September Book of the Month Unboxing!

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Happy September, my friends!! I have just received my Book of the Month box…and she’s a big one…like almost embarrassingly large. But…I had some free credits so I am not going to feel too bad…right? I am so excited about my choices…and I can’t wait to share them with you. Let me know if you have read any of these or if any of them are on your radar!! As always you can give Book of the Month a try with my link and snag your first book for $5! Ok, let’s Unbox this behemoth of a September Book of the Month box, shall we??

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

Ok, let’s start with The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. This month I chose 2 of the monthly selections as well as 2 past selections…so let’s just say the box was enormous. I immediately added The Stranger Upstairs to my cart because the cover is amazing ANNNND the book is about a murder house. Yeah…I don’t even need to read the rest of the synopsis once I see the words “murder house”…Im immediately in. Sign me up…take my money. The blurb on the back of the book says, ” A Gruesome History. A Hostile Neighborhood. A New Owner with a Shocking Secret. Welcome to Black Wood House.” Cannot wait to read this book. Here’s a bit more info:

Goodreads Synopsis

A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this gothic psychological debut.

Sarah Slade is starting over. As the new owner of the infamous Black Wood House—the scene of a grisly murder-suicide—she’s determined that the fixer-upper will help reach a new audience on her successful lifestyle blog, and distract her from her failing marriage.

But as Sarah paints over the house’s horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can’t conceal every secret. Then the builders start acting erratically and experiencing bizarre accidents—and Sarah knows there’s only so long she can continue to sleep in the bedroom with the bloodstained floor and suffer the mysterious footsteps she hears from the attic.

When menacing notes start appearing everywhere, Sarah becomes convinced that someone or something is out to kill her—her husband, her neighbors, maybe even the house itself. The more she remodels Black Wood House, the angrier it seems to become.

With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?

You, Again by Kate Goldbeck

Next up was another of the September selections. I chose You, Again by Kate Goldbeck because I have been on a bit of a romance/rom-com kick lately. I don’t know how or why it has happened but I am just loving them lately…you will see this very clearly in my next two selections! Ok, so I know absolutely zip about this book except that it has an awesome cover and seems to have gotten some rave reviews! Here is a little info.

Goodreads Synopsis

Can they stop hating each other long enough to fall in love?

A commitment-phobe and a hopeless romantic clash over and over again–until heartbreak and unexpected chemistry bring them together in this clever enemies-to-friends-to-lovers debut romance.

When Ari and Josh first meet, the wrong kind of sparks fly. They hate each other. Instantly.

A free-spirited, struggling comedian who likes to keep things casual, Ari sublets, takes gigs, and she never sleeps over after hooking up. Born-and-bred Manhattanite Josh has ambitious plans: Take the culinary world by storm, find The One, and make her breakfast in his spotless kitchen. They have absolutely nothing in common . . . except that they happen to be sleeping with the same woman.

Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again. But years later, as they’re both reeling from ego-bruising breakups, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. Turns out, spending time with your former nemesis is fun when you’re too sad to hate each other–and too sad for hate sex.

As friends-without-benefits, they find comfort in late-night Netflix binges, swiping through each other’s online dating profiles, and bickering across boroughs. It’s better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur. . . .

With sharp observations and sizzling chemistry, You, Again explores the dynamics of co-ed friendship in this sparkling romantic comedy of modern love in all its forms.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Next up we have Beach Read by Emily Henry. See, I told you I had a rom-com thing happening. This one has been on my TBR for quite some time. I LOVED Book Lovers. It was one of the first rom-com’s that I read and actually enjoyed. It was my gateway drug into the world of romance and rom-com’s so it is only fitting that I now have to binge read all of her other books. So, I went with Beach Read next because…Beaches. Kinda my thing. I have also heard amazing things about this book. People seem to devour Emily Henry books so I am excited to jump into this one. Here are the deets…

Goodreads Synopsis

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They’re polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no-one will fall in love. Really.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Last, but certainly not least is The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. Much like Emily Henry…Katherine Center’s name is pretty much synonymous with addictive rom-com’s. I finished Hello Stranger last month and ADORED it so I thought choosing The Bodyguard would be a pretty safe choice…and it was. I have already finished it and I loved it. It was a solid 4 star read for me. I enjoyed Hello Stranger more but I think I just connected to those characters a little bit more…but The Bodyguard was still great! Definitely recommend. Here’s what it was about.

Goodreads Synopsis

She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka “bodyguard”), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.

For More Info

That is a wrap on September! I am hoping to be back with a review or two for some of these books! If you have never tried out Book of the Month before you can snag your first book for $5 using my code! If you aren’t sure if BOTM is for you, you can check out my blog post that talks about why I think it is definitely worth the money. It will hopefully answer any questions you might have. If not, shoot me a message anytime and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Happy reading! What books are you looking forward to this month???