Yes, it’s that time again – homing in on the books I loved the very most in 2022. Do you know, it was 2014 when I produced my first Books of the Year list – just twelve carefully chosen books, but then a bit of a ramble (not like me at all, eh?) that enabled me to include a good dozen more. In 2015, it became a top 18 – and I have absolutely no idea how I managed that again in 2016. 2017 was just the start of the slippery slope with a top twenty – and in 2018 I ended up with a whopping 36, half romance and the other half everything else. 2019? Thirty books that time – and then 36 in 2020. I somehow managed to make it 30 again last year – but looking at my list of 73 remaining strong contenders only a few days ago, I knew I’d never be able to manage that again.
I’ve read 160 books this year – but that does include the year’s 20 audio books that I don’t review here, and I’ll be writing another post in January to tell you about them. I always choose the books I read very carefully (you won’t hear about the small number when I don’t get it quite right) – I now know which ones I’m likely to enjoy, and I’m very rarely disappointed. And because of that, I probably give more five star reviews than other readers do (on Amazon and Goodreads, never here) – but that only makes it many times more difficult to choose the particularly stand-outs reads. Those authors who haven’t made it into this post will already know, I hope, how much I loved their books – and it’s been an absolute joy going back through all last year’s reviews and remembering the particularly special ones (and wanting to include every single one…).
Just to make things a little more manageable, I’ve broken the final list down into a few different categories – otherwise it might have been Easter by the time I finally produced this post! And I think I’ll start as I finished, with the Christmas reads that have brought me more pleasure this year than ever before. There were so many that would have really deserved places in my final list, but I’ve narrowed it down to seven (ouch, that hurt…).
Here they are – all the links are to my reviews, where you’ll also find the buying links you might need.
Snowfall over Halesmere House by Suzanne Snow
Christmas at the Borrow-a-Bookshop by Kiley Dunbar
A White Christmas on Winter Street by Sue Moorcroft
One Last Dream for December by Lottie Cardew
A Gift Called Hope by Eva Jordan
The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley
Keeping a Christmas Promise by Jo Thomas
And then, there were all the wonderful romance series that I’ve enjoyed so very much this year – Jessica Redland’s Hedgehog Hollow and Starfish Cafe, Jo Bartlett’s Cornish Midwives and Seabreeze Farm, Sandy Barker’s Holiday Romance and Christmas Romance series, Maggie Christensen’s Bellbird Bay, Sarah Bennett’s Mermaids Point, Victoria Connelly’s House in the Clouds, Helen Rolfe’s Heritage Cove, Sharon Booth’s Witches of Castle Clair … oh, and so many more, several just getting started and that I’m very much looking forward to! If only to make the graphic a little easier, I’ve chosen five of this year’s books that were particular personal favourites…
Here are the details – again with links to my reviews:
Christmas Miracles at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland
Welcome to Seabreeze Farm by Jo Bartlett
Will of the Witch by Sharon Booth
Happy Endings at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett
A Wedding in Tuscany by Sandy Barker (although it could have just as easily been The Christmas Trip…)
Ok, now on to those really special reads that fall outside the romance genre that you’ll be more used to seeing here on Being Anne… and I’ve managed (with some difficulty) to make it just twelve. The links to my reviews follow…
The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs
Lost Property by Helen Paris
Off Target by Eve Smith
The Lost Notebook by Louise Douglas
Nothing Else by Louise Beech
Only May by Carol Lovekin
Madwoman by Louisa Treger
A Tidy Ending by Joanna Cannon
The Manhattan Girls by Gill Paul
The Witch’s Tree by Elena Collins
Wildest Hunger by Laura Laakso
The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh… and it would be very easy to continue, and add a dozen more…
And a final 15 (sorry, making it 12 was totally impossible…) – the standalone romances. It’ll probably be no surprise if I tell you that there were 27 books on this particular list for a considerable time – but I’ve (very reluctantly) made myself choose my absolute favourites. Links to my reviews follow below.
Shoot the Moon by Bella Cassidy
Em and Me by Beth Morrey
A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering
The Spa Break by Caroline James
How To Save a Life (now The Night We First Met) by Clare Swatman
The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans
The Highland Hens by Judy Leigh
Hidden in the Mists by Christina Courtenay
Into a Cornish Wind by Kate Ryder
The Good News Gazette by Jessie Wells (ok, technically first in a series – but I just had to include this one…)
Three’s a Crowd by SR Booker
An Escape to Provence by Sophie Claire
The Only Exception by Clare Huston
An Island of Secrets by Eva Glyn
The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman (technically another “part of a series” – but another I really couldn’t leave out!)
And before you ask, no, I really haven’t mentioned EVERY book I’ve loved this year – and it’s still hurt to leave so many out! Let me just say “Boldwood Books”, and leave it there – so many authors I adore, but totally impossible to include them all. And I’m very aware that there are a few familiar names (and friends) that haven’t made the cut this year – but it certainly doesn’t mean that I enjoyed your books any less. And OK, so I know I’ve cheated this year – fairly unashamedly – but thank you, everyone, whether you’re mentioned or not, for a year of so much reading pleasure.
And, as well as the thanks to authors (and, of course, their publishers), I’d like to thank everyone who has provided such wonderful support through another great year of reading and reviewing – blogger friends, blog tour organisers, readers and friends – with a special “thank you” for all those Twitter shares that always mean so much to me and to the authors I feature. And I hardly need to say that winning the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Media Star of the Year award was the most special way to end the year – thank you again to everyone involved.
No January break this year (have you seen some of the lovely books that are due out?!) but a slightly lighter month with just six blog tour reviews – so a chance to get ahead of my reading a little, do some personal bits and pieces to plan for the new year, and to recharge my batteries and recover some of my blogging “oomph”. And a very Happy New Year to all!
Thank you so much for including A White Christmas on Winter Street, Anne! To make it onto your list when you’re such a prolific reader and reviewer is a joy. X
There was no way I was going to leave that one out Sue – like all your books, it was quite wonderful! x
Aw, thank you. Xx
Great choices Anne. I’m not surprised to see many of my choices on your list! I finished The Last Party last night and am going back to add it to my Top Reads for this year!
A rather longer list than usual, but that’s just because it’s been such a fantastic reading year! And wasn’t The Last Party excellent? Love your review… xx
I just counted up my books of the year. I’d split it into four quarters so hadn’t really kept track. Thirty six books on my list which is only three a month – quite restrained I thought!
Actually, my list is only 39 (except for the series!) – so more restrained than I thought! Might do it your way next year! xx
Thank you so much for including my book, Anne, I’m thrilled to be on your list with such wonderful authors. Wishing you a very happy 2023 with lots more reading x
My pleasure Suzanne, and thoroughly deserved – now looking forward to your next (I’ve preordered!) xx
What a fabulous reading year you’ve had and an amazing achievement with that RNA Award too. Thank you so much for mentioning my Hedgehog Hollow and Starfish Cafe series and for including Christmas Wishes at Hedgehog Hollow as one of your favourites from those series. As ever, your support and gorgeous reviews are appreciated so much. Wishing you all the best for an amazing 2023 xx
You’ll always be on my list Jessica, one way or another… and thank you for all your support for my reviews too! xx
Thank you, Anne from my Covid bed. I’ve managed a little skip and a happy song! The Witch’s Treee and The Highland Hens both made your list? I feel like Santa has called again. Bless you!! x
Fantastic that ‘Into a Cornish Wind’ made your list! As you know, I totally respect your fabulous reviews and I feel mighty proud that this book resonated with you enough to warrant a mention on your list for 2022. This… and the fact that it’s held onto bestseller flags since publication in Sept… has finished off a very difficult year with a little stardust magic. Thanks a million for putting a smile back onto my face. xx
Thank you so much, Anne! I’m over the moon to see Will of the Witch on here, and so happy that you enjoy reading The Witches of Castle Clair series. And I’m in such good company too! Happy New Year to you xxx
Thank you so much for including The Only Exception with such lovely books and once again for your review and all your support 🙂
Wishing you a very Happy New Year with lots of wonderful reading xx
And thoroughly deserving of its place Claire! Happy New Year to you xxx
This makes me very happy, Anne. Thank you for including Only May. Happy New Year, cariad. xXx
Always on my list, Carol – a Happy New Year to you too, my lovely xxx