'Faction' romance based partly on my own experience.
Erin Mason, divorced and with two teenage sons, finds her world falling apart when she's diagnosed with cancer. Not too far away somebody else, Alan Beaumont, is also suffering a similar fate.
Their paths slowly come together in this inspiring tale, which is partially based on actual events, and shows how love can flourish in the most unlikely of circumstances.
Excerpt
“Can you tell me where I have to wait for the next train to New Cross please?”
The little old lady stood at the reception counter dishevelled and distressed. Erin Mason sighed, and stood up for the fifth time in as many minutes.
“Come on Rosie, I’ll show you.”
Taking hold of the gnarled fingers on Rosie’s left hand, Erin slowly led the elderly woman back to her bed again.
“Here’s where you wait.” She cleared a few toast crumbs from the bedside armchair, and manoeuvred stiff and unyielding bones into a seated position. “The train will be along in a minute.”
“What train? I don’t want to get on a train.”
“Well, just sit here in the waiting room then, and have a bit of a rest.”
On her way out of bay 3 she let a silent expletive escape from her lips at the irritating sight of a junior doctor now sitting at her desk, using her computer, and blatantly ignoring the phone that was ringing incessantly. Erin spoke into the receiver as she stood menacingly over the doctor, who purposely ignored her presence.
“Somerset ward. Can I help you? This is the ward clerk.”
“When’s Walter’s funeral?”
“Pardon?”
“Walter Tricker, poor old sod. Someone told me he’d snuffed it.”
“Well, whoever told you was wrong. I can see him sitting up in bed. He’s eating his breakfast at the moment.” Erin reluctantly ceased burning a hole in the junior doctor’s back, and shifted her gaze towards bay 4 for confirmation. Walter had finished his porridge and was washing it down noisily with great slurps of tea.
“You’ve made my day! Cheers, darlin’!” The phone went dead.
Erin sighed with annoyance at the caller’s patronising tone, at the junior doctor, and at life in general.
I’m not your darling!
Almost at once the shrill ringing recommenced. Erin hoped against hope that it was not Mrs True’s daughter. The junior doctor stood up and collected his patient’s biopsy result from the printer, and Erin jumped back into her chair, tutting with annoyance at the sight of his enquiry which was still on her screen.
“Ward clerk. Can I help you?” She logged him out with a flourish.
“How is Edith True today?”
“Who’s speaking please?” She recognised the cut glass accent straight away.
“It’s her daughter.”
The recent tell-tale death rattle emanating from the first bed on the left in bay 5 was quite audible. Poor Mrs True was not long for this world, but Erin knew it was not her job to inform the patient’s daughter of the fact, and she was also under Staff Nurse Grey’s strict instructions not to bother her while she was in handover. Instead of the usual glib reply of the patient having had a good night, she had to think of something else, and quick.
“No change.”
Professional Reviews
A Hopeful, Humorous, Down-to-earth Love Story
Stevie Turner's A Rather Unusual Romance is exactly that. IIt's unusual because its primary characters are middle-aged. It's unsusual because their "meet cute" is anything but - they're both cancer patients. It's unusual because that's treated as a complication in the lives of Erin Mason and Alan Beaumont, rather than as a sentence of death. A hopeful, humorous, down-to-earth love story, partly based on reality, A Rather Unusual Romance neatly delivers on its title's promise.
Well Written Story of Love
You can tell that Stevie Turner really poured her heart onto each and every page. She mixed in angst and true heartwarming stories into just a wonderful well rounded book. Romance usually isn't my thing but my wife loved this book so much I had to read it and I'm glad I did.
We are looking for more Stevie Turner books to read so we can share out thoughts on them. I can't wait. (Just don't tell my wife)
Excellent
This excellent story is partially based on actual events. I enjoyed it immensely. Divorced and with two teenage sons, Erin's comfortable world falls apart. Not to give any spoilers here.... but it's quite heartwarming with some humor, and I couldn't stop reading until I finished. I give high marks to Stevie Turner for a wonderful inspiring story. I've read her other books and loved them as well. This will not disappoint and it's a must-read.
Angela Calminetti, mother of five, New Age practitioner and gifted psychic and telepath, is proud of her family ties and does everything she can to make sure that all of her younger siblings are as happy in love and marriage as she is…whether they wa
Who knew the Wright's had a trunk full of hidden family secrets? Searching for treasure and hidden family secrets is one way to fuel the flames of passion.
