FRIDAY POTPOURRI — BOOK BEGINNINGS & FRIDAY 56 — 9/16

 

 

 

 

Welcome to another Friday Potpourri, where we celebrate Book Beginnings, hosted by A Few More Pages; and The Friday 56, led by Freda’s Voice.

To join in, just grab a book, share the opening lines and your reaction, if you like, and then link up.  Next, turn to page 56 and choose any excerpt from that page.  Again…link up.

Have fun!

Today I’ve chosen a new book that I’ll be reading next week.  The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken, by Mari Passananti, is a story of love, broken hearts, and how to begin again.

Zoë Clark thinks her world will implode when her fiancé dumps her on the eve of their splashy wedding. After nearly a decade with her college sweetheart, Zoë feels like a teenager about to be eaten alive by the New York dating scene. And her problems don’t end there. Zoë works a less-than-ideal job, managing other people’s careers while her own ambitions wither. To add insult to injury, she does so in the employ of a larger than life woman whose staff measures the boss’s emotional state by the zealousness of her make up application. Quitting is out of the question; Zoë’s rent doubled when her fiancé bailed. Enter Oscar Thornton. He’s handsome, charming, attentive and rich – the perfect boyfriend. But does he harbor a dark secret? Or will Zoë torpedo her newfound happiness by indulging a far fetched suspicion? The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken tells the story of a young woman who sets out to find a man to solve her problems. Instead she finds herself facing her own shortcomings, testing her oldest friendships and realizing that she has the power to make herself happy. Packed with snappy dialogue and playful wit, The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken will strike a chord with any woman who’s ever allowed herself to think, My life would be perfect, if I could just meet the right guy.

***

Beginning:  No kid dreams of growing up to become a headhunter.  It doesn’t rate up there with astronaut, veterinarian or firefighter, especially in the minds of the young and unstoppable.

Now that’s a beginning that piques my curiosity.  I wonder what I’ll find on p. 56?

***

56:  For the next hour I sip my wine and pick at a selection of fancy cheeses while Oscar rolls up his sleeves, chats with me about his work and whips up a three-course meal.  He’s almost too comfortable, like this is date twelve and not date two.  I, on the other hand, start to feel self-conscious, perched on a stool watching him work.

 

So what did you find today?  I hope you’ll come on by and share some links.