Review and Giveaway of Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky

After recently returning from a wonderful vacation on Fripp Island in South Carolina, in the beach home of my generous writer friend Berta, I've been in a beach frame of mind -- wearing flip flops and craving seafood and remembering the feel of sand beneath my feet and the sound and smell of the ocean.

Later this month I'll post about the amazing time my grandchildren and I spent at Sandcastle, the Rosenberg's large and lovely home on Fripp Island, right on the beach.

For now, in the spirit of passing on a bit of the sweet, salty air to my blog visitors, I've decided to post about an entertaining novel of a summer adventure that takes place on a remote island off the coast of Maine.

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Sweet Salt Air by New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky is a delightful book, filled with the sights and smells and tastes of the beach.

The story is about Charlotte and Nicole, best friends who spent their summers in Nicole's family home on an island off the coast of Maine. After Nicole's marriage, the women's lives spin off in separate directions.

Charlotte has become a successful freelance travel writer whose assignments and adventures across the globe leave her longing to set down roots. Nicole lives in Philadelphia and is married to Julian, a successful surgeon. Nicole has turned her passion for organic food and fresh fruit and produce from farmers' markets into a popular food blog.

Ten years after Nicole's wedding, the women get together and spend the summer in Nicole's family vacation home where they collaborate on a cookbook featuring island foods and recipes.

Working on the cookbook rekindles pleasant memories, but it also unearths secrets, insecurities, and betrayal. Charlotte is consumed by guilt over something that happened before she left the island. Nicole also has a secret involving her husband that could be a matter of life or death.

While collecting recipes for the cookbook, the women reconnect with and befriend some islanders, including bad boy Leo Cole, who fiercely protects access to his late mother's garden and guards a surprising secret.

The women also experience the joy of rediscovering the beauty and uniqueness of the island -- the special scents and herbs that grow there -- and the delicious foods prepared with islanders' loving touches. Just about every chapter is infused with some sort of food, herb, plant, flower, or beverage. There's coffee, lots of coffee.

What I like most about Sweet Salt Air are the characters, especially Charlotte and Leo. I also was swept away by the beach setting and the engaging twists and turns the story took.

The sensual details make the novel come alive. The mention of so much food is expected with a story about the writing of a cookbook, but at times I felt dizzy with sensory overload and got sidetracked from the story. And telling a good story is what Barbara Delinsky does best.

So, if you're hungry for a tasty summer read, add Sweet Salt Air to your list. It is a sweet and touching novel about friendship, betrayal, redemption, love, forgiveness -- and food.

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In the spirit of sharing, I'm giving away my Advance Readers' Edition of Sweet Salt Air to one of my visitors.

For a chance to win, just leave a comment by June 20 about a trip you've taken to a beach or a favorite vacation -- or just stop by to say "Hi!"

I'll select one commenter's name at random and on June 21 I'll post the winner's name, along with instructions on how to contact me to collect your winning.  

Good luck!

Almost forgot: Although St. Martin's Press provided me a free copy of the ARE of Sweet Salt Air, I was not paid to give a favorable review.

Home Again, Home Again - A Trip to Remember

Last night my soon-to-be-18-year-old granddaughter flew home from her vacation in Southern California. She spent a week with her boyfriend and his family to visit his grandparents. It was a huge step to let her fly half-way across the USA without us, but she was in good--and trusted--hands.  Before she left, her boyfriend's mother and I spoke at length about travel plans--and other arrangements--if you know what I mean.

This was her third trip to California. She travelled twice with her parents when she was four then again nine, and she remembered going there as a child. "Everything seemed bigger back then," she said on the drive home fromt he airport last night.

She had exciting stories about swimming in the ocean, watching sunsets, seeing dolphins, shopping on Rodeo drive, and walking across the red carpet when they were stuck on the opposite side of where their rental car was parked.

One day their group of eleven was in Hollywood eating at the Hard Rock Cafe the same day of the premiere for "Total Recall." One of the security guards allowed them to dash across the red carpet before the celebrities arrived. She even spotted a few movie stars. She stood about ten feel from Colin Farrel, one of the stars of "Total Recall," but didn't know who he was until someone in their party told her.

It was fun to welcome her home last night. I made a batch of dirt cake (her favorite) and had cleaned her room, which really made her happy. She brought us each gifts--a Lakers' cup for her brother, a key chain with #1 Grandpa for Walt, and an pen and  a statue for me.

The statue is a gold-plated Oscar with the caption "Best Grandma" across the bottom. That was a lovely surprise, and an award I will cherish.

Shortly before her return, my hubby heard about this cool tool to track airflights in real time. We don't fly often any more, so it was a new toy for us. I used it last night to follow her plane when it left LAX on its way to STL. The tracking tool is Flight Aware.

It's good to have her back safe and sound, home again, and I'm sure she will have memories to last a lifetime.

School's Out and A Whole Lot of Streaking Going On in St. Louis

Yesterday was the last day of school for my grandson; my granddaughter's last day was a week ago. To celebrate the beginning of summer vacation, I took the two of them and my granddaughter's boyfriend to watch the St. Louis Cardinals play the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium. Our tickets were way, way up, on the first-base side, but it was a great night to have a hot time in the city. And I'm not only talking about the temperature, which was in the 90s when we rolled into St. Louis. 

We arrived downtown early to watch batting practice and enjoyed a free concert headlined by a very talented band called Griffin and the Gargoyles. After the band played for awhile we were in for a special treat when legendary Cardinal speedster Vince Coleman spoke to the pre-game crowd outside the stadium.

Coleman was known for his lightning speed streaking around the bases when he played for the Cardinals. During his talk he shared words of wisdom he learned from coach Whitey Herzog, "Give one-hundred-and-ten percent and show up on time."

During batting practice lots of baseballs streaked through the air, and a few landed near where we stood. I did a lot of ducking and covering my head with my purse every time I heard the words, "Heads up!" The Phillies players tossed a few baseballs into the stands, but none were caught by us. Maybe next time.

By the time we found our seats, I was tired. It felt great to sit, and it was a lovely evening. Then the game started. By the end of the first inning the home-town team was behind by four runs, then down six by the end of two innings. They rallied and made the game interesting later on but fell one run short.

The Cards have been hot, almost as hot as the weather, but their winning streak ended last night. And the Cards weren't the only ones who had an end put to their streak on the field. 

At the beginning of the seventh inning a naked man darted out of the stands onto the field, pursued by the grounds crew and police -- to the surprise and amusement of fans. At first I thought the guy had on a buff colored morph outfit like the blue men group wear, but my granddaughter convinced me the man was naked because she "saw his butt crack."

By the time I dug out my camera, the streaker was down on the ground. A groundskeeper threw a towel around him.

During the excitement I received a call from my sister, who was watching the game on television. She wanted to know what was going on because the TV stations didn't show the guy's romp on the field. I described the scene and told her I snapped a few photos to record the event for -- posterity. After the man was led from the field and no doubt on his way to being arrested, the Ray Stevens' song "The Streak" blared on the stadium intercom.

Anyway, the guy was led off the field in a pair of shorts someone recovered from his entry point. Today's news reported the guy ran naked onto the field because he lost a bet. I'd venture he lost more than that.

Later a helicopter with a spotlight lit up the sky near the stadium. My grandson noticed it first and pointed it out. He wondered if the police were trying to catch someone.  He was right. On this morning's news there was a report about a group of protestors painting graffiti on banks.

I won't describe the romantic encounteer we witnessed as we waited to exit the parking garage, but it was far worse than what went on with the streaker. Was there a full moon last night--or maybe it's the heat?

After sitting in traffic then driving the 30 miles to St. Charles County, it was almost midnight. The kids were more hungry than tired, so we drove through an all-night eatery and the kids polished up some fast food back in our kitchen. By the time I rolled into bed I was exhausted, but our night at the ballpark was a streak of entertainment I'm certain my grandchildren will long remember. I know I surely will.

The Good, The Bad, and The Weird of My Weekend in Overland Park Kansas

Here's a snapshot of this weekend's soccer tournament in Overland Park, Kansas.

The Good:

The room at the Hyatt Place was huge.

Free healthy breakfast. Yum. Home-made oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar.

Saturday afternoon shopping with Cari and some friends at an indoor mall, which had an American Girl shop, a Noodles and Company, and a Forever XXI store to mention a few.

Got a parking spot near the door.

The soccer banquet honoring all the girls, especially the seniors, was fun!

The girls passed the ball a lot and showed good teamwork.

Watching re-runs of "Say Yes to the Dress" in the hotel room with my granddaughter.

Watching Mizzou beat Texas Tech on a 46 inch TV in our hotel room.

Last soccer tournament of the season.

The Bad:

Last soccer tournament of the season.

Sitting in traffic near Columbia Friday evening for almost an hour on the drive to KC.

Stopping at a sketchy gas station outside of Columbia to go to the bathroom after being stuck in traffic.

Sitting in the wicked and cold wind in Kansas on Saturday and Sunday.

No wins.

My poor frozen toes and hands after sitting in the cold, wicked wind.

Listening to the Rams game on the way home--the Rams lost again.

The Weird

Filling up at a QT outside of KC, my granddaughter saw a girl she went to PSR at All Saints about ten years ago. The girl moved to the Kansas City area several years ago. 

More Good

Making it home in four hours by eating lunch in the van, one stop for gasoline and one potty break.

I love trips like this weekend's but I'm always happy to come home.

V-A-C-A-TION and Information

Hi All,


Sorry for my infrequent posts this week. My posts will be spotty over the next several weeks. The grandkiddos are enrolled in a few summer sports camps and we've planned some day trips, so I'll be doing a lot of driving--and counting to ten. Yesterday we went to Grant's Farm, and today is my volunteer day at the MO History Museum for the Vatican Splendors exhibit.

Vatican Splendors is a great exhibition; if you get a chance stop by. The tickets are reasonably priced, and the volunteers are so friendly, except when we see someone trying to touch something or take a photo then we have to mace them (just kidding about the mace, we just ask politely not to touch or take photos).


Enough about me. No, wait. One more thing. I will be working on several deadlines for reviews and interviews for Bookreporter in June and July, so that's also got me busy. But on a happy note, it pays well. Can you say, "Cha Ching!"? Now for the good stuff:



To make up for not posting this week, here's a link to a website sent to me yesterday by Fred Pfister, the editor of The Ozarks Mountaineer. I guarantee all writers will find Information Please useful. If you go to the History page and scroll down to Related Content, you can plug in a year and find out what happened. Check out the year you were born. It's fascinating, but also time consuming, which reminds me. I gotta go.


I will try to post at least once next week.


Stay cool!

Donna