Reading Corner

I've been struggling in the reading department lately.  Partly because I haven't had much time at the beginning or end of the day to pick up my book and read it,  and partly to be perfectly honest because I was reading a book I didn't like too much.  I probably should have given up and started another one, but it really has to be bad for me to do that.  I won't mention any names as I'm a great believer that if you haven't got something good to say, then don't say anything.

Anyway, I persevered with the said book and finally finished it the other week, thus allowing me to pick up my next read, which is the one in the centre in this picture that I bought at a car boot sale a few weeks ago for 30p.

I am enjoying this read much, much more, even after just a few chapters.    At first I thought I wasn't going to enjoy it, as some of the characters appeared to be similar or in a similar situation in life, to the previous book, but I've now got beyond that as the writing style is altogether different.  It has a good brisk pace and I  find it to be very well written.  It's actually highly enjoyable to pick up and delve into when I get the chance. 

The plot centres around the main character who is a house sitter and at the last minute is asked to housesit a large country house, horse, dog and goat owned by an artist, over the Christmas period.  Hoping to get away to peace and quiet and isolation to finish a book about House Party Catering that she is writing and escape a spot of well meant matchmaking, she soon finds herself at the centre of the owner's extended family's Christmas plans, much to her dismay as a young widow who hasn't celebrated Christmas since the death of her husband at Christmas some years before.

I'm currently at the point where she has finally agreed to host Christmas dinner at the big house for a collection of aged relatives and villagers and it appears that there may be a romance blossoming betwixt her and the absent owner on account of their all too regular telephone conversations, during which they both take pleasure in slamming the phone down on each other.  In addition to this, there is also a coincidental historical subplot involving a close family member of hers and the family who own the house.  It is an entertaining read thus far with plenty to keep the reader interested.

I decided to read this current book next as it has a Christmassy theme running through it, and as we are in the run up to Christmas, I thought it might help me get into the spirit a bit more.  Trouble is, I've got 3 other Christmassy themed books waiting in my pile, including another one by this same author (also pictured here), so I'd better get a move on if I'm to finish them all by the New Year.  If I don't manage to read them all, at least there might be one or two I can save for next Christmas.