Welcome to the November 2025 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

The busyness of fall activities and sports won’t let up, so I’ve not been reading as much as I’d like. I did, however, continue reading the next book in Crystal Walton’s Love in Willow Creek series, The Notebook. These are sweet, small-town romances, but this series is set apart by a couple of arcs running throughout involving the mystery love interest discovered in the journal of a deceased older character and ongoing crimes affecting Willow Creek residents and businesses. This book is a second chance for writer/editor Avery and her childhood sweetheart, musician Jax. They must wrangle with the challenges of their chosen careers and estrangements from family members before they can work out a future together.

Welcome to the October 2025 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

Library Lovebirds by Katie Fitzgerald provided a nice break from reading longer works. This collection of library-centered sweet romances is charming. What impressed me most is how the author helped me to identify with and care about the characters in so few words.

If you like well-written Hallmark-esque sweet romances set in quaint towns with cozy feels, you’ll probably enjoy Crystal Walton’s latest series, Love in Willow Creek. The Corner Bookshop is the second book in the series. Maddy Ellis, who’s struggling to keep her little bookshop in business, makes a bet with stranger Nate O’Connor that she can make him fall in love with smalltown life. Nate’s reason for being in town is destined to put he and Maddy at odds, but it all works out in the end.

Welcome to the September 2025 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

For varied reasons, our summer reading took a turn in August, and, collectively, we read far fewer books than last month (my oldest son excepting).

The description for The Year of My Humiliation by C.J. Sursum didn’t appeal to me, but I’m so glad I read this excellent psychological drama tracing the developing psychosis of a cold and arrogant surgeon following the death of his young daughter. Through roughly a year’s worth of the surgeon’s, Michael’s, journal entries, the author deftly shares stories and assumptions, leaving them like breadcrumbs for the reader to uncover the truth of Michael’s mental state, character, and the details surrounding his daughter’s death. Well-written, complex, insightful spiritual observations, and difficult to put down.

Welcome to the August 2025 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

Uneasy Street by Becky Wade is the third book in her Sons of Scandal series. Of the three, this one wasn’t my favorite, but enemies-to-lovers is always a hard sell for me. I was, eventually, mostly won over to the hero, Max. This book wrapped up several threads in the series, including family matriarch Fiona’s story. There are a couple of mysteries in this one, so there’s a lot going on in addition to the romance between wildly successfully entrepreneur Max and his former partner-turned-etiquette expert, Sloane. Some interesting twists and a light Christian theme help make this an enjoyable contemporary romance.