2 Book Series Worth Binging: One for Mystery Lovers & One for Romance Readers

Rather than just leave it to updating my yearly book list as I finish each book, I like to give you all smaller recommendation lists as we go through the year. So, if you’re looking for some of my favorite books of 2025 to add to your TBR pile, you’re in the right place!

{Psssst, you can find my 2025 Book List here with a mini synopsis of each book I’ve read so far this year.}

I just finished a couple books that I loved, so I wanted to share them with you while they’re still top-of-mind! Whether you’re in the mood for a gripping mystery with undercover agents and high-stakes action, or a swoony, slow-burn romance that makes you feel all the feelings, I’ve got two fantastic recommendations for you:

For mystery lovers:
Tess Gerritsen’s Martini Club (Books 1 & 2) had me hooked from the start. If you like smart, capable women and danger, this fast-paced series is right up your alley.

As I was preparing this post, I saw that a new release popped up on Amazon – a third book in the series is expected in November 2026!

For romance fans:
The Windy City Series by Liz Tomforde (Books 1 through 5) is so good. Each book focuses on a different couple and blends heart, humor, and spice. I started this series in 2024 and as soon as the last book was published I devoured it!

Happy Reading!

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My Style: May 2025

May was a busier month for me and looking back at my style photos, it appears that I got dressed and left the house a bit more than the last few months. With that being said, it’s about equal between office style and weekend style. Let’s take a closer look…

Office Style

A variety of office looks this month for a variety of workdays. The first and last outfits were both ‘typical office days’ where I was mostly in the office. I really like both of these looks, with the pink skirt outfit winning by a teensy bit. It was the first time I wore this thrifted silk skirt and I like it so much. However, I do need to tighten the waistband a little bit, as it’s too loose on me.

As for the other work looks — the black dress and animal print sneakers were perfect for hosting/running a networking event at a pickleball place. As for the embroidered jeans outfit, I had to go into the office, get rained on, load up my car, get rained on some more, unload my car and walk a block (more rain) and then unpack everything for a conference booth. So, for all that it worked out great.

Weekend Style

Let’s see, we’ve got an outfit for a cookout, a Mother’s Day potluck, errands and a lunch date, a haircut, and strawberry picking. I’m just a tee shirt and skirt kinda girl, I guess. I think my two favorite looks are the orange skirt outfit (which is actually a dress) and the striped skirt banana’s outfit. The cowboy boots come in a very close third, as they were adorable and also great for stomping around the strawberry fields!

New vs Secondhand Tally

This month, I count 9 items that I purchased retail and 19 items I purchased secondhand!

May Thrift Haul

With May flying by, it’s time to talk about my May thrifting. Which is actually pretty lame. It’s been a pretty busy month, so I actually only had one opportunity to check out the thrift store. Let’s take a look at this very small thrift haul…

Talbots 100% silk pleated skirt, $9.99

That’s right. A perfect condition, 100% silk, pleated, vintage Talbot skirt. {dreamy sigh} Yes, I already own a skirt this color. But, for $10 I couldn’t pass up this beauty! It is so lightweight and flowy with a built-in slip and I think it will be wonderful to wear to work on those sweltering hot days that you don’t want to get dressed up.

And that’s it. That’s all I thrifted this month.

However, I did also buy something off Poshmark. So since it’s a second hand buy, I feel like it’s thrifting adjacent…

Lucky Brand dress, $30

This was listed as ‘like new, worn once’ and the seller accepted my $30 offer. If this dress looks familiar, it’s because I have it in a different colorway:

And it’s literally one of my favorite dresses that has been worn so much that my cost-per-wear is down in the single digits.

The only problem is… I accidently bought the wrong size. The dress I own and love is a size large and the new green version is a size XL. Oops. Normally a little extra fabric isn’t a big deal with this type of fit and flare dress, but it actually does look much too big on me.

So I need to make a decision:

  • Relist the dress on Poshmark and buy a large when one pops up.
  • Add a belt and call it a day
  • Sew the bodice area and waist a bit smaller, so it fits me better.

Since I already own the new dress, I’m leaning towards option 3 and customizing the dress for my shape. So it may be added to my sewing pile to attack some time over the next few weeks!