Rebel Summer +

(I posted this same review on goodreads, but am adding to it on here 😊)

OK - so this book (Rebel Summer by Cindy Steel) is the ultimate hallmark cozy romance in story form.  

I have struggled with reading this summer, berating myself for reading mainly comfort and fluffy pieces, but that is all my brain can handle right now.  I am not in a season where deep reading, deep thought, or deep study is possible (beyond my morning Bible study/reading).  

Reading seems to fulfill different purposes for different seasons and I find that summer (I signed up for Kindle Unlimited this summer) tends to be escape reading for me - especially as a special needs mom - I find myself craving the distraction and escape that fluffy, clean, cozy romance and/or mysteries provide.  All that to say that this book is now my favorite cozy read.  In fact, I read it again as soon as I finished the first read through (twice in one week!)

I also wanted to include all the titles I have read since I last posted - I am not kidding when I say I basically have spent the summer using any free moments I have soaking up and reveling in Hallmark Christmas, romance, and/or mysteries that I could find.  And in that I discovered a new favorite author - Cindy Steel.

Cotswold Holiday by Kasey Stockton

An Unexpected Boyfriend for Christmas by Janette Rallison

A Cross Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh

Red Rope of Fate by K.M. Shea

and then of course Rebel Summer x2 😅

I am curious - does anyone else struggle with guilt when they read fluffy books instead of deeper, more meaningful classic type of literature, or is that just a 'me' thing?  Does anyone else also find they do not have the bandwidth to handle deep thinking when days are long and hard?  I prefer reading to watching and I like books that I don't have to worry that something spicy or smutty will spill into a scene.  

Also I really appreciate the lack of language (I actually find curse words and foul language so distracting in a story).  In fact, earlier this year I started reading Remarkably Bright Creatures after hearing over and over and over again what a great story it was.  I finally put it down because the cussing became so distracting to me that I couldn't get in to the story.  Maybe someday I will be able to finish it because I am really intrigued by the Octopus p.o.v.