Armchair Travel Report - by Magdalena Scott

Since some of my fellow Sweet Romance Reads authors have recently mentioned armchair travel, a/k/a vacation through the pages of a book, I thought I'd do a quick report on some of the books I have read in June. (I'm not going to mention any books by authors I personally know, because to mention one and not all of them doesn't feel right.)

Ready? Let's head out...

Title: Sunset Beach
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Fiction
Format: Hardback provided by my public library's book club
Armchair Travel to: St. Petersburg, FL

Heroine Drue Campbell is recovering from an injury that ended her career, and mourning the recent death of her mother. Now working a job she dislikes for the father she doesn't trust, she solves two mysteries - one old, and one older. Drue makes new friends, heals broken relationships, and finds a new future.

Title: Ellie Dwyer's Great Escape
Author: Diane Winger
Fiction
Format: Ebook purchased online
Armchair Travel to: South Carolina - Colorado Rockies - Tucson, AZ, and points between

Our heroine is 61 years old when her husband of four decades walks out on her. Now she has evacuated their apartment as a hurricane approaches. Things are about to get even worse before they start to improve, as Ellie sets out on a life-changing camping trip of self-discovery. This book's cover grabbed me, and I related to the heroine in many ways.

Title: Nomadland: Surviving America in the 21st Century
Author: Jessica Bruder
Nonfiction
Format: Ebook checked out through my local public library
Armchair Travel to: Across the USA

Not your parents' RV-life fantasy, this is an up-close look at the new "retirement" many Americans are enduring, caused by the 2008 crash and recession, and other financial disasters. The author's research included living and traveling throughout the USA along with some of these folks who have lost their homes and are now nomads living out of their cars or RVs. There are plenty of heart-breaking insights into the intense physical labor, deprivation, and unknown future of a large group of people whose American dream has gone very wrong.

Title: September
Author: Rosamunde Pilcher
Fiction
Format: Paperback I own
Armchair Travel to: London and the Scottish Highlands

This is my current read, so I'll just say I'm glad to see Noel Keeling is a good guy in this one. Noel was the son of the heroine Penelope Keeling in the beautiful, best-selling The Shell Seekers.

Title: How to Train a Wild Elephant & Other Adventures in Mindfulness
Author: Jan Chozen Bays, MD
Nonfiction
Format: Paperback I own
Armchair Travel to: This Moment

From the back cover: "A guided program for bringing mindfulness and meditation into daily activities to reduce stress and get more out of life." I am reading one chapter each week and doing the exercise throughout the week. I'm currently on Chapter Five, When Eating Just Eat. (Instead of doing other tasks while eating, allow yourself to savor the food.) My most difficult chapter so far was Three, Filler Words. When talking, I often begin with So, and find myself interjecting Like way too often. Yikes!

Where have you traveled this summer through reading?

Book links

Sunset Beach: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GNC2WRN/
Ellie Dwyer's Great Escape: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MYPGXJM/
Nomadland: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XH3D8VG/
September: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BMKOOE0/
How to Train a Wild Elephant: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I3LC9HK/
Recent book releases by Sweet Romance Reads authors: https://www.sweetromancereads.com/p/new-releases.html

USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott is a practicing minimalist, having downsized from a 3,000 square foot house to a studio apartment, where her Giant Closet continues to resist taming. When not writing at home or spending time with family and friends, she loves to travel–carry-on baggage only–and is always pleasantly surprised at the kindness of strangers.

Website: https://magdalenascott.com/

Meet Selina! - by Magdalena Scott

If you get my monthly-ish email newsletter, you have already met Selina, the new member of my family. I had just about decided it was time to adopt a pet again, when this girl popped into my life. She is a year old, and a total sweetheart. Although she came home less than a month ago, it's hard to remember what my days were like without her. 

I named her after the heroine in a book I was re-reading, by my favorite author, Rosamunde Pilcher.

Do you have a pet? If so, how did you choose a name?

USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott writes sweet romance and romantic women’s fiction. A lifelong resident of Small Town America, she invites readers into her world to find out what’s hidden just below the surface of those tiny dots barely visible on the map. Romance, mystery, and the journey to be one’s best self are all part of a day in her neighborhood. Readers have commented that they’d like to move to the imaginary towns Magdalena writes about, which she takes as high praise indeed.

Read her two series, Serendipity, Indiana, and The McClains of Legend, Tennessee.

Magdalena is a practicing minimalist, having downsized from a 3,000 square foot house to a studio apartment, where her Giant Closet continues to resist taming. When not writing at home or spending time with family and friends, she loves to travel–carry-on baggage only–and is always pleasantly surprised at the kindness of strangers.

Website: https://magdalenascott.com/

Prepared - by Magdalena Scott

I'm glad I already had Wellies on hand. These tall, rubber boots are perfect for tromping through the high grass in the fields and along the cliffs of Cornwall, and later, Scotland.

And thank goodness for my wind-proof coat with the hood, and the thick, red alpaca-wool scarf and gloves. I'll be sure to stay warm and dry, won't I, while on this excursion?

I'm grateful too, for the variety of tea bags in my cupboard, and the tea kettle's merry whistle each time I prepare a cup.

And for handkerchiefs.

The truth is, I've been in my apartment almost constantly, for several days, alternately blowing my nose, sleeping, and drinking plenty of fluids.

My constant companion? Rosamunde Pilcher and Winter Solstice. I wanted to re-read it this year, and the day after Thanksgiving, I didn't feel up to accomplishing much else.

You probably realize now that the outdoor things weren't needed in reality, just in my mind, as I vicariously traversed a bit of the world I've never visited in person.

But I can dream, and a good book is a huge help.

I hope you find a book that takes you where you want to go this season. Is there a part of the world you especially like to visit by reading?

Magdalena

~*~

Magdalena Scott is a USA Today Bestselling Author of small town romance and women's fiction. Her most recent releases are books 6 and 7 of the Serendipity, Indiana Series.