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The Promise of Provence
Patricia SandsKindle e-book |
Katherine Price’s husband leaves her for another woman in the most cowardly way possible—he leaves her a note in the roses he traditionally gives her each year on their anniversary. Katherine is devastated even as she admits their marriage hasn’t been satisfactory for her either. Phillip was controlling and had monopolized her time. Her best friend, her cousin and her widowed mother help her pick up the pieces and move forward.
And it is the
descriptions of her accommodations and the places she visits that were my
reason for downloading this book from BookBub.
My husband and I traveled to many of the same places in Provence. Patricia Sands has photos on her website here that show places that inspired her book. I included a few pictures of Provence below from our trip a years ago.
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| "Hipstamatic" view from the garden of our friend who lives in Cadenet |
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| Ricky and I at Lourmarin Market |
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| Bread and tapenades at the Lourmarin Market |
I don’t read a lot of women’s fiction, but this was an enjoyable evening’s visit to France. I learned new facts about Provence while
reading this novel and discovered places to add to my “To See List” for
our next trip. I also appreciate
Sands’ recurring themes of women, aging and travel. Patricia Sands has an attractive and comprehensive
website, which is worth a visit.
In the
epilogue to The Promise of Provence, Sands informs readers that Katherine’s journey isn’t over at the end of this
novel. There will be a sequel. While I enjoyed this book for its setting, I’m
not sure I need to know the rest of the story, but you never know.
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| Elusive Sara Rosett Kindle e-book |
The police and FBI
descend on the scene and seem to think Zoe is working with Jack to fake his
death in order to cover up fraudulent business practices. They suspect Jack killed his partner, then
faked his own drowning. Zoe doesn’t know
what to think. The more she learns about
her ex-husband, the more he is a stranger to her.
Someone in a brown
car starts tailing Zoe, which is both annoying and alarming. Zoe wants to
solve the mystery so she will no longer be a person of interest. She follows
clues to Las Vegas where she finds she is in more danger than she
realized. The key to the puzzle seems to
lie in Venice so Zoe soon finds herself overseas, but there is no safety there
either.
Elusive was another BookBub e-book
selection, and with part of the mystery set in Venice, I was interested in reading
the book. I enjoy books with overseas
settings, especially places I’ve visited.
It’s a way to return briefly to that locale. Because the action picks up in Venice, Zoe
doesn’t do much sightseeing, but the backdrop of Venice and the canals are an essential component of the story's climax.
So I decided to include some photos of Venetian canals taken when my mother and I visited Venice. (You may click on photos to enlarge them for better viewing.)
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| Gondolas ready to take people on tour of Venice waterways. |
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| Water taxis take guests to the islands. |
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| A police boat patrols the canals. |
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| Venetian canal with Bridge of Sighs |
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| Back alley waterway in Venice |
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| Weathered walls of buildings on canal side |
Once you accept the
premise of Rosett’s series, it’s enjoyable escapist fare, but don’t analyze it
too closely. I liked the characters and kept reading to see what happens to
them. Elusive is the first in the “On the Run International Mystery” series
written by Rosett. Other books in the
series are Secretive, Deceptive and Suspicious. This isn’t the
most nuanced mystery you will read, but Elusive
held my attention. If you grew up
watching “The Fugitive” on TV, you will probably like this series.
Click here
to visit Rosett's website. She writes another popular cozy mystery series featuring Ellie Queen, but Elusive is the only book I've read by this author.
