Year in Review 2017

Happy New Year! Hello 2018!

Best wishes for an awesome 2018! I have had a great first year as a book blogger! I have read so many great books and had fun writing my reviews, interacting with reading buddies, and discovering new authors and books. I have found many hours of happiness lost in the pages or books this year. I am grateful to all my book friends for your friendship and kinship. Here’s to hoping for more awesome reads in 2018!

2017 Year in Review

In 2017, I read 282 books. I was slightly disappointed because last year I read 474. But this year I started blogging so I had a little less reading time. Hopefully I can read more in 2018, now that I have the blogging gig down.


My goodreads page is here, if you’re curious what all I read: www.goodreads.com/user/show/24889330-kimberly-love-notes-book-blog


Here are a few stats:

The first book I read in 2017: Reckless Touch by Veronica Larsen

The last book I read in 2017: Shelter by Jay Crownover

The author I have most read this year was Lexi Blake with 15 books. Followed by Lisa Renee Jones with 11 and Ruby Dixon with 9.

I gave 126 books a 4 star rating or higher. 128 were 3 stars.


Favorites by category:

Favorite Sci-fi romance- The Ice Planet Barbarians series continues to win in this genre. Crackalicious fun!

Favorite PNR- The Theives/Hunter series by Lexi Blake. This series has everything- vampires, shifters, fairies, and sexy menage! Honorable Mention: Fierce Obsessions by Suzanne Wright.

Best Menage- The Kinky Bank Robbers series by Annika Martin, which continued with The Hard way. Sexy, quirky and fun!

Best Duet- The Scarlet Scars duet by J. M. Darhower. I loved this duet. It was so good! Great sexy chemistry and suspense. I think this is my favorite read of the year.

Best New Adult- Trust by Kylie Scott. A character driven romance between two opposites in high school on the cusp of becoming adults after going through a traumatic event together.

Favorite Contemporary Romance- Just Like That by Nicola Rendell. Honorable Mention to Riveted by Jay Crownover and All In by Sarah Curtis.

Favorite Sports Romance- Filthy Player by Stacey Lynn. Sweet and sexy, low angst romance between a waitress and an NFL player.

Best Kinky Fuckery Read- Tie between Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield and Bait by Jade West.

Favorite Man in Uniform Romance- Tie between Hot Cop and Disorderly Conduct. Who doesn’t love a hot, cocky cop!

Favorite Military Romance- On Broken Wings by Chanel Cleeton, a continuation of the Wild Aces series.

Most Original Writing- When Life Happens by Jewel E. Ann. Honorable Mention: Sex Says by Max Monroe.

Favorite Romantic Comedy- Tie between Shacking Up by Helena Hunting and Just a Little Junk by Stylo Fantome.

Favorite BDSM Romance- The Masters and Mercenaries series by Lexi Blake. Sexy, suspenseful and angsty.

Favorite Adventure Romance- Wicked Intentions by J. T. Geissinger.

Favorite Student/Teacher Romance- Professed by Nicola Rendell.

Favorite Second Chance Romance- The Cad and The Co-ed by Penny Reid and L. H. Cosway. Bonus- a secret baby!

Favorite Bearded Heroes- The Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid, which continued this year with Beard in Mind.

Favorite Mafia Romance- Torrid by Nikki Sloane. Honorable Mention to With Us by Layla Frost.

Favorite MC Romance- Ride Wild by Laura Kaye

Favorite Good-kind-of-angsty- The Dirty Money series by Lisa Renee Jones. Actually anything by LRJ. And Preservation by Kate Cantarbary, which made me cry buckets.

Book That Needs to be Made into a Movie- Just a Little junk by Stylo Fantome. This fun romantic comedy is a sexier, edgier version of Dude, Where’s My Car! Honorable Mention: Follow by Tessa Bailey. A road trip with a cute dog and a hot guy!


My fave authors this year have been:

Tessa Bailey- Ms Bailey never disappoints. I just love the connection I feel between her characters. She excels in chemistry and sexiness, with complicated, deep characters.

Eve Dangerfield- Ms. Dangerfield takes me out of my comfort zone in the best way. I love her boundry pushing, kinky romance with complicated characters and deep emotions.

Nicola Rendell- I love Ms. Rendell’s characters and their strong, sexy connection. They feel like real people you would want to be friends with. They have humor, friendship and love in spades.

Jewel E. Ann- Always original, memorable and unpredictable, Ms. Ann’s books have strong, amazing characters. Lots of surprises, a great connection, and they will have you on the edge of your seat.

Nikki Sloane- Ms. Sloane’s books are super sexy and full of emotions. Angsty in the best way with strong characters and connection.

Lexi Blake- Lexi Blake’s sexy, romantic suspense never disappoints. Her PNR series was a a fresh, sexy take on the genre.

These are my favorite overall books for 2017:

Follow by Tessa Bailey

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/10/release-blitz-follow-by-tessa-bailey.html

Disorderly Conduct by Tessa Bailey

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/08/new-release-disorderly-conduct-by-tessa.html

Menace and Grievous by J.M. Darhower

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/review-menace-and-grievous-scarlet.html

Just Like That by Author Nicola Rendell

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/review-just-like-that-by-nicola-rendell.html

Riveted by Jay Crownover

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/review-riveted-by-jay-crownover.html

Just A Little Junk by Stylo Fantôme

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/05/new-release-just-little-junk-by-stylo.html

When Life Happened by Jewel E. Ann

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/06/review-when-life-happens-by-jewel-e-ann.html

Open Hearts by Eve Dangerfield

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/new-release-open-hearts-by-eve.html

Shacking Up by Helena Hunting

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/05/review-shacking-up-by-helena-hunting_30.html

Professed by Author Nicola Rendell

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/review-professed-by-nicola-rendell.html

On Broken Wings by Chanel Cleeton

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/review-on-broken-wings-by-chanel-cleeton.html

Hot Cop by Sierra Simone and Laurelin Page

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1988390549?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Torrid by Nikki Sloane

My Review: http://lovenotesbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/06/new-release-torrid-by-nikki-sloane.html

Filthy Player by Stacey Lynn

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2147121264?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

And my favorite series was the Hunter/Thieves series by Lexi Blake.

More info: https://www.goodreads.com/series/106969-thieves

That's a wrap on 2017!

What about you guys? What were your 2017 favorites? Please share in the comments!