Holiday Reading

Well, our time in Dubai was way too short. I mean way too short. We arrived at just before midnight Sunday and left Dubai in the early hours of this morning. As we had lived there for three years it was intended as a quick break to enjoy friends and enjoy the sun. Ticks on both accounts. I didn't write a word. The first morning I thought about it but after that well the pool, the sun, the food all beckoned. So I gave up guilt and embraced the joy of reading. My tbr pile was educed by two......joyfully. The new imprint Little Black Dress was designed for holiday reading from the two books I sampled. First off I read Phillipa Ashley's Decent Exposure.

Maybe I should first tell you all what a great book - which it was. But first I will talk about the grief ds1, the 14 yr old gave me about the cover. "Mum, there's a naked guy on the cover."

"Yes."

"Mum."

"Yes."

"You like looking at naked guys?"

Now what is a good up standing mother of three to say but, "Of course."

Needless to say he walked away and left me to happily read the book. Boys get so embarrassed about these things! He was still asking me about it today when I unpacked and he saw the book again. This time he just rolled his eyes and asked where the calendar was. I reminded him I didn't need a calendar when I had his father around. He beat a quick retreat!

Now to the book itself. I fell head over heals for the hero Will. Emma's vulnerability was so credible and how she held off for so long I don't know. It was a great read and I smiled my way through it. All the twists and turns felt real and I loved each moment of it. Definitely ideal holiday reading to make you smile even more.

Next out of the bag was Julie Cohen's Spirit Willing Flesh Weak. Now I have read and loved Julie's other books. So in a way I wasn't prepared for the different feel of this book. The book is told in first person and you get right into the head of Rosie. She grabs you from the start. I loved her complex nature and really found myself wondering if Harry could ever be good enough for her. I rooted for her the whole way through. It could be that she is from Massachusetts went to university near where I did but we won't pull those things in to it. It was a great story and a very different read. But like all of Julie's books I have read filled with incredibly real character portrayals.

The two books from the same imprint were very different in feel but both were perfect shorter reads that completely satisfied. Ideal for a holiday from life :-)

Now back to laundry and hopefully writing again. Have fallen way behind my fellow racers!