A hot morning at the beach, mall walks to escape the heat, iced coffee, a busy work week, and plenty happening around Forever Book Lover.
Welcome to my end-of-week wrap-up! I'm linking up with the Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and the Sunday Salon hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
Hi friends,
This week seemed to revolve around finding ways to beat the August heat. We managed a little time at the beach, moved several of our walks indoors, made a few iced-coffee stops, and I had a busy work week with some travel coming up. Meanwhile, it was a full week here at Forever Book Lover with a new review, two recipes, and a backyard book club post I've been looking forward to sharing.
♡ A Little From My Week
We started one morning at the beach this week. I managed to get a walk in, but the heat had other plans for us—it was simply too hot to stay and enjoy the beach for very long. August in South Carolina is definitely reminding us that summer isn't finished yet.
A beautiful morning for a beach walk—even if it was much too hot to stay.
With the heat wave hanging around, my husband and I moved our walks indoors to the mall. Earlier in the week it was filled with families doing their last-minute back-to-school shopping, but by Thursday everything had quieted down and we could walk without weaving through the crowds.
A few of those walks ended with an iced coffee from Starbucks, which isn't a bad reward after getting our steps in. I'm still very much in iced-coffee mode no matter how many pumpkins are starting to appear in the stores.
A Busy Work Week
I took a break from physical therapy this week because my work schedule simply didn't leave much room for it. I also have a few out-of-town trips coming up, including one next week for a very happy reason—the company I work for was named a Best Place to Work again, and I'll be attending the ceremony. It's always nice to see the people and workplace you're part of recognized, so I'm looking forward to celebrating with everyone.
Always in My Thoughts
This week also carries some very personal memories for me. My dad passed away in 2003, and almost twenty years to the date, I lost my mom in 2023. They were loving parents, and no matter how many years pass—or how old I get—they are never far from my thoughts. There are so many little moments in everyday life that still bring one or both of them to mind, and I'm especially thinking of them this week.
📖 New on the Blog This Week
- How to Host a Backyard Book Club: Drinks, Timeline & Checklist — Everything you need to turn an ordinary backyard into an easy book-club gathering, from what to serve to a simple hosting timeline.
- Lazy Antipasti Salad — An easy, colorful salad made for the days when you want plenty of flavor without spending much time in the kitchen.
- Our Extraordinary Summer (Hobby Island #2) by Lori Wilde — My review of Lori Wilde's emotional summer romance about family, love, and finding your way forward.
- Book Blogger Hop: Trends, Bestsellers, or Hidden Gems? — This week I'm talking about how I choose what to read—whether book trends and bestsellers influence my choices or if I'm more likely to discover books in my own way.
My favorite post to put together this week was How to Host a Backyard Book Club . I wanted this one to feel practical rather than complicated, so it includes drinks, a simple timeline, and a checklist to help everything come together without spending the whole evening managing the details. It’s the kind of gathering that lets the books and conversation stay at the center of the night.
📌 Popular on Pinterest
A couple of posts readers have been finding through Pinterest lately:
- Easy Turkey Breakfast Sausage — An easy homemade breakfast option that's been finding a new audience on Pinterest.
- Book Club Discussion Guide: Keep Conversations Thoughtful (and Fun) — Helpful conversation starters and ideas for keeping book-club discussions moving without making them feel like homework.
☕ From the Archives
This week's trip into the Forever Book Lover archives brings back two historical romances—one reaching all the way back to 2014 and another more recent read worth another look.
Exclusive Guest Post — Woo'd in Haste and Wed at Leisure by Sabrina Darby — It's fun looking back at posts from this era of Forever Book Lover. This one features Sabrina Darby and two historical romances from the early years of the blog.
📚 What I'm Reading
I finished Chasing the Clouds Away by Debbie Macomber this week, and this was another one I moved through pretty quickly—I finished it within just a few days. I'm going to save most of my thoughts for the full review, so I'll have more to share about Maisy and Chase soon.
I've now started Falling Into You by Jill Shalvis, which brought me right back to the Colburn family. This time we're getting Tucker and Hazel's story. They made several appearances in the first two books, and I already had a feeling their story was going to be filled with history, chemistry, and plenty of emotion. I'm looking forward to finally finding out what has been going on between these two.
🍽️ This Week's Pairing
With the heat we've had this week, I'm pairing Cruel Summer by Maisey Yates with my Chicken Cobb Salad. The title feels particularly appropriate after this week's temperatures, and the salad is exactly the kind of dinner I want when it's this hot. Using a rotisserie chicken makes it even easier—less time cooking and more time somewhere cool with a good book.
🔖 Coming Up Next Week
Next week I'll have a little work travel mixed into my regular routine, but there will still be plenty happening here at Forever Book Lover. I'll be sharing another easy recipe, more book talk, and our next Book Blogger Hop.
Let's Chat
How are you beating the late-summer heat—are you still squeezing in outdoor time, or have you moved your favorite activities inside?
Thank you for spending part of your Sunday with me. I'm hoping the temperatures give us a little break soon, but until then I'll take the indoor walks, iced coffee, and plenty of reading time in the air conditioning.
Happy Reading!
Kat
I can only imagine what summer must feel like near you. Beautiful but still so hot!
ReplyDeleteIt really is beautiful, but the heat and humidity can be a lot this time of year! I’m definitely looking forward to slightly cooler days while still hanging on to summer. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Reading!
DeleteGod, I know, it's been miserably hot this past week. I'm really getting tired of it. Can't wait for cozy sweater season!
ReplyDeleteI’m definitely ready for a break from the heat, and I do love sweater weather when it arrives. It’ll be here before we know it! Thanks for stopping by. Happy Reading!
DeleteI think it's ready to cool off here. We're in Michigan, and had a trip further north yesterday. My company has been named a Best Places to Work too - but I had no idea there was a ceremony. So much for the little people! LOL
ReplyDeleteI think Michigan may be getting ready for fall a little sooner than we are! Congratulations to your company, too. Perhaps the Best Places to Work celebrations are handled differently in each area. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Reading!
DeleteI usually feel like I want summer to last forever but this year I’m looking forward to the coziness of fall. I lost my Dad almost a year ago and I felt his presence particularly strong this week as we were in the same location where we took his last trip. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.
ReplyDeleteI’m so sorry for the loss of your dad. Being back in the place where you shared that last trip together must have brought back so many memories. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Reading!
DeleteI don't miss the Carolina heat (I lived in NC for about 20 years), but I do miss the longer season of summer (Ohio summers are very short). I am sorry about your losses. My mom passed in April, so we haven't had an anniversary without her yet, but grief is hard, and without timelines. I hope you have a good week.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I’m so sorry about your mom—those first holidays and anniversaries without someone can be especially difficult. You’re so right that grief has no timeline. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Reading!
DeleteThat's a very cozy backyard setup with the fire and drinks and lights.
ReplyDeleteHope the work travel goes well and leaves plenty of time for reading!
ReplyDeleteI hope the week is filled with beautiful memories of your parents, but that you don't experience sadness as much as a reminder of all the wonderful times you shared with them. It would be fun to have an outdoor meeting of our book club, but that will have to wait until fall comes!
ReplyDelete