Miranda Dickinson - Take A Look At Me Now

Published by AVON

A Division of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2013

Copyright © Miranda Dickinson 2013

Cover design by Caroline Young © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2020

Cover images © Shutterstock.com

Miranda Dickinson asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9781847562357

Ebook Edition © February 2020 ISBN: 9780007535125

Version: 2020-03-06

‘The perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter’s eve.’

Closer

‘A blissfully romantic tale told with all the warmth and wit we’ve come to love from this author.’

Claudia Carroll

‘Oh my heart, this book! What a story. It’s so achingly tender and bittersweet, and a spark of true joy. I adored every page.’

Josie Silver, author of One Day in December

‘An engrossing love story, beautifully written.’

Sarah Morgan, Sunday Times bestselling author

‘Beautifully written.’

Cathy Bramley, Sunday Times bestselling author

‘A love story we can all connect with.’

Woman & Home

‘An absolute triumph!’

Katie Marsh, bestselling author of A Life Without You

‘Absolutely and utterly amazing.’

Laura Kemp, author of The Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness

‘One is one of those books you want to savour.’

Holly Hepburn, author of A Year at Castle Court

‘Romantic, heartbreaking and emotional.’

Cressida McLaughlin, author of The House of Birds and Butterflies

‘A novel about having the courage to love.’

Caroline Smailes, author of The Drowning of Arthur Braxton

‘Emotional story … full of both heart and soul.’

Fabulous

For my lovely Bob

Thank you

for believing in my dream,

for keeping my dream alive

and for doing the washing-up.

I love you xx

‘Our brightest blazes are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.’

Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)

Contents

Cover

Title Page MIRANDA DICKINSON Take a Look at Me Now

Copyright Copyright Published by AVON A Division of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2013 Copyright © Miranda Dickinson 2013 Cover design by Caroline Young © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2020 Cover images © Shutterstock.com Miranda Dickinson asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins. Source ISBN: 9781847562357 Ebook Edition © February 2020 ISBN: 9780007535125 Version: 2020-03-06

Praise for Miranda Dickinson Praise for Miranda Dickinson ‘The perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter’s eve.’ Closer ‘A blissfully romantic tale told with all the warmth and wit we’ve come to love from this author.’ Claudia Carroll ‘Oh my heart, this book! What a story. It’s so achingly tender and bittersweet, and a spark of true joy. I adored every page.’ Josie Silver, author of One Day in December ‘An engrossing love story, beautifully written.’ Sarah Morgan, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘Beautifully written.’ Cathy Bramley, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘A love story we can all connect with.’ Woman & Home ‘An absolute triumph!’ Katie Marsh, bestselling author of A Life Without You ‘Absolutely and utterly amazing.’ Laura Kemp, author of The Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness ‘One is one of those books you want to savour.’ Holly Hepburn, author of A Year at Castle Court ‘Romantic, heartbreaking and emotional.’ Cressida McLaughlin, author of The House of Birds and Butterflies ‘A novel about having the courage to love.’ Caroline Smailes, author of The Drowning of Arthur Braxton ‘Emotional story … full of both heart and soul.’ Fabulous

Dedication Dedication For my lovely Bob Thank you for believing in my dream, for keeping my dream alive and for doing the washing-up. I love you xx

Epigraph Epigraph ‘Our brightest blazes are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.’ Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)

Chapter One: The day that changed my life

Chapter Two: So long, farewell …

Chapter Three: Pack up your troubles

Chapter Four: Good morning, San Francisco

Chapter Five: Welcome to the neighbourhood

Chapter Six: Down and out in San Francisco

Chapter Seven: Cable cars and seaside jazz

Chapter Eight: Famous names

Chapter Nine: Fortune cookies and fate

Chapter Ten: Eat your heart out, Tony Bennett

Chapter Eleven: A spoonful of sugar

Chapter Twelve: Rare finds in Haight-Ashbury

Chapter Thirteen: Beware the chance remark

Chapter Fourteen: Carpe diem

Chapter Fifteen: Interesting developments

Chapter Sixteen: Serendipity strikes again

Chapter Seventeen: It’s only coffee …

Chapter Eighteen: Getting to know you

Chapter Nineteen: The sweetest thing

Chapter Twenty: Take me out

Chapter Twenty-One: Tall tales and revelations

Chapter Twenty-Two: Three little words