Happy Spring, friends! I hope you are enjoy warmer weather, sunshine, and all the beauties of flowers and nature where you live!
I’m happy to say that March was a much more relaxing month for Mr. Bingley and me! Before the craziness of moving began we made plans to take a vacation for Spring Break this year. So happy we did that before we knew we’d be moving. A vacation together is just what we needed!
Our trip this time was to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – a first time visit to that country for us and a first time experience staying at an all-inclusive resort! We actually didn’t pick either the destination or hotel ourselves, we got recommendations from Delta and they did not steer us wrong! Wow, did we love the Melia Caribe Tropical! The resort and every single person who worked there was wonderful and so exceptionally kind and genuine.
We had an amazing time in this beautiful place, spent hours by the pool, in the pool, by the beach, and in the ocean! The temperatures were perfect, not too humid, not too hot.
We also enjoyed some adventurous excursions!
We did a half-day dune buggy tour (about 50 miles), driving on city roads, dirts roads, farmland, sand, and on highway! It was a blast, the buggy was super fast!
And we also did a speedboat and snuba (scuba with a hose for oxygen instead of a tank on your back) tour. Which was amazing! The speedboats were fun to drive and even though going so deep underwater scared me a little, we had the nicest guide who helped me stay calm and comfortable! I saw such beautiful fish, sat in a chair underwater, and feed food to some fishies!
While on vacation, I got plenty of reading time! I chose some books from my TBR pile that I thought would be especially fun to read while on vacation! You will see my reviews for them later this week! As well some other posts coming up later this month…
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Want to know what Austenesque fun I’m getting into this month?
…here is what’s on this month’s
Austenesque Agenda:
~ TO REVIEW ~
~ TO READ AND REVIEW ~
~ YOU CHOOSE! ~
I’m so sorry to say this, but with my vacation reads needing to be reviewed, I don’t think I can squeeze in another book to review for this month. :/ But rather than skip the “You Choose” feature, I thought it might be fun to have you lovely readers choose something else. You probably already know how I love to make lists, so how about we do another Austenesque Top Ten this month, just let me know which one you want to see. My top ten favorite Austenesque Mysteries? or My Top Ten Favorite Austenesque Minor Character Stories? To vote, leave a comment below!
~ FEATURED AUTHORS VISITING THIS MONTH ~
Jan Hahn – April 13th
Barbara Silkstone – April 22nd
Jenetta James – April 27th
Such a busy month! Looking forward to all the lovely books and authors this month!
What are your plans for April?
I am so glad you thought to book the holiday before you moved, because what you probably needed more than anything was some rest and relaxation.
Such a busy month! I love your idea for the reader choice vote. I would be happy with either, but I think I’ll plump for the minor character list, because I am interested to see what your favourite is.
I don’t know if you’ve seen this, but Claire LaZebnik wrote a short valentine’s day follow up scene to Epic Fail, and it’s posted here (no peeping if you haven’t read it yet!) http://readmebookmarkmeloveme.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/valentines-blog-event-exclusive-scene.html
Enjoy your reading in April!
The hassle of planning a trip after moving or during moving would have definitely made us not go through the trouble. So having it all taken care of and paid for already was really a God-send.
Thanks for sharing about the extra scene! It was super sweet and I didn’t know about it at all! Really looking forward to reading more books by Ms. LaZebnik!
Thanks for voting! MC – 1 / MY – 0 🙂
The vacation sounds like it was marvelous! I will honestly be happy with either list.
It was, Paige! Spoiled us rotten, though!
Thanks for sharing your trip with us, Meredith! So glad you had such a fantastic time. I always enjoy your monthly agenda posts & lists, too! I think I would vote for the minor characters list first, but hope eventually you’ll have a chance to do both. 🙂
Thank you, Amy! I’m glad you don’t mind my rambling on! 🙂 I’m sure I’ll get to do both, I’d like to do an Emma list too this year, but need to read a bit more Emma-inspired novels first.
Thanks for voting! MC – 2 / MY – 0 🙂
Oh, that would be great! I love Emma & wish there were more books based on it!
Me too! I love Highbury and I love Mr. Knightley!
What a gorgeous place! I’m happy you had a wonderful vacation, both fun and relaxing. I’d like to see your top 10 minor characters list.
Thank you, Monica! It was definitely a beautiful place, we hope to go back (Mr. Bingley wanted to stay more days!)
Thanks for voting! MC – 3 / MY – 0 🙂
Your holiday sounds amazing! Just what you needed after all the hustle and bustle of moving home and office. Lovely photos, btw.
When it comes to the “You choose” vote, I’d really love to see both! My current audiobook is The Disappearance of Georgian Darcy, one of Regina Jeffers’ mysteries and I also have one of Carrie Bebris’ on my playlist. I quite like a mystery mixed with my JAFF. But I’m also becoming quite fond of minor character stories. One of my recent favourites is Sarah Johnson’s Just to Hear “I Love You’ and I’m enjoying Maria Grace’s story being posted on Austen Variations right now, even though it is about Lydia Bennet!
Very true, it was just what we needed. We look back and feel like February and March were such a whirlwind!
Looks like you’ve been enjoying some mysteries, for sure! I’ve not read TDoGD but I loved The Phantom of Pemberley.
Thanks for voting! MC – 4 / MY – 1 🙂
Good for you to have the vacation ready to soothe the moving in stress. It looks like a lot of fun and glad the tip from Delta turned out well. Wow! Nice job of reading this month. I’d like to see a list of favorite minor characters for my vote.
We really didn’t know where we wanted to go (except that it had to be somewhere warm and relaxing!) We definitely recommend this place! 🙂 It should be a busy month, I’m going to try and keep up!
Thanks for voting! MC – 5 / MY – 1 🙂
Lovely vacation, Meredith. I always enjoy seeing your travel pictures. Keep ’em coming.
Thank you, Robin! We love to travel, it is great finally being able to!
Love the holiday photos! Vacation before a move – great idea!
I’m voting for your Top 10 Minor Character Stories, and am off to buy Holidays with Jane – yay! Quite enjoyed the Christmas anthology.
Thank you, Nicole! Actually we did the move first, but we planned and paid for the vacation before we knew the move was imminent, which definitely helped!
I loved Holidays with Jane: Christmas Cheer, very excited about this new anthology! 🙂 Happy reading!
Thanks for voting! MC – 6 / MY – 1 🙂
I wish I would have known you were going to the Dominican Republic because I live there and it would have been nice to meet you and discuss all things Austen. 🙂
I am really glad that you had such a good time. I love the people and living here. If you ever go back let me know, I live in Santiago and can show you some more of the local areas.. I’ve been to another good resort in Puerto Plata that is really nice and has rates of about $20 a night per person.
Oh wow, Danielle! I had no idea! You are so sweet, I would have loved to have met with you! I’m sure we will be back. Mr. Bingley loved the Domincan Republic and definitely wants to return again! 🙂 It is such a lovely country, I can definitely understand how you love to live there!
I’d love to see your favorite minor characters! I love books about minor characters.
What a lovely holiday you had! DH and I keep trying not to wish the year away until our lovely getaway to Cozumel later in the year. I’ll have to keep your recommendation in my arsenal!!
So happy for you, Stephanie! That sounds like a wonderful getaway! Hope you have a blast! If you were ever to go to the DR and stay at the Melia Caribe, I don’t think you would be disappointed! 🙂
Thanks for voting! MC – 7 / MY – 1 🙂
There’s nothing better than a relaxing vacation after a busy and tiring month! Glad you had a great time, Meredith! 🙂 I’m reading Holidays with Jane: Spring Fever right now, and it’s lovely! Looking forward to your thoughts!! As for the list, I’ll vote for Minor Character Stories. 🙂
So true! Yay! I’m glad to hear you are enjoying, Holidays with Jane: Spring Fever! Can’t wait to read it myself!
Thanks for voting! MC – 8 / MY – 1 🙂 LOL! No contest, really!
Your photos look super. It looks like the perfect place for a romantic holiday.