A Secret Affair

A Secret Affair by Mary Balogh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you enjoy a good character-driven historical romance novel, this is a excellent choice. It's the story of how the widowed Duchess of Dunbarton transforms into Hannah in the eyes of her chosen lover, Constantine Huxtable. Likewise, it's also the story of how the Ton's favorite bad boy turns out to be more of an angel than a devil, much to Hannah's surprise.

This was one of those books that made lunch hours seem far too short. By the end of the week I couldn't stand the wait and had to take the book home with me to finish that evening. This is always a good sign. :)



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Organic Manifesto: How Organic Farming Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World, and Keep Us Safe

Organic Manifesto: How Organic Farming Can Stop the Climate Crisis, Heal Our Planet, Feed the World and Keep Us Safe by Maria Rodale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Maria Rodale is VERY passionate when it comes to organic food & farming. I wish everyone on this planet would read her book and change the status quo. I had no idea how complicated and detrimental the Farm Bill has become! I did know, however, how powerful and insidious the chemical companies are, but I didn't realize the full extent of their greed and control. YIKES. Thank goodness for "Part 3: The Age of Healing," or I might never sleep again.

I HIGHLY recommend this book. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is that I can see how some people might be put off by Rodale's sometimes-strident tone, and once in a while it felt a little repetitive, but perhaps that's because not everything was news to me.

Not sure how to categorize it for Reader's Advisors. Story doorway??



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Amazing Gracie

Amazing Gracie by Sherryl Woods

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


2 1/2 stars, actually.

I don't know that I've ever read any of Sherryl Woods' books before, but I got this one for free at PLA, so I threw it in my carry-on to read on vacation this summer. It was OK. Characters weren't terribly believable or well-developed, but I liked Aunt Delia.

It's a plot-driven bit of fluff--good for a beach read. The premise is that Gracie quits her job as a fancy-schmancy hotel manager when the new CEO starts penny-pinching & sacrificing quality for the bottom line. She moves to Virginia because she loved the vacation she took there as a child, and she falls in love with an old house that she decides to buy and turn into a B&B. Problem is, the owner isn't interested in selling. He is, however, interested in her. Guess what happens next!



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