Finding Mr. July, by Anna E. Collins

 Publication uly 1, 2025

While I expected to enjoy what appeared from the cover to be a dog heavy romance, I wound up liking it far more than I'd expected.  I was right in that a calendar played a role, too, and enjoyed Holly's search for twelve likely candidates and their dogs to pose for a non-profit calendar project to raise funds. Who knew it'd be so hard? While I wasn't amused by Holly's use of a dating app to find candidates under false pretenses,, albeit only after some persuasion, that was short lived and handled relatively well. Heck, she even found some guys willing to pose for no pay for the cause. Getting her "hot" brother, as her best friend and mentor describes him, took more effort, not to mention some sisterly bribery. Holly's unexpected career path has its ups and downs but she finds herself enjoying the project and, okay, working with the office's grumpy creative guy.

 I won't detail the plot further other than to say it was fun to read about the various photo sessions done, including some quirks of the canines, and the different feels/moods created by the photographer, who is certainly model worthy himself. Oh, did I mention Jonathan, the initially grumpy and reticent to be involved, is an extraordinary photographer? There are reasons he isn't using that skill as the story opens which I'll leave for you to discover as you read. As it turns out, he's a rather complicated guy that Holly just can't help being curious about after their meet-cute, although not sure the word cute is accurate. As you discover more about Jonathan, you'll understand why and more about his reasons for being standoffish. I liked both, albeit it took me a bit to warm up to Holly. A former lawyer, she has her own story to tell, however, and you'll gradually root for her to find happiness. Love how that goal was emphasized later in the book. Nope. Not telling. You'll just have to read. 

Bottom line, while an entertaining romance on the surface, I liked the fact that the main characters were multi-layered. My initial reaction to Jonathan was bewilderment, I must admit, albeit I sort of liked his willingness to help a virtual stranger initially in the book, Holly. Glad they fixed that pantry door, Holly. Her relationship with her brother and his daughter is close with amusing brother-sister banter between them. In fact, the dialogue flowed naturally, even in the spicier scenes. Nothing heavy duty, mostly just sweet and sexy to warm you up and bring a smile at their budding relationship. And, I liked her brother's budding relationship that may keep him in town long enough not to risk the eternal ire of a teenage dragged away from long-time friends on a parent's whim. My thanks to #Forever - #GrandCentralPublishing for this early peek at a book I wound up thoroughly enjoying. Loved Holly's discovery of what was probably her mother's stash of Holly's old school days memories.

After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America's Favorite Media Company, by by Neil O'Brien

 

Publication March 4, 2025

I was still a kid when Disney World was being built in my state of Florida. As such, other than hoping to one day get to go and see Cinderella's Castle, I didn't give it much thought. Imagine my delight when many years later, I was able to not only visit there but attend a "Backstage Disney" class for teachers that took us, whoa, under that same castle and into what is really the first level of the park, the part underneath all the magical sights we see. Yes, it truly is a magical place.

Given that, it's amazing to look back via this book and discover the turmoil that was going on behind the scenes that made decisions of what would be filmed, when, and such details that we mere "guests", as Disney insists paying customers be called, never gave one moment's attention. I won't even attempt to summarize it all as it was long lasting and the names are both familiar and unheard. I definitely enjoyed getting to know some of those unknown faces via the book, giving me new insights into the germ of an idea for, say, Fantasia, or the comings and goings of people like Tim Burton of Nightmare Before Christmas fame. It's equally astonishing to realize how close we may have come to never seeing the likes of Beauty and the Beast or Lion King, among others. Disney's animation department may have been its heart and core at the beginning, with many of the animators being with Walt Disney even before Mickey Mouse, but its survival wasn't guaranteed by any means. You'll also learn of the Disney family's involvement, both token and active, over the years and the role they played in the survival of the park.

For the most part, it's an easy read, somewhat conversational in tone. That said, when the author delves into lengthy lists of names and facts, jumping back and forth in time a bit, I did find my eyes tending to glaze over at times. It'll probably depend upon how business savvy you are or interested in mergers and corporate structures and power struggles as to where you fall on that aspect. I was glad to see so many unknown to me names not only get credit, however, but be fleshed out as real people. Disney's magic is based around family values and it made it easier for me to care about what was happening to those involved, whether creative or management. Even the family had struggles with these aspects of what became a massively huge conglomeration of different parts and sections, many of them giving rise to the likes of, say, Pixar. It was quite nice to see Disney's daughter emerge more in her later years, making her feelings and ideas known, too. Family. That's the key to Disney magic and it seems like that despite all the disgruntlement at times, those who thrived remembered that concept. So, no simple, quick read, but one that will give you insight into what keeps that magic going and it isn't all pixie dust.

Bottom line, for those of us who grew up with Disney, whether watching the cartoons, nature shows, or usually child-friendly movies, this is an intriguing read. It even delves into how difficult it was to decide not only to stretch self-imposed limits as times changed, but how the reactions both within and without of the organization impacted those making them. For me, child of the pixie dust, of course, it was fascinating to read how the animators worked, the meticulous skill and attention required, not to mention how many re-draws were done in record time. And, yes, seeing the finesse and skills of early female animators gain their rightful place was also a "You go, girl!" moment. Thanks #PostHillPress for allowing me this sneak peek behind doors I didn't even know existed. That said, I still think fondly of the mantra we teachers took away from our workshop there which might be summarized as when the going gets tough, spread a little more pixie dust. More pixie dust for Disney, please. We need them all the more in this day and age.