Between The Pages | September 2025 Reading Round Up

Can you believe September is already over? It flew by, and I’m thrilled to report it was a fantastic month for reading. I managed to finish 10 books, and it was a delightful mix! This month’s stack featured everything from a royal who’d “rather be reading” to a heartwarming story about grumpy elderly friends on a road trip to scatter ashes and discover themselves. I also delved into a mighty mental health story that keeps you guessing the diagnosis, escaped to a cozy country guesthouse, and, to get ready for the season, started off with a couple of lovely autumn reads.

Speaking of autumn, my reading focus for October is all about embracing the season. I’ll be sharing some more cozy fall reads with you, but I’m also going to be sneaking in a few early Christmas reads! This way, you’ll have plenty of festive suggestions in time for the holiday season.

I can’t wait to tell you about everything I read! Which one of those themes sounds most interesting to you?

Autumn Dreams on Sunflower Street by Rachel Griffiths (via Kindle Unlimited)

Autumn Dreams on Sunflower Street by Rachel Griffiths is a cozy, contemporary romance centered on rekindling a connection between two people in the autumn of their lives.

The story follows Ellie Porter, who returns to the charming village of Wisteria Hollow after a recent divorce to sort out her late aunt’s cottage, seeking sanctuary and a fresh start.

While there, she reconnects with Finn Harman, a childhood friend who is now focused on growing his gardening business after being betrayed by his ex-wife. Finn has no time or interest in love.

However, when Ellie and Finn meet again, it becomes clear that the feelings they once had for each other haven’t faded. The book explores whether these two forty-somethings can overcome their past hurts and rekindle their spark, or if true love will remain just a hopeful autumn dream. It is described as a perfect, snuggle-up-with-a-hot-chocolate kind of read.

Autumn at the Cornish Garden Café by Rachel Griffiths (via Kindle Unlimited)

Autumn at the Cornish Garden Café by Rachel Griffiths is a cozy, seasonal romance set in the charming village of Porthpenny, Cornwall, a haven surrounded by a beautiful garden and the sound of the sea.

The story centers on two people looking for a fresh start:

• Rosa Lake, the owner of the local bookstore, is relieved that her divorce is finally finalized. She’s focused on moving past a decade of pain and uncertainty to get on with her life.
• Henry Clay, a primary school teacher, has moved to the picturesque Cornish village to begin a new job and embrace a complete change of career.

A mutual love of literature brings the two together when Henry wanders into Rosa’s bookstore. Their instant connection, sparked by books, quickly blossoms into something more than friendship.

However, both Rosa and Henry are holding onto secrets from their pasts that they struggle to share. The book explores whether they can overcome these differences and open up to each other, or if they will choose to go their separate ways as the autumn leaves begin to fall.

It’s a heartwarming tale about second chances, new beginnings, and finding love in a peaceful seaside setting.

The Country Guesthouse: A Sullivans Crossing Novel by Robyn Carr (via Kindle Unlimited)

The Country Guesthouse (A Sullivan’s Crossing Novel) by Robyn Carr is an emotional story about finding a new path and an unexpected family in the beautiful setting of rural Colorado.

The book’s plot centers on:

• Hannah Russell, whose life is completely upended when her best friend suddenly passes away, leaving Hannah as the legal guardian of her five-year-old son, Noah. With no experience in motherhood, a terrified Hannah decides to rent a country house on a lake in rural Colorado to find time to bond with Noah.
• The house is owned by Owen Abrams, a handsome photographer recovering from his own personal grief. He plans to stay out of their way, but his clumsy, lovable Great Dane, Romeo, immediately befriends Noah.

As Hannah navigates her new role as a mother, Owen is slowly drawn out of his solitude by his guests. The unlikely trio begins to form a fragile, loving bond, supported by the welcoming community of Sullivan’s Crossing.

However, their budding family faces major challenges that test their commitment, forcing them to discover their strengths as they fight to stay together. The novel is a heartwarming tale about healing, the fierce power of love, and the making of a new family.

Note: There is a sexy scene I had to skip over.

The Midnight House: A sweeping mystery of love, war, and long-hidden secrets by Amanda Geard (via Kindle Unlimited)

The Midnight House by Amanda Geard is a captivating dual-timeline historical mystery about long-buried family secrets and an unsolved disappearance at a secluded Irish manor.

The story is told across two main time periods:

The Past (1940 & 1958)

The mystery begins in 1940 in south-west Ireland at Blackwater Hall. The young and beautiful Lady Charlotte Rathmore vanishes mysteriously by the lake and is eventually pronounced dead.

In London, on the brink of the Blitz, her friend Nancy Rathmore is grieving when she receives a letter that contains a secret Charlotte has sworn her to keep—a secret that will change Nancy’s life forever.

The historical timeline also touches upon 1958, when Nancy’s daughter, Hattie, moves to the mysterious Blackwater Hall and begins to realize that nothing about the house or the Rathmore family is as it seems.

The Present (2019)

Decades later, in 2019, disgraced journalist Ellie Fitzgerald flees Dublin, heartbroken and in disgrace, returning to rural County Kerry to weather the storm.

While seeking refuge, she discovers a faded letter tucked inside an old book from Blackwater Hall. This discovery draws her into the long-buried secret of Lady Charlotte’s disappearance. As Ellie unravels the mystery, she realizes the letter holds the key to more than just Charlotte’s fate.

The novel is a rich, spellbinding tale that weaves together themes of secrets, wartime sacrifice, love, and the enduring power of community, all set against the wild, beautiful landscape of Ireland.

The Last Laugh Club by Kate Galley (via Kindle Unlimited)

The Last Laugh Club by Kate Galley is an uplifting, humorous, and poignant novel about three estranged friends who are forced into an adventure to honor a final, mischievous request.

The story revolves around a trio of former colleagues—Bridget, Gloria, and Derek—who loved their late friend, Norman George, but genuinely can’t stand each other.

• Norman George was a passionate knitter, an excellent friend, and, secretly, a viral YouTube sensation. Even in death, he manages to orchestrate one final scheme.
• At his funeral, Norman requests that his three closest friends scatter his ashes in a place close to his heart: the remote Shetland Islands.

The Journey:

Reluctantly, Bridget (the cautious one, who is dealing with private fears about memory loss), Gloria (the glamorous and bossy one), and Derek (the quiet peace-keeper with secrets of his own) set off in a battered minivan.

Crammed together with Norman’s ashes, too much yarn, and not enough patience, the journey to the northernmost point of the UK forces the trio into close proximity. As they navigate the wild, windswept landscapes of the Shetlands, storm clouds mirror their personal discord.

The Themes:

The adventure is less about the destination and more about reconciling their shared past. They are forced to confront the long-buried secrets, misunderstandings, and guilt from a dreadful day years ago that caused their friendship to rupture.

The Last Laugh Club is a heartwarming tale about friendship, forgiveness, grief, and the belief that it is never too late to start a new chapter in life.

New Beginnings at Wildflower Lock by Hannah M. Lynn (via Kindle Unlimited)

New Beginnings at Wildflower Lock by Hannah M. Lynn is a feel-good contemporary romance novel.

The story follows Daisy May, a 25-year-old woman whose life isn’t going as she hoped. Her dreams of becoming an artist are unachieved, and she’s struggling financially. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she receives a surprise inheritance: a forty-foot narrow boat, named the September Rose, moored at the picturesque Wildflower Lock.

Daisy travels to the lock, initially planning to fix up and sell the boat to solve her financial problems. There, she meets Theo, the ruggedly attractive but grumpy riverman who owns the neighboring boat. With Theo’s help, she begins the challenging work of renovating her new home.

The book explores Daisy’s journey of self-discovery as she navigates the unique canal community, breathes new life into the old boat, and confronts secrets about her family’s past that her mother has kept hidden. It is a story about finding a sense of belonging in an unexpected place, developing a friendship (and potentially more) with Theo, and finding the confidence to pursue the life she truly wants.

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (via Kindle Unlimited)

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason is a literary fiction novel that is both a witty, darkly humorous comedy and a devastatingly honest portrait of mental illness.

The story is told from the first-person perspective of Martha Friel, a woman in her late 30s who is grappling with an undiagnosed mental health condition that she has lived with since she was 17. The narrative is non-linear, jumping between her childhood, her first disastrous marriage, her complicated relationship with her family, and her second marriage to her childhood friend, Patrick.

The central plot revolves around the breakdown of Martha’s marriage to Patrick, a kind, patient, and steady man who has loved her since they were teenagers. As their relationship falls apart, Martha is forced to return to her dysfunctional family home and confront the long-standing issues with her parents and her own struggles.

The book explores how Martha’s mental illness has affected every aspect of her life and relationships. It is a story about the messy reality of living with a condition that is not easily defined, the challenges of communication within a family, and the search for acceptance and a better life. While the subject matter is heavy, the novel is praised for its sharp wit, compelling characters, and the masterful way it blends humor with profound sadness.

The author never discloses what Martha’s mental illness is, leaving the reader to wonder, assume, speculate, and consider just what Martha’s mental illness is.

Life Lessons from Psalms: A Praise Book for God’s People by Max Lucado (via Kindle Unlimited)

Life Lessons from Psalms: A Praise Book for God’s People by Max Lucado is a Bible study guide and devotional that helps readers explore and apply the themes of the Book of Psalms to their daily lives.

It is part of the “Life Lessons with Max Lucado” series, structured into twelve lessons designed for both individual reflection and small-group study.

Core Focus

The book emphasizes that the Psalms serve as a “praise book” and a guide for worship, offering a collection of hymns and petitions that help people express their hearts to God through a full range of human emotions.

Lucado unpacks key theological and practical themes found throughout the Psalms, including:

• The Worthiness of God: Highlighting that God is deserving of all worship and praise.
• God’s Protection: Assurance that God will defend and be a refuge for His people.
• Joy and Security: Emphasizing that a personal relationship with God is the ultimate source of true joy and security.

Study Guide Format

The book is formatted as an interactive study, with each of the twelve lessons typically including:

1. Opening Reflection: Max Lucado’s unique inspirational thoughts on the passage.
2. Context: Background information to deepen the understanding of the cultural and historical setting of the Psalms.
3. Scripture Excerpt: The Bible text itself (often provided in both NIV and NKJV).
4. Exploration Questions: Thought-provoking questions for personal journaling or group discussion.
5. Closing Takeaway: A final point for prayer and further reflection.

In essence, Lucado guides the reader through select Psalms to draw out practical, encouraging, and emotionally honest life lessons about faith, worship, and relationship with God.

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (via Kindle Unlimited)

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett is a witty, satirical novella that imagines what happens when Queen Elizabeth II suddenly develops a passionate, all-consuming obsession with books and reading.

The story begins when the Queen, while walking her corgis on the grounds of Buckingham Palace, stumbles upon the City of Westminster mobile library. Out of a sense of duty, she borrows a book. What starts as a polite gesture quickly spirals into a profound and unexpected literary awakening.

Key elements of the plot and themes:

• The Power of Reading: The Queen rapidly becomes a voracious reader, devouring novels and works by everyone from Nancy Mitford to Proust. Her new passion opens her mind to “other lives, other worlds,” changing her perspective on her own life and duties.
• The Monarchy vs. Literature: Her newfound love for literature causes chaos among her staff, particularly her uptight and duty-obsessed Private Secretary, Sir Kevin. Her courtiers see reading as an eccentric distraction, even a sign of incipient decline, because it interferes with her schedule and makes her less predictable.
• A New Connection: She finds a kindred spirit in Norman, a young kitchen staffer who is the only other person in the mobile library and becomes her informal literary advisor, or “amanuensis.”
• A Changing Monarch: The Queen begins to arrive late for engagements, neglects her wardrobe, and—most distressingly to her staff—starts asking people she meets at functions what they are reading, a question that often bewilders her subjects.
• The Climactic Decision: The more she reads, the more she is forced to confront the meaninglessness of her ceremonial life. The story culminates with the Queen announcing a final, radical intention that alarms the entire British government and highlights the tension between a life of rigid duty and the freedom of thought offered by books.

The novella is a charming, humorous, and sharp commentary on the monarchy, class, the nature of public service, and the transformative, democratizing power of reading.

I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel

I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel is a collection of essays that explores the joys, struggles, and quirky habits of being a book lover. It’s a non-fiction book written by a reader, for readers, and it serves as a celebration of the reading life.

The book is structured into short, charming, and relatable reflections on the various aspects of reading, from the practical to the personal. Bogel, who is also the host of the popular podcast “What Should I Read Next?”, invites readers to reflect on their own literary journeys.

Key Themes

• The Reader’s Identity: Bogel discusses how books shape us and become a part of our personal stories. She prompts readers to reflect on the books that first captivated them with reading and the genres or authors that have defined different periods of their lives.
• The Delights of Reading: The essays celebrate the pure pleasure of reading, from the comfort of rereading an old favorite to the excitement of discovering a new author. She also touches on topics like the joy of having a “book twin” who shares your literary tastes.
• The Dilemmas of the Reading Life: The book humorously addresses everyday struggles faced by avid readers. These include the never-ending “To Be Read” (TBR) pile, the challenge of organizing overstuffed bookshelves, and the internal debate over whether to give up on a book you’re not enjoying.
• Reading as a Lifestyle: Ultimately, the book positions reading not just as a hobby, but as a lifestyle. It encourages readers to embrace their own unique reading habits and to find a sense of community with fellow book lovers.

That’s it for my September stack!

I’m walking away from the month feeling incredibly satisfied, not just with the quantity of books I tackled, but with the genuine variety on my list—from the sharp, satirical wit of Alan Bennett to the deep, soul-searching reflections in Max Lucado’s study. It’s been a good reminder that every genre and every story, whether fiction or non-fiction, historical or contemporary, offers a unique kind of nourishment.

What did you manage to get through this month? Drop your favorite read below—or tell me which one of my picks I should rush out and reread right now!

Happy reading, and here’s to an even more bookish October!

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