The cover of A Life Less Ordinary by Victoria Bernadine made me smile as soon as I saw it and I had to find out more.
Come on and join the fun. Read the excerpt and enter the giveaway below.
- Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
- Genre: Chick Lit / Contemporary Fiction
- Length: 371 pages
- Release Date: December 10, 2012
BLURB
For the last fifteen years, Rose “Manny” Mankowski has been a very good girl. She turned her back on her youthful fancies and focused on her career. But now, at the age of 45, she’s questioning her choices and feeling more and more disconnected from her own life. When she’s passed over for promotion and her much younger new boss implies Manny’s life will never change, something snaps. In the blink of an eye, she’s quit her job, sold her house and cashed in her pension, and she’s leaving town on a six month road trip.
After placing a personal ad for a traveling companion, she’s joined in her mid-life crisis by Zeke Powell, the cynical, satirical, most-read – and most controversial – blogger for the e-magazine, What Women Want. Zeke’s true goal is to expose Manny’s journey as a pitiful and desperate attempt to reclaim her lost youth – and increase his readership at the same time. Leaving it all behind for six months is just an added bonus.
Now, armed with a bagful of destinations, a fistful of maps, and an out-spoken imaginary friend named Harvey, Manny’s on a quest to rediscover herself – and taking Zeke along for the ride.
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EXCERPT
Manny walked in her door, looking tired and feeling worn out. She wondered ruefully why the only thing not on a schedule was the time she could leave the office. She dropped her purse on the table and hung up her coat and keys. With a tired sigh, she walked into the living room and plopped into the armchair. She closed her eyes as Harvey walked out of the kitchen with a glass of white wine and began to rub her shoulders. He again looked impossibly handsome, this time wearing a sweater and jeans. She sighed in imagined bliss, and looked at him with sad eyes.
You have no idea how much I wish you were real.
In a blink, he was gone–and the phone was ringing. For a split second, Manny considered not answering it.
There’s your chance to talk to a real person, Harvey murmured.
Probably a telemarketer.
Probably Rebecca. Or Daisy. They’ll worry if you don’t answer.
All right, all right.
Manny heaved herself to her feet and walked to the phone.
Maybe I’m glad you’re imaginary after all.
She caught a glimpse of his grin as she answered the phone.
It was Rebecca, asking her to go out the next night.
“I don’t know…” Manny sighed.
“Oh, come on–you’ll have fun! And seriously–you haven’t gone out with us in months!”
“I’ve been tired…”
“You’ve been tired your whole life I think. You need to break out of this rut you’re in! Come out for a few drinks and dancing with me and Daisy. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet a good-looking guy and be swept off your feet into a red-hot love affair.”
Sounds like a plan to me.
Yeah, ’cause that’ll happen.
“I’d love to go dancing,” Manny said to Rebecca, “but the guy is just a figment of your imagination.”
“Only because you don’t put any effort into it. Seriously, it’s not healthy to do nothing but work and go home. That’s how people go crazy you know.”
“Huh. You mean next thing you know I’ll be talking to my imaginary friend?”
Harvey grinned wickedly and Manny abruptly turned her back to him.
“Exactly!” Rebecca said. “Come on–what do you say?”
“Okay, okay,” Manny sighed. “Tomorrow night–the usual place?”
“Yep–and sound like you’re actually looking forward to it, okay?”
“I’m sorry. I am looking forward to it–it’ll be fun.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Victoria Bernadine (a pseudonym) is, as the saying goes, a “woman of a certain age”. After twenty-something years of writer’s block, she began writing again in 2008. Victoria enjoys reading all genres and particularly loves writing romantic comedy and post-apocalyptic science fiction. What those two have in common is anybody’s guess. She lives in Edmonton with her two cats (The Grunt and The Runt). A Life Less Ordinary is the first novel she felt was good enough to be released into the wild.
Victoria’s: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
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To pick up your copy of A Life Less Ordinary by Victoria Bernadine, click on the cover below.
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GIVEAWAY
This sounds really fun and I agree with you, the title grabbed me right away and brought a smile to my face. Thanks for sharing a new author and the giveaway!
Good morning, Laura – thanks for stopping by. I’m glad the title put a smile on your face (yayy x 2 – LOL)!
Smiling again:)
I couldn’t resist it Laura. Thought you might get a kick out of it. ^_^
I did! This is one I’d want in paperback. The cover is that awesome.
Thank you! I need to pass on your kudos to the artist (who I found through Crowdspring), because she really did a fantastic job! 😀
Good morning! Thanks for hosting me today. I’m glad you enjoyed the cover and was intrigued (yay!! 🙂 ).
Hi Victoria. It is so cute and drew me right in. Made me smile and that is always a good think.^_^
Looks super cute and imaginative. I wanna read this like, right now.
I thought so too, Taylor. Sometimes I need a break from all the murder and mayhem I normally read.
Thanks, Taylor – and thanks for stopping by! I’d love it if you read it right now – ;D If you ever do read it, I hope you’ll drop me a line on my blog and let me know what you thought!
I think we all need to read this one:)
I completely agree!! Not that I’m biased or anything. ;D
This sounds like fun and I enjoy road trip books. Thanks for sharing it Sherry and for the giveaway!
Hi Kim – thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you think the book sounds like fun. It was a lot of fun to write, and I hope that comes through. 😀
I love road trips. Just get in the car and drive. Sometimes you have a destination, sometimes you just cruise. Thanks for stopping in, Kim.
Sounds so cute. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Jennifer – and thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Loved the book title and just love getting to see all these great books Sherry! Lots of love, Emily
I’m glad you like the book title! And thanks for stopping by! 🙂
This book sounds great! I love the concept, especially as I’m also a “woman of a certain age” & also need a major change in my life, lol. Can’t wait to read it. Thanks so much for the giveaway!!
I guess that is why there is such as thing as a mid life crisis. I think all it is, is that stage in life where we have grown and no longer desire the things we did and have from a younger age and want to move in a different direction. Here’s to new things! Good luck, Barbara.