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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Book Review: A Year of Mr Maybes by Judy Leigh
A lovely big welcome back to Judy Leigh who is here with the blog tour for latest novel, A Year of Mr Maybes.
Never say never to falling in love…
Val didn’t expect to be starting again in her seventies, but when life gives her lemons, Val is determined to make lemonade.
Settled into her new home – a picture-perfect fisherman’s cottage in the small Cornish seaside town of Lowenstowe – Val is ready to start a new chapter. And with her son due to get married next Christmas, there’s also the little job of finding herself a plus-one to help her face her ex-husband and his new girlfriend.
With the support of her neighbour Connie, and after decades of married life, Val takes the plunge back into the world of dating with trepidation and excitement. But can she remember how the single life works, let alone what her type is? There seem to be plenty of Mr Maybes, but no sign of Mr Right.
As the year passes, and as friendships and community life flourish, Val begins to blossom. And as Christmas approach, she might just decide she doesn’t need that plus-one after all – although never say never…
*****
Val is in her seventies and didn’t expect to be starting again.
After the end of her marriage, she moves to the Cornish town of Lowenstowe.
There, she meets new friends and begins to find a new lease of life and possibly, a new love. She and her neighbour, Connie, go on a mission to find Val a plus one for Val’s son’s wedding in December. They have a year to find Mr December. Can Val find someone new before the year is out?
I have become such a fan of Judy Leigh’s novels so I jumped at the chance to be involved in the blog tour for her latest novel, A Year of Mr Maybes.
From page one, I was completely immersed.
Immediately, Val is someone you can empathise with. Within the first few pages, her life is forever changed. The character is written with much strength and I loved how there was very little time where she felt sorry for herself. She picks herself up and carries on. That’s inspiring.
Connie and Loveday are brilliant supporting characters and I loved them.
by Book Review: The Seed of Rosewood by Massimo Rozzoni
This book is a historical novel (many of the characters are real), set in 1715 in Scotland, the Caribbeans and in London.
In the form of a diary written by the protagonist, the 15 year-old Patrick Douglas, it narrates the events that the boy in spite of himself, has to face.
He will be kidnapped from his small fishermen’s village in the North of Scotland by a crew of adventurers, who will sow death and violence on the route that will lead them to cross the Atlantic.
He will be thrown into a crude and ruthless reality and he will witness the real life of pirates, made of cruelty, superstition, greed and depravity.
In the profound darkness of evil and resignation, he will see the shining light of hope, of good and love, but like the defenseless flame of a candle in the storm…
*****
Scotland, 1715.
Translated from the original novel, Il Same Del Palissandro, The Seed of Rosewood is where we meet fifteen-year-old Patrick, who is kidnapped by the notorious Captain Alexander and his men.
Forced to sail the Atlantic with a group of pirates, Patrick quickly has to adjust to a harsh and violent reality whilst trying not to lose hope that one day, he might see his family again.
Books about piracy are not normally at the top of my list but having read the blurb for this novel, I found it intriguing especially as I love historical fiction.
From page one, the reader is immediately thrown into the action as we are introduced to Captain Alexander and his crew and we see what they are capable of.
For someone like Patrick – a young boy who has known nothing but love and safety to be suddenly introduced to the violent and chaotic life of a pirate, really creates an interesting contrast with these characters. I instantly felt such fear, anxiety and empathy for the main character, that I couldn’t put the book down. I needed to know what happened next.
by Book Extract: Falling For The Competition by Jen Smith
I am pleased to be welcoming Jen Smith to Novel Kicks today with the blog tour for her novel, Falling for the Competition.
It’s going to be the best summer ever for ambitious, overachieving Quinn. A huge history buff, not only has she landed her dream job interning in the archives department of the local castle, but her best friend will be working there too.
However, Quinn isn’t the only one to be working in Archives this summer; Quinn’s academic rival, Patrick, is sharing her office in Muniments. They’re competing for the Letter of Recommendation (singular) from the research historian that Quinn needs to get her dream future placement.
Their emotionally-loaded and competitive rivalry turns into a reluctant friendship, as they spend every day working together in silence (and sharing the occasional Twix). Until the Re-Enactors arrive. Between Patrick and Harry – the Golden Knight of the jousting team – Quinn’s carefully planned summer is thrown into complete disarray. Meanwhile, her best friend’s relationship may look perfect on the outside, but Quinn is starting to realise that there’s more going on than there seems.
Although Quinn is determined and single minded about planning every detail of her sparkling future, she comes to discover that the best things in life are the spontaneous ones – and that some people are more important than any Letter of Recommendation (singular) could ever be.
Jen has shared an extract today. Grab a hot drink, a comfy spot on the sofa and enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
One thing that you need to know about Frankie is that she’s kissed exactly two boys (Nathan and Jack) and has had exactly one boyfriend (Jack). People always make out that she’s had loads of boyfriends and has shagged around a bit. But she hasn’t. People make judgements on what other people wear and it’s not fair. I tell Frankie that those bitches in our year started saying those things because they’re jealous that she does her own thing. So what if she likes to wear short shorts, or massive heels, or pillar box red lipstick, and doesn’t care what other people think?
And also, because Kristy McGovern liked Nathan Peterson in year nine and Nathan Peterson kissed Frankie and not Kristy at Jenna Johnstone’s birthday party.
“Oh yeah, I suppose they are friends.” I hadn’t really thought about Patrick having friends. He is just an academic machine to me. An annoying pomaded academic machine.
“So he’s working in archives too?”
“Yeah,” I nod, taking a bite of my chicken sandwich, and I tell her quickly about how annoying he has been already this morning, telling me what to do, sucking up to Lisa.
Frankie sits up and squints at me through the sunlight, ripping her eyes away from a vehemently arguing couple. “So, what’s your plan then?” She says dramatically.
“What plan? Plan for what?”
by Book Extract: Lady Ludmilla’s Accidental Letter by Sofi Laporte
I am so pleased to be welcoming Sofi Laporte and the blog tour for her novel, Lady Ludmilla’s Accidental Letter.
A resolute spinster. An irresistible rake. One accidental letter… Can love triumph over this hopeless muddle in the middle of the London season?
Lady Ludmilla is mortified. Though the spinster extraordinaire knows it is foolish, she has fallen head-over-heels for the amiable man with whom she’s been secretly corresponding, and that cannot be. When she sets out to uncover his identity, her world shatters. For her best friend Addy turns out to be none other but London’s worst rogue—the man who has ruined her engagement to someone else ten years earlier.
Lord St.Addington is perturbed. The wicked Viscount is developing a marked tendre for a spinster, and that cannot be. She might be mistaking him for someone he is not, or, what is worse, know precisely who he is. As London’s worst hellrake, he has a role to maintain, a charade to play. A depraved heart like his surely can’t be falling in love…least of all with a plain, outspoken spinster.
Determined to discover the truth behind the man she loves, Lu does what she does best: she sits down and writes a letter…
If you crave a humorous romp with witty banter and surprising twists, you will love Sofi Laporte’s charming masquerade.
Sofi has shared an extract today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Excerpt from Lady Ludmilla’s Accidental Letter by Sofi Laporte:
When Lady Ludmilla sets out to uncover the identity of the man she loves, her world shatters. For Addy turns out to be none other but London’s worst rakehell, who has already crossed her path and ruined her a long time ago. When she encounters him again, she cannot help but challenge him:
“I dare you.” Lu thought she must be stark raving mad, even as she heard the words herself. “I dare you to kiss the homeliest Windmere woman with your eyes open.” She tilted up her chin defiantly.
His gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips. “Dare accepted.”
by Book Club
