August What We're Reading

Collected by Mary Jo

Christina Courtenay Contributes:

Following a Wench recommendation, I have spent this month immersed in the world of the Brooklyn Bruisers, a series by Sarina Bowen. Starting with Rookie Move, it follows the members of a new ice hockey team based in Brooklyn, each of whom falls in love in spectacular fashion. As a huge fan of ice hockey, I’ve really enjoyed this series and am now working my way through various spin-offs as well. I’ll probably also read all the other books by this author as soon as I can.

Rookie Move features Leo, a player who has spent the last six years trying to succeed in the NHL and also get over the girl who broke his heart in high school. Unfortunately for him, when he’s taken on by the Bruisers he finds that the team’s publicist is his former girlfriend Georgia, and the coach is her father, who hates him with a vengeance. As for Georgia, she had suffered her own trauma and the last thing she wants is to work with Leo. Keeping their relationship strictly professional is never going to be easy …

 

Amazon’s algorithms obviously noticed my interest in hockey and also suggested a New Adult series by Elle Kennedy, starting with The Deal, which features the ice hockey players of Briar University. I don’t usually read much New Adult stuff as they tend to be set in US colleges with sororities and frat boys, which I’m not massively keen on, but the characters in these stories aren’t preppy and the heroines are unusual and likeable. The heroes are players in every sense of the word, but they all get ‘tamed’ by the right girl and I loved following their journeys towards falling in love.

The Deal features a hero who needs some tutoring to raise his GPA, otherwise he’ll be kicked off the hockey team which is his whole life. When the girl he asks for help only agrees if he’ll help her make another guy jealous, he is intrigued, especially as she seems immune to his own charms (unlike all the other girls on campus). It doesn’t take him long to realise he wants her for himself but can he convince her of that when she’s got her sights set on someone else?

Pat Rice's suggestions:

As might not be obvious <G>, I have a thing for books about bookshops. While the protagonist in The Lost for Words Bookshop, by Stephanie Butland, works in a bookshop, this book is about her and not the books.

Loveday has been broken since tragedy struck her family when she was ten. Because she’s a reader, she loses herself in books and pushes people away. She’s twenty-five and still pushing people away when the book opens. The power of the writing drags the reader inside Loveday, makes you feel with her, not just for her. We see her strong enough to put an abusive boyfriend aside without hating him, because she knows he’s broken, too. But we see her too weak to ask for help until it’s almost too late, but we understand her reluctance. Along with Loveday we meet an extraordinary collection of wonderful people from the bigger-than-life, richer-than-sin bookstore owner to the charming magician/poet who was once an awkward teen. This is a coming-of-age book with fabulous characters and a sweet romance. Highly recommended for people who love good characterization without a lot of action plot.

And of course, I have to recommend our own Anne Gracie's The Scoundrel's Daughter, because I read and love everything Anne writes. The first of a new series, the Brides of Bellaire Gardens, The Scoundrel’s Daughter is classic Gracie, only twice as good—with two wonderful couples! Just sink into the beautifully drawn Regency setting, enjoy meeting the distinct and charming characters, laugh at the humor (this has one of the best set-down of a harpy scenes I’ve ever read), swoon at the delightful romance, and escape reality for a few wonderful hours!

Nicola's turn:

Nicola here. This month’s reading has mostly been recommendations for the previous WWRs, including Fake by Kylie Scott, which Christina mentioned last month and which had me totally hooked from the start. I loved down-to-earth waitress Norah and way in which she dealt with moody- but- gorgeous fake boyfriend Patrick, the movie star.  The way their relationship developed was so well written and the hot romance was fun! I’m already lining up my next book by Kylie Scott.

On a different note, The Silver Collar by Antonia Hodgson is a brilliant historical novel set in the 18^th century. It’s the fourth book in a series but I read it as a stand alone and that worked fine. Thomas Hawkins is a gentleman fallen from grace who is a bit of an adventurer and a rogue. His relationship with bookshop-owner Kitty Sparks is witty and fun and they make a great couple. The book is set in the seedier side of London, amongst the criminals and backstreets and rookeries, and Thomas’s sidekick, Sam Fleet, is a product of these, a shadowy character who is a remarkable creation. When an evil enemy threatens to bring both Thomas and Kitty to destruction, they need all their collective ingenuity to foil the plot. The book vividly portrays the dark side of London society and has themes that include slavery, but what I loved about it is the way the darkness is balanced by humour – it’s very funny, and the dialogue is great – and it comes together as a riveting read.

 Mary Jo's weighs in:

Sarah Dessen is a thoughtful, intelligent writer of young adult novels. Her protagonists are young women at turning points in their lives, and they learn a great deal of wisdom about themselves and their places in the world during the course of the story--often the length of a summer. In Along for the Ride, Auden West is the narrator and the summer is between her high school graduation and her first year of college.

Auden is the daughter of two self-absorbed academics, now divorced.  Having been raised without much attention from her parents, she's a very good student with very few social skills and a bad case of insomnia. 

Bored at home with her mother, she decides to spend the summer with her selfish father and his new, much younger wife, who has just had a baby.  The situation is stressful all around, and Auden survives by roaming through her insomniac nights.  Then she meets Eli, another night roamer, and through him and a part time job at her stepmother's beach town boutique, she learns about friendship, how to be a girl, and how to become herself. And there are a lot of bicycles around!.  

Also a couple of dittos.  We Wenches often pick up books based on the recommendations of other Wenches.  Having heard great enthusiasm for Kylie Scott's Fake, I decided to give it a try, and thoroughly enjoyed the book.  Scott has the gift of creating a relationship that is believable and compelling.  Patrick is the gorgeous actor who has been caught up in a scandal, and in order to improve his reputation, his publicists want him to have a positive romantic relationship with a fake girlfriend.  He wants someone real, so he chooses Norah, the waitress serving his pasta.  It's a delight watching this relationship develop in a believable way!

Another great DITTO is for our Anne Gracie's just released Regency Historical, The Scoundrel's Daughter.  Several Wenches had recommended it enthusiastically with plot descriptions so I won't say much more, except that I've read it twice and my husband the Mayhem Consultant has now latched onto my copy. (Yes, he loves Anne's writing!)

Anne here.

Regular readers of this column might recall my love for Lucy Parker's books, and her newest, Battle Royal,is delightful. Set in the world of  the hit baking show, Operation Cake, the two competing real life bakeries belonging to the hero and heroine, and the world of English royalty — it's a fun romp with some lovely touching moments. 

Sylvie, the heroine, loves sparkle, quirk and fantasy in her cake creations. Dominic, the hero, is from a traditional baking background that had royal approval in the past. He prefers classic perfection. Now they're butting heads, both in the TV show where they're judges (and where Sylvie was once a contestant), and in competition to be selected to bake the wedding cake for the royal wedding of Princess Rose, an unconventional gamer/goth princess, and her ordinary guy fiancé Johnny. 

Lively, laugh out loud funny in place, the fun and banter zips along, until you're suddenly in a poignant and beautifully emotional scene. That's what separates Lucy Parker from the usual rom-com writer — she makes you laugh and she also touches your heart. Highly recommended.

A new-to-me author is Annie Darling, and I've now read all four of her series set in the Lonely Hearts Bookshop. Book #1, The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts, is where the heroine inherits a struggling bookshop and decides to reinvent it as a romance specialist bookshop — much to the disgust of the original owner's nephew (who of course is the hero). I enjoyed it, but I didn't much like the hero who was billed as the rudest man in London — and was. But the rest of the characters were great and the writing is delightful. I read books 2, 3, and 4 in quick succession and loved every one of them.

Book #2, True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop, is about Verity, an introvert and Jane Austen fan who works in the bookshop and after having her heart broken once, has given up on love, and has invented a boyfriend who she uses to get out of uncomfortable social occasions. Then a real man steps into the breach, a man who wants a fake girlfriend.  True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop is funny, laugh out loud in places, and refreshingly different.

And now Andrea Penrose!

First of all, I will chime in on how much I loved Anne’s new book, The Scoundrel’s Daughter. One of the things that makes her Regencies so special is that she crafts such interesting and richly textured characters and stories. They aren’t set in the fancy ballrooms and country estates where the heart of the story takes place within a world of pomp and privilege. She has her heroines facing real life—the threat of poverty; loneliness; how to survive when circumstances take a wrong turn—and she shows how grit, determination, hope, and most of all compassion and love, give then the strength to overcome the challenges. Her heroes are equally wonderful. She always gives them tiny flaws—they are starchy or a bit alpha—but they are always unshakably honorable. Watching her bring them together with their heroines is always a joy. Don’t miss this one. (Hint, you get TWO love stories in one!)

Now, my other read this month likely won’t have most of you running out to add it to your TBR list, but I found it a wonderful read. I really enjoy non-fiction books on animals and the natural world, so, as this one was chosen as a NY Times Notable Book of the Year, and NPR really liked it too, I couldn’t resist. Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl by Jonathan Slaght takes the reader on a fascinating trek through the wilds of eastern Russia as the author seeks to help find and observe the Blakiston Fish Owl, a very rare species which is the largest owl in the world.

A chance sighting on another conservation mission make Slaght fall in love with them, and he then joined a Russian team to study them in the wild. And quite a wild place it is! From drinking vodka with hermits in primitive cabins, to falling through the ice on their snowmobiles to worrying about being eaten by a Siberian tiger, things are never dull!  If you like armchair adventuring, it’s great fun, and Slaght writes beautifully about Nature and the magnificent but shy owls.

(Don’t miss seeing his short video on the Amazon page of the book, where he narrates why he’s passionate about saving them while showing the rugged environment and the owls themselves—which look like Jim Henson creations from the Muppets!) As it say in the book’s Amazon description, the book is “ . . .  a testament to the determination, creativity, and resolve required by field research and a powerful reminder of the beauty, strength, and vulnerability of the natural world.” 

That's all for now, folks! Happy reading--

Mary Jo

 

Comments

[Mary M.]

And my winner is ... no surprise here ... Owls of the Eastern Ice. I just have this thing for wildlife that I'll never see in person but am glad to share the planet with. Already put a hold on it with my digital library. And, of course, Anne's new first-in-series. I'm even more intrigued after the mentions above.

I've been reading/rereading/enjoying the Kurland St. Mary's mysteries by Catherine Lloyd, featuring a Managing Woman and a Curmudgeonly Wounded Soldier Turned Baronet. Lots of interesting side characters, too. Also, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall, another baking competition story that I really liked. And Fanny Flagg's Can't Wait to Get to Heaven, a Bookbub find that turned out to be third of four in a series, turned out to be so charming that I'm now reading the whole series. In Can't Wait, the nonagenarian Mrs. Elner Shimfissle actually does get to visit heaven and its very quirky Maker couple, who present themselves as her former neighbor Dorothy and her (maybe or maybe not) spouse. I adore quirky and this book is filled with it. Now I'm back a couple of generations with Neighbor Dorothy in her prime in book one, Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

[Anne Gracie]

Thank you, wenches, for your very generous comments about my new book. I'm blushing — and blown away by the wonderful wenchly support. Thank you.

[theo]

I'm saving The Scoundrel's Daughter for vacation next week. I will be totally uninterrupted, something I never am at home, and am having a hard time waiting :) I'm going to savor every word.

Other than that, I've been reading David Blake, but I must admit, I'm getting a bit fed up with the characters. Apparently, I'm not alone in my love/hate relationship with it either. I'm on book 7 having skipped 5 & 6 and while I own book 8, I may not bother. It started out promising, but...*sigh*

I'm waiting for the new JD Kirk book, North Wind, a Robert Hoon Thriller. Hoon is a spinoff from the DCI Logan series. He's hard to explain, but I like him and Kirk's writing is great so I'm sure I'll love it. And Kirk's next Logan book is due in December.

[Christina Courtenay]

I absolutely loved it too - the perfect start to your new series Anne!

[Alice Mathewson]

I have read all of Antonia Hodgson’s series about Tom and Kitty and they are brilliant and fascinating. Highly recommended. Another brilliant book I read this month was Exit by Belinda Bauer. She writes very clever thrillers about ordinary people living difficult lives, often through no fault of their own but primarily due to poverty and a lack of choices. I really didn’t spot the villain. I am now reading The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams and highly recommend it too. I have just moved to a new area and struggling to get to grips with a totally different library system, as well as missing my old librarian who became a good friend- she said I was her best customer!

[Margaret]

So many good recommendations! I've tucked The Scoundrel's Daughter away so I can give it my full attention later in the autumn, but I can second Courtenay's enjoyment of the Bruiser series, and I always love Lucy Parker.

The book that moved me most recently was Kate Quinn's amazing The Rose Code. I've enjoyed her books in the past (and in fact, loved this one so much that it's made me hunt down her very early books), but this one was truly riveting. Three very different women in extraordinary circumstances--the novel kept me spellbound from page one.

Now off to look up Antonia Hodgson and Annie Darling!

[Karin]

I was lucky enough to win a copy of "Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens" on Goodreads! I am only halfway through, but I am really enjoying it. I love seeing the progress of Charlotte and Wrexford's relationship, and I'm picking up lots of interesting botanical tidbits along the way.
I read a lovely book by Julia Justiss, "The Railway Countess", which has a heroine who loves math and engineering, and is reluctant to marry because a husband wouldn't let her pursue those interests.
I also read Harper St. George's "The Devil and the Heiress", the second in her series of American Gilded Age heiresses in London and the fortune hunters who court them. For those who haven't tried her books yet, I highly recommend them.

Earlier this month I read "Nomadland:Surviving America in the Twenty First Century", which is non-fiction. It's about the whole subculture of people who are not exactly homeless, but live permanently in small trailers, motor homes, caravans, in some cases even in their cars. These are not retirees who choose the lifestyle, but people who can't afford permanent housing, and just move around the country, from one transient job to another, while barely scraping by. Most of them were middle class at one point, and reading their stories, it was sobering to realize how easy it is to slip into poverty for a variety of reasons. I passed the book on to a friend, it did really make a deep impression on me.
Now I am eagerly awaiting The Scoundrel's Daughter, as well as Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore.

[Vicki L]

I had a very good reading month...helped by many recommendations from last month.

The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan was recommended by Anne and Christina. Very much enjoyed it. I do love road trip books and this was an interesting twist on the trope.

The Windsor Knot by S. J. Bennett was recommended by Andrea. I found it very fascinating how all the information about QE II was blended in to the story line to make it all believable.

Then August became Mary Jo Putney month...as I read Dark Mirror, Dark Passage & Dark Destiny. As I mention a few days ago I loved that series so much I read through it twice. I was very lucky my library still had all 3 copies as they are on a quest to remove tons of books.

Next up I read A Stolen Magic by Mary Jo in her Guardian series. I'd never read that one either and enjoyed it.

Amazingly...my library already has copies of Once a Laird by Mary Jo so I read it as well! (Like I said, it was a Mary Jo month). I enjoyed watching how Chantry became Kai Ramsey again and reacquainted himself with his heritage and his future. As well as the twists on how he secured his future and his bride.

High Energy by Dara Joy was a reread. Always find it quirky fun. Contemporary romance. Zanita (h) is so Zany and Tybericus Augustus (H) is as well. Love them both. Lots of great secondary characters.

Janice recommended Mary Kingswood and I managed to find a book by her. Stranger at the Dower House. Throughly enjoyed it. Witty, gentle humor. Very engaging and believable. An older H/h romance with several mysteries. Will continue the series and others by this author.

All Night Long - Jayne Ann Krentz. Reread. Kind of a romantic suspense but it is very light on the suspense and not very dark at all. Love Luke & Irene as they always make me laugh with their clever witty banter.

My remarkable Journey: A Memoir by Katherine Johnson. She is one of the computers featured in Hidden figures. I really enjoyed how she would talk about her work life & education and the reality of black life/events of the time and put the two in contrast. It was a very easy read.

Say No to Joe by Lori Foster - since I'd mentioned it in the reread Post discussion I felt compelled to read it. Enjoyed the lovely humor and laughs as always. I've been sucked into rereading that whole series and have since read Just a Hint Clint and When Bruce meets Cyn. Next up will be Jamie.

In the next few days my copy of Anne's new book will arrive and I can't wait to read it after all the glowing reviews and excerpts I've seen..

Keeping my fingers crossed that September will be an excellent month of reading as well!

[Andrea Penrose]

Mary, I hope you like "the Owls" as much as I did! I really did find it fascinating.

I've been meaning to read the Catherine Lloyd books, so good to hear you enjoy them.

[Andrea Penrose]

I just got Book One from the library, and ordered 2 and 3 from Amazon as they were on special sale. So am very much looking forward to them!

[Andrea Penrose]

Karin, thanks so much! SO glad to hear you are enjoying Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

[Andrea Penrose]

Vicki, so glad you enjoyed The Windsor Knot. I agree with you—the author did an great job of creating a Queen EII who came across as very real and believable. Not easy to do!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Mary M, don't those owls sound wonderful???

I've also been enjoying the Catherine Lloyd series. I've read all that have been published, and I like how the protagonist grow as characters and as a family.

[Mary T]

I've been doing so much re-reading lately. I think the only new book I've read in the last several months was Mary Balogh's SOMEONE TO CHERISH - which I loved, of course. But that has changed lately, thanks to Ms. Gracie and Ms. Putney.

I too loved THE SCOUNDREL'S DAUGHTER. The hardest thing about reading a book as the series is being written is that you have to wait so long for the next one. If it is as good as this one, you will have another winner on your hands Anne.

I won a copy of A YULETIDE KISS which I don't believe has been released yet. It is a collaboration of three Christmas stories by Mary Jo Putney, Sabrina Jeffries and Madeline Hunter. It involves three couples stranded at an Inn right before Christmas. The stories blend together seamlessly. (Shoutout to Flufferbella who almost stole the show).

However, this book has put me in the mood to re-read more of my Christmas stories - in August yet! I think that might say something about my state of mind.

[Annette N]

I want to thank each of you. Every time you tell me what you are reading, I check out each book and author. You have been responsible for adding a HUGE number of books and authors to my TBR list.

Just be happy that not every book is an actual book. If it were, and they fell over on me, my death would be on you.

Hope everyone is well and safe and happy.

[Minna Puustinen]

I've been reading Every Tool's a Hammer by Adam Savage, A Curious Begiining by Deanna Raybourn and at the moment I'm reading Fintiaanien mailla (In the Land of the Finndians) by Maria Seppälä, Katja Kettu, Meeri Koutaniemi. Unfortunately, it hasn't been translated in English, but hopefully, it will be. In the meantime, here's info about the subject in English:
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/findians__the_story_of_finns_distant_cousins/9087943
https://www.finlandia.edu/news/in-the-land-of-the-finndians-and-tradition-bearers/
https://www.bonnierrights.fi/books/in-the-land-of-the-finndians/

[Mary Jo Putney]

Vicki, I hope that you don't tire of my writing style by reading so many books of mine!

As to why your library had hardcover copies of ONCE A LAIRD, that's because my publisher, Kensington, does a hardcover edition of my books specifically aimed at libraries and which is released several months before the general mass market release. I like that they do that!

[Vicki L]

Nope, I never tire of your writing style. I'm a dedicated rereader and you are one of those I reread. It was just amazing that I had 5 never read books by you to read.

[Teresa Broderick]

Another great selection this month. Like Pat I too love stories with bookshops at the center. I've been a bit off with reading this month. Have had a lot on. My daughter finally made it home from London for a visit, hadn't seen her since Xmas 2019 and while she was home my Uncle died suddenly. When my daughter went back I needed a bit of comfort reading so I started Anne's The Scoundrel's Daughter. Really enjoying it. I love the idea of the houses with the private garden and this is what drew me to it.
I also agree with Mary T above, it's hard waiting for the next one in a series you enjoy!

[Kareni]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed a visit from your daughter, Teresa. I'm hoping for the same in October as my daughter has purchased a plane ticket from Seoul. We haven't been together since May 2018.

[Kareni]

Lots of appealing choices both above and in the comments! Thank you all for adding to my mountainous TBR pile.
**

Since last time ~

— enjoyed reading Concealed: The Taellaneth – Book 1by Vanessa Nelson which is the first book in a five book fantasy series. I then went on to read books 2 – 4 (Revealed, Betrayed, and Tainted) in the same series.
— On a road trip, my husband and I listened to Lake Silence by Anne Bishop. We’d both read the book previously, but we enjoyed revisiting it in audio format.

— finished the fifth and final book in the fantasy series ~ Cloaked: The Taellaneth – Book 5 by Vanessa Nelson. I don’t know if this is a series I’ll reread, but I definitely enjoyed it.
— Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik which is the second book in the Temeraire series. This fantasy series features dragons in the Napoleonic era and is best read in order. I enjoyed the book.
— Bonds of Brass: Book One of The Bloodright Trilogy by Emily Skrutskie. This was an enjoyable science fiction story with a surprising twist near the end.

— Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig for my local book group. This is the rare book group book which I really enjoyed. It’s set in the early fifties (mostly in the US west), but there were things that resonated with me: the westerns of German author Karl May were huge in this book and May was an author my Dutch father spoke of fondly; S & H green stamps figured in the book and my bedside lamps were purchased with those back in the day; and a character in the book was surprised to meet a family member with a glass eye which happened to me, too. This led to a fun discussion with my group.
— reread one of my favorite series ~ Linesman (3 Book Series) by SK Dunstall.

— The Year’s Midnight (Death’s Lady Book 1) by Rachel Neumeier. I found this book in a Reddit thread that was asking for recommendations of fantasy books that contained a character undergoing therapy. It definitely has that, and I enjoyed the book. I’d like to read on in the series, but sadly my library does not have the sequels.
— Battle Royal by Lucy Parker which I quite enjoyed. I look forward to reading on in the series.
— and a true boatload of book samples. I had over 400 samples on my Kindle at one point and am now down to about fifty.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks so much, Christina. xx

[Anne Gracie]

Theo, have a wonderful, relaxing vacation. I haven't yet read David Blake, but I do have waiting on my kindle, the latest JD Kirk — and I'm curious to read the Hoon book. I confess I have mixed feelings about Hoon, but I'll definitely read it. I preorder all the JD Kirk books, and they arrive on my kindle as a lovely surprise. But I've been weeks in strict lockdown and so far I'm only in the mood for lighthearted feel-good books.

[Anne Gracie]

Alice, isn't it disconcerting to get used to a different library system. My local library had a massive reorganization and I not only lots all the fabulous reference books I depended on, but also some of the librarians I liked so much. I'm sure the new ones are lovely — I think all librarians are special — but it's very hard to adjust to. I really resent the tossing out of all those excellent reference books.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks for that, Margaret. I haven't read Kate Quinn, so I might give the Rose Code a try.

[Anne Gracie]

Mary, thanks for that lovely endorsement. I wish I could write faster, but my process is what it is. As for the Yuletide Kiss, are you sure MJP's Flufferbella didn't steal the show? Pretty close, I thought. But cats will do that.

[Anne Gracie]

LOL Annette. A friend of mine has warned me often that I will die under a massive pile of books. And I tell him, "What a way to go!"

[Anne Gracie]

Oh, Teresa, what a bittersweet time for you — your joy at seeing your daughter and then your uncle's passing. Such an emotional time for you. Hugs.

Thank you for your kind words about my story. I'm very glad you're enjoying it. I also bought the bookshop book, back when we wenches were sharing our reads before the post was collated. Working in a bookshop was always a fantasy of mine, so I love reading about books set there. It's probably why I enjoyed the Annie Darling series so much.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Kareni, as always your reading list leaves the rest of us in the dust! Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Vicki L, I'm glad you're not tired of my writing yet! I'm glad your library has a good selection of my older books still available. I do plan to indie release the Guardian books soon. That might take a while, though!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Minna, I was fascinated by the link you posted about the Findian community. I'd never heard of it, but it certainly makes sense given the number of Finnish immigrants to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. That love of the forests and the north country would be a natural bond between Finns and the Ojibwas. The photos are wonderful. Thanks so much.

[Janice]

I have The Rose Code in my TBR. I would also highly recommend The Huntress, with the girl who reads Georgette Heyer :)

[Janice]

In August I read two very good adventure stories. The first was THE WAY TO LONDON by Alix Rickhoff, about a rich girl who escapes the Fall of Singapore in 1942 to land in England with nothing to do with herself, so she helps a young boy sent out of London to look for his family again. Bill Smedley is a terrific character :)

The second was THE EXILES by Christina Baker Kline, about a group of English "criminals" sentenced to transportation to Van Dieman's Land, and one girl who is a displaced native. Fascinating history, and had some twists I didn't expect. A real page-turner.

I also read THE LAST BOOKSHOP IN LONDON which is a sort of YA level view of the Blitz year as experienced by a girl who came with her BFF to London in search of a job and a place to put her life. Lots of convincing detail.

I also read THE DUKE WHO LOVED ME by Jane Ashford (I like the heroine who, like me, can't see a basket of papers without wanting to go through them). Now I'm halfway through THE SCOUNDREL'S DAUGHTER :)

[Anne Gracie]

You temptress, Janice — you know exactly how to suck me in! ;)

[Alice Mathewson]

We saw Nomadland in the cinema. It was very moving and the American landscape was extraordinarily cinematic.

[Alice Mathewson]

I loved the Windsor Knot too. I had forgotten I read it following a recommendation on here. Very funny and I am looking forward to the next one.

[Alice Mathewson]

The reference to Georgette Heyer in the Huntress was a joy and what an astonishing and great book. Radio 4 in the UK had an author, Harriet Evans, on a book program recently singing the praises of Georgette Heyer - it was good to hear. I think they were marking 100 years since the publication of her first book.

[theo]

We'll be at the Tip of the Thumb here in Michigan and I'll be sitting 24/7 in front of one of our "oceans," Lake Huron. It's absolutely gorgeous and so calming. So, your book, a glass of wine and the waves for a backdrop and I can't think of a more perfect vacation :)

And I like Hoon. I was on the fence until his little 'talk' with Tyler. Somewhere inside Hoon is a human, just waiting to get out. But Kirk and Gatward are both auto deliveries for me. :)

[Quantum]

Afraid I haven't read much fiction of note this month ...the Afghanistan situation hasn't left me feeling very romantic. I am however eagerly awaiting the audios of Anne's latest and MJP's YA books.

I am partial to books involving sport and was interested to see Sarina Bowen's Ice Hockey books mentioned by Christina. I checked for audio versions at Audible UK and was pleased to find that the complete 'Ivy Years' series is free for members. I am downloading now to try them ... thanks for the recommendation

[Kareni]

Quantum, I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on the Ivy Years books. While I've enjoyed Sarina Bowen's Brooklyn Bruisers books, my favorite book of hers is The Year We Fell Down (The Ivy Years Book 1) which is a new adult romance.

[Christina Courtenay]

So glad you enjoyed the Bruisers too, Margaret! I can't wait for the next one!

[Christina Courtenay]

I'm really pleased you enjoyed The Summer Seekers as much as we did! It's a lovely story :-)

[Christina Courtenay]

I look forward to hearing your comments, Quantum - the Ivy Years books don't have as much actual ice hockey in them as the Bruisers series, but I enjoyed them anyway. Like Kareni, I've just finished "The Year We Fell Down" which was fascinating as the heroine is in a wheelchair following a nasty accident.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Quantum, I'm with Kareni and Christina in liking THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN the best of Sarina Bowen's Ivy Years series. I wonder if Bowen spent a length of time in a wheelchair since she really nails the challenges of being wheelchair-bound in a world that isn't always designed for the differently abled.

I'm not sure when the audio versions of my YA trilogy will become available, but they're definitely finished (Siobhan Waring again) and working their way through the release process. Hope you enjoy them! (Since you're physicist, feel free to roll your eyes at the time travel. *G*)

[Quantum]

Kareni, Christina and MJP, thanks very much for reinforcing my interest in Bowen's books. 'The Year We fell Down' seems a timely place to start, considering that wheel chair bound athletes are currently performing in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. I will aim to comment in the next 'What We're Reading'. As to YA time travel, I reckon you have to think Quantum Mechanically and the physicist and Nobel laureate Richard Feynman once observed “I think I can safely say that nobody really understands quantum mechanics” ... science doesn't have all the answers .... yet!

[Kareni]

Timely, indeed! I hope you'll enjoy the book, Quantum.

Quantum, have you read Classic Feynman: All the Adventures of a Curious Character which is a compilation of two of Richard Feynman's earlier books -- "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" and "What Do You Care What Other People Think?"?

This edition is wonderful because it includes a CD of Richard Feynman telling some great stories of his time at Los Alamos.

https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Feynman-Adventures-Curious-Character/dp/0393061329/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1353977105&sr=1-10

[Quantum]

Thanks for that Kareni. Actually, audio versions of these books plus some others by Feynman are free on Audible for members. If you like audio its almost worth joining Audible just for all of the free offerings! Feynman was an amazing character and in my postdoc years I shared an office with one of his group who was spending a year in the UK. He had some amazing stories and hearing Feynman on the bongo drums was an experience that I will never forget LOL.

[Nicola Cornick]

I'm so glad you've enjoyed them too, Alice! I was thrilled to discover the series and those characters, and Sam as well, are just wonderful!

[Nicola Cornick]

I read The Rose Code recently as well, Margaret, and thought it was brilliant!

[Kareni]

What a wonderful experience, Quantum; thanks for sharing!

[Teresa Broderick]

I do hope it comes to pass for you Kareni. So hard not seeing them for so long. My daughter would normally be over and back three or four times a year. I couldn't believe how happy she was to be home.

[Kareni]

Thanks for the good wishes, Teresa! I have to admit that I am exceedingly grateful for the many ways we have to keep in touch that didn't exist when I was my daughter's age.

And belated sympathy on the death of your uncle.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Quantum, my magelings must be natural physicists, since they also say they have NO idea how time travel works!