as rude, overly serious, and married to his job. The amount of work calls and meetings happening during what was supposed to be a vacation gave me secondhand stress. By the end, I wasn’t convinced Maya couldn’t do better. While I enjoyed the setting, the humor, and Maya’s character growth, Conor was just too much of a killjoy for me to fully buy into the romance.

What are you reading?

May 30, 2026 – Bri had the cutest tiaras left over from a party, so we couldn’t help wearing them while recording our podcast episodes!

May 31, 2026 – Okay, I know I said I didn’t spend any money on books in May, but then my mom reminded me that I went on what amounted to a book shopping spree the last day of May. Oops! I only spent $15 on this stack of books, though, because I had a gift card and a B&N reward. And the purchase didn’t clear my bank until June 1st, soooo.

June 1, 2026 – I AM IN LOVE WITH MY NEW BENCH! AHHH! I had no idea what to do with this weird alcove area in my bedroom until I realized that a small bench would be perfect. It acts as storage (the top opens, and I’m using it to store extra sheets), and the girls love napping on it throughout the day. I’m very worried that they will soon see this bench as a terrific scratching post, so please say a prayer that they leave it alone.

June 2, 2026 – I went for a walk after a particularly rough therapy session and took this picture when I was halfway done.

June 3, 2026 – Sorry for the close-up photo! I’m trying out tubing mascara, and I do like the way it coats my lashes. (My eyes have started to feel irritated when I wear mascara, so I’m trying out other options that will hopefully be better for sensitive eyes.)

June 4, 2026 – This is a new behavior from my girls: simultaneous hammocking! I think it’s the most adorable thing (I mean, I think everything they do is the most adorable thing…) and was thrilled to get it on camera. Usually, one of them will get up to greet me when I see them hammocking together, but they stayed put this time around!

June 5, 2026 – We did some patio reading time once I finished my workday, and Eloise was more than happy to enjoy the fresh air with me!

What’s the last photo you took?