My Review of
Rare
Steak, Red Wine, Hot Tango!
by Helen Wilkie
This is an interesting,
fun travelogue/memoir through Argentina. It also reads like a love letter to
Buenos Aires.
This intrepid Canadian writer sets off into the
Southern Hemisphere alone (even I – minimally geographically challenged through
extensive travel myself – always marvel as I look at my atlas how “far down” it
lies on the South American continent).
During her first visit, the lady falls in love; not
with a Latin lothario, but bustling, exciting Buenos Aires - and the Argentine Tango
(and a brief video on her website attests she does it well).
Not content to wander around the urban sprawl,
adventures (sprinkled with the few inevitable misadventures) beckon from the
countryside, friendships are forged, and always, there is good food with Malbec wine flowing freely. Copious dinners
last late into the night to be counteracted the following morning by steaming coffee
at busy outdoor cafés (which will also serve something stronger if needed). Now,
that’s living!
I thoroughly enjoyed coming along for the journey –
if only by virtue of Ms. Wilkie’s lively tales interspersed with photos and her
own artistic sketches. At the end of her book, she generously shares websites
and videos of her local friends who – she says – would be delighted to be of
service when we, the readers, stop being armchair travelers, pack our bags and decide
that we can do it, too! That’s what I call an inspiring read.
Also check out Helen's Amazon page with her entertaining short 11-book series "On the Road with Merry," written as M. H. Wilkie.
https://www.amazon.com/Helen-Wilkie/e/B0034PDYDI
We Need Stories Like This
PS: I just downloaded and read this author's Story No 1 of her On the Road with Merry 11-book series (written as M. H. Wilkie).
To my delight, it played out in Boston bringing back lively memories when I
lived there. The Lost Boy is a
heart-warming story we so sorely need these days.
I recommend it as a delightful
short read which left me feeling good.
I received a pre-publication copy as a reviewer for
the Discovering Diamonds review site; however, another tough reviewer beat me
to it in posting his on Helen Hollick's Blog (definitely worth reading) where it received the 
The writing once again is what we have come to
expect from Ms. Morton: brisk and intelligent, with her material being
well-researched as the imaginary autonomous country of Roma Nova fiercely
guards her borders in the middle of an unstable Europe. 
Not content to wander around the urban sprawl,
adventures (sprinkled with the few inevitable misadventures) beckon from the
countryside, friendships are forged, and always, there is good food with Malbec wine flowing freely. Copious dinners
last late into the night to be counteracted the following morning by steaming coffee
at busy outdoor cafés (which will also serve something stronger if needed). Now,
that’s living!
