Mailbox Monday-July 5, 2010

As most of you know Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. Thank you once again Marcia for hosting this weekly event. :)




I received two books this week. The first book is:










Stash by David Klein





Synopsis from Broadway Books:

"Gwen Raine is a woman readers will instantly recognize: an attractive, thirtyish stay-at-home mom who lives in the kind of tranquil suburban community where the wives spend their days ferrying the kids to and from school and music lessons and nature camps and where the husbands work long, grueling hours at stressful white-collar jobs in order to maintain the upscale standard of living to which the whole family has become all-too-accustomed. It's a milieu in which everything seems to be right—yet so much can go wrong.


And it does—starting with a seemingly minor decision that turns Gwen's perfect life upside down. It's a typical Friday morning in late summer and Gwen is anticipating a long-awaited weekend away at the lake with her overworked husband, Brian, and their two small children. After dropping her daughter off at swim class, Gwen drives across town to purchase a small bag of marijuana from an old flame. She's counting on the pot to help her unwind later that night in those precious private moments with Brian after the kids are asleep. Then, on the way home, Gwen gets into a car accident—an accident that leaves her bruised and somewhat battered but leaves the other driver (an elderly man who crossed over into her lane) dead. The local police know the accident isn't her fault, but when they find the marijuana in Gwen's car, they throw the book at her. There have been problems with drugs in the schools and they want to crack down on abusers, whoever and wherever they are. Before long, Gwen is in legal hot water—and the temperature keeps rising. Finally, under pressure from the police, her attorney, and her own husband, she reveals her source's name."


The second book arrived with a stylish twist and I smiled as I opened the package. To my surprise there were two Earl Grey Lavender tea bags and a package of shortbread that accompanied the book Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English. Inside was a personalized note from the author and a recipe for the author's grandmother's Baumtorte. I love tea and make a pot of tea, (Earl Grey is a favorite) every day. I couldn't help but think of my own grandmother from England and her love of tea. Grandma's rituals must have rubbed off on me, because I do love to brew my tea in the perfect little teapot. I can't wait to have my tea and sit down to read Natasha Solomons' new book. Thank you Natasha and Little Brown & Co. for the unexpected package.


This happens also to be a Reagan Arthur imprint, so it will one of the books included in my challenge.