It’s been a long time since posting on The Tasty Screen, and to put it simply, I missed writing. The other thing is that I’m now a mom, and with a 6-month-old baby girl, writing has fallen by the wayside.

With my baby napping and a little time to myself, why not dust off the keyboard and get back to it? As a lifelong reader, it’s been a huge adjustment to go from reading with my eyes to almost exclusively listening to audiobooks.

Then again, the only books I read with my eyes are usually for the baby, but that’s okay. Either way, I wanted to share some of my favorite reads from maternity leave, which went from April to June. Of course, I’ll probably mention a few recent faves as well.

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Starting off in my #5 spot is In Too Deep by Julie Olivia. Julie Olivia is an author I read a lot of while on maternity leave. Her books are so cute and fun, which makes them perfect for listening to. In Too Deep features a workplace romance between two unlikely coworkers, cute dogs, and some excellent banter. While it’s not my favorite of Julie Olivia’s, it’s a great start to her Into You series.

Coming in at #4 is Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington. This is one of the books I was reading extremely late at night while the baby was not sleeping. This book follows Adina, who ends up competing in The Finish, which is a Hunger Games-style game where you essentially get whatever you want from the Remington family. It’s crazy, dark, and incredibly fast-paced, making it a great one for a late-night listen.

The #3 spot goes to Take a Hike by Mimi Grace. Mimi Grace is an author I’ve loved for years, and I’ve been meaning to read this book. This is a Black romance between Raven and Silas, who meet after she inherits the business he thought he was getting. It’s equal parts fun and emotional, which was exactly the kind of thing I needed while taking care of my baby.

Next up at the #2 spot is Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau. I adore Jackie Lau’s writing, so this was a no-brainer. We’re following Noelle, who gets stuck in a time loop and keeps living the same day over and over. She meets someone else dealing with the same thing and continues to meet the same man repeatedly. It’s a really fun read, and my daughter’s name is Noelle, so it’s perfect.

Last but not least, my favorite read during maternity leave was Still Into You by Erin Connor. Not only was the audiobook excellent, but this felt like a fangirl’s story come true. Sloane is a journalist who gets the chance to interview her favorite band, but of course, one of the members is her ex. This book is so deliciously fun, emotional, and everything you’ve ever wanted from a rockstar romance.

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As you can see, I read a lot of books while on maternity leave. Even though I do miss reading some days, my baby makes the days even sweeter. Before wrapping up, I wanted to share some of my other favorites if you’re looking for book recommendations.

Some recent favorite reads of mine are Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan, The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest, The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce, By The Bootstraps by Alexa Martin, and Soul Searching by Lyla Sage.

Let’s hope it isn’t months before I share another book post, but we’ll see what the baby thinks about that. Until then, happy reading!