A Taste of Life and Love in Australia — Margaret Lynette Sharp

This is a book of short stories almost all of which are romantic in nature. Each story elaborates on situations involving characters in age groups spanning teenage years, right up to late middle age.They involve the reactions to changes in life situations as people mature and respond to the influence of potential partners. The majority of tales have a happy ending, otherwise they are resolved in a manner satisfactory to the situation. The stories are, I believe, emotionally satisfying since they involve the reader in situations that are easy to relate to, even if the reader has never personally experienced anything like the content of the stories. The English expression is easy to read and understand, at the same time being interesting and evocative. It is ideal to read while travelling, or waiting for appointments, although I believe the temptation is to continue reading due to the appeal of the content and style of the tales. I believe that the strength of this literature lies in the quality of the opening paragraphs of each story which effortlessly carry the reader into the subject matter. The spoken words are realistic and contribute to the believability of the stories. Ideal as a gift, although this is primarily a book for women, men, too, can easily relate to and appreciate the stories. Several stories are, in fact, written from the point of view of the male character. My previous book "25 Stories of Life and Love in Australia" has received high praise from many readers.