Learning to Love

Posted on June 7, 2016 by wordsfromanneli

I have a lovely guest author on my blog today. Sheryl Browne from the UK is here to tell us all about her latest release, “Learning to Love.” Speaking of love, you can only tell that Sheryl loves her dogs, and anyone who loves dogs is okay by me. But while I love dogs, too, I really love Sheryl’s books. They have me chuckling to myself and feeling for the characters until they get their happy ending. For an enjoyable read, you can’t go wrong with any of Sheryl’s books.

Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely places …

Living in a small village like Hibberton, it’s expected that your neighbours help you in a time of need. But when Andrea Kelly’s house burns down, taking all her earthly possessions with it, it’s the distant and aloof Doctor David Adams – the person she would least expect – who opens his door not just to her, but to her three kids and slightly dotty elderly mother as well.

Andrea needs all the help she can get, dealing with aftermath of the fire and the suspicious absence of her husband, Jonathan. But, as she gets to know David and his troubled son, Jake, she begins to realise that maybe they need her help as much as she needs theirs …

~~~

You may have gathered, Learning to love is here! Could it have ever found a more perfect home than with Choc Lit, where heroes are like Chocolate: irresistible? Could it have ever found a more beautiful cover?

Would you like to see the video?

https://youtu.be/h5qbZycC8y4

Read a brief excerpt? The good doctor, it seems, has some explaining to do:

‘Were you ever going to mention you’d slept with her, David?’

‘Yes,’ David said quickly. ‘Of course, I was. I just …’

‘Wanted to choose the right moment?’

David exhaled slowly. ‘I suppose.’

Andrea nodded thoughtfully. ‘And that right moment was obviously going to be after you’d had sex with me, wasn’t it, David?’ She kept it clinical, purely physical. It hurt less that way.

‘No!’ David locked alarmed eyes with hers. ‘I mean, I didn’t think we … Jesus, Andrea, what happened between us wasn’t about sex. You must know how I feel.’

‘I don’t know how you feel, David, do I? I don’t know you, other than what you’ve told me.’

David looked at her levelly. ‘The truth.’

‘The truth?’ Andrea was really incredulous now. ‘Apart from the one or two inconsequential little things you forgot to tell me? Or was it more than that, David? Three? Four? A hundred?’

‘Two! Twice. Bloody hell, Andrea …’

And that made it all right? She forced back the tears she desperately didn’t want to cry in front of him, again. ‘And I thought Jonathan was being devious. You take the biscuit, David, you really do.’ Shaking her head, Andrea moved to walk past him.

So were the enigmatic doctor’s explanations good enough? Does he deserve a chance to love again? Does Andrea? Does Dougal?

Tempted? Even I am, having read some of the gorgeous pre-release reviews.

You can grab your copy here: Amazon

Thank you so much, Anneli, for featuring me on your lovely blog. Thank you too to all those readers and bookbloggers whose support is tremendously appreciated. The road to publication can sometimes be a little bit bumpy. Without you, I might still be languishing down the potholes.

For anyone kind enough to purchase the book, I would love your feedback. Because, at the end of the day, the fate of Doctor Adams is in the hands of the reader.

Keep safe all!

Heartache, humour, love, loss & betrayal, Sheryl Browne brings you sassy, sexy, heart-wrenching fiction. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association, Romantic Novelists’ Association and shortlisted for the Best Romantic e-book Love Stories Award 2015, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where she completed her MA in Creative Writing.

Recommended to the publisher by the WH Smith Travel fiction buyer, Sheryl’s contemporary fiction comes to you from award winning Choc Lit.

Author Links

Loveahappyending Lifestyle

Choc Lit | Romantic Novelists’ Association

Holiday Reading – Sheryl Browne

Posted on November 15, 2015 by wordsfromanneli

Continuing our list of books for good holiday reading, we have Sheryl Browne to enlighten us.

I’ve enjoyed quite a few books this year. The most outstanding for me though was Police, Crime & 999 – The True Story of a Front Line Officer by John Donoghue. I badly needed something to cheer me up after my partner’s cancer diagnosis and his undergoing various surgeries (he’s doing fabulously now, btw!). You can probably guess then that this author had his work cut out making me smile. He succeeded, admirably. I laughed until I cried, literally. The book is totally hilarious. In fact the title of my review, which you can find here, is ‘Excellent Therapy’. His other books, Police, Lies & Alibis and Shakespeare My Butt are similarly side-splittingly hilarious and I’ve just purchased his latest, Police, Arrests & Suspects. If you find me crying, it will be in the best possible way.

My second choice is Untouchable by Ava Marsh. The central character is a high class call girl and if you want a read that is riveting, powerful, and different, this is the book for you. I have to say, well done Ava Marsh on tackling a subject that some would shy away from.

Thirdly, NAKED TRUTHS About Getting Book Reviews by Gisela Hausmann. This easy-to-read book simply outlines the dos and don’ts when approaching reviewers. Unlike many ‘how to’ books, which tend to be great tomes, this one is concise enough to make you want to read it. It works for me.

Happy reading all!

http://sherylbrowne.com/

The Rest of My Life: http://lrd.to/rest-of-my-life

That’s Funny – Sheryl Browne

Posted on July 10, 2014 by wordsfromanneli

Hi Anneli,

Thanks so much for having me on your super ‘That’s Funny’ feature. Love it! So, why do I think humour is important in a book? For me, it’s because I want to write about real people, dealing with real life events, someone the reader identifies with and wants to get to know. A ‘boy meets girl, boy gets girl, despite all obstacles’ story portraying characters readers can relate to and hopefully laugh with as they fall over life’s little ‘obstacles’, because the reader is empathising with the character, because they’ve been there. I think when we laugh at characters in a rom com, we’re actually laughing at ourselves, because it’s a familiar, comedic or embarrassing situation we could find ourselves in – or maybe already have.

And here is my Excerpt from WARRANT FOR LOVE.

Lee tugged her vest top over her shorts… jimjams grass-stained she’d discovered… and perched herself on the edge of her bed.

She tried not to listen to Paul move around in his room. Clunk his wristwatch onto the bedside table. His shoes onto the floor. Unzip… Ahem.

Lee couldn’t fall into a relationship with him. It would be madness with her emotions flying all over the place and, anyway, Paul had obviously changed his mind.

But, oh, it was torture, knowing he was just the other side of that wall. Reassuring, too, but she couldn’t help wishing there was no wall at all.

She had a quick gulp of water as her errant mind conjured up his handcuffs, then travelled slowly around front and attempted to tiptoe below belt level.

Blooming frustrating, it was.

Ah, well. She kicked off her flip-flops, and would have snuggled under the duvet, had not a great fat spider sat down beside her.

Lee squeaked, terrified, and leapt fast for a flip-flop. It was huge. A house spider as big as the house, with huge, hunched… scurrying…

‘Aaaaargh!’

She hit it.

It dropped to the floor. Lee sprang on the bed.

‘Help!!’ she screamed, woman of substance nowhere in evidence.

In an instant, Paul banged through the door, wearing boxers and not much else. ‘What? What’s wrong?!’

‘I’ve got no shoes on,’ Lee said feebly.

Paul scratched his head. ‘You’ve got no clothes on.’

‘There’s a spider!’ Lee squealed as it scurried towards him.

‘Christ, Lee…’ He ran his hand over his neck. ‘I thought there was someone… ‘Oh, blimey.’ Paul backed off. ‘It is a bit big, isn’t it?’

‘Get it!’ Lee danced on the duvet.

‘Lee, just calm down.’ Paul skirted around the intruder as it came to rest in the corner. ‘It won’t hurt you.’

‘It’s huge!’

‘Lee…’ Paul laughed. ‘It’s just a spider. It’s probably more scared than…’

‘It’s not! I’m arachnophobic! And don’t laugh at me. I can’t help it. I’m sick of apologising for my shortcom… Oh, my God, it’s moving.

Get it!’ Lee clutched a pillow and a useless flip-flop to her breast and backed up on the bed.

‘Okay. Okay.’ Paul said, his voice calm, his face serious. She was petrified, he realised. Pretty in the shorts and vest, but petrified.

He actually wasn’t far off petrified, himself. He hated spiders. ‘Just stay calm and stay where you are. I’ll get it.’ He headed for the landing.

‘Where are you going?’ Lee almost climbed up the wall.

‘To get a glass.’

‘No-o-o. It’ll be gone when you get back. And it’ll creep out again while I’m sleeping. Please get it.’

‘I’ll get it. I’ll get it. I promise. Just stay calm.’ Paul tried to reassure her. ‘Flip flop,’ he said, surgeon-like as he turned to face his own worst nightmare. Under-stair cupboards were crawling with the bloody things. Or that’s how it seemed, if you were four years old, and locked in there with them.

He braced himself, flicked it out of the corner, and flattened it. Felt like a murderer, but flattened it anyway.

Felt pretty good actually. He smiled as Lee flung her arms around him.

‘I feel really stupid.’ She sniffled into his shoulder.

‘Don’t.’ Paul stroked her hair. ‘We all have our private demons.’

‘It bounced off the bed.’

‘Bounced?’ Paul chuckled. ‘Did it test the springs first?’

‘You’re laughing at me.’ Lee pulled away.

‘I’m not, Lee.’ Paul pulled her back. ‘I’m laughing at me. I’m terrified of the buggers.’

Lee blinked up at him. ‘You are?’

‘Yep.’ Paul smiled. ‘Almost as terrified as I am when I meet some psycho on the streets, but I guess it’s easier to face it than admit it, if you’re supposed to be macho-man.’

Lee scanned his eyes and must have realised he was telling the truth.

‘Sorry,’ she said, her face nestled back in his shoulder. ‘I’d get them myself, if only they’d stand still long enough. They only ever seem to come out when it’s dark, don’t they? When you’re alone.’

‘I know.’ Paul pulled her closer, recalling how alone he’d felt in the dark. ‘Tell you what,’ he said, his mouth close to her ear, his hand tracing the curve of her back, ‘we’ll get one of those sonic insect repellent things. Innovations sell them, I think.’

‘Do they work?’

‘Dunno. It’s worth a try though.’ Paul brushed his cheek against her hair. Lee lifted her head, and…

‘Hello, Mumsie-wumsie,’ Drew said, from right outside Lee’s door on the landing.

Paul and Lee hastily disengaged.

‘Shoot.’ Paul hurriedly left, thinking that more prudent than hiding under the bed. ‘I, er… ‘ He raked his hand through his hair as he met Drew’s eyes. ‘Spider,’ he offered, by way of explanation.

‘Ye-es.’ Drew looked him up and down. ‘So, where’s the white charger? Parked next to the Mondeo?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Word of advice, Paul. Knights don’t do it naked.’

Paul nodded soberly, arms folded over his nakedness. ‘I guess I’d better go and get dressed. Undressed. Go to bed.’ He coughed and stepped past Drew.

‘Good idea.’ Drew clumped onwards. ‘Oh, incidentally, that’s the airing cupboard.’

‘You don’t say.’ Paul closed the door to the linens within.

For interest, this is Paul:

Thanks for reading everyone! Keep safe. XX

Warrant for Love – BUY Links:

Amazon UK

Amazon Com

Heartache, humour, love, loss & betrayal, a little Ohhhh la la! and thrills! Sheryl Browne brings you poignant, witty, modern romance. A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and shortlisted for Innovation in Romantic Fiction, Sheryl now has six books published with Safkhet Publishing.

Author LINKS:

Sheryl’s Website / Safkhet Publishing / Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com

Author Facebook / Romantic Novelists’ Association

Sheryl is a Loveahappyending Lifestyle Author and Feature Editor. Twitter: @sherylbrowne

Turning Points Series – Sheryl Browne

Posted on April 30, 2014 by wordsfromanneli

Writing poignant romantic fiction looking at the fragility of love life and relationships, Sheryl would like to share something today from her latest book, The Edge of Sanity. Released 30 April, the book tells the story of a psychological battle between everyman Daniel Conner, who is forced into becoming a hero after being tortured and forcibly drugged, and drug addict Charlie Roberts, who has taken Daniel’s wife and daughter hostage. Separated from his wife and sensing his family is in danger, Daniel has definitely reached a turning point:

Excerpt:

Daniel slowed the car in the lane, glimpsing the bedroom light through the gap in the trees. No surprise there. Lights on the blink? Jo being fazed by the fuse box? About as likely as snow in June. She’d been forced to make that call. Daniel knew it with absolute certainty. He also knew she’d been trying to warn him. There was someone, maybe more than one, there with her.

So what the hell did he do now? Park the car and creep up to the house in the hope of gaining entry without alerting them? No. Whoever it was, they were obviously expecting him. And they were holding Jo. His blundering in not knowing how many they were, or where they …

Daniel stopped in his deliberations, swallowing back a hard lump in his throat as it occurred to him to wonder … Why was the only visible light, the one in the bedroom? Christ! Fear clutching at Daniel’s heart, he rammed his foot down, swung the car through the gates and skidded to a halt, full beams bouncing off the lifeless lounge window, and right outside the open front door.

Says Sheryl: No, I haven’t reached a turning point in my writing. If a character calls to me, I simply have to write his story. My books will always tend to turn around the family unit, looking at family dynamics and the tenuous bonds that might hold people together. I really hope you enjoy!

Book Blurb:

How far would YOU go to protect your family?

A decent, ordinary man, a man who has already suffered the loss of one child, Daniel Conner is forced by extraordinary circumstances into being a hero. Tortured, forcibly drugged—heroin still pulsating nauseatingly through his veins—his wife and daughter degraded, Daniel knows their kidnapper is beyond reasoning with.

But does being pushed one step beyond endurance justify doing the unthinkable?

High on drugs, indebted to his supplier, and desperate, Charlie Roberts takes Daniel’s wife and daughter hostage. Daniel does everything within his power to rescue the situation bloodlessly. Eventually though, Daniel realises that with or without violent mood swings induced by amphetamines and cocaine, Charlie Roberts is a psychopath. He wants more than Daniel’s money.

He wants him.

The Edge of Sanity: a harrowing story of hope amid loss and betrayal.

Heartache, humour, love, loss & betrayal, a little Ohhhh la la! and thrills! Sheryl Browne brings you poignant modern romance. A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and shortlisted for Innovation in Romantic Fiction, Sheryl now has six books published with Safkhet Publishing.