First, big apologies for the state of my blog these past couple of weeks.  Book 4 is due to my editor at the end of the month, and I’m currently working my way (feverishly) through the second draft.  I get this way near the end, and become totally absorbed in the book.  I promise to do better soon!

On days like these where I’m putting in those reeaaallly long hours, I find myself turning to my most comforting of comfort reads.  So earlier this week I read Morality for Beautiful Girls, book #3 in The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.

Anyone else a fan of this series?  The books are about Precious Ramotswe, owner of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Botswana, and her “adventures as she navigates the cases of her clients and the complexities of her personal life.”  (from the author’s website)  The series is wonderful, charming, often humorous (with a dash of mystery), and captures Africa beautifully.  (I went on safari a few years ago and it was the most incredible trip.)  I highly recommend this series, particularly to women–Precious’s charming insights into men and their behavior never fail to put a smile on my face.  Oh! And they made a mini-series of the books, on HBO, which I plan to treat myself to as a reward for turning in Book 4.

And speaking of Book 4… it appears to be official… my editor confirmed that the title of the book is A Lot Like Love.  Wow–my first title that Berkley has kept!  And I can’t even take credit for it–many thanks to Elyssa Papa for the suggestion.  Hope to have more info to share on the book soon…

In the meantime, I’m curious–what are your most comforting of comfort reads?  Those books you want to sink into after a long day?