Nat's Top Ten of 2015

I can't believe it's that time of year again.  This is my 5th Top Ten list and, just like the first, second, third and fourth, it was difficult to decide.  As usual, I chose from all the books I read this year and not just books published in 2015.  While putting together this list, I decided to go through my previous lists.  It was fun to see what I had picked for favorites previously and it was entertaining to find that my love of romance has not abated one bit.  I am linking to previous lists just for the hell of it.  

2011  2012  2013  2014  

 And now, without further adieu, 2015

Cut & Run Series by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban

Much like Ty and Zane, this series and I had a rocky start to our relationship.  There is a significant amount of head hopping in the first book which is usually a deal breaker for me.  But Zane and Ty were so fascinating I kept on reading.  The issues I had with book 1 were worked out for book two and what you are left with is an amazing story of two  men as they try to forge a lasting relationship while dealing with dangerous jobs and unhealthy addictions.  Not only did I read one of the best love scenes I've ever read in a romance (Book 5 - Armed & Dangerous), I also added a new book boyfriend to my roster.  Let's just say that I will fight Ty to the death for his Zane.  And that's knowing that Ty will win.    If you are looking for lots of action, two alpha males, a little bit of angst and a really slow burn, I can't recommend this series enough.


Galgorithm by Aaron Karo

I didn't read a lot of YA this year but of the ones I did get to, this was, by far, my favorite.  Aaron Karo delivers a romcom with the quirky and awkward humor that I adore in romance.  And to top it off,  it included one of my favorite tropes - Friends to Lovers.  The only other thing I can say is, Amor y Cacahuetes.   Love and Peanuts.

Just Business by Anna Zabo

Every time someone asks me my favorite read of 2015, Just Business is the title I give them.   I read this in May and I STILL think about it.   Eli and Justin are wonderfully fun and complex characters and Anna Zabo's writing is stellar.   There is an office filing scene where there is zero nudity, touching or dirty talk and yet it was one of the hottest things I've ever read.  I'm not sure I'll be able to do office work ever again without blushing.

Lonely Hearts by Heidi Cullinan

This is a super hot new adult title that includes, per the warning on the book, sex in a Tesla and kinky anime role play.  But it's not all about the sex.  Not even close.  Heidi's endless understanding and empathy bring together two broken young men that work through their chronic health (mental and physical) issues  in ways that are not always healthy.  Between their friends, a pastor and his wife who have a whole lot of love to give, and their desire to live, Elijah and Baz have what they need to become healthier people.   There is no sugar coating in this book.  Their struggles are realistic and sometimes painful.  But never so painful you doubt they will get the happy ever after they both deserve.



Off Campus by Amy Jo Cousins

I read Five Dates (a freebie) on a whim.  That was my first taste of Amy Jo Cousins' writing and I think we all know that I am now a life long fan.  I read Off Campus in August and I have read it 3 more times since then.  This has obviously become a total comfort read for me.   Even with all his paranoia, Tom is insanely nice.  The things he does to make Reese feel safe made me melt.  And I'm not any less in love with Reese.  This kid is a survivor.  After experiencing a horrific and life damaging assault the year before, he still returned to campus.  He's a strong and scrappy guy that is determined to survive.



Delivered Fast by Annabeth Albert

Annabeth Albert is another new favorite author that I discovered this year.  This is the third book in the Portland Heat series.  I enjoyed the entire series but I really connected to this book.  Chris is surprised to find himself attracted to a guy that is 15 years younger than him .  And he almost fell over when said youngster hit on him and asked him out. What starts out as temporary and beneficial arrangment quickly becomes something more.  The problem?  Chris doesn't want to be the older guy that holds Lance back from pursuing his dreams.  Fortunately, Lance has his shit together and realizes he can pursue more than one dream at a time.  Now he just needs to convince Chris.



Burnt Toast B & B by Heidi Belleau and Rachel Haimowitz

So I picked this up on a whim when it was on a sale.  The humorous title was a total draw for me.  What I didn't expect was a beautiful and romantic story between a gay man afraid of getting close to anyone because he might lose them and a transgender man that has yet to find anyone that completely accepts him for who he is.  Belleau and Haimowitz's empathy and accuracy when it came to writing these two characters was nothing short of amazing.  I look forward to checking out more of their books in the future.





Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

I don't think Katie McGarry can write a bad book.  It just isn't in her.  And after meeting her a few months ago, I have a new appreciation for her dedication and attention to detail.  Spending a month with members of a motorcycle club gave her a level of insight that produced a book that is fascinating and romantic but not always attractive.  If you are looking for some angst with certain style of grit and honesty, definitely pick this one up.






Undressed by Shannon Richard

This is one of my favorites in the Country Roads series.  It's super sexy and lots of fun.  It hits the ground running with an unbelievably hot opening scene and it never loses its momentum.   Of course, there was just enough angst to make me happy and more than enough fun and hockey hotness to make non-angst lovers happy too.

No Parking at the End Times by Bryan Bliss

This is a story of a teen girl that is desparately grappling with the knowledge that her father's faith in a scheister televangelist and her mother's unhealthy desire to please her husband has led to them living in a van with no income and has put their family in a situation from which they might never recover.  She and her brother independently seek comfort and seek a way to escape the hopeless situation their parents have put them in.  Definitely not a happy book but it certainly is a book that I think a lot of people can relate to in one way or another.

Nat's Top Ten of 2014

It's that time of year again.  Time to share our favorites of 2014.  As always, it was a difficult decision.  But I forced myself to choose and I'm pretty happy with this list.  What were your favorite reads this year?  Share in the comments below!






Here Without You by Tammara Webber 

An excellent ending to the Between the Lines series.  I've always loved how Webber made me fall in love with the one character I hated most.  In this final installment, Reid gets the opportunity to improve relationships with all the important people in his life - his dad, mom, Dori.  AND he has the opportunity to meet his very young son.









The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn

I had already read most of the 2nd Epilogues in this book.  And I won't lie.  Re-reading them was an absolute joy.  But the reason this book made it to my Top Ten is due to the included novella, Violet in Bloom.  I've always wanted to read Violet Bridgerton's (everyone's favorite matriarch) story and boy did Julia Quinn deliver. I cried and I laughed and it was so, so beautiful and heartbreaking and, and, and...So, yeah.  If you are a fan of the Bridgertons and you haven't read this one, you must.  You simply must.






The Bells of Time Square by Amy Lane

Oh, Amy.  I never think it's possibly for your books to get any more amazing. And then you throw this at me.  An exquisite story about the forbidden love between two American soldiers during the height of WWII.  You know from page one that there is no happily ever after for Nate and Walter.  But just as in the case of the Violet Bridgerton novella, the absence of a happily ever after doesn't take away from the beauty and wonder and hope of Nate and Walter's love story.






Oxford Messed Up by Andrea Kayne Kaufman

What a lovely surprise.  This one had been sitting on my TBR shelf for almost three years.  I don't know what made me pick it up but boy am I glad I did.  A captivating story about a young woman with extreme OCD and her new loo-mate that triggers her anxiety in every possible way.  They fall for each other over a mutual love of Van Morrison.  I loved that this book took the heroine's  mental illness so seriously and did not condescendingly try to make the reader believe that falling in love was a cure for her daily struggles.  Also, I learned to absolutely adore Van Morrison thanks to this author.  Thank you, Ms. Kaufman!




Take Me On by Katie McGarry

I've loved every single Katie McGarry book to date.  But I never thought I would love one more than Pushing the Limits.  I was wrong.  This was amazing.  A young, female, non-paranormal MC that is both emotionally AND physically strong.  An entitled young man that has had enough of his dysfunctional home life and makes the decision to live without the privileges he is used to.  McGarry doesn't pull any punches when portraying the lives of people that struggle daily to have the very basic of needs met.






Unstoppable by Shannon Richard

This book was absolutely precious.  The heroine, Melanie, is the kind of girl I always admire.  The one that is both driven but also very domestic.  And the love of her life was stinkin' adorable. Shannon Richard managed to take the cluelessness of a Jill Shalvis' alpha male and the steady traits of my favorite forever boys and create an extremely likable and amusing hero. This one got an immedidate re-read and will definitely be one I go back to when I'm looking for a satisfying comfort read.






#scandal by Sarah Ockler

This is a wonderful satirical look at high school and the pitfalls of social media.  #scandal was often funny and sometimes uncomfortable.  It was also fast-paced.  I found myself being anxious to see what happens next.  I would recommend this book to pretty much any reader of any age.









In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins

This was the first Kristan Higgins book I ever read.  And because of it, I quickly devoured the others in the Blue Heron series.  This one remains my favorite in the series.  Emmaline might be my favorite heroine of the year. Plenty of self-deprecating and physical humor in this one.  It was a great mix and had me laughing non-stop while still keeping me on edge with the romance.







What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Huntley Fitzpatrick has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary YA authors.  This is a realistic and thoughtful novel about how we can survive and move on from our mistakes and how those mistakes don't have to be the only thing that define us.









The Moment of Everything by Shelly King

Yep.  I saved the best for last.  This was my absolute favorite book of the year.  A story about an unemployed woman discovering herself while forming relationships with the people that all share a love of the same used bookstore.  I could go on and on about how perfect this book is.  But, instead, I will just point you to my review of what I consider to be THE BEST book of the year.

Nat's Review of The Best Book of the Year