Hello, all, and welcome back. I hope you´re still packing in enough reading time to enjoy some of the many books coming out daily. Unfortunately, my vacation didn´t allow much reading time, but I plan to make up for it this week. In between catching up on all the work and the home things like laundry and bills.

While we all love our romances, how many of us read outside the genre as well? Judging by the people I speak to regularly, pretty many, and the choices vary widely, from horror to mystery to sci-fi and fantasy. One genre getting a bit more attention these days, at least in romance circles, is women´s fiction. Mostly debate about whether it falls into romance or not. Much does not, simply because it doesn´t have the requisite happy ending. While I read a little in that genre, if I´m not reading romance or reference books, give me a good horror book--love Stephen King.

Nonetheless, I did read a new women´s fiction book this week, the second in a trilogy. I mentioned the first in one of my newsletters a month or two ago, and now I have the second,
Diary of V: The Breakup, Vol. 2 by Debra Kent (Warner). Redbook had been running the serialized version of the entire trilogy on their website, and now the books are coming out. The third will be out before the end of the year. In the second installment, the one I read last week, Valerie is struggling through her marriage breaking up, and wondering what she´s going to do with her life. Not a book I´d have bought, I don´t think. Far too depressing, and Valerie, for being so educated, lacks common sense. I found myself wanting to shake her for being so dumb sometimes. Made me long for a good romance where the characters are strong and smart and will get their happy ending.

So I read a great romance. May McGoldrick is back, this time with
Promise (Signet Historical). Rebecca Neville thinks she has left her sordid past in England behind her now that she´s settled in Philadelphia. Until the day she learns that her "son" Jamey´s father, the Earl of Stanmore, wants him back. Despite her own misgivings, Rebecca takes Jamey back to England to meet the earl, less concerned about her own possible troubles than in seeing that her beloved adopted son is treated well and loved. Stanmore, however, doesn´t love anyone--family betrayals have cured him of that notion. But Rebecca and his son worm their way into his cold heart. How these two work out their problems, I won´t tell. You´ll simply have to read this one for yourself. I promise you won´t be disappointed. When the author is May McGoldrick, you couldn´t possibly be disappointed. I´m giving this one four of Cupid´s five arrows. Can´t wait for the next in the series.

Until next week, happy reading!