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LAST YEAR I WAS READING…(June 8, 2022)

Here are the rules:

Take your current read and compare it to what you reading this exact time last year. Which one do you like better? What is different about the books? Any special facts/things you want to make note of or bring attention to?

This meme was created by Reading Marie. It’s a great meme because it’s nice and easy to do.


This Year I Am Reading…

Malachi Keogh finds himself in a job he neither wanted nor asked for when his father, boss of Sydney’s postal service, sends him to the end of the business line, aka The Dead Letter Office. Malachi expects tedious and boring but instead discovers a warehouse with a quirky bunch of misfit co-workers, including a stoic and nerdy boss, Julian Pollard.

Malachi’s intrigued by Julian at first, and he soon learns there’s more to the man than his boring clothes of beige, tan, and brown; a far cry from Malachi’s hot pink, lilac, and electric blue. Where Julian is calm and ordered, Malachi is chaos personified, but despite their outward differences, there’s an immediate chemistry between them that sends Malachi’s head—and heart—into a spin.

To keep his father happy, Malachi needs to keep this job. He also needs to solve the mystery of the pile of old letters that sits in Julian’s office and maybe get to the bottom of what makes Julian tick. Like everything that goes through the mail centre, only time will tell if Malachi has found his intended destination or if he’ll find himself returned to sender.

Bookshop: US
Amazon Buy Links: KindleAudiobook
Amazon UK Buy Links: Paperback Audiobook

One of the most adorable books I’ve read this year. Such a unique premise too!


Last Year I Was Reading…

This isn’t a romance about billionaires, movie stars, or models. This is a story of two ordinary, working-class men, dealing with life’s real problems, and trying to find love along the way.

It’s been a long seventeen years but Herschel Wood Jr. is finally a free man and he’s looking forward to reconnecting with his old cellmate, Bishop Stockley, who promised him a place to stay and some help getting back on his feet. Wood had a good life once upon time when he’d owned one of the most successful tattoo shops on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront – until a fatal accident that was his fault cost him everything.

Now at forty-six years old, all Wood wants is to work in another shop on the beach and find a mature, easygoing man to settle down with. But when he gets to his new place and finds he has to share the small trailer with Bishop’s childhood friend, he wasn’t expecting a sexy, smart-mouthed brat that enjoys pushing a man to his limits.

Wood pressed in tight until there was only misunderstanding between them, his mouth mere inches from Trent’s parted lips.“You wanted to get a reaction out of me you annoying, immature little shit… now you’ve got one.”

Trent Armstrong has never been considered a catch. He’s a twenty-nine year old laborer, an ex-con, and not the easiest person to get along with. He’s used to being the one people cast to the side when they’re done with him. Everyone he’s ever cared about has walked out of his life without a backward glance, so he’s used to the loneliness. His foul mouth and quick temper are a great defense mechanism and an easy way to hide his hurt.

From the moment the tattooed, silver-haired man walked into the house there had been nothing but tension, side-eyeing, and sparks between them. Trent has always held back a side of himself that he’s terrified to explore, and without warning Wood’s voice, his maturity, that maddening scent, and even his damaged past all trigger feelings that Trent thought he’d buried deep long ago.

Trent went completely still when Wood dragged his nose over his forehead and down the side of his face.His voice was shaky, and his breaths were hot and swift along Wood’s throat.“What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m doing what you want me to do.”Wood whispered.“I’m playing your bullshit game, Trent.”

The True Lover’s Stories are connected standalones. Each title features a different couple but will contain previously mentioned characters.
No multiple pairings.No cliffhangers.Ends with a HEA.
Note:This is a steaming agnsty, age gap, new-to-love romance.

Bookshop: US
Amazon Buy Links: KindleAudiobook
Amazon UK Buy Links: Paperback Audiobook

I was looking forward to this book. Would have liked it more if only the pacing moved faster.

My 3-star review here.


Today we have two contemporary romances. They both feature mature characters, although not necessarily the main couple. The two books are about second chances, finding the lost, and found family. Color is of note as the characters in both books have something eye-catching on them.

Dearest Milton James is the current read. This is a workplace romance set in the Dead Letter Office of Australia, the department that handles lost mail and packages. The story is told in the 1st person POV of the sunshiny MC. The love interest is the cool, confident, and kind boss. There is an elderly gay couple as well. The secondary characters are a band of misfits who also work in the department.

The plot revolves around a bundle of mysterious letters that have been in the department for over 40 years. Malachi Keogh is the newest hire who charmed everyone, especially the boss, Julian Pollard. The man was said to have had a bad breakup.

Julian’s sensible, boring life suddenly became much more colorful. Quite literally too, since Malachi color-coordinates his hair with his clothes. The two set about finding clues to the identity of the letter sender and to who the letter was addressed to. I just finished this. and I was completely charmed too! It’s 100% warm fuzzies.

Wood is last year’s read. It is the second book of True Lover Stories The characters are working-class men, construction workers, and landscape artists. The story is told from the dual POV of the MCs. The younger MC is the best friend of the MC from the first book. The much older MC is an ex-con and a former tattoo artist, while the secondary characters are the co-workers and the best friend’s dad, who also own the construction company.

The story is a roommates-to-lovers/forced proximity romance with some enemies to lovers mixed in between the bratty Trent Armstrong and just released ex-con, Herschell Wood. They were forced to share a trailer. Trent was Bishop‘s best friend, while Wood was Bishop‘s mentor while he was in prison. By all accounts, Trent is straight, but for some reason, he was drawn to the older man. So he acted like an asshole.

Wood knew the brat was attracted to him and, smooth man that he is, bided his time. Meanwhile, he has to find a job. He’s also itching to go back to tattooing but seem to have lost his muse. A part of the story is about him looking to rekindle that spark. The whole age gap, bi-awakening was wonderfully done, but the book suffered from the molasses-slow pacing of the first half.

Between postal workers and ex-cons, walking out the gates is liberating, but peace comes when you find your way home.


I’m ending the post with a book I’m looking forward to reading.

Alex

Some people are born lucky.

Then there’s me, destined to be loved by the man who knows my darkest secret.

My gift has followed me my entire life—the ability to see the threads of fate. I can see the red thread tying together two people destined to love one another.

But my gift has another side to it. A darker side.
I can also see a simple black thread tied to the fingers of those who aren’t aware of it, connecting them to the person destined to kill them. And when I look down at my own finger, I can see the red thread stretched over to Bishop King. The man who is my soul mate.

But then why is the black thread also wrapped around our fingers?

Bishop is sweet and caring, and I can’t stop my heart from loving him. I just need to thwart fate before it separates us forever.

Bishop

I swore to never let myself be drawn back into Alex’s world, but the man is funny and charming and the moment we’re together I fall back into the familiarity we shared as teenagers.

I know this time is different; he’s hoping that I can help him walk through his dreams to figure out how an innocent girl is going to die.

While his dreams tell of the future, mine allow us to find the truth. But what happens when we save a life and change fate–will it affect our own future? I can’t keep myself from falling for Alex, but what if helping him leaves one of us dead?

Unraveling the Threads of Fate is a standalone romance with action, mystery, humor, and a happy ending.

Amazon Buy Links: US | UK

I only learned about the red thread of fate from anime. It’s brilliant how Alice Winters used them in this book. Can’t wait to start on this!


What were you reading this time last year?

(I hope it’s as riveting as Morticia’s book)

reading-gif-17 - Fumble

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