Welcome back! Here’s what we’re reading to close out July:
Sarah I’m reading Henry Tudor Must Die( A | BN | K | AB ) and I just got through the action part into the exposition part. I am antsy to return to it and am already blocking off more time to read today
Lara: Virginia Heath is hit or miss for me, but I really enjoyed Prides Comes Before a Fall. ( A | BN | K | AB ) Writing the review is on my to do list!
Sarah: Update: got bored, tapped out after reading reviews that what was bothering me (it got real slow real fast) wasn’t going to improve. Bummer.
Now I’m trying Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson. ( A | BN | K | AB )
Amanda: Still listening to Dungeon Crawler Carl. ( A | BN ) I just saw that the audiobook narrator was cast as the voice of Princess Donut for the TV adaptation coming out.
Whatcha reading? Tell us in the comments!
I spent the last two weeks with family, which was a much needed treat, so my reading went by the board. Traveling is great but still disruptive. Even when I tried to read, I didn’t have the concentration. Oh well, I’m home now and stuck in with an excellent read by a new-to-me author. Life is good.
The Winged Game by Sohie Kim
Sometimes the things that you profess to dislike in a book are exactly what draw you in and rivet your attention. Hence, the slippery narration of The Winged Game pulled me into this supernatural sports epic and refused to let me go until the last page was turned. The Bad Decisions Book Club met at Pam’s house for two–count ‘em–TWO nights in a row this month. First, about that narration: the prose wavers between present and past tense, dual third person POV with a hint of story teller’s voice-over in a way that’s barely logical but profoundly, emotionally, imperfectly, natural. Somehow, at any given point, I always knew whose POV I was devouring. From this base, character is built in rich multidimensional layers, making both the enemies-to-lovers and the found family arcs utterly convincing. There is a perfect balance of angst and humor throughout the story. While blurbs and reviewers persist in comparing this book to noted fantasies and sports stories, I would happily compare other books to The Winged Game. In the past weeks on the site, readers named their favorite reads of 2026, but also talked about the lackluster traits that have recently put them off romance in the last WAYR post. For me, Kim’s epic comes at exactly the right moment to restore my faith in writerly skill and the hard earned HEA. Ecstatically recommended.
Foxleigh Park by Lulu Moore
I really like the way Moore tackles sport, particularly those sports about which I know nothing. In this instance the sport is polo, and I can only hope the book is accurate, as I’m certainly no expert about the game or horses in general. Still, this is a fun romance with an appealing aristocratic family though character development is pretty shallow.. Although this was a pleasant, well written novel, at times it felt like there were too many subplots and minor characters, causing the story to lack focus and lean too heavily on the earlier books in the series. There was a huge diversion about the MMC’s sister and her relationship with his chief rival, which was obvious sequel-bait and a huge distraction from the central romance. And worse than that, both the sibling and the competition subplots ended not with a bang but with a decided whimper. I don’t regret reading this book, but I don’t see myself ever rereading it or even picking up later books in the series.
Don’t Brake My Heart by Leonie Mack
dnf @ 47%
This sequel to Head Over Wheels was a major disappointment to me. Both novels are sports romances set in the world of professional bicycle racing and each focuses on one of the Gallagher siblings. The second of the two focuses on Colin Gallagher and his former teammate and current social media manager, Leesa, to the exclusion of everything but bicycle racing and the MCs’ shared past. I’m approaching the halfway point and can barely name a secondary character. They aren’t even racing yet, just training. There are a lot of short flashbacks, but I have trouble caring about them, since this couple is also obsessing over the past in their interminable internal monologuing. I may take another crack at the book now that I’m done traveling, but, in the meantime, I need a palate cleanser.
Moms of Mayhem by Aimee Vance
Turns out, a mature hockey romance is just what I needed. It seems I’m on a sports romance kick this month. Beckett is a 37 year old injured pro hockey star back in his hometown to support his mom through some health problems. Emmy is a Pilates instructor and a PT as well as the divorced single mom of a hockey playing teen son. The romance is slow burn and full of valid obstacles that are handled in a satisfyingly grown up way. I love the sense of community in this one and the way that the high school hockey provides just the right amount of actual sport. The writing is excellent, and I’ll be looking for more from Vance. Recommended.