Tag: Emotional

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Family Drama-Her Silent Husband-Available Now

The blurbs for this fiction/family drama novel state that it is “emotional.” It is an emotional read. But I am not sure that it is the emotion they were going for.

The best parts of this novel are the lessons learned by the characters. In fact, as I am reviewing my notes for this book, I am seeing more and more. Here are just a few that I noticed:

Family: What is the meaning of family? What are the responsibilities of family members? What makes a family…well, a family?

Beth asks herself all of these questions over the course of the book. The position she finds herself in causes some serious introspection. In her case, it is much needed.

Assumptions: Don’t make them. Foundations are not built on them. Nothing good comes from them.

Both Beth and Gemma are guilty of seeing the other through assumptions instead of getting to know each other properly. Obviously, this causes much discord, which adds to the tragedy.

Respect: It is a vital component in any relationship. Beth does not show a lot to Drew and neither does Gemma. This is a direct cause of the event that opens the book.

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Honestly, I spent a lot of this book despising Beth. She came across as spoiled, shallow, and single-focused on her kids. Not that the latter is a bad thing, but it certainly skewed her perspective.

But, as Gemma comes to terms with Beth’s demeanor, I did too. Beth’s interactions with her family are also informative and shine light on why Beth is the way she is.

Interestingly, Gemma and Beth are more similar than either one realizes. They both let their pasts dictate their present instead of embracing the present for what it is.

And then this brings us to Drew.

I felt for him the most in this entire family drama because he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Who wouldn’t fold in that situation?

A couple of subplots did not do a lot for me. For example, the reason for Tristan’s surliness (although that was a nice little twist towards the end) seems contrived.

And the number of kids in the family appeared more for convenience of the plot rather than depth (two of them didn’t have a lot to do with the story at all).

But as I said at the beginning of this review, the power of this family drama is in the messages and lessons it teaches. And frankly, the strongest one is at the very end.

One bit of kindness can open a whole new world of understanding between people. That is certainly something to remember, especially in the times we are living in.

If you are interested, you can find other family drama novels here and here.

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Facebook: SamVickeryWrites/

Author Bio:
Sam Vickery is an English author who loves gritty, emotional stories that can make you sob. As a child, she was forever getting in trouble for being caught with her nose in a book, and these days are no different. She lives on the south coast of England with her husband, two children and a cat that thinks it’s a dog.

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Patience (Scott)-Blog Tour-Fiction-Available Now

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. Judging from the publisher description, it isn’t exactly my usual kind of read. But something about the blurb reached me, so I picked it up.

And I am so very glad that I did.

This was an amazing story about the everyday pressures that face a family coupled with the stress of an incapacitated family member. It is a skillfully told tale that had me laughing and crying throughout.

I thought the author did an amazing job of detailing each family member’s situation. The chapters were written from four different points of view in no particular order or pattern. But it was never confusing.

This method gave the reader an entirely holistic picture of the family situation, which was more complete than if it had been only from one person’s perspective. This helped lend authenticity to the whole situation.

Moreover, it gave perspective into the lives of the three family members who had to deal with the situation at hand. And that is the crux of everything in the book.

Patience is by far the most unique character I have read in recent memory. I absolutely loved how she had a voice…even when she didn’t. That makes even more sense if you read the book. Her sense of humor also came through.

What struck me, however, is how easy it is to forget that people who can’t outwardly communicate can still have feelings and opinions. They just can’t get them from their brain to the outside world.

I thought about this a lot while reading because my father was ill for many years with a Parkinson’s-related disease. When he was robbed of his speech, I could still see in his eyes that he had more to say…he just couldn’t say it.

I think about the number of times my mom and I discussed things around him. We were always careful about what we discussed because we knew he could hear us. But after reading this book, I look back and wonder what he was thinking at those times.

Did he have an opinion that he wished he could share? Did he want to say something? Would he have made different choices than those that were made for him?

This is going to haunt me for a while, I think.

In light of this perspective in the book, I found it fitting that some complications stemmed from the simplest of issues. But Patience couldn’t express that. Very interesting, indeed.

I thought that the author was a little heavy on Louise’s martyrdom as it got to be a bit much. But I also understood why she was written that way. I did think that the way the individual stories were wrapped up was effective, as there were unanswered questions right up to the very last pages.

It was obvious that this was a personal story because the emotions and events were told with such care that they couldn’t be anything but real. And that authenticity is what gave the story its heart.

I highly recommend this book. One of my top reads of the year.

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A Mother’s Lie (Mercer)-BoT-Women’s Fiction-Available Now

(Formerly titled Safe From Harm)

I am finding it hard to define this book.

It’s classified as Women’s Fiction and has the ubiquitous “emotional page-turner” tag line. There was certainly a lot of emotion in it.

But there were also family secrets and a hint of mystery as well. I guess you could say that it’s a well-rounded book.

As I mentioned in a recent review of another book, there have been a lot of female characters who run away from their problems to live in a small cottage on the coast. Ali is no exception. More on her in a minute.

I found myself thinking about how healing the sea can actually be for some people. Is it the waves and tides going in and out that allow people to imagine their problems being swept out with them? Is it the isolation that allows for introspection and the ability to take a deeper look at an issue?

Is it just those negative ions that make our brains happier?

I don’t know, but it’s a popular location.

In Ali’s case, we know that she is pregnant, and her husband has said some things that have caused her to escape to her grandmother’s cottage on the coast. There she meets neighbors Meg and Michael (and baby Jem) who seem like the perfect family.

Emphasis on seem.

In fact, nothing is as it seems in this book. Ali has secrets that she doesn’t share with Meg, even as their friendship grows. Meg keeps secrets from Ali – it’s quite apparent that there are some hidden issues, the extent of which only fully come to light late in the story.

As Ali comes to grips with her pregnancy (also late revelations about this), she does a lot of thinking. And I mean a lot.

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I hate to admit it, but I was gripped by her musings. I was fascinated with how she pieced things together in her mind to justify her actions, and how her perception was clouded by what she actually wanted to be true.

Interspersed here and there are flashback chapters with Ali’s grandmother, Violet. I found the parallels between her and Ali to be interesting as well. Violet’s self-imposed exile made sense in the larger context.

Her interactions with Meg also showed that you never know when someone is going to touch a chord in you, allowing you to forgive yourself and move forward. I liked that message. A lot.

The aforementioned late revelations didn’t all work for me, especially in relation to Meg and Michael. They felt too convenient. A blast from Ali’s past also seemed manipulative and didn’t seem to fit the story. Maybe I just missed the point of that one.

What I really liked, however, was how Ali came to her conclusions about her husband’s attitude and realized what was really important. Sometimes it’s hardest to forgive, but only after we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes can we truly understand their point of view.

Because of the way Jon is written, I spent most of the book not understanding him and thinking he was a cad. It was amazing how the author got me to switch that opinion with a few simple words. Well done on that.

This is certainly an emotional book, and there may be some issues that other readers find difficult to manage. Not having any relatable experiences, I was able to read it and really take in the characters. I definitely recommend this book.

Facebook: leahmercerauthor/
Twitter: @LeahMercerBooks
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Website: www.leahmercer.com

Author Bio: Leah Mercer was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. Her first ambition was to be a journalist, but after completing a master’s in journalism, she soon realised she preferred anything other than reporting the news. After trying her hand at public relations, teaching and recruitment in various countries around the world, she finally settled in London and returned to writing… fiction, this time. Her first two novels, Who We Were Before and The Man I Thought You Were, were shortlisted at the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association Awards. Leah loves books, running and visiting historic houses with her husband and their son.

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Gone Too Soon-Review-Fiction-Available Now

To be honest, this is not a genre that I read a lot. I read to escape, and emotional stories are not escapism to me – usually.

Something about this one spoke to me though, and I’m so glad that I picked it up. It packs a heckuva emotional punch and I loved every minute of it.

As I have mentioned before, I try not to read the descriptions/blurbs right before reading the book. I prefer to be “surprised” by how the plot unfolds.

In this case, I thought the initial set up where we meet both Alex and Molly in the first two chapters was well-done. It’s obvious that these two people are going to be connected somehow, but the author lets the details come out slowly over the following few chapters.

This was extremely effective because it didn’t just treat the pivotal event as a plot point. The reader got to experience it through both perspectives which allowed for a deeper understanding of the characters.

This continued through the introduction of the other characters, specifically the three that are similar to Molly (I know it’s not a suspense book, but I still hold that it will be better if you discover who I mean for yourself).

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I thought that the author perfectly captured the balance between joy and grief and did an exceptionally good job of illustrating the two sides of a tragic event. There were several lessons to be learned in this book: by Alex and Molly, certainly, but also by Connor and the others and there were some good messages for the reader to take away.

Family doesn’t necessarily mean blood relatives, it can also be people you have a connection with (no matter how that connection occurs).

Grief can be all encompassing, and sometimes it’s unrealistic to assume that “normal life” can still occur.

It is easy to get caught up in what one hopes might happen and be blinded to what is really happening.

It can take a village to raise a kid. That’s okay – and in some way could be more beneficial to the growth of the child, because different interests can be pursued and explored.

Courage and grace should go hand in hand. But it can also take courage to be gracious.

I know that this is an “emotional page-turner,” and I may be reading more into it than I needed to, but it was just so well-done. I was carried along by Alex and Molly (and the others). I could feel their world.

Even though there were a few things towards the end that tested the limits of plausibility for me, I understand why the author used the situations in that manner. In a way, it did also clarify the characters motivations. There was also some clever dialogue that made me stop and think.

I couldn’t put this book down and would highly recommend it.

Facebook: DaniAtkinsAuthor
Twitter: @AtkinsDani

Author Bio:
Dani Atkins is an award-winning novelist. Her 2013 debut THEN AND ALWAYS (published as FRACTURED in the UK) has been translated into seventeen languages and has sold more than half a million copies globally.


Dani is the author of five other bestselling novels (THE STORY OF US, OUR SONG, THIS LOVE, WHILE I WAS SLEEPING and A MILLION DREAMS) and PERFECT STRANGERS, a standalone eBook novella. In 2018, THIS LOVE won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award at the RNA awards in London. Dani lives in a small village in the English countryside, in a 300 year old cottage, with her husband, one Siamese cat and a very soppy Border Collie.

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The Violinist of Auschwitz-Books On Tour (Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

Oh my.

I don’t even know where to start with this one.

Read it all. Don’t skim.

Take the time to soak it in.

Have tissues.

Lots of them.

This story has everything you would expect from a novel that has “Auschwitz” in the title.

The brutality of the camps. The inhumanity of the Nazis. The horror of the sheer amount of deaths.

But there’s more.

There’s resilience. There’s cunning. There’s beauty.

And there’s hope.

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Alma is an unlikely heroine. She scorns everything and rues the choices that she made that led her to be a prisoner at Auschwitz.

But when an opportunity presents itself, she grabs it and uses her musical talent to save other women by forming an orchestra.

But even as she works to survive, she still recognizes the reality of her situation.

When events at the camp take a turn, Alma remains even more determined to live life on her own terms. Even if that means not necessarily “living.”

I’m not going to say more than that about the plot itself.

The characters are vivid, the scenes are graphic (both good and bad), and it’s all memorable.

What sticks with me is the heart of people. That not everyone who is bad stays bad, and good can be found even in seemingly evil people.

How good people can do good things, but still make horrible choices that have long-term affects on others.

And truly, how music can heal and bring people together in the strangest of ways.

I recognize that this is an unusual review. But it’s an unusual book. It’s heart-wrenching, realistic, and emotional.

And it will definitely stay with me for a long time. In fact, I wish I didn’t have other tours coming up, because I really want to think about this one for a while.

Don’t miss it. Seriously. Get it now.  

FACEBOOK: EllieMidwood 
Website: http://elliemidwood.com/

Author Bio:

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, The Girl from Berlin.’ Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.

In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.

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Under a Sky on Fire-Books On Tour (Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

Three words.

Have. Tissues. Ready.  

I knew from this author’s previous books, A View Across the Rooftops and When We Were Brave, that I was in for an emotional and heartfelt story, and I was not disappointed. Ms. Kelman has a particular talent for creating characters and situations that are so real, a reader can imagine being a part of the story. She is probably my favorite historical fiction author.

I really liked the way she set up the main characters, all young women with very different backgrounds. It took awhile to figure out what the connection would be and how they would all relate to each other.

First was Lizzie, from the Highlands, with a deep personal secret she was determined to atone for. Then we met Diana, from Birmingham, whose father is still suffering from Shell Shock from WWI. Last was Julia in London, whose husband is called up, leaving her alone with two young children.

Lizzie and Diana are joining up in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, while Julia finds herself promoted to being a steno in Churchill’s War Rooms. Each woman takes her own path to help the cause, and the ways they all get there are both engaging and informative.

I especially liked Julia’s job. Her proximity to Churchill and interactions in the War Rooms were very realistic. I got chills reading some passages, knowing how accurate they were (we visited the museum of his War Rooms when we were in England a few years ago). Well done to the author for that.

And then the Blitz occurs.

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Again, this is where the author’s talent for creating authentic scenes shines. The terror and uncertainty of the residents of London is palpable, and I truly felt like I could smell the smoke and see the rubble of the bombed-out buildings. Very few authors can evoke such vivid scenes.

Of course, with it being war time, you know that there is going to be heartache and loss. The author does a fantastic job of building the tension, tracking each of the three ladies as they learn their jobs, meet new people and form relationships that may or may not be fruitful.

You just know that one (or more) of them is going to suffer a tragedy of some sort. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop. And even though I expected it, I wasn’t prepared for it when it actually happened (and no, I’m not going to tell you what happens or who it happens to).

But this is where you will definitely need those tissues I mentioned at the beginning. The emotion that pours from the pages is absolutely heart-wrenching.

I did like how the author highlighted the strength of women and the important parts that they played in the war effort. There were a few times it verged on preachy, but then it became more restrained and palpable. To be sure, there were a lot of unsung heroines over the course of the war (the details on the barrage balloons were especially educational).

There was a small subplot about Julia’s mother-in-law that popped up late in the story and for the most part didn’t go anywhere. I would have liked to have seen that fleshed out, especially in light of Julia’s job.

Ultimately, this is a story about how friendships forged in fire are quick but resilient, and family doesn’t have to mean blood relations. I loved every minute of this book, even though it left me a sniffling mess by the end. I highly recommend picking this one up.

Facebook: suzkelman
Twitter: suzkelman

Author Bio:

Suzanne Kelman is an Amazon International Bestselling author in America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Her WW2 historical fiction books “A View Across the Rooftops” and “When We Were Brave,” together have sold over 150,000 copies and are published by Bookouture – an imprint for Hachette U.K. Her third WW2 Book, Under A Sky on Fire, publishes October 13th, 2020. Kelman’s books have also been translated into five languages.

She is also the author of the bestselling book, “The Rejected Writers’ Book Club”, published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Other books in the series include, “Rejected Writers Take the Stage” and “The Rejected Writers’ Christmas Wedding”.

Kelman is an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival.

In 2015 her script, Held, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition. As well as a screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright, and her award-winning comedy play, “Over My Dead Body”, had its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019.

Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State. Please sign up for her newsletter to stay in touch – https://www.suzannekelmanauthor.com

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My Mother’s Choice by Ali Mercer – Books On Tour (Review)

This story left me feeling conflicted. I thought the character development, especially of the main character, was realistic, and the plot was well thought-out, but overall…well, I can’t quite put my finger on it.

The gist of the story is Dani has grown up under the guidance of her aunt for ten years. She has random flashes of memory of her dad and aunt from when she was four years old, but not many memories of her mom.

Her aunt has set a lot of rules, and (like any 14-year-old) Dani rails against many of them. Her aunt calls in Dani’s dad, but nothing is really clarified for Dani.

Until she finds her mom’s diary in the attic and everything changes. The phrase “be careful what you wish for” came to mind.

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As she reads her mother’s diary, some of Dani’s questions are answered. But in turn, more questions arise. Dani pushes the issue with both her aunt and her dad until an explosive revelation brings everything out into the open.

In some ways, I thought that Dani was the most mature character out of the three of them. She seemed the most real to me. I especially appreciated how the author treated her as a real person and not a “typical teen.” I mean, there were definite teen moments, but Dani’s emotions and thoughts were deep and real. I liked that about her.

I understood the reasons for her aunt and dad to keep things from her, but I found it difficult to feel sorry for them. I got a definite “we know better” vibe, which just sat wrong with me for some reason.

I also didn’t feel like the revelation made as big of an impact as I thought it would. I don’t know if that’s because of my slight dislike for the adults, or what. But I think that’s where I am missing out on the bigger emotional punch of the climax.

I would still recommend this book, because I’m pretty sure that others will have a much different take than I did. I did feel for Dani, and commend the author for a teen character with more depth than many adult ones. That alone is worth the read.

Author Bio

Ali decided she wanted to be a writer early on and wrote her first novel when she was at primary school. She did an English degree and spent her early twenties working in various jobs in journalism, including as a reporter for the show business newspaper The Stage. She started writing fiction in earnest after getting married, moving out of London to the Oxfordshire market town of Abingdon and starting a family. She has two children, a daughter and a son who is autistic and was diagnosed when he was four years old. 
Ali is fascinated by families, their myths and secrets, and the forces that hold them together, split them up and (sometimes) bring them back together again. She always travels with tissues and a book and has been known to cry over a good story but is also a big fan of the hopeful ending. 

For updates and pictures, follow Ali on Twitter (@AlisonLMercer) or Instagram (@alimercerwriter), or on her Facebook page (AliMercerwriter)
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Books on Tour (Review): The Island Girls by Noelle Harrison

Even after reading the blurb, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. What I got was an in-depth exploration of family loyalty, sisterly bonds, and the different ways responsibility manifests itself. This book drew me in and kept me turning pages late into the night to find out how everything worked out.

I loved the through-line of sisterhood. Not only do we see the bonds between Katie and Susannah, Emer and Orla, and even Rebecca and Lynsey to an extent. I thought the author did an excellent job drawing parallels that were subtle but packed an emotional punch.

The story unfolds in alternating chapters between Emer’s life in 2011 and Susannah’s in the late 50s/early 60s, and the transitions were seamless. The story is such that there is no jolt between the time changes.

I thought that Emer was an interesting character. She was obviously seeking redemption for what she saw as a slight to her own sister, but she learned through Susannah’s history that there could be so much worse out there. I don’t know that she had that big revelation, but she definitely learned that lesson. And I thought that the moment when it all crystalized (when Susannah went looking for her) was poignant and powerful.

I did feel, however, that the romance between Emer and Lars was sometimes weak; it could have used a little bit more depth, as it was the only part (to me) that felt a little contrived. I think that is primarily because everything else that we learn, through letters and recollections, is so real.

I don’t mind saying that by the end of the book, I was in tears. The bravery that comes from getting through a loved one’s death is one thing. Sacrificing one’s entire life because of guilt (or a sense of duty or a sense of shame) is an entirely different animal. It is ultimately up to the reader to decide which one Susannah operates under as she makes her choices.

 Overall, I think the author managed to capture the mentalities of both small town “Island” inhabitants and those who wish to overcome that mentality (personified by Katie and Susannah’s opposing views on the matter). Ultimately, the realization that each of them comes to is that what is “right” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is right forever. And there are always options, even when it seems as if there aren’t.

It is a novel full of impactful insight that I will be thinking about for a long time.

Author Bio

Noelle Harrison is the Irish author of nine novels and five plays and has been translated into over 13 different languages. Her short stories have been published in Lines of Vision, Irish Writing on Irish Art, & Gutter Magazine of New Scottish Writing. In 2016, Noelle co-founded Aurora Writers’ Retreats building on 20 years’ experience of teaching creative writing in Ireland, Scotland, Norway and England.

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Blog Tour (Review): The Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne

I picked to read this book at the right time, as this charming story kept me interested…and distracted.

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At the heart of the story are three generations of a family. Olivia heads back home to help take care of her mother, Juliet, and has to also deal with her niece, Caitlin.

There are family secrets and old wounds that have never completely healed. The author does a fantastic job of weaving a story told from all points of view. There is never a jolt when the action shifts between the characters. Everything flows smoothly.

I did have a little bit of an issue with Olivia. I did not entirely buy her being down on herself about not acting differently in the face of a robbery. I understand that it provided significant insight into her character, and was indicative of how she handled her relationships. But it almost made her too “down” for me to be able to support her.

Fortunately, I loved Juliet’s feistiness in light of her diagnosis and subsequent fall. I have known many women in my life who are exactly like her, and I found bits of them throughout the book. I also liked Caitlin more than I expected to. I thought she was going to be a typical annoying teenager, but she had incredible depth, especially in light of her mother’s choices.

There’s a romance in here as well, and it is sweet and realistic. But what I liked better was how Caitlin and Jake’s friendship echoed her mother and Cooper’s. This was illustrative of the close ties that form between families in a small town, while also emphasizing how certain people are just meant to be in each other’s lives.

From looking at some of the other reviews, this was apparently not up to the author’s usual standards. You couldn’t tell that by me because I very much enjoyed this introduction to her work, and I look forward to reading many more.  

Author Bio

New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. Her books have won numerous honors, including six RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and Career Achievement and Romance Pioneer awards from RT Book Reviews. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.raeannethayne.com.

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Books On Tour (Review): The Missing Letters of Mrs. Bright by Beth Miller

A (late) middle-aged woman married for 29 (not 30!) years decides to leave her empty nest and pursue…well, she’s not exactly sure at first. I’m pretty sure that the premise of this book is relatable to any woman who has been married for more than a decade or two.

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When Kay does something, she does it in a big way. She blindsides her husband, co-workers, and adult children with her decision. Some of them are more understanding than others. I could empathize with her for most of the book, but there were a few parts where she was downright unlikeable.

I related to her feeling of “the path not taken.” I think that is a common theme for women who have devoted their lives to their husbands and children, only to find their own interests have been pushed aside. Once “empty nest syndrome” sets in, there is more opportunity to think about what has been missed over the years.

What kept the story interesting, and ultimately saves Kay as a redeemable character, is that her memories of certain events and people are faulty, painted with a golden tinge of fond memories instead of stark reality. She also eventually finds out that real life bears little resemblance to the life she imagined might have happened.

There is a sub-plot with her daughter, Stella, who only recently moved out of the house. At times, it seemed like those parts didn’t fit into the narrative, but about halfway through it became apparent as to why Stella’s story was important to tell alongside of Kay’s

The letters mentioned in the title are between Kay and her friend Bear (it takes a while to discern who Bear is and the importance of the character). They serve as a “point/counterpoint” to Kay’s present story.

All in all, this was a well-crafted story that emphasized the importance of not losing oneself while also moving forward and not living in the past of “what could have been.” I very much enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.  

Author Bio

I have been told that I write like a tall blonde, so that’s how I’d like you to picture me.

I’ve published three novels, with one more about to be born, in January 2020. I’ve also published two non-fiction books. I work as a book coach and creative writing tutor.

Before writing books, I did a lot of different jobs. I worked in schools, shops, offices, hospitals, students’ unions, basements, from home, in my car, and up a tree. OK, not up a tree. I’ve been a sexual health trainer, a journalist, a psychology lecturer, a PhD student, a lousy alcohol counsellor, and an inept audio-typist. I sold pens, bread, and condoms. Not in the same shop. I taught parents how to tell if their teenagers are taking drugs (clue: they act like teenagers), and taught teenagers how to put on condoms (clue: there won’t really be a cucumber). I taught rabbis how to tell if their teenagers are druggedly putting condoms on cucumbers.

Throughout this, I always wrote, and always drank a lot of tea. I’m now pretty much unbeatable at drinking tea.

@drbethmiller  

https://www.bethmiller.co.uk/ 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beth-Miller/e/B00PWNOA2Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
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