• Shop
My Account
  • Register
  • Login
Header Logo
You are here: Products How To Choose A Sweetheart by Nigel Bird @amouseandaman
Cover image of the book
Cover image of the book

How To Choose A Sweetheart by Nigel Bird @amouseandaman

“She came into the bookshop. That was it. That was the beginning.”

This isn’t the first romantic story to feature a balcony, nor is it likely to be the last. Even so, what takes place in ‘How To Choose A Sweetheart’ is a modern, fresh take on an old-fashioned tale.

Max is a bookseller. Since his relationship with Jazz ended, he’s struggling to find purpose in life. That all changes when a beautiful woman, Cath, walks into his shop and pins up and advert asking for a piano teacher for her daughter, Alice.

It’s almost perfect. Max takes down the details and gets in touch immediately. Within a short space of time he manages to secure the position as Alice’s piano teacher and establish that Cath’s a single mother. What could be better?

Well, he might be able to play the piano for a start.

Or his newly acquired piano teacher might not be an old, alcoholic wreck.

Or he might be completely over his ex-girlfriend.

And he might not be forced into a position where he needs to come up with a composition of his own to woo the new lady in his life.

It’s a tangled web we weave and Max seems to be sticking in the threads like a spider in a web.

A topsy-turvy romantic comedy that will warm your cockles and split your sides.

SKU: B00EJBUCPE Category: Romance Tags: comedy, humor, rom-com, romantic comedy
  • Description
  • Reviews (0)

Description

Find more from this author on:

Buy this book on Amazon
Amazon
Author's Website
Author Site
Find this author on Twitter
Twitter


About the author:

2009 The Reader Magazine (story, Into Thin Air)

What inspired you to write your book?

I was decorating, painting a wall in my home, when I created something of a fantasy whereby a young man forged his identity to try and get close to someone.

Here is a short sample from the book:

ONE
The prospect of meeting up with Jazz always causes a physical reaction in Max. This time, his body is performing worse tricks than usual. His palms are sweating and his stomach lurches as if he’s taking a trip across the sea in the middle of a storm. What he needs to do is to get things over with, to find out exactly where he stands and what Jazz is thinking. The sooner he knows, the better it will be. Unfortunately, the hands on the clock seem to be conspiring with his stomach and appear to be dragging things out as much as they possibly can.
He idles away his time behind the till drumming his fingers on the books he’s supposed to be putting away and watches the lunchtime rush come and go. Angela hasn’t returned from her break and she’s been at least an hour and ten minutes, which is way out of order.
Jazz and Max have had a weekly lunch-date in the Garbanzo ever since he started working in the shop. They even carried on getting together when he moved out of the flat. It only stopped happening 3 months earlier when Jazz told him she needed a chance to cool down. To find some space. Funny that it seemed to coincide with her meeting Alan.
Today will be their first meeting since then. Max is hoping it will be the first of many, if nothing else giving his lunch-hours a sense of purpose once again.
A pressure builds up behind Max’s eyes and he’s expecting a headache to arrive at any time soon, when Angela walks through the entrance on the floor below.
She has a different hairstyle than when she left. Her straight, flat hair has been transformed into gentle curls that bounce with every step. As if that isn’t enough, it’s even changed colour from a mousy brown to a vibrant red. It kind of suits her, but he’s too cross with her to say.
On the ground floor Chris gives a wolf-whistle and a round of applause as Angela passes by.
Max doesn’t want to waste another second. He pulls on his jacket and skips past the cafe that has virtually taken up half of the space from the book shelves since he started working there.
He takes the stairs 2 at a time as he makes his way down to the ground floor, noticing the poster for the event the following week is crooked and making a mental note to straighten it when he returns.
For meeting Jazz he’s wearing his favourite work clothes – a tight white shirt with a narrow collar, a yellow silk tie that sparkles in the light, neatly creased drainpipe trousers and polished winkle-picker boots. His hair is perfectly quiffed so that he could be a refugee from The Stray Cats and his face is shaved so that he looks too young to be out of school when the light catches him in profile.
At the bottom of the stairs, Chris calls him over. “Max. Hey, Max.”
Even though Max is keen to get out, he can’t resist finding out what has put such a broad grin on his friend’s face.
Chris leans forward, shifts the pile of ‘Hard Times’ that he was supposed to have put on the classics table at the beginning of the day and whispers behind his hand as if imparting some deep secret of the book-selling world. “He’s in again. Science-fiction.”
Max turns around slowly, trying to be subtle.
Sure enough, there he is. He looks like he eats for Great Britain and has a face like the cratered surface of the moon. He’s rocking slightly on his heels as he browses through a book. Max recognises the title from the spine. It’s ‘The Blob’, new in and completely ignored up until now. The man holds it close to his face like always, as if he’s in need of reading glasses. A bead of snot has formed at the tip of his nose and lengthens as the book-sellers watch. The string of snot eventually stretches too far and breaks, the drip falling onto the ‘The Blob’s’ fresh pages.
Chris and Max cringe together and burst out laughing.
Max makes another mental note, to avoid the sci-fi section that afternoon, and heads for the exit.
As soon as he’s outside, he pulls out his packet of cigarettes and takes out a smoke. He lights it with his Zippo and sucks in as much nicotine as he can. It’s supposed to calm the nerves, but instead just makes his heart beat faster and his nausea grow. That doesn’t stop him and he puffs hard as he crosses the road and heads off down the alleyway opposite the shop.
At the Phoenix Cinema, he takes a copy of the new programme and slips it into the inside pocket of his jacket. He puts out his cigarette in the ashtray that’s attached to the wall outside the foyer and pops a tablet of chewing gum into his mouth.
Before he goes in to the cafe for his date, he stops to calm his breathing.
As soon as he’s ready, he wanders over to the door.
He loves The Garbanzo and the way it never seems to change. Behind the chrome counter there are large mirrors that give the place an open, spacious feel. They’ve been there since the 1950s, as have the black and white Italian tiles and the stools that stand to attention in front of glass cases which are filled with delicious looking cakes and sandwiches.
From the ceiling hang cotton wool clouds and various model aircraft that are positioned in dog-fights. One of the German planes has a broken wing and points straight at the floor. He’s never understood why, but this plane is Max’s favourite.
Jazz is already at their table, the one in the corner of the window.
She looks gorgeous, as ever, not that everyone appreciates her beauty. It’s probably the glasses that mean she doesn’t attract much attention when she’s out – thick lenses and round plastic frames, but she likes them and that’s what matters. Her hair is cut into a short bob and her skin is perfect, but it’s when she smiles that Max feels a wave of joy washing over him. Perhaps it’s the sincerity of it he likes, or the way it spreads right across her face and lights up a room. Whatever it is, she’s smiling at him now and he feels all his agitation leave him just as though he’d left it at the door.
He kisses her cheek as softly as he can manage, slips off his jacket and hangs it on the back of his chair, careful to make sure it won’t crease while he’s there.
“Hi stranger,” she says.
“Stranger?”
“It’s been a while.”
“3 months.”
“Since I met Alan and everything got super-intense.”
The mention of Alan might as well have opened the door and let Max’s anxieties rush back in. His shoulders tense and he has the urge to run. Instead, it’s his words that speed out of his mouth at full pelt.
“Alan? I’m glad I got to bring you together. I just knew that you’d have lots in common.” That’s an obvious lie and Max tries to cover it up by turning to nod to the waitress.
The waitress steps over confidently in her high heels, her beehive hair stacked immaculately on top of her head and her body showing all of its voluptuous shape in a black and white uniform that must be at least a size too small.
“2 Cappuccinos, please,” he says, and the waitress flutters her long eyelashes at him as she writes on her pad.
“Anything else?”
“Not for now thanks.” The waitress turns and Jazz lets her eyes follow the wiggle of her hips.
“She fancies you, you know?” There’s a Geordie softness to her accent that adds to her charm. Boy, he’s missed her being around.
Max feels his face go warm and gets back to the point. “You and Alan? Do you think it might be serious?”
He’d meant to be more subtle. Let the story unfold in the telling so that he could find out exactly where he stands without asking. He takes a deep breath as he waits for the answer. If things are rocky, he’s going in for the kill and will ask her for a proper date.
“Could be.”
Max’s stomach feels heavy as his heart sinks, as if he’s eaten a box of his gran’s rock cakes. “Like that fairy tale you’d all but given up on I suppose?”
“I hope so.”
She hopes so. That’s bad. As if she actually wants it to work out. Asking for a date is clearly out of the question. “It doesn’t seem fair. I should have been your Prince Charming.”
“Max you are a prince, just not mine, that’s all.”
“It was nice pretending though, wasn’t it?”
“I was never pretending.” He knows that’s true. Jazz couldn’t even tell a tiny white lie if her life depended on it. “Don’t worry. Things will all fall into place for you one day. You’ll find your sweetheart.”
The waitress arrives at the table and carefully puts down two coffees. This time she smiles at Jazz and doesn’t look at Max.
“See?” Jazz says when the waitress leaves, “she definitely fancies you.”
“She didn’t even look at me.” Max picks up the glass sugar dispenser and pours a small mountain of crystals onto his sprinkling of chocolate. “How do you know, Jazz? That things will fall into place for me? Sometimes I get the feeling that it’s there waiting and I just never seem to get there. How the hell will I find a sweetheart if I carry on like this?”
“Just keep turning the corners and see what’s there.” Jazz spoons some of the chocolaty foam from her mug and into her mouth.
“A lingering smile perhaps. Better still I’ll be the hero of some disaster, helping my true love: the mugger; the dropped shopping; the car that won’t start…”
“But you’re completely useless with cars.”
“I could enrol in a class.”
“Picking up shopping lessons?”
“I could start with that one.” They laugh and Max stirs his coffee.
“You don’t need classes in anything, you know plenty already.”
“If I know enough, why are you going out with someone else?” Here he goes again. Even he’s tired of hearing the old argument.
“Please don’t.”
“Sorry.” He can’t help himself. His mind just spins in circles. “What about tonight? Do you fancy….never mind. I’ll shut up and drink my coffee,” which is exactly what he does.
He gives it some thought and decides to try another angle. “Can you make it here next week? Get back into the old routine?”
“I’ll make it.”
“Then don’t forget to bring along a present. It’ll be a year since your big elbow got in the way. We should celebrate.”

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “How To Choose A Sweetheart by Nigel Bird @amouseandaman” Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related products

Prev Next
  • Cover image of the book

    Box Set: Shades of Pleasure (Five book bundle) by Tawny taylor

    0 out of 5

    Dominant billionaires. Secrets and blackmail. Fantasies come true. Shades of Pleasure brings you five books from New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Tawny Taylor. This decadent five book bundle of novellas contains: What He Wants, At His Mercy, Pleasing Him, Ties that Bind and Enslaved by Sin–a total of over 90,000 words. If purchased separately, these books would cost over $12.00.

    What He Wants (My Alpha Billionaire, 1)

    Billionaire Shane Trant is used to getting what he wants. What he can’t buy, he takes. When he sees Bristol Deatrich, he knows he wants her. But there’s a problem. Only complete possession of her mind and body will satisfy him…

    At His Mercy

    Sometimes freedom can only be gained through captivity…

    Elena Caine has secrets. The kind that could devastate her life if they’re revealed. And now a selfish bastard is dragging the skeletons out of her closet. She’s being blackmailed. There’s no way out–but to turn to the man Elena trusts least, the quietly seductive Dom Kyler Pierce.

    Pleasing Him

    Britt Olsen is shocked when the man who bought her house, the gorgeous Andre Cruz-Romero, shows up at her front door a week after closing. Now Britt has her chance to get to know the enigmatic man who has inspired a fantasy or two, or more. But she is both shocked and thrilled to learn about Andre’s extreme erotic tastes…

    Ties that Bind

    Illusion. A word shaded with nuance, making the men who practice it–the masters–enigmas. Particularly when they magically materialize from the shadows of a woman’s past.

    It’s been fifteen years. No longer the tormented young men Blair knew and loved so long ago, Damon and Trey still know how to touch her heart, how to draw out her secrets, and how to bring her to the edge of ecstasy. Blair has two weeks to unravel the ties that have bound the three of them together. Two weeks to solve the mysteries veiled by her seductive masters’ illusions. And two weeks to surrender to the smoldering desires burning in her body as she submits to their darkest demands.

    Some ties can never be severed.

    Enslaved by Sin

    Over two hundred years ago, the Master of Sin welcomed guests to Castle Greh, inviting them to taste decadent carnal pleasures every night. Now, some claimed the castle was haunted by the dark prince and his many lovers. She was about to learn the truth…

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Killer Romances: 10 Dark, Deadly & Delicious Suspense Novels by Dana Delamar, Tallulah Grace, Sandy Loyd, Kristine Mason, Dale Mayer, Nina Pierce, Chantel Rhondeau, K.T. Roberts, H.D. Thomson, and Susan Vaughan

    0 out of 5

    Ten of today’s hottest romantic suspense authors have joined forces to bring you an amazing boxed set of ten full-length novels–all for one low price! Romance, mystery, and thrills abound in these dark, deadly, and delicious tales of lethally sexy heroes and the women who bring them to their knees. Love bad boys? We’ve got ’em. Love good guys? We’ve got them too! There’s something for everyone who picks up this red-hot bundle. Ready to dive in?

    Books included:

    Dana Delamar ~ REVENGE (Blood and Honor, #1)

    Amazon Bestselling Author Tallulah Grace ~ Cliffs of Starsdale

    Bestselling Author Sandy Loyd ~ Deadly Misconceptions

    Kristine Mason ~ Shadow of Perception (Book 2 CORE Shadow Trilogy)

    USA Today Bestselling Author Dale Mayer ~ Haunted by Death (By Death Series Book 2)

    USA Today Bestselling Author Nina Pierce ~ Blind Her With Bliss, Book 1 of the Dangerous Affairs Series

    Chantel Rhondeau ~ Love & Deception (Agents in Love – Book 1)

    Amazon Bestselling Author K.T. Roberts ~ The Last Witness

    Award-winning Author H.D. Thomson ~ Shrouded in Darkness – Book 1

    Award-winning Author Susan Vaughan ~ Primal Obsession

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Finding Alice by Stephane Morris

    0 out of 5

    Romantic, sensual and enlightening.

    This novel creates a new genre by taking a refreshingly different angle to other romantic novels. A love affair leads to a journey of self-discovery that is both thought provoking and enlightening.

    John Mason is a successful businessman. A beautiful free spirited woman brings out passions John never knew existed, with consequences he could never have imagined. What unresolved inner conflicts from his youth does the love affair expose? Can he overcome them? If he does where will that leave him? The outcome is unpredictable.

    A life-changing journey that is both fascinating and confronting.

    Literally, a page-turner that starts slowly but will ultimately grip you and hold you to the end.

    For mature readers.

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    A Love For Romance – Anthology by Stephanie Phillips

    0 out of 5

    A preview of Trading Yesterday by USA Today Bestselling Author Kahlen Aymes

    The Break (Breaking Free, Part 1) by USA Today Bestselling Author Debra Presley

    Always Too Late by Micalea Smeltzer

    Until the Stars Forget to Shine by Amber Garza

    The Only Chance by Magan Vernon

    Awakened: A Leila Marx World Novella by Amber Garr

    Do You Mind? by Freya Barker

    Cock-Blocked by W. Ferraro

    What Happens on Spring Break by R.C. Stephens

    Always There by Elizabeth Hayes

    Falling for Lindy by Ashlee Taylor

    Burning the Midnight Oil by Eilson Grace

    Babysitting for the Biker by Sammi Starlight

    Chasing Love by Misha Elliott

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    What Do Lesbians Do In Bed? 21 Sapphic Stories by Giselle Renarde

    0 out of 5

    Have you ever wondered what lesbians do when they get together? Is it all fingers and scissors and lips between legs, or is there WAY more to the slippery story of lesbian sex?

    In this hot new anthology, enjoy twenty-one explicit tales of lesbian love. From shoe fetish to opera gloves, sex in public to quiet winter mornings, from a taste of taboo to strap-on DP to extremes that shan’t be mentioned here to full-on Sapphic bukakke, even connoisseurs of fine girl-on-girl action are likely to discover a new idea or two in this sexy new collection.

    Whether you can appreciate this book’s title ironically or you’re authentically curious about what girls who love girls do in bed (or in parked cars or at the office or in a church basement or in a restaurant bathroom), grab a copy today and get in on the nitty-gritty secrets of lesbian sex.

    Giselle Renarde’s erotic fiction has appeared in over 100 anthologies, including prestigious collections like Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Lesbian Romance, Best Women’s Erotica, Girl Fever, and the Lambda Award-winning collection Wild Girls, Wild Nights.

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Tall, Dark & Alpha Boxed by Eve Langlais, Afton Locke, Paige Tyler, Sam Cheever, Randi Alexander, Koko Brown, Eve Vaughn, Farrah Rochon, Delaney Diamond, Dawn Montgomery

    0 out of 5

    “~ Top 100 Amazon Bestseller~

    ~ USA Today Recommended Read in Romance~

    These HOT alphas are ready to take charge.

    Are you ready for the decadence and allure of an alpha’s dark charm? The bad boys in these 10 sizzling stories will make your heart pound. Against these dominant seducers, the heroines don’t stand a chance. Prepare to fall in lust–and love.

    Delve into the sensual worlds of award-winning authors: Randi Alexander, Koko Brown, Sam Cheever, Delaney Diamond, Eve Langlais, Afton Locke, Dawn Montgomery, Farrah Rochon, Paige Tyler, and Eve Vaughn. Immerse yourself in the alpha male experience.

    ***

    *New, Boxed Set Exclusive* Rock My Boat by Afton Locke: Rhonda Simms embarks on a cruise to create an ad campaign. Instead, she lands a shape shifter who will do anything to be human again. Will she let him rock her boat?

    *New, Boxed Set Exclusive* Silver Tongued Devils by Dawn Montgomery: Captain Na’varr and his executive officer, Brom, know they have a good thing when they capture stowaway hacker, Raesa, with her hot temper and dangerous curves. They want her, body and soul just as she wants them. But such trust endangers them in ways none of them can anticipate. Dare they risk it all?

    Fight for Love by Delaney Diamond: Rafael Lopez, former professional wrestler and “”Sexiest Athlete Alive,”” is back and determined to hold onto the woman he lost, but still loves, and the son he never knew existed.

    Crazy (Vampire Love) by Eve Langlais: Ella hears voices and they don’t like anyone. But not even poltergeists can stand in the way of a vampire in love.

    *New, Boxed Set Exclusive* Sex with an Ex by Eve Vaughn: When these two divorcees reunite in the bedroom, the sex is hotter than ever. But can their hearts survive the second time around?

    In Her Wildest Dreams by Farrah Rochon : When Erica Cole, owner of “”Your Wildest Dreams”” event planning, requests his help in creating a Valentine’s Day fantasy date for her clients, chocolatier Gavin Foster sees it as the perfect opportunity to show her just how sweet their reality could be.

    *New, Boxed Set Exclusive* Player’s Challenge by Koko Brown: Sports agent Gemma Clarke must face the biggest challenge of her young career: represent her former lover and bad boy footballer, Devin Spencer. Their passionate love affair ended badly. Now he’s back to prove to Gemma he’s changed and convince her to give them one more chance.

    Two Cops, a Girl, and a Pair of Handcuffs by Paige Tyler: Cilla Garner has it bad for hot cops Hayes Prescott and Reed Lockwood. If they both end up asking her out, she doesn’t know how she’ll choose. Having a threesome doesn’t even enter her mind until they hint at it, and then it’s all she can think about.

    Chase and Seduction by Randi Alexander: Country music superstar/actor Chase Tanner has never wanted anything or anyone more than gorgeous screenplay writer Reno Linden. To Reno, Chase is larger than life, sinfully sexy and hell-bent on getting her into bed. Reno risks the plunge into Chase’s arms, but will their attraction survive the glitz and stress of fame?

    Tall, Dark and Apocalyptic by Sam Cheever: He’s a hunter in a world turned upside down. She’s his prey, a creature of dark magic. But the passion burning within them may be their undoing.”

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Thrones of Desire: Erotic Tales of Swords, Mist and Fire by Mitzi Szereto

    0 out of 5

    Thrones of Desire is a place where lust and legend abound, and adventure, passion and danger entwine. Think mystical lands and creatures, kings and queens, knights and renegades, heroes and villains, warlords, maidens and princesses. Think battles and danger, honor and dishonor, good and evil. Most of all, think hearts filled with passion and secret desire. This is a place where romantic chivalry is alive and well, but so too is romantic wickedness. This is a place where the good do not always win, and the bad are often more captivating and desirable than their altruistic counterparts. In these lush and timeless landscapes, the battle for flesh can be as important as the battle for power. Intrigue, sorcery, revenge, lawlessness, dark secrets and mysterious elixirs; entanglements with supernatural beings — everything is possible in these magical mythical landscapes. Inspired by Game of Thrones these imaginative steamy tales transport the reader to fantastical realms. Featuring a special foreword from legendary fantasy author Piers Anthony.

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker

    0 out of 5

    Click: An Online Love Story – Fast approaching her 30th birthday and finding herself not married, not dating, and without even a prospect or a house full of cats, Renee Greene, the heroine of Click: An Online Love Story, reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds through a series of emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-compulsive Mark, the overly-judgmental Ashley and the over-sexed Shelley) as well as the gentlemen suitors she meets online. From the guy who starts every story with “My buddies and I were out drinking one night,” to the egotistical “B”celebrity looking for someone to stroke his ego, Renee endures her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates. Fraught with BCC’s, FWD’s and inadvertent Reply to All’s, readers will root for Renee to “click” with the right man.

    Read More
    Quick View

Book Categories

  • Collections & Anthologies
  • Contemporary
  • Erotica
  • Fantasy
  • Gothic
  • Historical Romance
  • Multicultural & Interracial
  • Mystery & Suspense
  • Paranormal
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Science Fiction
  • Time Travel
  • Westerns
  • Romance
  • Author Interviews
banner-01testtesttesttest
banner-01testtesttesttest
banner-01testtesttesttest

Top Rated Products

  • Forever Loyal by Sheppard Brothers
    5.00 out of 5
  • Crashing Into Me by R.L JACKSON
    5.00 out of 5
  • Bad at Love by Emeline Piaget
    5.00 out of 5
  • Captured by Conner Kincaid
    5.00 out of 5
  • Hidden Embers by Jane Burrelli
    5.00 out of 5

Author Marketing Club

WantonReads.com supports indie authors!

for Authors

  • Submit Your Book
  • Submit an Author Interview
  • Get Featured Placement

for Readers

  • Discover New Books
  • Meet the Authors
  • About WantonReads

Thanks for visiting!

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
© 2017 - WantonReads.com