Always Enjoyable

There are certain authors that readers can always rely on to give us a good story. For every reading style there are these favorites. Two of my go-to authors are Nora Roberts and Elizabeth Lowell. I immediately have their newest novels on hold at the library as soon as I know the titles. The librarian has even put them on hold without my knowledge, because she knows I'll be doing it soon anyway! They both write what I would consider romantic thriller/mysteries. Easy to put down when the phone rings, they are just as great for getting lost quickly in the story line.
I've been so excited to get back to reading steadily that I've been enjoying everything even more than before my eyesight problems.Tribute by Nora Roberts is one of the first books I've managed to finish in a long time. It's the story of Cilla McGowan, a young woman who has moved to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley to rehabilitate her grandmother's neglected farm house. Being a big HGTV junkie, I enjoyed reading about all of the work going into the home, the fixture choices, how she laid the patio, etc. I also liked the mystery of Janet Hardy's (Cilla's grandmother) death, which has always been questioned as being suicide or an accident. Like every Roberts novel, there is the smart and sexy man, in this case the neighbor across the street, who is a great friend and companion, and lots of tension between Cilla and he, until they finally succumb to their feelings. Ford is a very successful graphic novelist, and reading about his process was really interesting, with graphic novels being so popular right now. This book, like all of Roberts' novels is very entertaining, and it comes out in paperback in March so you can put it on your beach reading list!

Blue Smoke and Murder by Elizabeth Lowell, which is also scheduled for paperback in March, is the latest in her St. Kilda Consulting series. Each of these novels stands alone, so there is no real reason to read them in order. White-water river guide Jill Breck needs protection, and luckily for her she has a connection to St. Kilda, a company with it's arms around the world, protecting high ranking government officials, putting down unrest in third world countries, and working outside the boundaries every day to make their clients safe. Zach Balfour, their top covert operative unwillingly arrives as her protection, and it turns out she really does need a strong maneuvering agent to keep her alive and discover the mystery of the twelve unsigned paintings she recently inherited after her great-aunt's accidental death. The story is rich with information on art of the west, and I found it interesting enough to look some artists and museums that were mentioned. The book is action-packed and moves along, but long-time readers of this genre will easily uncover the mystery of the paintings long before Jill and Zach. Again, an entertaining read, just what I'd expect from Ms. Lowell.

Do you have any go-to authors? Have you read either of these before?