Reading - March 2026

Unexpected by Lori Foster (2003)

Some good bits, some "wtf??" moments, a sense of slightly different plots and fiction styles being stitched together, all made this an OK read but nothing more.

The Cornish Midwife by Jo Bartlett (2021)

A simple and straightforward romance. The main male character is too perfect but that's often the case in these things. I'm not sure why I chose this other than that I needed something to read, but it was fine. I probably won't bother with the other (checks ...) seven books in the series though.

You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry (2021)

Given the recent Netflix film, I was expecting the library's copies of the book to be all taken - which they were. But there were plenty of copies under the book's original title - so score one for doing a little bit of research! Anyway, my personal little victories and smugness aside, this is a very enjoyable, modern, friends-to-lovers romance that uses jumps between different periods in the relationship to good effect. The last minute misunderstanding that I complained about in the film is present here, but there's less of the slapstick, which is an improvement over the film, I think. All in all, a very satisfying read.

What Have I Done? by Ben Elton (2025)

I'm happy to say that this very readable book has changed my mind about about Ben Elton. Not that I disliked either him or his work, but since I was primarily aware of him through his standup comedy on TV, I thought of him as shouty, not particularly subtle comedian. However, he's always thought of himself as a writer and on the evidence presented here, which includes way more TV, books and plays than I realised, it's impossible not to agree. He's passionate about his work and the same way about his achievements and about defending himself against the unnecessary and unfair criticism he's faced over the years - all with justification, I'd say. The books never palls - he's met, worked with and has stories about a huge number of people - and I finished it in a few days. And crucially, it's inspired me to seek out more of his work. I mean, I probably will at some point, once I've cleared my backlog (this is a joke, I never clear my backlog ... but I will add some of his books to it!)

Celeb by Charles Peattie and Mark Warren (2002)

Amusing collection of the cartoons from Private Eye.

Bluff Your Way In Jazz by Peter Gammond & Peter Clayton (1987)

Part genuinely informative summary of jazz and part a series of jokes that assume you're already familiar with it (I always remembered the quote: "[...] the rumour that [John Coltrane] had a crush on Julie Andrews is unfounded", which assumes you know his version of "My Favourite Things"). I've owned this book since I was a student and, like all of the Bluffer's Guides, it never fails to make me smile.

One Moment by Becky Hunter (2023)

"Perfect for fans of David Nicholls" it says here on Borrow Box, and I can see the comparison: a bittersweet romance that has a dead person in it. The story is very readable and the people feel real - I mean apart from the supernatural element - and I enjoyed it. It's not quite as much of a time loop as the blurb promises (not at all, in fact) but the ending is sweet and gives a bit of closure.

Bluff Your Way in Motoring by John McManus (1989)

Amusing but dated.