It’s time for Thursday at Lesa’s! I’ve had a pretty unproductive week, but I did go to a family Christmas party last Sunday. And, I got up yesterday morning to see that four-letter word that begins with s and ends with w. Bah! I’m looking forward to the next few weeks, though. Like last year, I’m spending Christmas with my Mom, so I’m driving up on Friday, and I’ll spend a couple weeks with her. She and I are both looking forward to it. She made a comment in my Christmas card that stuck with me. We were both widowed in our fifties, and she said, she and I spent some Christmases alone, so It’s nice to spend the holiday season together. We love the lights and the music, and I’m sure we’ll enjoy family and our time together.
What about you? How has your week been? Any plans for the next week? And, what are you reading?
I’m almost finished with my current book, and it’s going on my list of Favorite Books of 2024, even though it was published in 2019. It’s called Come From Away: Welcome to the Rock: An Inside Look at the Hit Musical. How many times did I see “Come From Away” on Broadway? Everyone in my family has seen it. I feel so lucky. There are pictures of the original Broadway cast, and I saw that entire cast several times. This book was a Christmas present this year from a friend who knows my love of Broadway.
“Come From Away” is the story of 9/11 and Gander, Newfoundland, one of the towns that took in people who were on planes not allowed to land in the U.S. that day. But, the people who wrote the musical, Irene Sankoff and David Hein, did a great deal of research, and they mention some of the other towns that took in people. But, Gander was where the planes landed that had been flying across the Atlantic.
The book told about the people who inspired the roles in “Come From Away”. Where were they ten years later? The entire book made me teary. It’s beautiful. If you’re a fan of the musical, you might want to read the book.
And, once again. What are you reading?
Hello, all! This week I’ve gone to two card games and today I attended a holiday luncheon attended by 145 women, quite of few of whom I know from the El Dorado Hills “Newcomers Club,” Tomorrow my son and I are going to see Hadestown at the Harris Center. It’s a Broadway show that won the Tony and Grammy, and I know very little about it, including the story and music. I have season’s tickets to the Broadway tours, and this one is part of it. Speaking of Broadway musicals, I’ve mentioned before that we went to see Come From Away last month–second time for both my son and me–and we loved it. But I didn’t know anything about the book. It will definitely be a must-read for me, Lesa. I’m hoping the library will have it once they get the Link+ system up and running again, as it is fairly expensive, but we’ll see. As for my reading this week (just finished and reviewed the third book):
I enjoy an occasional good thriller, one with characters to root for, and THE MAILMAN by Andrew Welsh-Huggins definitely fits that definition. Mercury (Merc) Carter used to be a federal agent investigating and resolving mail fraud, and he has major skills from those days. Later, he left the agency to become a “freelance courier,” in tribute to his father, a USPS mail carrier who met an untimely and unfortunate death. Merc’s self-imposed credo is to deliver whatever has been entrusted to him, in any way he can. And it seems he has met his biggest challenge when, in the process of making a delivery, he happens onto the home invasion and kidnapping of Rachel, a prominent defense attorney. With her injured husband in tow, Merc sets out to find Rachel and make the delivery, which involves encountering and dealing with a plethora of dangerous men with their own agendas and, ultimately, a much bigger objective. Along the way, there is another kidnapping, a lot of violence, and a look into the life of a very capable, clever, and creative man. I was immediately engaged by the amazing Merc, and the supporting characters are equally well drawn and complex. The only one I find a little unbelievable is Rachel’s 16-year-old stepdaughter, Abby, although she is fun to read about as well. Many of the scenes, and the plot itself, involve almost unbearable suspense, which keeps ratcheting upward throughout the book. I understand that there have been a number of short stories about Merc, and the end of this book seems to promise more from him. I hope so. Lesa, thank you for your review and recommendation. (January)
I’ve called Annabel Monaghan’s three previous adult romances life-affirming, and IT’S A LOVE STORY is no exception. Jane is a creative executive at a Hollywood studio, trying to get a script she believes in deeply greenlighted and, in the process, making a promise she doesn’t know if she can keep. Years ago she was one of the stars of a popular kids’ show, playing the part of the funny girl, not the one that tween and teen boys lusted after. The same seems to play out in her personal life. Jane hasn’t had a father since he left when she was five, and she has lived her adult life so far feeling like she doesn’t really matter to anyone, rarely getting beyond a fourth date. Her relationship with Dan, a photographer who also does work for the studio, was promising at first, but his cutting remarks about the scripts she was promoting tore them apart. Now Dan wants to be the cinematographer for the movie made from Jane’s current script, but they can’t seem to agree on how to convince the studio to take a chance on it. Similar to Monaghan’s previous protagonists, Jane and Dan are beautifully layered, fascinating characters–both with baggage and flaws, but also with endearing qualities and quirks. Jane’s quietly supportive best friend Clem and Dan’s big, boisterous family (including an identical twin) are engaging characters as well. The movie “The Notebook” is a continuing thread in the story, as is Jane’s childhood friend who has somehow become a successful, scream-worthy pop singer. The author’s writing style is fun and engrossing and the plot propels the book to a satisfying ending. (May)
The fifth in Ellen Kirschman’s Dot Meyerhoff mysteries, CALL ME CARMELA, is narrated by Dot, the police psychologist in a small town in California. This time it is not a police officer that she is counseling about work-related issues, but the goddaughter of her close friend. Adopted as a baby, Ava has been telling her parents she wants to find her birth parents to discover more about her own identity and to find out why they were willing to give her up for adoption. Her adoptive parents are concerned about how Ava might be affected if the information she seeks is troublesome, and they are right to be worried. Headstrong Ava succeeds in contacting her birth mother, who is at first reluctant to reveal serious issues of the past, but what she ultimately tells Ava about her birth father opens a hornet’s nest of heightened emotions, dangerous actions, and trouble for more than just the immediate family. This novel also features a police-related subplot. A renowned police psychologist herself, Ellen Kirschman brings authenticity and deep feeling to her novels and writes about these fraught situations in a way that no one else can. Besides this series, she has also written nonfiction books for the families of police officers and firefighters. I was quickly immersed in the nail-biting story and was relieved to finally read the much more clinical last chapter, explaining where all of the characters finally landed.
Just found the Come From Away book at an excellent price at Abe Books!
Margie, we saw HADESTOWN on Broadway a couple of years ago and loved it, particularly Tony winner Andre de Shields as Hermes, your narrator-host. It is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice in the Underworld. It’s a musical.
Margie, I haven’t seen Hadestown, but my sister and niece did, and my niece really liked it.
Happy you can get Come From Away for a decent price if you want.
I thought The Mailman was terrific, better than most books I read in 2024.
Lesa, I like your plans for two weeks of Christmas up at your mom’s. It’s a special thing to be able to spend more than just Christmas Day with treasured family. Good for the soul.
Over here Canada Post is still on strike; almost four weeks now. Sigh.
There was some good news though – our younger daughter and her husband finally get to move back to their home that was destroyed last year by a fire in the unit right next door to them. Although not completely finished, most of the repairs and restoration have been completed. They’ve been out for over a year and are so ready to be back where they belong.
This week I read:
THE EXPECTANT DETECTIVES by Kat Ailes.
This was a fun read.
Alice and her partner Joe are expecting their first child. They live in an expensive too-small flat in a noisy part of London, and so they decide to move to a small village in the Cotswolds where life will be safer and quieter, and a much better place to raise a child.
But almost immediately that whole idea of safety and peace bites the dust. They attend a series of prenatal classes mainly to get to know people and hopefully make some friends. During their second class someone is murdered in the shop downstairs, and suddenly almost all of them become suspects. The inspector in charge of the case doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere so eventually the four pregnant women in the class take it upon themselves to work together to find out who committed the murder. It’s a tricky case, seemingly tied in with a local commune and a suspicious death that took place there ten years earlier.
This was a very enjoyable, funny, and entertaining contemporary cozy mystery – lots of humour, entertaining characters – all with distinctive personalities and voices and most of them keeping secrets of one sort or another, friendships, dogs, and even gong baths. (I had no idea what those were but I do now) There is no lack of suspects and it takes a while for our sleuths to put it all together.
There is also a sequel out now called Dead Tired, which I’m already looking forward to reading.
Oh I will look for that book Lindy – your recommendations are always great, and this sounds like another good one. Thanks for that!
You’re right, Lindy. It’s good for the soul to spend time with family, especially Mom. I’m looking forward to it.
I haven’t read The Expectant Detectives, but I’ve seen it on a couple Best of lists.
I’ve been entertaining folks in old age homes for Christmas. It isn’t too bad, but I can’t handle being in Alzheimer’s homes, which are like prisons.
The Bidwell Mansion in Chico burned down last night. You might never have heard of it, but it’s a big deal there. It’s the home of the family that founded the town and the college. People there are outraged. I toured the place several times when I was in college. The town will probably never be the same.
This week I read:
Harvests of Joy by Robert Mondavi; A biography of the guy that changed the Napa Valley for better and worse.
The Osaka Syndicate by SJ Cullen; Second book in the Hunter and Higeta series, as they take on the syndicate again. The book really misses the paranormal angle in the first book, as there’s no real hook to get the reader interested.
The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni; I won this book in the final contest on the blog! I guess the era of woke is really over, as this book, full of age inappropriate romance and White Savior Tropes cold have been published in 1985. It’s about a guy who gets the ability to solve puzzles after getting whacked on the head. (All I ever get is bumps!) There’s an ancient puzzle, with an ancient secret, and the Emperor of Japan needs the box opened. It was a bit jarring to read.
Oh, no! I hadn’t heard about the Bidwell Mansion burning. Such a devastating loss to Chico and California’s park system.
I’ve done Readers Theater in retirement homes for Christmas, Glen, and you’re right. Most of the time, I enjoyed it, but there were some that were very sad and difficult.
Oh, I looked up the Bidwell Mansion. What a tragedy.
I think I sort of felt the same way about The Puzzle Box that you did.
Hi, everyone – Happy Thursday at Lesa’s!
My latest read will be included in my list of this year’s faves.
The God of God the Woods by Luz Moore
Description from Amazon ( which does not do the book justice):
When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide
Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
Kaye, I just yesterday received my weekly recommendations from our library service, and this very book was on the list – I thought at the time it sounded interesting, and now it has your seal of approval I’ll definitely request it. Thank you for the heads up.
Kaye. I’ve read lots of great recommendations for that book and I am on the waiting list at home and, assuming it doesn’t come in before we leave, at the library in Florida!
As I mentioned to you last night, Kaye, lots of “Best of” praise for this book. Nice to know it will go on your list of favorites. I’ll have to put it on my library list when I get back from Mom’s.
Two weeks ago, I was with my family for Thanksgiving, and I had a fabulous time. Last week, it was so in the middle of fiscal year end close (yes, we have a slightly off fiscal year), and I missed checking in. Honestly, about Friday, I realized I never posted. But I’m here this week!
And…I just finished a good. I was enjoying ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHICKADEE by Donna Andrews. Book 36 in her series, and this year’s Christmas entry, obviously. Fun as always.
Next up, I’ll be reading UNRAVELED, a middle grade fantasy book from Shannon Messenger. It’s book #9.5 in the series, and yes, it is shorter by the author’s standards – it’s only 400 pages. A story from a slightly different perspective in the series, so I’m anxious to see how it developes.
Mark – I was the same last week. The time literally got away from me, and on Friday I thought ‘I’m sure I missed something’….
But at least we’re both back today!
That’s right! I’m glad you and Rosemary found your way back home today! Welcome back. Oh, my sister is a big fan of Donna Andrews’ Christmas books. She reads the entire series.
Hi Lesa and everyone
Lesa, I’m with you on lack of productivity this past week. I did have a cold, but really I just felt like nesting. Anna and I LOVED Come From Away – I will look out for that book.
It’s very cold here (by our standards – about 32F) – yesterday I had a lovely walk with my friend Ann at the Fisheries. It was very still and quite bright, but oh my goodness was it freezing. I had Thinsulate gloves on and when I took them off at Ann’s house my hands were red. Despite that, it was fine to be walking beside the Dee, passing only the occasional dog walker. It’s an easy, mostly flat walk with beautiful views of the river, and along the way a few houses of people who are lucky enough to live there. It’s idyllic.
I always enjoy these peaceful days before Christmas, and want to hold on to them for as long as possible.
Last week I didn’t even manage to get in here, as I was so wrapped up with preparing a mammoth ‘December – What’s On in Edinburgh’ for The Edinburgh Reporter. There was far more ‘on’ than I had remembered from previous years! I was so glad to get that posted. I hardly read anything either. Thankfully this week has been slightly calmer, although last weekend was hectic, with another trip to Glasgow for another concert, this time Alabama 3 at the 02 Academy. It was a very long evening and I was so glad we had a bench to perch on (I had asked for seating as when I booked the tickets I had a sore foot – otherwise the whole thing was standing.) The weather that night was awful, we drove back to Edinburgh in torrential rain – but other parts of the UK had much worse than that especially Wales and the West Country, where there was extensive flooding and very strong winds – two people were killed in separate incidents. Scotland, and especially our side of the country, got off pretty lightly.
Before that we had a Friends’ preview at the art gallery, this time of an exhibition called Process, Process, Process, staged by Aberdeen Artists’ Society. Some of their members were showing works in progress, the idea being that people could see how their ideas formed and developed over time. They have purposefully not shown the finished pieces, although you can see those online via QR codes. Three of the artists were present and gave excellent talks about their practice and their careers. Two of them had changed direction quite late in life and gone to art school – they both said it was the best thing they’d ever done.
This Friday we have another preview, of an exhibition about samplers. ‘Ordinary’ women were so often sidelined in the past, and these samplers are wonderful ways in which their voices can still be heard across the centuries.
Staying home more this past week has surprised me, as it always does, with just how much I can get done when I’m not out gallivanting! I’ve cleared lots of art gallery admin, written Christmas cards, answered long overdue emails, caught up with SHETLAND on i-Player….so every cloud has a silver lining, as they say.
I’m also in the middle of two books. I finished Janie Bolitho’s SNAPPED IN CORNWALL, and have started the next in the series, FRAMED IN CORNWALL. It’s about a fiesty elderly lady, Dorothy Pengelley, who lives alone in an old house on the moors. One of her sons, who has struggled to engage with life, lives in an abandoned caravan (trailer) nearby, the other is married and lives a few miles away. He has a money-grabbing wife who is convinced they will inherit Dorothy’s house, her valuable paintings, etc. A pair of shady antique dealers are also hanging around, trying to buy up the contents of the house for as little as they can get away with. The grocer who delivers supplies to the house is nursing his dying sister. He is terrified that his as yet unrevealed secrets will be discovered. So there are plenty of dubious characters already, and the old lady is clearly about to meet her end one way or another.
Artist and photographer Rose Trevelyan (the lead character in the series) has befriended Dorothy and visits her regularly. She is now semi-involved with the Detective Inspector who will inevitably investigate the case. Much as I can see where all of this is going, I still find these little books enjoyable and undemanding, and I sometimes think that in winter, and especially during the weeks leading up to Christmas, I need this type of book. I want to be cosy, relatively unchallenged, and secure in the knowledge that there will be almost no gore, and that everything will sort itself out in the end. I suppose that’s what the Golden Age mystery writers offered, but their lack of interest in people (it’s all plot with them, or so I’ve found) spoils their writing for me. Janie Bolitho creates quite memorable characters, three or four of whom recur in all of the books, and I can easily imagine them and their lives in small town Cornwall.
I am also reading another easy book, and one that was recommended here, though unfortunately I can’t remember by whom. SUMMER AT THE COMFORT FOOD CAFÉ by Debbie Johnson could so easily not be my type of book at all, but here our main character is not a heartbroken 20 year old with a stellar career in London, but Laura, a young and impecunious widow with a bolshi teenage daughter, Lizzie, and a son, Nate, on the brink of adolescence. On a whim Laura applies for a job at a café in Dorset, far away from her Manchester home, and off the family go, complete with elderly dog, to spend the summer in Bunbury. The children, and especially Lizzie, are far from impressed.
And I’m glad to say that, although the love interest has already made an appearance, Laura has NOT inherited a shop/cafe/perfect country cottage. So that’s at least one trope out of the window. Thanks to whoever it was for the recommendation. I was particularly pleased to find that my local library had a copy of this book.
On TV, as I said, I am now caught up with SHETLAND – I do think Ashley Jensen is doing a terrific job as the new detective (and I never thought I’d say that about anyone after divine Dougie Henshall left.) I’ve also started rewatching MONARCH OF THE GLEN – another sign that I am looking for comfort at this time of year!
Next week we are going to London so I doubt I will be able to contribute, but if I can, I will. And the Thursday after that will be Boxing Day, so again I doubt I’ll get much chance to join in. However, I’ll definitely plan to be back on 2nd January. So I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas (or whatever you celebrate) and receives lots of great books (my family refuses to give me any as they say I have too many already – honestly I sometimes wonder if I am actually related to any of them….)
Have a fantastic time with your family Lesa!
Until 2025.
Have fun in London, Rosemary. We just got the first episode of SHETLAND after we left for Arizona, so will start that and SHERWOOD when we get home.
We are up to the final Fat Friends episode this Saturday – Lauren’s wedding – as well as the last Whitstable Pearl of the third series.
Rosemary, I’d love to see the exhibition of samplers you’re going to see; I don’t do anything remotely ‘crafty’ myself but I bet they’ll be fascinating in all their variety.
Now you’ve made me want to re-watch Monarch of the Glen too. So good.
I’m sorry your family won’t give you any more books, but thanks for giving me my laugh for the day by wondering if you were actually related to them. A completely valid question I think. My poor husband often quietly says ‘I think you have enough books now’. But really, can 400+ books (not including the non-fiction ones) be too many? Can there ever even be too many?
You and Lindy both made me laugh, Rosemary, with your discussion of too many books. How can anyone think that?
Thank you for sharing what you’ve been doing. And, I totally agree. It’s the time of year for comfort reads and just comfort. I’ve been using my electric fireplace every night lately. It’s cold out, and the fireplace is pretty and comforting.
Sending hugs, and good wishes for the next couple weeks. We’ll see you in January!
It is cold out, in the 30s, a dog has been been barking all night, I gave up on sleep and called to report the dog left out in the cold.
I am still reading the Wolf Tree by Linda McClusky and I love it. The description of the island which is cold and mostly dark is so easy to imagine. The writing is wonderful, the 200 on the island are superstitious and very wary of the detectives who have come to check out a suicide to make sure that it is not a murder. Great book.
Sorry about your lousy night. I’ve been there, Carol.
I’m glad you’re enjoying The Wolf Tree. Shocking ending when you get there!
Hi everyone! I am so glad for all of your recommendations (I just downloaded The Expectant Detectives). I’ve been working on a gigantic annotated bibliography for one of my courses, so my fun reading has been limited. I did get two books in—The Earl Who Isn’t, a romance by Courtney Milan, and The Gardener’s Plot, which Lesa reviewed here. It was pretty good and I could see it developing into a good series.
You’re right, Triisha. It was a good kick-off to a series.
I hope you can read for fun sometime over the holidays!
A wintry mix is scheduled to start here shortly. But sometimes the storms get stuck in the mountains and we just get clouds and wind, so we’ll wait to see.
I typically finish books I start, but recently had a streak of books I just couldn’t enjoy. A frustrating way to trim that TBR list.
I did finish a brief novel, GRIEF IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS by Max Porter. Described as “part polyphonic fable, part novella, and part essay on grief”. The book is about a father and his two sons visited by a sentimental bird named Crow after the death of their mother. Crow acts as a babysitter, counselor, and friend to the family as eventually they begin to heal. From the Minnesota State Arts Board & Greywolf Press.
I also read A VERY WOODSY MURDER, the first in Ellen Byron’s Golden Motel Mystery.
I worked in Yosemite National Park (Majestic in the book) for over ten years and felt almost at home in her description of the location. I wish the author continued success with the series.
And to bring the week to a satisfying conclusion, THE TREASURE HUNTERS CLUB by Tom Ryan
A murder mystery set in Maple Bay, Nova Scotia, filled with family secrets, grudges, and a lost pirate treasure. Great characters and a few unexpected twists.
I’m glad you found a few books, MM, to help lower that TBR pile. But, it’s kind of reassuring to have that pile.
I’m really happy, though, that you found Ellen Byron’s book to be accurate in its descriptions!
Good morning. We have tickets for a holiday concert on the 21st but otherwise we don’t have any plans.
I did a re-read of RED, GREEN, OR MURDER by Steven Havill. Former sheriff Bill Gastner is retired and working as a livestock inspector. But you can’t keep a former sheriff down. When a friend of his dies and a ranch hand goes missing along with an expensive truck and trailer he gets involved in solving the crimes.
OLD LADY ON THE TRAIL: TRIPLE CROWN AT 76 by Mary E. Davison. At 62 Mary decided to hike The Pacific Coast Trail (2,650 miles) and The Appalachian Trail (2,181 miles). Along the way she decided to add The Continental Divide Trail (3,100 miles). It took her 14 years but she finished all three.
I also read three Christmas novellas. CHRISTMAS AT MOON MIST MANOR by Kerry Evelyn, THE WITCH’S CHRISTMAS CATASTROPHE by Kristen Painter, and A GIFT FROM LADYBUG FARM by Donna Ball. The Ladybug Farm one was my favorite – she hadn’t written anything in that series for 10 years so it was nice revisiting a favorite series.
Enjoy some quiet time this holiday season, Sandy! And, the concert.
I like some of Donna Ball’s books, but I don’t think I ever read the Ladybug Farm ones. I should look for them.
Agree with you 100% – we LOVED Come From Away. A beautiful show. I’d definitely see it again.
Glad you have fun Christmas plans. As mentioned, we’re in Scottsdale this week, visiting my sister and her family. (There is a two hour time difference this time of the year, so it is 6:56 am here and 8:56 in NY.) We leave tomorrow afternoon and we’ll be home around midnight (though our bodies will feel like it’s 10 pm). Then it will be 3 weeks until we leave for Florida.
We’re at a really nice resort-like Marriott in North Scottsdale. We had delicious Chinese food Tuesday night with the family, then took our nephew out for a pizza lunch yesterday (and gave him his graduation present), and my brother in law for Mexican food last night (my sister wasn’t feeling well). Today it is lunch with my sister and dinner at Cheesecake Factory for the adults. Tomorrow she will take us to the airport after lunch.
One more nice thing. Rather than having to rent a car, she gave us one of their cars to drive while we’re here. The weather has been much better than New York, 65-70 and dry. It will be in the upper 20s when we get home.
Next post for reading.
I’m jealous, Jeff, with those temperatures. And, sounds as if you’re enjoying family time and good food. Great!
Books, then. Obviously, I haven’t had a lot of reading time here.
Jackie finished the Margaret Mizushima book and is reading the Richard Osman, We Solve Murders.
I did finish two books: THE EDINBURGH MURDERS, the British Library anthology edited by Martin Edwards, of stories set in Scotland, and THE DESPERATE HOURS by Marie Brenner, the behind the scenes look at how the Columbia-New York Presbyterian system tried to deal with the Covid pandemic.
I’ll finish (as it is a “real ” book, I didn’t bring it with me) the second Edwards anthology, set in Wales, when I get home. Also reading the latest (last?) of Max Allan Collins’s books about Quarry, the former hitman – who is now 70! – as someone tries to kill him, and his recently discovered adult daughter is missing. QUARTY’S RETURN is the title.
Also reading short story collections by Diane Oliver and Joy Williams, of whom more later.
Have a good week.
That surprised me, Jeff. I expected Quarry from Glen, more than from you.
Of course you didn’t have much time to read. You did better than I did, and you’re with family members. Good for you!
We tried to get tickets for Come From Away when it comes to Cincinnati in March but by October they were already sold out.
Three books for me this week.
Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh (Kindle Unlimited) has Chicagoans Molly and Andrew traveling home to Ireland for 9 years. Year 10 brings the trip from hell with cancelled flights and missed connections. By the time their journey was finished they were on the path to discovering they are more than friends. Only okay. Although considering my track record with Christmas reads this year, it may just be me.
This Disaster Loves You by Richard Roper was just wonderful. Daniel’s wife disappeared 7 years ago, and he is holding out up she will come home to the pub they own in England. After scrolling through Trip Advisor reviews, he discovers an account by PinkMoonLily1972 which he knows in his heart is his wife, Lily. He sets off on a journey following the reviews hoping to find his Lily. This was funny and poignant and hopeful, and I savored every page.
Next, I read The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts. Another Christmas story that was only so-so for me. It is inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma. Frankie can’t stop helping everyone else with their romantic pursuits while ignoring her own. It was cute-ish but predictable.
Happy Reading!
Thanks Sharon, I’ve now added This Disaster Loves You to my wish list. Sounds good!
My sister and I wanted to see “Come From Away” again when it was in Columbus, Sharon, but it was only here for one night, and we couldn’t get tickets either. All sold out. I “guess” I’m happy others are seeing it, but I love that show.
I have one Christmas book on my TBR pile, but I’m just not into the books this year.