Don’t say I didn’t warn you. :)

The photographer is Andrea Martin, and you can see more of her beautiful photos on Bored Panda here.

. . . As science tells us, and proves with MRIs and so on. Isn’t this a beautiful representation of the goodness too? :)

. . . to eat one of these dazzling confections by cake artist Leslie Vigil?

These images shared via @Brindille on Twitter

I’m not sure I could . . . Just too pretty!

You’re a Regency lady and you’ve been invited to a fancy London party (rumor is that the Prince Regent and Mr. Darcy of Pemberley will be there!). But what to wear? Which gorgeous gown will you choose?

. . . upon which to feast our eyes. A gorgeous wedding dress!

Or bookish coziness! Regardless, something pretty and peaceful to look at. ♥

Artist: Bettina Baldassari. Shared via Helen Warlow on Twitter

I really enjoyed the essay “Lisa Kleypas Talks Changing Trends in Romance,” which was recently featured on Goodreads. Lisa’s such a rock star of the genre! (And she has a new book out, too! Who else is excited to read Chasing Cassandra?)

My favorite snippet from the essay?

The message of romance novels is that you are the heroine or hero of your own life. You, regardless of your gender identification, culture, appearance, belief system, disabilities, or age, deserve to love and be loved. Wholeheartedly, passionately, and entirely.

That’s not an unrealistic expectation. Don’t settle for less.

Beautiful!

And “Don’t settle for less,” has a lot of resonance for me . . . It’s something my heroine Gwendolyn Penhallow says in Engaged to the Earl:

Coming your way February 25th, 2020!

“But there is a moral to the story, my dears. It’s this: I hope you’ll always follow your dreams — and settle for nothing less than whatever is the best for you.“

Presenting . . . Sissy! She was born in Thailand in 1968, which means she’s 52 years old. She’s 8 feet, 3 inches tall, and her favorite food is mazuri pellets. She loves to splash and swim in ponds, even in the rain, and she has an unusual communication style of flipping the end of her trunk to make a popping noise. These delightful sounds are often heard when she’s socializing or when she has a new enrichment item to play with.

Isn’t she beautiful?!?

You see, for Valentine’s Day I “adopted” Sissy, a resident of the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.  Am I in love? Totally. ♥

I invite you to feast your eyes on this gorgeous ballgown by Vivienne Westwood circa 2005-06.

via @whatgrandmawore on Twitter

And this stunning detail!

One more view, this one with a somber background that highlights the gown’s dazzling color, graceful lines, and sense of movement:

One could make quite an entrance dressed in this, don’t you think?

Behold this gorgeous velvet and chiffon gown from the early 1900s. I’d love to swan around in this, just like a character in Downton Abbey. How about you?

Front view: photos via @LaurenCDeutsch on Twitter

Back view

Detail of front