Page 7 of Mistletoe and Mulled Wine at the Christmas Campervan

Sorry can’t make Book Club. Held back at work. Crazy busy just now. Catch up soon. B

At least her friend had messaged, Lucy supposed, but she experienced a dull, disappointed feeling within; it felt very much like it might be a cop-out.

‘So, have you all had chance to read The Midnight Library?’ Louise’s voice brought Lucy back to the here and now. ‘Any comments?’

‘I thought it was great,’ Abby started. ‘It’s a book that really makes you think. Kind of asks as many questions as it answers, with all those alternate lives.’

‘Yeah,’ Helen took up, ‘tells you to stop messing around with regrets, and just get on and live.’

‘I think the author wanted to show that everything in life isn’t perfect,’ Lucy added, ‘that all those worries we have … the what-ifs, the regrets, yeah … are actually pretty pointless. It’s about choosing life and being brave enough to live it, warts and all, as it’s never going to be perfect. I loved it.’ The book had resonated so much with Lucy. She had even shed a few tears for the protagonist Nora Seed and her lonely journey.

‘I liked that it was messy, like real life, but that it was positive overall, too,’ Cathy added.

Lucy took a bite into a moist orangey cupcake. Delicious.

‘It was a really clever idea,’ added sixty-something Glynis, ‘and it was beautifully written.’

‘Yeah, it was a really cool concept,’ agreed Abby. ‘All your different choices played out. It is quite scary at times, wondering if you are doing the right thing.’

‘Life’s just bloody tough,’ added Helen. ‘And we all know about that.’ Her recent tricky divorce was obviously still fresh in her mind.

‘It was a quick read, easy to engage with,’ chipped in Paul. ‘Though it was a bit like those Groundhog Day plots, I found. Quite good, but not my normal kind of read.’

‘No, not for you with your Mills & Boons addiction, my lovely,’ quipped Cathy.

‘Hey, I’ve been dipping my toe into a bit of crime lately,’ countered Paul.

‘Ooh, get you.’ Louise laughed.

‘Well, I thought it was quite unique. About choices, regrets and embracing life,’ added Glynis.

‘And that sums it up well, Glynis, thank you. I did enjoy it too,’ added Louise. ‘Certainly made me think. More cake, anyone?’

‘Well, I think I might well regret not having some of that carrot and ginger cake,’ Sarah said with a smile.

‘And I think I might regret having a slice when I next hit those scales. But hey-ho, it’s there for the eating. I’ll just have to put in an extra mile on the dog walk in the morning,’ added Helen.

‘You might have to jog the whole beach, looking at the size of those slices.’ Sarah flashed a grin.

The chat turned to village and family life, with the upcoming Halloween activities for those with children. Lucy making a mental note that she’d need to buy in some sweets for the trick-or-treaters, and get herself a pumpkin to carve. This led to a discussion about recipes for pumpkin soup, or if in fact it was actually worth it, with the little pumpkin flesh that came out of those big orange things. And then they all revelled in the delightful toffee chewiness of Driftwood’s divine flapjacks.

The next Book Club, Louise announced, was to be a ‘Christmas special’, with it falling in late November. They were to bring and discuss their favourite festive reads – with several of the club offering to provide homemade Christmas cake, mince pies and their best festive bakes, too, happy to take the strain off an already busy Lou and her team.

‘Aw, that sounds lovely folks, thank you,’ Louise looked genuinely touched. ‘Though I may not be able to resist rustling up a little festive something myself, you know me. But yes, that’d be wonderful, and I look forward to it.’

‘Sounds great.’

‘Brilliant.’

It had been a lovely evening, and all too soon Lucy was walking the short distance home with her breath misting in the dark frosty night air, her tummy full and her mind still buzzing about The Midnight Library and all the questions it raised about life, friendship, regrets and more …

She hoped to goodness she wouldn’t live to regret her decision to stay with Jack. She really wanted the chance to get to know him more. And she desperately hoped her friendship with Becky could find a way back. Instinctively, she crossed her fingers inside of her woolly gloves.

You are invited to

Lucy’s Pizza and Prosecco Party

With All Fired Up & The Cocktail Campervan