fuonlyknew

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Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for New Normal by Michelle Paris. New Normal tells the story of a young widow with hope and humor.

This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the tour runs from 30 May till 12 June. You can see the tour schedule here.

New Normal

By Michelle Paris

Genre: Women’s Fiction
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 2 May 2023

Blurb:

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After the sudden death of her husband, Emilie Russell just wants to feel normal. But being a middle-aged widow doesn’t come with a how-to manual. Her well-meaning friend, Viv, believes the cure to all that ails is simple: a new man. So, she sets Emilie up with her handsome and charming new neighbor, widower Colin. There’s only one problem with the plan—Colin is gay.

Emilie embarks on a rollicking journey of self-discovery with Colin as her mentor and best friend. From learning to swipe right without cringing while midlife dating in constricting shapeware to cougar moments in Key West, Emilie reenters the dating pool with both humorous and soul-crushing results.

With the encouragement of her friends, including a new furry one, plus a little therapy, Emilie begins forging a new life, one where she exchanges tears for laughter, and one that maybe—just maybe—includes the courage to find love again.

Links:
– Goodreads
– Bookbub
– Amazon
– B&N
– Kobo
– Walmart
– Bookshop

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MY REVIEW

My initial attraction to this book was the main character, Emilie. She’s middle aged, as am I, and it helped me relate to her. The sudden death of her husband leaves her dealing with a devastating loss. How will she adjust to being a widow? Will she ever feel happiness again? Will she ever find love again?

Time passes and the pain lessens somewhat and she finds herself ready to get back out there and date. Colin, the first man she’s fixed up with, is perfect, except for one tiny hiccup. He’s gay. His loss of a loved one enables him to guide Emilie and be there when she needs a shoulder to cry on. I loved their friendship.

I felt all the ‘feels’ in New Normal. Grief, fear, courage and happiness. Emilie was a strong character and I was pulling for her all the way. The author was able to touch on a delicate subject and leave me smiling at the ending.

4 STARS

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Opening the July fifth Baltimore Sun, Emilie gasped. “Oh, God. No!” The full-page ad she’d taken out for the Nature Channel’s new series on Antarctica—the one she reviewed the copy from several times—had the typo all PR professionals dread. In bold it read, “Penguins: A Cold Reality, premiering on the Nature Channel this fall, for more information contact Emilie Russell, Pubic Relations Manager, American Communications.” There it was, as big as day, her pube exposed for all of Baltimore—maybe even the world—to see. She envisioned herself becoming fodder for late-night television, the internet, oh and the cruel world of social media. Can’t forget that! Pube-gate.

She thought hard about what to do. Maybe she could buy all the newspapers and handwrite an l in all of them. How many papers could there be? A hundred thousand or so? Doing the math not only did she not have forty or fifty thousand dollars to spare, and it would be physically impossible, nor would it solve the problem entirely. What about the deliveries? Her heart sank. She could hear the shrieks of laughter now.

She pounded her fist to her head and said, “Shoot, shoot, shoot!”

Just then, the phone in her office rang.

On the third ring, she answered, “Public Relations, this is Emilie Russell.”

“Hi, Emilie. This is Tina Jenkins from the Inner Harbor

Hotel.”

Oh, dear God! Tina saw my pube! Emilie cringed at the thought.

Emilie decided to play it cool. “Yes, hi, Tina. What’s up?” Emilie had been working with Tina on a black-tie event in conjunction with the Nature Channel show. It was an opportunity for the cable company’s largest ad buyers, and members of the media, to preview the series before it aired on the fall schedule.

“Emilie, I think I know the answer to this question, but here goes. Last week, you emailed me that Perry and Penny Penguin needed a hotel room. I’m just checking to make sure they aren’t, well, you know, real penguins.”

“Yes, they’re real birds.” Emilie laughed. “I’m sorry. I thought I told you we were getting penguins on loan from Arctic Land in New York. They’re going to greet people and provide a photo op. I can see where it may not be a request you get every day.”

“Hmm,” Tina said. “Well then, I see. I thought Perry and Penny were costumed characters . . . like Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Since they are real, we have a problem. Our hotel has a strict no-pet policy. None at all.”

“What?” Emilie felt her heart begin to beat faster. “Tina, can you hold on for a second?” She pressed the hold button and opened the “Penguin Event” folder. In the file, she found the contract. Hoping she had written something about live penguins in it, Emilie scaled her finger down the first page. Nothing. The second page. Nothing. Midway down the third page, under the subject “Other Considerations” was typed “none.” She closed her eyes and muttered, “No. No. No.” Then she looked on the last page to see when the contract was signed. February twenty-eighth, three weeks after Rob died. Seeing the red blinking hold light, she put her head in her hands and tried to think quickly. Arctic Land was an eight-hour drive from Baltimore. The owners had insisted the penguins have premium housing before they would lend them to the event. Not really knowing what to do, she decided to wing it. She removed the call from hold and said, “Tina, these aren’t pets, they’re actors—show birds,” she said, trying hard not to let her voice crack.

Tina said nothing.

About Author Michelle Paris:

Michelle Paris is a Maryland writer who believes laughter can heal the heart. Her debut novel, New Normal is loosely based on her own experience as a young widow. Her personal story of overcoming grief was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. And her essays about grief and mid-life dating have appeared in multiple editions of the Chicken Soup for the Soul inspirational book series as well as in other media outlets. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Maryland Writer’s Association. Currently, Michelle is enjoying chapter two of her life with her new husband, Kevin, who keeps her from being a cat lady but only on a technicality. For more information, please visit www.michelleparisauthor.com.

Author links:
– Website
– Twitter
– Instagram
– Amazon

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