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I have been watching, reading, and viewing every favorite books of 2024 post that has come across my feeds on any social media format so I am so excited for this post. Of the numerous 2024 releases that I read, when I went through my list, I highlighted 30 books that I really loved. So trying to them whittle that down to 10 just felt like… that wasn’t possible. I’ve instead chosen to be one of those people giving you 24 books. Is that too many? Yeah, probably, but honestly, I’m still not sure I can commit to just 24. So let’s see how this goes!

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

Honestly, there’s just something about the personal journey that Soledad goes on throughout this book that just sang to my soul. This is a theme that you’ll see repeated throughout these books, but for me, 2024 was the year of searching for answers in the books that I was reading on how to find myself again while my job took over my life. I do think this book is a stronger fiction novel than a romance novel, but I did really love the romance as well. And, as always, I am so keen to get her 2025 release with Hendrix’s romance!

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

This book was pure joy in a book. I just had the most fun. It was escapist and quite the ride. Was the world-building the best? I literally do not care. I mean, genuinely, I could not answer that question because I did not care. I just know I loved these characters and I felt like the romance was just magic.

Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher

I truly went on a journey in 2024 with seeking out and devouring so many single dad romances and I’m not sure I know which book is to blame, but I do know Love Unwritten absolutely supported that urge. Ellie is Rafael’s nanny for his son and this book is so much about how to be better. How to be a better parent, how to heal enough to follow your dreams, how to support your partner following their dreams even when it makes you nervous, and so on and so forth. I really, really loved that.

Business Casual by B.K. Borison

While not my favorite book in the Lovelight Farms series, Business Casual is still really, really wonderful. I love Nova and Charlie. They’re both struggling with feeling like they belong and striving to find their place in the world and I am in love with them. This relationship is a little more physical forward, which I know is not everyone’s jam, but I think that Borison, as always, developed the romance so well at the same time that she was developing their emotional connection. If you liked Not in Love, I would recommend giving Business Casual a try and vice versa.

Unexpectedly Wed to the Heir by Lydia San Andres

This entire series is just absolutely wonderful, but I’m always such a fan of books where characters fall into being with one another sort of accidentally. This particular installment of the series felt so cozy, despite having people like actively trying to break into Aura’s home and not being particularly concerned about her well-being. But the romance was just so full of caretaking that I adored it so much.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

I think I need to re-read Funny Story because Daphne’s storyline is everything that I’ve loved this year. She’s in a new place and really need to find her own way after her fiancé runs off with his best friend. The absolute nerve. And I did love so much about this book, hence its placement on this list. I just know that if I had given it more of my time and attention that this book could honestly be competing with Beach Read for my favorite Emily Henry. So it’s definitely on my list to re-read this year!

The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas

There’s honestly just something about Josie that called to me in this book. She’s so determined to have everything together and to be happy with herself, but then, her bio dad and a reporter sort of mess everything up. And I feel like I’ve been there, just blurting something out and then having to deal with the fall-out of that. I mean, for me, it’s usually something much less dramatic. Like, “Oh, I like that thing you’re talking about too,” when in fact I have no idea what the other person is talking about, but regardless. Anyway, there’s something about the self-containment that Josie has, where she’s surrounded by people who love her, but whom she doesn’t think she can lean on. I just, I really get it.

Daydream by Hannah Grace

If you’re a people pleaser, eldest daughter with a complex, allow me to direct you to this book. I am the oldest daughter, but I’m fortunate in that although sometimes my family tries to put a lot on me, I’m also the one that lives the furthest away. But also, the romance? The neurodivergence representation?? The found family?? This book was fantastic. I loved it so much.

Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

The fact that Elsie Silver is doing a series with single parents is a gift to me. And the chemistry between West and Skylar?? From the meet cute to the last page, I was obsessed with them. I am truly such an Elsie Silver stan. Oh, also, the kids in this book!!! Everything about this book is great. I want to re-read it. Like, right now.

Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage

My other small town cowboy style romance series that I fell in love with this year is Rebel Blue Ranch and I think Lost and Lassoed is my favorite in the series. I love Gus and Teddy so much. SO MUCH. They’re just absolutely wonderful.

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood said that this is a steamier book from her than her than her usual fare and I really need people to stop taking that concept and running with it because I would not say this book is overly steamy. What it is, is a really fantastic book with a darker tone than the ones that she has written previously (that I’ve read) and the emotional connection develops slowly. Rue is so guarded and hesitant to trust and it’s just… I love it so much. The way these two characters come together was absolutely glorious. Honestly, I truly just loved it the most.

How You Get the Girl by Anita Kelly

I grew up in the era of Pat Summit coaching the Tennessee Vols and so I’ve always been a loose UT women’s basketball fan, so maybe that’s part of what helped How You Get the Girl hit so hard for me. But I actually think it’s the demi rep with Julie because my girl was so relatable. And also, this book was emotional and wonderful and I loved it so much,

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

I have always loved books with alternate realities where you get to really see what would happen if just one thing is different, so the premise of this book was immediately appealing. For some, the repetitive nature of a new husband and then the changes was something that grew to be annoying. For me, nothing about this book was annoying. I had so much fun with this book. This was a case, for me, where the premise and absolutely carried the book for me. I love people trying to decide what makes their life great or good or happy and this book definitely did that.

City of Mirth and Malice by Alexis L. Menard

If you’re a Six of Crows or Peaky Blinders fan, I need you to give this series a try. I am so in love with it. Essentially, this book continues on from book wherein Nico enters a marriage of convenience (really an engagement of convenience at first) with Camilla and then a whole bunch of fantasy, action stuff happens. I know, I’m so articulate about the plot of this book, but for real, just pick it up if you’re a fan of either of those things.

If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia

This book was so beautiful and has really stuck with me. I read it around the same time I read Bloom and I loved Bloom so much that I think sometimes it overshadowed how much I really loved If It Makes You Happy, but when I look back on my reads of the year, If It Makes You Happy really stands out. This book is set in the 90s and it feels set in the 90s. It also gave Gilmore Girl vibes in the sense that the small town felt like a small town with characters that you would see IRL just dialed up a little bit. But its tone is much more melancholic than Gilmore Girls and melancholy really worked for me this year, I think. Also books that explored loneliness. I really, really loved this book. I am looking forward to reading more from Julie Olivia, but also, I want her to stop calling this book a standalone and give me some spinoffs.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

Everyone says this book is a textbook “if he wanted to, he would,” and that’s 100% true. It’s also though a book about two characters dealing with a lot and learning to let themselves take risks. I adored it so very much. Abby Jimenez is so talented at writing characters that are a little messy and their flaws very much inform their character and their actions. There are also children in this book that feel like they are fully realized and real people, not just characters in a novel. I just really loved this one.

The Friendship Study by Ruby Barrett

This book hit so hard around the beginning of the year. I bought myself a physical copy nearly the minute I finished my ARC (review here), and I’ve continued to think about it throughout the year. I loved everything about this book, in large part because the idea of trying to find a place for yourself and trying to make friends as an adult are themes that resonate so strongly for me. I really need to re-read this one because I want to return to it and the ideas present in this book because honestly, they’re just so great.

You Should be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

Another book with a melancholic tone to it that I fell head over heels for was You Should be So Lucky. I want to be clear though in talking about this book that despite the overall tone being a bit more melancholic, this book is still about queer joy and finding that community. It’s just that it also features a character dealing with grief and another character having been displaced to NYC and suffering from his new baseball team not speaking to him and feeling so isolated and cutoff. But the way both of these characters slowly create and allow community to re-enter their lives was really lovely.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Reading a book about a woman who just sort of gives up on following her life path and sets off to a fancy hotel to end her life should not have been a book that absolutely swept me away and had me wanting to pull over at a bookstore to pick up a physical copy to annotate on the last day of the year. And yet. This book was everything. I’ve placed a pre-order for the paperback copy so I can re-read and annotate it later this year. I can’t wait.

Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katheryn Doyle

For a long time, I thought this book was going to be my favorite of the year. This book caught me off guard by how much I loved it and I’m not sure that my obsession of this book has held up for everyone else who has read it. That said, I fell head over heels for this book. It’s messy. The characters are so flawed, especially our FMC, Molly. The emotional depth, the mistakes… Often I would have hated, despised, the third act break up in this book, but for some reason, in this one, I was both frustrated and deeply invested because it felt so real. I cannot wait to read more from Doyle.

Bloom by E.J. Blaise

Bloom had me crying so hard. I don’t even know why this one really had me crying so much, but there just was something about the writing and the way Caroline just wants to find her place to belong. I loved it so, so much. It’s honestly one of those books that I loved that I can’t find the words to explain it.

At First Spite by Olivia Dade

I’ve mentioned too many times that my work life in 2024 was exhausting and overwhelming, which resulted in me picking this book up in November and sobbing through so much of this book. This book hit for me on such a deep level and has me hoping that one day, maybe, I can have my own Matthew because the way that he cares was just incredible. And, to be clear, I still adore Athena! She’s wonderful. But also, the depression representation in this book might hit you real hard, so make sure you’re okay to be reading it.

Quicksilver by Callie Hart

The toss up between the book I immediately absorbed into my fantasy loving heart and the book that shattered my heart and put it back together was surprisingly difficult to make, but I feel good about the order of these two books. Quicksilver was the most absorbing book that transported me into another world at the height of my anxiety and stress at work. The way this book just wove its magic to help soothe my brain is something I am genuinely eternally grateful for. But also, now I need more, Ms. Callie Hart. So please, update me soon on when to expect book two?? (Also, if you want a book that feels complete but sets up SUCH a great hook for the sequel, this one is great.)

Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings

This book series became my entire personality this year. I am so in love with the series. So in love. I’m not sure if this book is actually my favorite over Daisy Haites The Great Undoing but since they’re in different lists, I don’t have to decide. What I will say is that this book series is dramatic and this conclusion drew it to a close so perfectly. I loved it so much. I cannot wait to reread this book this year because you’d best believe a re-read is happening.

Closing Thoughts

I read a lot of really wonderful books this year, which makes the fact that I overall felt like my reading year was fine a little strange. Anyway, tell me who your reading year went! Did you have a good one? Can’t wait to hear!

xx