Booknerdia
Seasonal Reads
Whether it's Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter, we share books that reflect seasonal vibes.
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Our book list will change often, so check out the current ones listed before they disappear on the wind!​
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Have you read a seasonal book that was SO GOOD that you'd love to share the title with other readers?
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Email us at booknerdians@gmail.com and include the title and season it fits, and we might post your suggestion to this page!
Spring & Summer Reads
Click on each book to view on Amazon
Whether you're looking for a book about new life and renewal or something with warm weather vibes to read by the pool or with your feet stuck in the sand, these titles will be a breath of fresh air.
High school guidance counselor Nora Jenkins has her hands full. Her new student, Ivy Ryman, has been wreaking havoc at Oakland High and has occupied all of Nora’s work hours. With his busy schedule, music producer Blaze Ryman can’t get a handle on his daughter. But Nora has a soft spot for the girl who’s lost her mother and is now living with her mega-famous father.
When summer break finally arrives, Nora packs up and heads for the turquoise Gulf Coast to soak in the sparkling surf and sip on cocktails until she falls asleep, wrapped in sunlight on the warm beach.
She’s just about to get her wish. Until Ivy and her father unexpectedly show up at her beachfront doorstep.
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When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested for a white-collar crime, she and her daughter Iris are locked out of their house by the FBI and—what’s potentially even worse—thrust into the spotlight of @JuniperShoresSocialite, the town’s snarky anonymous Instagram account. Cut off from her bank accounts and feeling desperate, Charlotte takes up an acquaintance’s offer to stay at a beachfront former bed-and-breakfast that’s home to a community of single mothers and draws plenty of gossip in the small coastal North Carolina town.
Charlotte and Iris find solace and are surprised by how much fun they’re having with the other families despite their circumstances. But when the women discover a secret link between them, it changes everything they thought they knew about the unconventional family they’ve created and leaves them wondering whether their coming together was a coincidence at all. Will the skeletons in the mommune closets help Charlotte and Iris reclaim their place in the Juniper Shores community—or shatter the sisterhood forever?
While Beth is proud of her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches, she's even prouder of her charismatic brother Rick, who rose from foster care through surgical residency. She makes subs, he saves lives. Life takes a turn for the happy after she finds out Rick is dating her new best friend, Jana. Then Jana’s handsome brother adds even more sparkle to Beth’s days...and nights.
But when she catches Rick with another woman—like, with-with—her visions of an idyllic family future disappear in one awful instant. Either she betrays her brother, or she keeps his secret and risks losing the man she loves and her best friend.
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Blythe Benedict is content. Her life didn’t end when her marriage did. In fact, she’s more than happy living in her comfortable house in Boston, working as a middle school teacher, and raising four wonderful children. With three of her kids in the throes of teenagerhood and one not too far behind them, Blythe has plenty of drama to keep her busy every single day.
But no amount of that drama could change the family’s beloved annual summer trip to Nantucket. Blythe has always treasured the months spent at her island home-away-from-home, and has fond memories of her children growing up there. But this summer’s getaway proves to be much more than she bargained for.
Yes, there are sunny days enjoyed at the beach. But Blythe must contend with teenage angst, her ex-mother-in-law’s declining health, and a troubling secret involving her ex-husband. Meanwhile, Blythe reconnects with her first love, her former high school sweetheart Aaden. But their second-time-around romance becomes complicated when another intriguing man enters the picture.
It’s all a bit out of Blythe’s comfort zone. This particular island summer may not be as relaxing as Blythe had hoped, but she’s never felt that life has given her more than she can handle—especially when she has the love and support of her family around her.
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As a child, Phoebe Manigault developed the gift of premonition after she was struck by lightning in the creek near her Charleston home. Plagued throughout her life by mysterious dreams, and always living in the shadow of her beautiful sister, Addie, Phoebe eventually moves to the West Coast, as far from her family as possible. Now, years later, she is summoned back to South Carolina, to help Addie care for their ailing mother.
As Phoebe’s return lures her back into deep-rooted tensions and conflicts, she is drawn toward Celeste, whose granddaughter went missing years ago. Their connection, woven through shared losses and hope, brings comfort to Phoebe, while Celeste’s adult grandson Liam resurrects complicated emotions tied to Phoebe’s past.
But the longer Phoebe spends in her childhood home, the more her recurring nightmares intensify—bringing her closer to the shocking truth that will irrevocably change everything. Unfolding against the lush backdrop of the South Carolina Lowcountry, That Last Carolina Summer is an unforgettable family drama and mystery about the unbreakable bonds of family and the gift of second chances.
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Farrah Macon is blindsided after being served divorce papers from a man she never intended to live without. Completely baffled, she leaves her art gallery manager position behind to take refuge with her parents. At the ripe age of twenty-nine, she’s living back home again, working as a nursing assistant, and helping her family at the local farmer’s market.
When everything seems to be falling down around her, Farrah runs into James Abbott—all six feet of the charming, curly-haired rancher—and can’t help but remember what they used to have.
But as sparks begin to fly between the two, Farrah grapples with a heart-wrenching secret that might tear them apart.
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Summer is in full swing when Daisy drives back into Wynmouth in her almost-clapped-out car, having left both her most recent job and the man her parents thought she was going to marry. Coming home could be just what she needs to move her life on.
At Wynbrook Manor, things are in disarray. Owner Algy isn’t getting any younger, and Daisy’s mum Janet, housekeeper at the manor, spends her days running around after him, while Daisy’s dad Robin, the gardener, has been let down by the person he had lined up to take care of the new cut-flower garden.
As Daisy tries to find her place at Wynbrook and in the village, she’s drawn to summer visitor Josh. But when he turns out to be not the person he appears to be, will the spark between them fizzle out? And with it, the chances of this turning into the best summer ever?
Fall Reads
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Fall is a gorgeous time of year! The air is crisp, the colors are vibrant, and food are laced with pumpkin spice. It's the perfect season for snuggling under a blanket in a sweatshirt or PJs and losing yourself in a book.
Haunted by a disastrous military mission, wounded veteran Ace Gatlin vows to live alone on his farm so he can never fail anyone again. However, this doesn’t discourage his determined neighbor, physiotherapist Jolene Pearl, who shows up at his door with a troubled K-9 desperate for a home. Jolene is sure the two injured warriors need each other, and soon, their joint efforts to rehabilitate sweet Bear chip away at the shrapnel lodged in Ace’s heart. But when a catastrophic tornado strikes Willow Oaks, more than just their budding relationship is put to the test. Can Jolene help Ace see himself as worthy of happily-ever-after?
She’s 70 years old and about to experience the best autumn of her life…
Monica, who just celebrated her 70th birthday is spending the fall with her daughter’s family off the coast of Maine.
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Since her husband died 10 years ago, she’s given up all hope of a new happily ever after and tells herself she’s content just being grandma to two beautiful boys.
The thing is Monica’s always had a secret passion for baking and business. A passion she never got to pursue as a wife and mother. So when she sees a job opening in the local cottage cafe, she jumps at the chance. Impressed by her pastry skills, the owner offers Monica a chance to shine in the kitchen.
Over the moon with this new lease of life, Monica’s happiness is short-lived when she finds out that hotel developers are threatening to buy out the local cafe.
Then, when Monica finds a notebook left behind in the cafe one evening, she discovers inside it the story of Benjamin, a once-famous local sculptor who is grieving his late wife. The cottage cafe was her favorite place to be too. As Monica delves into the history of the town, she realizes just how pivotal the cafe has been to the people who live here through the years.
Intrigued, Monica sets out to make friends with the reclusive and crotchety Benjamin, who just so happens to be the only man who can save the cafe from its fate.
A reminder of the importance of friendship, love, neighbors, and reaching out to those around you. Spend a hopefull fall with Monica and Benjamin as they embark on an unlikely romance and band together to save the beloved local cafe from going under.
When overworked marketing executive Emily Bennett returns to the charming seaside town of Seabreeze Haven to renovate her late grandmother’s house, she plans to finish the project quickly and get back to her busy city life. But as autumn paints the town in golden hues and the crisp sea breeze fills the air, Emily finds herself enveloped in the warmth of her childhood memories and the close-knit community she once knew.
Enter Jack Turner, her high school sweetheart turned dependable town handyman. With his rugged good looks and kind heart, Jack offers to help Emily with the renovations, sparking both humorous mishaps and touching moments. As they work side by side, old feelings resurface, and Emily begins to question the life she left behind.
Caught between a lucrative project with her job in the city and the growing pull of Seabreeze Haven, Emily must navigate challenges and make a decision about her love for both the town and Jack. Through pumpkin-carving contests, cozy evenings by the sea, and the magic of the Harvest Festival, Emily discovers that sometimes, the path to happiness leads you right back home.
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Christmas in August? Sunset County is decked out for the holidays—fake snow and all! Maya Monroe can’t believe her novel is being turned into a Christmas movie. Except the "acclaimed" director, Will Hastings, is Maya’s ex. The man who broke her heart via text, and clearly knows nothing about romance, is directing her dream project.
Will never imagined he’d be filming a Christmas romance—especially one based on his ex’s book. But Will’s determined to complete the job, even though Maya keeps interfering with his creative choices—and his heart. In this staged winter wonderland, their feelings are stealing the show. Can Will and Maya heal their past for a second chance to be the lead couple in their real-life romance?
After a humiliating breakup in the big city, Nia is retreating to her sleepy hometown of Cinnamon Falls where she can sulk about her life being a mess in peace.
When she arrives, the town is gearing up for their annual Fall Fest, where people travel from far and wide to bob apples, carve pumpkins, watch the firework display, and see the annual Cinnamon King and Queen be crowned.
But just a few days before opening night, a shocking discovery is made.
A body is uncovered in the local diner, alongside a note: Who will be next?
Nia must team up with the eclectic residents of Cinnamon Falls to solve the case, including her tall dark and handsome high school ex-boyfriend, Jesse, who she never quite got over…
Can they solve the case before the killer strikes again?
Christmas Reads
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Authors target Christmas for new releases, which means there's a Santa's sack full of fresh holiday reads every year between October and December. It's impossible to read them all in time for Christmas, but it's still fun to read them after December 25. Save some for Christmas in July, too. A cozy, festive read is perfect for any time of the year that you need an extra dose of cheer.
It’s Emmy Brewer’s tenth Christmas since she lost her mom, and without her, Emmy’s floundering. Her job is pointless, and she struggles to find direction and passion. So when her sister invites Emmy’s childhood crush and former neighbor, Charlie Russell, to their family Christmas, and he shows up, given her state, Emmy is anything but excited.
Their meeting sets off a string of events that bring them together once a year at Christmas. Through trying moments, laughter, and bad timing, Emmy must face her life’s choices and decide what she actually wants. Will it be Charlie? Or will he be the catalyst for something else entirely?
Avery and Reed Bond grew up sharing a close-knit relationship, weathering life’s storms side by side. Even so, Avery often finds herself exasperated by her brother’s relentless matchmaking, while Reed can’t resist teasing his sister—after all, isn’t that what siblings do?
Facing their first Christmas without their beloved Grams, the woman who lovingly raised them, Reed and Avery decide to spend the holiday together at Reed’s home. However, their plans take an unexpected turn when the ferry Avery’s traveling on stalls in the middle of Puget Sound, stranding its passengers and leaving Reed waiting a now undetermined length of time for her arrival. What is at first an inconvenience threatens to ruin the plans of a number of commuters, but Avery and Reed soon discover that this unforeseen delay might end up being be a perfectly timed blessing in disguise.
While stuck on the ferry, Avery meets a handsome sailor and witnesses a Christmas miracle that reignites her belief in the holiday spirit. Meanwhile, Reed runs into a coworker who’s also waiting for a family member to arrive, and sparks a surprising and delightful connection.
As owner of her beloved Gingerbread Bakery, Annie Andrews should have a love life to match her business; sugary and sweet. But instead, she’s locked in a game of words with the irritatingly upbeat bar owner down the street.
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Mac Sullivan has everything he wants, except the girl he dreams of. It’s easier to argue with Annie than get her to talk to him but with Jeanie and Logan’s wedding coming up, they're about to spend a lot more time together.
As the snowflakes fall and with romance in the air, will Annie see that the one she loves to hate might just be her perfect match after all?
The Sugar and Spice bakery sparkles with holiday spirit as Jacob serves up more mouthwatering festive treats, and Christmas spirit Lara tries to sprinkle her magic over those finding the time of year difficult.
Ollie is at his wits’ end. A debt from years ago comes back to haunt him just as he and his girlfriend are buying their dream home.
Rose is dejected as her college sweetheart has dumped her now they’re in their final year. She’s not looking forward to Christmas alone, nor her twenty-first birthday on Christmas Eve.
Sacha has recently moved to Winstanton following the failure of his business. He’s too embarrassed to confide in his family, but can he find the friendship he so desperately needs and begin to trust again?
Diana tries to find her new normal after the unexpected death of her husband earlier this year. All her plans for retirement have been thrown out the window and she feels lost. She needs a renewed sense of purpose and to find her place in the world.
Can Lara provide the answer to a joy-filled Christmas?
Christmas has always been single mom Holly Goodwin Moore’s favorite time of year. The twinkly lights on the tree, the cookies in the oven, the snow on the ground. But she’s just not feeling it this year. The wedding in her ex’s family is almost here, her daughter, Lydia, is bursting at the seams to be a flower girl…and Holly couldn’t be dreading it more. She told a little white lie about having a new boyfriend as her plus-one, hoping to save face. She needs a date for the wedding…and she needs it now.
Ryan Caldwell wants to be free this holiday season. So even he isn’t sure how he landed in Shelter Springs, looking after his niece, Audrey, with his estranged father down the road. But when he meets Holly, she makes him want to belong for the very first time. So they make a deal: he’ll be her date if she’ll help him give Audrey a true Christmas to remember while her mom is away.​​​​​​
Mirren Sutherland stumbled into a career as an antiquarian book hunter after finding a priceless antique book in her great aunt’s attic. Now, as Christmas approaches, she’s been hired by Jamie McKinnon, the surprisingly young and handsome laird of a Highland clan whose ancestral holdings include a vast crumbling castle. Family lore suggests that the McKinnon family’s collection includes a rare book so valuable that it could save the entire estate—if they only knew where it was. Jamie needs Mirren to help him track down this treasure, which he believes is hidden in his own home.
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But on the train to the Highlands, Mirren runs into rival book hunter Theo Palliser and instantly knows that it’s not a chance meeting. She’s all too familiar with Theo’s good looks and smooth talk, and his uncanny ability to appear whenever there’s a treasure that needs locating.
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Almost as soon as Mirren and Theo arrive at the castle, a deep snow blankets the Highlands, cutting off the outside world. Stuck inside, the three of them plot their search as the wind whistles outside. Mirren knows that Jamie’s grandfather, the castle’s most recent laird, had been a book collector, a hoarder, and a great lover of treasure hunts. Now they must unpuzzle his clues, discovering the secrets of the house—forming and breaking alliances in a race against time.
Winter Reads
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Winter reads are tricky to find because many of them are Christmas themed. If you enjoy reading by the fire with hot cocoa in here, try one of these wintery selections.
Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.
Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.
Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.
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1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it's just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: "Where did Narnia come from?"
Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C. S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers.
Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he shares the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life.
After holding so tightly to logic and reason, her brother's request leads Megs to absorb a more profound truth: "The way stories change us can't be explained. It can only be felt. Like love."
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The Sheriff Takes a Wife
It's love at first sight for city girl Christy Manning and small-town sheriff Cody Franklin. But despite their fast and intense connection, they both have…complicated…relationship statuses. Cody is wary of being burned again, and Christy is worried that no matter what choice she makes, someone is going to be hurt. Still, the two can't seem to keep away from each other and will have to find the courage to follow their hearts.
First Comes Marriage
Janine Hartman loves her grandfather but balks at his plan to choose her a husband. Zach Thomas, the intended groom, has recently merged his business with the Hartman family firm, and that's the only Hartman–Thomas merger he wants. But Grandfather has other ideas, ideas belonging to a different place, a different time. It would be a perfect match, he insists. Zach and Janine don't agree. In fact, they agree on only one thing—that Gramps is a stubborn, meddling old man. But…what if he's right?
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Elfrida Phipps, once of London’s stage, moved to the English village of Dibton in hopes of making a new life for herself. Gradually she settled into the comfortable familiarity of village life―shopkeepers knowing her tastes, neighbors calling her by name―still she finds herself lonely.
Oscar Blundell gave up his life as a musician in order to marry Gloria. They have a beautiful daughter, Francesca, and it is only because of their little girl that Oscar views his sacrificed career as worthwhile.
Carrie returns from Austria at the end of an ill-fated affair with a married man to find her mother and sister sharing a home and squabbling endlessly. With Christmas approaching, Carrie agrees to look after her sister's awkward and quiet teenage daughter, Lucy, so that her mother might enjoy a romantic fling in America.
Sam Howard is trying to pull his life back together after his wife has left him for another. He is without home and without roots, all he has is his job. Business takes him to northern Scotland, where he falls in love with the lush, craggy landscape and set his sights on a house.
It is the strange rippling effects of a tragedy that will bring these five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan.
