Those of us who read love the escape we achieve with our books.
Right now I'm very interested in escapes of a gentle nature.
If you're of a similar mind and need some time in a kinder, more gentle world, I've just finished one that I heartily recommend.
Gentle, but not so twee it hurts your teeth.
I received it through NetGalley. It will hit the shelves in August, and worth the wait. And available for pre-ordering.
i loved this book.
Mrs Endicott’ Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen
Description:
Blindsided by betrayal in pre-WWII England, a woman charts a daring new course in this captivating tale of resilience, friendship, and new love by the bestselling author of The Rose Arbor and The Venice Sketchbook.
Surrey, England, 1938. After thirty devoted years of marriage, Ellie Endicott is blindsided by her husband’s appeal for divorce. It’s Ellie’s opportunity for change too. The unfaithful cad can have the house. She’s taking the Bentley. Ellie, her housekeeper Mavis, and her elderly friend Dora—each needing escape—impulsively head for parts unknown in the South of France.
With the Rhône surging beside them, they have nowhere to be and everywhere to go. Until the Bentley breaks down in the inviting fishing hamlet of Saint Benet. Here, Ellie rents an abandoned villa in the hills, makes wonderful friends among the villagers, and finds herself drawn to Nico, a handsome and enigmatic fisherman. As for unexpected destinations, the simple paradis of Saint Benet is perfect. But fates soon change when the threat of war encroaches.
Ellie’s second act in life is just beginning—and becoming an adventure she never expected.
And,
While I'm sharing gentle reads I love, let me add author Pamela Terry.
Again, gentle, but not too sweet.
Through an Open Window will be available in August. It's also available for pre-ordering.
Description
A charming, heartfelt novel about the bonds of family, whether found or foretold, from the author of The Sweet Taste of Muscadines.
In the small Southern town of Wesleyan, Georgia, where the air smells of red clay and sea salt, Margaret Elliot has lived a seemingly charmed life—until the recent loss of her beloved husband. Since then, Margaret has been seeing visions of her aunt Edith, the indomitable woman who raised her after her parents died when she was a baby. As these mysterious and undeniable visitations continue, Margaret becomes convinced that Aunt Edith is trying to tell her something important. As she follows the clues that almost magically present themselves, it becomes clear there is a secret from Margaret’s past waiting to be uncovered.
As Margaret grapples with each new revelation, she also worries about her three grown children. Her stoic and inscrutable eldest daughter, Mouse, continues to struggle with the grief of losing her father. Her son Lawrie, always his mother’s favorite, faces life-altering changes that he both longs for and fears—while Tom, Lawrie’s twin, must wrestle with the consequences of a work decision that has blown up his entire life. Despite the tensions among the siblings as they argue about how best to support their mother, the whole family is soon embroiled in uncovering the truth the ghost of Aunt Edith is striving to expose.
Through an Open Window invites us to see the grace that is so often there in the background, just waiting to be revealed. And reminds us that not even death can keep love from winning out in the end.
While you're waiting for these, please give Ms. Terry's earlier novels a try.
Happy Reading!
Note: Regarding review copies of books obtained for this blog. No other compensation is accepted beyond review copies of books - ever. When I do write a review, or opinion, the source of the book cited will be disclosed in the post in which the review/opinon appears. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.
