Romance Book Spotlight & Excerpt: THE BEST LIFE BOOK CLUB by Sheila Roberts!

Exclusive! Read an excerpt of THE BEST LIFE BOOK CLUB by Sheila Roberts!

"[With] a set of characters so vivid we want to be their best friends and a story that keeps us turning the pages, The Best Life Book Club is your book club book of the year… A novel of pure delight!" —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

THE BEST LIFE BOOK CLUB

by Sheila Roberts

It started as a book club. It became a way to build a better life together.

Karissa Newcomb is ready for a new start in a new neighborhood, as far away as she can get from Seattle, where her husband cheated on her with the neighbor who was supposed to be her best friend. 

She and her nine-year-old daughter are moving on to the city of Gig Harbor on the bay in Puget Sound. She even has a new job as an assistant at a small publishing company right in Gig Harbor. 

Her new boss seems like a bit of a curmudgeon, but a job is a job, she loves to read, and the idea of possibly meeting writers sounds fabulous.

Soon she finds she’s not the only one in need of a refresh. Her new neighbors, Alice and Margot, are dealing with their own crises. 

Alice is still grieving her late husband and hasn’t been able to get behind the wheel of a car since a close call after his death. 

Margot is floundering after getting divorced and laid off in quick succession. They could all use a distraction, and a book club seems like just the ticket. 

Together, the three women, along with Alice’s grumpy older sister, Josie, embark on a literary journey that just might be the kick start they need to begin building their best lives yet.

Excerpt

“Some people were doers, and some were only wishers. She knew which one she was.”

—from Shark Infested by Emerald Austen

Seeing her daughter’s happy face when she picked her up made Karissa’s day much better. Here was an improvement over the one before.

Macy bounded into the back seat of the car. “Hi Mommy!”

“Hello to you,” said Karissa. “It looks like you had a good day today.”

Macy nodded eagerly. “I smiled at Lilith and told her I liked her unicorn backpack. We played fairies at recess.”

The Fairy Feathers series was Macy’s newest reading treat and she’d recently finished the latest installment. It appeared that this new friend Lilith enjoyed the same books. Relief trickled over Karissa like a hot shower, washing away the earlier unpleasantness of her day. Macy was finding her way on this new road stretching before them. That made Karissa’s glass more than half-full of goodness.

Reading Emerald’s novel later drained some of it. Karissa stayed up half the night reading. It was well written and intriguing. Emerald deserved to be published.

But she didn’t deserve to be liked.

“Be honest,” Karissa told herself as she closed the book, “you’re jealous.”

Pathetic, but there it was. She couldn’t help wishing she was…more. Prettier, bolder, better. Like Allegra only with a heart. Like Emerald only without the arrogance.

She could be more. After all, she was starting over.

She didn’t have to keep dragging around her past hurt and she didn’t have to let a certain rude bag of conceit get to her. What she had to do was keep moving forward. If she did, maybe at some point she would become…more.

With that in mind she went to work, did her job, and gave a properly enthusiastic yet professional response when Edward asked her if she was settling in okay. She was settling in, everyone had been welcoming, and it was kind of him to ask. Edward Elliot seemed to be a decent man, thoughtful and considerate. Certainly not arrogant. He could do better than Emerald Austen, for sure.

But Edward Elliot’s life was none of her business. She had her hands full managing her own life. And she was going to manage just fine, thank you.

“I’m so glad things are looking up for Macy,” said Karissa’s mother, when she checked in with her later that evening. “I knew she’d find her way.”

“I’m glad you knew,” Karissa said.

“And how about you? Are you finding your way? How’s the job going?”

“It’s going great,” Karissa said, opting not to tell about her Emerald-inspired moment of discouragement the day before. That was the past. It was a new day and she had moved on.

“I’m glad. I know this next year is going to bring good things into your life,” Mom said.

“I’m ready for that,” said Karissa.

“I hope so. Have you met anyone besides… What was her name? Alice?”

“No. Between work and Macy I haven’t had time.”

“You’re still settling in. I hope you can find some new friends,” Mom said.

“I’m sure I will,” Karissa lied.

She was in no hurry to go looking. Those wounds in her back from where Mark and Allegra had stabbed her were still healing, and it was a slow process. Alice looked safe, but Karissa didn’t know if she wanted to go beyond her.

The neighborhood seemed like a friendly one. On their way home she and Macy had driven past a tall, older man with white hair like a lawn in need of mowing. He’d been out walking his dog and he’d given them a friendly wave, and Karissa had waved back. Alice had brought over more cookies and they’d chatted for a few minutes. That was enough neighboring.

But the first Friday in March brought another neighbor standing on Karissa’s front porch, holding a shamrock plant. She looked close to Karissa’s age, maybe a little older, and, while she wasn’t as intimidatingly hot as Allegra the Evil, she was a close second, in jeans and a cashmere wrap, her straight, highlighted hair tucked behind her ears to show off some very artsy glass earrings. She was tall and slender, with high cheekbones and a perfect, oval face. A writer would probably describe her as striking. How long had it taken her to get her makeup so perfect?

Karissa took in the woman’s smile and the plant—I come in peace—and commanded herself to smile back. No need to feel threatened.

“Hi, I’m Margot Burns. I live next door,” the woman said, pointing to the red brick Tudor with the perfectly manicured lawn. “I’m a little late in welcoming you to the neighborhood. But better late than never, right?”

Did she want to come in? Macy was stuffing clothes in her backpack for her weekend with Daddy and they would be leaving in a few minutes to meet Mark for the kid hand-off. There was no time to entertain, which was a relief. The woman seemed nice enough, but then you never knew.

Still, Karissa had to be polite. “I’m Karissa Newcomb,” she said. “I’m afraid I’m just getting ready to leave.”

“No worries. I’m glad I caught you before you did though. I just wanted to make you feel welcome,” the woman said.

Karissa had made the same gesture when Allegra had moved in next door. “I appreciate that. Thank you.”

“If you need anything, let me know,” said Margot.

“I will,” Karissa said, but she didn’t plan on needing anything.

“I don’t think I should rush into any friendships,” she told her mother later when they were talking.

“It’s a good idea to go slowly,” Mom agreed. “But you can’t hide from people, either.”

“Who said I’m hiding?”

“Are you?”

“No, I’m just going slowly, like you said.”

“I said slowly, not stalled. Not every woman is an Allegra, darling. In fact, most women aren’t.”

“Your friends are great.”

Karissa would have loved to clone them all. They’d invited Mom into their book club, The Bookies, shortly after the family moved to Anacortes. Those women had been there for her mom when she had breast cancer, taking her to treatments when Dad had to work, bringing over meals, sending flowers, watching over Karissa and Ethan. They’d all bought Campfire mints from Karissa when she was a Campfire Girl, sparing her from having to stand outside the grocery store and suffer the agony of

approaching strangers. They’d sent condolence cards when Petunia, Mom’s adored calico cat, died. True and loyal friends.

Karissa had been sure Allegra would be that kind of friend. But then she’d thought Mark would be the same kind of loyal husband her dad had been to her mom. Wrong on both counts.

“These women sound nice,” said Mom. “You don’t have to swing the door wide, but you could afford to open it a little. Give them a chance. Life’s so much better when it’s shared.”

“I have you for that.”

“You won’t always.”

Karissa frowned. “There’s a cheerful thought.”

“It’s true. Put together your posse now. That way someone will always have your back when the hard times hit. Or when the Allegras ride into town.”

It was easy for her mother to say. There wasn’t a stinker on her block.

Maybe there weren’t any on Karissa’s, either. There was only one way to find out. She’d have to open the door, at least a little.

To help herself get there she decided to invite her two next-door neighbors over for coffee. She had to have met her rotten neighbor quota with Allegra.

Maybe she had. Both Alice and Margot were happy to accept her invitation and showed up with treats—coffee cake from Alice and a bottle of homemade caramel syrup from Margot. “It’s great in coffee,” she said.

“Or Margot’s lattes,” Alice added.

Karissa not only appreciated the kind gestures, but also how easy she found the women to talk to. Not that she shared a lot. Other than where she was working, which impressed them both, and that she was divorced.

That had come out when Alice asked about Macy and Karissa had replied, “She’s with her father for the weekend.”

“Been there, done that,” Margot said, her voice filled with sympathy. “Thank God I had Alice here to help me.”

“Like you helped me when I lost Charlie. My husband died three years ago,” Alice explained to Karissa.

“We’re our own support group,” Margot quipped.

“What are neighbors for if not to help each other?” Alice added.

That was what Karissa had always thought. Until she realized neighbors didn’t always help.

“Coping with shared custody is hard,” Margot continued, “but you eventually adjust and take advantage of the time for yourself.”

“I guess,” said Karissa, although she wasn’t sure she’d ever adjust. “What can you tell me about the neighborhood?”

“It’s a friendly one, but pretty quiet,” Margot said. “A couple of houses with teenagers. They’re good kids.”

“And we have a sweet pair of newlyweds down the street,” put in Alice.

“Andrea Morgan across the street is great, but she isn’t into doing much with anyone. She’s got a stressful job and it pretty much sucks her dry,” Margot said. “Kind of like what I had,” she added, her smile disappearing.

“You’ll find something,” Alice assured her.

“You lost your job? I’m sorry,” Karissa said.

“Maybe I was due for another cosmic punch in the nose,” Margot said with a shrug.

Margot Burns wasn’t so perfect after all. The discovery was a shock. And a bit of a comfort, which Karissa realized didn’t say much for her own character.

“Maybe it’s turning forty that did it,” Margot continued. “Divorced at thirty. Laid off at forty. Is there a pattern here?”

“Something bad once every decade doesn’t seem too awful,” Karissa ventured, then regretted her words. Who knew how long it took to recover from a divorce? She had yet to find out. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you’re right. It doesn’t seem like much,” Margot said.

“It’s more than enough,” Alice told Margot.

“Yeah, I guess, if you toss in a couple of failed relationships in between. Love is not my specialty,” Margot said with a shrug.

At least Karissa only had one love fail to recover from. “But now, getting laid off, that’s tough,” she said.

“I’m trying not to take it personally,” Margot said. “When companies start trimming fat, middle management is often the first place they look, and these days everyone is trimming. So I’m moving on, working on figuring out what’s next.”

“A chance for a new start,” said Alice.

“There you go,” Margot said. “That’s why I like this woman. She always looks on the bright side. But that’s enough about me and my misery. Tell us more about working at Heron Publishing.”

“Do they give out free books?” Alice asked.

“Alice is a bookaholic,” Margot explained. “Don’t ever take her to the library or a bookstore unless your trunk is empty.”

“She exaggerates,” Alice said, “but I do like to read, especially historical novels.”

“Same here,” said Margot. “I also like mysteries, and nonfiction, too.”

“I like romance novels,” Karissa said. “And historical fiction.” She sighed. “But I’m thinking it would be good to read something that will help me sort out my life now that I’m starting over in a new city.”

“I just downloaded one you might like,” Margot said. She pulled out her cell phone and brought up her Kindle app, then turned the phone so Karissa could see it.

“Where There’s a Will There’s a Way,” she read.

“I stumbled on it when I was looking around for some inspiration. I guess she’s a big influencer.”

Karissa turned to the About the Author page. “And she has a podcast.”

“And a lot of followers,” said Margot. “I figure the book’s worth a try.”

“It might be,” said Karissa.

They enjoyed a little more coffee cake and a little more conversation and then her guests left. Karissa offered to send the last couple of pieces back home with Alice, but she said, “No, you keep it. I’m sure you’ll want some for breakfast.”

Karissa closed the door and grinned, feeling lighter than she had in months. Two nice neighbors, who seemed to understand the importance of supporting each other rather than stabbing each other in the back. It looked like she’d landed in the perfect neighborhood.

She sure hoped looks weren’t deceiving.

*

“I’m glad you reached out,” her mother said when they chatted later. “It looks like you’ve got some nice neighbors.”

“I hope so,” Karissa said. “I’d sure love to have what you have with your book club.”

“You could,” Mom said. “Why don’t you start a book club of your own?”

“We don’t know each other very well yet.”

“I didn’t know The Bookies very well when I first joined the book club,” Mom said, “but I’m glad I did. I found my best friends there. You may never get beyond talking about books, but, on the other hand, you may end up with some solid friendships.”

She could. Karissa liked both Alice and Margot, and they seemed safe. Still, committing to something like a book club with women she barely knew felt like taking a big step into quicksand.

“I’ll think about it,” she said.

The more she thought it over the more she warmed to the idea. Margot and Alice were always up for a chat if they happened to see her coming or going, and Alice invited Karissa and Macy over for dinner one evening when she was entertaining Lucky. Macy loved playing with the dog and Karissa enjoyed having someone nonthreatening to visit with. She and Alice exchanged phone numbers, and she wasn’t sure who’d come away happier, Macy or her.

On Saint Patrick’s Day weekend, Margot invited Karissa to come over on Saturday night for corned beef and cabbage and some Baileys. Alice had been invited, too, and was bringing Irish soda bread. Macy was with her father for the weekend, and Karissa had been feeling mopey, so she was happy to accept, and promised to bring some ice cream they could pour their Irish cream over.

“If there’s any left by the time we get to dessert,” Margot had joked.

Margot’s house was a little bigger than Karissa’s and decorated as stylishly as Margot liked to dress.

“This looks like something from a home improvement show,” Karissa said, looking around. “The after, not the before,” she quickly added, making Margot laugh.

The cream-colored sofa had eye-catching orange accent pillows; the coffee table sported a vase with fresh flowers. A stained-glass hand-painted clock depicting the four seasons hung on one wall. The wall in her dining area showed a colorful modern art piece of Murano glass shaped like a woman’s face.

“I got that a couple years ago when I took my daughter to Italy,” she said after Karissa had admired it. “Back when I could afford to travel. I still want to get to Ireland someday. For now, this will have to do.” She held up the bottle of Irish cream. “My big, exciting life.”

“Kind of like mine right now,” said Karissa. “But at least I have a nice house and I’ve wound up in a great neighborhood.”

“I can see you’re a positive thinker,” Margot said, as she poured them each a drink.

“I’m trying to be a glass half-full kind of woman,” Karissa said.

“Half-full is better than nothing.” Margot took a sip of her drink. “Although I’m ready to get my glass a little closer to the top. Maybe I’ll win the lottery. Or maybe one of those hot heroes I like to read about will hop off the page and give me what I want.”

“Sometimes fiction heroes are the best,” said Karissa.

“You can say that again.” Margot raised her glass. “Here’s to those heroes and the books they live in.”

“To books,” Karissa echoed.

She could almost feel her mother at her elbow, urging, Go for it. Start that book club.

She should. What was she waiting for?

To be sure, of course, to have some kind of guarantee that all would be well. That these new friendships wouldn’t end as disastrously as her last.

As if life gave out those kinds of guarantees. Do it!

She took another sip of her drink and then tossed the words out there before she could wimp out. “Speaking of books, I was thinking it might be fun to start a book club. Would you be interested?”

Margot cocked her head and considered. “You know, that might be fun. I’ve actually never had time to be in one. I’ve sure got time now. What would we read?”

“I don’t know. Whatever we want,” said Karissa, and then held her breath, waiting for a positive response.

“A little of everything maybe?” suggested Margot.

“And maybe things we might not normally read. Like that book you downloaded.”

“I wouldn’t mind having someone to talk about it with,” Margot said. She gave a decisive nod and said, “Let’s do it,” and Karissa felt a warmth blooming in her chest that had nothing to do with the Irish cream she was consuming. “And let’s invite Alice. She’ll love this. She doesn’t get out much.”

“Really? She seems so sociable.”

“She is, but she doesn’t drive.”

“Not at all?” Karissa asked, surprised.

“Not since her husband died. She gets panic attacks.”

“Which explains the trips together to the library?” guessed Karissa.

Margot nodded. “Alice loves to read. And she’ll love to make goodies for our meetings. A win-win, right?”

“Absolutely,” Karissa said happily.

“So, what do you think?” Margot asked Alice after she’d arrived, been given a drink and been filled in on the plans for a book club.

“I think it sounds like fun,” Alice said. “I manage fine without driving, but my horizons could use some expanding. It’s been a rough three years since I lost Charlie.” She blinked but couldn’t hide the tears rising in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” Karissa said. Which was worse, losing your husband to death or losing him to another woman? There was no worse. Both were awful.

“He was only fifty-nine. I was fifty-four. He was going to retire early, and we were going to get a camper and see the country.” Alice bit her lip, stared at her tumbler and then downed the last of her drink.

“Maybe you’ll still get to see the country,” Karissa said.

Alice wiped at the corner of one eye. “Through books, anyway. So count me in.”

“All right,” Margot said. “We’re going to start out with that book I just downloaded, Where There’s a Will There’s a Way by Annie Wills. I’ll pick up a copy for you tomorrow.”

“Great. Thanks,” said Alice. “Say, you know who else might like to join us? My sister. I think it would be good for Josie. She’s going through some challenges right now,” Alice added, and looked hopefully from Margot to Karissa,

Karissa hesitated. A woman she didn’t know joining them?

“Sure, why not?” said Margot. “It’s about time I got to know your sister.”

“Okay,” said Karissa. Another Alice would probably make a good addition.

“Great,” said Alice, beaming.

“Well, then, we’re good to go,” Margot said. “Meet in April to discuss?”

“Meet in April to discuss,” Karissa agreed.

“Your place or mine?”

“Mine is fine,” Karissa said. “Any day you prefer?”

“Gee, let me check my busy schedule,” Margot joked.

“How about Wednesday nights then? Midweek break?” Karissa suggested.

“Sure. Middle of the month?”

“That works for me,” said Alice.

And that was that. New friends and a book club. Things were looking up.

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Categories: : Contemporary romance, Spotlight, Women's Fiction