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A Wedding in the Olive Garden, Leah Fleming
A Wedding in the Olive Garden by Leah Fleming
eBook: 7th May 2020
Hardback: 6th August 2020
Please note the new publication dates above due to the pandemic.
About the book
Can an island in the sun provide the second chance Sara needs?
A warm and uplifting novel about love, friendship and new beginnings on the beautiful Greek island of Santaniki.
Sara Loveday flees home and crisis to the beautiful island of Santaniki. Here, amid olive groves and whitewashed stone villas, where dark cypress trees step down to a cobalt blue sea, Sara vows to change her life. Spotting a gap in the local tourist market, she sets up a wedding plan business, specialising in 'second time around' couples.
For her first big wedding, she borrows the olive garden of a local artists' retreat, but almost at once things begin to go wrong. To make matters worse, a stranger from Sara's past arrives on the island, spreading vicious lies. Can her business survive? And what will happen with the gorgeous new man who she's begun to love?
This is a gorgeous, warm-hearted and uplifting novel conjuring the local colour, traditions and close bonds of island life.
EXTRACT
Sara Loveday sat looking out of the plane window, seeing the island of Crete laid out before her like a map. She felt suddenly lighter, as if floating in a dream. The past week had been an unreal nightmare of confusion; a cocktail of disbelief, disappointment, shock that was turning into an all-consuming fury.
She had drowned her feelings in vodka on that first night alone in the flat until she had passed out into oblivion, waking up next morning with a pounding head and a tongue like cork matting. Everything was a blur but she knew what she must do.
The dress was still where she had flung it off, staring up at her as if to say, What have you done?Missed the last chance of happiness? It could have worked but you never gave him a chance to explain. She was not staying a moment longer in Sheffield now that she had booked a last-minute break online, to a tiny Greek island where she could lick her wounded pride.
At least she had left her mark on the once pristine loft apartment with its chrome and white starkness. In the cold light of day, she could see the result of last night’s mayhem where she had flung red wine over the walls. The decor was not her choice, serve him right. Why had it taken her so long to realise the place was as empty a shell ,as the man himself? She couldn’t bring herself to say his name.
Sara was due a break but not quite the one they had planned. Her assistant, Karen, was capable of taking care of the events and conference business. She had three weeks ahead of her to sort out her future. If only her mind could rid herself of those images.
Sara’s ears hummed as they began the descent into Souda Bay, turning onto the flat airstrip as the plane screeched into landing. She collected her baggage and then out into the arrivals hall where the rep from Paradise Tours was waiting, holding up a flag. She guided a few passengers onto a minivan heading for the port. Sara smiled at the bustle of tourists around her, knowing she had sunshine and sea, wonderful salads and fruits to enjoy. It was far away from Yorkshire grey skies and all the humiliation of the past week. She felt the heat on her arms. This was what she needed, and for the first time she felt herself relax.
They arrived at the ferry just in time for the late afternoon crossing to Santaniki. The water was turquoise and choppy but there was a breeze cooling them. Sara sat staring out over the sea as each nautical mile was taking her far from the past.
A middle-aged man was trying to retch over the side, his face grey with seasickness.
‘Are you okay?’ she asked, seeing his discomfort.
‘It gets me every time.’ He tried to smile. ‘I should know better.’
‘I’ll get the rep, she may have some wristbands to settle you. You know the island then?’
‘I’m the bad penny that rolls up every season; love the light and the food.’
‘You’re an artist?’ Sara was curious.
‘A writer… Don Ford. I take summer courses at the retreat house.’
About the author
After careers in teaching, catering, running a market stall, stress management courses in the NHS as well as being a mother of four, Leah Fleming found her true calling as a storyteller. She lives in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales but spends part of the year marinating her next tale from an olive grove on her favourite island of Crete.
Follow Leah:
Twitter: @LeahleFleming
Website: leahfleming.co.uk
Buy links for eBook release on May 7th:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3aQxZnZ
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2XjeKzk
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2xcTP6h
Buy links to pre-order hardback, released on August 6th:
Waterstones: https://bit.ly/3bZneQc
Hive: https://bit.ly/2Rm0bah
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