I’m way behind on reading all the books that came out in March that I wanted to get to, but we’re nearing the end of the month which means I’m also looking ahead to the books coming out in April that I’m most excited for. April is an absolutely ridiculously stacked month - when I made my list of my most anticipated books of 2023 in December, 8 of the 26 books I included were April books! I already read advanced copies of three of these; you’ll see my ratings and reviews for them below. Others I either wasn’t lucky enough to get an ARC, or have them but haven’t gotten to them yet. If there's no star rating next to it, that means I haven't read it yet and am basing my description on the book's synopsis.
Here they are by US publication date:
Homecoming by Kate Morton (4/4) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - This novel starts in Australia in 1959, when a woman and her children are found dead on their estate, and then jumps to 2018, when a journalist named Jess returns home from London to Australia because her grandmother is in the hospital - only to find out about the tragedy and discover that her family has a connection with it though her grandmother never told her about it. As Jess begins to investigate, there’s also a book within a book, a non-fiction account of the case that Jess finds. In sum, this is a classic Kate Morton novel - dual time period historical fiction, a great mystery that keeps you guessing til the end, family secrets, wonderful literary writing, and a terrific sense of place that is almost a character itself, in this case including not one but two old mansions though perhaps a bit less gothic than some of her other books. I have been a devoted fan of Kate Morton since her very first novel - if you know me you know I have many many authors on my favorite authors list, but she’s right up at the top! I’ve read and loved all six of her books, a whopping four of which have been on my top ten of the year lists in the years I read them, most recently with her last book, The Clockmaker's Daughter in 2018. So I was beyond thrilled to win an advanced copy of this book from a giveaway by the publisher. And it did not disappoint! Despite its hefty length (550ish pages), I couldn’t put it down and tore through it in less than two days! If you love Kate Morton, I’m sure you’ll love this one too. And if you haven’t read her books but you like dual time period historical mysteries, what are you waiting for?!
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (4/4) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - This novel is told from the perspective of Sally, a writer for a late night comedy show on Saturday nights called Night Owls (basically Saturday Night Live under a fictional name). She has written a sketch bemoaning how the shlubby guys on the show end up with hot women but the reverse never happens to ordinary looking women - but then a singer named Noah is the host/musical guest for that week and she starts crushing on him. And then, well, look this book is called Romantic Comedy so you may guess where this might go - but it definitely does not get there the way you might expect. This was another one of my top most anticipated books of this year, and it also did not disappoint! I've read all of Curtis Sittenfeld's books and I just love her writing, and especially her ability to bring her characters to life and to inhabit the minds of ordinary, flawed women. My two favorites of hers are both former top ten of the year books for me - Rodham (a sort of literary and feminist alternate history that explores what if Hilary never married Bill Clinton), and Eligible (a modern day take on Pride & Prejudice). This book is probably more like Eligible than any of her other books in that that is her only other book that's primarily a romance, but it still definitely fits with her previous books. Sally is a great character who definitely makes this book different than your typical banter-y romance; she is prickly and insecure and bemoans her inability to flirt and is just as likely to push a guy away who tries to flirt with her. And the book isn't just about romance, it's also about her friendships, her job, her relationship with her step-dad, her own feelings of self-worth or lack thereof, and much more. Loved the behind the scenes look at working at a sketch comedy show, loved the parts of the book told via e-mail, loved the characters, and yes, I loved the romance. I really needed a light book and this totally hit the spot - it was light enough to bring me pure happiness reading it, but also deep enough to be totally compelling and keep me reading all day and distract me. Last year the rom com I couldn't stop talking about all year was Nora Goes Off Script (which ended up on my top 10 of 2022), brace yourself because this is going to be the one I can't stop recommending all this year. I didn't just love it, I LOVED it.
This Bird Has Flown by Susanna Hoffs (4/4) - This is the debut novel of Susanna Hoffs, the singer of 80s pop group The Bangles. That alone would make me want to check it out, but the description sounds so good as well! Per the publisher, it's about a washed up singer trying to restart her career, who also has a second chance at love when she meets an intriguing man on an airplane. Sign me up for this rock & roll rom com!
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez (4/11) - I absolutely adore Abby Jimenez, one of my favorite rom com writers out there, and her book The Happy Ever After Playlist made my 2020 top ten list. Sadly, I was inexplicably rejected on Netgalley for her new book, or I assure you I would have read it already! Early reviews for this one are phenomenal, and it has one of the highest pre-publication average ratings on Goodreads I have ever seen, truly astonishingly high for a book with more then 1,500 reviews already (currently sitting at a whopping 4.73 as I type this). It sounds like an enemies to lovers story, about a doctor who finds out her professional rival just might be the guy for her.
The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda (4/11) - I have read all 6 of Megan Miranda's previous adult books (haven't gotten to her YA books), and she's one of the thriller writers whose books I always want to check out and almost always love (only one, Such a Quiet Place, was just ok for me). So her latest release is high on my TBR. Per the publisher, it's a "mystery about a group of former classmates who reunite to mark the tenth anniversary of a tragic accident—only to have one of the survivors disappear, casting fear and suspicion on the original tragedy." Yeah, this is definitely a plot that's been done before, but I'm still looking forward to seeing what she does with it.
Games and Rituals by Katherine Heiny (4/18) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - An excellent short story collection, all just about ordinary people living everyday lives - women and men, young people and older people, parents and children, people in relationships and people looking for relationships. Basically, just a terrific exploration of the messiness and beauty of ordinary life. All the stories were great, but my favorite was the first one, “Chicken-Flavored and Lemon-Scented.” I’m a big fan of Katherine Heiny - her book Early Morning Risers was one of my top ten of 2021, and loved her novel Standard Deviation as well. And I’m also a big fan of short story collections. So, no surprise, I loved this book! She is such a masterful writer than she can create more indelible characters, emotion, and nuance in a 20 page short story than most authors can do in an entire novel.
The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly (4/18) - I love Martha Hall Kelly’s historical novels, with her debut The Lilac Girls having made my top ten of 2019. According to the publisher, in this one, based on a true story, “[t]wo former female spies, bound together by their past, risk everything to hunt down in an infamous Nazi doctor in the aftermath of WWII.” Like The Lilac Girls, it also involves the Nazi concentration camp Ravensbruck so I'm sure it's going to be a heart-breaker, but sounds like it brings some interesting new elements to its story as well.
If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook (4/18) - I was first drawn to this debut novel by the colorful cover, but when I saw it was being compared to Emma Straub's All Adults Here and Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You, I knew I was going to have to read it. Based on the publisher's description, it's about a large family drawn together after the patriarch of the family dies, each coming with their own issues. Sounds like just the kind of family drama I love.
Happy Place by Emily Henry (4/25) - Emily Henry is another on my list of must read rom com authors, and her most recent book, Book Lovers, was one of my top rom coms of last year. Per the publisher, in her new book, “[a] couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual vacation with their best friends.” According to early reviewers, this one is a little more emotional than her previous books, but just as good if not better, and I can't wait to read it!
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Are any of these on your to-read list? Have you read any of these already? Any other books publishing in April that you're excited for?
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