The Romance Reviews

Wednesday 21 September 2011

The Love Of Your Life...Edinburgh Fog


One of the things I suppose writers get asked more than anything else is ‘where do you get your ideas?’ Well, we all get them from different places, but one place I know I get mine from is real life. That’s especially the case with Edinburgh Fog, which is based on something that really happened to a friend of mine.

They say you never forget the love of your life. How true. It’s also the case you may not realise they truly were the real love of your life until it’s too late. Other things get in the way; time, distance, career, family, all kinds of things. You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…

Many years ago, a friend of mine had a wonderful, whirlwind summer romance. Imagine it…long sunshiny days, balmy evenings, the feeling that time is standing still just for the two of you. Then reality kicks in. Summer comes to an end; the gentles breezes turn a little chilly. In my friend’s case, both she and the man in the picture were both about to start new jobs, hundreds of miles apart. They made the decision to break off the relationship rather than conduct something long-distance and run the risk of it all fizzling out, being hurt at a later date. Keep the memories precious, shake hands and say goodbye. How very grown-up and mature of them!
Only it didn’t quite work out like that.

My friend soon regretted leaving this wonderful man. When I asked her what had stopped her getting back in touch with him, she didn’t really know. ‘All kinds of things, I suppose. Fear. Pride. Thinking maybe it wouldn’t be as wonderful as it had been that summer. I’d have hated it to all go wrong. I told myself it was best to let things be.’ Many months later, she heard on the grapevine that ‘he’ was very happy in a new relationship with a new woman, and that sealed it for my friend. Decision made. No looking back. Move on, and forget.

Fast forward five or six years. My friend’s in a city-centre restaurant with some work colleagues. She’s changed jobs a couple of times since ‘that summer,’ and she’s moved from city to city over the years. All of a sudden, she gets that unmistakable tingling feeling on the back of her neck that tells her someone’s looking at her. Bear in mind she’s never been to this city before she took this job, and has only lived there a matter of weeks. At the same moment, her colleague leans over and says, ‘there’s a guy right across the restaurant who keeps turning around and staring at you….’

Guess who?

The rest is history – that’s a ‘long, happy marriage and three kids’ kind of history. I thought it was an amazing story, one that’s stayed with me for a long time, and now, if anyone asks me that question ‘where do you get your ideas from,’ I can say, ‘well, once upon a time, I had this friend…’

You never forget the love of your life....

I do hope you enjoy Edinburgh Fog.

Blurb:
When Greg Morton returned to Edinburgh, it was to follow his dream of opening the smartest bar-bistro in town. Now Tellers’ is a huge success—but the truth is, deep inside, it means little without the love of his life.
Four years ago, he left Julia Brady behind in London to realize his business ambitions in his Scottish home town. By the time he’d recognized his mistake and admitted to himself he wanted her back, the grapevine told him Julia had moved on—and Greg had to face the fact that he’d been a fool.
When Julia appears out of the blue in Tellers’, he knows the only thing he should do is walk right up to her and say hello. But it looks like someone else has their sights set on her, and he’s a quick worker.
Is Julia about to disappear from Greg's life a second time - this time, for good?


Excerpt:
'The staff heaved a collective sigh and set to preparing the place for the Friday evening crowd. Nothing eventful happened except Chrissie tripping over Ben as he knelt behind the bar to re-stack the mixers shelf and tipping half a bottle of vermouth and a bowl of stuffed olives down the back of his neck. Ben took it in good part, commenting that while he smelled like a martini, he was only stirred and not at all shaken. Leaving them to clean up as he sliced lemons and limes for the bar, Greg mused on whether the olive-incident counted as Thing Number Three, and was on the point of convincing himself that definitely, absolutely nothing else could possibly go wrong for the rest of the day, when she walked in.

Julia.

Greg froze, hypnotized by the reflection shimmering in the long mirror behind the bar. It disappeared briefly, moving out of his line of vision and he stepped sideways, following the mirror along the wall, seeking her out if only to convince himself that it couldn’t possibly be her—that Julia hadn’t just walked back into his life four years after he’d walked out of hers.'

Thanks for reading! Edinburgh Fog is available from the UK Kindle Store, The US Kindle Store, and in all other formats through Muse It Up Publishing.

Read more about Jane at Home Is Where The Heart Is.

25 comments:

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Now that's what I call a modern romantic story, Jane!

Jane Richardson said...

LOL we're following each other around today! Thanks, Rosemary. :)

Jane x

Lindsay Townsend said...

Wonderful true story and a wonderful inspiration for a haunting, tender story, Jane. Edinburgh Fog is a beautiful tale of love lost and re-born - perfect for this fall season!

Sheryl Browne said...

Thanks for the heads up, Jane/Lindsay. I now have this on Kindle. Sounds like it's going to be a very satisfying read. Absolute best of luck! :) x

Jane Richardson said...

Thanks, Lindsay! The foggy weather is definitely creeping in here too!

Jane x

Jane Richardson said...

Sheryl! Brilliant to see you! Hope all's well with you. Do hope you enjoy the story. Thanks!!

Jane x

Roseanne Dowell said...

A modern day happy ever after. I always say if something is meant to be, it will be. Sounds like a great book and another one added to my to buy list.

Jane Richardson said...

Roseanne, I'm so glad to hear that! So true about meant to be - you can't argue with fate. Thanks for coming over. :)

Jane x

Unknown said...

JANE--I love the premise of this story. Knowing you wrote it, I have no doubt it will sell very well--I'm so glad that you've appeared once again in our lives--you were always a burst of sunlight in my day--such joy in your words and the unique way you said them.
Congratulations!...and best wishes for tons of sales. Celia

Betty Ann Harris said...

I love the idea of writing a romance based on actual events or things that happened to you or a friend. There are some awesome real love stories out there, and your Edinburgh Fog sounds like one of them!

DanielleThorne said...

Beautiful title and cover!

Jane Richardson said...

Celia, thank you so much! What a darling you are. I hope you'll be right about sales! It's lovely to see you, as always. :)

Jane x

Jane Richardson said...

Betty Ann, thank you! The truth is always stranger than fiction....but I hope the fiction part of it works this time! Lovely to see you dropping in. :)

Jane x

Jane Richardson said...

Danielle, coming from a lady I know has had some beautiful covers and titles of her own means a lot! Thanks so much. :)

Jane x

Anne Duguid Knol said...

Fate has an amazing way of stepping in one way or another. So glad your friend had her happy ever after ending.

Congratulations on the launch.I can't go round Edinburgh now without looking round for a sight of the characters. It's a great book.

Author Roast and Toast said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hywela Lyn said...

Wonderful to see your name on a cover again, Jane, Congratulations!

'Edinburgh Fog' sounds like a wonderful story and what a romantic inspiration for it!

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your release, Jane! As Jane knows, I was just in Edinburgh a little over a week ago for the first time (and I met up with her in London!). I now know that the city of Edinburgh, and Scotland, evoke some magical, wonderful moments. I even saw some Heiland coos, the dear shaggy beasts. :-)

And the stories!!! All with a wonderfully rolling burrrrrr.... :-) I'm looking forward to reading "Edinburgh Fog, Jane." Welcome back to the writing worl

Mona Risk said...

Jane, what a lovely story. I enjoyed reading 'where you get your ideas.' So glad they had a happy ending and you wrote their
story.

Jane Richardson said...

Thanks, Annie! We'll meet up for a drink in 'Tellers' one day!

Jane x

Jane Richardson said...

HI again Lyn! Thank you. :)

Jane x

Jane Richardson said...

Hi Bess! We had a good time together, didn't we? Just wish it had been longer! Thanks so much for dropping by - and GOOD LUCK with your new release too!

Jane x

Jane Richardson said...

Thanks, Mona! We love a happy ending, don't we? Really great to see you. :)

Jane x

Joanna Aislinn said...

I love 'true romance' stories. Makes that 'feel-good' factor feel that much better!

So nice to know you're doing well, Jane!

Jane Richardson said...

Hi Joanna! Great to see you. Doing OK here, after a bit of a hiccup! ; -))