Today I’m sharing my article for Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord Blog Magazine I recently shared there. The topic of this month’s discussion is Life Lessons 101 – Words Matter. Welcome back to my Life Lessons 101… More
Writer’s Tips – September Edition – Name Generators, #WordPress, Kindlepreneur
Welcome to September edition of my curated Writer’s Tips. In this edition, Diana Peach is at The Story Empire with a post sharing various Name Generators for our book characters, Hugh Roberts shares some helpful tips on how to solve WordPress issues, and the Kindlepreneur breaks down differences between being a writer and an author.
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Diana Peach at The Story Empire talking about Name Generators for characters and places
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Hugh Roberts with some helpful tips for WordPress problems
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The Kindlepreneur talks about the differences between Writers and Authors
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©DGKaye2024
Sunday Book Review – When We Were Friends by Jane Green #shortstory
Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing a short story read from my monthly free Amazon reads – When We Were Friends by Jane Green.
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Blurb:
From New York Times bestselling author Jane Green comes a riveting story about a friendship that turns ugly when a woman realizes her new best friend is not what she seems.
By all accounts, Lucy’s handled her divorce well. She’s finally in the cozy, plant-filled house of her dreams. And although she doesn’t fit in with the other divorcées—all busy looking for their next ex—she’s excited to get down to earth and savor the small joys of life.
When Lucy meets Elle, a hip younger woman who shares her same passions, their connection is instant. Taking a chance on kismet, Lucy forges a friendship that fills her days with meaning. She and Elle are inseparable, from sunup to sundown, enjoying the immediate ease and familiarity of each other’s company.
But as Lucy introduces Elle to her circle, a new side of her friend appears. And try as she might, Lucy can’t ignore her misgivings. Who is Elle really? And can their all-consuming friendship survive closer inspection?
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My 5 Star Review:
Lucy is newly divorced and reluctantly joins her divorced friends for a girl night out on the town. She has no ambition to join the dating world even though her friends try to coax her. But a serendipituous trip to the bathroom had her meeting a woman named Elle who kindly offered her some lip balm when Lucy discovered she didn’t bring any with her. And as fate sometimes does, these two women found some fast common ground and became instant besties in a short period of time. Lucy was elated to have found a new female friend she could really connect with.
Lucy is a part time journalist and Elle is an illustrator. When Lucy finally gets a nice offer to create a series of children’s books, she happily suggests her friend Elle to illustrate them. But one night when Lucy invites Elle to a friend’s posh house party, everything changes.
Lucy learns a lot more about Elle, and she’s discovers Elle isn’t as sincere or charming as she had made herself out to be. After Elle trashes Lucy’s friends for being rich and took something with her from their home, she also took a sudden distance from Lucy, not answering her calls. Lucy was stunned. And one night when Lucy took her daughter out for some takeout, Lucy makes a shocking discovery that adds to the severing of their friendship.
This story offers lots of life lessons about trust, the fine balance between friendships, demonstrating how easy it can be to cut ties despite the love and closeness of a once blooming friendship.
©DGKaye2024
Tag, You’re It! Blogging Challenge
Tag, You’re It, is the Blogging Challenge I came across while reading Debbie Doglady’s post who hopped on to this challenge from Thomas Wikman’s blog – Leonberger Life who also tagged me. I enjoyed both their posts and decided to join in the fun! I was also late in discovering that Milena from Why I Quit My Job had also tagged me, so thank you all.
How did you come up with your blog name?
I suppose this isn’t much of a surprise, lol. But DG Kaye is my writing name, so what better than to inform those venturing over to my blog that my site has my writing name, and acknowledges the fact that I’m a writer. 🙂
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If your blog was a person (fiction or real), who would it be?
My blog is real because I’m the one writing for it and everything I post is my real truth and opinions. I suppose it comes with the territory when one is a non fiction writer. 🙂
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What helps you create new content if you feel like you need some inspiration?
All I need for content is to form an opinion about something I’ve seen, read, or experienced. A lifetime of experiences leave the door wide open. A beautiful scenery, vacations, and anything about the human condition is enough to never leave me looking for words. But I also love to write reviews for books I’ve read too. Take for example this post, I enjoyed Debbie’s,Thomas’s and Lena’s posts so I thought it would be fun to join on the Tag. 🙂
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Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with?
I think collaborations are fun things to do with other writers and bloggers. I’ve done collabs with Rebecca Budd at her engaging blog of interviews- Tea Toast & Trivia, with fashion designer, Resa McConaghy on her blog of fabulous artwork, photography, and fashions – Graffitti Art Lux and More, and of course, Sally Cronin whose blog is aptly named, Smorgasbord Blog Magazine, because it’s filled daily with everything from laughter, to books and reviews, to health information, cooking recipes, and fab music – something for everyone. Sally and I do a Smorgasbord laughter and smiles post on her blog a few times a month. And I have an ongoing monthly column over at Sally’s blog for a few years now – the series subject changes annually.
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Is there anything more you wish you had or would like to learn as a blogger?
Oh sure! I would love to learn all the nooks and crannies of using WordPress, but frankly, I have my own methods of working with it, and when something isn’t working, I find a work-around. If I spent everyday learning how everything technical works, I’d never get anything else done. I keep my focus on learning things that interest me, and the backdoor of WordPress is my least favorite. I don’t have the head for all the techno stuff sometimes, so I’ll use it to best of my knowledge, ask a friend, or use my best friends Google and/or Youtube. 🙂
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Do you have a specific style of blogging?
Interesting question. I think any of us blogging long enough develops their own style of blogging. Blogging style? Hmm, I think the memoir writer in me always creeps up in my posts. I write how I speak on my blog and in my books. My writing is authentically me. I’d like to think my blog posts are always legible and hopefully engaging, with enough whitespace, and using bold headings, and always using my own authentic voice. Ironically, these days, WordPress is erasing my words when I try to use a color on the headings (as you will note in this post, no colorful headings). Ya, I’m probably not doing something right with block editor, which many of us dreaded when it first came out, and it still gives me grief. So, I’ve adapted to my own work-arounds.
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It was fun doing a blog challenge, it’s been a long time. To keep the fun going, I’m going to call on a few of my blogging friends to join the challenge if you’re up to it:
Sally Cronin, Stevie Turner, Robbie Cheadle, Pete Springer, Liesbet Collaert.
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Thanks for adding me to your ‘Tags’, Thomas, Milena, and Debbie.
Source: TAG, YOU’RE IT! 🫵 | 💻 A BLOGGING QUESTIONNAIRE 💻
https://leonbergerlife.com/2024/08/30/the-blog-tag/
https://whymilenawhy.wordpress.com/2024/09/07/the-blog-tag/comment-page-1/#respond
©DGKaye2024
Sally Cronin, Stevie Turner, Pete Springer, Robbie Cheadle, Liesbet Collaert.
ow did you come up with your blog name?If your blog was a person (fiction or rel), who would it be
Sunday Book Review – Reset, Book 3 in Terry Tyler’s SFV-1 #dystopian series
Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. This week I’m reviewing Book 3 in Terry Tyler’s riveting thriller – Reset – SFV-1. Admittedly, my go-to genre is not dystopian, but I love Terry’s writing, and I was tempted to read book 1 and then I was hooked. Perhaps I’m starting to feel that dystopia is closer to the world I feel I’m living in, this series could be real one day politically, but hopefully not with the Zombie Blood killers like in this post-apocalyptic thriller.
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Blurb:
Blurb:
‘If one person goes out there and gets bitten, the whole place could collapse within hours.’
Danger, deception and devastating decisions set the stage in this final part of the UK post-apocalyptic SFV-1 trilogy.
The rage virus pandemic marches on, though Norah and her friends are behind safe walls at last. Within The Moors community there is peace to be found, but how long can this happy state of affairs continue?
In a secret bunker in Surrey, Larry Farnsworth’s great Reset consortium is fast-tracking the plan to reclaim the country, with Julian Sweet a key player. In the North, Flint and his Berserkers are determined to stay independent of any restrictive new laws for as long as possible.‘It’s a luxurious prison that we walked into of our own accord. Everything you could possibly need within walking distance. All you need if you’re a robot, anyway.’
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My 5 Star Review:
Book 3, concluding this series of a zombie apocalypse, begins with a great summation and wrap-up by the author of the previous two books to refresh the mind of the very many goings ons. We will learn about how this evil virus continues to rage on and how incredibly, those who haven’t been bitten manage to survive.
A few years have now past and the characters who remain have all managed to survive in their little built up communities, knowing well how to go out armed when scavenging for food or supplies. There’s only one way to kill ‘the bloods’, the term used for those bitten and can only thrive by killing humans for their own consumption. A knife to the head is the only way to end them.
The so-called army has begun knocking on doors calling for people to come join the government led community rebuild project, where they will all be given lodgings and provisions until the country can set itself straight. A barricaded system of avenues has been sectioned off in parts of the country to create new living conditions and be protected from the many zombies that still roam the country. But they are no army, but part of a bigger more sinister plan all in the name of power. But who is behind this ‘new army’ – Julian Sweet. Sweet was a Youtuber influencer before dystopia hit the country, now second in command to re-settle the country, handing him power on who gets to live on what level of the ‘avenues’. When everyone is allotted to their new home destinations, not all are happy, especially the ones in Zone D.
Zone D is the lowest level of living with the most menial of jobs and artist Norah is stuck there because she fought this hostage-like new living by being unagreeable to the interrogation. But some escape, like her old love Brian, and her recent love Todd. Eventually, Norah makes her escape through the woods and encounters a new group of people – The Berserkers, who stand their own ground and won’t be bullied into being taken to the ‘avenues’. From there, she finds a new community working to build their own community, while building barricades and always having someone on watch for the ‘bloods’. They stay hidden from the ‘armies’too. And while life is reaching somewhat of a breathing point there, chaos is ensuing on the ‘avenues’ and there are many sightings by the Berserkers of people and bloods heading toward the south of the country. Will Norah and the Berserkers remain safe through the massive exodus? You’re going to have to read to find out!
This was a riveting series from Tyler. The series was sewn up thrillingly. And despite there being many characters in this story, I found it exciting to follow them all without getting lost. And the end, well, it’s typical Tyler. It left me to wonder and imagine what next? Is there going to be more after the southern exodus? Maybe. I feel like Terry Tyler might be writing a book 4?
Note: Right after I finished drafting this review post, Sally Cronin posted a review for Terry’s latest book, Safe Zone, which is a standalone. That answered my own question. Sally says:
“…Although a stand-alone novel, Tyler manages to link back to past events and characters to ensure you don’t spend half the book wondering who these people are who are fighting for their lives. There are plenty of great characters, many of whom have gone through several transformations over the ten years since the first bite. Some who have gone from young teenagers to key members of the pockets of humanity who have survived, and others who have continued to be manipulative, power grabbing, self-serving individuals...”
I’ve already got my copy.
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©DGKaye2024
Too Funny, and Good Marketing Video. Learning a Foreign Language
I am learning – or should I say, re-learning the Hebrew language. I knew how to speak and read from early grade school then lost it – if you don’t use, you lose it. Although, I can still read it but don’t understand what I’m reading.
When I was younger and my dad was still alive, we went to synagogue on high holidays with my dad and his parents. Back then, like now, I could read the prayerbook, knew all the words to all the hymns and songs, but had no clue what I was reading.
I got curious about learning Hebrew again because I want to go to Israel and Spain. Since I want to do both and Israeli airline El Al doesn’t fly into Toronto anymore, I thought it best to fly to Spain then connect for Israel from Europe. But sadly, those plans are on hold, and I’m hoping to go next spring, hoping things simmer down in Israel by then. The Hamas war didn’t deter me because it is isolated in the south and I am staying with friends on the coast. But since Israel is being attacked now from every angle it seems, I’ve put off my plan till next year. But no time like the present to learn the lingo!
I’ve been learning Spanish steadily with Duolingo since the last five years, but really not five years, since losing my husband I haven’t paid the Spanish lessons any mind. We were talking about getting out of Toronto (my dream), and moving to Mexico. But when I decided to go to Israel I wanted to see if I could pick up the lingo again.
What I discovered learning Hebrew on Duolingo Free version: I wouldn’t recommend using it for learning a language that has a different alphabet – like Hebrew, Arabic, Russian et al, because if I didn’t already know the alphabet and how to read, I wouldn’t have had a clue how to learn from Duolingo free version. I believe if we pay for it, it allows us to hear speech, pronunication and the whys of the grammar rules. But because I can read it, and already know pronunication, I find I can get by with it. But not nearly as helpful as the Pimsleur system. I checked out all the top sites like Babbel, Rosetta Stone, but I tried a free trial lesson on Pimsleur, and wow, what a difference a teaching method makes. Dr. Pimsleur invented this teaching system, not surprising it has his name. I recently reviewed his book – which of course, after reading it, set me on an investigative search on the various sites and checking out their pricing.
I tried out a few free trials, and again, I found the Pimsleur Method to be best for me to drill in words. Each language teaching platform has their own teaching style. Babbel has a half price sale on now, but it only offers fifteen languages and Hebrew isn’t one of them. Although using Free Duolingo for a few years now, I am going to switch to the paid Pimsleur teaching version this month.
This video is priceless, real honest opinions, great marketing! It’s real people reviewing the 7 Day Challenge using Babbel. It doesn’t state, but I’m assuming they all took the free 7 Day trial. I was laughing out loud watching this, and especially at the last two minutes of the video. I think real and raw testing from the proverbial ‘horse’s mouth’ is a good testimonial. You can tell these people are for real when you hear them speak their newly learned language. The Persian girl cracked me up most – Fa fa fa. Hilarious! And it works! Too bad no Hebrew.
Has anyone here ever tried learning another language with any of these sites?
©DGKaye2024
Sunday Book Review – How to Learn a Foreign Language by Paul Pimsleur
Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing an interesting book – How to Learn a Foreign Language by Dr. Paul Pimsleur. I came across this book on sale and thought it was timely as I struggle attempt to learn Hebrew myself. I had a head start when I was just a tot. I went to Sunday school and a parochial day school until I was eight and was almost fluent in the language. When I changed to a public school, and the years passing, hardly using the lanugage, I’d forgotten how to speak conversationally, but my saving grace was that I still knew the alphabet and I can still read the language – although not having a clue as to much of what I read.
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Blurb:
Blurb:
In this entertaining and groundbreaking book, Dr. Paul Pimsleur, creator of the renowned Pimsleur Method, the world leader in audio-based language learning, shows how anyone can learn to speak a foreign language.
If learning a language in high school left you bruised, with a sense that there was no way you can learn another language, How to Learn a Foreign Language will restore your sense of hope. In simple, straightforward terms, Dr. Pimsleur will help you learn grammar (seamlessly), vocabulary, and how to practice pronunciation (and come out sounding like a native).
The key is the simplicity and directness of Pimsleur’s approach to a daunting subject, breaking it down piece by piece, demystifying the process along the way. Dr. Pimsleur draws on his own language learning trials and tribulations offering practical advice for overcoming the obstacles so many of us face.
Originally published in 1980, How to Learn a Foreign Language is now available on the 50th anniversary of Dr. Pimsleur’s publication of the first of his first audio courses that embodied the concepts and methods found here. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the mind of this amazing pioneer of language learning.
My 5 Star Review:
Dr. Pimsleur created this book because he saw as a teacher and realized many had problems learning a new language. He walks us through a straightforward method, aptly named The Pimsleur Method and language learning system to help people learn a language with ease. This book is the 50th edition republished in 2013. In the beginning, he talks about how in high school half the students taking another language class drop out halfway through first year because of the way they are taught. If the teacher mispronounces a word, we’ll repeat it forever wrong.
In this book, Pimsleur states every language has three components: pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary – with vocabulary being most difficult. He adds that humans are limited to the speech sounds they can produce despite all having lips, tongues, and vocal cords. He also adds that pronunciation poses the least challenge than the other two. Did you know it takes approximately 1500 words to achieve a basic command of a language, and closer to 5000 words to become fluent? It’s also easier to learn another language if one has already mastered two languages.
The author uses examples to demonstrate that the average American who knows no French can guess 15-17 words correctly. He also states that the same could be said for learning Spanish, Italian or German because most people can begin learning easier with this knowledge to continue on learning the words that glue the language together. We’ll learn what the most easiest to most difficult languages are to learn, as per the Foreign Service Institute of the U.S. State Department for training diplomats for overseas. We will also learn approximations of how long it should take one to learn a new language, depending on what we want to learn from it – conversational or reading. Learning is best in chunks of time as cramming too much in on one session can become counter-productive. We are also instructed to listen to pronunciation, and repeating words is easier than looking at a word or visualizing spelling of the word while trying to speak it. And speaking out loud using repitition is key, as is learning out of order, and phrases that are more serviceable than single words.
This book doesn’t focus on any one particular language, but, important key facts to help learn any language and develop fluency. We will learn a language by using it or practising it often, much better than cramming in a whole bunch of vocabulary content. And don’t be fooled at the number of pages in this book (123), it’s straight to the point with great information.
©DGKayewriter 2024
urb:In this entertaining and groundbreaking book, Dr. Paul Pimsleur, creator of the renowned Pimsleur Method, the world leader in audio-based language learning, shows how anyone can learn to speak a foreign language.
If learning a language in high school left you bruised, with a sense that there was no way you can learn another language, How to Learn a Foreign Language will restore your sense of hope. In simple, straightforward terms, Dr. Pimsleur will help you learn grammar (seamlessly), vocabulary, and how to practice pronunciation (and comeut sounding like a native).
The key is the simplicity and directness of Pimsleur’s approach to a daunting subject, breaking it down piece by piece, demystifying the process along the way. Dr. Pimsleur draws on his own language learning trials and tribulations offering practical advice for overcoming the obstacles so many of us face.
Originally published in 1980, How to Learn a Foreign Language is now available on the 50th anniversary of Dr. Pimsleur’s publication of the first of his first audio courses tha embodied the concepts and methods found here. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the iner workings of the mind of this amazing pioneer of language learning
Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Life Lessons 101 – #Selfcare – Living in the Now by D.G. Kaye | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine
Life Lessons – Living in the Now by D. G. Kaye
Life Lessons – Living in the Now by D. G. Kaye
Welcome back to my Life Lessons 101 series. Today I’m going to be discussing and pointing out a few reminders for us all – Live in the moment and make good use of all your living moments.
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Some of us are always waiting for that great magical thing or that long-awaited event to happen without realizing we are missing out on the life we’re presently living while wishing away precious time we have now. Life is always going to be a series of happenings and busyness, so if we keep waiting for our dreams because we wish to get through our wading list, we’re never going to do anything else exciting.
Take for example, the people who are always putting off things for tomorrow. Life goes by so quickly, and there is always something that crops up to add to our to-do lists. If we don’t take a moment to realize that life is continuously going on and we keep putting off something that our heart desires, we may never get the chance.
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An example of the procrastination – take a person who has had a heart attack. He may have a high stress job and won’t slow down, until that almost fatal thing that happens to him, giving him no choice but to slow down and smell the roses. Ultimately, many do get a dose of this shocking reality and often only then will re-adjust their lifestyle, but only after a near fatal scare.
We as humans often feel as though we are invincible – just one more hour, just have to complete this project – just, just . . . until it’s too late to take that break, or so much time – even years – have passed until that person realizes and decides they better get to that bucket list before it’s too late.
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Here’s a good example of living in now and not putting off until tomorrow – I’ve been asking one of my BFFs to go away with me, and she always has many excuses, work, work, work. I like to give her subtle reminders that no days are promised, and life is for living now. I keep reminding her that we are all getting older and since we don’t know what tomorrows will bring regarding our health, and while we still have good walking legs, she needs to stop putting it off. Because life is a crapshoot, we aren’t guaranteed next year or the year after. Tomorrow isn’t promised, so making excuses because of this and that, will keep us further away from doing things for pleasure.
Make adjustments and go on that trip. Buy that dress. Take that course. Write that book. Follow your dreams. Live your best life every day. Every day is another gift we are living. We may not all be able to travel, but we all have dreams and aspirations. If we continue to allow life with all our commitments, drama, and disasters, to hold us back, we will look back and regret what we should have done to enhance our lives, while each day continues to pass by.
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While we are living our daily lives, and making plans for the things we wish to do, don’t forget the importance of making some ‘me time’ every day. Self-care is essential for both, our minds and bodies, to maintain wellness and mental health. Give yourselves a little time-out daily to do something you enjoy. Break up your day so you can give yourself that time. That time could be a half hour blocked off just for yourself to do something other than just tasks. Think of all the possibilities you can do with a half hour to yourself, whatever you choose. With so little downtime, take that time to read a chapter of a book you’re enjoying, make a personal phone call with someone who makes you smile. Get out for a walk, or do some form of exercise, work on a hobby project, or just plain relax and meditate.
How I Reassessed and am Enjo
ying more LivingHow I Reassessed and
How I Reassessed and am Enjoying more Living
How I Reassessed and am Enjoying more Living
I will admit that I am a well-organized person. I used to decline outings with friends if I had a work project. When I’d be writing books, I’d work eight-hour days, often neglecting to get up to make dinner. When I’m on a project, I’m all in. And that is me driving myself, because I have no boss but I’m about being accountable to myself. And once I started something I was full speed ahead until the end – operative word was. . . . Please continue reading conclusion at Sally’s Smorgasbord.
am Enjoying more Living
©DGKaye2024
Sunday Book Review – Natural Selection by Elin Hilderbrand #shortstory
Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing a short story about a woman about to be scorned and her own self-discovery.
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Blurb:
When her boyfriend bails at the last minute, a New York woman embarks on their couples’ cruise alone to find that maybe the person she was supposed to fall in love with was herself.
After a string of bad dates and no prospects, Sophia Othonos has finally hit the jackpot: an actual nice guy. When he suggests a romantic getaway, she’s sure they’re about to take the next step toward their future. A rustic cruise to the Galápagos Islands isn’t exactly her idea of a vacation, but Sophia is ready for anything…until her boyfriend has to cancel.
Now she’s all alone on a trip that was meant for two. Sophia finds herself at a crossroads about who she is, what she wants, and whether her relationship is really everything she thought. But if she’s going to suffer an identity crisis, at least she gets to do it amid the unexpected majesty of nature.
Eight days of wild, unobstructed beauty are enough to make anyone reevaluate their life. These islands are all about adapting to your surroundings—and change just might be what Sophia needs most of all.
My 4 Star Review:
A bit of a mysterious story about Sophia a 34 year old real estate agent with hopes of getting married and having a family and her somewhat elusive 54 year old, said divorcee boyfriend, JD. The two are about to board a plane heading to the Galapagos Islands. JD is a nature photographer and Sophia thinks they are blissfully in love after their six-month romance. Just as they are about to check in for their flight, JD is called away without telling Sophia anything about why he is leaving her stranded at the airport, other than some concocted-sounding story (to me) about his unstable son, ‘apparently’ out of rehab, now in some trouble.
Sophia takes the trip by herself as JD urges her to, and she meets some interesting people on the same trip. She continues to try and contact JD as soon as she gets wifi, and unsurprisingly, he never answers her. Just when she becomes worried something terrible must have happened, she gets a phone call from a strange woman who gives Sophia an eye-opening FYI.
Four stars because the book is good writing, but the plot I found a bit lacking and predictable, and I skimmed through some of the overly descriptive prose. Also, I don’t find the title defines the story. Nonetheless, a good read.
©DGKaye2024
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