A warm, lazy summer's day. The scent of jasmine tickles your nose. A glass of
sweet tea or lemonade, a front porch swing, and a good book.
It's one of life's moments, isn't it?
The question is this. Out of all the books on my shelf or in my e-reader, which
should I read next? How do I choose just one? If you're like me, you've got a
to-be-read list longer than your arm. So, just between us, I thought I'd share
with you my top three picks for this summer's reading. Maybe, then, you can
share with me what you're reading—and I can add to that must-read list of mine.
I love, love, love finding new authors, along with books by my favorites that
I've somehow missed.

At the top of my list is Nora Roberts' new book, SHELTER IN PLACE. This is
one of her romantic suspense stories and deals with the senseless violence
that's going on around us, so it won't be a light read. She always delivers,
though, and her characters and plot all but hold me hostage till that last page.
I'll admit right now that I'm a Nora fan-girl. I also love her JD Robb In Death series. My
husband and I trek from Georgia to Pennsylvania every summer for family reunions
and for the last few years we've taken a detour to Boonsboro, Maryland. For my
birthday, my guy's started gifting me with stays at Nora's B&B. My goal? To
try out every single room. I still have a few to go, but my favorite,
hands-down, is the Penthouse. The Eve and Roarke room came in a close second.

Whether or not you're a Nora fan, the trip is worth it. Fresh flowers in every
room, romance readers who get together for hors d'oeuvres and a glass of wine or
a soft drink in the afternoon, a fabulous breakfast, and the friendliest staff
ever. There's a wonderful outdoor patio to sit and read and, of course, a cozy
library full of books! I have to issue this warning, though. Staying at the Inn
BoonsBoro is addictive. Very.
Were you a fan of the TV show Castle? I loved that program and
loved watching the sparring between Richard Castle and Lt. Kate Beckett. It
broke my heart when they cancelled it. You can still get a taste of it in
Richard Castle's Nikki Heat books. Yeah, yeah, I know. Richard Castle isn't
real. He is, though, listed as the author of these books, and Nathan Fillion's
photo is on the back cover. HEAT STORM is number two on
my must-read-this-summer list.
The first time I asked for one of these books in a small bookstore in Georgia,
the clerk said she hadn't heard of Richard Castle. Had he written other books? I
tried to explain that he wasn't real, that Castle, himself, was fictional, but,
yes, he was the author. Talk about confusing. Sadly, I left without the book.
But, I persevered. An hour's drive later—did I tell you I live in a very small
town in Georgia—I reached the nearest Books-a-Million and returned home with my
Nikki Heat book…and a mocha frappuccino.
Okay. Drum roll, please. Book number three. THE CITY BAKER'S GUIDE TO COUNTRY LIVING by Louise Miller.
This is her debut novel, so, obviously, she's a new author for me. Miller, who
is a pastry chef herself, writes a character who is, also, a pastry chef
escaping to small town Vermont. I love Diane Mott Davidson's books which mix
cooking, mystery, and a touch of romance, so THE CITY BAKER'S GUIDE TO COUNTRY LIVING caught my eye.
It's confession time. I love the idea of cooking. I have dozens and dozens of
cookbooks, and that might be an understatement. My newest is DEBBIE MACOMBER'S TABLE
which I admit to reading cover-to-cover. I read them and imagine myself in the
kitchen preparing these culinary treats for friends and family. Then I glance at
the sign on the wall in my kitchen that reads "I Know How To Cook…I Just Don't".
My husband actually tells everyone he hides my Christmas gifts in our oven
because I'll never find them there. Sad, but mostly true. But a girl can dream.
One of these days, I'm going to dust off those cookbooks, tie on an apron, roll
up my sleeves and cook. Until then, though, I'll sit on the porch swing with my
sweet tea and read about Louise Miller's main character creating her exquisite
desserts.
I'm going to add a fourth book here for this summer. It's actually a reread. HISSY FIT by Mary Kay
Andrews. It's one of her early stories, but if you want a feel-good,
laugh-out-loud read, this is a must. I first met Mary Kay in Atlanta at a
Moonlight and Magnolias writing conference. We sat together at lunch and she
gifted me with a copy of her just released SAVANNAH BLUES. I've been a
fan ever since.
So there you have it. The first four of what I hope will be a long list of books
I'll read this summer.
Now, it's your turn. Tell me, please, what's on your summer list? What book do
you hope to spend a lazy summer afternoon or evening reading?
Read and enjoy,
Lynnette
Bachelors and
Babies #1
This baby's not the only one in need of a cuddle...
Brant Wylder is a bachelor and loving it! He's in Misty Bottoms, Georgia,
property-hunting for his vintage car repair shop when he gets the call. His
sister's been in an accident, and Brant has to drop everything and take care of
his five-month-old nephew. That's the end of the bachelor lifestyle.
Bridal boutique owner Molly Stiles is all business all the time, until she
sees that Brant's in trouble. In this Southern town, nobody ever has to go it
alone. And besides, how can she resist that beautiful baby in the arms of a
beautiful man...?
Romance Contemporary
[Sourcebooks Casablanca, On Sale: June 5, 2018,
Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781492651550 / eISBN:
9781492651567]
LYNNETTE AUSTIN loves long rides with the top down and the music cranked up,
standing by the Gulf of Mexico when a storm is brewing, and sitting in her local
coffee shop reading, writing and enjoying a cappuccino. She grew up in
Pennsylvania, accepted her first teaching job in New York, then moved to
Wyoming. Now, she splits her time between the beaches of Florida and the Blue
Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia. She's been a finalist in Romance Writers of
America's Golden Heart Contest, PASIC's Book of Your Heart Contest, and Georgia
Romance Writers' Maggie Contest. Having grown up in a small town, that's where
her heart takes her—to those quirky small towns where everybody knows
everybody...and all their business, for better or worse.
What are you reading this summer? Just tell us below to be entered. Or sign up above for the giveaway of a copy of MUST LOVE BABIES (US only)
3 comments posted.
Whatever catches my attention from my TBR pile... so far I have read a few JD Robb In Death books, Mallory Crowe's newest book and others...
(Colleen Conklin 12:56pm June 6, 2018)