The Weekend Post #217: Weekly Highlights & More!

Welcome to The Weekend Post #217! The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme. I will also be joining Deb at Readerbuzz for the Sunday Salon.

My Week:

It’s been a hot week, with highs in the mid-30s°C, but thankfully the heat has eased and we’re enjoying cooler temperatures this weekend.

Unfortunately, wildfires are once again devastating several interior communities in the province, destroying homes and businesses in their path. There is very little rain in the forecast, and when it does arrive, it often comes with lightning strikes that can spark even more fires. Other provinces are also battling significant wildfires. Ontario, for example, is experiencing its worst fire season on record. I know the firefighters and emergency crews are doing everything they can under incredibly difficult circumstances and I thank them for their service.

In other news, our flight to Halifax remains in jeopardy. We are now only days away from our departure, and WestJet has still not reached an agreement with its flight attendants. Since our flight is non-stop and more than six hours long, adding several more hours through connections simply isn’t a realistic option given my hubby’s current health status. As a result, we’re looking at alternative vacation plans closer to home.

On a happier note, we took my mom and sister to the casino for lunch and a few games this week, and it turned out to be a lovely distraction.

This weekend, we’re celebrating my twin brothers-in-law’s 60th birthdays, and I’m looking forward to catching up with that side of the family.

Recent Additions To My Bookshelf:

From The Library:

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams book cover

Annie Walker is content running her flower shop in the small town of Rome, Kentucky, but after a failed date leaves her wondering if she’s too boring to ever find love, she asks the town’s handsome, tattooed bodyguard, Will Griffin, to help her become more confident and date-worthy. Although Will intends to keep his distance while in town for Annie’s brother’s wedding, he reluctantly agrees to coach her through practice dates and flirting lessons. As they spend more time together, Annie begins to see beyond Will’s guarded exterior, and the two discover that the love they’ve been searching for may not be the perfect fairy tale they imagined, but something far more genuine.

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren book cover

Three years after impulsively marrying the charming Luca in Las Vegas, Emery Finch finds her once-vibrant relationship overshadowed by her all-consuming, secretive research—until a tragic accident takes his life. Refusing to accept the loss, Emery risks everything to bring him back using her groundbreaking work, only to discover he has no memory of their love or life together. Faced with a second chance that feels both miraculous and heartbreaking, Emery is determined to make Luca fall in love with her again, proving that even when memories fade, true love is worth fighting for.

Future Releases Added to My TBR:

The Last Days of Vic & Coco by Taylor Jenkins Reid book cover

Set against the turbulent backdrop of 1974 America, The Last Days of Vic & Coco follows two lifelong grifters who have spent years travelling the country, hustling unsuspecting men in high-stakes pool games. Charismatic Coco lures in their marks while the cool, highly skilled Vic clears the table, but with their reputation spreading and opportunities dwindling, the pair embark on their biggest and riskiest con yet. As financial pressures mount and long-buried secrets and conflicting dreams begin to surface, their unbreakable bond is tested, forcing them to decide whether trust can truly exist between two women whose lives have always depended on deception. I was alerted to this book from Fantastic Fiction and it’s expected publication is March 2027.

Friends You Haven’t Met Yet by Clare Pooley book cover

When bookshop owner Jude discovers that a shared love of books can spark real-life connections, she begins matching customers through the stories they cherish. As her unique book matchmaking transforms the lives of those around her—from a young woman searching for love to the elderly regulars at the café—Jude soon finds that her own heart may be changed as well. In this uplifting novel about friendship, community, and the power of stories, the perfect book might just lead to the perfect person. I was alerted to this book from Netgalley. It is expected to publish in March 2027.

Heart of the Wild by Patti Callahan Henry book cover

Patti Callahan Henry tells the gripping story of fifteen-year-old Emma McKinney, whose life is already marked by uncertainty as her father is missing in action in Vietnam and her mother uproots them to a remote mountain town for reasons she doesn’t fully explain. During a youth group retreat, Emma becomes lost in the wilderness and must rely on her instincts, courage, and her father’s treasured copy of The Call of the Wild to survive. Unknown to her, another teenage girl has been secretly watching from the forest, and as their paths gradually intertwine, both are forced to confront hidden truths, uncover remarkable resilience, and face secrets that run far deeper than the wilderness surrounding them. I learned of this book from the Friends & Fiction broadcast. It is expected to publish in April 2027.

At the Chapman family’s lavish Christmas gathering on Mackinac Island, a fierce snowstorm traps multiple generations together just as long-simmering tensions reach a breaking point. With the family business, marriages, and holiday traditions all under strain, Chris Chapman struggles to hold his life together while his wife Kat shakes up the family’s rigid customs by inviting her own working-class parents to celebrate. As political clashes, sibling rivalries, hidden agendas, and long-buried secrets emerge, the picture-perfect holiday façade begins to crumble, leading to a witty, heartfelt, and chaotic family drama about wealth, power, love, and the true meaning of coming together. I was alerted to this book which publishes in October on Netgalley.

What I’m Watching:

Besides my usual series, we’re watching The Commonwealth Games which began on Friday. We’re both looking forward to watching our athletes compete over the next week and a half.