Book Discovery: A Winter Wedding

This is a novel that was published in 2014 but I only recently discovered it. I guess it's a good thing because my reading it now is during a period of time when I'm less anomored of the books I've recenly tried to read and I was hoping for something to lift my spirits.

It's my observation that there is a lot more sex in stories than there needs to be. Perhaps that is why I liked this story by Amanda Forester so much - there was only enough to prove the burning passion between them. There is the temptation, a scene filled with a taste of the forbidden, then the final capitulation resulting in expressions of love and sealing their marriage commitment. The element that the author included, and for which made a favorable impression, was the heroine's turning to her faith during times of insecurity, confusion and seeking guidance. It's not heavy-handed at all. It reads as natural as a person thinking about anything else when being in a situation of unusual uncertainty and stress.

This is the blurb: This adventurous duke...has met his match The Duke of Marchford requires a suitable bride, but catching spies for the Foreign Office takes up most of his time. Not wanting to face another London season as an eligible man, he employs the notorious Madame X to find him a match.

Miss Penelope Rose knows the rules of marriage among members of the ton better than most. Her own unsuccessful attempts at matrimony did not stop her from becoming London's most exclusive matchmaker. Marchford proves to be a difficult client, but as he draws on her social expertise to help him flush out a dangerous traitor, they find that falling in love may be the riskiest adventure of all.

The weird part is that I didn't read the blurb. I just picked up the book and started reading. It wasn't the cover, the author or anything else that prompted me to try it out. The book was passed down from a friend, and since I trust her judgement and have always liked her reading choices in the past, I figured that there was a good shot I'd like it. I, in fact, adored it!

I enjoyed the strong female character, the stubborn hero, the hero's opinionated grandmother and a few other unnamed secondary characters that will remain anonymous because of their roles in the plot. A plot, I may add, that is solid, well-thought out and thoroughly entertaining and thrilling.

If readers of this blog post are romance readers, like a bit of romantic suspense, a story light on sex and heavy on seduction, titillating scenes, near misses and a satisfactory moment of completion, with some explosions, spies, daring-do and close call rescues, then this book should hit all the right buttons.

This might be a novel from 2014, but it's a great read for 2021 too!!

Enough With the Talking Toe Nails!!!

 

Warning - this is a gripe session - about television commercials.

First, I'm going to date myself by remembering fondly the commercials of my youth.   There were songs - Oh, I wish I was an Oscar Myer Weiner ...  Or Bologna   or Ho Ho Ho Green Giant

or, Libby, Libby Libby on the table, table, table, 

There were exclamations - Anthony!  Anthony! for Prince Spaghetti.

There was hunkalicous!  And romantic! (okay, yeah, I like Tom Selleck, but he gave good commercial!)

Nowadays, I DESPISE most of what I see.  

I am seriously squicked-out by talking open wounds or toe nails, or walking, talking boxes for mail-in poop samples, haunting, stalking digital stomachs, or any talking face dubbed onto a body part like a hand or finger. It doesn't amuse me - it annoys me. 

Don't even get me started on that stupid Bath Fitter commercial where the mom is taking a bubble bath behind the 'daughter spokesperson' and demands 'FRESH towels' while there is a stand of perfectly and artistically rolled towels next to the tub. ::rolls eyes::  (and no matter how hard I tried, I never could get bubbles that Tall and Thick! ) 

Then there are commercials with actors playing annoying problems like dandruff - I guess people think it's funny but I don't. 

But - give credit where credit is due - not all old commercials were palatable - take Slim Jim for example. That was simply freakish and scary.

This one about IT issues  is a toss up between insulting, annoying and WTH? 

You can change a channel to escape a show you don't like, but those commercials follow you everywhere!!!!

Then there are the commercials that think they're being funny but they insult our intelligence.  I've noticed that they believe they can subliminally pass off a suggestion onto viewers thinking they won't catch the subtle nuance endorsing a dubious societal quirk as normal, when it most definitely should not be and isn't. 

Short of sitting in a chair, watching television with my laptop open in preparation for catching a specific commercial when it airs, I'm writing this as a generality and from memory because I don't want to sit and waste more braincells watching a television show JUST for the commercials. All I'm doing  is sharing my opinions about the drivel commercials are plugging into their dialogue or visuals that endorse stupidity of the masses. What they 'think' of as funny, is actually stupidity, the unfunny kind.  The original Three Stooges was smart stupid-funny - they used clever quips and word puns and there was actually a devious intelligence behind a lot of their skits - Paris-sites, Baron of Gray Matter - funny.  Today's commercials can only dream about being clever funny.  Instead they make us out to be idiots.  

The propensity for flooding the airwaves with drug commercials is the stuff of nightmares.  Not the medicines themselves, but all the listed side-effects.  Seriously, some of them, like 'thoughts of suicide', death, heart problems, seizures, etc,, are oftentimes worse that what they're treating. Thing is, are they inundating us with commercials with the purpose of utilizing the masses as further research subjects?  Talk about cheap options for continued drug trials - get the people to willingly submit themselves as unpaid test subjects. That's how watching those drug commercials makes me feel. 

The most egregious are the commercials for movies.  No longer do I see actual hooks to grab a person's curiosity. No longer am I able to get an idea of what the movie is about.  Hardly ever do I see anything rated G or innocently cute, adorable yet intellectual.  What do I see?  Violence. Extreme violence using explosions, guns, physical aggression, anger, vindictiveness, rage, and more gun violence. That's it. That's practically all they show. It's laughable how high-on-their-horses politicians are about gun violence when Hollywood glamorizes and showcases it in a positive light. Need to solve a problem? Use violence. Retribution equals shooting someone. If you're angry, feel slighted or were wronged? Shoot them after beating the snot out of them.  THAT kind of commercial is a constant barrage on television, every danged day. Violence SELLS - movies, newspapers, news programs and television shows. They think guns are the problem? Where the heck do they think the idea STARTS??? It's fed multiple times a day during commercials.

There's more I can say. Perhaps I'll edit this blog post when I see something while I actually have my PC open. I can then provide more specific examples.

Seriously, though. Enough with the stalkeri-sh behavior of inanimate objects and body parts come to life in order to sell us stuff. It doesn't work for me. It turns me off and makes me want to tune out.

I prefer to listen to audiobooks. No stupid commercials. 

And, there is another reason I wanted to do this post now versus later. I saw that Blogger is not going to offer the option of the widget that alerts people who actually do follow this blog, even as sporadic as it is, to something I've posted so it's at least seen, by someone. Once that widget is shut down, it's over, I'll be posting for myself, I guess.  But then again, when I started blogging, I basically was.  Some things seem to come full circle, don't they? 

 

The Art of Wonder

 

I credit the Curio Collection at Jacquie  Lawson for the discovery of an ancient art form I had never heard of. 

I am having SO much fun, and creating them after a long day of work and data entry is calming and kind of therapeutic.  So, below are a few examples.  Enjoy.

The Mackenzie Books vs. Audio

Even though I've recently been made aware of the controversy about Audible's ill treatment of authors, I already had a subscription.  I hadn't used it in a bit so I had 3 credits in the bank, so to speak.  Of course I snapped up the next three books in the Mackenzie family: Lord Mac, Cameron and Hart, the Duke of Kilmorgan.  After listening to them back to back, I figured out something. 

Of course, other fans may not agree with my opinion but I'm going to say this anyway. The rest of the books in audio format are tedious. Why would I say that especially after I waxed poetic over Ian's story? 

Perhaps it was the narrator, but I don't think that's entirely true. To expound on the vocals of the men, for Ian's story, all the brothers were present and the narrator had to give them specific voices to clearly differentiate them.  I continue to believe she did a bang-up job.  However, the voice for Cam (The Many Sins of  Lord Cameron) didn't sound the same as in Ian's book.  Hart's voice (The Duke's Perfect Wife) was more in line to his personality, and remained strong and deep during Lord Mac's story in Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage, and Cam's in The Many Sins of Lord Cameron. I was pleased and relieved to hear Ian's voice remained true for all of them.  Overall, I give Ms. Dawe her due. Her skill with male voices is more impressive and effective than some male narrators attempting female voices. If it's not the narrator, that leaves the writing. 

What all three have in common is the telling. I'd read the books in print and I enjoyed them. Maybe it's been awhile, maybe my tastes have changed or I'm more aware, but whatever the reason, I found myself disappointed and a bit let down. When reading a novel, whether it be in print on paper or on an eReader, I can skip parts that I realize I don't need. For example, the excerpts of past newspaper clippings that start each chapter in Lady Isabella and Mac's story; they annoyed me. I couldn't jump past them in audio format. The sex scenes were also harder to skip in audio than in print.  Skipping means the story moved at a faster pace.  I think I must have skipped parts of scenes at some point when I was reading the print books. Even saying that, I have fond memories of the print books from the past. Unfortunately, I won't be saying the same for the audio versions. I thought them slow and bogged down with telling. 

The more I think on it, the more I believe that the narrator did the best she could with the material. There's a ton of introspection, internal dialogue and description. With Hart and Eleanor's romance, annoyance is the predominate feeling, especially at the end when Hart finally opened up about his dark desires. All that buildup and it fizzles. The loud thought in my head at that point - "That's it?  That's all there is? That is considered the dark secret that he couldn't tell the heroine through the entire novel?"  There is more eroticism in the descriptions of Mac's paintings of Isabella than the climactic scene with Hart and Eleanor.  

There are highlights though. Like when the author wrote scenes with drama, suspense and action - they were well done and gripped my emotions. Those scenes woke me up, made me pay attention and ensured I was 100% engaged. I wanted more of that level of intensity and involvement but it wasn't there. Ms. Ashely has the talent to get the job done, but it didn't translate well to audio.  That was a revelation to me, you know.  It made me realize that not all books are strong enough to transition into audio format. There's a needed balance between narration and action, less introspection and more doing and dialogue to be successful in audio, and nothing made that more clear to me as when I listened to the three Mackenzie romances. 

I don't regret listening to them. I wanted all the brothers to have their HEAs, especially when it's finally revealed just how vile and mean their father truly was. How they came to be men of honor, protective and passionate, is all due to Hart's influence. There is still much to recommend in reading all the Mackenzie brother's romance stories, but if you can borrow them from your library's audio files, then that's the way to go instead of buying them outright. Take them for a spin and see if they're worth buying and keeping. 

What redeems them is Ian. Ms. Ashley created a character that is endearing, wonderful and engaging. I'm of the opinion that Ian is the glue that holds everything together.  It's not a wonder then, why, even though I don't find the other audiobooks to be on the same wow level, that I am still glad I bought and listened to the books. As I "watch" Beth and Ian continue their HEA as life goes on during the series, I continue to be grateful to the author for creating them in the first place. 

So, there you have it. Not all print books are strong enough to transition into audio format. Even a great narrator can't change that. 

Anecdotal - Vitamin D

 

I'm writing this post to add to the many anecdotes about Vitamin D. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)  is a real thing.  I had a horrible time with it a few years ago and when I was tested for Vitamin D deficiency, it was found to be extremely low. I was immediately given a prescription for 50,000 IU.  It seems living in the Northeast means I'm prone to SAD. 

Here's the anecdotal part of my story. 

I've known this co-worker for three years. In all that time, especially during tax time, he's been full of vigor and could work long hours without lagging. He has a brain for math, order and detail. 

This year something changed. We had a conversation once he dropped off his current project. "I don't know what is wrong with me. I have no energy. I can't focus. I'm going to bed at 7:30 PM because I just can't keep my eyes open.  This has never happened to me before!"

I could tell he was puzzled, frustrated and angry with himself. I asked him a few more questions then offered my experience with the effects of Vitamin D on my health. I told him I believed in it, that it's made a difference for me, especially in the winter months, and that I now take it weekly from November to March. I also said that Vitamin D is cheap enough and the worse that could happen is ... nothing. Your body needs that vitamin anyway and if it's not a Vitamin D deficiency, then there would be no change. I said, "It's a simple thing to try." He agreed.

Fast forward a week later. He came into my office and right away I noticed a different demeaner. His first words, "I want to thank you for your suggestion about Vitamin D. It's the only thing I changed and I can't believe the difference it's made. It's like night and day!"

I was so pleased I was able to make a difference, that I could help. 

"I even told my wife about how good I was feeling and now she's taking it too.  So, I just wanted to thank you for the advice. I still can't believe the change. It's amazing!"

So, there you go. More proof that it works; taking Vitamin D can make a difference in your mood, concentration and energy levels.  

Just like anything a person takes, more isn't always better. Too much Vitamin D can be harmful. But if you take an extra 1,000 IUs and you notice a change for the better, then you know you're on the right track.  Seeing your doctor is a prudent thing to do, just like I did. Sometimes, the level is SO low, you need a prescribed super boost to get you where you should be. 

If you experience low levels of energy and concentration, it's worth checking out your Vitamin D levels. You might be surprised at what you find out.

Ian Mackenzie Ear Swoon Report

I am still aglow.
I am sad that it's over.
I continue with the adoration of the novel, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (you know, the one written by Jennifer Ashley).
My ears have now joined my eyes and brain as fans of Ian and if ears could swoon, mine would have.

It's all thanks to the incredible talents of narrator, Angela Dawe

I finally listened to the audiobook of Ian's story and through the stellar talent of Ms. Dawe, she brought  Ms. Ashley's Lord Ian Mackenzie to vivid life. That means I fell in 'love' with Ian all over again.

The strong point of Ms. Dawe's narration is her incredible talent with voices. She may have a melodious and sweet voice for her female characters, in this case Beth, the heroine, but her staggering ability with vocal ranges for male characters is truly a gift. That dark, strong and forceful voice she used for Ian's brother, Hart, caused trepidation and shivers - Ms. Dawe made him sound commanding and definitely 'Duke-ish'.

The Scottish accents, and I think Beth's maid might have been Irish, and of course the English accents, were integral in character differentiation. Every single character's voice was unique, which translated to bringing out their personalities if full flavor. The narrator provided a rich listening experience that is top-notch. I always thought Ms. Ashley's writing was awesome and Ian's story must be a shining jewel in her long career. It's well earned. Ms. Dawe had superb material to work with and her talent raised it that much higher in my esteem.

Do you realize that I started listening to it just this past Friday? I finished it at 2 a.m. Sunday morning! I listened to the novel in my car, at work, practically any moment where I had 30-45 minutes of straight listening time. When everyone went to bed, I shut of that blasted television and closed my eyes to sink into the romance story between Ian and Beth. It was sublime.

Here's one thing I DID forget - how sensual, titillating and passionate those 'open bedroom door' scenes were. I don't remember there being so many but I could not stop listening, or skip past those scenes. Why? Because Ms. Ashley is a clever writer. She incorporated critical increments of forward momentum of Beth and Ian's romance. The words, internal dialogue and emotional expressions were woven in so tightly, I had no choice but to listen and blush. Beth's calling herself a 'wicked, wicked woman' and Ian's focus to detail on what he wants to do with and to her, plus the descriptions used to paint a picture for a reader of Ian's pleasure with her body, caused me no end of heated cheeks. Listening to those words directly into my ears left me in no doubt about Ian's passion for Beth or hers for him. Ms. Dawe's narration wouldn't allow doubts.

Here's another thing that the narrator did - she captured the moment when Ian looked directly at Beth. Readers and fans of the novel know exactly why those moments were so powerful and emotional. Ian didn't make eye contact, hardly ever. When he did, it had meaning; a depth of meaning that is profound. Ms. Dawe captured that moment even through the audio venue. I was quite pleased.

I don't yet know if Ms. Dawe has narrated other romance stories of the Mackenzie family, and if not I hesitate to listen to them. Mostly because the quality of the narration by Ms. Dawe set a very high bar of expectation and I don't want to experience a let-down. My ears have, for lack of a better term, an audio glow; a pleasant listening memory I prefer not to diminish in any way.

Yes, indeed, if ears could swoon, mine would have. If anyone were to ask me if buying this audio version of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie would be worth it, I wouldn't hesitate to say YES! Yes, yes yes. I was happy reading the book 10 years ago and I'm even more thrilled from listening to it today.

A huge THANK YOU to Jennifer Ashley for writing a romance that has held solid all these years, and to Ms. Dawe for creating audio magic and bringing Ian and Beth's romance to vivid life. Their happily ever after is all the sweeter for it.

That Doesn't Turn Me On!

 Back to the book life. 

Back to reading blurbs and trying to find one that catches my eye, piques my interest and makes me want to check it out. 

I sometimes think that mood plays a part in how a reader interprets a blurb. It may be a blurb in their favorite genre or trope but something just doesn't fit, and they pass. 

What I find annoying is a specific trope, or phrase.  I start off really enjoying a blurb and the more I read it, the more I think this might be the one, until one sentence sinks it. I'm done.  I'm over it. What started to turn me on, just shut me off. 

What can't I stand? Here's a few examples:

critically acclaimed

critically acclaimed author 

surrounded by secrets and heartache

and its dark secrets.

 the secret she's been keeping is revealed.

world of scandal, secrets and desire.

 and the secrets that tear them apart.

a secret that could destroy their fragile relationship.

There it is in a nutshell - secrets. A convenient plot conflict, a well-used trope that drives me nuts. The 'secret' is the scary threat; everything reads great, they overcome some major obstacles and just when you think they're going to make it, BAM! the secrets from the past show up and now all the gains are wiped out, trust is gone, one character is tragically hurt, or runs away to 'heal', or they become bitter enemies - so the book continues and now the story becomes focused on what they have to do -  whether it be to grovel,  connive or trick the other, or 'friendly secondary characters with good intentions'  manage to get them together and the hero and heroine both reluctantly admit the spark is still there, and they start again but now they have to work around the damage of the 'secret'.   

I despise the trope of secrets. I despise a story where one main character frets practically the entire book about their secret only to find out everyone forgives whatever it is, which can come across as too pat or contrived, or the supporting cast thinks nothing of it, or, and this is worse, they knew about it all along and didn't care.  I'm left with an anticlimactic ending, and the feeling of being let down or worse, duped. I'm so over secrets. They turn me off.

Then there is 'critically acclaimed' and NY Times bestseller, USA bestseller, whatever it might be.  The epitome of ridiculousness is an example from a recently read blurb that included references to numerous bestseller lists and that the author was acclaimed here and there, but do you know what was missing?  The story! Nothing about the book that would help determine who would want to buy the book. There was NOTHING but name dropping of all the 'bestseller' lists, and how 'important' they are because past books were 'acclaimed'. I had no idea if it was contemporary, a mystery, mainstream fiction, no mention of the characters, no teasers, no hooks, no idea what it was even about. Why would I buy it?  That turned me off. 

I guess it's a good thing they DO state that secrets are going to tear them apart. Why? Because I'll know not to buy the book. Also, I don't particularly care if a person is acclaimed or not - that's no guarantee that the current book is worth reading. Usually they are 'acclaiming' about previous books so I'm not impressed. Certainly not enough to spend money on a hardcover. Being 'acclaimed' does not turn me on. 

Yes, I'm opinionated. But I think you know that already. 

The Difference in My Life from 2019 vs. 2020 - An Observation

The difference between years 2019 and 2020 at my workplace is marked.

I work for a great place. Its product helped out so many once the reality of remote learning became established.

In 2019, our product was getting recognized as a great classroom tool and the month of August was so busy, I was working 3-4 hours overtime some days just to keep up. It wound down the second week into September and things went back to a normal pattern like in years past.

2020 and COVID-19 changed all that. It started the last week in July and exploded. Just Boom! August and September were months that took over my life. They were a blur. I missed MD appointments, hair appointments - I lived my job. I was averaging 16 hours a week overtime just to keep my head above water. We all were. And it lasted until the first week of October! Things usually slow down in December, reflecting the holiday season. In 2020, the reverse was true. I've never been so busy.

I'm not complaining, I'm happy, thrilled and relieved that we are doing so well. It's the reason for this manic pace that is sad. A virus has been weaponized by politicians with our kids suffering collateral damage. Today I heard them being referred to as the "lost generation". That shouldn't even BE a thing. It shouldn't be acceptable, to anyone. Children are our future, any country's future, and there is so much pain, suffering, insecurity, depression ... my gosh, the list can go on and on. So, remote learning is now the thing, and the product my company offers can help students in a specific curriculum, so is being discovered by more and more teaching professionals. Again, I'm proud that we can contribute to students continuing their education via online instruction. I only wished that it didn't stem from something so world-changing as this virus is turning out to be.

2019 I took for granted that I could visit my parents and family. That I could easily go across the state line to visit a very good friend of mine and have a sleepover, that I could go shopping anywhere at any time and never fear for my health, that I could join a gym and finally feel like I'm taking charge of my health, all of those actions of everyday life, destroyed in 2020. The gym has shut down, I can't see my parents because they are in critical stages of health issues - cancer and heart failure, to name a couple. I haven't seen my friend in over a year - I can't cross state lines. I have to shop carefully and my hands are cracking, drying out and peeling from so much handwashing and use of strong hand sanitizers because you know previous research showed the plethora of germs on the handles of shopping carts, door handles and counters. Holidays were spent apart so the usual joy and excitement and anticipation was non-existent. Especially so for my aging parents that are not computer savvy and only use one if they have to - so Zoom meetings weren't an option. Again, I could go on and on, but I don't have to. To one degree or another, we ALL are affected by these same issues. The pain and struggle is universal.

What isn't universal, yet is, is the quandary of working parents with kids of school age. In the 1950s homeschooling could have been achievable because a family was able to save, function and live life on one paycheck - usually the father. One paycheck and everything you need from shelter, clothes, food and other life essentials could be purchased. One parent could stay home and teach and be there for any crisis. In 2020 that's a lifestyle lost to the mists of time. There is no choice whatsoever that one parent, father or mother, could stay home to take the helm of homeschooling. You need two paychecks to survive, never mind thrive. Imagine being a single parent - it's unfathomable to understand that level of crisis. It's too extreme to consider the ramifications yet for too many, it's their reality. COVID has made it OUR crisis too.

Families have to make hard, impossible choices - and through it all, kids suffer. Their suffering isn't going to end next year, or the year after. Nor does it affect only them. It's going to affect ALL of us, with or without kids, because kids are our future. Ask yourself, what kind of groundwork is being laid for them in 2020? In ten years an 8-yr. old is going to be 18 - legal age where adult decisions, expectations and life skills will be demanded of a lot of them. They lost a year of education, perhaps more. They lost socialization skills, soft skills that employers were having a hard time finding even before COVID-19; they lost momentum in their education - and the most tragic and heartbreaking of all, are the kids that will never see that age - they took their own lives because the whole COVID situation overwhelmed them. Imagine them seeing their parents unable to fix what is wrong, realize that they aren't able to eat the foods they're used to, they come to understand shelter insecurity, food insecurity, the loss of friendships leading to a feeling of aloneness and helplessness - all of which compounds itself during isolation, lockdowns, shelter in place, whatever the 'experts' call it. It's all bad.

2020 took away the life we had in 2019. 2020 didn't 'flatten the curve' - it flattened our very lives - dealt body-blows to our hopes, dreams, security and the ultimate harm, lost loved ones. 2020 was a smackdown.

I started the blog post with an upbeat tone because 2020 started off that way, It was awesome and I felt life was good. Then March 13th, Friday the 13th was the date everything changed for me. As month after month went by, confusion, apprehension, worry, fear, anger, sadness, you name it, I felt it. It's no comfort to know that I'm not alone facing those emotions. There are many, too many, people in this country, and indeed the world, that have it much worse than me right now. I get it.

COVID is a real threat to health, and I am aware of too many people who've dealt with it - and have aftereffects that are freakishly scary in their own right. This virus has changed the world now and will affect the world going forward. My life in 2019 seems like a fond memory. Now it's 2021 but I don't want 2019 to be a memory, I want that level of living back. Not just for me, but for all the children and their families. They NEED 2019's freedoms returned to them, they are our future and need our support.

I fear for my life because I have health issues that put me in the at-risk category. My lungs are compromised already. But I listened to a priest's homily a few months ago where he said " You can not live your life if you live in fear. Don't let them make you fear. Don't be afraid to live." That's the one common denominator that's fed to us day in and day out on TV, radio and newspapers - Fear. Not hope, not encouragement for strength, nor giving us confidence that ultimately we'll win the day because we are and will continue to fight this - no, it's fear. Fear paralyzes. For 9 months I was paralyzed. To a certain degree, I still am. But I'm starting to live. Maybe 2021 won't be like 2019 but it sure as heck is not going to be a twin to 2020.

I'll do all I can to be smart and follow the rules, but I'll work to make those rules work FOR me, not against me. As the Dune quote goes, "Fear is the mind killer".

Revisiting Ian

 

It's been almost ten years since I read The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Mackenzies Series Book 1) by Jennifer Ashley.  Ten years since I first met Ian, and yet, it seems like yesterday. 

I was on Facebook a few days ago, scrolling through my news feed. I came across a post from a reader who had just discovered Lord Ian Mackenzie's story. The reader's excitement and joy from reading that novel was made very clear.  A rather robust comment thread ensued with most waxing poetic about how much they enjoyed Ian's story, the romance and the happy ever after.  I had so much fun reading all the comments. 

Even after ten years, Ms. Ashley's story continues to reach new readers who then become fans of the author's Mackenzie family - all because of one fictional hero, a man named Ian. 

After seeing all that new reader enthusiasm, it inspired the desire to re-read the book, again. Well, I've 'organized' my keeper shelf quite a few times over ten years, and I can't find it.  However, thanks to the advancement of audio-books, I was delighted to stumble across a new possibility.  A few months shy of the anniversary of discovering my perfect book-boyfriend, Ms. Ashley issued an Audible version just in time for Christmas!  I couldn't believe my good luck!

Yes, I bought it. Immediately!  I wish I could say that I listened to it as fast but I haven't - yet.  I'm saving it for a long weekend, perhaps a stay-cation, where I can have uninterrupted ME-time.  I haven't even checked out the new Bridgerton series on Netflix. I've read books in the series but again, I need that me-time to just sit and absorb the romance escapism that Ms. Quinn is known for, translated to television.  

As for the reason for my post, I really wanted to share the enjoyment of seeing that Ian still has the ability to captivate new readers even after all these years. Unfortunately, there's no one in my "family bubble" that reads what I read, or even cares to read fiction, never mind 'romance'.  So, here I am, revisiting Lord Ian Mackenzie, and confirming that no other book-boyfriend or hero has taken his place. There's just something about Ian. ❤