DH Went Grocery Shopping!

Hello, gentle readers! 

As you may know, I do my grocery shopping on Sundays (I also clean out the fridge). Well, this week, I decided to let my DH go instead. Why? Well, that’s a good question—one for which I don't have an answer. Was I out of my mind at the time? Perhaps. Was I thinking maybe he’d want to do this? Considering the amount of arm-twisting, I’d have to say No, but he did concede to go. 

Now, I do make a list. It’s a simple list. Ketchup. Mayo. Something for dinner that night (yes, that’s actually what I write – something for dinner. I usually decide that while I’m shopping). Milk. You get the idea. 

For him to go? Not so simple. I had to get very, very specific. Heinz Ketchup, 38 oz bottle (not the store brand or any other brand). Best Foods Mayonnaise (Hellman’s to those of you living east of the Rockies), 30 ounce jar (not Kraft, not the store brand, and not Miracle Whip). Chicken of the Sea chunk light tuna in water, 5 ounce can, etc. Skim Milk, 1 gallon. On some of the items, I actually had to write where in the store those items can be found (deli, frozen foods, produce)! And even with all this, he still texted me to ask questions. 

Let me tell you why I think this is so unusual and odd. My DH and I have been married almost 40 years, together over 41. One would assume he would know what I buy when I grocery shop, considering he’s been using those products for all those years. But no. He doesn’t. This astounds me (is it me or do I expect too much?). 

Oh, and don’t change the colors on the box or anything like that, because he’ll never see it in the pantry. Case in point, I buy the Kroger brand saltine crackers. Well, a while back, they changed the packaging. My DH stood in the pantry, looking straight at it, but didn’t see it because the box had changed. When I pulled it out of the pantry, he said he didn’t think those were the saltines. I did ask what he thought they were, but he couldn’t answer. 

I think next week, I’ll just go myself. It’s easier! 

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie 

READER INTERVIEW ~ Lenna 😀

Today, I am excited to be interviewing Lenna Hendershott, who lives in Oregon.

 Welcome Lenna!

Lexi: How did you get into reading romance novels?

Lenna: I’ve been a reader since middle school, and at the time it was safe to ride the city bus to the public library alone. I read the mythology and biography kids section through and by then the librarian pointed me to more books. I was in high school by then and I read all of Mary Stewart and Victoria Holts books and was pointed to Georgette Heyer and read all of hers. By then I took a break in college and found a copy Bertrice Small’s Adora and Sergeanne Golon’s Angelique and I was hooked.

Lexi: What are you good at?

Lenna: Everything crafty, especially with textiles, paper and beads. I love art. I have oil painted, knit & crochet, even made a fisherman’s sweater for my high school boyfriend. I love counted cross stitch and making charm bracelets which I have done for HRR-Historical Romance Retreat. I’m their “Charm Angel” making the scavenger hunt charm bracelets for the event. I also sew. I learned at 4 thanks to my mother who was self taught and made middle and high school clothes out of necessity. I made many of my children’s baby and toddler clothes and now I make historical costumes for attending HRR.

Lexi: Now I see why you like my mom's creations so much.  You two would get along wonderfully!

Lexi: What makes you happy?

Lenna: Creating and helping brighten other people’s day. I try to give at least one person a day a compliment, even if it’s “that color looks good on you”. Someone once told me my smile was a gift, so I try to gift it to everyone I meet.

Lexi: You have such a great outlook on life.  I love having people like you around! 

Lexi: Tell me about your significant other.

Lenna: My husband of 41 years this month, just retired from being a sole practitioner attorney. We were high school classmates but didn’t date until college. He was our Sunday school VP and he was so cute. He drove a Triumph Spitfire convertible and I called him for a ride when my car broke down. I made sure to wear my mini-skirts as he is a leg man…..

Lexi: Happy anniversary! 💗

Lexi: What’s your average day look like?

Lenna: Right now pretty boring as I’m under “Covid house arrest” given my multitude of health issues. Before it was Exercise classed at our local rec center M-F mornings and computer emails/FB in the afternoons and running errands & doctor appointments. Evenings were making dinner, watching TV & reading with my husband. I really miss my chair yoga and deep water aerobics classes that helped me be with people, kept my weight down and blood sugars in easier control.

Lexi: I hope you've been able to do some excercising at home. Like you said, health is everything, especially when someone has challenges.

Lexi: Who made the biggest impact on your life?

Lenna: That’s a hard question, many people have. First my mother, who was my best friend and a fountain of wisdom even though she didn’t know it. I also was influenced by one of my kids Sunday school teachers. She was such an awesome role model of the best Christian woman I could imagine. Then there was author Karen Ranney who helped me through some really hard years in my life, even though we never got to meet. She was there for me through her blog and emails when I felt alone and overwhelmed. I miss her imput now that she passed away suddenly this year. I still don’t know what took her.

Lexi: Oh, I didn't realize Karen had passed.  I used to read her books when I started on romances. 😢

Lexi: Do you have any pets?

Lenna: We always have one cat. My husband and I love cats and he’s a bit allergic so it’s only one short hair. Currently it’s Rascal who is 4-5 years old that we rescued from a widow who was left with her husband’s 2 cats. Rascal was beating up his litter sister in his grief over losing his human he’d bonded with. He’s now very firmly bonded with my husband and talks us to death! I’ve never had a cat who could out “talk” my toddlers but he does!

Lexi: Sounds like Rascal is a real character!

Lexi: What are you proud of?

Lenna: That my husband and I have raised 2 very successful children. Both are college graduates and have great jobs that are salary with full benefits. So far no grandchildren but I am ever hopeful, lol. Our daughter and her husband bought the house I grew up in and lives on the other side of town. She’s the Assistant Manager of our city’s Victoria’s Secret and before Covid sent her all over the area helping out the other stores when they had problems. Our son is a Construction Engineer with a local Sand & Gravel company here in town. They send him all over the area to oversee jobs and makes bids on jobs for the company. They were sending him out of town to get extra education for things at the company to help them be better, before Covid. He’s living with his serious girlfriend as she finished her degree in Computer Programming & Networking at OSU. 

Lexi: I'm so glad to hear that your children are doing well and everyone is safe.

Lexi: Okay, now it's time for the quickies!

Dark-haired hero or light-haired?  Dark
Hot and spicy or sweet and chaste?  Hot & spicy
Beard or no beard?  Trimmed beard
Chest hair or no chest hair? Chest Hair
Morning person or night person?  Night (but not as late as I used to be, lol)
Coffee or tea?  COFFEE!
Cats or dogs? Cats
Hero with long hair or short?  Long but NOT a man bun!
Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds – glittery stones
Hiking or swimming? Hiking

Lexi: Lenna, this is awesome!!  Thank you so much for answering my questions; I learned so much about you! 😊

New Release ~ WOLF BLOODED by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

 

Wolf Blooded

(A Wolf Moon Series Standalone)

by

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

~Blurb~

"Do you happen to know where I can find a werewolf around here?"

The hunt is on for a cold-blooded killer. Sexy Miami detective Zane Daley might stand in the way because he has a dangerous secret.

Will he share that secret with beautiful Kennedy Gray, who offers herself up as bait to prove her father's murderer isn't human?

Or will helping her prove deadly for them both?

~Buy Links~

AMAZON     BARNES & NOBLE     KOBO     APPLE

~About the Author~  

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom is an award-winning author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy novels and novellas, with more than 40 books in the realms of the supernatural. She has written books for Kensington Publishing, Amazon Montlake, HarperCollins/Harlequin Nocturne and Desire, and GothicScapes... and has a Muse that sings madly to her most of the time.

~Contact Me Here~

Take a look at Linda's website

Visit Linda on Facebook

Follow Linda on Amazon

Check out Linda on Bookbub

Veronica Reviews: BOTTLE IT UP by Lisa Shelby

 

Bottle It Up

(A Between the Pines Novel, Book 3)

by

Lisa Shelby

★★★★★ 
Contemporary Romance

“You want to be mine?”

“I already am…”

Emmett and Josh are lifelong best friends, who made a pact if neither of them were married when they turned 30, they would marry each other.  Now that time has come, and Josh West is one of the most eligible Hollywood bachelors on the market…but his fame and fortune is coming with a price, and Emmett, reminding him of their pinky promise, comes to his rescue.  Being his fake finance for a couple years doesn’t seem like the worst idea she ever had, but then again, she never counted on meeting verra large and in charge smexxy bodyguard Max Hopper…

With nothing but Emmett’s safety in mind, Max Hopper becomes her shadow and a constant reminder of all she wants in a lover…but as the threats to Josh’s career as well as Emmett’s life start hitting closer to home, Emmett must make tough decisions…to either be true to her heart or to support her lifelong friend…

Oh dear Reader, this book is tough to review without spoiling the slow burn romance between smexxy bodyguard Max and Emmett!  Beautifully written with all the feels, you’ll want to bottle up all your swoons for your next book boyfriend!  While the third installment in the Between the Pines series, this may be read stand alone.  Highly recommend!

Sharing what I love, Veronica

 

 

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

AMAZON BUY LINK

Her Eyes Underwater by Romona Simon

Two psychologically tested personalities run this story based in the 1970's.  

Julia, rich and lonely, put in a law program at the University of Montana by her parents, decides her best option is to go to a warmly established coffee house and pick up the best looking guy she can find. I like the start of this. 

Alex is out to find someone also and stumbles into the same coffee house.  Good looking enough to eat, Julia confronts him as her new prey.  She's quite forward and I can look forward to the results of this. 

Little does she know, but they have something in common.  He's also a student in the same program, which for unknown reasons turns him off.  Maybe he doesn't like smart women, maybe his mood has shifted.

 Romona Simon shifts the characters from law program at a university to law  school, which are drastically different.  I chose to consider the students at a university because they did not take the classes seriously and seldom showed up.  At a law school that would be a dismissal, and I'm afraid the author is not aware of her topic.

I moved on from the education inconsistencies and want to focus on Julia and Alex.  Julia is extremely petty and jealous, so I hope her attitude matures.  Alex has many facets and no one is as handsome as he's portrayed as any female within sight falls and swoons all over him. 

Here's the bloody meat of the story...Alex continually avoids Julia.  Julia chases him, which isn't an attractive attribute, yet I can't help but root for her because he seems to be an ass.

Although, there is an almost sentimental reason he avoids her. 

When women are killed in the community, it's a good thing Julia doesn't follow him everywhere.  The crux to this incident is that the reader must get the next story to see if Alex straightens out and if Julia doesn't have to play hide-and-seek with him.

I prefer a solid ending when a story claims "The End," but if you don't mind, get the next story and fill me in!  

Happy reading!

Dawn

 

Fall Into A Book Giveaway ~ ONE DAY ONLY - Isn't It Romantic Book Club

 

I have some exciting news for you!!

On Friday, September 18^th, over 100 authors, including me, will converge for a 1-day only event in the Isn’t It Romantic Book Club. There will be lots of fun, games, and prizes given away all day long along with the opportunity to meet new authors.  Then that’s it…it’s gone until next year! 

So don’t miss out on all the fun – click the link below to join the group and don't forget to invite your friends!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/isntitromanticbookclub/

*Prizes will be awarded on Saturday, September 19^th

READER INTERVIEW ~ Tracy 😀

Today, I am excited to be interviewing Tracy Antorcha, who is chatting with me from Florida.  Welcome Tracy!

Lexi: What makes you happy?
Tracy: Reading good books, purring cats, and the beach

Lexi: What is your favorite dessert?
Tracy:  Cheesecake

 Lexi: What is your favorite color?
Tracy: Purple 💜

Lexi: What is your favorite time of day?
Tracy: Sunrise
Lexi: Why do you like the sunrise? 

Tracy: I like sunrise because it’s the start of a new day, and it’s beautiful. I used to be a ‘night owl’ but after I had kids, that all changed!  Lol  Now that the kids are grown and I am older, I like to go to bed early and get up early.

 Lexi: The only time I see that time of day is if I stay up that long.  LOL

Lexi: Do you collect anything?  If so, what?        

Tracy: Seashells
Lexi: What started you collecting seashells?

Tracy: I stared collecting seashells when I realized there was such a huge variety to be had.  I only collect ones that are visible on the beach, no digging for them and no looking under water for them.  It’s fun to walk on the beach and find them – good exercise, too! 😀

Lexi: My sister loves finding things on the beach as well.  It's wonderful that you respect the environment while still being able to enjoy nature's beauty.  I hear you about the exercise! 

Lexi: If you could have dinner with one famous person, who would you choose?

Tracy: Stephen King
Lexi: You must tell me why you would like to have dinner with Stephen King!

Tracy: I fell in love with Stephen King books in high school.  Someone handed me the book “The Shining” to read, and I was hooked!! My favorite is The Stand, and the Dark Tower series.  I feel he writes about those thoughts that are in the back of your mind (that may be horrible) and that you wrestle with keeping at bay.  Ray and I and the kids went on vacation to Maine on year, and we did a drive by his house.  That was pretty cool! Lol
Lexi:  My favorite book of his is also The Stand. I can't believe you drove by Stephen King's house. How awesome!

Lexi: Where is your flotilla (when it meets)?
Tracy: Currently we are in Florida, not far from Fort Lauderdale.
Lexi: I hope everyone is safe in your flotilla.  I know at least one person in Bob's has had COVID, but the man survived, thankfully. 

Lexi: Lets jump into the quickie questions before I let you go!

Hot and spicy or sweet and chaste?  Hot and spicy
Hot weather or cold? Hot
Morning person or night person? Morning
Beach or mountains? Beach
Cats or dogs? Cats
Rent or own? Rent
Gown or sundress? Sundress
Flip flops or sneakers? Flip flops
Cottage or penthouse? Cottage
Recliner or easy chair? Recliner

Lexi: Thanks so much for sharing with me, Tracy.  I enjoyed learning more about you. 😊