Claire Sheldon chats about her debut, Perfect Lie.

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Welcome to my blog, Claire. Huge congratulations on your contract with Ruby Fiction, and on the release of your debut novel, Perfect Lie (coming June 16th).

I love hearing about writer’s journeys. What has led you to this moment and how did it feel to get that call?

 A lot of hard work and tears, having already suffered a false start, I’ve been very cautious every step of the way but I think once I’ve got this over the line it’ll be amazing! Though I can already feel the excitement mounting.

 Your blurb sounds intriguing:

What is ‘perfect’ trying to hide?

Jen Garner tries her best to be ‘wife and mother of the year’. She helps organise school plays and accompanies her husband to company dinners, all with a big smile on her face.

But Jen has started to receive strange gifts in the post … first flowers, then a sympathy card.

It could just be a joke; that’s what she tells herself. But then the final ‘gift’ arrives, and Jen has to question why somebody is so intent on shattering her life into pieces …

What inspired the idea behind the story?

 A mixture of the television I used to watch growing up such as The Bill and later on Spooks and one to many daydreams when I should be doing other things. When I first started writing Perfect Lie I was going to write along the lines of Spooks but after further advice and my future plans for the series I decided to write about local policing and where better to set it but where I live. I can see the Nottingham police station from the kitchen at work, so no doubt all the time standing looking out of the window has helped.

I’ve seen reviews that mention twists and turns, and say it is a real page-turner. What top tips have you got for keeping the reader guessing but still holding them in the grips of your story?

 Foreshadowing which is basically teasing readers about plot turns that will occur later on in the novel and lead them down dead ends when they think they have figured it out.

When I started writing Perfect Lie I didn’t plot which I think helped as I didn’t know who the bad guy was or why.

I also had help from others who had read my work and offered some great advice, which I followed and put to good use.

What level of thriller would you describe your novel as … Is it a white knuckle ride, a grab a cushion to hide behind, a jump when the telephone rings, or suspect everybody around you, type of a read?

 Suspect everyone around you, who is sending these things to Jen and why? On the outside to everyone looking in Jen is the perfect mother and wife. What could she have done to set this chain of events off?

Can you tell us a little about your main character/s, and who inspired them?

Jen has spent the past ten years building up a perfect life for herself, the perfect husband that she had fallen head over heels for when she first met him and two adorable kids.

Jen’s husband, James, has had his whole life mapped out in front of him; he is a manager and is living the corporate lifestyle. James, to me, is the extreme other end of some of the blokes I have worked with over the years.

My DI Chris is kind of me, he was brought up on all the crime drama’s I was and as soon as he was old enough he joined the police force and has pretty much worked his way up the ranks.

As your readers close the final page of your story, what feeling do you hope they will have?

I want them to feel satisfied with the ending each character has. I would love for them to feel so connected to them that they shed a tear, but then again that is probably because I am always crying at the end of novels.

What can we expect from you next?

Book two is currently with my publisher, Jen and Chris and some of the other characters will still be there. Book two is about a little boy who turns up in Nottingham asking for Lisa Carter who everyone assumes is his mum.

 Finally here’s five quick fire questions for fun:

  • Tea or coffee? Tea
  • Notebook and pen or laptop? Notebook and Pen in my bag and I sit and do my writing on my desktop computer.
  • Dog or cat? I used to be a cat person, where as my husband isn’t until one day a cat walked into our house and we ended up adopting her. Then a couple of years later my kids end up with a puppy for Christmas and Podrick walked into our lives.
  • Sweet or savoury? Sweet
  • Late night or early morning? Late nights, but that’s because I love my sleep too much!

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog, and I wish you every success with Perfect Lie and hope you celebrate publication day in style!

Links to purchase: Kindle | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes and Noble

About the author:

Claire lives in Nottingham with her family, a cat called Whiskers and a dog called Podrick.
She suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and as a result of the disease had to reduce her hours working in insurance for an Insolvency Insurer. This spare time enabled her to study a creative writing course which inspired her to write her debut, Perfect Lie.

When Claire isn’t working she enjoys reading crime novels and listening to music – the band Jimmy Eat World is her biggest muse! Claire is also an avid reader and book blogger. The inspiration for her novels comes from the hours spent watching The Bill with her grandparents and auntie; then later, Spooks and other detective programmes like Morse, A Touch of Frost and Midsummer Murders.

 Discover more about Claire Sheldon here: Twitter | Facebook

Stories that will make you smile: Morton S Gray

Author Interview, Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , , ,

A very warm welcome to fellow Apricot Plots author, Morton S Gray, as she shares an uplifting extract from The Truth Lies Buried.

Hello Morton, it’s lovely to have you back on my blog. How are you keeping in this strange new world? Do you have a top tip to promote wellbeing?

Hello, thank you for having me.

I normally spend a lot of time on my own and so this strange time has been a little bit of a challenge with five of us home working! My husband usually works abroad and this is the longest time we have spent together consecutively during our married life! My eldest son and his girlfriend moved in ‘temporarily’ at the beginning of the year when a house purchase went wrong and have had to stay much longer than they expected, both homeworking in my dining room. My youngest is studying for his A Levels and has been having online lessons.

So, I have found myself without my usual alone time thinking space, without my coffee shop writing time and having to spend far more time cooking than usual with five of us here for every meal. Having said that, I am grateful we are all safe and well and so far in work. And, while we have our ups and downs, we generally get on pretty well.

I’ve been taking solace in my crafts – weaving, soap making and now mask making. I’m never bored and always have far more to do than time to do it in and I give thanks for that at the moment too.

My tip to promote wellbeing is to get out into nature for a walk each day and to notice the wildflowers and birds. Things change subtly every day and there are always new colours and things to make you smile.

Wow, what a busy house! After a trip to the beach early this morning, I have to agree, taking time to be out in nature definitely helps.

Reading, of course, is also a great occupation during lockdown, could you tell us a little about your latest novel?

I’m going to talk about my second novel, The Truth Lies Buried, a romantic suspense novel, which tells the story of Jenny Simpson and Carver Rodgers as they uncover secrets from their past.

This is what it says on the back of the book –

Two children in a police waiting room, two distressed mothers, a memory only half remembered…

When Jenny Simpson returns to the seaside town of Borteen, her childhood home, it’s for a less than happy reason. But it’s also a chance for her to start again.

A new job leads to her working for Carver Rodgers, a man who lives alone in a house that looks like it comes from the pages of a fairy tale – until you see the disaster zone inside …

As Jenny gets to know Carver she begins to unravel the sadness that has led to his chaotic existence. Gradually they realise they have something in common that is impossible to ignore – and it all links back to a meeting at a police station many years before.

Could the truth lie just beneath their feet?

I have read and enjoyed it, but, for those who haven’t read it yet, could you share an uplifting extract?

The extract below is the point where Jenny Simpson meets Carver Rodgers in The Truth Lies Buried:

With renewed determination, she went back down the steps and across the clearing, weaving through the trees in the direction of the overwhelming sound of the saw.

Another clearing lay ahead and she noticed a man moving. As she got closer, she could see he wore faded blue overalls, huge ear defenders and goggles. With movements reminiscent of a boxer trying to decide when to strike, he appeared to be sizing up a tree trunk propped up on the ground. The chainsaw purred in his hands and his body braced as he moved in and connected with the wood. Shavings rained through the air.

The howl of the saw began to make her head thud and her pulse race. Watching the man carving was like observing an intimate scene between lovers, as he shaped the log. There was something fascinating about the undulations of his back and his deliberate movements, as his strong arms handled the heavy saw like a paintbrush. She watched mesmerised as the shape of a bird began to emerge from the wooden block. The man ducked and dived, wielding the saw with obvious skill. Jenny’s best pair of smart shoes sank deeper into the muddy leaf mould as she waited patiently for him to notice her.

Suddenly, a huge grey dog leapt out of the undergrowth. The animal was as tall as Jenny when it jumped up, close enough for her to see flashes in his eyes. She backed against a tree, her heart in her mouth, stifling a scream. The dog circled around her, barking and snarling. Climbing out of harm’s way was impossible in her tight skirt, even if she could climb a tree. Enormous teeth came close to her face and saliva dripped from the animal’s jaws. Jenny clutched her handbag in front of her and stood as still as she could, given that she was shaking so violently. Scared of passing out, she closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle.

After what seemed a lifetime, during which she’d had plenty of time to imagine being eaten by the baying dog, the chainsaw silenced.

‘Wilf, away. Come here, you mangy beast.’

Jenny chanced opening her eyes. The dog retreated instantly in response to the man’s words. She sank down to the ground, her terror taking away all care for her suit.

The chainsaw man came towards her, removing his ear defenders as he walked. He took off his goggles, revealing slate grey eyes that showed concern, but maybe a hint of amusement too. Wood shavings coated his long curly hair.

‘Are you all right? I wasn’t expecting visitors.’

Jenny stuttered when she finally found her voice. ‘You w-weren’t ex-expecting me?’

‘No.’

‘But you rang me? Unless I have totally the wrong place.’ Her voice sounded much higher in pitch than normal.

A look of puzzlement passed across his features and then his whole body tensed.

‘You’re the cleaning lady. My brother-in-law, Kieron, said he’d rung you. I’d completely forgotten.’

Jenny attempted a smile, while she contemplated how she felt about being called a cleaning lady.

He took off a thick glove and extended his hand. ‘Carver.’

Was that his name? The ‘C’ from the heart above the house door?

Jenny couldn’t decide if he intended for her to shake his hand or to use it to haul herself from the ground. She grabbed his palm and pulled. Her skirt made an ominous ripping sound as he lifted her to her feet. Meanwhile, she was puzzled by the tingles that ran up her fingers in response to his touch.

‘Jenny Simpson.’ She was annoyed at how weak and squeaky her voice sounded.

He nodded, the corners of his mouth turned up, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. On one side of his face there was a scar that went over his jawline and disappeared beneath his overalls. Trying not to stare, she dislodged her shoes once again from the mud. He had an unkempt look, definitely needed a haircut, but somehow all her eyes saw was the wound. How did you ask someone about such a thing? How did you get your scar? could be considered a rather personal question after only five minutes of acquaintance. The mark began on his bottom lip and that part of the scar was silvered. Goodness, she was staring at his lips. Jenny began to feel hot with embarrassment.

Carver, thankfully, appeared unaware. ‘Come up to the house and I’ll show you around. You’ll probably run a mile rather than take on the job, or that was my sister-in-law’s opinion in any case.’

She trailed after his boot prints, keeping a wary eye on the dog, who now followed close on her heels, as if daring her to step out of line. She felt so far removed from the cool, calm, businesslike image she’d hoped to portray. She wished she could rewind to when she first rang the doorbell; this time Carver would open the door when she knocked.

They reached the building, he whistled twice and Wilf trotted obediently to a large kennel inside a fenced area beneath the wooden structure. Carver drew a latch across the gate to contain the dog.

He bounded lithely up the steps and pushed open the front door. It hadn’t been locked, Jenny realised, but it only opened halfway and they had to squeeze through the gap into the house. A mountain of unopened post towered against the wall behind the door. She debated whether to remove her mud-caked shoes, but Carver didn’t take off his boots and the floor looked little different to the forest floor anyway, so she didn’t bother.

He led the way down the central hallway. Jenny spied a living room with every surface piled high with books, magazines and an assortment of stuff. The kitchen was full of dirty dishes, takeaway bags and plastic trays, liberally peppered with empty beer cans. It didn’t smell particularly pleasant. She tried not to let Carver see her wrinkling her nose against the odour.

She’d never seen a house in such a state, even in her student days. It was almost scary. Was she really going to agree to clean up this mess, this … total devastation?

Carver turned and she schooled her face so as not to reveal her shock. She wished she could stop her gaze travelling to his scar, as she was wondering what sort of accident or attack had caused his disfigurement. Pity, he was a good- looking man, when he wasn’t scowling. She forced herself to meet his eyes.

‘Can you do anything with this place? It was my in-laws’ idea to get a cleaner. I’m not too bothered, to be honest, but they suggested a thorough sort out and then regular maintenance. What do you think?’

Jenny searched for a tactful reply. ‘It will be … a … challenge.’

He sort of grinned, or was it a grimace?

All her senses were telling her to walk away, this was a big job, but she badly needed a new start and something about Carver intrigued her, not just his scar. ‘Will you want me to do every room? Or are there no go areas?’

‘If you are going to take on the job, I guess we may as well do it properly. My wife … died … I haven’t been able to face sorting her things. Could you do that for me too, or rather help me to do it? I’m sure it might be easier with someone standing over me.’

‘Oh, I’m so sorry. My condolences. How long ago did she die?’ At least this gave a reason for the state of the house.

‘Nearly three years now.’ He looked away and rubbed at his eyes.

Her heart contracted at his so obvious pain.

He turned back. ‘When can you start?’ There was a definite crack in his voice.

‘We haven’t discussed my rates yet.’

‘Kieron said twelve pounds an hour.’

‘That’s my normal rate for simple cleaning.’ Wow, she was talking as if she did this all the time.

He frowned. ‘I guess this isn’t a simple cleaning job.’

What a great extract. To add to your teaser, here’s my review of The Truth Lies Buried:

I really enjoyed my first visit to Borteen Bay in The Girl on the Beach, and so I was greatly looking forward to reading The Truth Lies Buried. It certainly didn’t disappoint.

The two main characters grow as the story progresses, as does your empathy for them as you read. Carver was a good male lead, strong and yet sensitive, with a backstory that explains his state of mind and the manner to which he has become accustomed to living, before Jenny enters (or re-enters his life). He also has a dog, which in my opinion, is a bonus in any book.

The story and action unfold at a steady pace, with some lovely tender moments along the way. With likeable characters, a wonderful setting (I’d quite like to live in Borteen Bay) and a good amount of intrigue to hold you to the end, it’s an absorbing read.

The Truth Lies Buried is available now from all eBook platforms, as a paperback and audiobook, see Choc Lit | Amazon Kindle | Kobo | Apple iBooks

Finally, what can we expect from you next?

For those who have read my three published titles, The Girl on the Beach, The Truth Lies Buried and Christmas at Borteen Bay, all set in my fictional seaside town of Borteen, my next novel features two characters you will recognise – Mandy Vanes, who runs the Owl Corner craft centre and teenager, Nick Crossten. The novel begins when Nick turns up at Owl Corner saying that his mother has gone away leaving him to fend for himself and he’s being followed by a man who says he is Nick’s father.

Very exciting times ahead, and I wish you every success with the continuation of the Borteen series. Thank you so much for stopping by. xx

About the author:

Morton lives with her husband, two sons and Lily, the tiny white dog, in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors.

Her debut novel The Girl on the Beach was published after she won the Choc Lit Publishing Search for a Starcompetition. This story follows a woman with a troubled past as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her son’s new headteacher, Harry Dixon. The book is available as a paperback and e-book.

Morton’s second book for Choc Lit The Truth Lies Buried is another romantic suspense novel, The book tells the story of Jenny Simpson and Carver Rodgers as they uncover secrets from their past. This book is available as an e-book, paperback and audiobook.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is Morton’s first Christmas novella. It is set in her fictional seaside town of Borteen and follows the story of Pippa Freeman, who runs the Rose Court Guesthouse with her mother, and local policeman Ethan Gibson, as they unravel a family secret as Christmas approaches.

Morton previously worked in the electricity industry in committee services, staff development and training. She has a Business Studies degree and is a fully qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master. She also has diplomas in Tuina acupressure massage and energy field therapy. She enjoys crafts, history and loves tracing family trees. Having a hunger for learning new things is a bonus for the research behind her books.

You can find out more about Morton and her work via: website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Apricot Plots

Stories that will make you smile: Jan Brigden

Author Interview, Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , , , ,

A very warm welcome to Jan Brigden as she celebrates the release of her novel, If I Ever Doubt You.

Hello Jan, how are you keeping in this strange new world? Do you have a top tip to promote wellbeing?

Well I’m a bit of an introvert so have found the peace and solitude quite comforting. I’m used to my own company as most writers are. My husband Dave can’t work at the moment so the two of us have been on some soul-soothing and very scenic walks. We live in a town but it’s amazing how many green and fairly secluded walks there are on our doorstep. I miss all my family and friends.  Mum and Dad are safely cocooned at home for their own protection. When I feel a dip in my mood, I console myself with knowing that when we’re liberated from this crazy, unnerving experience, we’ll all have the biggest hugs ever.

My top tip to promote wellbeing would be to not let those pesky negative or worrying thoughts spiral. Don’t dwell on the what ifs, let them pass and focus on the now/reality.

That sounds like a good idea to me!

I loved As Weekends Go, and so was super excited to hear you were releasing a sequel, tell us a little about your latest novel:

If I Ever Doubt You is the sequel to As Weekends Go but can be read as a standalone novel. It follows the ongoing relationship between small town divorcee Rebecca Dunning and big league professional footballer Alex Heath. How will Rebecca cope with the reality of living a life so different from her own; the pre-judgement, the jealousy, the doubts and fears? Alex may be unstereotypical given the reputation of some of his fellow footballers, but can their love survive the emotional turbulence of outside influences?

OO it sounds great, could you share an uplifting extract?

They resurfaced an hour later with Alex declaring that he was taking Rebecca for a late lunch at Hawksley Manor – a statement that set her off jumping around the bedroom partly with joy, her staple reaction to any potential revisit, especially alone with Alex – and partly to freshen up, dress and get out of the apartment in half an hour so they stood some chance of arriving there before lunchtime service ceased in the main restaurant. York’s outer ring road traffic could be monstrous.

The staff at Hawksley Manor would no doubt accommodate them even if they rocked up late, as had previously happened at a different establishment, much to Alex’s embarrassment; another thing Rebecca loved about him – his refusal to exploit taking advantage. She knew he was neither naïve nor hypocritical enough to think his name, position and profession couldn’t open doors and opportunities or that he hadn’t, on occasion, utilised and enjoyed those very privileges, but the less gushing and fawning he could maintain in his day-to-day life, the better.

Rebecca loved Hawksley Manor’s long, tree-lined drive, the sight of the fountain sparkling up ahead, the sound of it tinkling as they drove around it and into the car park, the majesty of the manor itself never failing to lift the hairs on her arms.

Our special place.

How often during the darkest moments of her divorce, the endless tears and doubts and fears, the brave faces, the ache in her belly for Alex whenever they’d parted, never really knowing for sure if the two of them could sustain their unity, had she taken comfort in the memories of that magical weekend they’d first set eyes upon each other, images of them together, every look, every conversation between them, the chemistry, how her mind, heart, and gut had screamed its significance. It made her shudder with horror to think that if she’d never accepted Abi’s original invitation to spend the weekend there, she and Alex would never have met.

‘Penny for your thoughts?’ Alex said to her now, cutting the engine and laying his hand over hers in the lap of her coral tie-dye sundress.

She smiled across at him from the passenger seat. ‘What do you think?’

He nodded, glanced ahead through the tinted windscreen at the manor, and squeezed her hand. ‘Great minds think alike.’

To buy: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks

If I Ever Doubt You is my current read, what can we expect from you next?

I am currently working on a Christmas novella which I hope to have submitted in time for this year’s festivities, fingers crossed. If not, next year’s. I’m also outlining a third contemporary novel.

That sounds great, best of luck with it, and every success with If I Ever Doubt You. Thank you for stopping by. xx

About the author:

Jan Brigden lives in South East London with her husband and motley crew of cuddly toys. Jan’s written for pleasure from a young age; short stories for classmates, odes for workmates, fun quizzes for family and friends, progressing to the contemporary uplifting dramas she writes today.

The idea for her debut novel, As Weekends Go, sprang from a script she composed as part of a creative writing course assignment via The Writers Bureau. The novel went on to be published by award winning UK independent publishers Choc-lit after winning their Search for a Star competition.

Jan’s latest novel, If I Ever Doubt You, also published by Choc Lit, is the sequel to her debut.

An avid reader, reviewer and all round book devotee, Jan is also one eighth of online writing group The Romaniacs who successfully self-published an anthology of short stories and flash fiction entitled ‘Romaniac Shorts: Fashionably Brief’.

Discover more about Jan Brigden and her work here: Twitter | Facebook | Website

Don’t miss Morton S Gray, when she stops by to share an uplifting extract on May 29th. xxx

Review of Lorraine Wilson’s, JoJo’s French Escape.

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Today, I am delighted to join the blog tour for JoJo’s French Escape by Lorraine Wilson.

The blurb:

Trapped in paradise…

For twelve months JoJo Grant has been hiding from a secret too shameful to share.  And whilst her sanctuary might be the beautiful French countryside, JoJo has a horrible feeling that her peace is about to be shattered…because bursting into her life is the hottest celebrity chef around – Callum O’Connor.

Callum knows all about JoJo’s past, her time as a reality star, the scandal that has dogged her, but he isn’t sure why she’s still hiding?  After spending time with Jojo, it’s obvious to him that she has nothing to be ashamed of – she just needs to be a little braver…
But as much as JoJo likes Callum, he thrives on the glare of the outside world.  Can JoJo let go of her past…with Callum by her side?

My review:

I enjoyed Jojo’s story and her journey back to regaining her self-confidence. While there are darker moments, based on her past experiences, the author balances these well. As the plot unfolds, friendship, puppies and positivity become the key focus of the story. And then there is the very lovely Callum O’Connor, who, as a celebrity chef with plenty of swoon appeal, causes more than what’s cooking to sizzle in the kitchen. As you’d expect from Lorraine Wilson, there is plenty of heat and spice in this book, making for a fab read and ideal escapism.

Click to buy: Amazon UK |

This book is the second in the Place in the sun series, see my review of book #1, Poppy’s Place in the Sun here.

About the author:

Lorraine Wilson writes flirty, feel-good fiction for One More Chapter, a HarperCollins imprint – and is unashamedly fond of happy endings. She loves hearing from readers and feels incredibly grateful to be doing the job she always dreamt of.

She splits her time between the South of France and Cambridgeshire and is usually either writing or reading while being sat on, walked over or barked at by one of her growing band of rescue dogs.

You can find out more about Lorraine and her work, via Facebook | Twitter

This review was added to NetGalley, Amazon UK and Goodreads. Thank you, to Lorraine Wilson for the fab read, and also to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources, and One More Chapter for the advance copy of JoJo’s French Escape.

 

Stories that will make you smile: Lucy Keeling

Author Interview, Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , , ,

Today, I am welcoming, Choc Lit author, Lucy Keeling, as she shares an uplifting extract from her novel, Just Friends.

Hello Lucy, how are you keeping in this strange new world? Do you have a top tip to promote wellbeing?

Thank you for inviting me onto your blog Carol.

It’s very strange times, and I hope that you and yours and everyone reading is keeping as safe and as well as possible. I don’t know about you but I’m so thankful that we have books, now more than ever, to provide us with a little bit of escapism.

I’m still working, writing and trying to homeschool, and honestly finding the whole experience quite overwhelming at times. But I very quickly learnt that I needed to take the pressure off all of us as a family. Our priority is getting through the day as best we can. If that means I have an early night with a book and bar of chocolate then that’s fine. If it means that the children have a film on in the afternoon (like right now whilst I type this) then so be it. There’s no textbook for this, there’s no guidance on how we best mentally survive a pandemic, so really I just get through the day, anything else is icing on the cake.

That sounds like good advice to me!

Lucy was runner up in Choc Lit’s search for a star competition with her wonderful romantic comedy, Make It Up To You.

This was a book I greatly enjoyed, and as I haven’t shared it on my blog before, here’s my review:

This was a thoroughly modern rom-com with likeable characters. I especially liked the rather gorgeous, male lead, Marcus. I enjoyed spending time with the group of friends and finding out a little more about each of them (though not all is given away, as it is to come in future books). The central love story is sweet, believable and left me with a big smile.

Overall, it is a funny, warm and cosy read with tea and biscuits thrown in, what’s not to like?

As you can imagine from my review, when I heard I was going to get to revisit the characters from Make It Up To You in your new novel, Just Friends, I got more than a little excited about reading it. Can you tell us a little about the story?

Just Friends follows on from Make It Up To You, but believe me it can be read on its own. Just Friends has some of my favourite romantic tropes. There’s a fake relationship, a best friends sister thing, and not to mention a moment where there’s only one bed. Yikes. It follows a group of friends who are fiercely loyal to each other, and it’s how they navigate through their lives together.

Make It Up To You focussed on the relationship development of Sophie and Marcus. Just Friends focuses on Marcus’s sister Polly, and his best mate Bailey. Sophie and Marcus agree that Polly and Bailey should be their best man, and maid of honour, in the hope that it might bring them closer together. But of course it’s never that straight forward. So fans of the first one can enjoy seeing a little bit more of Sophie and Marcus, and fans of banter, cheekiness and endless flirting can enjoy Just Friends too.

That sounds great, I’d love it if you could share a sneak peek, with an uplifting extract?

Sophie and Marcus are moving in together and the friends are all ‘helping’ move their stuff into their new home.

‘You know what we should do?’ Bailey said, deliberately making his voice suggestive.

‘What?’ asked Polly cautiously.

‘We should get into the bed before it’s trashed and take a selfie to send to them later.’

‘Oh my God, that’s genius.’ With that agreement, Bailey quickly took off his shoes and gently got into the bed and watched as Polly did the same on the other side.

‘Oh man, this is one awesome bed.’ Polly stretched out at the same time she pulled the duvet up to her chin. Bailey grinned at her. He knew he shouldn’t but he couldn’t help but think of them in their own place, in their own bed. His heart warmed at the thought. Until Polly started wriggling around.

‘What’s the matter with you?’ Bailey asked.

Polly sighed. ‘I’m on the wrong side and I don’t like it. Hang on.’ Without warning, Bailey was suddenly transported into a place where his fantasies were quickly coming true. Polly had her hands on his shoulders and was swinging her leg over until she was on top of him. He had a moment of feeling her body heat on his chest before she swung the other leg back over.

‘Sorry about that. There we go, that’s better.’

Bailey blinked several times until he could gather the use of his body to move over to the side Polly had vacated. She was right this was better, but now he thought of a hundred ways it could be better still.

‘OK, it’s selfie time.’ Polly stretched her arm up but couldn’t quite get high enough to get the picture right.

‘Hang on, I’ll take it with mine.’ Bailey used his longer arms to try and aim the camera at them but as luck would have it they were too far apart, and before he could suggest it, she moved closer, the next thing he knew she had curled up next to him and moved his arm until it was behind her around her back, her head resting on his shoulder. Taking the picture a few times with them sticking their tongues out, laughing and pulling faces, he reluctantly pulled his arm down, but not before Polly twisted slightly, her body still leaning into his, close enough that he could smell the shampoo that she used, feel the heat of her against his side, feel her hair as it tickled his arm.

She grabbed his phone and looked at the picture. ‘Perfect.’ Polly grinned mischief making her shine. Turning round to look at him, their bodies warm under the duvet and surrounded by each other, Bailey was not able to move. He couldn’t, he wouldn’t, he didn’t want to ruin this tiny fragment in time that he doubted he would ever forget. Studying her eyes he was desperate for some kind of sign that she was interested, something that would tell him it wasn’t one-sided. But, more importantly, he was looking for a sign that he was worthy. Her brown eyes looked nearer gold, and Polly wasn’t looking away either. In fact, she was moving nearer, their faces getting closer, her breath on his cheek.

‘Helloooo. Bailey? Polly?’ Mya must have said something quietly to Paige as the pair of them burst out laughing. Polly jumped up fast enough to injure herself. So fast that he could almost believe the last few minutes had been another one of his intense dreams. He got out of bed and put his shoes back on.

‘We’re up here. We’ve nearly finished the bed. We’ll be down in a minute.’

Bailey watched stunned as Polly flawlessly carried on as if everything was normal, that she hadn’t been leaning forward to kiss him. Bailey shook his head, trying to re-group.

‘Here get going.’ Pulling the duvet completely off they covered the bed sheet with glitter and streamers and confetti and everything, the pair of them laughing quietly the worse they made it.

‘Right. That’s probably enough.’

Polly snorted. ‘It was enough three bags of confetti ago.’

Aww, that was fab! (I’ll confess that Lucy sent me two extracts of the novel to chose from and I loved them both.)

**Just Friends is available to preorder, here, and is released on May 26th.**

What can we expect from you next?

Well, I am now trying to write book three in this series. If you’ve read the first one then you will know that Mya’s occupation is a mystery, maybe by the end of Just Friends you will have an idea, but book three will be all about Mya and I can’t wait to get that written, and hopefully share it with you all in 2021.

Thank you so much for inviting me on your blog, Carol x

That all sounds very exciting, best of luck with it. Thank you so much, Lucy, for stopping by and I can’t wait to read Just Friends. xx

About the author:

Lucy Keeling writes fun, sexy, stories with all of the happily ever afters. When she’s not typing at the kitchen table, she’s arranging and then re-arranging to see her friends for the occasional spot of day drinking. Lucy is currently writing the third book in a Contemporary Romance series, the first of which was Runner-Up in ChocLit’s ‘Search for a Star’ competition. This story has become her romantic comedy debut ‘Make It Up To You’. The second book in the series ‘Just Friends’ is available to pre-order now.

Discover more about Lucy and her work, here: Facebook | Twitter | website

Don’t miss author Jan Brigden, sharing an extract from her novel, If I Ever Doubt You, on Friday 22nd May! xx