Whether it’s scrolling through Goodreads, perusing the stacks on the tables at Barnes and Nobles on east 18^thStreet in Manhattan, or trolling the shelves at my local library – books are a common theme in my life.

Finding the next one to read, or the ‘hunt’ as I like to call it, is just as rewarding as the act of reading the book.

Here are a few that got my attention in 2022

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A searing commentary on the treatment of women in the 1960s, featuring a smart, stop-at-nothing protagonist. All written in a refreshing voice.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
Who doesn’t love a love story with a little bit of magic realism? All the elements of a romance, and then some.

Here for the Drama by Kate Bromley
Loved the writing in this delightful rom-com. The images unfold like you’re watching a movie.

Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins
I’m a fan of this author – but I think this is her best to date. The protagonist’s journey is funny, poignant, and in the end, everything you hope for.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Another go-to author. A rom-com with a heart and twisty ending, and a big satisfied sigh when you close the back cover.

The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan
I loved this story. A mother and daughter on different paths find a way to each other. Each learning something. I cried, and I enjoyed every single page.

Pepper Malone, an ex-reporter from the Windy City, is on the run and traveling light. With just the bare essentials (her car, computer and Manolo Blanicks) she ends up in Bailee, Texas – a town without a traffic light. In an effort to stave off starvation and get some money in her pockets she takes gets a job doing the only thing she knows how, as a reporter for the town newspaper the Bailee Bugle. Owner Mike McCulloch doesn’t know why she’d want a job in a town that rolls up its street at 9pm – but he doesn’t really have time to find out. No sooner does Pepper arrive when the story becomes a mystery. Someone is trying to close down the newspaper and kill Mike or Pepper or both.

What begins as a contemporary romance quickly turns into a romantic mystery suspense. I didn’t see it coming, and I didn’t guess who the antagonist was until the very end.

Rewriting Monday has lively, animated, tender secondary characters you want to know more about and the author is obliging. Each one weaves into the action seamlessly creating a robust story that pulls you right in.

I enjoyed this book from page one until the end – and thoroughly recommend it.