Mug Shot: Texas Wildflowers

Not too much to say about this mug other than it's very pretty. I love flowers and flowered mugs hold a special place in my heart. I still miss the California Poppy mug I lost somewhere along the way. But this is cheerful, so...

What I'm Reading: The 12 Days Ultimatum

So, this book was a surprise. It doesn't appear on Lanyon's website--as far as I can tell. Personally, it's not my favorite site to try and navigate. It's not in "standalones" which it wouldn't be since I believe it's part of a series. It's also not on the series page, however. Although, to be honest, I'm not sure which series it belongs to, so I might have missed it. She's got quite a few books with FBI characters and it's been awhile. 

Lanyon is one of those authors--like me and so many others I know or knew or try to follow--whose output has slowed dramatically in the past ten years. It's been rough. 

Anyway, this is one of the better books I've read lately, even if it still catches me off-guard how emotional her FBI characters tend to be. I mean, they all claim to be good at compartmentalizing, but I think that's just one more thing they're in denial about. 

That having been said, her profilers are a lot better at reading people than the run of the mill agents, so maybe it's my own (completely non-existent) experience with FBI agents that's at fault? 

The Twelve Day Ultimatum

Josh Lanyon 

https://www.amazon.com/12-Days-Ultimatum-Josh-Lanyon-ebook/dp/B0GHPSW1ST/ref=sr_1_3

“I don’t take kindly to ultimatums.”

Nobody gives FBI Supervisory Special Agent Lucas Alexander ultimatums. His reputation as a hard-ass perfectionist is well-deserved. There’s a reason he’s the go-to person for agents, the community of Silver Pine, Idaho, and even the Salt Lake City Field Office. For Lucas, the job always comes first. Always has. 

Always will?

Because Lucas does have one weak spot, and his name is Special Agent Riley Christopher. Two days ago, Riley delivered his boss an ultimatum: prioritize their relationship or end it. Now Lucas has a choice. The job or the relationship? Lucas has to decide whether he’s capable of balancing love and duty before the twelve days of Christmas are up.

Mug Shot: Bee Kind

I always wish I could have kept bees back in the day when I had a place in which to keep bees--and the energy to do so! My son had hives on his property for a few years, but that was just far enough away that I couldn't take that on as a job and still have a life outside of bees. 

But, like with most subjects that I find fascinating, I did get to live vicariously through my characters. Lucy in A Taste of Honey, keeps bees...but I bet you guessed that from the title, huh? 

A Taste Of Honey

Oberon Book 4.0

For Lucy Greco Cavanaugh, life is a dream come true.  She has it all. The perfect family. The perfect husband. The perfect marriage. What more could she wish for?  Other than the chance to do it all again. To experience once more the agony and ecstasy of falling in love with the man of her dreams. To recapture the joy and uncertainty that comes with starting over.

As far as Dan Cavanaugh is concerned, his life has become a nightmare. His storybook marriage is on the line when Deirdre Shelton-Cooper, the runaway daughter of a former girlfriend arrives in Oberon intent on proving Dan is her father. Even though he's convinced the girl's claims are false, Dan decides his only chance to keep from losing everything lies in keeping her very existence a secret from his wife and family.

But, sometimes, what you don't know can hurt you--and those you love. When Deirdre, masquerading as a surfer girl named Monica, accidentally hooks up with their son, Seth, Lucy and Dan are left to wonder: has their perfect, fairy-tale romance, turned into a classic Greek tragedy?

 Sometimes you get exactly what you wish for.  And it's more than you'd ever dreamed.

https://books2read.com/TasteOfHoney

What I'm Reading: How to Fake it in Society (KJ Charles)

Have I mentioned how, so much of the time, Charles' regency world reminds me of Georgette Heyer?  Not a complaint. It's like finding Easter eggs when you're least expecting to. This book, for example has a premise very similar to the one in Heyer's The Reluctant Widow, which I wrote about earlier this year. And honestly? I think Charles does it better. 

How to Fake it in Society

KJ Charles

https://kjcharleswriter.com/standalone-books/

It is 1821 and Nicolas-Marc, Comte de Valois de La Motte is making a splash in London Society. The son of Jeanne de Valois de La Motte, infamous for stealing a priceless diamond necklace meant for Marie Antoinette, Nico hopes to restore his wronged mother’s reputation, if only he can raise the funds. But he must operate with great secrecy, because the Bourbon dynasty murdered his mother, and he fears for his life.

At least, that’s what he tells Titus Pilcrow. Titus was a simple shopkeeper, making and selling artists’ paints, when he found himself suddenly married to an immensely wealthy woman who wanted to disinherit her nephew on her deathbed. As word spreads of his fortune, Titus finds himself a target of every scammer and beggar in London . . . including one Nicolas-Marc, Comte de Valois de La Motte.

Nico is on his last legs, out of money, and on the run from some terrifying gangsters. When Titus offers Nico a space in his household, it’s the perfect chance for him to exploit London’s newest golden purse – until he falls in love with the man he needs to cheat. Still, Nico is sure they can have a happy ending together. If he can just find his way out of his own web of lies…

Mug Shot: Blue Travel Mug

I love this mug shot. It's one of the few where the mug isn't staged but is shown in situ. And it's pretty. The steel blue of the mug, the blue sky, the blue-gray car dash is complemented by the green grass, yellow flowers and white clouds. 

I really like this mug, too. I bought it a few days before we took this trip to Mustang Island. We were shopping for last minute travel needs when I saw this mug and fell instantly in love. I love the color, the grippable surface, the handle(!), the size. My husband was less enchanted at first, but he's since come around to my way of thinking. 

It's a great mug. 

What I'm Reading: Animals and the Afterlife (Kim Sheridan)

I first read this book a few years ago after I lost my dog. We lost our other dog the following year and my grandson's puppy the year after that. So no, I am not okay. And while I am starting to get to the point where I think about maybe adopting an older pit bull (one who gets along with smaller dogs and will not try and kill the neighborhood cats) I'm not quite there yet. But I digress.

One of the things I found most interesting about this book was how much the author talked about pet rats that she and others had had. It was unusual. Most pet psychics seem to stick to more mainstream animal companions--dogs, cats, horses. Rats are outliers to some extent. Of course, there are people who might say the same about horses, but that's beside the point. 

I was at yoga last week and overheard the teacher talking about his pet rats (all dead now) and how he was thinking about getting a new one and about reincarnation, wishing he could communicate with his former pets, etc. 

I couldn't wait to suggest this book to him. And now to all of you, as well...

Animals and the Afterlife

Kim Sheridan

http://kimsheridan.com/books/

Do animals have souls?
What happens when they die?
This book offers some amazing answers…

Kim Sheridan grew up with animals as her constant companions. Each time she faced the death of a beloved animal, along with the pain came the same questions, to which she could find no answers. Then mysterious things began to happen which she could not explain. Unable to dismiss these mysterious events, Kim embarked upon what became an incredible journey to uncover the truth. Along with her own experiences, she compiled the extraordinary experiences of ordinary people from around the world. She discovered overwhelming evidence that forever erased her own doubts of an afterlife for animals. Kim’s award-winning book provides reassurance to anyone who has ever loved and lost an animal. For more information, visit: www.AnimalsAndTheAfterlife.com

Mug Shot: I Love Books

So, April 23 is World Book Day...which I'd never heard of before. According to UNESCO: "Books are like a window onto another world – with each new page, they introduce us to new people, new cultures and new ideas. Every year, on 23 April, UNESCO celebrates World Book and Copyright Day in recognition of the power of books as a bridge between generations and across cultures."

I certainly can't argue with that! I picked this mug up at a local thrift store. It's nice, kind of elegant, with a good design. I've been using it a lot lately.