It is a real privilege to have Angelena Boden visiting my blog today and brightening it up as always. Angelena’s new novel, ‘Love Bytes Back’, the second book in the Edna Reid Investigates series, was published as an eBook on the 14th February 2020 by Troubador Publishing and it sounds like a cracker of a read. This lady really deserves to do well.
Angelena has written a very personal and truly beautiful post for my blog which I hope you enjoy reading as much as I did.
FINDING LOVE AT SIXTY
In the years following a protracted and intensely painful divorce in the late 90s, I lost all sense of self-worth and vowed to give men a wide-berth. Still smarting from being robbed of trust and money, I wasn’t interested in a romantic relationship, and couldn’t imagine that changing.
As my two daughters grew and became independent, finally leaving the nest for university and high-powered jobs, I felt an increasing sense of isolation and loneliness. The house echoed with silence and I slid into a depression, preferring to soothe myself with junk food and sleep rather than make an effort to get out there and meet people.
As the months crawled towards my sixtieth birthday, I ended up at the doctor’s surgery, shaking and in flood of tears. She suggested various local groups as a way of breaking the deadlock of my empty weekends. A friend, who was a member of an online dating site regaled me with her experiences, some of which made me laugh while others filled me with horror.
I couldn’t imagine being so bold but with nothing to lose, I scrolled through some dating sites and liked the look of one that was for the over sixties. There were no calls to download an App or “swipe right” so I registered my details and paid for a trial month with no obligation. From there, I was hurled into a world of loonies, losers, fantasists and desperados. Some had clearly faked their profiles, others got down to business and asked me for money. So much for a troll-free site.
When I received a “nudge” from Ken, whose interests matched mine I felt hopeful. We chatted for hours and seemed to share similar interests- rambling in the countryside, art, and books. That was until I met him in a sixteenth century pub, complete with oak beams and a roaring fire.
I looked cautiously round to see if I could identify him and was about to approach a smartly dressed man with a signet ring on his little finger, when a man with a beer belly hanging over his trousers bellowed out my name and grinned when I turned round. He reeked of smoke. To be polite I ordered a coffee, exchanged pleasantries with him and wished him well before hot-footing it to the exit.
My daughter was worried about my online safety because of the increase in scammers, but also my physical safety. When I did venture out on another date, I had to inform her of my whereabouts (talk about tables turning), take my own car, park in a well- lit place and have my phone fully charged. In the end it was all too much effort so I gave it up and accepted the reality that relationships held none of the promise of those at thirty or younger. The men who strayed across my path were on the prowl for younger women or wanted a clone of their deceased wife. This was my experience and maybe not typical.
They say when you stop looking, love will find you and I can vouch for that. I was working away when I received a text from an old family friend. I’d known him for thirty years but we’d lost touch. He was letting me know that his long term partner had died. We agreed to meet up and walked miles through the Shropshire countryside, catching up on the lost years. Our friendship was filled with lots of laughter, surprises, and conversation. It was easy, fun and safe.
We married five years ago but agreed to live independently during the week and meet up at weekends. Semi-detached living isn’t for everyone but for it’s a good option when you’re older and set in your ways. It also keeps the stars twinkling!
Book Blurb
When lonely widow Kitty Merriweather moves to Derbyshire’s Hope Valley, she joins the Silver Rose online dating site because it offers a safe place for the over sixties to find romance.
There, she meets the enigmatic Harvey, a scientist working on a conservation project in Bali who promises her “hot days and stormy nights.”
Love blooms quickly but Kitty breaks all the rules laid down by the agency, putting herself at risk. When little things don’t add up she dismisses them as being unimportant. Nothing matters more than her plans for them to live happily ever after.
When she confides in her new friend, Edna Reid, octogenarian and former café owner, Kitty gets angry at Edna’s implication she is likely the victim of a scam.
The more Edna hears about Harvey, the more she is convinced he’s only interested in Kitty for her money.
Using her knowledge of computers Edna finally uncovers the truth, but where does black magic and murder fit into this intriguing cosy mystery?
About Angelena Boden
Angelena has spent thirty- five years as an international training consultant and counsellor, specialising in behavioural management, communication skills and conflict resolution. She has a Masters in Social Science from Birmingham University, and diplomas in Transactional Analysis, teaching, training, coaching and mentoring. Now retired, when Angelina is not dog walking, babysitting, landscape painting or reading astrology charts for clients, she writes the “Edna Reid Investigates” series of cosy crime novels, which are set in the Peak District. She is also a champion for Autumn Voices, a website dedicated to promoting creative pursuits of authors over 60.
Links
‘Love Bytes Back’ is available to purchase from Amazon UK – https://amzn.to/2VZZPt0
Website – https://www.angelenaboden.com/
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Edna Reid Investigates series,
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Love Bytes Back: Edna Reid Investigates,
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Troubador Publishing,
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