Book Review: Lord Dashwood Missed Out by Tessa Dare

From the back of the book:

A snowstorm hath no fury like a spinster scorned!

Miss Elinora Browning grew up yearning for the handsome, intelligent lord-next-door...but he left England without a word of farewell. One night, inspired by a bit too much sherry, Nora poured out her heartbreak on paper. Lord Dashwood Missed Out was a love letter to every young lady who'd been overlooked by gentlemen--and an instant bestseller. Now she's on her way to speak in Spindle Cove when snowy weather delays her coach. She's forced to wait out the storm with the worst possible companion: Lord Dashwood himself.

And he finally seems to have noticed her.

George Travers, Lord Dashwood, has traveled the globe as a cartographer. He returned to England with the goal of marrying and creating an heir-only to find his reputation shredded by an audacious, vexingly attractive bluestocking and her poison pen. Lord Dashwood Missed Out, his arse. Since Nora Browning seems to believe he overlooked the passion of a lifetime, Dash challenges her to prove it.

She has one night.

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I think I own most of the books in Dare’s Spindle Cove series but as yet have only read one or two. As this is a novella and would be quite a quick read, I decided not to wait until I’d read the books in the right order but instead jump right into this one.

The premise is fun and something a wee bit different from normal while still sticking to a familiar pattern of young love turning into something real.

Miss Elinora Browning - Nora - is a great character. She’s feisty and fierce while still being true to her bluestocking roots. She felt true to the time period and I could relate to her meaning that I was rooting for her happy ever after.

Interspersed in the book are chapters that bring you to Spindle Cove and those waiting out the snow storm to hear Nora speak of her famous - or infamous - pamphlet. These are the parts that give you a glimpse of the characters of the previous books in the Spindle Cove series, especially Griff and Pauline from Any Duchess Will Do and the heroes from the previous novels. As I said, I’ve not read all the books but these snippets and the banter between the gents has really made me want to pull the Spindle Cove books out and get to reading. Genuinely funny with ease and interesting banter between these characters.

This is the same with Dare’s writing throughout this story. It’s smart, funny and really flows. It’s an easy read and that, in part, is down to the way in which you’re drawn into the story.

So, why didn’t I rate this book higher? Well, I blame George Travers, Lord Dashwood aka Dash. I just couldn’t take to him. Now, I could totally understand his anger at the pamphlet that Nora wrote - she wasn’t exactly subtle about who she was talking about. I could accept if he hadn’t found her attractive when they were younger and hadn’t contemplated marriage. I could even accept that it was definitely a good thing that the pair hadn’t married all those years ago. What I couldn’t accept was his attitude and his manner with Nora. He was rude, condescending (and not in that ‘he’s arrogant but he really cares’ kind of way that I can totally get behind) and his goads and taunts felt borderline mean. Oh, he did get better towards the end of the book and I believed in their intimacy and their happily ever after - I just couldn’t really forgive him for his attitude when he and Nora first reconnected. I do like to hold a grudge!

A fun book with lots going on, an unusual premise and a witty and clever writing style - this is one I would recommend if you want to complete your Spindle Cove collection or introduce yourself to Tessa Dare’s writing. Shame that it couldn’t have been a wee bit better - I blame George!

3 stars. 

Spindle Cove series in order:

Book One: A Night to Surrender

Novella: Once Upon a Winter's Eve

Book Two: A Week to be Wicked

Book Three: A Lady by Midnight

Novella: Beauty and the Blacksmith

Book Four: Any Duchess Will Do

Novella: Lord Dashwood Missed Out

Book Five: Do You Want to Start a Scandal?

Pancakes - good or bad?

Happy Pancake Day!

I have to admit that I wasn't very smart when I did my menu plan for this week and on the table tonight is actually baked chicken Parmesan meatballs in tomato cream sauce - fancy! - instead of pancakes.

In Scotland we have Scotch pancakes instead of crepes on Shrove Tuesday. Of course, we just call them pancakes! I think the English call them dropped scones to differentiate them from pancakes aka crepes. Did I ever mention that all these nationalities that make up the British are properly weird!!?

I'll just have to hope that someone will bring in pancakes to work today so I don't have to go without on a day where you're allowed to treat yourself.

But that bothers me. Why am I "allowed" to treat myself on this day and not others? And for that matter, why do we label some foods as "good" and some as "bad"? Who's to decide which is which?

It's making me think of the ways in which we label our foods

I've noticed that there is so much pressure on people these days. As much as I love the internet, you see the lives of other people and assume that they are superwomen with high-powered jobs, clean houses, well-behaved kids and rocking bodies. Unlike me, you tell yourself.

Fear not - you can have all that, too, according to the media etc. All you have to do is undertake this diet, follow this plan, avoid these pitfalls, get up at 4am and have a positive attitude.

It's bloody exhausting.

And then I've got to create a perfect meal in just 15 minutes and am given this never ending list of  what's good and what's bad. Cheese is too high in fat, chocolate is high fat, dairy is, well, dairy, meat is evil, vegetables have too much sugar, potatoes have carbs - it's enough to drive you to drink. And yay, you can have a glass of wine because it's high in anti-oxidents. But don't have wine because you'll raise your risk of whatever disease you can think of!

Sigh! I'll just sit here and chew my piece of parsley, then.

In my own case, my Ulcerative Colitis means that I have extra problems with what I can eat. I can't tolerate seeds, nuts or grains - so wholemeal things are out the window. It's white bread all the way. The "bad" bread! Vegetables do things to me that I won't upset y'all by talking about (begins with p- and ends with -oop) and plenty of other "good" things leave me in agony.

So I've decided that the people who designate things as "good" or "bad" don't know what they're talking about as every single person is different.

But no-one should finish eating and feel such guilt over whether they have eaten enough of the "good" stuff. No-one should decide to skip meals because they think it's healthier than eating "bad" foods.

No-one should feel any guilt over food at all.

So my new motto is this:

If we take away the guilt over the foods we're told are "bad" and we stop telling ourselves that these foods are forbidden temptations - they lose their hold over us.

Have as much chocolate cake as you like.

Drink as much coffee as you want.

But...and here's the hard bit...remember that having a licence to do something doesn't mean you should do it all the time.

Just know that you're allowed to treat yourself to a piece of cake when you've been sweating your arse off (sorry for the swearing, mum!) or not eating snacks between meals for a week.

You're allowed to do whatever you want. Just listen to your body, learn to hear the signals of what it needs (rather than just wants) and food will stop becoming an obsession and start becoming a real pleasure.

So that's what' I'm giving up for Lent - labelling food as "good" or "bad" in order to stop my terrible obsession with food.

And now, since this has been a bit of a ranty post - I will leave you with the recipe of my favourite pancakes from Be-ro.

Ingredients

100g (4oz) Self Raising Flour
50g (2oz) salt
1 medium egg
4 x 15ml tbsp milk to mix
few drops lemon essence (optional)


Method

1	Mix flour, salt and sugar, add egg and gradually beat in enough milk to make a thick batter.
2	Add essence, if used.
3	Cook 2 or 3 at a time by dropping spoonfuls of the mixture on a moderately hot, well-greased griddle.
4	Cook until the underside is golden brown and the top is covered with bubbles, about 3 minutes.
5	Turn and brown on the other side. Serve buttered, hot or cold.
	N.B A baking griddle should be well-greased, then heated until a little water sprinkled on the surface skips about in balls, evaporating. A frying pan makes a good substitute

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

My lovely papa turned the grand old age of 61 years young yesterday.

Or, as I like to lovingly remind him, the start of his 62nd year!

We had presents… of course, but Dad ripped them open and whipped them away to use/play with before I could snap a picture!

There was coffee and scones at Lochend Farm.

Then the family was supposed to gather to eat, drink and laugh...but one of our crew (naming no names - Jason) got Man Flu and the gathering was postponed for 2 weeks!

But the rest of us sat down for a good tea of mince and tatties - Dad’s favourite! Followed by an orange cheesecake complete with candle and obligatory 'happy birthday' sing-song! Poor Tilly was terrified!

Now, in honour of my dear dad, here are some pics…

I always manage to drag him to places that I’m not sure he thinks are very sane to venture.

This, and many of my other quirks and, well, annoyances, leaves his usual expression around me something like this:

So, happy birthday to my dad! Hope you had a lovely day and that your 62nd year is the best one ever.

Love you!

Birthday vector designed by Freepik

Yay for grammar!

I have a confession - I am a grammar pedant without any real understanding of the rules and regulations of the English language.

Due to a woeful lack of decent English language education coupled with a previous teenage indifference to ‘how’ my language actually works - I am now left bereft of any real grammatical smarts. Which really sucks when trying to win an argument about how something is said.

And I find there are a lot of people to argue with these days. (I'm taking creative licence by starting by sentence with 'and' in case you're wondering!!)

However, I was tickled when I saw this on the news today.

It seems like it’s not just me who puts stock in good grammar.

Yay!

The last time I did online dating I received a message from a man that said something along the lines of:

….tumbleweed….

It’s unfair to ask if there are no decent men left who know how to construct a sentence…so I’ll instead ask ‘are there no decent men who want to date me that also know how to construct a sentence'?!

So this news story brought joy to my heart.

Happy infographic time!

 

Now I just need to re-read this post a few hundred times to make very sure that I haven't made any grammatical errors!

As a final note - remember, folks - good grammar is sexy!

Starting Afresh: Take 2

I'm going to be brutally honest - January has been a bit shit for me.

Rather than being excited and enthusiastic about the whole 'fresh start' and 'chance to change my life' like I usually am - I'll admit that it's been a blur of bad choices, upset and a hopelessness that has almost become the norm in my day-to-day life.

And the worst thing is - I have no idea why.

I know that depression is a flaw in chemistry rather than character - but boy is it hard not to blame yourself when you're feeling low, you don't know what's wrong and basically nobody can help.

You can help yourself, that you know - if only you can build up the enthusiasm.

Mentally and physically.

And when you can't it just reinforces the fact that this is all your fault. You are to blame for all your problems. Real, imagined, mentally and physically.

Things have changed to some degree. Despite having quite a good mask, my boss pulled me aside at the beginning of the month and questioned me about how I was feeling. She has a surprising ability to see beyond the image I present to the world. It's both appreciated and bloody annoying.

Being a crier - I cried at work until she forced me to see a doctor.

So I did. And cried some more.

He gave me new pills - yay - and the number of a therapist - yuch!

I don't like this second option for two reasons:

1) The first therapist I had was less than helpful. In fact, I'd go as far as to wonder how on earth she managed to get any kind of qualification to help those in need. Sheesh.

2) I'm an introvert. I. HATE. PHONES.

 

Last but not least in my tale of January is my weight.

As I'm sure I've moaned about before eloquently expressed previously, a couple of years ago I took a course of steroids to control my ulcerative colitis and ended up being a slave to the side effects. I.e. the munchies. Witness me ballooning by 2 stone.

Well, 2 stone turned into 3 and is continuing to creep up due to my sugar addiction and, well, my sheer laziness.

So January was a chance to get my eating under control and getting back to exercising.

February 1st is my first weigh in.

I decided to do a pre-weigh in today (January 31st) to see how I was doing.

The answer to that question was +5lb of not very well.

 

So that's it now - February begins the start of a new phase of my life.

My new mantra is this:

 

So that's me starting afresh - take 2!

10 Reasons to Read Romance

Reading has always been something that I loved to do. I was always the kid who would go back to school after the summer holiday with their reading sheet filled in on both sides (and an extra piece of paper for good measure) with all the books I had devoured.

I did suffer a lull when I hit my teens. At the time when I was a teenager there was a distinct lack of books that were aimed at my age range - more grown-up than a children’s book but not as ‘boring’ as all those adult books (please read in a know-it-all teenage voice!).

And then my mum introduced me to romance novels…

I should use this moment to thank my mum. The writers, printers, publishers and my bank manager would also like to thank my mum for the fact that her introduction has led to me single handedly keeping the romance industry afloat!

And so my obsession began.

And this obsession makes me happy. So, as the first part of my New Year’s resolution towards happiness, I have committed myself to reading a book every week.

And it’s even official since I’ve memorialised it by signing up for the reading challenge on GoodReads. Eeeek!

So, with that in mind, here are 10 reasons why it’s good to read (and specifically romance).

1. Stress reduction

I’m sure everyone at one time or another has felt stressed out - whether it’s for something huge like interviewing for a new job or something small likes the fact that someone continues to leave the toilet seat up. Or it could just be a general anxiety and stress over everyday living. Stress doesn’t discriminate.

But no matter how much stress you have or how often you have it - it is now scientifically proven that getting lost in a good book does you good and can actually reduce stress levels by 68%.

Read for just six minutes and your heart rate slows down, your muscles relax, your blood pressure lowers and your cognitive function increases. Reading works even better at reducing stress than listening to music, exercising or having a cup of tea. But I would still have a cup of tea when you sit down with your book like the doctors have now ordered you to do. Result.

2. Book boyfriends

Not only is your book boyfriend sexy, intelligent, understanding but you can have more than one of them on the go at any one time and no-one will think anything about your morals or character. You could be in bed with Jamie Fraser, on a carriage ride with Mr Darcy or even visiting the hardware store with Christian Grey - all at the same time. *swoon*

3. You will learn to read and speak good

When I was a teen and first started reading romance books, I kept a notepad by my bed where I wrote down all the words that I didn’t know. I wrote down a lot of words.

Over the years my vocabulary, spelling and grammar have increased exponentially and I feel properly smart now. All from reading romance novels.

As a bonus, if you prefer historical romance then you will find yourself well versed in words and phrases from days of old.

Conversations become so much more fun.

“Why, that fair damsel o’er there indubitably has a gigglemug.”

4. Happily. Ever. After.

If you like to read stories where the main character dies, where there’s some great moral lesson to be learned, or when the girl and guy can’t make it work, then that’s absolutely fine.

For me though, I have enough depression in my life that I don’t need to be reading of more sadness, tragedy and woe.

I want uplifting, happy stories where I don’t have to worry about what the outcome will be because I know it will end happily. It always ends happily and that’s the way I like it. In romance novels it always snows on Christmas, one of the couple always comes into a fortune right when it’s most required, and wind makes hair tousle rather than tangle. If that’s not happiness I don’t know what is.

5. To live vicariously through the characters

I’ve done a lot of things.

• I’ve owned a number of cupcake shops without having to bake or speak to any customers.
• I’ve been a lawyer without having to go to school for half my life.
• I’ve lived in the 19th century while still having access to good plumbing and decent medical care
• I’ve been kidnapped by a pirate without having to expose my hair to the sea air. Frizz - shudder!
• And I’ve fallen in love more times than I can count all because I read romance.

6. Love is awesome

What’s lovelier than love?

Love is the strongest force on earth and there is absolutely no shame in wanting to read and revel in it every day of your life. It’s what most of us, man or woman, aspire to attain after all.

7. You will realise you’re not weird after all

Have you ever worried that you’re a little bit odd? That you think or say things that other ‘normal’ people would never dream of? That no-one else is as strange as you are?

Well, when you read a romance you will find the heroines are far from perfect. They all have quirks and foibles but guess what? - the hero loves them anyway.

And as an added bonus, reading worlds, characters and scenarios dreamed up in someone else’s head will help your brain expand and, added with your own quirks, will make you a whole lot weirder than you ever dreamed possible. But by the time you’re addicted to reading, you’ll realise that being weird is absolutely bloody perfect!

8. You can use it as covert cover

While reading is definitely fun, sometimes being seemingly engrossed in a book can reap other rewards. Peeking over the top of your book in a restaurant or train station can help you covertly ogle good looking men. People are also more likely to assume that your engrossment means you aren’t fully concentrating on conversations going on around you. Sit and read your book in the office lunch room and you might just catch folk at the next table divulging a juicy piece of workplace gossip!

Or, at the very least, people will (hopefully) not talk to you if you have your nose stuck in a book.

9. You can make new friends

I’m actually not talking about friends in books (as good as those are) but you will soon find yourself able to talk to people about things that others have no clue what you’re talking about. “Oh, did you see that Jane has left Mr Rochester’s house? She’s maaaaad at him!” Yes, in no time at all you’ll be confusing characters and events in your book with real life. When you start inadvertently speaking about this in public, or on social media, someone else will invariably join in and boom - you have a friend for life. A friend you can talk to about romance novels! Yay!

10. Medicine for the soul

I love this statement from Maya Rodale: “Critics say romance novels are fluffy, escapist literature--as if that's a bad thing. I say romance novels are like a cold medicine that lets you get a good night's sleep or a pain reliever that takes the edge off your headache. They're the little bit of help and hope we need to carry on.”

To paraphrase: reading romance is like medicine for the soul.

Starting Afresh

I love New Year.

I love the possibilities. The chance to start anew and reinvent yourself. To make those dreams a reality and become the person that you’ve always wanted to be.

It’s strange then, that I find it really hard to start things off and get things moving.

Planning is my forte. I absolutely love it.

But then it’s time to start with my grand plans and I get cold feet.

I’m not actually sure why that is but I find it difficult to get the momentum to get things going.

Perhaps I’m afraid that if I begin then I’m accountable for how it goes including potential failure. I’m a perfectionist, after all, and don’t do well when things don’t go perfectly. And yes, I know that’s ridiculous and unrealistic.

But this year will be different. 2016 will be my year; a year of changes, wonder, dreams coming true and ultimately happiness.

And that is my new year’s resolution for 2016: find happiness.

That’s not to say that I won’t have supplementary resolutions but they’ll all be in pursuit of my main goal this year - to be happy.

How I get there is obviously fundamental but for the moment I’m satisfied with my primary resolution is ‘simply’ to be happy.