Between travel, work, and family gatherings, it’s been a slower reading month. Which is hard for me. So here’s the short list:
Here is Hart’s Crossing by Robin Lee Hatcher
This collection of novellas set in small town Montana were my first to read by Robin Lee Hatcher. They were delightful! I loved the town that joined the stories together and its recurring characters. But I also loved the variety of characters and situations across these novels. Very enjoyable.
A Viscount’s Proposal by Melanie Dickerson
This is part of Melanie’s Regency Spies series. It was good and kept my attention even if it seemed a bit melodramatic at times. Still, an enjoyable regency read.
The Hawk and the Dove by Penelope Wilcox
I’ve seen this book around for ages and wanted to read it. When it finally when on sale I scooped it up. Wow. Not only a series of medieval tales framed by a contemporary storyteller, but tales so meaty with spiritual truth and application that they were more like parables. This is one of those books I might never forget. I continue to “chew” on the characters, the things that happened to them, and their reactions.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Wow. At first the way in which this story is told—multiple first person, short chapters—annoyed me. But as I went on and got to know each character more fully, I was completely besotted. Sepetys takes a little known historical event from World War II, which affected those in Eastern Germany and Europe, and brings it to life. Hauntingly so. I don’t want to give away the story, so suffice it to say this book is highly recommended.
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James
Loved this creative “lost” memoir of Jane Austen’s love affair with the fictional Mr. Ashford. The author uses bits of Austen’s novel plots to form the story, so it’s like a mashup of all the Jane Austen books with Jane herself as the heroine! A very fun read!