Hi Reader,

I just returned from a terrific family wedding weekend. Everyone was well-behaved, the bride and groom were luminous, and we finally returned very late last night. If you also have family events this summer, I hope yours are as fun as my weekend was.

Now, for my July reading. I started with Midnight Bayou, by Nora Roberts.

Declan Fitzgerald closed his Boston law practice to buy and restore Manet Hall on the outskirts of New Orleans. Why Manet Hall? It speaks to him.

He meets Angelina Simone, who has her own connection to the house.

Since this is New Orleans, yes, there are some supernatural goings-on. (Is it possible to set a story in New Orleans without any supernatural effects? I think it's a writing "law": if you set a story in New Orleans, readers expect some kind of supernatural effects.)

This is a romantic suspense with several interesting twists. I loved it.

Then I read a paranormal romance, Her Perfect Mate, by Paige Tyler.

Special Forces Captain Landon Donovan is quite suspicious of his new partner, Ivy Halliwell. She looks sweet and petite. (Did no one tell Donovan it's the short ones you have to look out for? Shakes head at Big Strong Man.)

He soon discovers her secret: feline DNA. That does not matter to either of them, because they soon discover they are literally made for each other. And with all romances, it's not the plot—it's how the characters get there that matters. I loved it.

Next was a Regency romance, Remember That Day (Ravenswood #5) by Mary Balogh. I've read all the other books in this series and enjoyed them. Unfortunately, Balogh did not trust herself as a writer or trust her readers to introduce the characters and situations as she needed to. Instead, there's this long intro to the book that spells out all the family ties and most of the situations. I skipped that part. You can, too, because Balogh is a terrific writer. Some editor or publisher must have told her to do that. Sigh.

The book blurb is also incorrect. Winifred Cunningham, an orphan, was adopted at age nine. Balogh never explains the circumstances of her adoption, but it seems to be a Big Bad Event in Win's memory.

She meets Captain Nicholas Ware. Ware thinks it's time to marry, so he looks for someone convenient. Win is not convenient, but do any hearts do the most convenient thing? Of course not. Quite delightful, as the two people actually discuss what holds them apart and their choices.

My final July book was Ransom (Gabriel Allon #26), by Daniel Silva. If you like thrillers with reasonable ties to current events, you will love this book. (I have turned my husband into a Daniel Silva fan, too. He now reads almost every night—a far cry from his previous patterns.)

Alice Winter, a rich socialite, vanishes while on holiday. Somehow, our Gabriel becomes the person who brings the ransom money from Alice's husband, Edward, to the kidnappers. That's when the plot unravels, and Gabriel realizes things are nothing like what they seem.

Silva weaves in personal and political danger for everyone involved. That's one of the many reasons I love these books.

I've also been reading a serial: Mark Posey's Substack, The Summer Garden. (That's the link to Episode 1.) Way back when, almost all fiction writers serialized their fiction. Mark also offers a thriller serialization, but the characters in The Summer Garden have wormed their way into my heart. (Pun intended!) (I tried to copy the image, but I think Substack prevents me from doing so.)

What do we do after a significant loss, such as the death of a spouse? Is there a timeline on grief? While society often demands we "move on," I am sure that we move. On? Maybe. Past the loss? Also a big maybe.

This serialization shows how one widower learns to live again. That's the move part. The writing is beautiful. The ideas move me, sometimes to tears. I hope you decide to read this serialization, too.

In addition, I read a couple of books I liked, but did not love—all because the heroine was TSTL: Too Stupid To Live. I do not share those books with you in the newsletter. If you want to see those books or ask me what I thought, follow me on Goodreads.

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My most recent book, Effective Public Speaking: How to Use Content Marketing With Stories to Show Your Value, is finally out everywhere. (I realize that is not fiction!)

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If you know of a book I should read, let me know. Have a great July and read on,

Johanna