Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic:

For today’s Top Ten Tuesday I’m excited to share my favorite books of 2023. Honestly, it was hard to pick just ten because 2023 has been an epic reading year for me. I read 113 books and I’ve loved a lot of them. But in the end it where these ten books that are on top. I loved them so much and I’m excited to read more books by these authors in 2024.

Beyond the Thistles by Samantha Young
Series: The Highlands #1
Published by Amazon Digital Services
on May 2, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the Author
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It’s been a long time since Walker Ironside left behind Scotland and the memories that haunt him. Yet after years of traveling the world as a bodyguard, Walker misses his homeland enough to return. To a village in the Scottish Highlands that plays host to an exclusive members-only club, Ardnoch Estate. If not happy, Walker is content working with the elite security at the club and maintaining his bachelor lifestyle. What he doesn’t need is distraction in the form of the enticing but too-young newcomer, single mother Sloane Harrow.

Sloane never imagined she’d get pregnant at sixteen. Or that a decade later she’d escape from California with her daughter, Callie, to start over in the Scottish Highlands. Hidden and safe from Callie’s dangerous father, Sloane is satisfied with their new lives. Her daughter is happy. Sloane has a stable job, a quaint cottage, a passion for baking that might just be turning into a business, and a huge crush on brooding security guard Walker Ironside. Unfortunately, the grumpy Scot seems immune to Sloane’s charm, but she can’t help but try to seduce him with cupcakes and baked treats whenever the opportunity arises.

However, when someone arrives in Ardnoch intent on destroying Sloane’s life, Walker is the first to step forward to protect her and Callie. Even if it means giving into temptation and awakening his own demons. Because in doing so, Walker faces failing not only to shield Sloane from her past, but to safeguard her against his own.

Check out my Review here

If This Is Love by Jewel E. Ann
Published by Amazon Digital Services
on April 6, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 334
Format: ARC
Source: Valentine PR
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He's mine ... don't ever forget that.

Milo lives in the barn, a cowboy through and through. I live in a castle, but I'm not a princess.
When the only person who loves me dies, Milo's there. As I get older, I no longer look at Milo like a big brother. I look at him like the man God made just for me.

With the first glimpse of freedom from my pathetic excuse for a father, I imagine a future with Milo. I dream of the day when we won't have to hide our feelings.

But Milo has a secret. He is not free.The man I love is marrying the woman I hate.

Check out my Review here

Under the Stars by Laura Pavlov
Series: Cottonwood Cove #2
on May 18, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 340
Format: ARC
Source: the Author
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My new assistant is all smiles and sunshine—and she’s about to set fire to my cold, grumpy heart.

I've moved to this god-forsaken small town to run the family business.I need to hire a new PA and the pickings are slim.Some say my irrational expectations are the reason I've gone through assistants quicker than most people refill their coffee.Incompetence is my pet peeve.If that makes me irrational, so be it.Then Georgia Reynolds walks into my office.Blonde hair.Sapphire eyes.And a smart mouth that irritates me as much as it turns me on.On top of being a rockstar at her job, she is a ray of freaking sunshine on steroids.I have no patience for it.Nor for the way she flutters around the office like a modern-day Tinkerbell.She has ridiculous taste in music.Drives an unreasonable form of transportation.And did I mention that I caught her dancing in my closet when I sent her on a simple errand?My new assistant has somehow become my kryptonite.But I am her boss, and I am not going to be a pathetic cliché.It doesn’t matter that my cold, jaded heart has started beating again.In my world, a beating heart makes you weak.And I do not tolerate weaknesses.

Check out my Review here

King of Greed by Ana Huang
Series: Kings of Sin #3
on October 24, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: the Author
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He had her, he lost her…and he’ll do anything to win her back.
Powerful, brilliant, and ambitious, Dominic Davenport clawed his way up from nothing to become the King of Wall Street.
He has everything—a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, and more money than he could spend in a lifetime. But no matter how much he accumulates, he’s never satisfied.
In his endless quest for more, he drives away the only person who saw him as enough.
It isn’t until she’s gone that he realizes there may be more to life than riches and glory…but by then, it may be too late.
***
Kind, intelligent, and thoughtful, Alessandra Davenport has played the role of trophy wife for years.
She stood by her husband while he built an empire, but now that they’ve reached the top, she realizes he’s no longer the man she fell for.
When it becomes clear that she’ll always come second to his work, she finally takes charge of her life and puts herself first—even if it means leaving the only man she’s ever loved.
But what she didn’t count on was his refusal to let her go…or for him to fight for their marriage, no matter what it takes.

Check out my Review here

Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli
Series: Artefacts of Ouranos #1
on November 15, 2022
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Source: Orbit UK
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Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King's heart.
Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she's endured.
When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she'll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.
But Lor doesn't belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently.
Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she'll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.

Check out my Review here

Where We Started by Ashley Munoz
Series: Stone Riders MC #1
Published by Zeta Life
on November 3, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 316
Format: ARC
Source: Valentine PR
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Usually, watching a notorious biker club mourn the loss of their beloved president would be a dangerous choice. Ten out of ten do not recommend. Unless of course, you’re family. I didn’t really consider myself part of my father’s legacy, until I found out what he left behind in his will. Ten acres of property, which included the headquarters for his beloved motorcycle club. I had no idea that by accepting the terms of my inheritance it would thrust me into a battle with the new club president.Wesley Ryan was unfathomably handsome, menacing and formidable in every way. But his derision toward me only made me cling that much tighter to my birthright.That is until he decided to play dirty. Wes didn’t just taunt me by bringing up our past, he wanted us to go all the way back to where we started. Back to when we were nine and I was just the girl next door who snuck into his treehouse.Back to when he’d fight the boys who made me cry.Back to when he first kissed me and stole my heart.I had to remember Wes wanted to claim my father’s property, not me.I walked away once, I just had to prove I was strong enough to do it again.

Check out my Review here

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Series: The Empyrean #2
Published by Entangled: Red Tower Books
on November 7, 2023
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Pages: 640
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought myself
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“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

Check out my Review here

Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
Series: Knockemout #1
Published by That's What She Said Publishing
on January 12, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 572
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought myself
Buy on Amazon* Goodreads

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon. Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.
Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.
Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.
There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.
At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

Check out my Review here

Have you read any of these books? What was your favorite of 2023?