Well, something doesn’t feel right here. Just a short time ago, I declared the previous book that I’d read in the Americana series to be my absolute all-time favourite. And now I loved the one I’ve just finished so much, racing through its pages like a horse set on winning Royal Ascot, laughing and crying... Continue Reading →
“Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing” by Matthew Perry
Reading this book was painful. I felt sad and angry. At some point, all the negativity so overwhelmed me that I almost decided not to finish. And it says something, for very seldom do I not finish my reads. The reason wasn’t that I condemn addiction and don’t believe that it is a disease. The... Continue Reading →
“Sandcastles” by Lily Lawson
I’d first read this short story collection some time ago. Life was so hectic then that, although I couldn’t refrain from indulging in my favourite pastime – reading, obviously – I couldn’t keep up with writing reviews for everything that I’d read. And while for some books a short, formal review would suffice, especially for... Continue Reading →
“The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook” by Tessa Barrie
First of all, I must confess that I have a soft spot for the English countryside as a book setting. Two decades ago, I used to live in a beautiful rural location on the Jurassic coast, and every time I read about an English village, it brings a warm wave of nostalgia. Walking along the... Continue Reading →
“The Impoverished Orphan” by Kelly Miller
As did each of the Austenesque variations by Kelly Miller – and I have read them all – this one provided me with a delicious escape from reality to the elegance of the Regency era. Upon opening the first page, I was transported from the bleak November to the candlelit dining rooms and rose gardens... Continue Reading →