What I’ve Been Reading Lately

I’ve read two delightful contemporary romances lately that I thought I’d mention (my thought being that if you actually come ’round here to read my blog, you’re probably one who enjoys such things.)

First up is Valerie Comer’s Wild Mint Tea. This is the sequel to Raspberries and Vinegar, which is also a fun read. The romances are sweet and generally have two people that seem unsuited to one another finding common ground in God and a love of nature.

One of Valerie’s themes throughout both books is the idea of “living gently on the Earth.” So there’s information on sustainable living and what that entails peppered throughout. I found that it occasionally comes across in a fairly heavy-handed way, but that can be overlooked in light of the delightful romance surrounding it. I’m looking forward to the third roommate’s story.

Next is At the Edge of a Dark Forest by Connie Almony. This novella is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a combat vet amputee with severe PTSD and a prosthetic designer who agrees to work with him only if he’ll give up drinking. It has all the elements of Beauty and the Beast you expect to find, including allusions to Disney Belle’s yellow ball gown and stand-ins for Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth.

Both are worthwhile reads that will give you several hours of quiet escape into the pages of a book.