The Fault Is Not Mine

Honestly, I can’t think of many things that beat either scenario. On a sunny day, it’s the kind of iced coffee that beads with condensation before you’ve even taken the first sip, paired with the satisfying creak of an old bookshop door. The sunlight filters through high windows, catching in the dust motes and making the spines on the shelves gleam like a rainbow of well-loved treasures. There’s a lightness to it—a sense of possibility—that maybe today you’ll discover that book, the one you didn’t even know you needed.

Rainy-day bookshop visits are an entirely different kind of bliss. The air is rich with the scent of wet pavement and freshly brewed coffee, the rain pattering against the windows as you wrap your hands around a warm mug. The world outside might be grey and hurried, but inside, time slows. You linger over hardbacks you’ll never quite convince yourself to buy, stroke the covers of new releases, and tuck yourself into a corner chair to read the first few pages of something that just feels right.

I’ve always thought of bookshops as the perfect in-between place—somewhere between adventure and sanctuary. And whether the coffee is iced or hot, the magic is the same: you walk in carrying the day’s weather with you, and you leave with a little more than you came for. Usually in the form of a paper bag and a slightly lighter bank account.

So tell me—are you a sunshine-and-iced-coffee reader, or do you live for the rainy-day-hot-coffee kind of bookstore bliss?

But now that I’ve drawn breath (and finally unpacked), it’s time for a proper reboot.

Back When I Was Much Younger

Back in the mid-late ’90s and into the early 2000s, I followed the tour properly. I’d jet off to Australia, swing by the US Open—it was easier back then, and frankly, far less ruinous on the purse. Was I a tennis groupie? A lady never kisses and tells.

Post-COVID, with travel feeling heavier and—if we’re being candid—the years creeping in, I’ve mostly stuck to a handful of clay court tournaments in Europe. But this year? I’ve not gallivanted quite like this in decades, and it’s been glorious fun.

Life on Tour: The Real, Beautiful Chaos

Monte Carlo was the start, planned down to the last detail. Then life threw me a delightful curveball: I met the loveliest Spanish couple, David and Miriam. One moment we were chatting over coffee, and the next I was in their car, road-tripping back to Spain. That turned into an unplanned escapade through Barcelona and Madrid—two cities, two entirely different rhythms, and frankly, more tapas than is respectable.

Rome was always on the agenda, though I had to tear up my flights and start again thanks to my newly altered route. It was the sort of last-minute scramble that used to send me into hysterics; these days, I simply shrug and order another espresso.

Then a quick interlude at home for laundry (and perhaps a decent cup of tea) before Paris called for Roland Garros. After that, back to London for Queen’s and Wimbledon—with David and Miriam making a surprise appearance, which was the perfect punctuation mark on an already mad summer.

At this point, my suitcase and I are on first-name terms. Plans shifted at the eleventh hour, flights got rerouted, and my main concern was not leaving my favourite tennis hat in some forgotten corner of Madrid.

And you know what? That unpredictability—that joyful chaos—is what makes this whole thing magic. It’s why I fell in love with tennis in the first place: the drama, the brilliance, the constant sense that anything could happen. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Why the Reboot?

After months of gallivanting and tennis-induced adrenaline, I wanted this space to feel like me again: books, tennis, and a little slice of life. Think vintage tenniscore meets literary dark academia—because my heart belongs equally to manicured grass courts and a well-worn novel.

What’s coming:

• Weekly round-ups (Kitty’s Weekly Serve) mixing books, matches, and musings.
• TBR check-ins, book lists, and a few strong opinions.
• Tennis reflections and some inevitable US Open chatter.
• Moodboards, playlists, and the occasional aesthetic indulgence.
•  

So, What’s Next?

Today kicks off a new posting schedule - 4 to 5 posts a week through August. Tomorrow, we’re diving into my Current TBR.

In the meantime, tell me:
What’s been the highlight of your summer—books, tennis, or something entirely different?

Drop a comment and let’s catch up. 💬

Hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer

Hey everyone! I didn’t manage to post anything on the blog this week because, well… I’ve been in Monte Carlo soaking up sunshine, sea air, and seriously good tennis. It’s been a blur of match days, long walks back to the hotel, and collapsing into bed too exhausted to even think about writing. But I’ve started using my Instagram again a little (baby steps!), so that’s something!

✨ Last Week on the Blog
Let’s be honest: not a lot happened blog-wise. But I’ve got a backlog of thoughts percolating and some posts lined up for next week (fingers crossed the Barcelona sun lets me sit still long enough to write them).

📚 What I’m Reading
✅ Finished: Interview with the Vampire — moody, brooding, and yes, a little theatrical in all the best ways
📘 Almost done: You and Me on Vacation — soft and sweet and hitting all the right romcom notes
🧛 Next up: The Vampire Lestat — because clearly I’m having a bit of a moment with long-haired immortals right now

📆 Coming Up This Week (…maybe)
A review of Interview With the Vampire
A review of You and Me on Vacation
Maybe a little “Meet the Blogger” post
And possibly: My Unpopular Bookish Opinions – which is bound to ruffle a few covers!

🎾 Tennis Talk
Monte Carlo has been everything. Nothing compares to watching live tennis—the atmosphere, the tension, the ridiculous beauty of that centre court against the sea.

There were a few upsets this week that properly got to me (Dimitrov’s quarterfinal still stings), but it’s all part of the thrill. And—this was unexpected—I ran into Darren Cahill. I’ve met him a handful of times over the years, but I wasn’t expecting to see him in Monte Carlo, so it felt like such a lovely surprise. He’s always exactly what I need him to be: steady, kind, and so much more real than you’d ever guess from the commentary box. That moment will be tucked away in the highlight reel for sure.

💬 Life Lately
Life has mostly been sunshine, good food, and beautiful backhands. I made friends with a lovely Spanish couple while watching a match and—because life sometimes writes a better story than I can—I’ll be heading with them to Spain after today’s final for an unexpected little adventure to the Barcelona Open.

Sometimes, you just have to say yes.