Title: Meet Me at Beachcomber
Bay
Author: Jill Mansell
Pub Date: May 2, 2017
International bestseller Jill
Mansell weaves a heartwarming tale of love, family and friendship in
her latest novel
1. A brief encounter that could have
become so much more…if only everything were different
2. Step-sisters, bitter rivals in every
area except one—by unbreakable pact neither will ever steal a man
from the other
3. A love triangle that starts out as a
mess of secrets and mix-ups, and only gets worse from there
Plus!
Friendship, family ties, crossed wires
and self-discovery, second chances and first impressions
Welcome to Jill Mansell’s blustery
seaside world. Once you step inside, you’ll never want to leave!
With over 10 million copies sold, New
York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Mansell writes
irresistible and funny, poignant and romantic tales for women in the
tradition of Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Jojo Moyes. She lives
with her partner and their children in Bristol, England.
GIVEAWAY
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Jill Mansell book bundle and a
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EXCERPT
Ronan
looked at Clemency. To be honest, they weren’t the words he’d
been expecting to hear. “Excuse me?”
Paula
and Gavin had gone home; it was just the two of them in the office.
Clemency was sitting on her desk with her bare legs swinging, because
she’d just painted her toenails with scarlet polish and was
encouraging them to dry.
“OK,
not my real boyfriend.” She waved her hand dismissively. “But,
you know, if you could bear to fake it for a week or two, I’d
really owe you one. And it’s not as if you’re seeing anyone at
the moment, so it wouldn’t be putting you out.”
Ronan
frowned. “What’s brought this on? Is someone pestering you?”
“No,
just driving me nuts.” Rubbing her face, Clemency said, “Seriously,
Belle’s doing my head in. She’s so smug,
I just can’t bear it any more. It’s all ‘Oh look, here’s me
with my perfect gorgeous boyfriend and then there’s poor you with
nobody at all.’ She won’t stop showing off about it and making
out I’m some sad, lonely spinster. I swear to God, it feels like
we’re fifteen again and all I want to do is stuff her head down the
loo or wait until she’s asleep and chop off all her hair.”
“Did
you ever stuff her head down the loo when you were fifteen?”
“Well,
no, but the urge was pretty strong. And now it’s back. But I know
I’m not allowed to actually do it, so I thought maybe it’s easier
to just get myself a boyfriend instead.”
“And
you’ve chosen me to be the one. Can I hazard a guess why?”
“Because
if I pick someone boring and average looking, that’ll just make her
more
smug.
And because she’s always had a thing about you, which means…OK,
she’s got Sam now, but she’ll still be a little bit jealous.”
“And?”
Ronan prompted when she paused and waggled her toes. He knew Clemency
too well, could read her like a book.
“Well,
I did kind of happen to mention to Sam that you and I were seeing
each other.”
“Ah.”
“I
didn’t mean to,” Clemency protested. “But like I said, Belle
has been really unbearable, and I said it on the spur of the moment.
It just popped out.”
“Oh
dear.” Ronan nodded sympathetically. “So you’re going to look
pretty silly if I say no now.”
“I
am. I will. I’ll look like one of those desperate old spinsters who
fantasize about men they know they’ll never have a chance with.
Word will get out and I’ll be the laughing stock of St. Carys.”
“The
whole of Cornwall, probably.”
“So
will you do it?”
“Not
sure. What’s in it for me?”
“Wild
sex, obviously.” Clemency raised an eyebrow at him. “That was a
joke.”
“Thank
goodness for that. I don’t have sex with desperate old spinsters.”
“OK,
so are you going to be my fake boyfriend, or do I have to find
someone else?”
As
she had undoubtedly known he would, Ronan said, “Go on then, we’ll
give it a whirl. Might be fun.”
“And
it’ll definitely annoy my sister.” Clemency did a triumphant fist
bump. “Thanks.”
Ronan
shrugged. “Hey, it’s not as if anyone’s going to be surprised,
is it?” For the last two years, as long as they’d been
colleagues, people had been asking when he and Clemency were going to
get together. It was a standing joke among their friends. They were
the perfect match, was the general consensus, and everyone wondered
why it hadn’t happened yet.
“Well,
that’s true enough. We’d better tell your mum, though. It
wouldn’t be fair to let her get her hopes up—you know she’s
always wanted us to get together.” Clemency had been tentatively
prodding the nail polish on her toes. “Yay, all dry. We can go
now.” Jumping down from the desk, she slid her feet into silver
flip-flops. “We’ll start tomorrow, OK? Try not to go out and fall
in love with someone else tonight.” She waved her keys at him.
“Just remember, I’m your girlfriend now.”
What
was she like? Amused, Ronan said, “How could I forget?”
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