Monthly Reading Wrap Up: Book Recs & Reviews | March 2025
- Laura Vale
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
It is the end of March and spring has sprung (ish) and the sun is fiiiinally coming out - but other than the typically British habit of talking about the weather, I read nine books this month! Six of which were audiobooks, and the rest were physical reads (off my actual TBR 😱 maybe one day I'll finish it) - so let's get into quick-fire book reviews and recs!
Two of the books were independently published (aka. the author published the book themselves!) and I would highly recommend them both - so show the indies some love if these books take your fancy.
Physical read: Five-night stand turned delicious forced proximity...
Between the Pines by Amber Palmer (Indie)
Genre: Cowboy romance - interconnected standalone
The vibes: Whiskey drinking cowboy & headstrong rancher's daughter tussling in the straw...
3 words: Darlin', pool table, spit
Star rating: 5 stars ⭐️ (all the freaking stars!)
Spice rating: 2 🌶️
Who should read it: All lovers of cowboy romance, Elsie Silver fans, readers who like smut and plot
"Lift your hips, darlin'. Let me see what's mine."
Physical read: Peaches & Honey by R. Raeta (Indie)
Forsaken woman eats immortalising peach before burning at the stake...
Genre: Fantasy across time periods
The vibes: Addie La Rue (but less feelings of hopelessness) meets the Witch (in vibes only)
3 words: Longing, loneliness, and learning to live (okay, three phrases not words)
Star rating: 4 stars ⭐️
Spice rating: 1 🌶️ - implied spice!
Who should read it: Readers who like real history interwoven into their fantasy stories
Truths are for those who can afford to live it, not for those struggling to find any bright spot of light in a world that casts them into darkness.
Audiobook: Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas (Trad)
Homeless teen turns Spartan, faces death daily, but still has spunky asides...
Genre: Fantasy with Greek mythology twist
The vibes: The internal, intrusive thoughts of highly sarcastic, somewhat hopeless teen in a future where Greek Gods rule
3 words: Hilarious,
Star rating: 5 stars ⭐️
Spice rating: 3 🌶️ (why-choose 👀)
Who should read it: Anyone who loves mouthy, sarcastic, dry AF FMCs who do not give AF
PS. I listened to the audio for this, and I think that is what made it. There are a lot of asides, and I think the narrator did an amazing job, but I'm not sure it would have the same effect reading it!
Audiobook: The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore (Trad)
Single dad finds out he has a daughter & makes a lot of pancakes
Genre: Small town rom-com
The vibes: Adorable five-year-old and newly doting dad fall in love with the unexpected nanny
3 words: Heart-warming, cutesy, hunger-inducing
Star rating: 4 stars ⭐️
Spice rating: 2 stars 🌶️ (on page spice but 'vanilla')
Who should read it: Lovers of Laurie Gilmore and single dad romances to make your ovaries hurt
Physical Read: Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber (Trad)
Little fox falls is hunted by her husband & in love with the villain
Genre: Fantasy
The vibes: Will they won't they for 400 pages
3 words: Angst, twisted fairytales, biting
Star rating: 4 stars ⭐️
Spice rating: 0 🌶️ - no on page spice, some kissing and light touching
Who should read it: Readers who love the villain and heart-wrenching cliffhangers
Audiobook: Deep End by Ali Hazelwood (Trad)
Diver & Olympic swimmer dabble in light BDSM & avoid their feelings
Genre: Spicy rom-com
The vibes: Sub-dom dynamic discovering, unlocking mental barries and f
3 words: Deliiiicious, wet,
Star rating: 5 stars ⭐️
Spice rating: 3🌶️ - light BDSM / kink
Who should read it: Readers who love the villain and heart-wrenching cliffhangers
PS. This was an audiobook and I think that really made it for me! ❤️🔥
I also listened to Perfume & Pain by Anna Dorn on Bookbeat this month (3 out 5 stars ⭐️) - an addict, lesbian writer gets cancelled and is finding her way back to 'normal' - and Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood on Spotify (4 out of 5 stars ⭐️) - an enemies to lovers video game romance.
And I listened to a non-fiction book 😱 Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg, which was 4 out 5 stars and filled with analogies which made the facts memorable and more interesting.
Favourite read of the month
Hands freaking down, Between the Pines by Amber Palmer - I am now in my cowboy romance era! And I am SO excited for book two in the series (it is not out as of this post). These are interconnected standalones so Lincoln and Josie's story was closed in book one, now it's onto Lennox and Bishop!
What's next on the TBR?
I am alternating between indie and trad books on my physical TBR (I know who I am?!) - on the reading agenda this month is...
Physical books
• Tethered by Elayna R Gallea
• Wisteria by Adalyn Grace
Audiobooks
• Fearless by Lauren Roberts
• Breath by James Nestor (another non-fiction)
But I'm a mood reader, so I'm probably lying to myself... Stay tuned next month for my reading recap and find out whether I actually managed to read the books I said I would 🥹
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