However, Leo's timing is disastrous. Engaged to flighty, super-thin Sophie and knowing that Mab is up to her neck in a mysterious scheme of her own, Leo fights hard to ignore the warm, sensual friendship that is growing between them. When their eclectic mix of family and friends weigh in to help, the dream seems almost possible, but can Leo ignore Mab's shady past? As they battle with sabotage, jealousy, vindictive neighbours and unpredictable relationships, Mab and Leo find that even chocolate can't always make miracles happen . . .
Mab’s story is one of guilt, love, frustrated ambition and too much cake. She has had a largely unsuccessful love life so far and has practically given up on waiting for her hero to arrive, when down from the north appears a handsome, funny Geordie. But Leo is already engaged to Sophie (someone who Mab swiftly wants to shut in a dark cupboard for several years) and anyway, Mab has enough problems of her own to make a new relationship impossible.
Sweet Proposal follows Leo as he chases his dream of opening a bespoke bookshop/cafe complete with Jacuzzi, writing group, big squashy sofas and a crèche. Will Mab, when invited to join him in his new venture, be able to sort out her life before its too late? And can there be any such thing as too much chocolate?
Here’s Mab at the start of her story...
EXCERPT:
Deep in the Surrey market town of Clayton-on-the-Bream, Mab Millington was scrubbing as if her life depended on it. She was not one of life’s natural cleaners, having a tendency to skip the corners and stop for tea every ten minutes, but today there was more at stake. A huge chunk of deposit money, to be precise, which she desperately needed if she was going to find somewhere better to live than this tiny, noisy flat. She turned up the volume on the radio and rubbed her aching back, wincing as Bonnie Tyler screamed out her need for a hero – apparently he needed to be a complete treasure – brave, fast, strong . . . battle-scarred?
‘You and me both, Bonnie,’ muttered Mab, mopping the kitchen floor with more than usual gusto. ‘But where are we going to find one? And I’ll give you strong and fast, but fresh from a battle? I bet you’d spend the first half-hour putting plasters on him, and telling him what a brave soldier he’d been.’
Wringing out her mop, Mab paused for a moment in front of a large pin board hanging over the sink. She unpinned a small picture from the centre and tore it into shreds.
‘Right – I’m putting you in the compost bin where you belong, Pete, with the eggshells and smelly old tea bags. I’m sick of your smug face looking at me while I’m washing up. I never liked that stupid goatee beard and you’re not even a true blond. You’re not going to hurt me any more. I’m going to be a success now. I’ll get my book published, find an interesting job with decent wages, and maybe I’ll even look for someone better than you, someone to cherish me. And while I’m at it, I’d better stop talking to myself.’
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When she’s not marking children’s work, or writing stories involving pants, Celia spends far too much time on Facebook (Celia Joy Anderson) and does a lot of walking to counteract the cooking, eating and drinking which form another of her hobbies. She blogs as part of the Romaniacs online writers’ group http://theromaniacgroup.
Her ultimate dream is to have her children’s books published too. Usually sea-starved in the depths of the Midlands, she can often be found wandering happily around Brighton visiting her two daughters and pretending to collect ideas for her next book.
Her ultimate dream is to have her children’s books published too. Usually sea-starved in the depths of the Midlands, she can often be found wandering happily around Brighton visiting her two daughters and pretending to collect ideas for her next book.
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