March and we were into seasonal change, slowly drifting into Autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere . It’s been a long hot summer. After an intense and immerse read with A Gentleman in Moscow I’ve opted to read some lighter books. Some books you savour and some you skip through. I enjoy both in my reading life.

My personal life continues to  be interesting as The Aussie Bloke  is still around. He swept into my life like a whirlwind, full of confidence, bravado and banter. A refreshing change from the blander type of man.

I met his dogs- or should I say hounds? Luckily, they were friendly, two large German shepherds who leaned against me in a welcoming fashion.

Mentally  I visualised a  younger Odin with Aussie Bloke’s tall frame draped in a scarlet wool cloak and his pair of protector wolves by his side . They allowed me to get close to him. At least there were no swooping ravens.

Really, I must get out more and quell my fevered imagination.

And  we do go out. Aussie Bloke  took me to see a play about Ruth Bader Ginsberg . A dazzling one woman show by Australian actress Heather Mitchell She richly deserved the standing ovation.

We’ve seen each other a few times since. I love a man who plans dates. So my personal life has expanded, but my reading time has suffered, I’m not complaining!

 A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility, a novel  about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel—a beautifully transporting novel.

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal. He is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances give him access to a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

Historical Fiction. Book Club Fiction. Historical Russia. Literary Fiction

495 pages, Paperback First published September 6, 2016

My Review.

An absolute tour de force, a quietly  immersive book that leans into the minutiae and details of Alexi’s life. What is meant to be a punishment ends up enriching his  life in so many ways.

He accepts the change in his circumstances with stoicism and with humour. His work ethic and his ability to form connections are part of the charm of the book while as always, he is quietly subversive.

His relationship with the  inquisitive child Nina showed a new side of his personality, but the most heart-warming was his relationship with the child Sophia.  Totally worth reading. Obviously it is a book club favourite.

Celebrity Shopper by Carmen Reid. Annie Valentine 4

She’s hit the big time…hasn’t she?

Personal shopper, Annie Valentine, is presenting her own popular TV fashion series. But despite this being Annie’s dream job, success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and suddenly Annie is feeling the pressure!

Especially as boyfriend Ed is left at home looking after their brand-new twin babies, whilst Annie comes to terms with fame.

And as Annie gets more and more sucked into the celebrity showbiz world, she feels like she’s losing more and more of who she really is.

Could the big break she’s always wanted, actually be a big mistake?

Chick Lit. Romance Fiction., Contemporary Romance .Fashion

317 pages, Kindle Edition First published January 1, 2010

 My Review.

Amazingly this was  first  published in 2010 and yet it feels completely current. Behind the glamour of Tv there is the pressure, of the ratings. You are only as good as your last show.

Annie  is dealing with  remaining current, getting some sleep, and avoiding the guilt that her darling babies and Ed are left out  of much of her life.  Annie is juggling like crazy  but never feels adequate

New York Valentine By Carmen Reid.

 Annie Valentine 5

Love is in the air!
Personal shopper Annie Valentine has a dream job in the heart of fabulous Manhattan.
Daughter Lana ( updated as Lauren)  is lost in the heat of first love, but has she fallen for a heart-breaker?
In London husband Ed faces a scandal at work and knows, in his heart, he needs Annie back. What’s a girl to do when her true love is in London, but her new love is New York?
Does it have to be fashion or family, or can Annie Valentine have it all?

Chick Lit. Romance Fiction. New York. Adult Fiction.

384 pages, Paperback First published January 20, 2011

My Review.

Suspend disbelief as Annie continues her madcap adventures. She may be  in  the know with fashion, but her life has an amazing ability to keep unravelling. This is what makes her most relatable. Yes, you can have it all, but not all at the same time and this is where Annie is torn.

Shopping With The Enemy by Carmen Reid.

Annie Valentine No 6

The opponents: mothers vs. daughters

The battle scene: a boutique changing room
Fashion-guru Annie’s well-dressed world is falling apart – first she has lost her legendary sense of style, and now her daughter Lauren seems to have become her worst enemy. Even her multi-millionairess friend, Svetlana, is having daughter trouble – she’s at war with Elena over their business in New York.

A trip to a luxurious Italian spa seems like the perfect way for Annie to forget her problems. But celery juice and Pilates can’t solve the disasters that are about to strike . . .
Will Annie rescue her passion for fashion?
And can mothers and daughters ever truly be friends?

Chick Lit .Romance Fiction .Contemporary Fiction.

330 pages, Kindle Edition. First published October 11, 2012

My Review.

Annie has lost her fashion confidence and her innate styling ability. Daughter Lauren is still in New York with Elena ,Svetlana’s daughter.

The Perfect Dress Svetlana’s company has been a success, but the girls feel it’s a little staid.

Disagreements mount; Svetlana decides to whisk Annie away to the  health retreat she swears by. It’s a huge shock to Annie’s system.

When Svetlana’s twin boys are kidnapped, she insists she is the only one who can deal with Igor her ex-husband. Another madcap Annie adventure.

UPDATE.

As some of you  may remember I’ve been writing a memoir for a few years. A project that has been self-revealing and healing in many ways. I’ve finally got a complete draft of over 130,000 words and will now be working on revisions and towards publication. Watch this space!

It may also give me time to read a little more deeply than I have been doing. Books are for fun, for relaxation ,for information. To learn about others, to foster empathy and connection. We can never see inside someone’s head ,but books give us the opportunity to see and hear and feel how others experience  the world.

I’m hoping the Aussie Bloke and I will have more adventures, but I’m sure life will continue to unfold richly and rewardingly.