To all the authors whose stories entertained me this year, and especially those who wrote my favorites below, you've earned my highest esteem, gratitude, and adoration. Thank you!
As I haven't discovered a better way of expressing the following, I shall repeat what I said in previous years...
The books I select as my favorites each year are those that: I get lost in; the ones that while reading, I lose all track of time; the ones that evoke the strongest emotions; the ones that make me laugh, cry, blush, gasp, and sigh. Yeah, those books!
Each year I meticulously review my database and Goodreads shelves to select my favorites. Even though I arbitrarily decide upon the categories, I am careful in considering which books deserve each designation.
Sadly, no matter how much I love a book, I am unable to recall details. In other words, although my devotion is clear, my memory is not. I would, indeed, like to attempt to explain my choices to anyone who may be interested.
In 2021, I finished a total of 46 digital library books (Kindle and audiobooks). I completed 50 Kindle Unlimited books, and listened to 8 Audible Plus titles. There were 4 books that I did not finish this year. As far as genres go, I read 5 classics, 3 non-fiction, 10 contemporary mystery/suspense/thriller, and 22 historical fiction, most of which were mysteries. The remaining 206 were sub-genres of romance.
There are several books that were published this year that I wanted to read but was unable to, some of which were published late in the year. I may have to make an exception for some of them and include them in a future list, just as I made an exception this year for one Special Mention book that was published in 2019.
I'll be starting out 2022 with nearly 250 books on my to-be-read shelves—primary and secondary—and the 50+ books on my library wish list. I've chosen the Reese's Book Club pick, Lucky by Marissa Stapley as the first book to begin in 2022 and set my Goodreads Challenge goal at 200 books.
My 2021 Stats
My Goodreads Challenge total was 246 (first reads and rereads of single titles).
My database total was 193 (first reads only and book bundles are counted as a single title).
(Note: I receive no monetary compensation. I only wish to show my appreciation. The book links below open up to the corresponding Webpages on Amazon.com or Audible.com.)
My Favorites Published in 2021
(alphabetical by author)
Single Titles
Don't Kiss the Bride by Carian Cole
The Dark Hours (Ballard & Bosch #4) by Michael Connelly
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Special Mention
Savaged by Mia Sheridan (published 05/27/2019) (my review)
Series Titles (two or more installments published within 2021)
Favorites by Category
Favorite Contemporary Romance - Broken French by (Na)Tasha Boyd
Favorite Historical Romance - The Lilac Cadillac by Jane Harvey-Berrick
Favorite Romantic Suspense - Martyr's Promise (Elemental Covenant #2) by Elizabeth Hunter
Favorite New/Young Adult - The Girl in the Love Song (Lost Boys #1) by Emma Scott
Favorite Paranormal Romance - Martyr's Promise (Elemental Covenant #2) by Elizabeth Hunter
Favorite Romantic Series - Colorado High Country Series (Breaking Free #8 & Take Me Higher #9) by Pamela Clare
Favorite Audiobook - (tie) How to Get Lucky by Lauren Blakely & Joe Arden and narrated by Joe Arden (my review). Devil in Disguise (Ravenels #7) by Lisa Kleypas and narrated by Mary Jane Wells.
Favorite Alpha Male - Griffin Eden from Indigo Ridge (Edens #1) by Devney Perry
Favorite Romantic Hero - Jamie Fraser from Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (Outlander #9) by Diana Gabaldon
Favorite Romantic Heroine - Winnie MacAllister from Ignite (Cloverleigh Farms Next Generation #1) by Melanie Harlow
Favorite Romantic Couple - Margaret Anne "Megs" Hill & Mitchell James "Mitch" Ahearn from Take Me Higher (Colorado High Country #9) by Pamela Clare
Most Tormented Hero - Shane Hall from Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Most Heroic Hero - Mitchell James "Mitch" Ahearn from Take Me Higher (Colorado High Country #9) by Pamela Clare
Most "Kick-Ass" Heroine - Margaret Anne "Megs" Hill from Take Me Higher (Colorado High Country #9) by Pamela Clare
Most Realistic Romance - Don't Kiss the Bride by Carian Cole
Most Luscious - Broken French by (Na)Tasha Boyd
Most Erotic - Saint (Priest #3) by Sierra Simone
Most Heartrending - The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Most Humorous - Ignite (Cloverleigh Farms Next Generation #1) by Melanie Harlow
Most Taboo - Saint (Priest #3) by Sierra Simone
Most Pleasant Surprise - The Fisherman Series by Jewel E. Ann
Most Surprising Plot Twist - The Lilac Cadillac by Jane Harvey-Berrick
Most Striking Cover - Heard It in a Love Song by Tracey Garvis Graves
Most Anticipated Books of 2022
Book Bundles I Read in 2021
Since my book database counts a multi-book bundle as a single book, the following is a list of the individual books from within the book bundles I read this year. The remainder of my 2021 book database follows.
Individual First Time Reads of 2021
(The (a) following a book's title designates an audiobook and a (p) denotes the signed paperback of a book that I previously read via Kindle. The table is best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices.)
| Author | Title | Publication Year | Reading Date | My Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adamson, Gil | Ridgerunner | 2020 | 7/16/2021 | 8 |
| Ann, Jewel E. | The Naked Fisherman | 2021 | 11/24/2021 | 8 |
| Ann, Jewel E. | The Lost Fisherman | 2021 | 11/25/2021 | 10 |
| Armentrout, Jennifer L. | Wicked | 2014 | 5/12/2021 | 4 |
| Aster, Willow | True Love Story (p) | 2013 | 9/13/2021 | 10 |
| Biller, Diana | The Widow of Rose House (a) | 2019 | 11/29/2021 | 8 |
| Biller, Diana | The Widow of Rose House | 2019 | 1/12/2021 | 8 |
| Blakely, Lauren | My One Week Husband | 2021 | 3/12/2021 | 6 |
| Blakely, Lauren | Unbreak My Heart (a) | 2018 | 1/18/2021 | 8 |
| Blakely, Lauren; Arden, Joe | How to Get Lucky (a) | 2021 | 1/15/2021 | 10 |
| Bowen, Rhys | Murphy's Law (a) | 2013 | 5/6/2021 | 10 |
| Bowen, Rhys | Death of Riley (a) | 2013 | 5/8/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | For the Love of Mike (a) | 2013 | 5/11/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | In Like Flynn (a) | 2013 | 5/13/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | Oh Danny Boy (a) | 2013 | 5/14/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | In Dublin's Fair City (a) | 2013 | 5/14/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | Tell Me, Pretty Maiden (a) | 2013 | 5/15/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | In a Gilded Cage (a) | 2013 | 5/15/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | The Last Illusion (a) | 2013 | 5/17/2021 | 6 |
| Bowen, Rhys | Bless the Bride (a) | 2013 | 5/18/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | Hush Now, Don't You Cry (a) | 2013 | 5/19/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | The Family Way (a) | 2013 | 5/20/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | City of Darkness and Light (a) | 2014 | 5/23/2021 | 6 |
| Bowen, Rhys | The Edge of Dreams (a) | 2015 | 9/14/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | Away in a Manger (a) | 2015 | 9/18/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Rhys | Time of Fog and Fire (a) | 2016 | 9/20/2021 | 10 |
| Bowen, Rhys | The Ghost of Christmas Past (a) | 2017 | 9/22/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Sarina | Roommate | 2021 | 6/4/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Sarina | Bittersweet (a) | 2016 | 5/2/2021 | 8 |
| Bowen, Sarina | Steadfast (a) | 2016 | 5/4/2021 | 8 |
| Boyd, Natasha | Broken French | 2021 | 4/28/2021 | 10 |
| Brown, Sandra | Blind Tiger | 2021 | 8/18/2021 | 8 |
| Bruder, Jessica | Nomadland | 2017 | 3/1/2021 | 8 |
| Caine, Rachel | Heartbreak Bay | 2021 | 3/25/2021 | 10 |
| Callihan, Kristen | Make It Sweet | 2021 | 3/8/2021 | 6 |
| Carlan, Audrey | Resisting Roots | 2016 | 10/9/2021 | 4 |
| Carr, Robyn | Return to Virgin River | 2020 | 1/7/2021 | 8 |
| Castle, Emma | Love in the Wild (a) | 2020 | 2/15/2021 | 8 |
| Christy, Samantha | Benching Brady (a) | 2018 | 2/19/2021 | 8 |
| Christy, Samantha | Stealing Sawyer (a) | 2018 | 4/19/2021 | 8 |
| Clare, Pamela | Breaking Free | 2021 | 4/30/2021 | 10 |
| Clare, Pamela | Take Me Higher | 2021 | 9/21/2021 | 10 |
| Clinton, Bill; Patterson, James | The President's Daughter | 2021 | 6/20/2021 | 10 |
| Cole, Carian | Torn (a) | 2016 | 11/10/2021 | 10 |
| Cole, Carian | Tied (a) | 2017 | 11/21/2021 | 8 |
| Cole, Carian | Loving Storm (a) | 2018 | 11/17/2021 | 8 |
| Cole, Carian | Asher (a) | 2020 | 11/24/2021 | 10 |
| Cole, Carian | Don't Kiss the Bride | 2021 | 2/3/2021 | 10 |
| Cole, Carian | Don't Kiss the Bride (a) | 2021 | 11/11/2021 | 10 |
| Connelly, Michael | The Dark Hours | 2021 | 11/19/2021 | 10 |
| Connor, Claudia | Waiting on the Rain | 2020 | 1/1/2021 | 10 |
| Cooper, Anderson; Howe, Katherine | Vanderbilt | 2021 | 9/27/2021 | 8 |
| Cross, Kaylea | Undercurrent | 2021 | 6/14/2021 | 6 |
| Davenport, Jack | Ropes | 2018 | 7/7/2021 | 6 |
| Force, Marie | Fatal Invasion | 2021 | 8/8/2021 | 10 |
| Force, Marie | Fatal Reckoning | 2021 | 8/9/2021 | 10 |
| Force, Marie | Fatal Accusation | 2021 | 8/11/2021 | 8 |
| Force, Marie | Fatal Fraud | 2020 | 8/12/2021 | 10 |
| Force, Marie | State of Affairs | 2021 | 8/14/2021 | 8 |
| Force, Marie | How Much I Love | 2021 | 7/17/2021 | 8 |
| Force, Marie | Desire After Dark | 2016 | 7/26/2021 | 6 |
| Frank, Ella | Pure Seduction | 2021 | 3/24/2021 | 6 |
| French, Tana | The Searcher | 2020 | 1/5/2021 | 6 |
| Gabaldon, Diana | Drums of Autumn (a) | 2008 | 12/17/2021 | 10 |
| Gabaldon, Diana | The Fiery Cross (a) | 2011 | 12/30/2021 | 8 |
| Gabaldon, Diana | Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone | 2021 | 12/10/2021 | 10 |
| Garvis Graves, Tracey | Heard It in a Love Song | 2021 | 11/11/2021 | 6 |
| Garvis Graves, Tracey | On the Island (p) | 2012 | 2/17/2021 | 10 |
| Garvis Graves, Tracey | Uncharted (p) | 2015 | 2/18/2021 | 10 |
| Hall, Alexis | Boyfriend Material (a) | 2020 | 2/12/2021 | 8 |
| Halle, Karina | Black Sunshine | 2021 | 3/30/2021 | 8 |
| Halle, Karina | The Royals Next Door | 2021 | 9/8/2021 | 6 |
| Hannah, Kristin | The Four Winds | 2021 | 2/3/2021 | 10 |
| Harlow, Melanie | Make Me Yours (a) | 2020 | 1/8/2021 | 10 |
| Harlow, Melanie | Call Me Crazy | 2021 | 2/26/2021 | 10 |
| Harlow, Melanie | Tie Me Down | 2021 | 5/25/2021 | 10 |
| Harlow, Melanie | Ignite | 2021 | 11/25/2021 | 10 |
| Harlow, Melanie | Some Sort of Happy | 2015 | 12/21/2021 | 10 |
| Harvey-Berrick, Jane | Battle Scars (p) | 2017 | 5/4/2021 | 10 |
| Harvey-Berrick, Jane | The Lilac Cadillac | 2021 | 10/27/2021 | 10 |
| Henry, Emily | Beach Read (a) | 2020 | 6/24/2021 | 6 |
| Hunter, Elizabeth | Saint's Passage | 2021 | 4/26/2021 | 8 |
| Hunter, Elizabeth | Martyr's Promise | 2021 | 11/16/2021 | 10 |
| Hunter, Elizabeth | The Bone Scroll | 2021 | 10/4/2021 | 8 |
| Hunter, Elizabeth | Sweet | 2021 | 12/22/2021 | 6 |
| Hunter, Elizabeth | Fate Interrupted | 2021 | 8/7/2021 | 8 |
| James, E.L. | Freed | 2021 | 6/3/2021 | 10 |
| James, Nicole | Wicked | 2021 | 3/27/2021 | 6 |
| James, Nicole | Shane | 2021 | 10/6/2021 | 8 |
| James, Nicole | Green | 2021 | 11/21/2021 | 6 |
| James, Nicole | Saint | 2021 | 8/26/2021 | 8 |
| Jordan, Skye | Flashpoint | 2021 | 2/26/2021 | 8 |
| Jordan, Skye | Smoke & Mirrors | 2021 | 8/20/2021 | 6 |
| Keeland, Vi | The Invitation (a) | 2021 | 4/24/2021 | 10 |
| Keeland, Vi | The Invitation | 2021 | 1/23/2021 | 10 |
| Keeland, Vi | The Spark | 2021 | 7/19/2021 | 6 |
| Keeland, Vi; Ward, Penelope | Well Played | 2021 | 11/6/2021 | 8 |
| Kleypas, Lisa | Devil in Disguise (a) | 2021 | 10/3/2021 | 10 |
| Kleypas, Lisa | Devil in Disguise | 2021 | 9/2/2021 | 8 |
| Kleypas, Lisa | Secrets of a Summer Night | 2021 | 11/20/2021 | 8 |
| Kleypas, Lisa | It Happened One Autumn | 2009 | 12/25/2021 | 10 |
| Kleypas, Lisa | Devil in Winter (a) | 2021 | 10/2/2021 | 10 |
| Lacey, Rachel | Lost in Paradise | 2019 | 12/28/2021 | 6 |
| Lane, Prescott | All My Life | 2018 | 9/21/2021 | 6 |
| Lauren, Christina | Beautiful Player (a) | 2013 | 2/4/2021 | 8 |
| Lauren, Christina | The Soulmate Equation | 2021 | 5/23/2021 | 10 |
| Mallery, Susan | You Say It First | 2017 | 12/7/2021 | 4 |
| Miller, Raine | Naked (p) | 2013 | 9/13/2021 | 10 |
| Miller, Raine | All In (p) | 2013 | 9/16/2021 | 10 |
| Miller, Raine | Eyes Wide Open (p) | 2013 | 9/20/2021 | 10 |
| Miller, Raine | Rare and Precious Things (p) | 2014 | 10/11/2021 | 10 |
| Miller, Raine | My Lord (a) | 2021 | 8/6/2021 | 10 |
| Miller, Raine | My Lord | 2021 | 1/9/2021 | 10 |
| Monroe, Max | The Bet | 2021 | 8/22/2021 | 6 |
| Nash, Willa | The Bluff | 2021 | 2/7/2021 | 8 |
| Nash, Willa | The Brazen | 2021 | 7/28/2021 | 10 |
| Nash, Willa | The Naughty, The Nice and The Nanny | 2021 | 11/8/2021 | 6 |
| Nash, Willa | Three Bells, Two Bows and One Brother's Best Friend | 2021 | 11/8/2021 | 6 |
| Nash, Willa | A Partridge and a Pregnancy | 2021 | 11/8/2021 | 6 |
| Nickless, Barbara | At First Light | 2021 | 12/11/2021 | 8 |
| Nickless, Barbara | Dead Stop (a) | 2017 | 7/30/2021 | 8 |
| Novak, Brenda | The Bookstore on the Beach | 2021 | 5/22/2021 | 6 |
| Perry, Devney | Noble Prince | 2020 | 2/1/2021 | 8 |
| Perry, Devney | Fallen Jester | 2021 | 6/21/2021 | 10 |
| Perry, Devney | Tin Queen | 2021 | 9/24/2021 | 10 |
| Perry, Devney | Christmas in Quincy | 2021 | 9/28/2021 | 6 |
| Perry, Devney | Indigo Ridge (a) | 2021 | 12/5/2021 | 10 |
| Perry, Devney | Indigo Ridge | 2021 | 11/10/2021 | 10 |
| Perry, Devney | Forsaken Trail | 2020 | 2/4/2021 | 10 |
| Perry, Devney | Dotted Lines | 2021 | 4/7/2021 | 10 |
| Phillips, Susan Elizabeth | When Stars Collide | 2021 | 7/5/2021 | 8 |
| Preston, Beverly | Catching Ember | 2021 | 10/11/2021 | 6 |
| Proby, Kristen | Underboss | 2021 | 5/1/2021 | 6 |
| Proby, Kristen | Headhunter | 2021 | 5/3/2021 | 6 |
| Proby, Kristen | Off the Record | 2021 | 5/24/2021 | 6 |
| Quinn, Julia | Bridgerton: The Duke & I | 2020 | 1/19/2021 | 10 |
| Redman, Eric | Bones of Hilo | 2021 | 6/24/2021 | 8 |
| Reichs, Kathy | A Conspiracy of Bones (a) | 2020 | 5/6/2021 | 10 |
| Reichs, Kathy | The Bone Code | 2021 | 8/3/2021 | 8 |
| Reid, Taylor Jenkins | Malibu Rising | 2021 | 6/29/2021 | 8 |
| Reilly, Cora | Bound by Honor | 2014 | 3/13/2021 | 8 |
| Reilly, Cora | Bound by Duty | 2015 | 3/14/2021 | 8 |
| Reilly, Cora | Bound by Hatred | 2015 | 3/15/2021 | 8 |
| Reilly, Cora | Bound by Temptation | 2015 | 3/15/2021 | 8 |
| Reilly, Cora | Bound by Vengeance | 2017 | 3/16/2021 | 8 |
| Reilly, Cora | Bound by Love | 2018 | 3/18/2021 | 6 |
| Reiss, C.D. | Complete Submission (Beg, Tease, & Submit) (a) | 2018 | 3/20/2021 | 10 |
| Reiss, C.D. | Mafia Bride | 2021 | 4/24/2021 | 6 |
| Reiss, C.D. | Mafia King | 2021 | 7/10/2021 | 6 |
| Reiss, C.D. | Mafia Queen | 2021 | 10/26/2021 | 4 |
| Reiss, C.D. | Only Ever You | 2019 | 10/18/2021 | 6 |
| Reynolds, Burt | But Enough About Me (a) | 2015 | 4/27/2021 | 6 |
| Roberts, Nora | Legacy | 2021 | 6/2/2021 | 6 |
| Romig, Aleatha | Kingdom Come (Underworld Kings) | 2021 | 12/28/2021 | 8 |
| Ryan, Kennedy | Block Shot | 2018 | 2/24/2021 | 10 |
| Ryan, Kennedy | Hook Shot | 2019 | 5/28/2021 | 6 |
| Salsbury, J.B. | Wild North | 2021 | 5/23/2021 | 8 |
| Score, Lucy | Forever Never | 2021 | 4/2/2021 | 8 |
| Scott, Emma | The Girl in the Love Song | 2021 | 4/10/2021 | 10 |
| Scott, Kylie | Pause (a) | 2021 | 4/18/2021 | 8 |
| Scott, Kylie | The Rich Boy | 2020 | 8/30/2021 | 8 |
| Scott, Kylie; Carlan, Audrey | Love Under Quarantine (a) | 2020 | 5/29/2021 | 6 |
| Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft | Frankenstein (a) | 2013 | 1/13/2021 | 8 |
| Sheridan, Mia | Savaged | 2019 | 1/25/2021 | 10 |
| Sheridan, Mia | Savaged (a) | 2019 | 8/19/2021 | 10 |
| Simone, Sierra | Saint | 2021 | 11/1/2021 | 8 |
| Sivec, Tara | Seduction and Snacks (a) | 2013 | 10/24/2021 | 6 |
| Stevenson, Robert Louis | The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (a) | 2017 | 1/14/2021 | 6 |
| Stoker, Bram | Dracula (a) | 2012 | 9/26/2021 | 6 |
| Swan, T.L. | The Stopover | 2019 | 4/4/2021 | 10 |
| Swan, T.L. | The Takeover | 2020 | 4/4/2021 | 10 |
| Swan, T.L. | The Casanova | 2021 | 8/29/2021 | 8 |
| Thorne, Sally | Second First Impressions | 2021 | 4/30/2021 | 6 |
| Tijan | Canary | 2021 | 10/6/2021 | 6 |
| Torre, A.R. | The Good Lie | 2021 | 9/5/2021 | 10 |
| Tucker, K.A. | Sweet Mercy | 2019 | 9/10/2021 | 8 |
| Tucker, K.A. | Gabriel Fallen | 2019 | 9/11/2021 | 8 |
| Tucker, K.A. | Dirty Empire | 2020 | 9/12/2021 | 8 |
| Tucker, K.A. | Fallen Empire | 2021 | 9/15/2021 | 6 |
| Tucker, K.A. | The Wolf Hotel: Complete Series | 2018 | 9/18/2021 | 8 |
| Twain, Mark | The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (a) | 2016 | 10/2/2021 | 6 |
| Valentine, Marley | Without You | 2020 | 1/21/2021 | 6 |
| Van Dyken, Rachel | Ruthless Princess | 2020 | 1/29/2021 | 4 |
| Ward, Penelope | The Aristocrat | 2021 | 8/31/2021 | 10 |
| Ward, Penelope | The Crush | 2021 | 3/26/2021 | 8 |
| Ward, Penelope | When August Ends (a) | 2019 | 8/15/2021 | 8 |
| Ward, Penelope; Keeland, Vi | Not Pretending Anymore | 2021 | 4/27/2021 | 8 |
| Webber, Tammara | Breakable (p) | 2014 | 9/6/2021 | 10 |
| Wharton, Edith | The Age of Innocence (a) | 2008 | 9/30/2021 | 6 |
| Wilder, Jasinda | The Black Room | 2021 | 2/11/2021 | 8 |
| Williams, Tia | Seven Days in June | 2021 | 8/26/2021 | 10 |
| Young, Samantha | Here With Me | 2021 | 9/10/2021 | 8 |
| Young, Samantha | There with You | 2021 | 10/24/2021 | 8 |
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