The week beginning Monday, June 17, was hot and humid. Temperatures cracked 90 degrees Fahrenheit; humidity exceeded 70 percent every single day. Although I realize correlation is not causation, I do believe the sweltering weather had something to do with the short power outages that struck at least once every day.

I live in a rural area. Our power consumption is nowhere near what it would be in an urban area; however, the power grid apparently had difficulties coping with the load.

For most people in my neighborhood, the heat and humidity don’t pose a problem. They work in air conditioned spaces, and their houses are air conditioned, too. I work from home. My house has no ductwork, which means we don’t have central air conditioning. We use strategically placed window air conditioners: one in the bedroom and one in my office. Of course, if I turn on the office AC, then I have to lock the dogs in the room with me.

That’s not usually a good idea. So, I’ve got a fan running 24/7 in my office. It doesn’t help much.

It was a busy week, too. The acting editor-in-chief of the magazine I edit—we’re trying to get the July/August issue out now—offered me a quick proofreading job for another client. I took it on, started working on it over the weekend, and delivered the proofread document a day early. That was serendipitous, because we lost internet access, cell phone service, and telephone service from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

(At least for those 11 hours I didn’t have to deal with any spam calls.)

Unless I was able to speak with someone face-to-face or wanted to mail a letter, communication ceased. Without access to the internet or cell service, my work was dead in the water. I could do nothing. The brutal heat and humidity discouraged physical work, so I retreated to the living room (which is cooler than my office) and read.

I read four books.

I read Kade the first book in Jenna Myles’ Brash Brothers series. It was a hoot! The book has sarcastic humor and a female protagonist who is both kind and strong in both character and body. This is no delicate flower or shrinking violet, but neither is she an terminally stubborn idiot who’s too stupid to live. The hero’s physically strong, but an emotional wreck; however, he manages to work through his issues with the help of his brothers and some candid conversation with his one true love. It’s an adult story that doesn’t have the characters jump between the sheets before the heroine—who’s not ruled by her hormones—is damned good and ready.

If you’re looking for good romance, I strongly recommend this book. The proofreading could have been better, but it’s a solid 5-star book anyway.

I read You’ve Got an Earl by Bianca Blythe. This is a Regency romance featuring a rather easily manipulated, 18-year-old heroine and a beta male for a hero. The hero isn’t awful, but he’s quick to take advantage of an innocent girl many years his junior. The heroine, who succumbs to his liberties all too readily, teeters on too-stupid-to-live. Regardless, the story kept my attention, and the editing was decent. I’d give this one a 3.5-star rating.

I read Doctor’s Surprise Twins by Sofia T. Summers. The editing in this fluffy romance was decent, too. The heroine knew what she wanted, although she displayed a complete lack of consideration for consequences. She’s also sexually aggressive, which isn’t my favorite trait for a heroine, especially when she seduces the hero into breaking his own very reasonable workplace rules. For protagonists who work in healthcare, their abject failure to consider the consequences of unprotected intimacy garners one strike. I’d give this book 3.5 stars.

I read Savage Is My Kingdom by L. A. McGinnis, the first book of her Wicked Realms series. This fantasy features another 18-year-old heroine who’s not naive, but she has a consistent habit of making poor decisions that get people killed. As the heroine learns painful lessons, she grows in wisdom. It’s an adult coming-of-age story that becomes a reverse harem “romantasy.” Again, proofreading is an issue, although this story kept me engrossed despite the errors sprinkled throughout the book. This would be a 5-star read if it weren’t for the lackluster editing.

So, yes, while I’m reading I’m certainly not writing. But one of the hallmarks of a good writer is one who reads extensively. So, let’s just consider my over-the-top reading habit as extra training. And in the meantime, I’m still hustling for paid writing and editing gigs.

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