I fell in love with the novels of M. M. Kaye during my teen years. I have never forgotten her vivid descriptions of India and the wonders she depicted on the pages of books such as The Far Pavilions and Shadow of the Moon. This novel picks up the tradition of writing about British Colonialism…
I picked up The Penny Bangle because a World War II fix sounded like just the thing. I hadn’t read a book set in that time period in some time, and WWII romances are somewhat thin on the ground. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite the fix I was hoping for. Who knew WWII could be so…
I love letters, the kind that come in the mail and make the day special. I also love books about letters, whether the books are fiction written in letter form such as The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer or books comprised of famous letters such as Dear Bess: The Letters…
I took a gamble on my first inspirational with Sweet Sanctuary, and I came up snake-eyes. First, I had the problems I’d have with any book, such as flat characters, a Big Mis, TSTL actions, and ludicrous or offensive plot devices. Second, I had inspirational-specific problems with the book’s theology. In 1944, Lydia Eldredge, wealthy…
My recent Roku obsession has been Island at War. Sadly, this British TV series was only one season long, but what a season! Dealing with Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands, this gem of a show captures the horrors of being invaded by a foreign power. As the citizenry settles in for a very long…
I’ve read a lot of Dorothy Garlock novels during my many years of being a romance reader and I’ve been a fan of most of them. Her gift is her ability to get into the hearts, minds, and times of her characters. Sometimes the reality she presents is harsh. I like, though, that she is…
The bombers of WWII have always been a fascinating subject for me, which is ultra odd since I am not into planes or war. But the history behind our bombing missions, the whole story of the “flying fortress” and the strategy of daylight bombing somehow always seem to grip my attention and hold it. When…
There are many famous kisses but one of my favorites was immortalized on film by Alfred Eisenstaedt. It’s titled VJ Day in Times Square – the famous portrait of a sailor kissing a young nurse. To me, this picture brings an amazing glamour and romance to a momentous occasion. There is something about the triumph…
World War II is an oft-neglected era in romance novels, yet one that has a lot of potential for dramatic and intense storylines. The setting of 1939 Germany in Dangerous Allies was a major draw for me, and while the story used the setting effectively and had a decent romance and a prevalent inspirational religious…
The Summer Hideaway is part of Susan Wiggs’ Lakeshore Chronicles series, set at a camp in upstate New York, but it works as a standalone. It combines a contemporary romance with the story of three children growing up during World War II. I enjoyed both stories, but would have liked a bit more of each….