And now… for Nancy’s list! Nancy is one of my avid book recommenders (and she loves her bad-ass alpha males, especially the grumbly brooding ones in Alaska. Oh! And reclusive heroes too!). 😉 You’ll see her recommendations often, on our Friday Finds lists.
P.S. I MUST agree with her on “Beautiful Savage” (see it below – on of her favorites this year. That is a story I will NEVER forget!!! LOVED IT. PURE CRAZY).
Here are some fun personal “life” updates from Nancy over 2021 (she loves to send me photos of her home life and the cute huge birds that visit, and the crazy cold weather advisories in May!! And sweet photos of her grandkids):
Nancy: My great accomplishment this week is I cleaned for Thanksgiving! A lot! The table can be made bigger but why hurry? I love my family & hope they all show up!
We had our first Thanksgiving at the cottage renovation. My daughter works at a hospital & had an asthma attack & coughing the day before Thanksgiving. She had to have a Covid test & go into quarantine until the results were back. She was negative, but we ate Turkey dinner late when she was freed.
I didn’t think she would be able to come, even though she was fully vaccinated. So I made the green bean casserole, but she made one too. Then all my adult grandkids brought desert plus my daughter in law. I made 2 pumpkin pies, too! Lots of sugar. One grandson made a big patch of macaroni & cheese. We ended up with 12 people & way too much food.
My son & family were worried because he rescued 2 tiny kittens from under his wood pile, 15 years ago. The mother had abandoned them. The male is a huge Coon cat & developed heart trouble the day before Thanksgiving. Had to have water around his heart drained & regular doses of medication & so they couldn’t stay the night. I just gave you a review of my Thanksgiving. LOL! Hope your sister & you had a good one!
Nancy: FOR HALLOWEEN: My Great Grandson is Sonic the Hedgehog. The cutest Hedgehog I’ve ever seen!
Nancy: Last night we watched John so they could go out to eat. When they came back, John said to them, “I want to stay with Grandma & Grandpa forever!”
Maryse: Awwwww relationships with grandparents is so amazing. I loved my grandmother like she was my very own mother (and I have a mother). LOL!!! I miss my grandmother so much.
Nancy: Look how bad I am. I read books 1 & 2 back in 2013 but never read book 3! It popped up in my WishList as a reduced book been there since 2013!
Nancy: I forgot to tell you. When I sent my Goodread review jointly to Jeannine & Lauren of Arrogant Officer. They told me I was the best! I said: You do know that Maryse reviewed it too? They didn’t know & were so excited! Lauren the most! I guess I’m not the best anymore.
Maryse: LOL!!!! I LOVE IT! Thank you for letting them know. That book was SO FUN!!!!! And I felt so upset when he started backing out of the relationship the way he did. I LOVE when I feel that
Nancy: Yes! And then that chemical fire! Ugh! A touch of darkness!
And now…
NANCY’S FAVORITE BOOKS 2021
We all had such high hopes that 2021 would be a better year than the year before. In my opinion it was worst! We can only hope that 2022 will start taking a turn for the better! I did read a lot of books in 2021. I did achieve at least one of my goals, too! I reached 500 Amazon Reviews posted by the end of 2021. This is my list of favorite books read in 2021. I did try working to downsize my list so it wasn’t too long. Books listed from 1st read to last read.
1) DEEP WOODS by Helena Newbury. This author has become a favorite of mine since I read her ALASKA WILD. If you are a fan of action-packed books than give this author a try. There is constant action from the first page to the last. My favorite hero in Deep Woods is a German Shepherd who is named Rufus!
2) DON’T KISS THE BRIDE by Carian Cole, one of my very favorite authors. This is one of those books that is the reason “I love to Read!”
The books two unlikely characters meet in a school parking lot, just across the street from where Lucky is working. Skylar is an 18 year old senior whose “75” Corvette won’t start. That is the first time Lucky comes to her rescue, but there will be many more times he will be her hero. This is an age-gap story, too!
3) LEAVE HIM LOVED by Harloe Rae. Another favorite author. This is a small town romance. It starts out with a slow-burn, but when it catches fire it becomes blazing hot. There is plenty of chemistry between a gorgeous country boy living in a small town in Iowa and a pretty girl from the big city Minneapolis. There is a lot of talk of “should she stay or should she go?” Why she would want to leave him I don’t know!
4) BAD BOY BILLIONAIRE by Amie Knight. She has been one of my favorite author’s since I read her A STEEL HEART. Bad Book Billionaire is a book that is about two very different people who fate brings together. In the Big Apple they keep finding each other. They have so little in common, but this man and woman have fate working to keep them together.
5) LOVE IS NEVER LOST by Katy Regnery. She has been one of my favorite authors ever since I read THE VIXEN & THE VET. Katy’s Modern Fairy-tales are my favorites out of her books. This is her 8th & based on Rip Van Winkle. She is a very clever author. Take her novel UNLOVED for example. Katy might take some modern liberties with Rip’s story, but the end result doesn’t disappoint.
6) WAIT WITH ME by Amy Daws. It is a Rom-Com and Contemporary Romance. My husband found this book first. He kept laughing & saying “You got to read this one!” So, I did read it! He was right! I do recommend it to anyone that needs a change in their reading books. A lot of humor with just a touch of darkness.
7) AFTER WE FALL by Melanie Harlow. I have been a fan of this author ever since I read FRENCED back in 2014. Since then I have read and enjoyed a lot of her books. It took me a while to get around to After We Fall. That was a mistake! I owned the book, but was in my TBR list. It is so good and has all the feels!
8) PERFECT SONG by Lauren Runow. I have been friends with Lauren ever since Jeannine Colette asked me to read Lauren’s first book. Perfect Song is a small-town, age-gap romance and I loved this story. It has all the feels. Can everything be fixed with a perfect song?
9) NIGHTINGALE by Jocelyn Adams. This was a new to me author. This book has more substance than this book’s blurb was able to resonate. I love reclusive hero stories, and was drawn into wanting to read it from that fact alone. I was not disappointed. It was a modern day Beauty & the Beast Fairy-tale.
10) BEAUTIFUL SAVAGE by Lisa Sorbe. This is another new to me author. I was really torn about the woman character in this book. It was hard to believe she got away with all her shenanigans. She openly admits to not being a good person. She will go to any lengths to get what she wants. It was unbelievable how she could justify her actions in that crazy mind of hers. It was entertaining read to see what she would do next. I had to reread parts to believe what I had read. This also has a surprise ending.
11) NORTHERN ESCAPE by Tonya Burrows. I am a big fan of Alaskan Romance. This one has a love story, but also is action packed with lots of suspense. Also if you are a dog lover the dogs play an important part.
12) A GORGEOUS VILLAIN by Saffron A. Kent. Read the Prequel Novella: THE WILD MUSTANG & THE DANCING FAIRY before starting A GORGEOUS VILLAIN. They are both included in this book edition. This is a complete standalone.
13) NO GENTLE GIANT by Nicole Snow takes place in Hearts Edge, Montana. This book is the story of Felicity Randall and Paxton “Alaska” Charter. Fliss is fighting a losing battle when she doesn’t give in to all Alaska’s charms. Their first kiss will convince her. Trouble is headed their way, and there will be advantages to having a boyfriend bigger than Paul Bunyan.
14) A CROW’S SONG by Leddy Harper. To me this was a Gothic Novel. That genre fits this novel. It has plenty of mystery and intrigue that is surrounding the unknown. There is an entire town, including church & cemetery covered over by a lake. The day the dams were opened to cover the town with a lake. All the town was to have been vacated. Yet there are people missing to this day. Family feuds continue.
There is a Black Bird Resort that is located next to this mysterious lake. It is the 4th of July when on one of the resort’s docks McKenna Richards meets Drew Wheeler for the first time, but feel like they always knew each other. I enjoyed the journey the author wrote. It is different from other books I have read by Leddy. I really enjoyed the something different.
15) OVER THE MOON by K.K. Allen is a slow-burn romance. Kingston Scott is a very popular & single NFL defensive end. His off the field shenanigans finally catch up to him and he ends up in jail. His coach decides as punishment, King will spent a month in the middle of nowhere at a football camp, where he will be coaching a group of young hopeful football players. He is not sure how he will survive an entire month. Then he sets his eyes on the Camp Dakota resident nurse and he is a goner.
16) THE CASANOVA by TL Swan. Eliot Miles is head of Miles Media in London. He is a very demanding boss. All employees have a fear of him, except his head of IT Dept. She is so good at her job that she gets away with her passive/aggressive behavior. Her name is Kathern Landon and doesn’t know what happened, but she is suddenly under his spell. Surprisingly he falls under her spell, too!
17) WILD NORTH by J.B. Salsbury is one of the best books I have read this past year. Once I started reading I did not want to put it down. The blurb is what drew me to this book, but there is more story to it then that. REBEL NORTH is Book #2 of the North Brothers. It is so good, too!
18) TEARS OF BETRAYAL (A Russian Mafia Romance) is a Standalone, Mafia, Suspense Romance. I think it is the best book I have read by Michelle Heard & I have read lots of her books. I was not alone in my praise, as a new release it was on the Top Kindle list. TEARS OF SALVATION is the next book after TEARS OF BETRAYAL and it was as good if not better.’
19) THE ROSAVALE Series are by new author Willa Watkins. I’ve read all 4 released books so far & they are all forbidden romances & steamy hot! There are 5 Ashford Brothers & 1 Sister.
1. BETWEEN DUSK & DAWN (A Stepbrother Romance)
2. BETWEEN TRUTH & LIES (An Age Gap Romance)
3. BETWEEN RAGE & REGRET: An Enemies to Lovers Romance
4. BETWEEN LOVE & LUST (A Love Triangle Romance)
MARYSE’S NOTE TO OUR FELLOW READERS: Have a Best of 2021 list for me? Send it to me here. 🙂
ove Nancy’s book taste? Check out more of her favorites:
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Top 15 Reads for 2015
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Top Book Reads for the Year 2016
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s 20 Best Books of 2017
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Best Books of 2018 List
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Best Books of 2019 List
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Top 20 Best Books of 2020 List
➔➔➔ Looking for more recommendations? Browse all of the reader favorites lists here on the blog. 😀
➔➔➔ Looking for my must-read recommendations? Browse my 5 star and 4.5 star and 4 star reviews or my favorite book lists here 😀
Thank you so much! I love how you take my list & make them so much better!
❤️
Nancy, you will forever be one of my grandest, greatest friends. It feels like we’ve known each other forever.
When I first found your page we both were into paranormal heavy. Then we left Twilight stage & Edward behind. Then when I got my first Kindle there was no stopping all the books I have collected. I love when you do the oldies but goodies! Memories galore!
Your recommendation for Don’t kiss the Bride is an awesome book!! I listened to the Audible version and it has my favorite male narrator Aiden Snow whose voice is soooo swoon worthy!! The female narrator was good also.
Oh so Good!
Oh my! So many new authors I have never read. Where do I start? I think Rebel North. I didn’t know there was a second book. Thanks for for list.
Love your list!! I have read 6 on your list and definitely agree that they are wonderful reads. Bad Boy Billionaire was a hidden gem (Loved her book The Red Zone). I have read every Carian Cole book and she is definitely a one click author for me!! I read both Our Song by Lauren Runow and Perfect Song this year! Our Song is on my best of 2021! Thanks for giving me some new reads to put on my TBR. Over the Moon is calling my name!
Maryse, can you put a Readers 2021 folder together. I don’t want to miss any as I love finding all of these great new reads!
You bet!!
Here it is: https://www.maryse.net/tag/readers-best-2021
Also I received your list so that will be going up shortly. 😀
Thanks for sharing, Nancy. Some great books there.
Thank-you!