ONLY IN SEPTEMBER
Cynthia Flowers
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GENRE: Women's Fiction
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BLURB:
When
Jacqueline follows her trusty Labrador Bailey down a hidden path to the beach,
she's unaware that her vacation plans on a small island off the New England
coast has already taken her life in a new direction. Running into an unassuming
local beach comber stirs new thoughts, desires, and a self-determination she
never knew she possessed. Jacqueline will need to trust her instincts and make
the most of what fate has in store if she wants the future that, until now, she
has only dared to dream of.
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Excerpt
Three:
Hours later, the sound of clanking wine bottles in
Jacqueline’s beach bag announced her arrival. Michael turned to her with
feigned surprise.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he teased.
She raised her beach bag. “Where should I put these
ladies?”
“Under the deck next to the cooler should be fine,” he
directed.
Everything seemed set up. A blanket laid with plates,
flatware, wine glasses, and nearby a cooking fire pit.
“It looks like you’ve been here for a bit. Is our sumptuous
gourmet meal in there?” She pointed to the soft-pack cooler tucked under the
deck.
“Oh yes, our Michelin three-star gastronomic feast awaits!”
he announced with a wink.
Little was spoken while they ate. Instead, they each emitted
sounds of contentment with every other bite.
“Well, I can’t say that you outdid yourself because this is
the first meal of yours that I’ve eaten. However, I can say that it outdoes
anything I ever made for a picnic dinner.” She raised her empty glass of
Sancerre.
He acknowledged the praise with a humble nod and reached to
refill her glass.
She pulled her glass away before he could pour. “I think
I’ve reached my limit. Even though it’s a small island and I know my way home,
I’d rather be safe than sorry. Besides, where are the pooches?”
“Oh, they’re at the beach just below us.” He motioned as he
helped Jacqueline up, so she could see.
“Wow, a full moon. Look, it’s lighting up the ocean all the
way out to that small fishing boat.” She pointed. “I could sleep out here all
night.”
“Funny you should mention it. I did bring two sleeping bags
just in case. They’re stowed under the deck,” he said with a bashful grin.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Cynthia
Flowers, a recently retired advertising professional, now grant writer, resides
with her husband and four-year old Labrador named Eddie, at their “sanctuary”
in Upstate New York, Although previously published, this is Cynthia's first
book of fiction. Early on in grade school, Cynthia looked forward to creative
writing class and enjoyed reading her stories aloud to her eager classmates.
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Only-September-Cynthia-Flowers-ebook/dp/B0DWT79L6N/ref=sr_1_1
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Review: This was a pretty interesting read. You can always tell the character of a man by how he treats a dog. Good riddance to that husband! Fortunately, Jacqueline was able to spend quality time with a fellow dog lover named Michael. The two get together with their dogs only in September.
Some of the prose was a little long. It was great seeing Jacqueline come into her own life and senses.
Ultimately, this was a sweet and sentimental story. A well-read and engaging story!
Rating:
4 stars
GIVEAWAY
Cynthia
Flowers will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This was a sweet read!
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