The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

 Kelsey Worthington, an aspiring editor living in New York, wakes up one day in the hospital.  She had been hit by a car while on the sidewalk, and had a concussion. While in the hospital she meets another patient, Georgia Tate, a cosmetics mogul. Ms Tate is facing kidney failure.  Ms Tate is brusque and abrasive, but when Kelsey leaves the hospital and returns to her hum-drum job, she keeps feeling that she needs a vacation and that she is fated to take Ms Tate with her. That begins the summer of "Yes." Kelsey is determined that she and Ms Tate are supposed to really live life by saying "yes" to all the things they were too afraid to try before.  As they spend time together, Kelsey comes to realize that much of Ms Tate's off-putting behavior is due to regrets related to her family, a family that includes a very handsome and very nice estranged son, who is just Kelsey's age. Perhaps,  along with saying yes to sea food, and road trips, she will also be brave enough to say yes to love.

One of my co-workers recommended this book when she found out that I enjoy clean romance.  This totally fits into that category, but it also has a strong message about the importance of overcoming fear to live life to its fullness. The relationship between Kelsey and Ms Tate reminds me a lot of the relationship in "The Devil Wears Prada," so much so that I can't believe it wasn't one of the author's inspirations. The book suffers a little because Ms Tate's son, the love interest, is just too perfect.  He isn't as bad as the Richard Paul Evans male protagonists, but close. He is incredibly handsome, creative, successful, and volunteers teaching classes to children at the local community center. Authors need to learn that a man doesn't have to be perfect to be loveable. Still, if you are looking for a clean, feel-good read, this isn't a bad choice. (2024, 504 p.)

Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White

 Lady Gwyneth Fairchild is forced to flee England when her father is betrayed.  Anticipating the attack, her father, a general, arranges for her to travel to America to say with the Lane family in Maryland. Gwyneth is confused by the decision, since the British are currently at war with the Americans. Thad Lane finds Gwyneth a broken woman, haunted by her family tragedy and fearful that the perpetrator with seek out and kill her next. He treats her gently, and with time she begins to feel safety in his presence. As they grow closer she begins to realize that Thad and his parents are not what they seem on the surface.  As the War of 1812 approaches their doorstep, Gwyneth has to decide where her true loyalties lie.

This is the second in the Culper Ring Series. I read the first back in 2024, and liked it, so I am not sure why I waited so long to read this one. I enjoyed it as well.  Gwyneth is the most broken of any of White's heroines I have read so far and she does a good job of portraying her trauma.  Thad is a wonderfully solid counterweight to her brokenness. I also enjoyed how White incorporates Gwyneth's drawing as a tool of healing and also as an apt plot device. I have recently read a book about the war of 1812, so was happy to see that White grounded the story within real historical events. As in the first book, the Christian elements are a little heavy handed, and the cover is similarly lame, but I can handle that. (352 p. 2013)

Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

 Grace Mallory escaped to Harper's Station after watching her father get gunned down because he had found a will that would destroy the fortune of a wealthy mine owner. Now Grace is the keeper of the deadly will and keeps a low profile as a telegraph operator in the all woman settlement. Her one male social interaction is with another operator whose identification letter is A. Amos Bledsoe has more brains than brawn and favors a fastidious suit and tie to buckskin. He is enchanted with his last evening conversations with the operator from Harper's Station. Even though he doesn't know her age, appearance, or even her name, operator M has captured his interest with her wit and intelligence.  Then one day, while they are conversing, Mallory receives a warning from another station that the man who killed her father has found out where she lives. Amos jumps into action travels to Harper's Station and is quickly arrested by the settlement's marshal, and only permanent male resident. He quickly establishes that he is Grace's telegraph pen pal and they put their considerable brain power together to try stop the man who will do anything to keep the will from getting to the estate lawyers. 

This is the second in the series that started with No Other Would Do.  I have read a bunch of Witemeyer's Texas romances, and it was refreshing to experience one where the hero isn't a tall, strong, silent cowboy. Amos wears glasses and rides a bicycle instead of a horse. I am glad that Witemeyer acknowledges that a man doesn't have to be high-testosterone to be attractive. Amos and Grace are an adorable couple, both pushing against their own timidity and reserve to be the hero the other needs. If you are a Witemeyer fan like I am this is certainly one you won't want to miss. (2017, 336 p) 

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown

 In 1942 there is a vibrant community in the Bethnal Green neighborhood of London despite the war and frequent bombing. When the bomb sirens go off Nellie, age 18 and her family go into the yet unfinished tube station which has been converted into a bomb shelter. One of her best friends, Billy is a air raid warden, and her other best friend is Billy's sister.  Billy would like a more serious relationship with Nellie, but his hopes are shattered when Nellie meets a handsome American airman, Ray. As their relationship progresses, Ray gives Nellie hope of fulfilling her dream to leave Bethnal Green and see the bigger world. But then a terrible tragedy strikes. Nellie is left reexamining her relationships and ambitions. With all that the war has taken from her, will Nellie every have the chance for a happy life?

This is a charming and heartfelt historical fiction based on an actual event in the history of London's WWII days.  It is written and read by Millie, Bobby Brown, the actress who played Enola Holmes on Netflix, and also stared in Stranger Things. You always wonder if a book by a celebrity author will be any good, but this one was.  The writing isn't going to win a Pulitzer, but it was good enough.  The story deals grief and loss during war times, but emphasizes that love and community is what gets you through tragedy. Brown states that the story is "inspired" by her own great grandmother's experience, but doesn't go into detail about how much of the story is biographical. I think that probably her grandmother was in the tragic experience featured in the book, but I am guessing the rest is fiction. I am also guessing that a ghost writer helped Brown with the prose.  Still, this is a book I will be recommending to my friends who like WWII fiction. (320 p. 2023)

More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer

I was a little disappointed by the 
cover.  She is supposed to be 
more plump than this. 

 Zacharias Hamilton is happy to be free from family responsibilities. He has a good job, a good friend, and good sticky buns for breakfast each morning. When his favorite female baker's shop is threatened, the only way to save it is for her to get married, and Zach can't imagine her marrying anyone but him. In Abigail Kemp's mind, the marriage is just a business deal, allowing her to keep her bakery, and giving Zach free room and board. She considers herself--plump and independent--as not worthy of the romantic attentions of a tall, strong, handsome man like Zach. He sees it differently. It doesn't take long before convincing her to be his wife in reality is his highest priority, but first he needs to find out who is trying to ruin Abby's life, and stop them.

It is a common trope in historical romance, for a couple to get married first and then gradually fall in love.  It is a sweet theme and Witemeyer does it well here. There is good chemistry between Zach, the strong silent type, and Abby, who is delightful, but doesn't know it. One thing I appreciate about Witemeyer, is that when the main characters have a misunderstanding she doesn't let it draw out for chapters and chapters.  They resolve it quickly by actually talking to each other, and most the the time is spent with them confronting exterior threats together rather than bickering between themselves. If you had told me 10 years ago if I would be a regular reader of Texas cowboy historical romances, I wouldn't have believed you.  But, there it is. (358 p. 2019)

More than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer

 Evangeline was born with one blue and one brown eye.  She is orphaned as a child and nobody is willing to take her in because of her "defect." She meets two orphaned boys, and they form a kind of found family. Fast forward seven years, and the three are living together on a farm, but life isn't easy. Zach and Seth, Evangeline's "brothers" work hard to provide for themselves and are very protective of Evie. Then a stranger purchases the lot next door.  He is about their age doesn't seemed bothered by Evie's eyes.  As he starts to insinuate himself into their lives, Evie is thrilled to have a new friend, but her brothers are worried that he has a hidden agenda that will only break her heart. 

I was traveling this week and checked this out to read on the airplane. I think I have said it before, but Witemeyer is a great choice as a travel book because her books don't take a lot of emotional depth or intellectual concentration. Evangeline is a delightful character, and all three male lead characters have likeable personalities. The book as a whole is like the flavored pretzels served on the flight--tasty, but not terribly filling. (I won't have gotten past the first chapter if I had taken The World According to Physics on the plane.) (352 p. 2018)

Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

 On his death bead, Travis Archer's father made him promise he would protect his brothers and his land. Travis decides that the best way to do that is not to let anyone either come or go from the property. The one time he broke his promise was to help a young girl who accidently got her leg caught in one of his coyote traps. Meredith never forgot the young man who saved her the day she hurt her leg in the trap, so when she hears that men are planning on attacking his farm, she sneaks off against her parent's wishes to warn him. She is discovered in his home after dark, and her reputation is compromised.  Travis does the honorable thing, but can the two lost souls who barely know each other build a relationship of love?

Is it crazy that I really enjoy Witemeyer's Texas romances with all the western cliches like cowboy hats, horses, and riding the range?  I like them, what can I say.  I like the sweet romances and I like the Christian elements. Witemeyer does a good job of writing both funny and suspenseful scenes. Her characters are all pretty much the same, and her plots are formulaic, but the fact that they are predictable makes them a safe read when I am having a stressful week. (370 p. 2012)

Six Wishes by Sarah M. Eden

Felicity wants to give her older sister, who is dying of consumption, the chance to experience a London season.  Her sister has six things she wants to experience, and Felicity is determined to make them all happen.  William Carlisle is bored of London, but for personal reasons doesn't want to go home either, so he jumps at the chance to help an old friend make her sister's dreams come true. When Felicity's sister's health takes a downturn, William's growing regard for Felicity gives him the courage to face the grief he has been avoiding.  Felicity will be experiencing her own grief soon, but together maybe they can face their sorrows to make a bright future.

This is a short novella that I checked out to read on an airplane ride last week.  It is sweet and uncomplicated.  Sometimes I like the shorter novels better because the main characters don't have time to make stupid decisions that temporarily drive them apart, or if they do, they correct their mistakes quickly.  I have enjoyed almost all of Sarah Eden's books that I have read, and this is no exception. (2026, 102p.)

The Kissing Tree by various authors

 In a small town in Texas a lone oak stands just outside the town limits.  It becomes the center of four generations of romances, set in the late 1800's, the Depression, WWII,  and ending in the present day.  Each romance novella in the collection is written by a different author, but there they were clearly written in order from the earliest to the latest, because each refers to events in the pervious stories.  The romances are sweet and clean and just what you would expect from the title. Because they are written by different authors, there is a refreshing varieties of personalities for both the male and female protagonists. I also enjoyed how each author envisioned how a small rural town would change from one generation to the next. This is not great literature, and I did enjoy some stories better than others, but, overall, a good enough escapist novel for a clean romance reader. (2020 400 p)

Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden

 Charlie Jonquil, the youngest of the formidable Jonquil brothers, has only one enemy, Artemis Lancaster.  They have butted heads for years, and only just tolerate each other when they are brought together at family gatherings. Then, at one of said gatherings, they are caught in an innocent, but socially compromising position. The only way to save their reputations is to marry.  Artemis thinks all her hopes for a happy life are over, and Charlie has to give up his dream of becoming Cambridge Don.  Still, they are stuck with each other and it is in their best interest to try to get along. As they try,--and with lots of support from both their families--they begin to see good in each other and gradually, without really realizing it, they start to like, and maybe even love, each other.

This is, I think, the last of the "Lancaster Family" series.  In a way it serves as a kind of curtain call. We see all the different couples, joining together to help their youngest siblings.  It is also reminiscent of the first in the series, Seeking Persephone, because that one also dealt with two people learning to love in an arranged marriage. The book is very sweet and full of lots of warm fuzzies.  Even though Charlie and Artemis are supposed to be mean to each other, they never really are.  We see much more of them trying to get along than of them fighting. If you are at all not in mood for hot-chocolate-with-whipped-cream-and-sprinkles-in-print, you might want to wait on this one until you are. (281 p. 2017)

Loving Lieutenant Lancaster by Sarah Eden

 Lieutenant Linus Lancaster has been hesitant to take the up the living that should have gone to his brother who died in his arms during the war. He reluctantly accepts an invitation to a house party being held by the Jonquil family not knowing that it is a ploy by his sisters to try to find a wife for him. He is not interested in the long line of debutants they march before him, but there is a young lady who catches his eye. Jonquil Dowager Matron has recently taken a companion.  Arabella was a neighbor to the Jonquils when they were all children, but left orphaned at a very young age.  She has long wished that she could be part of the large, energetic, and loving Jonquil family, but she, instead, was left to be raised by a cruel aunt and uncle. As the house party progresses, Anabella finds herself the keeper of many Jonquil family secrets, and the recipient of Lieutenant Lancaster's attentions. Their stations are so different neither of them believe they have a future together, but can they stand to live their futures apart?

Here is the next in the "Lancaster Family" series. I am not sure why 2 1/2 years have gone by since I read the last one.  I have enjoyed all of them.  They are clean, predictable, and heartwarming.  This one is no exception.  The romance between Linus and Arabella is sweet.  At one point the reader thinks, "why is he going away, doesn't he know he is in love with her?" but I think that young, inexperienced people sometimes take a little while to figure things out.  There is a tie-in to the mythological character, Linus, but it is not a major point in the plot. In the books in this series, the main characters are supported by their family and given timely advice. They are not perfect, but they do look out for each other, which is nice in this day and age when family units are not what they used to be.  (256, 2015)

Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer

 When Scarlet Radcliff's father died, she became an heiress, and a target for her greedy uncle.  To keep her safe, her mother sent her off with her grandmother to grow up in a secluded forest. She took on the name of Letty Hood, and at some point, found a raised a wolf pup to be her constant faithful companion. As Letty approaches her 21st birthday, when she will inherit her fortune and make a will that will eliminate the possibility that her uncle would if she died, her mother hires a Pinkerton agent to find her and bring her home. Philip Carmichael knows that Letty's uncle has hired multiple assassins to find Letty and kill her but her grandmother has hidden her too well. How can he find her when they couldn't and then how could he safely transport her back to her home?  As the two begin the journey together, the biggest questions is how can they keep from falling in love with each other. 

You have to admire Witemeyer for taking on the challenge of writing a romance based on Little Red Riding Hood. I think she did as well as any could.  She basically took all of the main characters; the wolf, the grandmother, Red, and the huntsmen, added a bad guy, the uncle, and then wrote a story. You know how I like Witemeyer, and I liked this one as well. There were some funny scenes that had me grinning the whole time I was reading them, and some pretty good action scenes as well. Scarlett and Philip are the same two characters that are in all of Witemeyer's books--she really only knows how to write one kind of leading lady and leading man--but somehow I don't get tired of reading her books. (2024, 352 p)

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer

 Asher Ellis works hard as a ranch hand to support his widowed mother and little brother. When he discovers that their landlord raised their rent so much they had to leave their home and live in a shack, he is determined to prove that there was some kind of foul play.  The landlord's beautiful daughter, Samantha Dearing, comes home from finishing school to find that her father has planned a ball to introduce her to all the eligible ranchers in their area of Texas. She is put out and put off by all the the dandies vying for her hand and her inheritance. Then she sees a man escaping from her home stop and save her brother who had fallen into the pond. Is he a thief or a hero?  The only evidence he leaves behind is a unusual cowboy boot. 

Yes, that is right.  This is a gender switched version of Cinderella set in late 1800's Texas.  Unlike in the first book in this series, Fairest of Heart, Witemeyer doesn't really stick to the original fairytale very much.  There is the name thing going on, "Asher" instead of "Cinder" etc. and the lost boot, but the rest of the story is just another Witemeyer old West Christian romance. Some parts seem almost melodramatic, but other parts are surprisingly complex and heart-warming.  Both of the main characters are struggling to find out the truth about themselves and their families. I am almost embarrassed to say that Witemeyer is starting to be one of my favorite I-need-an-emotional-break/boost authors. (368 p. 2024)

A Heart Worth Stealing by Joanna Barker

 Genevieve Wild is still grieving the death of her father, while trying to prove to a male dominated society that she can manage on her own. When her beloved father's pocket watch is stolen, she finds that the local constabulary is no help, so she hires a private "thief-taker" to try to find it.  Jack Travers used to work for the Bow Street Runners, but was discharged when a case went array.  The illegitimate son of an earl, he was raised for society, but dependent on his own wits to earn his bread.  As he starts working with Miss Wild to find her father's watch, more threats to her family keep happening and they both begin to realize that there is more going on than a common robbery. They also start to suspect that, even though not suited in station, their hearts were made for each other. 

This is the third book I have listened to by Ms Barker.  Out of curiosity I went back and read my earlier reviews.  It seems that this book is much like the others, stereotypical and predictable, which isn't necessarily bad. I read these romantic historical novels when I want "predictable". The difference is that this one felt like it dragged in the middle.  I kept looking at my app to see how much was left.  I think it lacked editing. The author had two dramatic "endings" that she should have combined into one. I won't elaborate because it would be to much of a spoiler, but I can imagine several ways it could have been done. I think I might wait a while before I read another by Ms Barker. (288 p. 2023)

The Secret of the India Orchid by Nancy Campbell Allen

In this sequel to My Fair Gentleman, Jack's sister, Sophia, has fallen for his best friend, Anthony Blake.  He is in love with her, too, but on the very day he wants to ask permission to formally court her he is forced to go back undercover as a spy to recover a lost document that could put Sophia and all his friends and relatives at risk.  Fast forward two years, Sophia, still heartbroken by Anthony's abrupt exit from her life, decides she needs to get away from London and go on a grand adventure.  She ends up in India, sponsored by a kind and wealthy English couple who are bent on finding a match for her. Anthony, who is still seeking for the document, finds himself in India as well, staying with the same family as Sophia. Anthony knows he should uphold his spy persona as a flirtatious rake, but he wants so much to mend his relationship with Sophia. Then there is a murder. Both he and Sophia are pulled into the investigation to find the killer, but the more time they spend together the more painful it is for both of them to pretend they are not in love with each other. 

The first in this series was a variation on the My Fair Lady story, but, as far as I can tell, this book doesn't have any cultural reference. It is just your standard murder -mystery-historical-romance like the books of Anna Lee Huber and Kristi Ann Hunter.  I enjoyed the book. The setting was rich and interesting, and the romantic tension between Anthony and Sophia was handled well. I wonder how someone from India would feel about the portrayal of their mother country.  One element of the story revolves around an ancient practice called Sati, in which a wife would be burned on their husband's funerial pyre. It was a real practice, but I would hate to have one of my country's worst historical practices be a main plot point for a story written by a foreigner.  Despite the possible cultural insensitivity, it is a good book and I will happily read more by this author. (320 p. 2017)

Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne

A young widow, Eliza, is hopeful for a new life for her and her five-year-old daughter with new job as a hotel manager a small town in Idaho. When she arrives she discovers that the hotel as burnt down. An unexpected accident brings her in contact with the town's most eligible bachelor, Aiden Caine.  He feels bad that she is stranded in an unfamiliar town just weeks before Christmas and offers her a job preparing his new lodge for his family's Christmas visit. Eliza is skeptical that the gorgeous tech mogul could actually be a nice person, but as she works in his home she can't deny the growing attraction between them. Can a homeless widow with a child really hope for a future with a man like Aiden?

Here is my last Christmas themed rom-com of the season.  It is a little bit over-the-top wish fulfillment, like the Richard Paul Evans books I don't like, but somehow this one is more palatable. One difference is that Aiden isn't showering Eliza with outrageous gifts during the whole book. Thayne does a good job making both characters seem vulnerable, and they have good chemistry. Their make-out scenes are maybe a little more spicy than in my normal fare, but they do stay out of the bedroom, so that's good. Overall, not a bad example of a Hallmark Christmas Special in print. (384, 2014)

My Fair Gentleman by Nancy Campbell Allen

Jack was not happy to find that the grandfather who had disowned his father, had now named him as his heir.  When said grandfather passes away, Jack is taken from his career as a seaman and thrown into the restrictive expectations of the ton. To help him in the transition, Jack's grandmother's dear friend recruits her own granddaughter, Ivy Carlisle to teach the uncultured and reluctant Jack all he needs to know to smooth his and his mother and sister's way into London society. Jack has no desire to be a gentleman "man of leisure" but as he begins etiquette lessons with Ivy, he is fascinated by the way she meets all society's requirements for politeness, while at the same time putting down those who would disparage Jack and his family. Ivy bears the burden of a family scandal so had long since resigned herself to spinsterhood, but her unconventional student lights a new hope that, perhaps, she might one day marry for love. 

This is, as the title suggests, a gender swapped version of the Bernard Shaw play, Pygmalion, (better known in its Broadway form, as My Fair Lady).  It only follows that earlier play in the most basic sense. Allen makes no attempt to recreate any of the iconic scenes of the original, only the basic premise of transforming someone from a lower class to an upper class behavior. The characterization and dialog are as good as you might expect, and it was neither much better or much worse than all the other historical romances that I have read. I enjoyed it as light entertainment after reading the much heavier story of the CIA Book Club. I am fond of the story of My Fair Lady (especially in the original Pygmalion form) and found it an amusing adaptation. (2016, 256p.)

A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber

 In this third in the Lady Darby Mysteries, Lady Darby is back at her childhood home to celebrate their family's traditional Hogmanay (New Year's) Ball. But tragedy hits when a caretaker is murdered, and a body exhumed and stolen. Her family begs her to ask Sebastian Gage to investigate the matter, but having him in her life stirs up a host of emotions that are complicated and confusing. As they investigate the theft and other related crimes together, their relationship travels a rocky road toward an, as yet, unknown destination.

I am glad I revisited this series.  It really is a fun, semi-gothic, mystery/romance series.  Both Lady Darby and Lord Gage are interesting and complex characters, and Huber does a good job with their  relationship.  She is also good with setting and includes bits of actual history in each of these novels related to the long-standing conflicts along the English, Scottish border. Huber presents a wide range of clues to the mystery, some important and others not so, but I thought the solution to this mystery was a little anticlimactic. Still, I enjoyed it and will most likely continue on in the series. (2014, 433 p)

Christmas in Bethel by Richard Paul Evans

 Beth has too many horrific memories, starting with a childhood of abuse from her mother and stepfather, continuing with images from her time working as a EMT and concluding with memories of an abusive marriage.  With no hope of happiness in sight, Beth considers suicide, but is brought out of her despair by a book called Bethel. She clings to the book and other books by the same author as a lifeline while she builds a life free of abuse. Then she gets to meet the author, J.D. Harper. Sparks fly between them and soon they are caught up in a glamorous romance of fancy dinners and national attention.  She can't bring herself to believe that someone like Harper could really love her because of her past and almost sabotages all they are building with each other. When she discovers that he is keeping secrets about his past as well, their tenuous relationship is stretched to a breaking point.

I keep telling myself I should never again read a romance by Richard Paul Evans, but one of the regular patrons of the library recommended this to me, so I put it on hold. It is marginally better than the other ones I have read, but it still suffers from the same problem that I have found objectionable in all of Evan's romances. In all his romances, the men shower the women with expensive gifts and exciting experiences. They have limitless money, stay in lavish hotels,  and live in perfect mansions. I find it insulting that a male author thinks that this is what all women want. It shows a really shallow view of women. That being said, this book is a little bit better because, in the end, Harper is at least as wounded by his past as Beth is by hers.  Still, I did a full eye role with Harper takes Beth to Tiffany's in New York and insists on buying her a $34,000 pearl necklace and earring set. REALLY?  If someone tried to give me a $34,000 piece of jewelry, I would run the other direction.  I guess some people like Evan's flavor of wish fulfillment fantasy because he sells a lot of books, but not I (272 p. 2024)

To Love a Beast by Karen Witemeyer

Here is another of Witemeyer's Texan retellings of fairytales.  Everett Griffin's face is horribly disfigured by a crazy woman, so he leaves the life of a New York socialite, and becomes a recluse in Texas. Calista Rosenfeld and her father have risked all their capital to fill an order for a book rebinding project, but the week before it is to start, Calista's father has and accident and isn't able to go and fulfill the contract.  Calista decides to go alone, and finds herself in the gothic home of the reclusive Mr. Griffin.  Desperate to fulfill the contract and save her family business, Calista resists all Mr. Griffin's attempts to intimidate her. Their initial mistrust turns into respect and then friendship, but there is one in town who doesn't approve of Calista's new friend. His need for revenge threatens to destroy Everett and Calista's new hope for happiness. 

Again Karen Witemeyer.  The story and writing for this one( isn't bad. Calista is maybe a bit too perfect, but it is in keeping with the Fairytale motif.  Witemeyer takes her storyline and characters as much or more from the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast as from the original fairytale.  There are some shameless illusions to the Disney version, for example the housekeeper/cook's name is Mrs. Potter, and the butler likes to assemble clocks.  I am a little surprised that Disney doesn't go after her for it.  The one thing that was really disappointing about the recording was the reader.  Her voices were way exaggerated and as a result all the men sound like idiots.  I added her to my narrators to avoid list.  Fortunately, others in the series have different narrators. (2025, 542 p)