Two free books. One very good. One just awful.

I went to a conference (not a serious one). Patrick, my son-in-law, went to a conference (more serious). Both of us got free books. Laura passed the one Patrick got on to me, and I really enjoyed it.
The one I received is headed for the recycling bin, or maybe St Vincent de Paul.

So, the bad book first: J.D. Gordon's caribbean calling is a simple adventure story, like an episode of Hawaii Five-O, or a really bad Bond movie. That is not the bad part. The writing is repetitive and the story apparently a rerun of many of the same situations and characters of his earlier novel. And he refers to the earlier story a lot. In his acknowledgements, he thanks his editor for her "meticulous attention to detail" but really, she was not very careful at all!
It was free, and fast to read, although frustrating. I got to the end, of course; I almost always do. And it's autographed, for what that's worth.

To the Edge of the Sea, by Anne McDonald, is a story of Prince Edward Island in 1864, when Sir John A, Macdonald was trying to get Canada's Confederation going. There are interesting characters and points of view, some useful coincidences, and an authentic feeling for the times.
There are fisherfolk, farmers, politicians, a circus.... I have been trying to get other people to read it, because I think it was good.
I would have even paid real money for it.
(Maybe I should return it to Patrick so he can read it?)