The Jacks of Her Heart
by Virginia McCullough
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
“A pure delight! I fell in love with Jack instantly—and the storybook
town of Capehart Bay
—Lily Silver, Author of The Rock Star Next Door
Lorna Lindstrom and Jack Young just got married in the tropics—and
their grownup kids don’t like it one bit...
Mere acquaintances in their hometown of Capehart
Bay , Wisconsin , Jack and Lorna
turn up on the same Caribbean cruise. They
soon fall victim to moonlight, champagne, and dancing—and that leads to an
impulsive wedding. But now they’re back home, feeling like a couple of fools.
Both agree a quick divorce is their best way out of this embarrassing
predicament. Lorna’s two kids and Jack’s daughter are all for that, but their
meddling prompts the stubborn newlyweds to rethink their plan.
A professional organizer, Lorna is a little too proud of her spotless
home. She fell in love with Jack’s generous heart, but must he rescue every
abandoned dog in town? The owner of a popular ‘60s nostalgia café, Jack feels
right at home in Lorna’s bedroom, but he might as well be a stranger everywhere
else in her perfect house. Suspicions that Lorna’s up-and-coming professor
son-in-law is a womanizer soon pushes Jack into a different kind of rescue
mission. Meanwhile, Lorna steps up and organizes her elderly father-in-law’s
move and offers her support to Jack’s daughter in a crisis with baby Joanie.
Too bad those classic “irreconcilable differences” appear to doom the pair,
even as their kids are beginning to warm to the marriage.
Maybe sharing a couple of romantic dances on the night Jack launches
his Blue Sky Nostalgia Music Festival can bring this “opposites attract duo”
together again. Will Jack and Lorna decide they can find a way to make peace
with their dueling quirks and have some fun with their second-chance romance?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Review:
I adored this story, is funny, sweet and romantic, the style of the author is so addictive that I was engrossed from the first chapter.
Jack and Lorna are over 50 years old, living in the same town. With some villagers went for a Caribbean cruise. They were often together, they danced, made romantic walks and in one of them they saw a small chapel and in a moment of mad romance, they married. But when they return home Lorna realizes they made a big mistake. What will her daughter and her son say? She feels also guilty for having betrayed her late husband. The first thought is to get divorced, but her heart is not so agree.
I loved all the characters in this story: the two protagonists, their sons and daughters and their friends, and all the inhabitants of Capehart Bay. They are all so realistic, it's very easy to identify with them. Alternating the point of view of Jack and Lorna made the story more engaging and interesting.
Stories set in these small towns are always pleasant: there are inevitable gossip but also great friendships, mutual support, and local shops where you can always find someone to talk and relax.
I am happy that it is the first book in a series, I can not wait to read the next.
I recommend it to those who love romance clean, light and fun, ideal beach reading
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
Lorna shot out of her chair when she heard the back door
open again. She met Jack in the kitchen and waved off the start of his apology.
Even by her standards, he wasn’t sinfully late.
“Everyone’s here,” she said cheerfully and too loud, “so
I’ll get the food ready.” She leaned toward him and whispered, “Open another
bottle of white wine and refill glasses in the living room. We should all drink
way too much.”
“That bad?”
She shrugged. “I have a bad case of the jitters. Except for
your adorable son-in-law who likely couldn’t care less who marries whom, they
all seem stiff—completely devoid of humor.” Why had she suggested this dinner?
To do what? Eat humble pie? These grownup kids weren’t their keepers. Then why
did they intimidate her so? Ah, yes, that pesky little problem of breaking the
rules.
After handing Jack the new bottle of wine and a glass for
himself, Lorna busied herself lighting the tapers on the hutch and the tea
candles on the table. Candles usually helped melt away tension in a room. At
least that’s what she told attendees at her Your Sweet Life seminars.
Minutes later, all the serving bowls were on the table.
“Dinner’s ready,” Lorna called out, sick to death of her own sunny voice.
True, the round table softened the edges of the seating
arrangements, but that didn’t prevent a face off. Choosing chairs across from
each other, Vicky and Holly exchanged a glare.
“Where’s…the baby?”
Lorna asked. Why couldn’t she remember the little girl’s name?
“At the last minute, we called Max’s mom and she came over
to our place. Since Joanie started walking, she’s into everything.” Holly
gestured toward the living room. “We didn’t think your house would be
baby-proofed.”
Out of the corner of her eye Lorna saw Jack frown at what
sounded like criticism.
“This is a really great house,” Max offered. “I love these
big old places.”
Vicky straightened in her chair. “My parents bought it the
year I was born. They spent their whole lives in this house.”
Naturally, she’d think our lives began when she came into
it, Lorna thought, mildly amused. She found her daughter’s dominating and
territorial tone less entertaining. Making small talk until they got around to
the big conversation was hard enough without little jabs.
“Help yourselves,” Lorna said, pointing to the two bowls of
hot chicken and pasta.
She picked up the salad and passed it to Jack who sat next
to her.
“Everything looks great,” Jack said with overblown
enthusiasm.
“I don’t know what I’d do without Harbor Bridge Market—we
can thank them for the pasta dish and everything else on the table, including
the peasant bread.”
“My mom still bakes her own bread,” Holly said. “Right, Dad?”
Jack directed another frown at his daughter. “I wouldn’t
know.”
“I understand your mother moved to Michigan
“She didn’t move. She’s taking care of my grandmother for a
little while. She’ll be back soon—probably in a couple of weeks.”
It sounded like a threat. Jack squirmed in his seat. Maybe
Nettie’s imminent return was news to him.
Glancing across the table, Lorna settled her gaze on Win,
who had been more quiet than usual. Even during their earlier phone
conversation, he’d had little to say. Win surely knew Jack, since everyone in
town went to Both Sides Now, if not for coffee or a meal, then to attend a
debate or an open mic night. Yet Win had greeted Jack with only a polite nod.
Come to think of it, Win had barely spoken to her either. Lorna didn’t take her
son’s silence personally, though. Like his father, he’d never been one for
small talk. But the way both her children—and Holly—were acting skimmed the
edges of rude.
“I’m sorry Dwight couldn’t join us,” Lorna said to break the
silence.
“He had a department meeting he couldn’t back out of.” Vicky
directed the explanation to the others in the room. “Sometimes I think he and
his colleagues spend more time in meetings than they do in the classroom.”
“True,” Lorna said, “I know exactly what you mean.”
“Speaking of the college, have you spoken to Gil Ridgeway?”
Vicky asked.
Puzzled, Lorna shook her head. An old friend, Gil took over
as the chair of the history department after Jackson died, plus he’d been her
companion at Vicky’s wedding, a kind of stand in for Jackson.
“I thought you would have given him a heads up.” Vicky
looked pointedly at Jack. “Ever since my father died, his colleagues,
especially Gil, have paid special attention to my mother.”
“I’m sure they have,” Jack agreed. “They’re a tight group at
the college.”
“I’m certain they never expected her to remarry so soon,”
Vicky said.
“If ever,” Win added.
Holly glanced around
the table. “Who’s Gil?”
Now it was Max’s turn to give Holly a sidelong glance.
“Gil was Mom’s date at my wedding.”
“It wasn’t a date, Vicky,” Lorna corrected. “He was kind
enough to be my escort.”
Vicky dismissed that with a flick of her hand. “Same
difference.”
“Not at all,” Lorna insisted. “An escort does you a favor,
but a date thinks you’re doing him one.” Out of the corner of her eye, she
spotted Jack suppressing a smile. Under other circumstances, she knew he’d have
chuckled at her attempt at a joke.
“Is that what Gil
thought?” Vicky demanded.
“Stop.” She raised her fork in the air. “I’d hoped to finish
dinner before Jack and I talked about our cruise, but I see that’s not going to
happen.”
“You at least owe Gil an explanation. And don’t you care
what Dad’s colleagues think?”
With each word, Vicky’s loud voice bounced off the walls and
reverberated through the room. “They’ve always had such respect for you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Holly challenged.
“Going away a widow and coming back married to your father?
They’ll certainly question her judgment.”
Holly opened her mouth as if to speak, but Jack beat her to
it. “Enough! Quit talking about us as if we’re not here. We knew you’d be
surprised by our news. But that doesn’t make us any less respectable, for
cryin’ out loud.”
Lorna found it necessary to state the obvious. “It’s no one
else’s business, certainly not Gil’s.”
“In Capehart Bay, most things end up everyone else’s
business,” Vicky said with a cynical snicker, which Holly matched.
Well, well, a moment of unity.
Win cleared his throat, making enough noise that all heads
turned his way. “I realize that we must sound critical.”
“Maybe a little,” Lorna said lightly.
“To be clear, Vicky and I spoke shortly after Dad died, and
we agreed we’d support your decision to remarry, in due time, of course.”
How decent of them. “How much time is due time?”
Win looked thoughtful, as if forming an answer to a serious
question. “I hadn’t put a date on it.” He gestured to Vicky. “We didn’t discuss
specifics, Mother. All I meant was that we know it’s natural that in your older
years you might want some companionship.”
Jack coughed, as if choking on his food, but quickly covered
his mouth with the napkin. “Excuse me. Something caught in my throat.”
Liar. You were about to burst out laughing, like me. Lorna
pressed her lips together to hold back rising giggles. Companionship indeed.
Oh, Win, when did you turn into such a stuffed shirt? Jackson had hung on to a
quirky old-world formality, but Win was too young to sound so old.
“I understand how you feel,” Holly said defensively. “As the
saying goes, the ink is barely dry on my parents’ divorce papers. The cruise
was supposed to be a chance for Dad to get away from the café and maybe relax
and think things over.”
“Come on, Holly. Your mother and I have been divorced for a
year.” Jack took a gulp of wine and rested his arm on the back of Holly’s
chair. “And I did relax, more or less.”
Stifling a laugh, Lorna pushed her chair back and stood.
“Time for dessert.” She glanced at Jack. “I could use some help.”
“I’ll help,” Vicky said.
“I’ve got it.” Jack quickly got to his feet and followed
Lorna into the kitchen.
She rarely used the pocket door that separated the two
rooms, but she slid it closed.
“So much for our explanations,” Lorna said in a loud
whisper.
“Couldn’t get a word in edgewise.”
“The three of them act like they’re our parents.”
“And one-upping each other, too,” Jack added. “But let’s
look at the bright side. At least we didn’t have to act contrite and go through
that rigmarole about mature people making mistakes.” His mouth curled up in a
wicked grin. “They don’t seem interested in any of our speeches.” He circled
her waist with one arm and pulled her close. “What about Gil? Are you sure he’s
not carrying a torch.”
“I couldn’t be more certain.” She leaned to the side and
stretched her arm to switch on the coffee maker, glad she’d prepared it
earlier. She wanted to get back to the subject at hand. “Who are these kids to
tell us how to spend our older years? Vicky’s been overbearing and bossy ever
since her father died, but this is ridiculous. All three of them seem poised on
a cliff, ready to pounce and run our lives.”
Lorna broke away from
Jack and opened the bakery box. “What do you want to do?” she asked,
transferring the raspberry tart to a platter.
“Since you asked, I’d like to shoo the kids out the door.”
He came up behind her and squeezed her shoulders. “Maybe we could have a little
companionship.”
She glanced behind her and grinned. “Right. I’ll drag out
the rocking chairs and we can watch the Weather Channel.” She shook her head.
“Honestly, I never heard anything so ridiculous in my life. In due time,
indeed.”
“I know one thing,”
Jack said with an edge in his voice. “I don’t feel like pretending to feel bad
about our so-called mistake.”
Lorna pivoted to face him. “It didn’t feel like a mistake
when we said those words—our vows, I mean.”
“Spoken in front of a tall, skinny guy in a lime green suit—it
matched your dress as I recall.”
“Ah, yes, that green is one of my best colors,” she said
with a giggle, “but not necessarily one of his.”
“You looked beautiful, like your do now.” Jack rested his
chin on the top of her head. “I don’t know about you, but I’m stubborn enough
to…”
The sound of the door opening interrupted him. “Do you need
more help?” Vicky asked, her face pinched in disapproval.
“We’re fine, but why don’t you put out the dessert plates
from the breakfront in the dining room?”
When Vicky was out of sight, Lorna turned to Jack. “My
stubborn streak is wide awake and standing at attention.”
He cupped her cheeks in his palms. “We’ve been quick to
label it a mistake. But I didn’t want to take my hands off your soft skin this
afternoon. Then I couldn’t wait to get back over here, even knowing our kids
would treat us like criminals.” He kissed her forehead. “What do you think?
Whaddya say we give this marriage a go?”
“Sometimes impulsive decisions turn out okay.” She heard the
uncertainty in her voice and closed her eyes, enjoying his touch as he cradled
her face. Caught in a frenzied game of tug of war, her head yelled no, no, no,
but her heart begged her to say yes. Back and forth, her reason locked in a
battle with her feelings.
Jack lowered his hands. “Lorna? Are you ever going to answer
me?”
His tender tone sent a rush of energy from her toes to the
top of her head. That did it. Her heart yanked the hardest and won. “What the
heck,” she said with a laugh, “I’ve been at war with myself all day over this.
Maybe we’ve been a bit too hasty in assuming breaking up is the one right
answer.” She lightly pulled on his jacket lapels. “It won’t be complicated to
settle in. You forgot your duffle. It’s still in the bedroom.”
“See? The hand of fate is writing our future.” He pointed
with his chin at the door. “What shall we tell the tyrants? More to point, how
soon can we get rid of them?”
Before she could answer, Max walked into the kitchen with a
dinner plate in each hand. Vicky followed and reached behind Lorna to grab the
lid to the pasta bowl she balanced in one hand.
Lorna caught Jack’s eye and shrugged as she moved away from
him. Then she picked up the dessert platter and headed into the dining room.
Jack followed with the coffee.
Settled at the table again, they used up a few more tense
minutes in excruciating small talk about raspberries and the delectable crust.
The atmosphere could only go downhill from there.
Vicky pushed her plate away and sat unnaturally straight in her
chair.
Get ready for round two. But Win spoke up first. “Will you
tell us about your plans going forward?”
“Jack’s moving in here,” Lorna blurted. “This house is
bigger than his cottage.” Big assumption. She hoped it was true. As she
recalled, tiny cottages dotted the street behind the café where Jack moved
after his divorce.
“Much bigger,” Jack confirmed.
“You said you were taking care of this,” Vicky demanded.
“That’s what you told me this morning.”
“And that’s what we’re doing now.” Lorna smoothed her
fingers across a wrinkle in the tablecloth. “True, we hadn’t sorted out the
details, but now we’ve decided that Jack will move in here.” They’d decided no
such thing, but she couldn’t imagine leaving her house.
“This is not the outcome we expected,” Win said.
“Tell me about it,” Holly interjected. “How do you think I
feel?”
Vicky and Win stared blankly at Holly.
With no answer forthcoming to Holly’s plaintive question,
Lorna focused on her son. “This is a family dinner, Win, not a board meeting.”
“We wanted you to get to know each other.” Jack nodded
Vicky’s way. “Obviously, Vicky and I work together often, but we thought formal
introductions were in order.”
“That’s right,” Lorna agreed with a smile. Considering they
hadn’t discussed the possibility of staying together, not even once, they’d
handily faked their way to a united front.
Max looked past Holly to Jack. “Like I said before, this is
a really great house.”
He’s the only one with the sense to stay out of the
meaningful part of the conversation, Lorna thought. “More coffee for anyone?
Wine? I have liqueurs in the cabinet.” Please say no.
Holly pushed her chair back. “We really should be going.”
She gathered the plates nearest to her. Lorna did the same and she and Holly
ended up alone in the kitchen.
“Max is right about your house,” Holly said politely, “and
you’ve got plenty of room for the dogs.”
“Dogs?”
Holly laughed.
Triumphantly, Lorna noticed.
“One dog at the moment. Goldilocks, a golden retriever.”
Holly smacked her lips in fake frustration. “I can’t believe my dad. He should
have warned you that he rescues dogs, usually old ones. He’s the hero of the
animal shelter. They even gave him an award last year.”
Lorna’s stomach lurched, leaving her lightheaded. She and
dogs weren’t a good match. But she had no intention of giving Holly one more
second of satisfaction. “Fortunately, I have a big back porch. Goldilocks can
stay out there.” She hadn’t expected her voice to turn into a croak.
“Back porch? Fair warning, Lorna, Dad’s dogs don’t live on
porches.”
“What’s this about dogs?” Jack asked from the doorway.
Managing to feign a pleasant tone, Lorna said, “Holly was
telling me about Goldilocks.”
“And the others who come and go, Dad.”
She can barely suppress her smug smile. Indeed, Holly had
won. She’d succeeded in catching Lorna off guard. Well, maybe Jack had made
passing comments about a dog, but Lorna hadn’t let it register in her brain.
Jack winced. “I see.”
“We’ve been looking after Goldilocks—Goldi for short—like we
always do when Dad is away.” She glanced at her father. “Why don’t I bring her
by the café sometime tomorrow?”
“Sounds good, Holly, that’ll be fine.”
With coats collected, the kids filed out the door to the
driveway. Jack and Lorna watched out the window as the four climbed into their
respective cars and drove away.
Lorna laughed. “Good grief, what have we done?”
Jack slipped his arm around her waist. “We’ve earned
ourselves some time alone, you beautiful redhead.”
“Such sweet talk.”
“And there’s more where that came from,” he whispered.
“I’m counting on it.”
Pushing worries about the future—and Goldilocks—to the back
of her mind, she turned and grabbed Jack’s free hand and guided it to the other
side of her waist. With conga-style steps and rhythm, she led the dance to
her—oops, their—bedroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Website:
http://www.virginiamccullough.com/
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A Little Interview
Where
are you from?
Although
I grew up and went to college and started my family in Chicago ,
I consider myself from many places, because I’ve enjoyed living in Maine , Maryland , the
U.S.VI, North Carolina , and now Wisconsin
What
is the first book you remember reading?
My
memory of the first book I read is linked with a librarian, Miss Barlow,
showing me a shelf of books by an author with three names: Laura Ingalls
Wilder. I know I probably read many picture books and other books for new
readers, but I remember the librarian leading me to a row of books and telling
me that I’d probably like Little House in
the Big Woods. She was so right, and I read and reread every book in the
“Little House” series and then had fun reading them to my own kids. I’ve never
forgotten Miss Barlow either! Oh, and I named my daughter Laura.
When
did you realize you wanted to became a writer?
I
know many writers begin scribbling stories as little kids, but I didn’t start
until my mid-twenties, when I was still home raising my two kids. After my
family moved to Spruce Head Island, Maine, I listened to an inner voice nudging
me in the direction of writing and publishing magazine articles on things like
children’s literature, women’s issues, family living, and later
sailing/cruising. All the writing I did after that, including my long career as
a ghostwriter for doctors and professional speakers and as a coauthor of many nonfiction
books, evolved from writing those early articles. And all that work seemed to
prepare me to enter this newer phase, writing novels. It’s a good thing my writing
business worked out because I’m actually not trained to do anything else!
Do
you have a special place you like to write?
I have a lovely home office, with plenty of space
and a wall of bookshelves, but my muses like variety, too. They whisper in my
ear and tell me they’d like to be taken out for coffee at one of the nearby
cafés. I write either by hand in notebooks or on a laptop I bring along. I trek
to the library, too, and often work there—apparently, the muses like to hang
out with readers. I think I’m primed to write just about anywhere.
What
else do you enjoy doing, when you're not writing?
I read and read—I always have. We also live in a
golden age of TV dramas that can hook me. I was a big “Mad Men” fan. And I also
like to wander around my neighborhood, including the numerous walking trails
and gardens close to my house. Most of all, I love to travel, and I’ve been
lucky enough to see quite a bit of the world, and I intend to see more of it. I
like busy cities and empty beaches. Just take me out of town! I like to hang
with other writers—most of my close friends in Green Bay
What
are your dreams and plans for your future as writer?
Right
now I’m working Book 2 of the Capehart
Bay
I
have some other series to complete, which are set in my favorite locales, Wisconsin and coastal Georgia
and South Carolina
Thanks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Virginia will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a
randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thank you for hosting
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RispondiEliminaYou mention coastal GA and SC as settings for future books. I live in SE NC--right above SE--so I love that Southern coastal setting.
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RispondiEliminaHow do you find writing with others compares to writing books on your own?
RispondiEliminaI love the cover! Sounds like a great book!
RispondiEliminaI enjoyed learning more about the author and her book! Thank you!
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RispondiElimina