Book Extract: The Pumpkin Pact by Charlie Dean

It’s so exciting to be welcoming Charlie Dean to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for The Pumpkin Pact.

Welcome to The Pumpkin Patch at Pickle Grove.

Andi is worried that her relationship with Drew has become dull and boring. They never do anything exciting these days, in or out of the bedroom. So when a swoon-worthy stranger appears she is instantly swept off her feet.

When they unexpectedly meet again, they realise they have more in common than they thought possible so draw up a pact to spice up their lives! The plan they conjure up while working together at The Pumpkin Patch, to make their partners jealous, brings them closer than ever.

Andi plucks up the courage to finish with Drew but there are no signs of Andrew doing the same and she thinks she’s lost him forever.

With meddling exes, misunderstandings and miscommunication getting in the way, can The Pumpkin Pact bring them back together?

Charlie has shared an extract from The Pumpkin Pact with us today. We hope you enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

One of my favourite parts of writing romances is the “Meet Cute”, unless of course they already know each other. In this novel, its inspired by Pride and Prejudice and Bridgerton season 2. The setting is based on a stately home near wear I live. I think this extract gives a real first feel for autumn along with the character of Pumpkin.

*****

‘Come on, boy, let’s go for a mooch.’ They both headed up the stairs, Pumpkin jumping onto the bed immediately and walking round in circles three times before settling down. Andi pulled out her favourite burgundy jumper, putting it back straight away because it wasn’t quite cold enough for that yet and settled on blue jeans and a burnt orange shirt with a pair of battered Vans that were on their last legs but were so comfy, especially on long hikes, that she just couldn’t bear to part with them.

She felt wonderfully autumnal as she stepped out onto the drive, Pumpkin settled down on the back seat after having his harness clipped in and she drove a few miles to the nearby stately home where she’d been an annual pass holder for the past ten years.

The girl on reception welcomed her by name, fussed Pumpkin and exchanged a few pleasantries before Andi entered through the old wooden door, bowing her head as she did because olden day people were considerably shorter than her five-foot nine frame and then off along the gravel path.

The magnificent Georgian house stood off to the side, perfectly symmetrical from the front and like it belonged in Bridgerton. In fact, she sometimes imagined Anthony Bridgerton or the Duke of Hastings storming down the steps and whisking her away into the garden for a secret rendezvous. What wouldn’t she give for a bit of romance right now? All she got was a polite, curt kiss goodnight these days.

‘Come on boy.’ She switched Pumpkin’s lead with an extendable one. He wasn’t a dog that could go off lead, his high prey drive meant he chased anything that moved and his speed and stamina meant he could cover a lot of ground in a very short distance, so unless he was in a secure field, he was always clipped on.

Andi strolled towards the river that ran through the grounds of the house, imagining days gone by with girls in posh dresses being escorted for a scenic trip around the gardens, parasols up on hot days to shield their skin from the sun or a fan to be used seductively over their bosoms. Why were they usually referred to bosoms back then?

There was a beautifully and intricately carved stone wall near the river’s edge and an exquisite veranda that led down to steps which Andi knew many a maiden would have taken a gallant hand and stepped elegantly into a waiting boat. With her luck she’d have ended up tripping on her gown and falling headfirst into the water. She’d never have been one of those petite and gentile ladies. She was big busted, big bummed and taller than the typical male so picturing herself in Georgian attire was quite hard, yet their dress style did flatter the fuller figure, with the way it flowed from under the bust and skimmed the middle region.

Drew nicknamed her a Heffalump, and until recently she’d thought it quite endearing, a pet name if you will but when she’d unintentionally let it slip to her friend Chloe she’d been appalled and now she recognised it was a subtle way of criticizing her weight without being overly obvious about it.

‘I don’t know why you stay with him,’ Chloe had continued as they’d enjoyed cocktails in the town centre one Saturday night, Drew had gone into Birmingham with his mates. ‘He does nothing for you, treats you like shit and yet you still stay with him. If he was good in bed, I could maybe understand but you said even that’s a bit lack lustre.’

Lack lustre wasn’t the word. On the rare occasions when they did have sex these days, he would just start playing with her boobs a little, maybe a few kisses and then hopped inside and before you could say Bob’s your uncle, Fanny’s your aunt, he’d be done. She didn’t even get a cuddle after, just the rhythmic sound of his snoring which usually meant she’d get up and sleep in the spare room.

‘How have you done that?’ Andi looked down at Pumpkin who had somehow managed to tie his lead around a tree and try as she might he couldn’t understand what No, the other way, actually meant and was getting more and more tangled up. ‘Stay there,’ she instructed as she held his collar and unclipped his lead and then tried to thread the lead back on itself at the same time as holding on to a wriggling thirty kilo husky.

In hindsight, Andi wasn’t sure if it was the squirrel or Pumpkin that was more surprised when it suddenly fell out of the tree a few feet from the dog’s nose. Both of them froze, staring at each other and Andi watched in horror as the squirrel ran off, Pumpkin hot on its heels.

‘Pumpkin!’ She left the lead where it was and chased straight after him but a husky in full flight is not an easy catch and she soon had a stitch. ‘That bloody dog!’ She ran as fast as she could, pinching her side to ease the pain when she heard a voice from nowhere.

‘Have you lost a dog?’ The male voice called.

‘Yes,’ she called back, relieved and walked towards the voice.

As she rounded the bend, she saw what could only be described as an extremely wet Lord Bridgerton, emerging out of the river.

*****end of extract*****

About Charlie Dean – 

Charlie is a 70s baby, 80s child and a 90s teenager. She loves writing stories with real, likeable characters who are perfectly imperfect just like her.

Charlie loves exploring love in all its forms, be it romantic, friendship or family and all that these relationships entail.

Her stories are romances with a sprinkling of spice.

Say hello to Charlie on X.

Click to buy The Pumpkin Pact on Amazon. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.