Books read and reviewed in January 2024

I really enjoyed doing my book posts last year. Ok, so I’m generally trawling through older releases because last year I decided I wasn’t going to buy more books when I had so many to read on my Kindle (and on my book shelves!). I did pretty well with that, and am doing the same this year. I’m getting through them but they’re taking some time to work through them all.

I’ll stick with the same format this year, choosing a selection of those to share with a mini review on what they’re about and my rating.

Find all books I’ve read and reviewed here and my Goodreads profile and challenge

Books read in January – 9

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Strictly Come Dating by Kathryn Freeman

If you’re a Strictly Come Dancing fan, and love a romance then this book is for you.

Straight laced nearly 40 doctor Maggie is trying to cope with 2 children, a job and getting over her ex husband’s upcoming marriage.

Her best friends’ younger drifter brother is back from Australia to be there for his ill father. But Seb manages to wangle his way into their group Strictly evenings, and into Maggie’s family’s life.

They’re not right for each other, but will his new job help inspire him to become more stable, and will Maggie learn to let go a bit, while they end up dancing together for a local Strictly competition.

This is a nice easy read, with likeable characters, as you see them both blossom in their own way.

31 Dream Street by Lisa Jewell

Nosy Leah has pondered the strange mix of housemates who live in the house opposite for years, when she gets the chance to meet owner and landlord Toby, a reclusive awkward poet after she finds one of his renters lying in the street.

Toby has taken in waifs and strays over the years, to help them out, and get them on their feet. But now he wants to move on having had Leah’s positive outlook on life impact him. How can he improve his house, send his lodgers on their next steps, and make his life fuller. Can he believe that love is out there for him?

For Leah, her relationship is over, or is it. Is it time for her to move house, look for better, and find someone new.

I loved 31 Dream Street. If you’ve ever lived in a houseshare, you can probably relate to some of it. Quirky, lost people, thrown together. And an awakening for each of them in their own way, helped by someone else who also needs a change. Yes, there’s a few annoying characters and it’s frustrating how some can’t see how good they are to begin with, but it’s nice to see them emerge and grow into who they should be.

Every day in December by Kitty Wilson

I love a book about books, and this doesn’t disappoint with Belle’s obsession with the Bard and wanting to develop a teaching programme for children after losing her job. Rory’s back home needing to rebuild after a rough time he escaped from. They reconnect, and the story is about them getting over expectations, guilt, career plans, family worries, and linking up again.

It’s well written, and keeps you wondering whether they’ll be able to achieve what they want to and deserve. A lovely Christmas book to make you wish for them to end together

Witness by Caroline Mitchell

Rebecca’s living her life again with husband Sean, and their young daughter, after escaping domestic abuse. Her ex Solomon was put away for murdering her colleague due to Rebecca’s testimony. Years later, Rebecca receives a phone call and it’s Solomon who’s out and wants revenge for Rebecca’s part in his jailing.

Texts continue to arrive forcing Rebecca to witness and choose a victim of the various crimes. What can Rebecca do, and how can she keep her family safe and her secret which noone knows.

This is quite a terrifying book. The domestic abuse was obvious to those reading, and you wonder initially how Rebecca got out. Although I did guess the story early on in the book.

It’s interesting the way we read Rebecca’s backstory through her journal as the current story is being told. All the way through wondering how Rebecca is going to get through this, and survive her relationship and safety.

Time Out by Emma Murray

A book about the truth of motherhood told through the eyes of Saoirse, the expectations from the judgemental community mums in her London area, the loss of herself as anything other than a mother, and trying to navigate friendships with normal mums and her changing relationship with infuriating OCD sufferer husband David, as well as getting back into writing.

Her agent asks her to pitch a book on motherhood, but is Sairse capable, willing to write the truth, and come to admit it to herself too?

There were a lot of laughs in this book. Fun for mums or those not yet mums, but with serious undertones of continuing to believe in yourself.

What’s been your favourite read in the last month?