This month was a mixed bag for me. There were two books that I absolutely loved and would recommend, and two that didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Two focused on celebrities and Hollywood, while the other two centered more on loss, family, and love.
Want to browse the books before diving into my reviews? You can find all of my August reads on my August 2026 Bookshop.org list.
The Hollywood Daughter by Kate Alcott
Growing up in Hollywood, Jessica Malloy watches her publicist father help turn Ingrid Bergman into a major star. When Bergman’s personal life becomes an international scandal, Jessica begins questioning everything she thought she knew about love, family, and the people she idolized.
I’m a sucker for historical fiction and Hollywood and celebrity stories, so I had high hopes for this one. The book definitely took a different spin than I expected, so while I was a little disappointed, I still found it a decent read. I was expecting more of a behind the scenes Hollywood story, but much of it focused on how the scandal surrounding Ingrid Bergman affected Jessica and her family. I did enjoy getting the perspective of people on the other side of the celebrity machine and seeing how one public scandal could ripple through so many lives.
Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
Journalist Chani Horowitz lands an interview with Hollywood heartthrob Gabe Parker that turns into an unforgettable weekend. Ten years later, another interview brings them back together and forces them to revisit what really happened between them.
LOVED. Loved, loved, loved this one! I read this one in less than a week and didn’t want to put it down. Continuing with my apparent August Hollywood obsession, this book had me hooked. It made me laugh, it made me daydream, and it had me requesting the next book in this series right after I finished. 10/10 highly recommend this one!
When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams
After her estranged father dies, widowed Lucy Cooper returns to her family’s struggling New England estate with her daughter. There, she reconnects with a former love while uncovering secrets tied to the pirate treasure that consumed her father’s final years.
Another book that I had really high hopes for, simply for the fact that I’m a big Beatriz Williams fan. This book was hard for me to get into. Every few chapters, the story switched to the pirate storyline, and I just never found myself as invested in those chapters. Because I love Beatriz Williams, I kept convincing myself to stick with it and wait for everything to click. Unfortunately, it never really did for me.
Would I recommend this one? No, I don’t think so.
Return To Sender by Stephanie Parente
After losing her father, Violet is caring for her teenage sister when they discover an undelivered love letter. Their search for its author leads them to the mysterious Dex and an unexpected cross country road trip.
After struggling to get through When You Loved Me, it was a welcome change to FLY through this book! My mom chose this as her August Book of the Month pick, and she told me she read it in two days.
Trigger warning:
This book has a major theme of losing a parent, which was difficult for me to read. As I get older, I know my parents aren’t invincible, and it’s a fear that I deal with every day.
What I really liked about this book was that I genuinely did not know how it would end. I knew there had to be more to the story, but I did not predict the twist at all, and I really liked where it went.
I’d give this one 4 out of 5 stars and definitely recommend it!
What’s Coming Up in September
There are already a few books on my radar:
- Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman
- The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
- When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén
- Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves
What was the best book you read in August?
What I’ve Previously Read:
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