Praise for Fiona Harper
âThe author never strikes a false note,
tempering poignancy perfectly with humour.â âRT Book Reviews
âClassic Fionaâfunny with fantastic characters.
I was charmed from the first page.â âwww.goodreads.com on Invitation to the Bossâs Ball
âItâs the subtle shadings of characterisation
that make the story work, as well as the sensitive handling of key plot points.â âRT Book Reviews
âFiona Harperâs Christmas Wishes, Mistletoe Kisses pairs a simple plot with complex characters, to marvellous effect. Itâs both moving and amusing.â âRT Book Reviews
As a child, Fiona Harper was constantly teased for either having her nose in a book, or living in a dream world. Things havenât changed much since then, but at least in writing sheâs found a use for her runaway imagination. After studying dance at university, Fiona worked as a dancer, teacher and choreographer, before trading in that career for video-editing and production. When she became a mother she cut back on her working hours to spend time with her children, and when her littlest one started pre-school she found a few spare moments to rediscover an old but not forgotten loveâwriting.
Fiona lives in London, but her other favourite places to be are the Highlands of Scotland, and the Kent countryside on a summerâs afternoon. She loves cooking good food and anything cinnamon-flavoured. Of course she still canât keep away from a good book, or a good movieâespecially romancesâbut only if sheâs stocked up with tissues, because she knows she will need them by the end, be it happy or sad. Her favourite things in the world are her wonderful husband, who has learned to decipher her incoherent ramblings, and her two daughters.
IF THERE was one thing Jennie Hunter had a gift for, it was getting away with blue murder. Unfortunately, her magical powers deserted her suddenly and unexpectedly one New Yearâs Dayâaround the same time a dishevelled arrangement of trumpet lilies and green hit her in the chest and then fell upside down into her waiting hands.
How had that happened?
Sheâd been actively retreating as her step-brotherâs new bride had turned her back and hurled her bouquet over her shoulder into the waiting crowd. What had Alice done? Fitted it with a homing device? Jennie wouldnât have put it past her. Since sheâd got engaged to Jennieâs stepbrother sheâd been trying to pair all her single friends off, and Jennie had become her pet project.
A damp, puffy hand clapped her on the shoulder. âDonât worry, Jennie. Itâll be your turn soon!â
She turned to give Cousin Bernie a smile that could probably have been more accurately described as a sneer. If heâd left a sweaty mark on her vintage satin bridesmaidâs dress, sheâd stuff this bouquet down his throat, petal by petal.
Your turn soon. How many times had she heard that today?
She looked down at the jumble of flowers and leaves in her hands, then turned it the right way up. Why had she clutched on to it when it had collided with her? Must have been a reflex. A whole herd of single women had been frothing at the mouth at the thought of securing this prize; she should have let one of them mow her down and scoop it up. As it was, she could feel their resentful eyes on her as the assembled wedding guests surged forward to say their farewells to the bride and groom before they got into their car.
Jennie was shoved along with the rest of the crowd, still holding the offending bouquet. There was nowhere handy to dispose of it, so she really didnât have much choice. She stood at the back of the crowd for a while, watching Cameron and Alice as they said their goodbyes, and even her current healthy dose of cynicism for âtrue loveâ couldnât stop her sighing.
Alice looked gorgeous in her nineteen thirties vintage gown, like a willowy debutante. And Cameron? Well, he couldnât take his eyes off his new wife. And that was how it was supposed to be with newly-weds, wasnât it? The bride was supposed to be the centre of her groomâs universe, his reason for living.
An unplanned scoffing sound escaped her lips. She disguised it as a cough and decided that this was as good a time as any to plunge through the crowd and say her farewells. Once sheâd hugged her smug-looking stepbrother, she turned to Alice. The bride glanced down at the flowers in Jennieâs hands and a satisfied gleam appeared in her eyes.
Jennie stifled another huff by stretching her lips wide. She held the bouquet up and did her very best to look pleased. Alice grinned back and pulled her into a hug.
âYou deserve to find your special someone,â she whispered in Jennieâs ear. âJust wait until you meet him. Heâll turn your world upside down and youâll be so happy you wonât know what to do with yourself.â