When Violet moves to Swallow Beach, she inherits a small Victorian pier with an empty arcade perched on the end of it, and falls in love immediately. She wants nothing more than to rejuvenate it and make it grand again – but how?
When she meets hunky Calvin, inspiration strikes. What if she turned the arcade into an adult-themed arcade full of artisan shops?
Not everyone in the town is happy with the idea, but Violet loves her arcade and business begins to boom. But as tensions worsen and the heat between her and Calvin begins to grow, life at Swallow Beach becomes tricky. Is it worth staying to ride out the storm? And can Violet find her own happy ending before the swallows fly south for the winter?
Today im delighted to be sharing a extract from Kat French latest summer scorcher ..
Do check out the other blogs taking part in the tour!
Published 28th June
Sliding the car into first gear, Violet followed her nose slowly down the hill into the bay, her heart still banging around in her chest in a way that had nothing to do with the Traveller’s springy suspension. The town, if that’s what it was, felt like most out-of-season English seaside towns: closed up and waiting. April showers were the order of the day; it had dried up for now, but grey skies ruled and a damp, low hanging sea-mist clung to the air. Hardly the most welcoming weather, but Violet brimmed full of nervous optimism nonetheless. She was here. Now what was she supposed to do?
When she reached the seafront, she nosed the Traveller into one of the empty car park spaces facing the deserted beach, clearly placed there for people to pull in and watch the sunset. If the sun ever came out, that is. Not that it mattered all that much to Vi as she turned off the engine and let her eyes drink in her first good look at Swallow Beach Pier. At her pier. Ornate black ironwork reaching out into the sea. It wasn’t overly long; and considering its age and the fact that no one would have looked after it in years, it looked to be in pretty decent shape. The scrolls and arches were almost delicate, and balanced over the waves at the far end stood the prettiest of glass pavilions.
‘Oh,’ Violet whispered, steaming up her windscreen. ‘Will you look at that.’
Following the cobbled pavement along, she slowed as she neared the land-bound end of the pier, coming to a halt in front of two tall, wonderfully ornate gates closing the pier off from the rest of the town. A heavy metal chain bound the gates together, wound several times between the bars and scrolls. A huge old padlock held the chain in place, ensuring that no one set foot onto the wooden boards that lay beyond the gates.
Almost tentatively, Vi stepped closer and reached out her hands, closing her eyes as her fingers made first contact with the cold metal. Sighing deeply, she curled her fingers around the iron and leaned her head forwards to rest against it, imagining her grandmother standing in the exact same spot all those years ago. How had she felt the first time she’d been in Swallow Beach? She’d been on honeymoon, probably full of optimism and excitement. A strangely comforting wash of emotions swept across Vi’s skin, making her open her eyes and fill her lungs to the brim with bracing, salty sea air. If she’d been asked to give the emotion a name, it would have been hope.
‘Monica?’
Violet twirled around, startled by the voice behind her. She found herself looking up into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen, cornflower bright and wide as they stared at her face. The tall, distinguished man was probably eighty or more, and he looked nothing short of incredulous as he narrowed his gaze and peered closer, then shook his head as if to clear it.
‘Sorry. Thought you were someone else then for a mo.’
‘You called me Monica,’ Violet said. ‘Monica was my grandmother.’
supermum ......... wheres my cape ??? 