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| About the Book |
The Leap Year Proposal
Three women. One crazy hen weekend. A life-changing decision.
When three women meet on a mutual friend’s hen weekend on the Scottish island of Arran, they get more than they bargained for when one of them has the genius idea of proposing on 29 February, like the age-old Irish tradition.
High-flying businesswoman Anouska and boyfriend Zach are deliriously happy and madly in love. If only they had more time together. But now she’s pregnant and doesn’t know how to tell him since having kids hadn’t featured in their plans.
Dog walker Jess lives with her childhood sweetheart, but they’re already like an old married couple, without the romance, or the wedding, or the ring. When Mark doesn’t propose on New Year’s Eve, Jess is gutted and decides to take matters into her own hands.
Ellie and Scott still live apart after six years, and his lack of commitment is a sore point. She’s up for a huge promotion which involves moving country. It’s make-or-break time. She needs to know he’s worth turning down the job for.
The women meet weekly, helping each other with decisions big and small, becoming each other’s support system in the run-up to ‘the big ask’.
Will love conquer all or will their hopes and dreams come crashing down around them?
Purchase Link -
Author Bio – Susan Buchanan writes romantic comedy, contemporary romance and women’s fiction, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!
Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.
As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.
She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.
She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador.
When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.
Social Media Links –
Website – www.susanbuchananauthor.com
Instagram – authorSusanBuchanan
Facebook – www.facebook.com/susancbuchanauthor
Twitter – susan_buchanan
Threads - authorSusanBuchanan
Giveaway to Win a signed paperback of The Leap Year Proposal (
Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email.
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| Read An Excerpt |
Anouska is on her friend’s hen weekend. She has just discovered she is pregnant and hasn’t told her long-term boyfriend yet. The hens have unearthed a wedding quiz and the bride-to-be has appointed herself quizmaster after being put through a quiz of her own only moments earlier.
A few questions later, Anouska was on the verge of falling asleep when Kelsea said, ‘This is an interesting one. Would you propose on the twenty-ninth of February, like the old Irish tradition, where a woman can only propose to a man once every four years? That goes to Ellie.’
A shadow passed over Ellie’s face, but she quickly recovered before saying, ‘At this rate, I may have to.’
The others laughed.
‘Yeah, but would you?’ Kelsea pressed, before taking a sip of her Prosecco.
Ellie pursed her lips for a few seconds then said, ‘I reckon I would, given the right circumstances.’
‘Really?’ Kelsea squeaked. ‘I could never do that. It’s a good thing Cooper asked me, or we’d just be living with each other forever.’
Marriage. Even with the weekend’s surroundings, it wasn’t something Anouska had ever thought about in any detail. She was too independent, too woman of the world. She had to be. It took a lot to run her own human resources company in twelve countries. And although she and Zach loved each other, they were perfectly happy with the status quo.
‘What about you, Lauren?’ Kelsea asked.
‘I’d do it in a heartbeat. Why should the guys have all the fun, and make all the decisions?’
Kelsea’s jaw dropped. ‘Honestly?’
When Lauren nodded, Kelsea said, ‘So why haven’t you then?’
‘It hadn’t actually occurred to me until now. Maybe I’ll ask Hunter when we get back.’ A smile played on Lauren’s lips.
Kelsea batted her on the arm, ‘Don’t you dare! Wait until my wedding’s over first!’
‘I would,’ Jess whispered to Anouska. ‘I’d never really thought about it either, but I would. Would you?’
Wrong-footed, Anouska gave Jess a tight smile and shrugged.
‘What are you two whispering about?’ Ellie leant towards them on the sofa again, glass of Prosecco swaying around, dangerously close to losing its contents.
‘Leap-year proposals. I’d do it,’ said Jess again.
‘You would? Why?’ asked Ellie.
Yeah, why? Anouska wondered.
‘Well, since I already decided the day after New Year that by the end of the year we’d be married, it’s not much of a hop, skip and a jump to do it on the twenty-ninth of February.’
Ellie gawped, whilst Anouska’s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.
Jess chuckled. ‘Mark and I have been together since primary school, we live together and he’s lovely and sweet, and he can be so thoughtful, but he is totally oblivious. It wouldn’t even occur to him that it’s high time he asked. Plus, I want kids in the next few years.’
Ellie nodded slightly at Jess’ response. ‘Good points. I’d consider doing it, but for totally different reasons.’ When Anouska and Jess looked at her, urging her to elaborate, Ellie said, ‘I’m beginning to think Scott has commitment issues. Every time I mention the future, he shies away from the topic. We’ve been together for six years, and we still live in separate houses.’
Anouska gave a sympathetic smile. ‘That’s tough.’
Ellie sighed. ‘And as if that’s not bad enough, I’ve now been offered a job in Manchester, a promotion, actually, the promotion I’ve been after for ages, and if I knew we were going somewhere – marriage, kids, the whole shebang – I’d turn it down. I don’t know what to do. There’s no chance Scott will move with me, so if I’m going to turn it down, I need to know I’m doing it for a good reason.’ She looked at her Prosecco glass. ‘This has a lot to answer for. Sorry for oversharing.’
Jess dismissed her concern with a shake of her head then said, ‘How would you propose, if you did do it?’
Ellie thought for a moment then blew out a breath. ‘I’m not sure, but I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie, so maybe whilst we were doing a tandem skydive or something.’
Jess’ cornflower-blue eyes bulged. ‘Oh my God. I could never do anything like that.’
Ellie grinned. ‘That would be the easy bit. The asking would be the terrifying part. And if he said no, that would be it. Game over. I think it really is make-or-break time for us.’
‘I hear you.’ Anouska’s thoughts jostled with each other, vying for space in her brain. Jess and Ellie were talking about futures and kids, and here was she, alone with the knowledge she was already pregnant. But they appeared to think marriage and kids went hand in hand. Did it? Was it necessary nowadays?
Had her view on marriage changed now, knowing she was pregnant? She’d barely had time to process the idea of becoming a mum, never mind anything else.
‘What about you, Anouska?’ Ellie asked. ‘Could you see yourself proposing ever, or rather, would you be against doing it?’
Anouska shook her head. ‘No, I’m not against doing it. I’d just never really thought about marriage before.’
‘You’re kidding?’ Jess looked gobsmacked and Ellie’s eyes widened.
‘What? Never ever?’ Ellie asked.
Anouska shrugged. ‘I’m happy in my own skin. I love Zach, but I’ve never felt the need to get married to show that. And I’m not very traditional or girlie.’ She smiled.
‘Each to their own,’ said Jess. ‘But my mind’s made up. I’m going to ask Mark, and soon. This discussion has given me the perfect motivation. Now, I just have to figure out how.’
(note: Helen has not yet read this title)
(note: Helen might not have read the featured title yet)
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