Two Transita books I read a month or so ago, but did not post about in the middle of a busy period, were A Proper Family Christmas by Jane Gordon-Cumming (who has recently visited and left comments) and Pond Lane and Paris by Susie Vereker. Susie was kind enough to send me not only this book, but her latest one An Old Fashioned Arrangement which I have blogged about earlier. It is so lovely when these books start dropping through the letter box with request to review. This is such a novelty for me and bucks me up no end to think that real life authors actually trust me to write coherently about a published work. What larks!
Susie Vereker has lived the diplomatic life and uses this to great effect in both the above mentioned books. Diplomatic wives seems to have very little life of their own and appear to be there to serve as an adjunct to their other half, smiling sweetly at cocktail parties, organising functions and always, but always being on show. As an army child, I remember my mother being involved in events like this, albeit not half so grand. I have enjoyed both her books enormously and am looking forward to the third, which I shall be delighted to review also (hint, hint, hint....)
I have mentioned Jane Gordon-Cumming in my post on Katie Fforde as it transpires she is her sister. How lovely to have two talented people in the same family both writing with such charm and wit. I did enjoy Jane's book very much and I happily logged it onto My Recently Read list shown on the left of my 
blog. Jane has told me that the book illustrated when I entered it onto my TypeList is a large print edition and no longer available, but at the time this was the only picture that popped up on Typepad which I sometimes think has a will of its own. Anyway, I have now corrected it and the right illustration is up, but I thought I would make amends by putting a much bigger photo of the cover into this post as I think it is a lovely jacket.
In a way, I am sorry that this book is called A Proper Family Christmas as it might limit the amount of people who purchase it. It will sell in the winter, but I cannot think that anybody is going to buy it in the summer when the sun is shining and they are just about to board a flight to Majorca, and this is a shame as it is a book that can be enjoyed the entire year round. Anyone who has decided to gather together as a family and friends at Christmas time with the idea that they are going to have a tree, turkey, fun, games and togetherness should read this book as we all know that things do not always work out the way we had planned............
So, a book to be read and enjoyed 365 days of the year not just the one so put your orders in well ahead of next year's festive season and get the holly out early.
