Category Archives: Essays

Musings and personal thoughts on life, family, memories, and events.

Hafiz – Poem 43

July 21, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

Image created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.

I am reading Hafiz’s Little Book of Life, poetry by Hafiz-e Shirazi. He is challenging me to become more comfortable with ambiguity. I will share his poem and some of my thoughts on his poem (sometimes with the help of experts when the concepts are too hard for me), followed by a poem and some art inspired by his poem.

Hafiz’s Poem 43:

Life’s conditions
Constantly
Vary

Do not despair

Some thoughts:

This is another one that reminds me of an AA slogan. One of the sayings in that program is, “This too shall pass.” The circumstances we find ourselves in are constantly changing. We don’t have to necessarily identify with them, make them a part of our identity, or focus on them too much. It doesn’t say we are unaffected by the varying conditions. They might be difficult. They might deeply affect us. But they are not permanent. There is no need to be in the depths of despair, as Anne in Anne of Green Gables would say. It is not for forever, no matter how it feels in the moment.

The flip side of the equation is that fabulous conditions are also temporary. Not to be a wet blanket, but sometimes when things are going well, we expect them to stay wonderful forever. The reality is that there will always be ups and downs, dips and crests; that is just life. It is all part of the ride. And maybe the fluctuations are what remind us to cherish the good times.

My Poem 43:

This too shall pass
the needling uncertainty
pricking the skin from within
the insistent clamor that
it’s not enough
more must be done

Change is a constant
the swell of pride
perhaps undeserved
but so much better
than the crushing weight
of being a disappointment

Despair serves no purpose
save to root one
to permanent inactivity
rather screw courage
to the sticking place
so the arrow may fly

Hafiz. Hafiz’s Little Book of Life. Translated by Erfan Mojib and Gary Gach, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2023.

Essays, Writing

Where the God of Love Hangs Out (Book Review)

July 20, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

Amy Bloom has crafted a collection of short fictional stories that are exquisite. The language is breathtakingly gorgeous, though the subject matter is not always pretty. The only common theme is unflinching witness to people’s passion. And that is sometimes dark and ugly and confusing. Most of the stories ponder desire between people who are not meant to be together: an older woman and her adult step-son, couple friends whose partners are secretly having an affair, a married man who longs for the owner of the local coffee shop, or the killer who always aims for the heart.

One scene I thought expressed grief in a lovely, strange, poignant way was after Clare lost her husband William. “When Clare gets off the phone, there’s a raccoon in her kitchen, on the counter…He is eating a slice of bacon bread. He’s holding it in his small, nimble, and very human black hands. He looks at her over the edge of the bread, like a man peering over his glasses. A fat, bold, imperturbable man with a twinkle in his dark eyes. Even though she knows better…Clare says, softly, “William.”

This book is not for the easily offended, nor those seeking gentleness or happy endings. But for anyone who desires a genius turn of phrase and language that will bounce around inside you for a few hours or days, it is a gift. I dream of writing like Ms. Bloom. (Not necessarily the subject matter, but the art.)

Bloom, Amy. Where the God of Love Hangs Out, Random House, 2010.

*Image created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompt using AI on Gencraft.com website.*

Essays, Writing

It Happened One Autumn (Book Review)

July 20, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

*These images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.*

It Happened One Autumn is the 2^nd book in the Wallflowers Series and is my favorite so far. I love the enemies to lovers trope and this one has it in spades. It also has false friends, kidnapping, near-death danger, terrible mothers, unexpected love, scoundrels, pride and prejudice sort of dynamics, love potion magical perfumes, and defying of stodgy conventions. It is also nearly entirely set at Stony Cross Park, Hampshire, England, which has become my favorite English Manor of all the English Manors I have read about due to the beautiful details about the gardens, ponds, fields, and paths. I want to live there in my fantasies.

This story follows the hopes of the second Wallflower, the American heiress Lillian Bowman. She is beautiful, fearless (unless she is expected to eat British delicacies like calf’s head), and certain she will never experience love. She and her sister Daisy will be spending a month at Stony Cross Park under the annoying eye of the 8^th Earl of Westcliff, Marcus. He is a serious man whose “constant striving for excellence led him to get the highest marks in school, to break all records in his chosen sports, and to judge himself far more harshly than anyone else ever could.” The American woman and the British man are both irritated by the mere presence of each other, so of course we know they are destined to have chemistry. And the ensuing developments are very satisfying.

Kleypas, Lisa. It Happened One Autumn, Avon Books, 2005.

These are images created from the description of Stony Cross Park, Hampshire in the novel:

Essays, Writing

Secrets of a Summer Night (Book Review)

June 28, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

In London, 1843, it is most egregious to be a young lady out in society if you don’t check all the boxes considered desirable for marriage. Four young ladies find themselves on the wrong side of the marriage market, sitting alone together and decide to form an alliance, calling themselves The Wallflowers. They make pacts to help each other snag husbands and form fierce friendships along the way. And what, pray tell, are their crimes? One has fallen on hard times and does not have as much money as she used to because her father passed away and left more debt than wealth. Oh, and she’s old, a whopping 25 years old. Another has a stutter. And two are from America, for shame.

They decide to start with Annabelle because her situation is the direst, this being her last season due to her aged decrepitness of 25 years and near spinsterhood. And to her chagrin, the only male sniffing around her is Simon Hunt, a brash, outspoken, not-very-gentlemanly, non-noble, annoying man who grates on her nerves. He is fascinated with Annabelle and has even suggested that he will take her on as a mistress if she gets desperate enough. Needless to say, she is not impressed by his offer. The ensuing tale is delightful, playful, and full of twists and turns. There are even several extremely climactic and traumatic events near the end that kept me flipping pages late into the night.

I will give away that Annabelle’s situation is satisfactorily resolved, but that means we have three more Wallflowers to marry off. I can’t wait for their books. And hints have already been given throughout Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas as to who the next pairing might be.

Kleypas, Lisa. Secrets of a Summer Night, Avon Books, 2004.

Essays, Writing

Again The Magic (Book Review)

June 28, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

It has finally happened. All my life I’ve heard of the trope where a royal young lady falls in love with the stable boy, but I’ve never actually read a romance where that was present. Again The Magic by Lisa Kleypas opens in Hampshire, England, in 1832. Lady Aline Marsden is the oldest daughter of the Earl of Westcliff. Her best friend and closest confidant is the stable boy McKenna who she has grown up with. But their relationship has budded into much more than friendship as they have blossomed into young adults. And that spells disaster for the fate of McKenna if the Earl finds out. Separation, a terrible accident, crossing of continents, new friendships, and deaths occur in rapid succession.

Jump to 1844, a changing world, a new Earl (Aline’s brother, who is more open-minded), and visiting Americans. Is love possible for either Aline or her sister Livia? A desperate alcoholic is on the brink of no return as he drinks himself to death. A woman stays in hiding due to grief and unwillingness to be hurt ever again. A man seeks revenge. And the new Earl, Marcus Marsden tries to keep everything afloat with modernizing investments in American technologies, a radical idea that other gentry are not open to. There are so many different fascinating threads of character stories in this novel that kept me hooked, eager to know their outcomes. I adore the loving, but no-nonsense, Mrs. Faircloth who is a surrogate mother to both Aline and McKenna. In my opinion, this is the best book yet in the series. The development of Ms. Kleypas’s writing is richer, the descriptions more alive, and the character development better flushed out. I can’t wait for the next book.

Kleypas, Lisa. Again The Magic, Avon Books, 2004.

These 2 images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.

Essays, Writing

Three Weddings And A Kiss (Book Review)

June 22, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

Fancy Free by Catherine Anderson

Set in a rural town in Oregon in the 1890s, Fancy Free by Catherine Anderson is a charming tale of hijinks gone wrong, misunderstandings galore, and a literal shotgun wedding that throws a nearly blind young lady into a household of eight males. In her attempts to keep her blindness hidden for fear of rejection, Rachel scorches the clothes, puts salt in the pies, and trips over everything, leading to many wacky scenarios. And just as true love seems to be blossoming, another woman arrives on the scene to throw a kink in the works. I quite enjoyed this novella and could totally see it as a successful film. I would watch it in a heartbeat.

The Mad Earl’s Bride by Loretta Chase

The novella The Mad Earl’s Bride by Loretta Chase was my favorite of the four stories in this collection. It is set in the late 1820s in Dartmoor, Devon, England, with the dangerous bogs of the open moors playing a part in the storyline. The story centers around a mother and son who seem to experience similar symptoms of a brain disorder that has no cure. The young heroine of the story is a medical student who will not give up on researching the problem and refuses to kowtow to the opinions of most of the medical experts of the day. Her open-minded, science-obsessed, driven nature makes her a perfect match for the man who has lost all hope of survival, let alone comfort or peace. The romance is fabulous, and the peak inside the medical world of the early 1820s is fascinating.

Promises by Lisa Kleypas

I dedicated an entire review to this novella set in London because it went with the cannon of stories I was reading in The Gamblers of Craven’s Series. See “Promises (Novella Review)” for full details.

The Kiss by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

This is the shortest of the four novellas in the book and by far the most unsettling. This one takes place near Charleston, South Carolina, around the turn of the 19^th century, and addresses themes of human trafficking. A 19-year-old woman from London is being sold by her good-for-nothing uncle to some sleazy older man and escapes long enough to run into a tall, handsome, rich stranger, who just happens to be a very eligible bachelor. You can imagine where the story goes from here. Black servants in the home are mentioned, and the author makes a terrible attempt at dialect. There might be a reason this book is out of print. I will say that there is some good chemistry between the characters. I would not have chosen to end with this novella, but no one asked for my input.

Anderson, Catherine; Chase, Loretta; Kleypas, Lisa; Woodiwiss, Kathleen E., Three Weddings And A Kiss, Avon Books, 1995.

Essays, Writing

Voicemails for Isabelle (Movie Review)

June 22, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

I just watched Voicemails for Isabelle on Netflix and have never cried so hard in the first 15 minutes of a movie in my life. I fell in love with all the characters immediately, loved that it was set in Austin, TX and San Francisco, CA, and was shocked by the quality of the entire project. The close relationship between the two sisters and the big question of how to keep living when you lose your heart drives the entire movie. But, yes, it is still a romantic comedy. Dramady, I suppose. You can’t use up an entire box of tissues and it only be a comedy. And it hits all the right notes: music, food, pop culture references, filming, scenery, dialogue, dance parties, romance, family, friends, wedding speeches, grief, loss, women standing together, etc.

The main character, Jill, is quirky, funny, raw, and honest in a way that is both endearing and admirable. And every single side character in the movie steals their scene in the best of ways. The “bad guys” are hilariously bad. The “best friends” are the best best friends a person could ask for. Even the incidental tour guide on screen for a few seconds leaves a lasting so-funny impression. Ok, maybe I just needed this movie at this moment in time and I’ll go back and watch it later much less impressed. But on this day, in my current state of mind, I was pleasantly surprised to find a fresh, real, heartbreakingly sweet movie filled with actors I mostly did not recognize (except for a few side characters) with a happy ending that also made me cry.

100% recommend.

p.s. There is a secret reason it made me think of my sister Robyn that you’ll have to watch to figure out.

McKendrick, Leah. Voicemails for Isabelle, Sony Pictures, Escape Artists, Netflix, 2026.

All but the movie poster made on Gencraft by Rebekah Marshall.

Essays, Writing

Promises (Novella Review)

June 19, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

Lidian – *Image created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompt using AI on Gencraft.com website.*

This novella by Lisa Kleypas called Promises, feels like an early piece possibly written as Ms. Kleypas was still figuring out her style. Though published after the 2 novels centered around 1820s London where Derek Craven’s casino entertains the uber-wealthy, it is set in the early days of that fictional world. The young woman at the center of the novella is earnest in love and all matters of propriety. She has lost her father, her fortune, and is barely keeping everything running for herself and her mother as she waits for her true love to return from his travels. She cannot imagine a world where he is not her future.

I love that this young woman, so lacking in relationship experience, is certain that her steadfast loyalty is the right course for her life. How long is too long to wait? Is her waiting a pipe dream? Does the object of her affection feel as strongly toward her as she does toward him? Has he pined for her for over a year as she has for him? Only his return can answer any of these questions. And though this piece is short, it contains much of the elegance, charm, romance, adventure, and passion, just in a small package. And in order of books, I would read it first before Then Came You as a little introductory taste of Derek Craven’s gambling house before launching into the two meatier books of The Gamblers of Craven’s Series.

Kleypas, Lisa. Promises, Anderson, Catherine; Chase, Loretta; Woodiwiss, Kathleen E., Three Weddings And A Kiss, Avon Books, 1995.

Essays, Writing

Dreaming of You (Book Review)

June 18, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

This image is a collaboration between Rebekah Marshall & Lyra (my ChatGPT assistant.)

The hero of Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas is one of the most refreshing characters I’ve met in a long while. She is honest, kind, straightforward, and spunky. She knows her world view is limited and narrow and is trying to do something about it. She doesn’t play games, leave words unspoken, or have any regrets whatsoever. It is unusual to find a character completely lacking in guile that is both enjoyable and still has room to grow. Sara Rose is charming and innocent, lacking the vices of many in the seedy underbelly of London, who she has come to “research.” She is a writer bent on shedding light on the less fortunate and has earned a bit of fame for a novel called Mathilda about a prostitute.

Her entanglement with the owner of a gambling establishment begins a cascade of events that are certain to broaden her perspectives and maybe even teach her a thing or two about love. She finds herself at the center of a murder, kidnapping, a riot, secret passageways, danger, sexual assault, stalking, multiple engagements, scandal, and new friendships. Her courage in the face of such dramatic changes, and the way she stays true to herself and her heart, make this a poignant story of love and feminism way ahead of its time. Set in 1825, this regency era novel is a true delight and a satisfying sequel to Then Came You.

Kleypas, Lisa. Dreaming of You, Avon Books, 1994.

Essays, Poetry, Writing

Hafiz – Poem 42

June 16, 2026 rebekahjmarshall Leave a comment

All images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.

Hafiz’s Poem 42:

Doing good work
There’s no room
For hesitation

Some thoughts:

I like the simplicity of this poem. It reminds me of the AA saying to do the next right thing or do the next thing right. If there is work to be done, do it. Don’t procrastinate, let fear stand in the way, second-guess yourself, doubt. Do what needs to be done, whatever that may be. Create that piece of art, write that song, clean that closet, give that gift, send that letter, make that phone call, speak that kindness. There is no point delaying the goodness that can flow from the blessing you can be.

My Poem 42:

Cleaning the cat box
should not require such
extreme exertion of will,
but I find myself psyching
current me up with pep talks,
giving little motivational speeches,
calling my own name in my mind,
reminding present me that future me
will be grateful the chore is done.

Hafiz. Hafiz’s Little Book of Life. Translated by Erfan Mojib and Gary Gach, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2023.