Blog Tour: Sign of the Times by Susan Buchanan

Book Extract: Sign of the Times by Susan Buchanan

I’m pleased to be welcoming Susan Buchanan to Novel Kick today. She is here with the blog tour for her book, Sign of the Times. 

Sagittarius – Travel writer Holly heads to Tuscany to research her next book, but when she meets Dario, she knows she’s in trouble. Can she resist temptation? And what do her mixed feelings mean for her future with her fiancé?

Gemini – Player Lucy likes to keep things interesting and has no qualms about being unfaithful to her long-term boyfriend. A cardiology conference to Switzerland changes Lucy, perhaps forever. Has she met her match, and is this feeling love?

Holly is the one who links the twelve signs. Are you ready to meet them all?

A tale of love, family, friendship and the lengths we go to in pursuit of our dreams.

 

Grab that comfortable chair, a cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate and enjoy this extract from Sign of the Times that Susan has shared today. 

 

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

 

Czeslawa, her husband and daughter have just moved from a bit of a slum in Edinburgh, to a tiny village about ten miles from Glasgow. This is the first time the whole family has seen the village and they’ve arrived right in the middle of the gala day.

 

Czeslawa slipped her hand into her husband’s and they followed their daughter through the thronging crowds. There were stalls selling local produce, bring and buy stands, a tombola and face painting. Everything she’d expected a village fair to offer. Angelika ran ahead shouting, ‘Look, Mummy, look, Daddy, they are painting their faces. Look, Mummy, there are carts.’ Wojciech and Czeslawa smiled and made all the appropriate noises to Angelika’s exclamations.

‘Daddy, I want one of those teddies,’ Angelika said, pointing to prizes at a hoopla stall.

‘We need to start talking to her in English,’ Czeslawa said.

‘Then you’ll have to learn English, and I’ll have to improve,’ said her husband, putting his arm around her.

‘Mummy, can I run in the race?’

Wojciech and Czeslawa exchanged a glance, then Czeslawa said, ‘Go on.’

‘On your marks, se-e-et–’ the starter blew his whistle ‘–go!’

‘C’mon, Lika, you can do it!’ her parents shouted, in Polish, which attracted a few stares. She finished second. Two minutes later, she took part in her first awards ceremony. They hadn’t seen inside their new home yet, but their daughter had already won a medal, already a part of the community.

 

Angelika stared open-mouthed at the young girl with the golden curls, wearing the pretty dress, looking like a bridesmaid at a wedding. The official slipped the sash reading ‘Kings River gala queen’ over her head. An important-looking man, perhaps the local councillor, placed a sparkly tiara on her head and a bouquet of mixed blooms in her hands. The crowd cheered, then the marching band played a few numbers before the crowd dispersed, some parents being dragged to the face-painting stand, others trawling their children to the ever-popular raffle. After a pleasant two hours of wandering around, they decided it was time to go and meet their new home.

 

‘It’s beautiful,’ said Czeslawa. It was a four-in-a-block terraced house, with a UPVC door, red tiled roof and pebbled walls. The long hall led to a kitchen on the left-hand side after an adequate bathroom, with new-looking three-piece suite. The lounge was at the end of the hall and very spacious, although had no real room for a dining table. The two bedrooms were on the right and she was pleasantly surprised at their size. She would be able to set up a little desk in the corner over there, with a computer. She hugged her husband. Angelika barrelled into her as she returned from racing around the house, eager to explore her new surroundings.

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