My Top Books of September

September was a slow month for me. Even though it was slow, I'm still getting this post up late. My bad. Life is insane and stressful, and I feel like everything is working against me so naturally, I started rewatching The Vampire Diaries on top of reading. I read some really incredible books this month but also read a bunch of duds. Check my Instagram highlights to see everything I read in August and September!

Here's a recap of my top three books this month!

• Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

• Bittersweet by Morgan Elizabeth

• Nest of Thieves by Rory Miles

DEBUT NOVEL HOW?! This reads as if a multi-award-winning, experienced author had written it. Anastasia is a figure skater, Nathan is a hockey player. What happens when they're forced to share ice time, Anastasia's partner is injured as she preps for the Olympics, but Anastasia "doesn't like hockey players"? *cue the Bound to Fall in Love TikTok sound*

The characters are developed and complex. You feel their pain and their struggles, you understand their insecurities and the problems that they face. Anastasia deals with being constantly belittled and told she's "too heavy" by her pairs partner - who is genuinely one of my most hated characters of all time. Nathan just wants to make her happy and support her, to show her that she deserves better than how she treats herself and wants to help her love herself.

One supporting character is in a wheelchair and it's NEVER a thing. It's casually mentioned when they talk about his accessible room or putting his wheelchair into the car. He doesn't "wheel in" to a room, no one ever mentions it as a talking point. Another character's sexual identity is mentioned in that he sleeps with men and women, they never have a big talk telling the FMC that her boyfriend's friend isn't straight. It's mentioned organically when "a guy who's into JJ" needs to be said. I love the combination of complexities and ubiquitous experiences they face.

You root for Nathan and Anastasia. You want to smack them both when they're being dumb and fight when them when things are hard. I think about this book constantly and am already planning a re-read. This book will warm your heart.

Walking Red Flag was on last month's list and I just KNEW Bittersweet would hold its own with the rest of this series and it might be my favorite of the three? Who doesn't love a little Daddy kink?

Lola's life is way more twisted than you can imagine when you start this book. When a wake-up call changes her life and makes her finally do what she loves and open a bakery, she had no idea the hot, moody, aggressive tattoo artist next door would break into her business on opening day. We've met Ben in

previous Ocean View books and seeing his life was what I was most excited about; we knew there was more to him and getting his guilt for leaving the family business was emotional for me. He's definitely a golden retriever boyfriend at heart but it takes a while to get us there.

He works late tattooing so he keeps Lola, who needs to be up early to open her bakery, awake too late so naturally, she bites back by waking him up insanely early. It's a really great push and pull of them wanting to give into their affections but also being two of the most stubborn people EVER. Ben just wants to protect and keep her safe, even if he's trying - and failing - to be casual about it, and when Lola's threatened he is NOT having it.

As per usual, Elizabeth's sex scenes are impeccable and Ben is the perfect example of a tough exterior, golden retriever in the streets, and Daddy in the sheets. I would love to get a dozen more sex scenes of these two but it was a perfect mix of great sex that doesn't overpower the plot which is TOP TIER.

A VERY abrupt shift from the last two, this is a reverse haram, Alpha/Omega story filled with a BAD. ASS female main character who takes no shit but also embraces and welcomes the help of the male main characters (eventually), aggressive and loveable Alpha men, violence, plot twists, and so much filthy sex.

Jo is an Omega who doesn't want a "proper" pack of Alphas so she's working (read: thieving and heisting) for a man so she can get away from what's expected of her and live her own life. When the bank she's working at and trying to heist is held up by a group of men, she ends up being held as collateral, steals from the Alpha "bad guys" and then they steal from her, sending her after the men to get the jewel she really needs for her boss.

All of the men - Vette, Lark, and Mac - fit together perfectly well. They're similar enough that I never felt like one man was an outlier but not so similar that it felt like triplets doing the same thing. Jo is so strong and, at times, pigheaded about not wanting to give in to them that at times I felt exhausted for and by her. But, when Jo impresses the men, they decide to keep her around and work on their "bad guy ways", she learns to stand on her own and accept support.

Of course, the sex is incredible and the plot twists are aplenty but what I really love is seeing characters overcome trauma or mistreatment and learn to communicate. It's one thing to get a great plot or great sex, but Miles made them come together (pun intended) so perfectly that this has been one of my favorite RH books in recent memory.

Follow me on Instagram to see what I've been reading in October!

Happy reading!