March was an odd month for me. It felt like it lasted 342 days, but at the same time seemed to rush by because there were not enough hours in the days to get everything done. Still, I found comfort in reading 12 books and short stories to ease some anxiety, keep my mind occupied, and escape from reality for a few hours.

What standout book did you love for the month?

My March Reading Recap

Here’s what I read in March.

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

The Favorites is drama-filled ice dancing story and a complex saga of Katarina and Heath, who are inspired by Wuthering Heights’s iconic lovers Catherine and Heathcliff. It’s a beautiful novel about competitive sports, complicated love, hard determination, and chasing dreams. Read my full review here. Five stars.

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

Can You Keep a Secret? was a return to the early 2000s of my bookish life. Emma has big doubts and big ideas, and she’s lucky to stumble on a big love after a turbulent flight on which she spills all her secrets unknowingly to her company’s founder. This is a classic meet-cute read with relationship ups-and-downs and a great redemption arc. A mini-review is here. Four stars.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

I listened to Hello Stranger on audiobook. Sadie is trying to make it on her own as an artist and has just gotten her first break as a nominee for a major portrait award. But a tragic accident that same night leaves Sadie with a condition called face blindness, a problem that makes portrait painting even more challenging. But, with the help of her best friend Sue and her mysterious and annoying neighbor Joe, Sadie might make something happen. This was a great addition to my love for all Katherine Center books. Four stars.

Graceful Burdens by Roxane Gay

I listened to Roxane Gay’s short story Graceful Burdens that explores what happens when genetic profiling is taken to extremes, women can be declared unfit mothers before they reproduce, and babies can be loaned out for two weeks from libraries. I loved the speculation of what defines motherhood and what happens when government is involved. An all too real message for today’s world. Four stars.

Reel by Kennedy Ryan

Kennedy Ryan is a favorite romance author, and Reel is no exception. With a beautiful love connection between new actress Neevah Saint and celebrated director Canon Holt, the story is passionate and full of Black representation for today and about the Harlem Renaissance. This is an excellent story that avoids the typical romantic tropes, and I want more of this series. Read my full review here. Four stars.

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

I was on a Kinsella-throwback roll in March, including Love Your Life, which is a journey from an isolated Italian writing retreat back to busy London, and how two travelers manage their whirlwind holiday romance after they return home. While I didn’t find Ava, the female lead, to be most favorite Kinsella heroine, the book is heavy on quirky friendships, funny situations, and an adorable dog, Harold. Read a mini-review here. Four stars.

The Contractors by Lisa Ko

The Contractors is another speculative short story, this time about two women with the same name on two sides of the world. It’s an exploration of wealth distribution, class, and outsourcing. I enjoyed the story, but I’ll be honest that I don’t remember much else. Four stars.

It’s Getting Hot in Here by Jane Costello 

What happens when a perimenopausal woman tries to balance a demanding job, her teen and preteen sons, a  semi-absent ex-husband, hormone therapy, and an enticing yet infuriating new coworker from the U.S.? Chaos in her meticulously planned world, that’s what. Lisa Darling is trying to do it all, but her life might come tumbling down at any moment. It’s Getting Hot in Here was a fun read and highly relevant for a 49-something reader like me. Four stars.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

The fifth installment in The Hunger Games series was one of my most-anticipated reads for 2025. Sunrise on the Reaping didn’t disappoint. I loved Haymitch Abernathy’s point of view and learning why he is the drunken cynic that he is in The Hunger Games with Katniss and Peeta. With so many Easter eggs and backstories, this book was fulfilling and left behind emotional wreckage. My only regret is that it felt like the lead-up to the second Quarter Quell games was a bit too drawn out. Four stars.

Young Rich Widows by Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Vanessa Lillie

Young Rich Widows was a fun listen, like Real Housewives in a Mafia-filled emergency. The four points of view added interest to the story, but it’s not a series I’ll want to continue, simply because I think I got the gist of the story with this book. Still, this was entertaining, well-written, and fast-paced. Three stars.

Halfway to Free by Emma Donoghue

Another short story audiobooks that speculates about women’s fertility, Halfway to Free explores a couple’s debate about opting out of society’s required birth control and choosing to have a child of their own. I liked the ambiguous ending, and Samira Wiley’s narration was excellent. Three stars.

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

My third Kinsella book of March, Remember Me? answers the fantasy of what would happen if you woke up one day to find out you now have your perfect life. Lexi’s car accident left her with amnesia and this exact situation. While she navigates a husband she doesn’t remember, a loft-style living space that doesn’t feel like home, and a high-powered job that’s alienated her from her friends, Lexi has a lot of gaps to fill, especially when an architect gives her information that is even more shocking than the amnesia itself. This book was semi-predictable, but it was still a good read. Three stars.