Reading?

I've been doing more than playing Mad Scientist in the kitchen lately. Much more.

Hmm? Oh, right! Sorry, I fell into musing about the latest batch of dandelion wine. It's downstairs, you know. Anything could happen...

Right. What have I been up to?

I spent yesterday afternoon reading a new-to-me author. Don't you just love doing that, reading something by someone you've never read before?

Last week I ordered a couple of books from B&N. When they arrived I fell in love with the cover of one of them, An Agreeable Arrangement by Shirley Marks. Let me tell you, this is a case of correctly judging a book by its cover. The book jacket is beautiful, and the story on the pages is just as lovely.

I couldn't help myself. I read the book from cover to cover in one sitting, it was that good. I felt like I'd been let loose in a chocolate shop and was free to sample anything--so I did. A wonderful indulgence, only without all the calories!

The book is published by Avalon, so it's a sweet Regency romance. Filled with quirky, loveable characters whose heads and hearts often put them at odds with their situations, An Agreeable Arrangement pulled me in and held me captive. I enjoyed every moment of being lost in this tale, and fully intend to read more from this talented author.

Trying a new-to-me author doesn't always work out this well. I'll admit, I can be nit-picky when I read a story. If the characters feel dull, I stop reading. If the plot is too plodding, I stop reading. If there's too much unjustified gore, I stop reading. You get the idea. I suppose we all have our "I stop reading" points. I didn't find one "stop reading" point in Ms. Marks' book. What's not to love when that happens?

What about you? What are you reading? And how do you feel about trying new-to-you authors? Does it work out well, or do you find you often encounter "stop reading" moments? Hmm?