Nine Perfect Strangers, by Liane Moriarty A fascinating novel. Masha, a driven executive, completely changes her life after a medical emergency. A heart attack and an out-of-body experience causes her to make new decisions. She quits the corporate rat race and embarks on running a health resort - a spa in an out of the way rural setting. Nine individuals, for various reasons, come to her spa for a 10 day makeover. There's more to their experience than meets the eye! Surprises are in store! The book deals with health, friendship, lonliness, insecurity, heartbreak, anger, grief, addiction, and love. As i said, fascinating!

Here I Am Again

It has been such a long time since I have been here. I haven't been reading books lately but I'm trying to get back to it. I spend way too much time on my phone, scrolling Facebook and playing Solitaire games and word games like Wordle, Seven Little Words, Alphaguess, WordHurdle. I have several books I haven't read yet, and have occasionally tried one, only to tire of it and put it down unfinished. I finally picked one that I actually read! A love story by Richard Paul Evans, The Last Promise. I had bought it at a yard sale in 2013 and never got around to reading it until this month. It was interesting, it kept me involved and wanting to find out what happens. There was a happy ending, which I like in a book, but it seemed a little too pat. I don't want to spoil it in case anyone reading this doesn't want to be spoiled, but I will say that the actions of the "villain" in the story were uncharacteristic to his previous words and actions. This left me feeling a little bewildered and let down. Eliana (formerly Ellen of Utah, USA) is living in the family villa of her Italian husband, Maurizio with him and their son Alessio, a delicate, sickly boy who suffers from asthma. Maurizio's sister, Anna also lives in an apartment in the villa. A third apartment is rented out. An American man who speak fluent Italian soon moves into the vacant rooms. I'll now look for another book to read from my collection. Maybe a John Grisham or a Maeve Binchy. April 8, 2026