Vivien Hampshire - How to Win Back Your Husband

It’s not over until he says, ‘I do’…

Nicci is throwing a party: she’s getting divorced! The only issue? She isn’t ready to give up on her soon-to-be ex-husband, Mark – and she has thirty days to win him back!

Everyone makes mistakes but Nicci’s was just a little bit bigger . All she has to do is convince Mark that their love is worth fighting for…

Against the odds will Nicci and Mark be able to forget their past, remember their vows and say ‘I do’ to another trip up the aisle?

The uplifting feel-good comedy you don’t want to miss! Perfect for fans of Lindsey Kelk, Cate Woods and Fiona Collins.

How to Win Back Your Husband

Vivien Hampshire

ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES

VIVIEN HAMPSHIRE

lives with her husband and two cats within walking distance of the London Underground, open parkland and the best bakery in town, which she considers to be pretty much the perfect location. After working in banking and accountancy jobs since leaving school, she made the move from numbers to words after the birth of her twin daughters, developing a highly rewarding new career in libraries and children’s centres introducing the under-fives and their families to the magic of books. She entered her first attempt at fiction for the Mail on Sunday ’s Best Opening to a Novel competition in 1994 and won first prize. Her first published short story appeared in Woman’s Weekly magazine in 1997 and she has been writing women’s fiction ever since. Vivien loves solving and compiling complicated cryptic crosswords, taking part in TV quiz shows, reading in the sunshine and eating Belgian chocolate (quickly, so it doesn’t melt!)

With thanks to the SWWJ, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Phrase Writers and some very special writing-based Facebook groups, where I have found so much advice, support, encouragement and friendship, of the kind only fellow writers can provide. Particular mention must go to Natalie, Francesca and the two Elaines, who went through the RNA’s New Writers Scheme alongside me. We have shared the highs and lows, our struggles, successes and occasional disappointments, with humour, sympathy and solidarity, and in the very best of company.

Special thanks to my anonymous RNA ‘reader’ for her positive and helpful comments after reading the first draft of this novel and for giving me the confidence and impetus to seek out the right publisher for it. Thanks also to Charlotte Mursell and Hannah Smith, my editors at HQ, who worked me hard to keep on improving the manuscript and making it the best it could be, and to Helena Newton, my copy editor, who spotted all the little nitty-gritty details that weren’t quite right and that I might otherwise have missed.

Thanks to the organisers, tutors and delegates of Writers’ Holiday, who gave me so many wonderful writerly weeks away, creating lasting friendships, filling me with ideas and inspiration, and showing me that, with focus, determination and a sprinkling of luck, just about anything is possible.

Thanks also to the fantastic staff at Barra Hall Children’s Centre in Hayes, especially Sarah, Claudette and Lorraine. As I wrote the scenes where Nicci is preparing snacks, comforting a child, picking glitter from her fingernails, or being consoled by compassionate colleagues, I was thinking of you!

And lastly, my love and thanks go to Paul, for understanding my need to hide away and write, often late into the night, and for designing and building me the perfect study in which to do it. In your own unique way, every one of you has helped me to realise my dream. I couldn’t have done it without you.

To libraries everywhere

for providing free access to books and welcoming places in which to read them.

The lifelong love affair starts with you.

Keep on lighting the spark.

Contents

Cover

Blurb It’s not over until he says, ‘I do’… Nicci is throwing a party: she’s getting divorced! The only issue? She isn’t ready to give up on her soon-to-be ex-husband, Mark – and she has thirty days to win him back! Everyone makes mistakes but Nicci’s was just a little bit bigger . All she has to do is convince Mark that their love is worth fighting for… Against the odds will Nicci and Mark be able to forget their past, remember their vows and say ‘I do’ to another trip up the aisle? The uplifting feel-good comedy you don’t want to miss! Perfect for fans of Lindsey Kelk, Cate Woods and Fiona Collins.

Title Page How to Win Back Your Husband Vivien Hampshire ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES

Author Bio VIVIEN HAMPSHIRE lives with her husband and two cats within walking distance of the London Underground, open parkland and the best bakery in town, which she considers to be pretty much the perfect location. After working in banking and accountancy jobs since leaving school, she made the move from numbers to words after the birth of her twin daughters, developing a highly rewarding new career in libraries and children’s centres introducing the under-fives and their families to the magic of books. She entered her first attempt at fiction for the Mail on Sunday ’s Best Opening to a Novel competition in 1994 and won first prize. Her first published short story appeared in Woman’s Weekly magazine in 1997 and she has been writing women’s fiction ever since. Vivien loves solving and compiling complicated cryptic crosswords, taking part in TV quiz shows, reading in the sunshine and eating Belgian chocolate (quickly, so it doesn’t melt!)

Acknowledgement With thanks to the SWWJ, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Phrase Writers and some very special writing-based Facebook groups, where I have found so much advice, support, encouragement and friendship, of the kind only fellow writers can provide. Particular mention must go to Natalie, Francesca and the two Elaines, who went through the RNA’s New Writers Scheme alongside me. We have shared the highs and lows, our struggles, successes and occasional disappointments, with humour, sympathy and solidarity, and in the very best of company. Special thanks to my anonymous RNA ‘reader’ for her positive and helpful comments after reading the first draft of this novel and for giving me the confidence and impetus to seek out the right publisher for it. Thanks also to Charlotte Mursell and Hannah Smith, my editors at HQ, who worked me hard to keep on improving the manuscript and making it the best it could be, and to Helena Newton, my copy editor, who spotted all the little nitty-gritty details that weren’t quite right and that I might otherwise have missed. Thanks to the organisers, tutors and delegates of Writers’ Holiday, who gave me so many wonderful writerly weeks away, creating lasting friendships, filling me with ideas and inspiration, and showing me that, with focus, determination and a sprinkling of luck, just about anything is possible. Thanks also to the fantastic staff at Barra Hall Children’s Centre in Hayes, especially Sarah, Claudette and Lorraine. As I wrote the scenes where Nicci is preparing snacks, comforting a child, picking glitter from her fingernails, or being consoled by compassionate colleagues, I was thinking of you! And lastly, my love and thanks go to Paul, for understanding my need to hide away and write, often late into the night, and for designing and building me the perfect study in which to do it. In your own unique way, every one of you has helped me to realise my dream. I couldn’t have done it without you.