The Summer of Second Chances: The laugh-out-loud romantic comedy
‘The Summer of Second Chances is the perfect feelgood summer read.’ Chrissie Manby, author of What I Did On My HolidaysLottie is about to discover that even when you think you’ve lost everything, hope and romance can be just around the corner . . .It takes time to build your life. To get into a long-term (OK, a bit boring) relationship. To find a job (you don’t completely hate). Lottie might not be thrilled with the life she’s put together, but it’s the one she’s got.So when, in the course of one terrible evening, it all comes crashing down around her, Lottie has a choice: give herself over to grief at being broke, single and completely lacking in prospects.Or, brick by brick, build herself a new life. And this time, with a little help from new friends, a crumbling cottage in Devon and a handsome stranger, maybe she can make it the one she always wanted.THE SUMMER OF SECOND CHANCES is an irresistibly funny read about never giving up, whatever the world throws at you. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Jane Costello and Christie Barlow.
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The Summer of Second Chances
MADDIE PLEASE
A division of HarperCollinsPublishers
Published by AVON
A Division of HarperCollinsPublishers
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
First published in Great Britain by AVON 2017
Copyright © Maddie Please 2017
Cover design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2017
Cover illustration © Head Design
Maddie Please asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
Source ISBN: 9780008257293
Ebook Edition © July 2017 ISBN: 9780008257125
Version: 2018-03-15
For my husband Brian, who never doubted me.
With all my love.
Thank you.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Snowdrops – a friend in adversity, consolation, hope
Chapter 2: Daffodils – uncertainty, unrequited love, deceit
Chapter 3: Aquilegia – resolution, determination, anxiety
Chapter 4: Rhododendron – deceit, danger
Chapter 5: Primrose – modest worth and silent admiration
Chapter 6: Hyacinth – jealousy
Chapter 7: Foxglove – insincerity, deceit
Chapter 8: Purple iris – faith, hope, inspiration, friendship
Chapter 10: Wallflowers – courage in adversity
Chapter 11: Cherry blossom – kindness
Chapter 12: Honeysuckle – devotion, fidelity
Chapter 13: Forget-me-not – remember me, friendship
Chapter 15: French marigold – sorrow, deceit
Chapter 16: Geranium – determination
Chapter 17: Anemone – have you forsaken me?
Chapter 18: Yellow carnations – disappointment, rejection
Chapter 19: Morning glory – love in vain
Chapter 20: Lily-of-the-valley – returning happiness
Chapter 21: Gladiolus – courage and strength
Chapter 22: Purple lilac – first emotion of love
Chapter 23: Chrysanthemum – cheerfulness and truth
It was quite incredible really, when I considered what a long time things took to do as a rule. Meeting Ian and moving in, supporting him as he built up his business, entertaining people who drove me nearly mad with boredom, getting contracts, the crazy nit-picking of flaky homeowners. These things took months, sometimes years. To lose it all took no time at all.
I lost my partner, my home, a lot of my friends and my peace of mind – not necessarily in that order – and yet, only a few days had passed.
We had shared the usual formulaic Christmas with Susan picking at her food as though I was trying to poison her. And then Ian had started on about the bloody New Year’s Eve party we were having.
He’d rolled his eyes at his mother who was sitting opposite me.
‘I had to persuade her, you know, Mum. Lottie hates New Year’s Eve,’ he said. Quietly, as though I was simple and couldn’t hear him.
‘I don’t!’ I said. ‘That’s so not true.’
I would have said it more emphatically with words like bollocks or crap attached, but Susan has been known to leave the room when I swear so I didn’t. It was Christmas after all.
‘She says it’s just one more day,’ Ian continued. He sent me a mischievous grin to show he was teasing me. I pulled a face at him and tried to kick him under the table.
Susan put down her knife and fork and peered over her glasses at me.
‘You’re very young, Charlotte. Perhaps you think there will always be one more day.’
Oh God, I knew what was coming.
Susan sighed and shook her head.
Yes, here it was.
‘I would give anything to have one more hour with Trevor. One more day.’ She bit her lip, shook her head and struggled on bravely. ‘If I had known he would be taken from me so soon.’
And after the party, wallop! One bloody shock after another, everything getting worse and worse until I came to dread waking up each day because I knew something else horrible was bound to happen.
And then the day came when I packed my clothes, my jewellery box, my grandmother’s clock and as many of my belongings as I could fit into my car – the only thing I now owned – and handed back the keys to the house to an anxious solicitor who looked like Rodney Trotter’s younger brother doing work experience. I could almost imagine Susan’s glee as she closed one claw-like hand over them with an evil cackle. I’d always known she had never really liked me, but now she could make her feelings more than clear. She blamed me for what happened, and this was the perfect revenge.
