Talking about life at home, wellness, and hobbies
“All good things are wild and free.” –Henry David Thoreau
Welcome to Free Range Writings – a lifestyle blog where we talk about making the most of every day. Our main focus is home life and creating the best space possible for ourselves and our families. Our articles feature wellness, recipes, product reviews, entertainment, self-help and more!
Are you anything like me and need some serious updates to your kitchen essentials? From cookware to ice makers, the Free Range will help you add and refresh some everyday items and we hope enhance your everyday life!
Due to lurking health concerns with PFOS and PFOA, Teflon pans have taken a reputation hit in the last few years. Other materials like ceramic and granite have made an entrance to the scene of everyday cookware like this set from CAROTE. With stylish cream-white color and non-stick granite coating, this set is both luxurious and durable. As a bonus, the price is much lower than name brand sets.
Don’t need all the extras? Check out this single frying pan with lid from CAROTE:
2. Ice Makers
Countertop ice makers have become increasingly popular in the last two years. You can choose from all shapes of ice and different capacities to fit your needs. Below are some best sellers.
FREE VILLAGE Ice Maker
There is a good reason the FREE VILLAGE ice maker is a top choice – it includes a compact size, speedy cube making, and a self-cleaning feature.
Frigidaire Countertop Ice Maker
This top name brand pick has plenty of features and an oversized bucket for added storage
3. Mini Refrigerator
Have you upgraded your guest room to feature a stocked mini-fridge? This best selling Wanai has 3.5 cubic feet of space plus comes in fashionable colors to match your space.
4. Packed Lunches
Bento Box Containers
These fashionable 4-compartment Bento Boxes give you and your loved ones something to look forward to after a long morning at school or work. Choose your color scheme for each set you order. My daughter is using the brights this year as she starts first grade!
Ice Packs
Throw in some cute ice packs to brighten up your little one’s day. These packs come in butterfly, dino, unicorn, or penguin! What does a penguin say? I don’t know but they sure are cute!
5. Chopper
Fall is just around the corner and you know what that means – chili season!! Bust out this handy chopper to simplify the prep work. Want to spiralize some zucchini? This chopper comes with a spiral attachment too!
Stay tuned for more modern and useful finds from the Free Range writers!
I’m not ashamed of my online gaming hobby. If it weren’t for my love of simulation and role-play games, I wouldn’t have been led to my career. I’ve spent long days exploring games like Everquest & World of Warcraft. Before that, I played simulation game classics like Majesty and Roller Coaster Tycoon. But the PC platform limited my ability to do anything but stationary gaming. After months of searching for the best gaming fit, in 2014 I discovered KingsRoad, which was supported on handheld device platforms like my iPad and iPhone. I played KingsRoad for 8 years until it’s shocking sunset in 2022. Here’s where I say a dramatic goodbye to this fun and engaging experience and share some screenshots of time well-spent with my character Rogerian and his faithful bear pet.
Imagine spending countless hours in a virtual world, immersing yourself in the adventures and challenges it offers, only to have it abruptly taken away. This was the unfortunate fate of my beloved game, KingsRoad, when Rumble Games announced its cancellation. As an avid player, I would like to reminisce about the joy that KingsRoad brought into my life and express my disappointment at its untimely demise.
At the core of my gaming experience was my beloved character, a hunter named Rogerian. With my loyal pet bear acting as a tank, I would effortlessly shoot down enemies, advancing through the game’s challenging levels. Rogerian was not only a formidable force on the battlefield, but he was also the proud leader of a guild known as Fantasticats. Playing alongside fellow guild members, particularly my close friend the mage GiddyUp59, added a whole new layer of enjoyment to the game. Together, we embarked on epic quests, conquering dungeons and raid bosses.
One of the most exhilarating aspects of KingsRoad was the ability to summon a majestic dragon, Aurelian. This mighty creature offered a significant boost to the gold collected from defeated enemies, a feature that I found particularly enticing. To further enhance this effect, players could utilize gold potions to stack the bonuses, creating a lucrative advantage that added an element of strategy to the gameplay. It was a joy to watch my character amass wealth and become more powerful with the aid of Aurelian.
However, KingsRoad was not just about acquiring wealth and participating in solo adventures – it also had a thriving player versus player (PvP) community. Engaging in PvP tournaments provided an excellent opportunity to test my skills against other players and foster a sense of healthy competition. Additionally, the game offered a variety of daily dungeons and weekly events, keeping the experience fresh and dynamic. The developers of KingsRoad truly crafted a universe that catered to both solo and cooperative play, ensuring that players were constantly engaged and entertained.
The news of KingsRoad’s cancellation was met with a heavy heart. It felt as though a chapter of my life was abruptly cut short, leaving behind only memories of the joy and excitement I had experienced over the course of eight wonderful years. It was more than just a game; it was a community where friendships were forged and challenges were overcome together. It had become a part of my routine, my escape from the mundane, and losing it felt like a significant loss.
As I look back on my time with KingsRoad, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for the countless hours of enjoyment it provided. The game allowed me to tap into my creativity, strategy, and camaraderie, all while immersing myself in a fantastical world. It was a testament to the power of gaming to bring people together, ignite their passions, and create lasting memories.
While the cancellation of KingsRoad may have left a void in my gaming heart, I am thankful for the incredible journey it took me on. Its rich gameplay, vibrant community, and thrilling adventures will forever hold a special place in my heart. Farewell, KingsRoad; you may be gone, but you will never be forgotten.
Do you know a little princess hooked on all things American Girl? If the answer is yes and you’re anything like me, you know the price of a fancy doll collection adds up fast! Or maybe your budget allows but your girl is looking to branch out. Whatever your doll situation, the Free Range has you covered, so let’s get started!
With 79 pieces including colorful ice cream, gelato, toppings, bowls, utensils and everything else your little one could imagine to make the ultimate frozen treat parlor, this is by far my 6 year old’s most used 14” doll playset even over her Wellie Wishers products. It’s also very budget friendly and holds up to demolition attempts by my toddler son!
Looking to expand the ice cream parlor? This ice cream themed putt-putt set is sure to be a hit!
2. Journey Girls Wooden Stable
More economical than the AG stable, this set comes with a variety of accessories including a plaid horse blanket! The wooden stable does require some adult assembly, but the end result is a cute little decorated pen for the horses. This bargain should get your 18” doll off to a bright start on her riding adventures! Need a horse to go along with it? Check out Belle, the spotted beauty from Adora!
3. Journey Girls Pet Salon
If your little one loves all things pets, then check out this pet salon from Journey Girls! With 5 accessories including a hair dryer, your doll’s pet will have all they need to be styled. As a bonus, the color scheme is purple and teal with an adorable bubble backsplash! And if your doll is in the market for a new pet, I suggest this daughter-tested puppy set with 11 pieces.
4. Beverly Hills Doll Summer Beach Accessories
Has your 18” doll gone to the beach lately? Take her in style with this Beverly Hills Collection of beach accessories including a chair and umbrella. The set comes with 10 fun pieces for her fun in the sun! Be sure to pick up some sand toys and a volley ball for all-day play!
5. Princess Costume Dress Up Set
If you know a little princess who likes to play dress up, then check out this adorable set of costumes for her 18” doll. She and her doll can mix it up or go as twins! Love Encanto? Grab her Mirabel and Isabella costumes as a special gift.
Be sure to drop by soon for more budget friendly doll playsets and accessories!
Or, at least pre-fall, as the official first day of fall this year is September 23rd. The -ber months are, in my opinion, the best months of the year because they symbolize cozy times together with the ones you love. Here, in Northern Sweden, there’s already a slight chill in the air in the early mornings, just that first hint that cooler temperatures are on the way. I truly love autumn, and would like to share some of the ways that I like to kick start the season in order to get the absolute most from this most colorful time of year.
Even if the weather is still a bit warm, I love looking for the first signs of fall. I watch for the first signs that the leaves are starting to change colors, go outside to try to feel even the smallest hint of coolness in the air, or go in to town and see the new fall clothes and decorative items arriving. However, with some creative thinking you can always fake that fall feeling until it’s like you’re living in your own personal Hallmark cozy movie.
Nothing gets me feeling more autumnal than watching a movie or series with a cozy, warm, or even spooky vibe. Here are just a few of my personal favorites that I absolutely love and highly recommend to get into the spirit of fall:
The Good Witch On Hallmark Channel or Netflix
This show has all the elements of a cozy fall feeling. Every episode is like a hug from someone you love, a cozy blanket, and a nice fall beverage. But seriously, it’s that good! The show is about Cassie, who runs the Bell, Book, and Candle shop and the Grey House Bed and Breakfast in the town of Middleton. Cassie has special intuitive gifts that enable her to understand others, and she’s also a healer. She uses her intuition and knowledge of healing herbs to help others, hence the good witch element. This series is very wholesome and something that the entire family can watch and enjoy together. The whole town has a lovely fall aesthetic, a funny mayor, and a whole cast of town residents who have their own quirks that keep the show binge worthy.
There are also The Good Witch movies, that are equally charming and give those fall cozy feelings, but these movies are very hard to find on any streaming platform. They are, however, available for purchase through the Hallmark Channel and Amazon. I haven’t seen them in years, and hope to re-watch them this fall.
Gilmore Girls is another series that is abundant in autumnal vibes. The fall aesthetic is in almost every scene, from the overall look of the town of Stars Hollow, to everyone’s coffee obsession, and even the clothes. It just feels and looks like fall.
This show features single mother Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter, Rory and their friends, family, and colleagues in the charming town of Stars Hollow. At the heart of the show is the relationship between Lorelai and Rory, as well as their relationships with their significant others. This show is more focused on romantic relationships than The Good Witch, and both are truly excellent shows.
This series is more on the dark fantasy/dark academia side of fall, so it might be better suited for late September or October. One things for sure, it’s delightfully dark, and perfect for that autumn feeling. If you enjoyed the lighthearted camp of the late 90s show “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” well, you should also give this a try because the main characters are there, but with a satanic twist. Yes, in this version, Sabrina is the daughter of the Dark Lord, and she’s mighty powerful.
Sabrina and her family of witches and warlocks live in a funeral home in the town of Greendale. This town is teeming with supernatural activity and is rich with the whole autumnal aesthetic. It’s dark and gloomy, and to make the fall vibes stronger, Sabrina must attend the Academy of Unseen Arts. It’s peak dark academia at this school, where the dark arts are studied and perfected. It’s a must watch for dark fall nights.
What is more cozy and fall than a classic romance? This 1989 movie gem is just about on everyone’s list of favorite fall aesthetic movies for a reason. Not only is it a beautiful romance movie, but it is a gorgeous movie to watch. The cinematography is stunningly beautiful, especially so if you love the look of fall. Even the fall fashions of the late 20th century fun to look at in this movie.
Meg Ryan plays Sally Albright and Billy Crystal is Harry Burns, and this movie is the story of their relationship as it matures over the course of twelve years. It’s an absolutely lovely story, and even nostalgic for those of us who adore the look and dialogue of the 80s and 90s.
There are so many fall related series and movies, but this is just enough to get you started on this September 1st. I plan on a part two of this entertainment guide, as well as my favorite fall activities, books, and recipes. Happy September to All!
My first viewing of Game of Thrones left me with a fragmented understanding of Westeros politics. A second viewing has given me a better comprehension of the family histories, alliances, and feuds. One thing a second viewing of this show has also taught me – the Lannister acting cast is sublime. There’s not one weak link in the bunch, making Lannister scenes memorable and worth rewatching. This article series will focus on the plot antagonists who enable and challenge them.
From the pilot episode, the Lannisters show pathological hatred and vengeance for anyone who impedes their political ambitions and preservation of family legacy. Like most GoT characters, the Lannisters, excluding Joffrey, follow an arc that doesn’t define them as good or evil. While Cersei is mostly atrocious, she almost seems like a reasonable person compared to the High Sparrow, after her empowerment of him proves to be a “shame”-ful mistake.
High Sparrow
Oh boy, many of us know a “High Sparrow” type – the person who lived out life as they selfishly saw fit for years until deciding to change. The type who treated people horribly or lived carelessly, and then found a religion or philosophy that changed them. But it’s not good enough for them to change, is it? They have to enforce their new found understanding on the rest of us and mercilessly judge our choices from their enlightened perch.
Before he rose to prominence, the High Sparrow inherited his father’s cobbler business and decided his success was too much to endure after a night of hard partying. Realizing that owning a thriving business isn’t the life he wants, he puts on a muumuu and heads for King’s Landing. In Season 5, we first see him doing what the religious and enlightened are supposed to do- hang out with the poor, feed them, and give them guidance.
Cersei shows up and ingratiates herself to the High Sparrow by arresting the Sept’s current leader for whoremongering and gives the High Sparrow his own little army, the Faith Militant. Cersei doesn’t like King Tommen’s wife, Queen Margaery Tyrell, so she needs the high sparrow to have his faith militant arrest Margaey’s brother Loras, a homosexual. This solves two problems for Cersei – 1) she was promised to marry Loras Tyrell, which would send her away to the Tyrell home of High Garden and 2) the arrest distracts Queen Margaery away from Tommen. Soon enough, High Sparrow exploits Cersei’s hatred for the Tyrells and eventually Cersai and Margaery find themselves sleeping in dungeon cells along with the rest of King’s Landing influential sinners.
As a result of arming the Septon, King’s Landing becomes an even scarier place. Barrels of ale are destroyed, Littlefinger’s establishment is raided, and the faith militant are patrolling for deviance. Cersei’s little scheme turns the whole town into a violent theocracy, ending season 5 with her humiliating walk of shame from the King’s Landing Sept to the Red Keep.
Even Jaime and Lord Tryrell’s armies cannot stop the High Sparrow. In one Season 6 scene, we see HS smirking at Jaime after King Tommen emerges from the sept to inform his father/uncle he is now ruling from the church. HS now has full control of the king. The High Sparrow’s expression tells us that just like his cobbling trade, modest success isn’t enough for him. No, he needs more control by manipulating King Tommen and the faith militant. Interestingly enough, throughout the entire storyline, the High Sparrow never strikes a blow – yet persuades his followers and faith militant to carry out his wishes.
Cersei wasn’t able to keep the High Sparrow under her control, so she used her power to undo the mistake of arming him. Aided by Maester Qyburn’s ”little birds”, she finds out that wildfire barrels are stored under the Sept’s foundation. In season 6, the wildfire explosion kills the High Sparrow, along with many other of Cersei’s most hated – Margaery, Loras, and Lord Tyrell.
Unlike the amoral sadists Joffrey Baratheon and Ramsay Bolten, the character of High Sparrow was multidimensional and mysterious. Before Cersei made him armed and powerful, he was down in Flea Bottom feeding the poor. Would he have stayed on the path of peacefully serving the poor had the Queen Mother not paid him a visit? Probably so. Certainly HS was revered by the powerless, but without funding, any militia he could muster is no challenge for the Lannister and Tyrell forces. Cersei offered him more than what he gave up to become High Sparrow and this empowerment exposed his greedy nature. While I was relieved to see the High Sparrow and his followers exterminated, the dreadful oppressive presence captured by the rich and brilliant acting of Jonathan Pryce as the High Sparrow is unforgettable.
When the HBO series Game of Thrones began in 2011, I didn’t watch it because I didn’t have HBO, and it didn’t look like anything I’d want to see. Despite that, several people told me how great the show was and that they thought it was something that I’d like. Jump forward in time to 2022, and we now have HBO, and my husband I and decide to watch an episode to see if we like it or not.
One episode quickly became another one, and we were soon obsessed. We binge-watched the entire series, and loved it so very much. Game of Thrones is quite possibly the greatest series ever created, with characters that you feel so passionately either for or against. Along with that, there is suspense and intrigue to keep you needing to know what will happen next.
I am going to assume that whoever reads this has watched the series in its entirety, so I don’t need a lengthy description of the various plot points or character descriptions. What I’d like to do here is outline the reasons why I’m infuriated by the series ending, and why I love Daenerys Targaryen and feel that she should still be alive.
Bran, Sansa, and Arya should be thanking their lucky stars for being alive because they could not have won the battle of Winterfell without Daenerys’ and her army. Of course, Arya gets major credit for killing the Night King, and Bran gets credit for drawing the Night King to him. I don’t really know what good Arya was doing way up on that tower for most of the battle before she made it over to Bran, but that’s besides the point. Daenerys, Jon, and the dragons were saving so many lives by mowing down the zombie attackers. Also, so many unsullied and Dothraki soldiers risked their lives to save the North. No way could the combined Northern forces have defeated the Night King and his army alone.
Did Daenerys and her combined forces get any credit for that? Yes, but definitely not from the incredibly ungrateful Stark family. The Stark family really proved to be nothing but pure, ungrateful trash in my eyes. Meanwhile, true and brave fighters like Tormund Giantsbane and Yara Greyjoy were smart and always acknowledged Daenerys’ sacrifice to help them. Jon Snow was also grateful to the Mother of Dragons and her armies, but, of course, he is definitely not a Stark.
In the beginning of the show, Varys was one of the most supportive people of Daenerys, even before they had even met in person. He knew that she would make a far superior ruler of the Seven Kingdoms than anyone from the House of Baratheon. He pretended to be loyal to the Baratheon Kings until he was able to meet up with Daenerys and her army. That is why it is so puzzling and surprising that he would eventually betray her.
Varys did so very much to help Daenerys get support against Cersi. He went to Dorne to get their support, and he also got support from the House of Tyrell. Unfortunately, Cersi and her minions were already several steps ahead, but Varys did very good work to help Daenerys and her cause. His treasonous acts against Daenerys broke my heart because I really liked his character. The change in attitude toward Daenerys was so sudden, and there wasn’t really a good explanation of it in the show. We see Varys’ loyalty changing directly after the defeat of the Night King. He saw that all the people were openly supporting and congratulating Jon Snow. Also, he noticed that it hurt Daenerys’ feelings to be so under-appreciated. For some reason, that made Varys suddenly conspire against Daenerys in support of Jon Snow. Ultimately, Daenerys had to execute Varys not only because she had warned him what would happen if he betrayed her, but also because he truly deserved it.
I so loved Tyrion for most of the show, and eventually hated him because he betrayed Daenerys in the worst way. He essentially decided that he had the moral superiority to be her judge and jury after the Battle at King’s Landing. In my opinion, he is just as guilty of murdering Daenerys as Jon Snow is. You know how Charles Manson didn’t kill anyone, but manipulated others to kill for him? Well, Tyrion is a Manson figure in that sense because he convinced Jon Snow that Daenerys needed to go. Watch the scene where Tyrion convinces Jon to murder Daenerys and tell me that is no a master manipulator in action. He is a horribly despicable character for this action alone. But, I also hated him when he let Jamie Lannister go to Cersi, thus betraying Daenerys. He was also wrong for disagreeing with Daenerys’ decision to kill the rotten head of the Tarly family and Samwell’s stupid and overly proud brother. She had to do what she had to do there.
Nobody in their right mind can hate Jon Snow. He is the moral compass of the show, and he is one of the truly good characters throughout every season. That said, I was furious at him when he killed Daenerys. It was such a shocking and unbelievable betrayal, and it is outrageous that he would allow himself to be so manipulated by Tyrion. I’ve already talked about the way that Tyrion suggested that Jon kill Daenerys, but there was also an interaction with Arya that helped convince Jon to commit cold-blooded murder. Arya told Jon that she knows Daenerys is a killer, and that Daenerys will see Jon as a threat.
It’s just incredibly foolish of Jon to believe Tyrion and Arya, when he knows that Daenerys loves him more than anyone. Daenerys exhibits nothing but loyalty to those she loves, and has never given any indication that she would be violent to Jon Snow. It’s just a terrible shame that Jon allows himself to be so easily manipulated.
This was a completely justified invasion on the part of Daenerys and her combined forces. I doubt there’s anyone who think Cersi needed to stay on as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. After all, she mass murdered her own people when she blew up the big church where they were having a trial for Loras Tyrell. For Daenerys, however, it’s not only necessary for personal reasons because she is next in line as a descendant of the last Targaryen king. That is, at least until she finds out about Jon Snow’s heritage. Jon has told anyone and everyone that he doesn’t want to be king so he supports Daenerys. Another reason why Daenerys wants to attack King’s Landing is because she really hates Cersi after she has Missandi beheaded. Daenerys is extremely loyal and protective of those who are loyal to her, and Cersi really messed up when she had Missandi executed.
This is a question that I’ve spent some time trying to figure out, and I have some ideas but no conclusive answers. First of all, there is nothing to suggest Daenerys knows that the ringing of the bells is a signal of surrender. It’s never something that was shown to be discussed in front of Daenerys. The first I recall hearing about it was when Tyrion tells Jamie to ring the bells if Jamie can convince Cersi to surrender. Tyrion says nothing about this plan to Daenerys. How was she to know that was the signal? And, who was authorized to ring the bells? From Cersi’s reaction, it sure doesn’t look like it was her idea to ring the bells. Anyway, I suppose that the reason why Daenerys is murdered is her behavior after the bells rang.
So, yes, Daenerys directs Drogon to burn and destroy almost everything and everyone in King’s Landing. Yes, that was overkill, when she should have just had Drogon fly directly over to the tower that Cersi was in and destroy that. She did let her grief over the execution of Missandi, and her hatred for Cersi guide her actions that day. Personally, I think she was justified in her actions because Cersi was the ultimate evil, and the civilians were incredibly stupid to stay in town when they had to know an attack was imminent.
That being said, we have a saying in our family where something in a movie or TV show absolutely makes no sense, we say, “It wasn’t in the script.” So, yeah, the writer of the show needed a dramatic or shocking ending and just put it in the script. It was a cop-out and a terribly disappointing end to a great heroine.
Being born in Fall of 1977 means the early 80’s are a blurry mist in my mind. While I’d love to remember the faces and voices of long-deceased relatives who were healthy and active during this time, my memory has mostly faded along with the few photos that remain. Fortunately there are sights and sounds that do trigger strong memories of this time, one of them being certain songs.
Growing up in a rural community meant long drives into town for groceries and other necessities. It was almost 40 years ago when I first heard the song “King of Pain.” As a 5 year old staring out of the window of my mom’s Cutlass Supreme, I was haunted by the lyrical imagery of a “butterfly trapped in a spider’s web” and a “dead salmon frozen in a waterfall.” While my young brain couldn’t fully process every metaphor, I understood the song’s distressing intent. From that moment on, I was drawn to the music of The Police and after they disbanded, Sting.
Now in my 40’s, with a long commute to work, I’m still listening to their music. My mind revels in the darkly lyrical creativity often contradicted by jolly musical notes. In fact, I’ve listened to The Police through every decade and phase of my life to date. Their music has enriched my mind with new concepts, helped me cope with loss and grief, and question love and relationships.
This series of articles will be devoted to our favorite musicians and the songs that have traveled with us through different phases of life. That’s why I’m calling it “The Enduring Life of Songs.” Some songs persist with us at different stages of life and take on different meanings and understandings. Check back soon for my article featuring Sting’s overlooked song, “All This Time.”
At this stage, I’m not all that fun but hey, I’m working on it. While a convenient excuse would be that having small children has turned me into a manic shrew, in fact, I’m probably more fun now than I was 5 years ago. Before sharing my tips for boosting your inner fun person, I’ll tell you a little bit about my background.
Growing up in an isolated rural setting, I developed a propensity for objects and tasks over people. This type of upbringing often leads to a conscientious observer personality with technical aptitude. Some may refer to us as nerds. And so that’s what I am. A female nerd. If you saw me today, you’d probably not guess I know the Sith Lord master-apprentice lineage from Star Wars mythology, or how to automate leveling your tailoring skills in Everquest 2. You also might not think I can take 3.5 million lines of raw data and turn it into an interactive dashboard, but I certainly have. I can accomplish all of these items with ease and find them “fun” but they are considered boring by most subjective standards.
My journey has been complex and often lonely. A pleasant appearance and rural Alabama upbringing often elicits unflattering stereotypes about my intellect and abilities. For example, I have trained coworkers and shared knowledge with those who did not have these perceived flaws and watched them garner favor using the learning they received from me. These small injustices damaged my spirit and led to self loathing and defeat. In my case, I wanted so much to be someone else, that I lost what is unique about me which is my background and my journey.
While my situation is uncommon, many of us struggle through daily slights and injustices that lead us to question our purpose and identity. Below are some tips I use for coping:
Overall I’m learning every day to improve my fun factor. Let’s just say it still needs a lot of work, but using these coping strategies as a guide has helped to boost my mood and spirit.
Regency historical novels are definitely a favorite of mine, and I decided to give this a try since it was free through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Set in the year 1814 at a mansion in the English countryside, this book is the second in a series that follows a group of hunky intelligence officers who also happen to be members of the aristocracy. Recently widowed from a loveless marriage, Lily Mereworth decides to attend a week-long Christmas celebration at the home of her best friend, Rosalind. Among the guests invited to this gathering is newly ennobled Viscount Asher Rainham, who is also one of England’s most highly ranked intelligence officers. Lily, with the encouragement of Rosalind, has made a sort of bucket list of bold actions to take in order to be free from the oppressive rules set by her former husband. Having already marked off several of these actions, like burning the etiquette book that her former husband gave her, Lily is gradually re-gaining the confidence that she had before her marriage. There is one item on this list that is proving to be the most intimidating for Lily, and that one is to seduce a rogue.
The main characters, Lily and Asher were both so perfectly matched for each other, and their quirky personalities made them very likeable. I especially liked that they are both intelligent, especially with numbers and calculating odds. Lily has used her intelligence to make wise financial investments. Being a widow in the early 1800s means that she has more control over her finances, rather than having a husband making monetary decisions. Therefore, Lily is very reluctant to get involved with another man and risk having someone control her again.
I also liked that the main characters were older and had mature adult conversations. Fairly often in the historical romance genre, the main characters will be young and immature. This was not the case for Lily and Asher’s story. After being married for eleven unhappy years, Lily is old enough to know what she doesn’t want in a man. She longs to be the brave and fun person she once was, and is doing whatever she can to break free of the strict rules of etiquette that her husband set for her.
Asher is a not a typical hero of a historical romance in that he is incredibly intelligent, he is highly observant of others, and thus a great listener. This has served him well in his career as a spymaster. While not an overtly alpha male character, he is a tough guy with a heart of gold. He really is the total package, smart, strong, and gorgeous.
Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the Christmas setting. Everything is just a little bit more magical during this time of year, and the whole premise of a Christmas gathering is interesting. The hosts of the gathering, Rosalind and Lucas, decide to task each guest with choosing a fun activity for the group do do each night. Each of these activities provide a romantic backdrop as Lily and Asher get to know each other. This was such a fun idea, and it reminded me of how before modern times, people had to use their imagination to come up with their entertainment.
The only aspect that I felt a bit lacking was that there could have been more information about Lily’s family background and more details about what her living situation was like both before her marriage and after. My other complaint is that the book is far too short at 180 pages. While this is the second book of the series, these characters aren’t mentioned that much in the other books. Asher, being the head of the intelligence agency does appear more than Lily.
Romance novels can range from the sweet and innocent, to downright filth. Each and every fan of this type of fiction has their own personal preference for how steamy they want the romance to be. In my opinion, this book had just the right amount, which is not too graphic. Don’t get me wrong, this book is steamy, but not overly so.
Overall, this is one of those historical romances that stands out for the interesting and entertaining characters that you will cheer for as they find love. The entire series is great, but this story was especially dear to me for the cozy Christmas setting and a great second chance love story.
My rating, is a five out of five stars for this lovely story, and I highly recommend this to all fans of historical romance.
One of the greatest honors of my life has been getting to know many great cats. I love just about all animals, but as far as pets go, cats really are perfect for my personality.
Cats are almost universally hilariously funny critters, even if they don’t realize how amusing they are to us humans. They are naturally entertaining, getting into all kinds of things they shouldn’t. Just put a box anywhere, and they need to immediately go to inspect what’s in it. I get so many laughs everyday from my cats, just watching to see what they get up to. They are pure entertainment.
They love to play and can make a game out of almost anything. An old shoe string, a crumpled piece of paper, really just about anything becomes a toy to a cat.
As much as they love to play, cats are also champion sleepers. They love finding a cozy area to take a nap, and they’re always finding new places to sleep.
I love it that as far as pets go, they are very easy to care for. Cats are extremely clean. They spend so much time bathing and grooming themselves, that they always smell so good. Cats love clean so much, and they thrive in clean environments. While both my husband and I don’t have to have our house super clean, our cats do, so I clean for them.
Besides their wide range of personalities, cats are super cuddly and loving. They are such wonderful companions, and they enrich my life every day.
Our oldest cat is Santos. He got that name from his previous owners, and we never bothered to change it. We’ve had him since 2009, and he’s now 12 years old. Besides Santos, we also have our little girl cat, Callie. She is 9 years old, but could easily be mistaken for a very young cat.
Like all cats, Santos definitely is a character and is full of personality. When he was a kitten, he was super playful and full of energy. He could also be slightly aggressive and would attack us for no reason. He didn’t intend to hurt, but he really just never learned how to play. We believe that is because we adopted him too early. He probably should have spent more time with his Mama Cat and his siblings before we adopted him. Over the years, though, Santos has mellowed and is the sweetest little guy you can imagine. He just wants to be loved and held. He loves going out on our backyard on his leash. He’s a great sleeping buddy, and he especially loves for someone to hold him and walk around. Whenever her hears us talking or doing something in the kitchen, he always comes to see what is going on. He is a very sociable cat, and loves visitors. He truly is a good friend to all.
This little fellow loves it when someone is in the kitchen. He is always curious to see what we’re making, and he especially loves it when we’re opening a fresh can of food. He’s great company while we’re cooking, just content and comforted by hearing our voices.
Santos doesn’t like water, but he is fascinated by it. He especially loves it when we defrost our freezer each winter. He will sit by and watch the ice melt and drip down all day like it’s the most interesting TV show in the world.
Callie is a special little girl. Despite being a fully-grown adult cat, she is still very small. She’s not as affectionate as Santos, but when she wants attention, she makes sure that she gets noticed and receives lots of petting. She absolutely loves to play, and can make just about anything a toy.
Before we raised all of our curtain rods to the ceiling, a funny thing that Callie would do was to climb the curtains and walk across the curtain rods. She is always up for adventure. Every day, she seems to get up to some new adventure, and just seeing what she gets up to is entertaining.
This little girl loves comfort. She somehow manages to find the coziest spot in our home where she can relax in style. She is shy around strangers, but has the sweetest personality to those who take the time to get to know her.
Our little girl is also very smart, and has a long attention span. She loves to watch youtube videos, and she finds ways to hunt birds. We still can’t figure out how an indoor cat manages to capture birds. And yes, we always take the birds from her and release them back into the wild.
For anyone who has pets, you know how they become your family. It is especially true for us because Santos and Callie are like our children. Like a lot of proud parents, we think our cats are the cutest, funniest, and smartest in the world.
