February is a rollercoaster of a month. What will that capricious rodent in Pennsylvania say about spring? Who will win the Super Bowl? Will Valentine’s Day be swoon-worthy or another yawn? And when will this shortest of months that can seem so long ever end?
Obviously, there’s only one solution. Lose yourself in a good book! Recent articles have suggested the vast majority of human beings on the planet read very few or no books at all each year, but between traditional publishers and courageous indies, several MILLION new volumes appear annually. So we who love to read can ALWAYS find a title to please. And throughout these northern hemisphere long nights, I have found numerous lovely reads to share.
First up, a delicious, full-sensory escape to a windswept Irish island, aptly named “Salvation,” in Josie Silver’s ONE NIGHT ON THE ISLAND. The title is misleading as the story actually unfolds over several nights, but I think it was chosen in keeping with the author’s earlier, and equally enthralling, ONE DAY IN DECEMBER. Ms. Silver’s books are not for readers who like their romances jam-packed with lengthy courtships and banter. No, she is a writer who tortures her readers most exquisitely with contemplative relationships that seem to inevitably involve more time with the partners apart than together. But the love in her stories has staying power, and you finish each one feeling like you’re finally home after a long, complicated journey. ONE NIGHT ON THE ISLAND left me wanting to plan an immediate trip to Salvation, but I’ll settle for placing the book on my keeper shelf in hopes of returning to it again soon.
Readers craving extensive proximity and banter, however, will adore Charlotte Stein’s new WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE. A retired footballer (and yes, by now we all know that means a soccer player!) needs a ghostwriter, and Mabel agrees, even though Alfie is totally out of her league in all ways. Grumpy as he is, Alfie thinks differently, and the pages of this romcom practically turn themselves as their relationship heats up and Alfie seeks to help Mabel recognize the sunshine she brings to the world.
Also new and exciting: Hank Phillippi Ryan’s ONE WRONG WORD. This psychological thriller will leave you constantly on edge as the role of villain seems to shift more frequently than the transmission did in the car driven by the exonerated killer our protagonist Arden is trying to rehabilitate. There’s no romance in this one, but readers who love a game of cat and mouse will be delighted with the continually shifting puzzle.
If you’re like me, though, and you prefer a warm fire burning internally as well as externally, J.D. Robb has delivered once more in RANDOM IN DEATH. The killings are cruel and senseless, and Eve must push herself relentlessly to prevent any more young women from dying. Fortunately for her and for us, Roarke still needs less sleep than any other mortal, can whip up a delicious, nourishing meal in seconds, and provides coffee whose scent moves directly off the page and into our hearts. Like all of Robb’s works, RANDOM IN DEATH is a delight on paper, your e-reader, or in audio, but reaching the end leaves you impatiently setting the timer once again for the next thrilling installment.
And finally, with the news still churning out relentlessly depressing stories, I turn, as I have so often done in the past, to the enchanting comfort of Mary Balogh. REMEMBER LOVE is the first in her new Ravenswood family saga, and I adored the quiet passion and commitment that suffused its pages. Readers new to Ms. Balogh may find the extensive set-up in the first chapters slow, but they can rest assured they’ll come to know all the characters over time and appreciate the care and detail the author puts into building a world one can’t help but love. This volume tells the story of oldest brother, Devlin, who turns his back on Ravenswood when he learns a devastating family secret. Patriotic duty sends him to the Continent to fight Napoleon, but familial duty brings him home again when the war is over, and somehow, his hardened heart must remember how to love. REMEMBER ME and ALWAYS REMEMBER are already out, so I have them stockpiled for those days when I need warm tea instead of Roarke’s piping hot coffee.
Happy reading, and when you have a “second,” take a peek at SECOND STANZA. I promise you’ll want to settle down and keep reading.
About Meg Napier
Meg’s friends during her high school years all expected her romance novels to hit the shelves decades ago, but she foolishly allowed “serious pursuits” to get in her way. Now that her beloved children can feed, clothe, and most importantly, support themselves, she’s free to turn her attention to her first passion – putting words to paper that capture your attention and make your heart sing in quiet joy. Her stories tell most frequently of second chances–in life, love, and sometimes even at rediscovering a soul-mate from a previous life.
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