Reading - July 2025

Book Lovers by Emily Henry (2022)

Enjoyable and readable bit of nonsense.

One Night on the Island by Josie Silver (2022)

If the setup is a bit contrived and unbelievable - two strangers sharing a one-bed cottage on a remote island for several weeks - the follow through is excellent, tracing the development of a relationship. Really sweet.

Things We Do For Love by Miranda Dickinson (2024)

Judging by her list of published novels, Miranda Dickinson has developed a habit of using well-known song titles for her books - I immediately thought of 10cc when I saw this but possibly she was thinking of Kylie. Anyway, the generic title bears no relation to the specifics of the plot, which is a shame because not only does the Shakespeare based plot begs to have something more relevant, but she even has one ready made in the story: "A Night of Bard Language". That aside, this is a reasonably predictable but enjoyable story set in Stratford-upon-Avon that I read happily to its obvious conclusion.

Return to Virgin River by Robyn Carr (2020)

'Tis the Season by Robyn Carr (2014)

And so ends my affair with Virgin River. I've really enjoyed the world Robyn Carr created, and the way it built up. I think the first half-dozen books were probably the best, as the secondary characters had their own story arcs too and someone introduced in one book might get their own chance as a main character in two books' time. Latterly, it's just new people randomly turning up at the beginning of a story - you know: "hey, have you met Kyle, my second cousin's son's best friend?" - and then amazingly bumping into the future love of their life. But I'll still miss reading the books now I've finished them all.

The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer (2022)

Bob Mortimer's personality runs through this book like words through a stick of rock, as the main character could easily be a version of himself. That gives a unique flavour to the story and definitely helps make the book more readable. The plot is a little far-fetched but good-natured with it, and it's nice to see everything work out properly in the end.

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson (2022)

It's obvious where this is going from pretty much the first page, which makes the author's attempts at misdirection not just redundant but a little annoying. Nevertheless, it's saved by a cute storyline and what we have in the end is a sweet, PG-rated story that kept my attention.

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace (2022)

Hannah Grace, on the other hand, writes very un-PG-rated stories. The characters are all pretty much obsessed with sex but actually that doesn't strike me as entirely unrealistic, based on my recollection of myself and my friends at similar ages, and in fairness there is also a decent enough plot decorating the bones of the plot. This is her first novel and I think it shows a few rough edges: the villain in particular is just generally unpleasant for no obvious reason, and I can't decide if the female main character is a too-good-to-be-true male sex fantasy or just an honest portrayal of girls these days. But it's very readable overall and pretty spicy in places.

My Word is My Bond by Roger Moore (2008)

Roger Moore has, of course, achieved much more than just the seven James Bond films he starred in, and I came away impressed by the amount of work he's done. But the book is otherwise fairly boring, with little sense of progression, and largely becomes just a series of anecodotes. Passed the time though.

Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons (1986-1987; this compilation 2014)

I've known about Watchmen for ages, but graphic novels have never been my thing and the few times I've tried them, they seem pretty trivial - short stories with pictures that provide an hour's diversion. Watchmen is the antithesis of this: a complex story with multiple subplots, often being told simultaneously, using the illustrations to properly further the story. I'm still not sure I like it much as a medium, but there's no denying the sheer imagination and ambition here - I'm pleased I gave it a try.

The Story of the Country House by Clive Aslet (2023)

Undoubtedly a good introduction to the subject, but still somewhat dry - and woefully under-illustrated, which given that this is all about aesthetics, is an odd omission. Yes, I can look things up on Wikipedia but that's not the point. Still, it did make me want to go and see more of the remaining country houses so that's probably a good thing.

Space Hopper by Helen Fisher (2021)

I really enjoyed this. For a while I wasn't quite sure where it was going, but it came together really nicely at the end in a bit of a twist I wasn't expecting at all, and it was very moving in places.

The Spare Room by Laura Starkey (2024)

Simple and straightforward romance, with a chatty style and slightly one-dimensional characters. But readable and sweet.

Wildfire by Hannah Grace (2023)

A more complete plot than her first book - albeit still quite YA-angsty - helps this be a good read. Notwithstanding the main couple's issues with their families, it's all bit idealised, but the characters are fun to be around and as most of it's set at a summer camp, it appeals to me as it reminds me of my time as a supervisor!