Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
2020 Challenge Archive
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2020 April Pick it for Me Challenge

1 Year - Clocks
TBR: The Thief (standalone)
NEW: A Promise of Fire (first in series, limited time) I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book and need to keep going on the series!


5 Years - Wood/Silverware
TBR: Much Ado About You (wood/trees on cover) Really enjoyed this book!
TBR: Updraft (5 in page count and pub date)


10 Years - Tin/Jewelry
TBR: Snow White Blood Red (paranormal, cover has bracelet on)
NEW: Kitty and the Midnight Hour (paranormal) Another one I really enjoyed and need to continue the series!


20 Years - China/Platinum
TBR: Fallen (20 in pub date)
NEW: Lady Derring Takes a Lover (MC starts a business, 20 in pub date) I so enjoy this author’s writing and have read both books in this series so far. I’m eagerly awaiting the next one! I also really enjoyed most of her Pennyroyal Green series.


25 Years - Silver
TBR: Beautiful Disaster (black/white cover) I keep forgetting I have this book!
NEW: Shacking Up (white cover) Hilarious and fun read! The banter between these MCs was so entertaining and there is an illegal ferret who causes mischief! Plus... you know... the cover! :D


30 Years - Pearl/Diamond
TBR: Potent Pleasures (historical, country other than mine) Sounds good!
NEW: Firelight (historical, 3 and 0 in pub date) I LOVE this author! She crosses genres so well and I struggled not to also recommend her VIP series - next time!


40 Years - Ruby
TBR: Taking Chances (couple on cover)
TBR: The Princess Present (red cover)


50 Years - Gold
TBR: Firestorm (Green Berets are a close friends group) And come on, you know I was gonna include this one somewhere! It’s your fault I’m addicted to this series and I am dying to read this one about Cal and Savvy! Hope you got this one on Audible Escape for free!
NEW: A Rogue by Any Other Name (Close group of friends) Another author I consistently enjoy, particularly this series!


60 Years - Diamond
TBR: The Dark Highlander (wealthy character) Another one that sounds good!
NEW: As Kismet Would Have It (60 in page count) And I think the cover is pretty - coffee!!!!



I can do re-picks if you need me to help."
Ooh Me too, Mary-Megan! I’m happy to help if you need it!

Thanks Sonja! Some of the "new" books are actually ones that I had on my radar and somehow never made it on my goodreads list, so thanks for getting them on there for me! I love how many books we have in common :)

Nancy did you want to pick for Carrie? I don't know if she has a preferred shelf or not, though...
Sonja I'll keep you on deck in case someone else needs picks.
Thank you both! You're awesome :)

1. 1 Year Traditional - Paper Modern - Clocks
TBR: The Deal
New: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me


2. 5 Years Traditional - Wood Modern - Silverware
TBR: Sweet Addiction
New: Heat Wave


3. 10 Years Traditional - Tin/Aluminum Modern - Diamond Jewelry
TBR: Him
New: Trickery


4. 20 Years Traditional - China Modern - Platinum
TBR: Get a Life, Chloe Brown
New: Red, White & Royal Blue


5. 25 Years Traditional - Silver Modern - Silver
TBR: Bossman
New: Price of a Kiss


6. 30 Years Traditional - pearl Modern - Diamond
TBR: The Unhoneymooners
New: The Duchess Deal


7. 40 Years Traditional - Ruby Modern - Ruby
TBR: On the Way to You
New: Simply Irresistible


8. 50 Years Traditional - Gold Modern - Gold
TBR: Slammed
New: Rock Chick


9. 60 Years Traditional - Diamond Modern - Diamond
TBR: Brooklynaire
New: Halo



1st Anniversary
Next to read- Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating (Standalone)
New-Something About You (first in series)
5th Anniversary
Next to read- Beard Science (Wood in cover)
New- The Rosie Project (295 pages)
10th Anniversary
Next to read- Everywhere and Every Way(published in 2016)
New- Half-Blood(fantasy)
20th Anniversary
Next to read- Love, Chocolate, and Beer(works in a store)
New- The Unwanted Wife( published in 2012))
30th Anniversary
Next to read- My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (historical)
New- A Kingdom of Dreams(historical)
40th Anniversary
Next to read- Kiss a Girl in the Rain (couple on cover)
New- Private Practice (red or pink cover)
50th Anniversary
Next to read- Whiskey Beach (orange or gold cover)
New- The Sweet Gum Tree (orange cover)
60th Anniversary
Next to read- Seduced (wealthy character)
New- The Wall of Winnipeg and Me (published in 2016)

1st Anniversary
Next to read- [book:Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating|..."
Thanks for the great picks Nikitha!


(1st Year (T-Paper; M-Clocks)
(TBR) Winning Back His Wife (1st in series)
(NEW)Warrior's Woman (1st in series)


(5 Years (T-Wood; M-Silverware)
((TBR) Into the Fire (restaurant)
((NEW) Laid Bare(restaurant)


(10 Years (T-Tin/Aluminum; M-Diamond Jewelry)
((TBR) Tailor Made (2012 pub date)
((NEW) Archer's Voice(2014 pub date)


(20 Years (T-China;M-Platinum)
((TBR) The Virgin Duet (pastel cover)
((NEW) Conviction (works in business)


(25 Years (T-Silver;M-Silver)
((TBR) Frosted (white cover)
((NEW) The Submissive (grey/silver cover)


(30 Years (T-Pearl;M-Diamond)
((TBR) The Valentine's Arrangement (2013 pub date)
((NEW) The Darkest Hour(304 page count)


(40 Years (T-Ruby;M-Ruby)
((TBR) The Burn List (couple on cover)
((NEW) Hardwired (red cover)


(50 Years (T-Gold;M-Gold)
((TBR) Earning the Cut (gold on the cover)
((NEW) Opening Up (2015 pub date)


(60 Years (T-Diamond;M-Diamond)
((TBR) The Pool Boy (2016 Pub date)
((NEW) Release Me (wealthy character)


I look forward to hearing what you liked and disliked. The last one was the toughest for me, I went through like 3 or 4 of my favorites, and you'd already read them. Great minds and all that. Let me know if there are any problems. Have fun!!

Here are your picks. I haven't read much on your TBR/PIMF shelves, so I hope you like these. FYI, most of my picks are due to pg counts or published date.
1 Year: This sounded good so I added it to my wishlist - Kind of Cursed by Stephanie Fournet. Your bio says you like chick-lit and this is chick-lit except the main character is male. His work is reading flagged email/IM/etc for a company and falls for someone just based on her online interactions with a co-worker in Attachments by Rainbow Rowell.


5 Years: By Christine Zolendz we have Here's to Falling. Or the start of a YA UF trilogy (pretty sure there aren't vampires or werewolves) where the town is basically run by mob-like families and power comes from strength of your magic and our MC is blackmailed into becoming a bodyguard for one of the families in Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep.


10 Years: The Kiss of Death by Auryn Hadley. Or a fun PNR where warrior Hadleigh goes undercover on a "search for paranormal type tv show in To Woo A Warrior by Jane Cousins. I don't recall any vampires or werewolves in this series either.


20 Years: I've heard of Maya Banks, so I hope you like this one - Never Seduce a Scot. A YA mystery (part of a trilogy so not completely solved here) looking at a horrible crime in the past at an exclusive school that leads to current crimes in Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson.


25 Years: I loved this book as the MC is given the choice of immediate death or becoming the new poison tester for the king. Great fantasy world - Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder. Ok, this is more UF than PNR, but Ilona Andrews is amazing, plus I believe these books just went on sale on Kindle. Clean Sweep is set at an inn, but it isn't an ordinary inn and the innkeeper has an extraordinary job. There are vampires and werewolves here, but their origin is very different and this is definitely worth a read.


30 Years: This is also on my TBR and I really need to move it up the pile - Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren. Another great fantasy world for The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. This book is a bit different to read as it keeps switching between past and present.


40 Years: A couple of lovely red covers here. First up is Vicious by V.E. Schwab. Next we have Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor where our MC joins a group that time-travels to protect the past.


50 Years: Let's start with The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth. Then we have another of my favorite authors - Jayne Ann Krentz with some romantic suspense in Secret Sisters.


60 Years: Two wealthy rock stars. One hit rock bottom and passed out drunk on the heroine's lawn in Idol by Kristen Calihan. The other was disappointed when his new bride didn't remember their Vegas wedding the morning after in Lick by Kylie Scott.




Thanks Beth! I see a bunch I would like to read- I will keep you posted!

Yes, I would love to pick for Carrie and will do it first thing in the morning. I am on my phone right now and it is impossible to do it from there!

Yes, I would love to pick for Carrie and will do it first thing in the morning. I am on my phone right now and it is impossible to do it from there!"
Thanks so much! And waiting until the morning is perfectly acceptable :) Thank you!

1. 1 Year Traditional - Paper Modern - Clocks
TBR: The Deal
New: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

Thank you these look great :)

1 year
TBR:Colleen Hoover - Hopeless - First in series

New: Christina Lauren - Honeymooners

5 years
TBR:Olivia Boothe - Wicked dance

New:Melissa Nathan - The Waitress - works as waitress

10 years
TBR: Harlow Thomas - Shadow Queen-paranormal

New: Alice Oseman - Heartstopper volume 1

20 years
TBR: Tessa Bowen - Bridesmaid gets lucky - Pastel colour

New: K a tucker - Four seconds to lose

25 years
TBR: Charlotte Roth - Dancing Queen

New: Jay Crownover - Rule

30 years
TBR: Amanda Mariel - Earl of Grayson - historical

New:Tillie Cole - A thousand boy kisses

40 years
TBR:Helena Hunting - Meet Cute - has a couple on cover

New: Erin Watt - One Small thing

50 years
TBR: Darynda Jones - Brighter than the sun - yellow cover

New: Tegan Hunter - Lets get textual

60 years
TBR: Natasha Maidson - Tempt the boss - nice cover

New: Tessa Bailey - Fix her up


It was a delight to pick for you! You have so many wonderful books on your pifm shelf, that I just wanted to pick 3 times as many for you as I did! But, if you don't see anything you like, please let me know and I can choose others.
1 year: Stand-alone - The Grave Digger


5 years: Trees - Up at Butternut Lake (a predictable but positive and quick read just for fun, something we need these days); Food, fun, and 2 hot guys - Criminal Confections


10 years: Two really good paranormal ones - Maybe This Time and Garden Spells


20 years: Two really good ones involving people in business - Assault & Beret (I love this series!) and Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore


25 years: Black and white city - Diamond City; Part of a series - Shadow of Night (I really liked this series, too.)


30 years: Other countries - Singapore Sapphire, Moti on the Water, and an extra, really good one - The New Mrs D



40 years: With couples on the covers: Never Seduce a Scot andWallbanger


50 years: Two with families - Keep Calm And Carry On, Children (an appropriate title for today's world, I think) and With the Fire on High - an excellent YA book, one that I think all teen girls should read


60 years: Wealthy character (and one of my favorite series) - Flirting With Danger; A cover I think is pretty - Lost and Found Sisters


Happy reading!

You said Kathryn, did you mean KathyD and autocorrect changed it? We don't have a Kathryn in the challenge.

no worries! thanks for clearing that up Mary-Megan! =)
many thanks for the great picks Kat! some fun stories to get me through April!
take care

Hope you are staying healthy and safe.
1 Year
💍TBR: Suzie Empowered ~ standalone
💍NEW: Butterfly Dreams ~ standalone


5 Years
💍TBR: Fall ~ 5 in pg count
💍NEW: Lost and Found Sisters ~ MC is chef


10 Years
💍TBR: Wolf Gone Wild ~ tagged pnr
💍NEW: Sterling ~ tagged pnr


20 Years
💍TBR: The Foxe & the Hound ~ pastel cover
💍NEW: Driven to Distraction ~ business


25 Years
💍TBR: The Huntress ~ grey cover
💍NEW: Shameless ~ silver/grey cover


30 Years
💍TBR: An Offer From a Gentleman ~ tagged historical
💍NEW: The Night Ferry ~ set in Finland/Denmark


40 Years
💍TBR: The Rogue of Fifth Avenue ~ couple on cover
💍NEW: The Year We Fell Down ~ couple on cover


50 Years
💍TBR: Level Up ~ yellow cover
💍NEW: Hot Asset ~ group of friends


60 Years
💍TBR: Siren ~ pretty cover
💍NEW: Sleigh Bells in the Snow ~ wealthy character



Hope you are staying healthy and safe.
1 Year
💍TBR: Suzie Empowered ~ standalone
💍NEW: Butterfly Dreams ~ standalone
[bookcover:Suzie Empowered|510..."
Super excited for these, thank you LaurLa!!! Not sure how much time I’ll get to read this month, given I”m working from home WITH the kids during this craziness, but I sure wanna try! Thank you and hope you’re well and safe!

Here are your picks. Happy reading!
1 Year - Traditional - Paper Modern - Clocks
TBR -

New -

5 Years - Traditional - Wood Modern - Silverware
TBR -

New -

10 Years -Traditional - Tin/Aluminum Modern - Diamond Jewelry
TBR -

New -

20 Years -Traditional - China Modern - Platinum
TBR -

New -

25 Years -Traditional - Silver Modern - Silver
TBR -

New -

New -

30 Years -Traditional - pearl Modern - Diamond
TBR -

40 Years -Traditional - Ruby Modern - Ruby
TBR -

New -

50 Years -Traditional - Gold Modern - Gold
TBR -

New -

60 Years -Traditional - Diamond Modern - Diamond
TBR -

TBR -


Haha, for some reason I got Kathryn in my head! So my fault.

Here are your picks. Happy reading!"
Thank-you, Carina! I'm looking forward to this series, been meaning to start if for a while. Great excuse now ;-)


It's totally understandable. My mom goes by Kathy but her proper name is Kathryn, so it all works :-)

It was a delight to pick for you! You have so many wonderful books on your pifm shelf, that I just wanted to pick 3 times as many for you as I did! But, if you don't see anything you li..."
Thank you Nancy :) I'm sorry I was late getting back to you, been combing through a bunch of freebies lol.

1 Year - Traditional - Paper Modern - Clocks
Is the first book of a series:
Fancy Pants by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - *NEW*
Is a stand alone book:
His Royal Highness by R.S. Grey


5 Years - Traditional - Wood Modern - Silverware
Has something made of wood on the cover (trees count):
Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen - *NEW*
Has the number 5 in the pub date or page count or
That Second Chance by Meghan Quinn


10 Years - Traditional - Tin/Aluminum Modern - Diamond Jewelry
Has the numbers 1 and 0 in the pub date or page count or
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
Is labeled fantasy, paranormal, or science fiction:
Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward - **NEW**


20 Years - Traditional - China Modern - Platinum
Features someone who works in business or a store:
The Boss Who Stole Christmas by Jana Aston
Has a cover with pastel colors:
Never Kiss a Rake by Anne Stuart - **NEW**


25 Years - Traditional - Silver Modern - Silver
Has the numbers 2 and 5 in the pub date or page count or
When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James
Is a part of a series
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin


30 Years - Traditional - pearl Modern - Diamond
Has the numbers 3 and 0 in the pub date or page count or
No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean
Takes place some place tropical or in a country other than your own or
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert - **NEW**


40 Years -Traditional - Ruby Modern - Ruby
Has a red or pink cover or:
Hateful Heroes by Michelle Hercules
Has a couple on the cover:
Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks


50 Years - Traditional - Gold Modern - Gold
Has the numbers 5 and 0 in the pub date or page count or
Supernova by Marissa Meyer
Has a yellow, orange, or gold cover or:
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore


60 Years - Traditional - Diamond Modern - Diamond
Has the numbers 6 and 0 in the pub date or page count or
Beard Science by Penny Reid
Has a cover that is fancy or pretty to look at (in your opinion):
Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr



Just FYI, you are responsible for my lack of sleep - lol lol lol! I started reading Sorry Not Sorry

Thank you so much for picking this one for me! Now on to the next 3 that I have started.....
I hope you are having a good reading month yourself.

Just FYI, you are responsible for my lack of sleep - lol lol lol! I started reading Sorry Not Sorry

Hi NancyH! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I added it to my tbr because you liked it so much :)

I finished two of your picks so far- The Pool Boy and Frosted. They were both good- a nice, easy distraction from the chaos right now :) Thanks for the push to get them off my tbr!
I hope to get to one more of yours this month, a new pick- Opening Up. I will keep you posted!

Just FYI, you are responsible for my lack of sleep - lol lol lol! I started reading Sorry Not Sorry

Hi Fran,
I hate to tell you this, but the next one of your picks I read was just as good - although it didn't take me until the wee hours to finish it. I did stay up late to do that, but not quite as late as the other one that I could just not stop reading. The second one was A Summer Escape and Strawberry Cake at the Cosy Kettle

You are batting 1000 with your picks for me this month! Thank you!

That one looked so cute when I saw it in your shelf.....you are expanding my tbr! I just added it :)
So glad you loved it!!

Here are your picks, and thank you for the good wishes for my son. He DID get here but it was a near thing - 6 of the 7 flights that were to leave when he did were canc..."
Nancy I read



Good. Job. You really knocked it out of the park this month recommendation-wise.
Read:





Working on:




You made April better.

Good. Job. You really knocked it out of the park this month recommendation-wise.
Read:


Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed the picks and helped make April good for you, a bunch of these are some of my faves and recent reads so I'm glad you liked them too 😊
Funnily enough I think your down to pick for me for May 😂 So good luck! I look forward to seeing what you pick and I'm sure will be great, since looks like we have similar taste in books xx

I managed to get two books read this month, which is good because I've been in a bit of a reading slump. I enjoyed both The Sleeping Doll and Finding Our Forever. Thanks for picking them!



☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ wrote: "Nancy H wrote: "Hi Carmen, the Bootyshaker,
Here are your picks, and thank you for the good wishes for my son. He DID get here but it was a near thing - 6 of the 7 flights that were to leave when ..."

In addition to the other two I already told you about, I finished Such a Fun Age



Hope you are staying healthy and safe.
Hi LaurLa! Well i did crummy at my list this month. Lots of factors, but the main one is finding the time and energy to read. I did finishing Wolf Gone Wild and am working on Driven to Distraction, but I'm having a hard time getting into it with everything else going on.
Hoping to get started on An Offer From a Gentleman before the month ends. And I have several more I plan to get to in May! Thank you for all the reqs and hope you did better than I did!

In addition to the other two I already told you about, I finished Such a Fun Age

So glad you enjoyed another pick Nancy!!

I forgot to tell you that I also read two of the earlier books in the series that has in it "Gimme Some Sugar", which you recommended: Ain't She a Peach?


Thanks again for such great picks!

✅1 Year - Traditional - Paper Modern - Clocks
🍬TBR ~ Shameless ~ #1 series ~ 04.28 ★★★

✅5 Years - Traditional - Wood Modern - Silverware
🍬TBR ~ His Biggest Secret ~ 5 in pub date ~ 04.11 ★★★


Hope you are staying healthy and safe.
Hi LaurLa! Well i did crummy at my list this month. Lots of factors, but the main one is finding the time and energy to read. I d..."
Lots of us strugging to stay focused on specific reading right now. Hope you enjoyed what you did get to!!!

I am glad you liked the book. I know what you mean about moving books to May - I have done that, and moved them even beyond. I do get to most of my picks, just not always in the right month!
Happy May reading.
Carrie wrote: "Nancy, I finished The Grave Digger and gave it for stars. I put Ash Princess on hold and I have only now downloaded on my Libby app so that will be moved my May tbr...."
Books mentioned in this topic
Shadow Queen (other topics)Brighter Than the Sun (other topics)
The Bridesmaid Gets Lucky: A Second Chance Romantic Novella (other topics)
Pucked (other topics)
The Sinner (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Susan Elizabeth Phillips (other topics)R.S. Grey (other topics)
Sarah Addison Allen (other topics)
Meghan Quinn (other topics)
Lyssa Kay Adams (other topics)
More...
Fran wrote: "Hi NancyH!
Here you go! I hope you find a goodie in here.....it was fun going through your shelves again this year! I did look back at what I gave you for February so I wouldn't repeat anything :)..."