Between The Pages | April Reading Round Up

April has been a month of quiet moments of recovery. As the spring air finally began to settle in, I found solace in the pages of some truly wonderful stories. It was a month of bittersweet goodbyes to familiar faces and a much-needed literary escape during my recovery over these last few weeks.

There is a particular kind of “book hangover” that happens when you “finish” a series, and I certainly felt it this month. I finally finished the last few books of the Easton Island series. Getting lost in that world was the perfect distraction, though I’ve now hit that inevitable wall: the long wait. With the final book not slated for release until January 2027, I’m currently practicing the art of patience—and perhaps a little bit of denial!

In between the coastal drama of Easton Island, I also spent some time with Theo of Golden. Reading a gift to me by a friend while recovering from my surgery at the end of March felt like exactly what the doctor ordered for the beginning of April. It provided that gentle, heartwarming atmosphere that makes a house feel like a home, even when you’re stuck on the mend.

From humorous journeys to long-awaited sequels, here is a look at everything I read and reviewed this April.

Easton Island: Affairs of the Heart (Easton Island Family Saga Series Book 12) by Hope Callaghan 

In the twelfth installment of the Easton Island Family Saga, Affairs of the Heart, Morgan Easton returns from a busy business trip hoping for some well-deserved peace and quality time with her boyfriend, Wyatt Dawson. However, her homecoming is quickly overshadowed by the reappearance of Wyatt’s high school sweetheart, who has returned to the island with a very specific goal: winning Wyatt back.

As this woman begins making calculated moves to insert herself back into Wyatt’s life, tension mounts between the couple. Wyatt’s dismissal of Morgan’s concerns—insisting she is overreacting—creates a growing rift that threatens their relationship.

Just as Morgan is navigating this emotional turmoil, the stakes are raised when Grady MacDonald, a local police officer and Wyatt’s best friend, arrives at her door with devastating news. Suddenly, the drama of a rival ex-girlfriend pales in comparison to a life-altering crisis. Facing a terrifying sense of déjà vu, Morgan must grapple with the possibility of losing someone she loves before she ever gets the chance to say goodbye.

Easton Island: A Wedding to Remember (Easton Island Family Saga Series Book 13) by Hope Callaghan 

In the thirteenth installment of the Easton Island Family Saga, A Wedding to Remember, the air at Easton Estate is thick with anticipation as Elizabeth Easton prepares to marry her soulmate, Gerard Ainsworth. It is a joyful milestone for the family, and Morgan Easton is especially moved to see her grandmother find such profound happiness after so many years of being alone.

However, the celebratory mood is quickly threatened by a brewing scandal. The Easton Harbor Art Gallery—the pride and joy of both Elizabeth and Morgan’s best friend, Quinn—finds itself at the center of a controversy involving allegedly forged artwork. If the allegations are proven true, they could destroy the reputation and the legacy Elizabeth and Quinn have spent years building.

Just as the situation looks most dire, an unexpected figure emerges: a longtime adversary of the Easton family. In a surprising twist, this rival steps forward with the intent to help Elizabeth clear the gallery’s name. As the wedding day draws near and the truth begins to surface, the community rallies together, ensuring that Elizabeth and Gerard’s nuptials will truly be a day to remember for all the right reasons.

Easton Island: Old-Fashioned Christmas (Easton Island Family Saga Series Book 14) by  Hope Callaghan 

In the fourteenth book of the series, Old-Fashioned Christmas, the holiday season on Easton Island is anything but quiet. With Christmas Eve just around the corner, Morgan Easton is in full festive mode, preparing to welcome guests to Locke Pointe and looking forward to creating new traditions on the island she loves.

However, the peaceful holiday atmosphere is quickly disrupted by two different kinds of storms. While a fierce blizzard bears down on the island, threatening to ruin everyone’s travel and gathering plans, a much more personal “storm” arrives at the doorstep of Easton Estate. Two strangers appear with a revelation so shocking that it could shatter the very foundation of the family’s history.

As the snow piles up outside, Elizabeth Easton-Ainsworth and her grandchildren must close ranks to protect their legacy. They set out to uncover the truth behind the strangers’ claims, leading to a discovery that could forever alter the future of the Easton family dynasty.

Theo of Golden: A Novel by Allen Levi 

In Theo of Golden, a captivating novel by Allen Levi, a mysterious stranger named Theo arrives in the small Southern town of Golden one spring morning. He offers very little explanation regarding his past or his reasons for being there. Still, his presence soon begins to transform the community in unexpected ways.

The heart of the story unfolds at the local coffeehouse, where the walls are lined with pencil portraits of the town’s residents. Theo begins a unique tradition: he purchases these portraits one by one and gifts them to the individuals they depict. In return, he asks for only one thing—their story.

As Theo connects with the people of Golden, portrait by portrait, long-held secrets come to light and hidden regrets are shared. Through these simple interactions, ordinary lives are profoundly altered. Theo of Golden is a moving exploration of the power of generosity and the beauty of truly being seen. It serves as a reminder of the quiet miracles that can occur when we prioritize kindness, connection, and a sense of wonder in our daily lives.

Promise Me byJill Mansell 

In Jill Mansell’s Promise Me, Lou’s life is turned upside down in an instant when she loses both her home and her job. Forced to start over, she finds herself in a position she never expected: moving to a tiny village in the Cotswolds to work for the notoriously curmudgeonly eighty-year-old Edgar Allsopp.

While Lou is initially hesitant about her new life in Foxwell, Edgar presents her with a life-changing promise that is simply too significant to ignore. In a quiet pact of her own, Lou vows to help the grumpy Edgar rediscover his joy and fall in love with life once again.

However, Edgar isn’t the only person making an impression. Lou quickly crosses paths with Remy, a man whose undeniable charm and charisma make him difficult to overlook. Still stinging from a past heartbreak involving a similar “charmer,” Lou tries to keep her distance and seeks out a distraction—which arrives just in time. But in a small village like Foxwell, secrets have a way of surfacing, and promises aren’t always easy to keep. What follows is a heartwarming journey of unexpected connections and the unpredictable twists that lie ahead.

Whether I was finding comfort in the small-town miracles of Golden or navigating the high-stakes family drama on Easton Island, this month of reading has been exactly what I needed. These stories served as the perfect companions during my recovery, proving once again that a good book is often the best medicine.

Now that I’m caught up on the Easton family saga, the wait for January 2027 feels like a long road ahead, but it just gives me more time to discover new favorites and clear out my ever-growing “to-be-read” pile. I’m looking forward to seeing what May brings—hopefully more sunshine, continued healing, and plenty of pages to turn.

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