A stand-alone novella from the author of Manipulated Lives
A perfect friend ... or a perfect impostor?
Alexa is an energetic and charismatic professional and the new member of a Parisian PR company where she quickly befriends her colleagues Rosie and Jack. She brings a much-needed breath of fresh air into the office and ambitiously throws herself into her new job and friendships.
But is Alexa all she claims to be?
As her life intertwines with Rosie and Jack's, they must all decide what separates truth from fiction. Will the stories that unfold unite or divide them? Can first impressions ever be trusted?
In this original novella, H.A. Leuschel evokes the powerful hold of appearances and what a person is prepared to do to keep up the facade. If you like thought-provoking and compelling reads with intriguing characters, My Sweet Friend is for you.
Purchase Link - https://t.co/BtwZGcmEwt
MY SWEET FRIEND by
H.A. Leuschel
Hello and thank you
very much for inviting me to Jazzy Book Reviews!
We all make up
stories to understand the world around us and our place within. We often
believe what we want to believe and consciously or unconsciously interpret what
we see and what we hear from a restricted perspective. Furthermore, outer
appearances and life’s circumstances equally tend to influence and challenge
the story we tell ourselves and others … which in the case of ‘My Sweet Friend’
ends up taking on different versions because – to make matters worse - one of
the main protagonists is also a liar.
In my latest novella,
I explore the effects that pathological lying can have not only on the liar herself
but the kind of life she carves for herself.
Excerpt
She
ended up taking me to her stylist, and a few boutiques to change my classical
outfits into more flamboyant and daring ones. She was being so kind and
attentive that I wondered whether I could have muddled up the incident.
‘You’re
like my mum was when I was a teenager, taking me to shops and make-up displays,
thinking she could pep up my looks,’ I said.
‘She
didn’t do a very good job, did she?’ She winked, her words leaving a sharp pain
of hurt.
‘If
you say so,’ I said eventually, my eyes focused on a row of buttons running
down a tight fitting red dress. ‘You never mention your family. Visibly,
they’ve done a better job.’
‘Oh,
my parents,’ she answered dismissively, her tone of voice flat. ‘It’s
complicated. We talk from time to time but we don’t have much in common. It’s a
shame really, considering I’m their only child, but I don’t care now.’ It was
all she ever said.
‘I
couldn’t imagine… that’s so sad, Alexa. My mum and I are very close.’
‘Please
don’t,’ Alexa said, her eyes lowered and lips twitching as if she were about to
cry.
‘Oh,
Alexa, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.’ She looked up at me with an
empty stare and nodded.
‘Fine. Just don’t
mention it again,’ she said coldly, slipping back into the changing room
without another word.
Author Bio – Helene Andrea Leuschel grew up in Belgium where she gained a Licentiate in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She now lives with her husband and two children in Portugal and recently acquired a Master of Philosophy with the OU, deepening her passion for the study of the mind. When she is not writing, Helene works as a freelance journalist and teaches Yoga.
Social Media Links –
Giveaway – Win a signed copy of Manipulated Lives by H.A. Leuschel (Open Internationally)
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