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Friday, June 18, 2010

Summer Reading

School is finally out for the summer. It seems so late for me from the region that I grew up in, but considering the temperatures here are still only mid 60's I still find myself wearing jackets and convincing myself that it truly is summer.

I do have some great summer reading lists and are excited to get started. First on my list is to finally update my very neglected book blog.

I posted a review of a book from one of my all time favorite series, A Woman of Influence, today, you can find it below, but I have many more reviews on the way.

Hopefully I can get through the list of books to review, the books I have to read and enjoy some nice summer weather soon!

A Woman of Influence

A Woman of Influence

Rebecca Ann Collins

5 Stars

336 pages

Book nine in the The Pemberly Chronicles series.

As I finished the 8th book in this series, Recollections of Rosings, I was curious to see how Becky Tate’s character would hold up in the next installment of the story. I had mixed feelings of if I really enjoyed her character or not, but promised myself I would place those feelings aside try hard to give her a fair chance in A Woman of Influence.


In A Woman of Influence Becky’s story continues as she finds herself living at Edgwater, a widow and alone wondering what will become of her life. When Becky comes in contact with a girl, Alice, who is traveling and homeless with a son, hiding on her property, she becomes absorbed in her story and helping this woman find and free her husband who has been wrongly accused. While this might be a minor plot in the story it ultimately leads Becky to being reunited with an old acquaintance Mr. Aldo Contini.

Mr. Contini and Becky’s relationship was first established shortly after Becky’s daughter’s death when Mr. Contini was there to offer condolences and relief. I was presently surprised with this reunion of characters and the slow romance that developed and followed. It was a perfect pace for me and my feelings towards Becky’s character.

It’s not s surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed A Woman of Influence. The new “mystery” of Alice and her husband added some substance and some suspense and thrill to a typical storyline. I was pleased with Becky and Mr. Contini’s relationship and how it developed, in a world where lines are crossed daily and in appropriate relationships are many times considered “norm” I was even more delighted that this relationship developed at the right time and place in their lives.

Ms. Rebecca Collins is a wonderful writer and storyteller. She has a knack for writing in Jane Austen’s own voice and developing clean, romantic well developed stories that can be enjoyed time and time again.

I cannot wait for Book 10!