April’s theme is octogenarians and hockey romance.
An unusual pairing? Absolutely.
Do I have a reason? Also yes. Stay with me.
The Octogenarians
Back in February, I read The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons and immediately thought, I could read this again.
Instead, I found two books that delivered the same kind of heart-tugging magic.
🎧 The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
Taking over someone else’s life doesn’t exactly scream “realistic,” but if you’re elderly and largely invisible to the world, maybe it’s not so far-fetched. That’s Fred’s situation.
Is what he does morally sound? Not really.
Is it a compelling story? Absolutely.
🎧 Eddie Winston is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin
Technically, Eddie isn’t an octogenarian. He’s a nonagenarian. Ninety, to be exact. And he’s never been kissed.
Unlikely? Maybe.
Heart-melting? Without question.
What I loved most about all three of these stories is how the older characters still show up. For themselves. For others. For life.
Because getting older doesn’t mean becoming irrelevant.
(And if I’m being honest, that’s a message I appreciate more with every passing year.)
And Then… Hockey Romance
After all that reflection and wisdom, I made a sharp turn straight onto the ice.
Yes. Hockey romance.
I can already hear the raised eyebrows.
Blame Rachel Reid. Her characters have a way of sticking with you.
📖 📺
Game Changer, Heated Rivalry, and Tough Guy by Rachel Reid
There’s been plenty of online discussion about who “should” be reading this LGBTQ+ romance series. I’ll be honest—I almost didn’t mention it here.
But here’s where I landed: These books tell a powerful love story between two people who can’t openly be together because of their circumstances.
And really…how is that so different from Eudora, Fred, or Eddie?
Different lives. Different barriers. Same emotional core.
Not every reader will want the open-door romance that Reid includes. That’s fair. We all have our preferences.
But as a writer, I pay attention to stories that make me feel. And these did.
If I can create that kind of emotional pull for my own readers someday, I’ll call that a win.
That’s my April reading/listening/watching life.
What have you read lately that makes you feel? Send me an email. I’d love to hear what you are reading. 📚✨
Until next time…
P.S. If you missed any of my previous What to Read segments and are always looking for more reading ideas, you can find them all in my monthly reading archive here. 📚✨