plans can go wrong!

In the movie, Maggie's Plan, plans do go wrong! Maggie finds out, to her chagrin, sometimes when you get everything you want, you don't want it! Her plan to have a baby on her own derails when she falls in love with a married man. Funny, quirky, and gently ironic, this is an entertaining film. good acting by Ethan Hawke and Greta Gerwig. ML

A Cook's Travels

Naomi Duguid, author of  Taste of Persia, is a well traveled woman. This cookbook, in photos and recipes celebrates the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and Kurdistan. The author traveled through these countries, and took many of the wonderful photos in the book. These are cultures that many of us will never visit, much less eat the food. There is much information on these countries, as well as many photographs. Wouldn't it be lovely to have some mint tea and eggplant or leek pate with crackers? If you are very hungry some Pomegranate-Marinated Kebabs with Herbed Persian Rice, yoghurt and pickles would satisfy! Just a lovely exploration of food and culture. ML

The Trouble with Mistletoe

The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis is a contemporary romance that has you smiling all throughout and in the end, leaves you with warm, light and fuzzy feelings.

Pet shop owner Willa Davis and house renovator Keane Winters become a factor in each other's lives when he's entrusted to care for his aunt's crazy, much loved cat and chooses to enlist the help of a cat sitter. What he doesn't realize is that Willa and he have met before, he has no recollection whilst Willa still owns the scars. The reader soon discovers that Keane was not so gentlemanly at high school and left a hurtful mark on our heroine. *JK*

Fabulous Fashion

There is nothing better than a little black dress! That’s what Morris Siegel says and he should know—he’s been a designer for 75 years. This year, on the eve of his retirement, he reaps his just reward---the IT dress of the season on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily—a much coveted fashion coup! Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen takes an inside look at the lives of several women. The story follows the adventures of a model, an actress, a salesgirl, a private investigator and a few others who find themselves in possession of the little black dress. This is a short, sweet, feel-good story about fashion and life! DB

DIY--My Way!

Looking for a DIY project with a shortcut? Pick up I Modify IKEA: Furnishings from Everyone's Favorite Store, Customized for Your Home by Elyse Major and Charlotte Rivers for some great ideas. The book includes over 40 creative modifications to furnishings for every room of the house. The projects range from easy to difficult with most being completed in under 6 hours.

If you like IKEA and want to have some design fun—this book is for you! DB

What the Duke Doesn't Know

What the Duke Doesn't Know is a sweet and original regency romance that improves as it goes along. It is the second in Jane Ashford's The Duke's Sons series about the six sons of the Duke of Langford.
Lord James Gresham is the fifth son of the Duke of Langford and a captain in the navy when his ship is abruptly decommissioned. Now floundering around Oxford, James is trying to decide what comes next for him. While visiting his brother and sister in law, James is suddenly attacked by a young woman wearing breeches, brandishing a gun, and accusing him of stealing her inheritance.
Kawena Benson is the daughter of an English gentleman and his Polynesian wife. She has traveled all the way to England to search out Lord James and insist that he return her stolen jewels. When it is resolved that James doesn't have Kawena's gems, he offers to assist her in her quest and the two are forced into traveling together across England in their search. *JK*