You know what? Vacations are lovely. I wake up every morning to sunshine and warmth – definitely not something on offer in Vancouver in March – and then get to spend the day doing (largely) as I please. Delightful. Unsurprisingly, I have been using much of this free time to catch up on my reading.
To ease into holiday-mode, I started with lots of light reads: The Flight of the Maidens by Jane Gardam, Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins (probably my favourite of her books), Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase, Past Secrets by Cathy Kelly, and Just Imagine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. All nice fluffy books that are perfect poolside reading.
I have also been steadily working my way through The Small House at Allington by Anthony Trollope and I am loving it. I am about two-thirds done. I was anxious when I started, having been warned by many Trollope fans that it was their least favourite of the Barsetshire books, but, so far, I think it might actually be my favourite. I don’t yet have a favourite character, the way I usually do with Trollope’s books, but I am really enjoying how well balanced the story is among the entire cast of characters.
I am starting to feel the lack of non-fiction in my reading though, but I’m well-prepared. I brought along These Wonderful Rumours! by May Smith and can’t wait to start it once I’m done with Trollope.
The Captive Reader 
I haven’t got that far with Trollope yet but I’ve also been a little nervous having read Framley Parsonage and been very underwhelmed. Good to know The Little House is worth reading
I loved Framley Parsonage so my tastes in Trollope might not match yours!
I also have doubts about the later books in the Barchester series, but then remember how the Pallisers just get better and better and hope the same will be true of Barchester.
So far (and I now only have one book left in the series), I think the Barsetshire books just get better as you progress with the series.
For the first time reading a Trollope, I skimmed to the end. The American Senator just did not fill that Trollope-shaped hole in my every waking hour. I had always supposed that there were enough Trollope titles to last out my life, but now I am beginning to worry. 🙂
And the new print editions are so poorly produced! I’ll check Alibris & other used-books sites to locate real editions from last century.
Oh no! I felt a bit of that when I was reading Ayala’s Angel but I adored The American Senator.
P.S. Are you by any chance in the desert of Southern California? Looks like where I grew up. Joshua Tree National Monument? The Coachella Valley? I recognize some of the cacti.
Yes! I’m in Palm Desert.