We're home from the Smoky Mountains! After last week's mountain-bound recap, I finally have a few vacation memories to share—beautiful views, a little Gatlinburg fun, wonderful dinners, and one very tired dog waiting for life to get back to normal.
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.
♡ A Little From My Week
We're back home after a relaxing trip to the Smoky Mountains, and it was exactly the kind of break we needed. We had beautiful mountain views, plenty of time to slow down and explore, and made a stop in Gatlinburg along the way.
Gatlinburg was already dressed for fall, which made it feel as though the season had arrived a little early. Pumpkins, scarecrows and fall displays were everywhere—and naturally, when I spotted a pumpkin sitting on a bench reading a book, I had to stop for a picture. How could Forever Book Lover possibly walk past that?
One of the nicest parts of the trip was how accommodating the restaurants were with my gluten intolerance. Eating out takes a little more thought these days, but everyone was so helpful that I could relax and enjoy some really great dinners without making my food restrictions the focus of every meal.
A few favorites from our trip—and yes, my husband's caramel chocolate cheesecake deserved a spot too.
And then there was Lucy. We checked the doggie camera while we were away, but we rarely caught a glimpse of her, and she apparently wasn't coming out very much. Since we picked her up, she has spent most of two days sleeping. I think doggie camp may have been a little exhausting—and our girl seems very happy to have her people and her own bed back.
It was wonderful to get away for a few days, but there's also something pretty wonderful about coming home.
📖 New on the Blog This Week
Even while I was enjoying a little time away, there were a few new things waiting for you on Forever Book Lover this week:
- Falling Into You by Jill Shalvis | Book Review — The third Colburn Brothers story brings us back to Jill Shalvis for another romance filled with emotion, chemistry and the connections that keep pulling us back to this series.
- Cook Once, Read More: Easy Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Weeks — A little prep now can mean easier meals later—and more time to settle in with your current read.
- Book Blogger Hop: One Overlooked Book I'd Still Recommend — This week's question gave me the chance to reach back and shine a little attention on a book I still think deserves more readers.
✨ This Week's Spotlight
This week's spotlight goes to Falling Into You by Jill Shalvis. This is the third book in the Colburn Brothers series, and I've been following these brothers from the beginning. Jill Shalvis continues to be one of those authors whose mix of romance, family, humor and heart keeps me coming back.
If you've been following the series with me—or you're another Jill Shalvis reader—come see what I thought of this latest installment.
📌 Popular on Pinterest
A couple of posts readers have been discovering on Pinterest this week:
- Our Extraordinary Summer (Hobby Island, #2) by Lori Wilde | Book Review — A little more Lori Wilde for romance readers looking for their next book to add to the TBR.
- Book Club Discussion Guide — Looking for a little inspiration for your next book club gathering? Explore discussion ideas to help keep the conversation going.
📚 From the Archives
With fall just around the corner, I thought this was the perfect week to bring back a couple of reading lists from the archives.
- 9 Must-Read Fantasy Books for 2025 — If you're in the mood to step outside contemporary romance and disappear into another world, this reading list is worth revisiting.
- Fall 2025 Romance Reading List — Cozy romance and autumn reading inspiration for those of us who are ready for a blanket, a warm drink and a good love story.
📚 What I'm Reading
I finished Summer with My Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller and Maisey Yates early this week, just as we were settling into our mountain getaway.
Now I've finally picked up The Rainy Day Bookshop by RaeAnne Thayne. This one has been sitting in my TBR pile for a while, so it feels good to finally give it its turn!
I'm only a couple of chapters in, still getting to know the characters and watching the storyline take shape. It's too early for me to have much of an opinion yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing where the story takes me.
🍽️ This Week's Pairing
For this week's pairing, I'm bringing together The Forgotten One by Catherine Bybee and my Linguine and Clams with Garlic and Oil.
After a week of wonderful dinners away from home, this pairing feels especially fitting. A Catherine Bybee romance and a comforting pasta dinner sound like a lovely way to settle back into our own routine—especially when there's time for one more chapter after the dishes are done.
🔖 Coming Up Next Week
Now that we're home, I'm looking forward to settling back into a more normal rhythm around here. There will be more books, more recipes and another Book Blogger Hop—and after spending a few days surrounded by early fall decorations in Gatlinburg, I have a feeling a little more fall may start finding its way onto Forever Book Lover too.
Let's Chat
When you come home from a trip, are you happy to be back—or are you already wishing you could turn around and go somewhere else?
Hurrah for the good kind of break! Hope you're all rested and refreshed now.
ReplyDeleteHere's my wrap-up post for the week: https://breathesbooks.com/2026/09/19/stacking-the-shelves-the-sunday-post-145/
Thank you! It was definitely the good kind of break, and I’m feeling rested and refreshed. Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Reading!
DeleteWhat fabulous views and those autumn decorations are amazing. Sadly, I think if our town tried to put on something like they'd soon be vandalised *sigh*. I hope this coming week you can relax a bit, it's always hectic returning from a trip.
ReplyDeleteThe views were beautiful, and I loved all the autumn decorations—they really added to the atmosphere! I’m definitely hoping for a quieter week after getting back home; thanks for stopping by, and Happy Reading!
DeleteThe Smoky Mountains seem like the perfect place to get an early dose of fall. The book pumpkin is fun!
ReplyDeleteThe Smokey Mountains really were the perfect place to get into the fall spirit, and I loved that book pumpkin too! Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Reading!
DeleteI would love to visit the Smoky Mountains someday. It looks so pretty and green! The food looks awesome too.
ReplyDeleteThe Smoky Mountains really are beautiful, and we had some wonderful meals while we were there! I hope you get a chance to visit someday; thanks for stopping by, and Happy Reading!
Delete(Deb Nance at Readerbuzz) It looks like you had an exceptional vacation. I've always wanted to go to Gatlinburg. Enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteI love the Smokey Mountains and Gatlinburg. I am glad you had a great time away. Like you, no matter how many nights we have been gone, I am always happy to be home again! I like traveling, but it wears me out, LOL! Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteYour trip looks wonderful! Thank you for posting all those beautiful pictures. I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDelete