Today I’m delighted to welcome romance novelist Viki Meadows. Her ‘Porridge & Cream’ read is What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long.
“As I write this it’s our second spring in lockdown. Never has my keeper-shelf been so needed and such a good friend as during this last year. Of all my favourite books which have found a home on that shelf, the one I go back to the most is the historical romance What I Did For A Duke by Julie Anne Long.
‘What I Did For a Duke’ by Julie Anne Long
“When I first picked this book up, in March 2011, I did so dubiously, thinking it was going to be a revenge seduction story. In fact, it isn’t that at all. It’s much more. It’s twisty, taking the reader down unexpected paths. But it’s more than the cleverness of plot and dialogue that kept me revisiting this during these interminable months of lockdown.
“Since life has become overshadowed by a pandemic-sized cloud of anxiety and fear I have taken it off the shelf to read at least three times. It’s hilarious in places and I found myself laughing out loud as the dry, sharp humour lifted my mood. Yet it did so without ever losing the essential characteristics of an exquisitely poignant, heart-warming romance. No matter how many times I read it the humour doesn’t get old and the emotional kick never fades. Like a bowl of porridge, it’s one of my favourites, a go-to staple that I can reach for whenever I need to feel comforted and reassured that delightful happy-ever-afters are possible.
“This story, with its vulnerable, lovable, honest characters is comfort food for the mind and heart- warm, funny, rich, and engaging. But it’s more than that. It might be a decadent bowl of porridge with lashings of cream, but it has pieces of fresh, tart strawberry sprinkled through it to keep you on your toes.“
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Viki’s Bio
Viki has always loved writing and won her first prize for a short story when still at primary school. She’s an avid reader of romance and can usually be found with her nose in a book. The dynamics and sheer variety of human relationships fascinate her, and this is what she likes to explore in her writing. She lives in North Yorkshire with her husband and cat where she enjoys crafting and Tai Chi.
Viki’s latest book
When Minnie tells Villiers that she wants to break off their engagement, Villiers must face some unpleasant truths about himself and come to terms with past mistakes. His future happiness hinges on him not only winning Minnie’s forgiveness but also her heart. Will he succeed in making this the happiest of Christmases for them both? This is a short, sweet, historical romance.
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What is a ‘Porridge & Cream’ book? It’s the book you turn to when you need a familiar read, when you are tired, ill, or out-of-sorts, where you know the story and love it. Where reading it is like slipping on your oldest, scruffiest slippers after walking for miles. Where does the name ‘Porridge & Cream’ come from? Cat Deerborn is a character in Susan Hill’s ‘Simon Serrailler’ detective series. Cat is a hard-worked GP, a widow with two children and she struggles from day-to-day. One night, after a particularly difficult day, she needs something familiar to read. From her bookshelf she selects ‘Love in A Cold Climate’ by Nancy Mitford. Do you have a favourite read which you return to again and again? If so, please send me a message.
Discover the ‘Porridge & Cream’ books of these authors:-
Maggie Cobbett’s choice is ‘The Beloved Vagabond’ by William J Locke
Kathryn Haydon chooses ‘The Prophet’ by Kahlil Gibran
‘The Talisman Ring’ by Georgette Heyer is chosen by Clare Rhoden
And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
Why does romance novelist @VMeadowsAuthor re-read WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE by @JulieAnneLong? #books https://wp.me/p5gEM4-5aN via @SandraDanby
“There are twelve books in all but the first, Ross Poldark, is the one I reread time and time again. I’ve lost count exactly how many times I’ve read it. I go back to it time and time again because it’s like putting on a comfortable pair of old shoes. It always makes me feel better. Also, each time I read it I see something new, some scene which for some reason has new significance, some word choice which adds depth, some character detail I’d missed.
Gabriel Reynolds and his stunning red-haired wife Eleanor have settled happily into married life at Westshore… or have they? A woman with a loaded gun, a servant with a grudge, and a buccaneering Irish sea captain seem intent on rocking the boat. When Caroline Hodgeson makes what her ex-fiancé Gabriel sees as an unsuitable match, it sets off a chain of events which will change all their lives. And not for the better.
What is a ‘Porridge & Cream’ book? It’s the book you turn to when you need a familiar read, when you are tired, ill, or out-of-sorts, where you know the story and love it. Where reading it is like slipping on your oldest, scruffiest slippers after walking for miles. Where does the name ‘Porridge & Cream’ come from? Cat Deerborn is a character in Susan Hill’s ‘Simon Serrailler’ detective series. Cat is a hard-worked GP, a widow with two children and she struggles from day-to-day. One night, after a particularly difficult day, she needs something familiar to read. From her bookshelf she selects 
James is a children’s book author and teacher originally from Essex, but now living in Italy. In May 2019 he published his debut book, Raid of the Ratskull Rodents, while living in Horsforth, Yorkshire. Chase for the Championship, a football story for girls and boys, followed in 2020. He has lived in Italy since January 2020 with his wife, daughter, cat and two chickens, and currently teaches at a bilingual school just outside Monza. When not teaching or writing, he loves hiking, reading a good book and spending time with his family.
A football story for girls and boys, formatted and written for struggling or reluctant readers. Sarah Saunders, striker for Lingerfield FC, and Yonis Ganim, goalkeeper for SLS United, are locked in a tight battle for their under-eleven championship title. Only 1 point separates their teams at the midway point in the season. However, as the chase for the championship heats up, both Sarah and Yonis realise there are much more important things in life than just football…
1931. A sea voyage from Australia to England is a dream come true for Jack, Frances, and Uncle Sal – until murder most foul stirs up a storm.
Maggie explains, “Workhouse Orphan, inspired by a brave young man way back in my family history and dedicated to him, tells the story of a boy forced at a very tender age to leave his siblings behind in their grim London workhouse and work down a Yorkshire coal mine. Despite the hardships he encounters, he never loses sight of his wish to reunite the family. While not originally intended to be a book for children – it’s actually suitable for anyone with an interest in social history – I’ve been told by parents that it’s made a good bedtime read and given their own offspring cause to realise how lucky they are!”
A Pattern of Sorts explores the difficulty we often encounter when trying to reconcile our memories of events with what actually happened. In the almost inevitable mis-match, our mind plays tricks on us, and what we have recently learned and how we have recently lived, gets in the way and colours the past. Pressed to recall his own life, the challenge of juggling myth and reality is dangerously fraught for Luke – especially given the story of his remarkable emotional high, and the catastrophe which followed it.
An illustrated magical fantasy adventure. It’s spring. Nothing magical has happened for ages, then Dylan opens his school desk…Finding a talking hamster is weird enough, but soon Dylan and his sister Emily are caught up in another incredible adventure. This time they have to dive deep into a cold, murky river, avoid being captured by the crafty Aquelsis, or eaten by a terrifying Belfroad – and all to rescue the school bully! Deep Waters continues the story from Deadwood Hall, as Dylan and Emily begin to discover more about magic and the secrets their grandfather has been hiding.
The Order of the White Boar, together with its sequel The King’s Man, tells the story of the real King Richard III, not Shakespeare’s murderous villain, through the eyes of a page in his service at the majestic castle of Middleham in the Yorkshire Dales. Twelve-year-old merchant’s son and talented singer Matthew Wansford secures his position as page despite having left York Minster song school under a cloud. He soon makes friends with fellow page Roger, Alys, a ward of the Queen, and Duke Richard of Gloucester’s only son, Edward, but also encounters a brutal bully, Hugh Soulsby, son of an executed traitor. Suitable for ages 10 to 110, The Order of the White Boar follows Matt and his friends’ adventures as the final days of the Wars of the Roses unfold towards the fateful Battle of Bosworth – and beyond….
When Gemma Lawrence inherits a share of her Great Aunt’s restaurant she is dismayed to find she has to share it with Stefano Andrea, a moody Italian chef. Gemma and Stefano have broken relationships behind them and dislike each other on sight as much as Stefano hates the cold English weather. Under the terms of the will, they have to work together for six months to turn the dilapidated building into a successful restaurant. If either of them leaves or a profit has not been made, then they will lose their inheritance. The challenge is on and neither of them are prepared to give up. As they work together they begin to unravel the story behind the inheritance and find out what links the English apple orchard to the Italian lemon grove. Apple Orchard, Lemon Grove is a fast-paced novel with intriguing characters, atmospheric locations and mouth-watering food.
A lonely woman spends a perfect night with a stranger, yet is their connection enough to make her realise life is worth living? Maya, a refugee, wears a bracelet strung with charms that are a lifeline to her past; when the past catches up with her, she has a difficult decision to make. Rowe’s life on the Yorkshire coast is already mapped out for him, but when there is an accident at the steelworks he knows he has to flee from an intolerable future. In the Costa prize-winning ‘Red’, Mollie is desperate to leave Oakridge Farm and her abusive stepfather, to walk free with the stray dog she has named Hal. These are stories filled with yearning and hope, the search for connection and the longing to escape. They transport the reader from India to Japan, from mid-west America to the north-east coast of England, from New York to London. Battered, bruised, jaded or jilted, the human heart somehow endures.
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