Soooo many books this week, from award nominated to cozy mysteries and many other topics as well. A gorgeous summer dress that made me swoon, cordless lamps for the English cottage aesthetic, a French candle company I am excited to have found and want to share, and still much more!

Books

—Painted Travels: The perfect gift for travel lovers to explore iconic, luxurious and charming places by SJ Axelby

Artist SJ Axelby’s second book is filled with watercolors that carry readers away to places around the world, capturing inviting moments in well-known and special locales. Be transported to “bars, cafes, museums, shops, hotels, tearooms, restaurants, gardens, trains and more, around the world. This is an insider’s guide to the classic, the cool and the quirky, with locations around the world hand picked by SJ and painted in her trademark bright and detailed watercolours. All the featured places have something special, whether that’s a stunning position, centuries of history, designer interiors or a touch of good old-fashioned glamour.”

—A Perfect Harmony: Music, Mathematics and Science by David Darling

Being released on August 5th is a book that reminds of the importance and powerful influence of music upon the world of logic and visa versa. A Perfect Harmony answers the questions of “how did music – effectively little more than a series of certain tones and rhythms – become so integral to the human experience?

“Untangling the curious links between notes and number, musical perception, psychology and physics, David Darling examines the fascinating science behind music, from its Palaeolithic origins to the present. Revealing surprising connections and busting pervasive myths, A Perfect Harmony asks:

• Could an AI write the perfect symphony?
• Why do musicians tend to be better at maths than non-musicians?
• Why do we find some pieces sad and others happy?
• Will playing Mozart to babies predispose them to genius?”

Fascinating questions, an intriguingly unique topic, and for those curious on either topic, a book to read for sure!

British Finds

—Audition: A Novel Katie Kitamura 

Earlier this week, the Long List of the Booker Prize 2025 was released. The award given for the best book of fiction written in English from the UK and Ireland, I perused the list and picked out three titles that I thought you might be interested in. Audition was one of them.

Already a national bestseller, Audition centers around “two people who meet for lunch in a Manhattan restaurant. She’s an accomplished actress in rehearsals for an upcoming premiere. He’s attractive, troubling, young—young enough to be her son. Who is he to her, and who is she to him? In this compulsively readable, brilliantly constructed novel, two competing narratives unspool, rewriting our understanding of the roles we play every day – partner, parent, creator, muse – and the truths every performance masks, especially from those who think they know us most intimately.”

—The Bookshop Mysteries: A Bitter Pill by S.A. Reeves

—Inspector Lynley mystery series by Elizabeth George

Well, I am nearly 40 years late to this long-running and beloved British book series that has been turned many times into a tv series, but I have finally found it, and if you haven’t yet heard of Inspector Lynley, then we’re both in for a treat. The primary reason American author Elizabeth George’s inspector was brought to my attention is because they are releasing a new tv adaptation this September on BritBox and it looks fantastic – watch the trailer here (I will be sure to alert you here on T & T when it premieres).

And since we still have one month of waiting, I am going to start reading the series, and the first book – A Great Deliverance, which won many an award when it was released in 1988, even from the French! (Here’s the list – the Anthony Award, the Agatha Award, and France’s Le Grand Prix de Literature Policiere). This first book of the series looks like it will be a quick and engaging read.

—Love Forms: A Novel by Claire Adam

The second book that was recently chosen for the Book Prize Long List is Love Forms. Dawn is fifty-eight, and with a “divorce behind her and her two grown-up sons busy with their own lives, she should be trying to settle into a new future for herself. But she keeps returning to the past and to the secret she’s kept all these years. At just sixteen, Dawn found herself pregnant, and—as was common in Trinidad back then—her parents sent her away to have the baby and give her up for adoption.”

“More than forty years later, Dawn yearns to reconnect with her lost daughter. But tracking down her child is not as easy as she had thought. It’s an emotional journey that leads Dawn to retrace her steps—from Trinidad to Venezuela and then to London—and to question not only that fateful decision she’d made as a teenager but every turn in the road of her life since.”

—Murder at Gulls Nest A novel by Jess Kidd

Thank you to Sarah H., long-time reader and member of TSLL community for bringing this novel to my attention as she thought both I and many of you might enjoy it. Murder at Gulls Nest is a Nora Breen Investigates book, and has already been many an Editor’s Pick for 2025.

Set in 1954, “when her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent. A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.”

—The Rest of Our Lives: A Novel by Benjamin Markovits

The final Booker Prize Long List novel is The Rest of Our Lives, and while written by a Brit (technically, a British-American), it is entirely set in America. Following the life of Tom Layward who holds the questions What”s left when your kids grow up and leave home? at the forefront of his mind, he decides to honor a pact he made back in university.

“When Tom Layward’s wife had an affair, he resolved to leave her as soon as his youngest daughter turned eighteen. Twelve years later, while taking her to Pittsburgh to start university, he remembers his pact, and keeps driving West.”

Décor

—Mrs. Alice’s Rechargeable Lamps (i.e. corldless)

Coming across these lamps felt like discovering a treasure trove! Sourced in one of the many home tours shared in House & Garden UK, I quickly looked up Mrs. Alice, and discovered pages upon pages of cordless lamps, all primarily adhering to the English country home style. I have included just a handful below, so be sure to peruse the entire four pages as there are endless shades (much like Pooky) and unique lamp bases.

You might remember that last year I wrote a post share 21 companies/brands to shop if you are looking for a cordless lamp and I have since updated the list to include Mrs. Alice.

Francophile Finds

—Maison Prava’s Bonheur Candle

A new brand in Paris is beginning to gradually reveal its creations, and the first few center around scents for the home. They only have three candles at the moment, and then will move into home and decor items. Their Bonheur candle caught my ‘nose’s attention’ I guess I should say. Just look at the description of the scent: pear, pink pepper, tuberose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, amber, musk, rambutan and patchouli.

—Vintage French Triptych Mirror

One more find discovered while viewing a home tour in House & Garden – a vintage and antique dealer here in the states that sources from Europe and primarily France. Frances Loom is a site to shop, get ideas from and maybe find a special treasure. This triptych mirror is a special find and available at a quite reasonable price.

Shopping

—DVF’s Diane Sweater

Diane von Furstenberg herself is often seen in a wide boatneck sweater with dolman sleeves, thus its namesake. Made of fine merino wool, this two-tone sweater is both classic and modern.

—DVF’s Nova Dress

One more from DVF as this dress is colorful, yet timeless and can be worn on its own in hot weather or layered with a jacket or cardigan.

—Paige Greyson Wide-Leg Linen-blend trousers

A recent article in The Financial Times style section brought up the conversation of white linen pants and how they are coming back into style, and believe it or not, for good reason. So long as the pants are lined or have a heavy weave to prevent transparency, the wide-leg is the way to go as you can pair with a more fitted top, or a loose top that has cut-outs or high side slits as you have a high-waisted trouser. A versatile choice for day and evening in the summer heat.

—Posse’s Riviera Cecilia Cotton Maxi Dress

Smitten. Such elegant paired with comfort. Timeless and simple. Love this dress.

—Rue Sophia Roche Oversized Jacket

As we prep for autumn, this coat in its light clay/khaki hue would work well as the outerwear option with jeans or trousers as well as a fabulous dress .

Television

—Un Professore, MHzChoice

A while back I began watching this Italian drama series, Un Professore, and quickly realized I found a wonderfully conceived idea for a show. Set in Rome, the professor teaches philosophy at a high school, and with each lesson (each episode), he introduces the students to a new philosopher and often takes them somewhere into the city of Rome to absorb the lesson more fully. Of course, there is teen drama and drama in the professor’s own personal life to carry you through each season, but quickly you come to have a fondness for nearly all of the recurring characters. I truly enjoyed this series, and while my Italian isn’t, well, I know nothing, I was able to easily follow along with the subtitles.

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We found the farmers’ market humming along at a nice, comfortable pace this week, not jam-packed, but comfortably bustling. The temperatures modest, and the sky clear blue. Paired with enticing produce as seen here in the photo, and it had all the makings of a wonderful outing.

The finishing touches have begun being tended to each lesson of the Intro to French Cooking, and as I caught my breath this week at the concluding lesson was filmed on Tuesday, almost appearing as a gift in celebration, the builder who is designing my cottage garden gate surprised me with sending over his sketches! This was far more quickly done than I had imagined, and oh, so exciting! A gate by the end of August? Maybe! Maybe! I will absolutely keep you posted, and when it is finally installed, I will be sharing everything in the monthly garden post. Speaking of which, July’s monthly garden post was shared this week and is full of photos and tasks and contemplations (and gardening books as well!).

I hope your week went well, and you are beginning August with a joy-filled and stress-free self. And if you are a TOP Tier Member, be sure to begin the month by watching August’s A Cuppa Moments that was just posted a couple hours ago! This is especially important if you are interested in the cooking class because it is in this post (A Cuppa Moments) where I share the special promo code to save 20% off! Explore becoming a TOP Tier member so you too can take advantage of this limited time savings (the first month of the launch only).

Now to the weekend! I hope the next few days find you cheering upon hearing good news, tap dancing a tune because life just makes you giddy, and of course savoring many everyday moments. Thank you for stopping by today, and until Monday, bonne journée.

~My favorite read this week – The Case for Lunch by Lauren Collins (American writer living in Paris), [The New Yorker]

—A beautiful visual article sharing how the gardeners at Giverny are on a mission to save the garden and keep it growing beautifully for decades to come. – The last living Monet [WSJ, may require a subscription]

~Let’s stay in Normandie for a moment and spend summer there – this IG Reel from @French_exteriors is a breath of fresh air – take me here.

~Where to enjoy Paris without the crowds [NY Mag]

~Learn more about the lesser-known (but most definitely worth knowing about and visiting) wine region in France – Jura [Afar]

~I enjoyed this article, and found that many of the writer’s tips have been ones I have employed as well. A great resource! Helpful tips and ideas for achieving a beautifully decorated sanctuary without the full, hefty price tags of favorite designer pieces [WSJ]

~Let’s step into the garden mid-summer and discover how to plant pockets of joy in shady spaces [Country Life]

~Home tour of the week A gorgeous house, 500-years old, in Avignon, completely redecorated by American owners in the English country style [House & Garden UK]

~10 things to do in Paris in August [Frenchly]

~Chocolate lovers! A classic French dessert to savor and it’s super simple! Chocolate Marquise from Pardon Your French.

~David Lebovitz had a laid-back conversation with Susan Hermann Loomis recently, someone she met more than 25 years ago. Have a read of what he shared with her here.

~If you are hunting for a home in County Durham, England (a gorgeous part of the NE of England!), then be sure to explore this house in Barnhart Castle (known as Barney to the locals). It is the oldest house in the town (a town known for antiques – thank you Rita Konig for bringing this to my attention!) and a Grade-I listing. Take a tour and learn more about its history here.

~SJP in London talking over biscuits! This was a fun video to watch. With the tea (Yorkshire!) and the biscuits and more inside details about And Just Like That. 🙂 And I am wanting a list of all of those biscuits as I barely recognize any – British readers, please help us out – which ones do you recognize and recommend. 🙂

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~Explore last week’s This & That: July 25, 2025

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