I have a confession. I’ve not finished this book so maybe not a true review, but more of a ‘My current reading is …’ But there’s a reason why I’m highlighting this book even though I’m only about a third through. More on that in a minute. But here’s what NY Times Bestselling author, Patti Callahan has to say about The Seamstress of New Orleans:

From the captivating first line, The Seamstress of New Orleans transports the reader to the mystery and sultry magic of New Orleans. Brought together by fate and a glamorous gown, an unlikely friendship between two widows just might change everything on the cusp of Mardi Gras. A tale of well-guarded secrets, societal bonds that must be broken, and women’s powerful resilience. A powerful and fascinating story.

I’m at the point in the book where the two widows are about to meet. Both are young women, one with two very young daughters and the other just realizing she’s pregnant. The story takes place in 1900 when women are beginning to fight for their independence but rules and restrictions still apply. Part of that independence is the Leap Year Ball during Mardi Gras when the women take the initiative and invite the men, and take control of everything–turning society on its head for an evening. Oh, and there’s also a mafia-like group that controls part of New Orleans, and one of the deceased husbands owed them quite a substantial amount of money when he conveniently died. Unfortunately, they still want their money. The book holds promise of being a good read.

I’ve been reading and reviewing so much nonfiction lately I needed something different, this was on the $5.00 rack at Books-A-Million, and the blurb sounded intriguing so why not. I also thought the cover was pretty. (Anyone else buy a book just because they like the cover?) Which brings me to the reason I’m highlighting The Seamstress of New Orleans even though I’m still reading it–I wanted to share that I don’t read just serious stuff or bestseller list titles.  

My former eye doctor teased me because I never arrived without a book. “What are you reading this time?” He’d actually drag his staff into the exam room and tell them, ‘For as long as she’s been a patient (30+ years), she’s never come without a book.’ Part of his fascination was that I’d bring a physical book, not an e-reader, but mostly because I read simply for the enjoyment of reading. He told me more than once, ‘If you’re going to spend the time reading, you might as well learn something. What’s the point of reading novels?’ Then he’d laugh at me, shake his head, and start his ‘Which is better – 1? Or 2?’ He’s not my former optometrist because he held those views. He retired this year.

I bring all this up only because of comments by friends over the last month or two. One admitted her ‘guilty pleasure’ was reading cozy mysteries. Another admitted, almost apologetically, he enjoys an occasional James Patterson. A writer friend always describes her writing as, ‘It’s just fluff, nothing serious.’ And I wondered why some of us discount what we read, even if only a little bit.

I’m guilty of it too even though my Rowdy Readers select a hodge-podge of titles, (we’re called the Rowdy Readers, after all!) I hedge a bit when I tell them I’m reading something we as a group wouldn’t read. We’ve chosen both Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, highly popular recent fiction, as well as the somewhat obscure An Elderly Woman is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten. Our last book was the somewhat salacious Swamp Kings: The Story of the Murdaugh Murders of South Carolina & a Century of Backwoods Power by Jason Ryan. And yet …

This month I also read a light romance. ‘Light’ meaning it’s on the same plane as a Hallmark movie where a chaste kiss finally happens in the last scene, or in the case of this book, the last page. I won’t review or name because it wasn’t well written (my writer/editor ear tweaked and eye twitched more than once) and didn’t live up to its back cover promise. It had such a great premise (an English setting, a teashop, a traveling adventure), I didn’t even realize it was a romance novel when I started reading. I finished despite it falling flat because it was a quick read and a diversion. Reasons enough to pick up any book.

And I guess that’s the point of this post: any reason to pick up a book is a good enough reason. To learn something. Escapism. A quick read. A diversion. Popularity. Guilty pleasure. A great cover. It takes place in the state you live in. It takes place in your home state. It’s by a favorite author. It’s by an author you’ve not read before. A friend recommended. It’s on the Man Booker Prize/National Book Award/NYT Bestseller/ USA Today Top Picks/ Jenna Bush Top Pick lists. It was on the bargain table at a big box bookstore or your local library’s ‘fill a bag for $10’ sale, or the wobbly shelf in Goodwill or your local used bookstore.

Book Review Monday! doesn’t have to be just from me. I’m interested in hearing your reasons for grabbing that book or loading it on your device, and in what you’re reading at the moment. I keep a list of books you’ve recommended and always happy to add to it.

It’s a lovely rainy day here in the Carolinas. Time to get back to reading. I hope your week is off to a good start. I’ll see you next Monday when my window will be filled with surprises.