Angsty but sweet Women's Friendship Fiction stories.
Return to Sandpiper Cottage
Cape Avalon Book 1
by W.M. Andrews
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction, Clean Romance
She
had to lose everything to figure out what truly mattered…
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Return to Sandpiper Cottage Excerpt:
“You didn’t come this far to only come this far.” Big breath in, slow breath out. “Things don’t happen to me; they happen for me.” Big breath in, slow breath out. “Tough times don’t last; tough people do.” Big breath in, slow breath out. “I am capable. I am strong. I believe in myself.” Big breath in.
The slow breath out stuttered on a small laugh stretching Rachel’s lips. She wasn’t sure there were enough motivational mantras she could possibly murmur to get her through this moment.
The brief bit of humor helped her not throw up as the ferry chugged closer to the island she had sworn never to return to. Her nerves steadied slightly, but her stomach still churned. It wouldn’t be so bad if Aunt Eileen was going to be there to greet her. Of course, if Aunt Eileen was still there, this would be an entirely different situation. Her dear aunt would have come to her in Rachel’s time of need, rather than Rachel coming to the island.
Dear Aunt Eileen would never again be there to greet her, though. The deep tide of grief threatened to suck her back into its grip, but Rachel had cried enough in the last weeks to last her a lifetime, and she refused to do so now.
Despite her previous vow to never return to the Cape, Rachel was now seeing it as almost a refuge after the terrible debacle that was the last six months of her life. She could rebuild a new life for herself in the safe cocoon of her childhood home.
Or maybe not her childhood home. Was teenhood a word? She’d have to Google it.
In either case, despite her misgivings about returning to Cape Avalon, it had really been the only decision open to her. And it solved at least a couple of her problems, even if it created a few more. But that didn’t change the tightness in her neck and shoulders and the queasy pit in her stomach at the thought of returning.
“Return to your vehicles. We will be disembarking momentarily.” It was the third time the announcement had sounded. She really ought to follow the directions.
Digging deep, Rachel tried hard to be positive. Really, no sane person would consider it a bad thing to be inheriting a free house on an island not that far from civilization. Of course, inheritance meant someone had died. In her case, her last living relative. The aunt who had taken her in when her parents had been killed in a car crash when she was thirteen. So once again, she was on her way to Sandpiper Cottage after losing someone in tragic circumstances. In this case, again, it was two tragic losses. Back-to-back.
And Todd’s death was a tragedy, she insisted to herself. Anyone’s death was. The fact that his death had confirmed to her that she had never really known him, and he wasn’t the man she had thought he would be when they married didn’t change the fact that dying at the age of thirty-five is beyond tragic. No one, not even a man who lies to his wife about his spending habits, should die so young. She needed to ignore the relief that pulsed through her whenever she realized she would never again have to hear his insults that were couched in seeming concern for her feelings. The so-called endearment “Honey” was forever ruined for her. She needed to ignore the relief because guilt always quickly followed.
Surely it couldn’t be right to be relieved by one’s husband’s death. Of course, the fact that she hadn’t been implicated in his accident that didn’t seem to be an accident was a huge relief. The police were still investigating but they had ruled her out as a suspect. Rachel might never know what really happened to him, and she didn’t feel she needed to know. He probably had owed money to the wrong people. She was just lucky they hadn’t come after her.
The fact that Aunt Eileen’s cancer took her before she could see that Rachel was finally free to move on with her life brought on the threat of more tears, so Rachel turned her face into the wind and let it brush away her worries at least for the moment.
A deep, cleansing breath reminded her that it was always a surprise that the ocean air didn’t smell salty. Despite her complicated feelings about the island, she had always loved the freshness of the air. Even if it did unmentionable things to her hair, she added to herself as she reached a hand up to grab the locks that were threatening to obscure her view of the rapidly approaching island.
The ferry would be docking soon. It was well past time for her to go down to her car. But she hadn’t prepared for the sense of anticipation that flooded through her and never would have expected. She thought she was dreading her return and she was, she insisted to herself. But clearly a part of her was excited about it, too.
Fresh starts had always excited her. Even the ones that had been forced upon her. She’d had plenty of those. This one was no different. The fact that it involved Aunt Eileen, even though she had already passed, seemed fitting. Her aunt would be thrilled if she knew how much of a load the bequest of Sandpiper Cottage was taking off her mind.
Even though Rachel had promised herself she would never return to the island, it suddenly felt like a hiding place from all that had gone wrong in her life in the last decade. If it didn’t turn out to be the sanctuary she hoped it would be, it would at least allow her to catch her breath for a moment without having to worry about having a roof over her head.
The thought of living in a box under the overpass did not appeal to her in the least, especially not with winter approaching. A slight shudder made its way through her in the company of a fierce gust of wind as the ferry made its way out of the more protected channel onto the open waters where it was to dock at the very end of the island. Rachel had never properly understood why they didn’t make a straight run from mainland to island instead of going to the end as they do, but she wasn’t really a city planner so what did she know?
Shaking her head with a sigh, Rachel finally turned away from the rapidly approaching dock and started on her way down to her car, surprised to note she was the last left on deck. Since it wasn’t tourist season, she supposed everyone else was tired of or immune to the view. Since she hadn’t come to visit since she had left for college the day after her high school graduation just before her seventeenth birthday, she supposed she had an excuse for not being immune to the beautiful view.
Avalon Cape was beautiful in any season. And even if one had their reasons for hating their experience on the island, it was undeniable that the island itself was a gem.
She only hoped she wouldn’t have to see a single person she had previously known.
That was a ridiculous and futile wish, she was well aware. With the way the land leases were set up, they rarely passed out of families. That was the only reason she was actually there at that time. If she didn’t take up residency that week, she would lose Sandpiper Cottage within the next couple of weeks, since Aunt Eileen had died six months ago, almost to the day. Rachel would have to live there for at least six months in order to keep the lease. If she couldn’t fulfill the lease requirements, she’d have to sell the house her aunt had loved so much. Most people spread out their six months throughout the year if they weren’t year-round residents. But since Aunt Eileen had died six months ago, Rachel would have to stay a full six months in a row in order to have the lease transferred into her name as her aunt had stipulated in her will. Aunt Eileen wanted Rachel to have all that she had possessed. And Rachel wanted to fulfill that wish for her aunt.
Shelter at Sugar Beach
Cape Avalon Book 2
She’s
determined to avoid romance and happily ever after. Life has other
plans…
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Harbor by the Sea
Cape Avalon Book 3
No
one talks about what happens when happily ever after goes
wrong…
Fall
in love, get married, have babies. It was a simple dream.
Evelyn
accomplished the first two easily. She almost had it
all.
Almost.
And what better place to do that than a harbor by the sea?
This women’s friendship fiction book will bring you all the feels. If you love women’s fiction with a side of clean romance, this is a great fit for you.
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Harbor by the Sea Excerpt:
The delicious croissant turned to sawdust in her mouth at the sudden thought that entered her head.
Was Eric having an affair?
Was that why he didn’t want to come with her on what was supposed to be a romantic trip? Evelyn had thought they would be able to find their way back to the close bond they’d shared before she’d become obsessed with motherhood. She had truly hoped this trip would help get them on the right track.
Instead, she was here, in one of the most beautiful places she’d ever seen feeling decidedly wrong-footed. She was even more of an emotional mess than she would have been if he was with her. She couldn’t speak the language, she was deeply jetlagged, and she was going to get lost at every turn down the rabbit warren of little streets.
But even the cramped roads had their beauty, she acknowledged to herself as she sipped the tiny coffee that was helping to restore her equilibrium. She should have asked for the coffee to come in a bowl or an entire pot, she thought as she reached the bottom of the cup with a final sip. That was one more thing she was going to have to adjust to. The portion sizes were not what she was used to.
She should have come for even longer. Eating and drinking European portion sizes might help her fit into that dream dress she had bought when she had finally accepted that pregnancy wasn’t something she was going to experience for herself.
Evelyn’s circuitous and less than helpful thoughts were finally interrupted by a familiar jingle. Someone was video calling. For the space of a heartbeat Eve thought it might be Eric and her delight leapt. But he never used Facetime. Even before she pulled her phone out of her bag, Evelyn knew it had to be one of her friends.
“Tina!” Evelyn exclaimed, more surprised than she ought to be. “What a delight,” she said as she swiped into the call
Tina’s sarcastic grin filled the small screen. “You didn’t think I’d let you keep that gorgeous place all to yourself, did you? I expect you to show me where you are now that I can see for myself that you made it in one piece.”
“Didn’t you get my text?”
“Do you mean the three words you must have dashed off as you were waiting for your suitcase?” Tina asked with an eyeroll. “That hardly counts.”
Evelyn was embarrassed to be talking on a speakerphone in the crowded coffee shop but was too happy to hear from her friend to terminate the conversation. It was so refreshing to be reminded that someone cared about her after she had been feeling so glum moments before.
“I haven’t paid my tab yet so I can’t show you the views, but check out this cute little café,” Evelyn said, turning the camera around so that Tina could see the décor surrounding her.
“It’s very you,” Tina said with a grin. “But seriously. I can see you made it there physically, but how are you really? Besides the jetlag,” she added when Evelyn had opened her mouth to say she was tired.
A laugh huffed out of her. Evelyn could always count on the more acerbic woman to call her on any attempts to fool herself or others.
“I’ll be ok, but I’m still a little stunned to find myself here by myself.”
Tina nodded. “I can only imagine.” Her frown of commiseration filled the screen even as she seemed to be searching Evelyn’s features. “Do you think you’re going to feel safe there? I know you said you wanted to see it all for yourself even if you had to do it alone. Do you still feel that way now that you’re there?”
“I really do, Tina. And when you called, I was just thinking that maybe being alone will be for the best.”
“You’re too romantic to believe that,” Tina scoffed, forcing another laugh from Evelyn’s belly.
“I understand why you’d say that, but why I think it might be good is because a total change of scenery will make me reconsider myself.”
“Are you thinking of a makeover?”
“Maybe a reckoning.”
Tina’s grin was full of approval. “That’s the spirit.”
“I should go, Tina. I need to walk off the massive croissant I just ate.”
“Okay, Eve, I need to get on with my day, too, but I just wanted to check in.”
“I truly appreciate it, Tina. Give your little guy a squeeze for me.”
“Will do. Eat a croissant for me.”
Evelyn was laughing even as she clicked the end button. It was a surprise to hear from the other woman. Evelyn had never really considered herself terribly close with the veterinarian. She was more a friend by association. Evelyn had become friends with Rachel, who lived next door to her and Eric. Rachel’s aunt Eileen had been Evie’s best friend since she and Eric had moved to the island. Rachel had become her friend when she’d inherited her aunt’s house after that dear woman’s untimely death from cancer. Two of Rachel’s old schoolmates had come into Evelyn’s circles along with Rachel. But she hadn’t necessarily considered them to be really her friends. It was lovely to hear from Tina.
It also highlighted the fact that Eric hadn’t called her.
I learned to read when I was four or five, listening to my mother read to me when I was lonely after my brother started school. Ever since, I’ve had my head buried in books. I love words – historical plaques, signs, the cereal box – but my first love has always been novels.
A little over ten years ago my husband dared me to write a book instead of always reading them. I didn’t think I’d be able to do it, but to my surprise I love writing. Those early efforts eventually became my first published book – Tempting the Earl (published by Avalon Books in 2010). It has been a thrilling adventure as I learned to navigate the world of publishing.
I believe firmly that everyone deserves a happily ever after. I want my readers to be able to escape from the everyday for a little while and feel upbeat and refreshed when they get to the end of my books.
When not reading or writing, I can be found traipsing around my neighborhood or travelling the world with my favorite companion.
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This sounds like a series that I would really enjoy. Thanks for sharing.
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