Bruno Thorne is the self-crowned king of Mariscombe, a faded seaside resort crammed with chip shops and amusement arcades. But things are on the turn because the resort has been picked as a potential holiday hot-spot. Meanwhile, George Law wants to do for Mariscombe what Rick Stein did for Padstow (even though he's not entirely sure what to do with a red mullet) and, thanks to a last minute cock-up by the estate agent, outbids Bruno for the rundown Rocks hotel.
At last he can realise his dream and, with his gorgeous ex-lingerie model girlfriend Lisa at his side, surely nothing can hold him back... But George hasn't counted on disgruntled locals, infuriating ex-wives... or Bruno Thorne's apparent interest in Lisa. With another splash hit on her hands, bestselling novelist Veronica Henry moves to the seaside and delivers the perfect holiday read.
Click here to read an extract from Love on the Rocks...
To find out more visit www.penguin.co.uk/veronicahenry
On Love on the Rocks:
'Renovating a hotel by the seaside is the sort of thing we all dream of, and in this romcom novel, the dream becomes reality for Lisa and George. Ditching their city jobs, they attempt to bring a little glamour to the locals in a dreamy North devon town, who are suitably unimpressed. The arrival of a manipulative ex-wife, step-daughter and the handsome-but-troubled owner of a rival hotel spice up the rebuilding and put Lisa and Geoorge's relationship under strain. This is a jolly seaside-romp with shades of sadness, a satisfying combination of sex, secrets, paint-colour charts and crisp, white, cotton sheets -perfect for your beachbag.
FIRST
'Have you ever longed to ditch the rat race, escape to the seaside and open a hotel? love on the Rocks will make you want to quit your job and start packing. Skeletons tumble out of shabby-chic cupboards and star-crossed lovers get their sandy knickers in a twist in this charming story that is both saucy romp and languid, pastoral yarn.'
Evening Standard
'Lisa and boyfriend George swap the rat race for the seaside, where they hope to turn a grotty hotel, The Rocks, into a chic retreat. But they haven't bargained on interfering ex-wives and unhelpful locals. A riotous summer romp'
4 stars
Closer
'This enjoyable seaide romp reminded us of Jilly Cooper in her prime. Fed up thirtysomethings Lisa and George buy a rundown guest house on the Devon coast and try to turn it into a trendy hotel. But life and love interfere with their plans.'
Bella
'An engaging tale of surfers, sirens and sex on the beach. thanks to a twist of fortune, George outbids Bruno for the rundown rocks Hotel in Mariscombe. he finally realises his dream as he moves in with the gorgeous Lisa at his side. So what could possibly go wrong? What with disgruntled locals and infuriating ex-wives, George is oblivious to Bruno's apparent interest in Lisa as passions run high at the seaside.'
Daily Express
On Veronica’s writing:
‘Veronica Henry writes like a dream’
Jill Mansell
An Eligible Bachelor:
‘Colourful and engaging – Jilly Cooper without the puns’
Evening Standard
‘All the essential ingredients for a delightful romp’
Daily Express
‘Warm and brilliantly written’
heat
Honeycote:
‘Plenty of sex, scandal and shenanigans’
Hello!
'The new Jilly Cooper'
Woman's Own
‘You’ll be engrossed’
Elle
You began your career as a script writer. Which do you prefer: writing novels or scripts?Script writing for television is filled with constraints. There are so many rules and regulations to abide by - budget, time-frame, continuity, house-style, set and location restrictions, logistical considerations - that the story is almost secondary! I became increasingly frustrated because the stories I wanted to tell just didn't fit the television format, so I decided to try my hand at novel writing in the hopes of having free rein.
Of course, having no restrictions at all is equally inhibiting, but at last I was able to run riot with descriptions and do exactly what I wanted with my characters, without a producer/director/script editor voicing their objections.
With five novels under my belt and a sixth on the way I have now returned to occasional script writing with a different attitude - I actually enjoy the challenge and it is a fantastic discipline. And I know that the craft of telling a story within sixty minutes has helped me with plotting my novels.
How did you feel when you found out you were going to be published?
I can remember the day vividly. I took a chauffeur driven limo to London because I was so afraid the train would do its usual thing and stop for a leisurely rest en route to Euston. My agent had warned me to wear trousers, as she had to whisk me across town on the back of a huge Honda motorbike in order to beat the traffic. It was surreal! Made even more so because by the end of the day I had a book deal with Penguin.
It's very strange when your dream comes true, because where do you go from there? The day Penguin signed me up, I achieved my lifetime's ambition, which doesn't happen to everyone. I was thrilled, but also keenly aware that I had to come up with the goods. Over half a million words later, I guess I have!
How do you usually go about writing your books?
I have two or three central themes and relationships before I start, based around a particular setting which I have researched while finishing the previous book. I usually know where everyone is going to end up. What I don't know is quite how they get there, and who they will meet along the way. I start at the beginning and work my way through the book strictly chronologically - I used to dart around and sneak ahead to the juicy bits, but now I just make notes and force myself to wait until I get there. Though sometimes if I am getting bogged down I will treat myself to a section I have been looking forward to, just to write myself out of my block. If I find myself really stuck, a walk or a sleep or a flip through a trashy magazine usually helps my subconscious to sort out the problem. Very often I will come up with a solution when I am drifting off at night.
Are the characters based on real people?
No! I hate it when people assume that. You can't just drop people you know into your fictional world. They don't fit. Characters have to mature and develop; as you write you get to know them, their likes, dislikes, and idiosyncrasies, just as you get to know people in real life. If people think they recognise themselves, they are either being vain or paranoid!
Your new book, Love on the Rocks, is set by the seaside. What made you move from your Cotswold setting?
Everyone needs a holiday! And although I love the rural idylls of Honeycote, Eversleigh and Upper Faviell, I felt it was time for a change and some sea air!
Can you give us a taster of what we can look forward to in the next novel?
The book follows the trials and tribulations of Lisa Jones and her boyfriend George, who have both thrown away their careers to pursue a dream that many people share: running a hotel by the sea. Their relationship soon becomes strained as they realise they have very different priorities. Added pressure is put on by Bruno Thorne, proprietor of the nearby Mariscombe Hotel, who doesn't appreciate the competition they have brought to the town he seems to think he owns.
As well as these central characters, we meet the unruly staff from the Mariscombe Hotel. There's Frank, head chef and surfing dude, who brings the shy and self-conscious Hannah out of her shell. Then there is the conniving manageress, Caragh Flynn - for those of you who have read An Eligible Bachelor, she is Johnny Flynn's younger sister, so she is bound to be up to no good. And of course there is chambermaid Molly, a teenage mum who is struggling to bring up her baby in secret, terrified that someone might discover his real identity. You definitely don't come to Mariscombe for a quiet life!
What books are on your bedside table?
Smashed: Growing Up A Drunk Girl, by Koren, a fascinating portrayal of teenage binge drinking which should be prescribed reading for anyone about to go off to uni. I've just finished A Short History Of Tractors in Ukrainian - like everyone these days I am in a book club, and it's next month's read. I loved it - it's hilarious, warm, witty and subtly didactic. And I'm browsing through the Moro Ccookbook, because I'm planning a Moroccan themed birthday dinner for a friend.
Which literary character would you most like to meet?
I'd love to go ice-skating in New York with Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye. I'd have to drop a few years, though - I'm too old for him now, and I wouldn't want to traumatise him any more than he already is!
What's your dream holiday destination?
Short-term, I'd love a long weekend in Barcelona with my husband. Long-term, my brother has just moved to Adelaide, so I am planning a round the world trip with my family, stopping off to see friends in California on the way. Better start saving now!
How do you spend your free time?
This question has made me realise I don't really have any. I would love to go riding again. I used to have my own horse, but I haven't been in the saddle since before I had my youngest son, who is now three. I'm going to phone the local stables right now.
Everyone needs a holiday and our authors are no different. Some have had scorching holidays and some quite frankly were too unsavoury to let you into. From dream holiday destinations and holiday horror stories to top holiday survival tips and summertime memories we’ve got the low-down and we’re willing to share… here Veronica Henry answers our questions.
What's your favourite summer memory?
We were stationed in the States when I was young - my favourite memory was camping on a ranch in Colorado when I was about 13 and hanging out with real cowboys. I thought they were so cool.
And your dream holiday destination?
I would love to take my husband, a Gauguin fan, to Tahiti.
Any top holiday survival tips you can pass onto our readers?
Buy a really cheap camera, then you won't have to worry about losing it or getting it nicked.
What do you always pack for summer hols?
Hot new lipstick to go with the tan, Eau Dynamisante to freshen up.
Do you have any favourite places you like to go in the summer months?
We always go to Woolacombe in North Devon - teenager happy surfing, middle guy happy body boarding and baby happy with bucket and spade.
What place in the world do you think everyone should visit at least once?
Hmm - don't know as I haven't been there yet. Open-topped bus tour of London pretty essential.
Had any holiday horror stories you can let us into?
My husband and I saved up to go to Paris when we were young and poor. We were then mugged at the Gare du Nord, and arrived at my friend's apartment to find she was shacked up with a drug dealer. We spent the next few days starving and terrified, and were delighted to get on the ferry where, able to use a cheque book, we splashed out on duck a l'orange in the restaurant.
What books will you be packing in your suitcase this summer?
Status Anxiety by Alain de Boton, complemented by something thoroughly pink and trashy.
We put 16 delving questions to Veronica Henry, successful scriptwriter for popular TV and radio programmes like Heartbeat and The Archers, and bestselling author of Honeycote and Making Hay. See how she fared ...
Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
Watching my one-year-old son playing with his big brothers [7 and 13].
What are you reading at the moment?
The Crimson Petal and the White.
Which author do you most admire?
Deborah Moggach. She always comes up with ingenious and original plots, and she writes with both depth and sparkle.
What’s your earliest memory?
Falling down the stairs and sobbing because I broke my digestive biscuit.
What is your greatest fear?
Inner city driving. I have never understood how to swap lanes at speed or manoeuvre roundabouts. Worrying, really.
How would you like to be remembered?
For being good fun.
Have you even done something you’ve really regretted?
No. Mistakes make us who we are. I also believe you shouldn't regret what you have done, but what you haven't.
How do you spoil yourself?
Sharing expensive wine - preferably white burgundy - with someone when I should be doing something else.
What’s your favourite word?
Meretricious. It's a novel in itself.
Who do you turn to in a crisis?
My poor, darling husband, who has the broadest shoulders in the world.
What makes you angry?
People who are uneccessarily rude to shop assistants and waitresses.
Have you ever had any other jobs apart from writing?
Script editor. Also waitress and shop assistant [see above].
Are you in love?
Of course.
Do you believe in monogamy?
For myself. But not for the characters in my books, otherwise I would have nothing to write about!
What are you proudest of?
My three boys. And their daddy!
Where do you write?
I am at my most productive in our beach house in North Devon, which overlooks three miles of golden sand and has an awesome, inspiring view.
For further information please contact Miranda Higham on 020 7010 3279 / miranda.higham@uk.penguingroup.com
