Congratulations to author, Susan Buchanan, on the launch of her beautiful new book! We are lucky enough to have an excerpt from the novel, here today, as well as some reviews of the book, so enjoy every minute and we wish Susan a fantastic launch week.

‘Perfect for fans of Why Mummy Drinks.’

Thirty-eight-year-old Louisa has a loving husband, three wonderful kids, a faithful dog, a supportive family and a gorgeous house near Glasgow. What more could she want?

TIME.

Louisa would like, just once, to get to the end of her never-ending to-do list. With her husband Ronnie working offshore, she is demented trying to cope with everything on her own: the after-school clubs, the homework, the appointments … the constant disasters. And if he dismisses her workload one more time, she may well throttle him.

Juggling running her own wedding stationery business with family life is taking its toll, and the only reason Louisa is still sane is because of her best friends and her sisters.

Fed up with only talking to Ronnie about household bills and incompetent tradesmen, when a handsome stranger pays her some attention on her birthday weekend away, she is flattered, but will she give in to temptation? And will she ever get to the end of her to-do list?

A feel-good, heart-warming story of family and friendship. Ideal for fans of Fiona Gibson.

‘This fresh, well-paced story will have you groaning in sympathy as things go from bad to worse.’ Book Escapes BabsW67

book link – https://books2read.com/u/mKwnrP

 

Just One Day – Winter excerpt

Recap – Louisa’s hosting New Year’s Day lunch for her extended family, whilst her husband is away working on his oil rig.

‘So where to next?’ I ask as I crimp the edges of the pastry around the pie dish then use the remaining pieces to make leaves.

‘The Arctic.’

‘The Arctic? I thought Mum was a sun-worshipper.’

‘She is, usually, but she watched some documentary about the unexploited Russian Arctic and how it’s renowned for its “abundance” of polar bears–’ I roll my eyes at this ‘–and she’s intent on going now.’

My poor dad. I wonder how much, if any, say he had in this. I know he prefers sailing round the Med. And he last spoke to me about wanting to visit Jura, Mull, Luing and Shuna. He would have preferred a tour of the Hebrides on a luxury ship looking for seals, although I imagine they have seals in Russian waters too.

Dad takes Hugo’s sandwich through to him, and immediately I hear Aria moan that she wants one too. OK, it has been a while since breakfast. They were up far earlier than Genevieve. I pop the pie in the oven and am about to open the fridge to make some more sandwiches when the doorbell goes again. Honestly, Piccadilly Circus must be quieter than here. The clock shows it’s only twelve thirty. No one was meant to be here until one.

I walk into the hall only for Aria to accost me. ‘Mummy, I want a ham sandwich too,’ she whines.

‘In a minute, poppet.’ I disentangle her limbs from mine and get to the door as Hugo shouts, ‘It’s Uncle Rhys. I can see his car. Uncle Rhys, Uncle Rhys!’

I open the door and don’t even get ‘Happy New Year’ out before Hugo jumps up on Rhys and Rhys ruffles his hair and makes a fuss of him, setting his glasses askew as he does so. Hugo feigns indignation whilst Sandra chuckles. I beckon her inside, where Aria emulates her brother and makes a big deal of her aunt’s arrival.

‘Mummy, Aunt Sandra’s earrings have a number one on them.’

‘That’s because today is the first, sweetheart,’ Sandra says. ‘And the first is the same as one.’

‘Sandra, can I take your coat?’ I ask.

She undoes her coat and I see just how huge her stomach is.

‘Wow! I can’t believe how much more pregnant you look than last time.’ I avoid saying ‘bigger’. People can be so sensitive, although it never bothered me when I was pregnant.

Sandra grins. ‘I know. Although I suppose I am seven and a half months pregnant.’

‘Really? Where has the time gone?’

‘That’s what I was saying. There’ll be no peace soon,’ my brother-in-law chips in.

‘Hi, Rhys.’ I grin. Rhys and I have always got on well. He’s like a little brother to me.

‘Hi, sis.’ He leans in to give me a peck and then hugs me. ‘Happy New Year.’

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