A warm welcome to author Helga Jensen who has dropped by to tell us about her latest book, Twice in a Lifetime.
Blurb
Twice in a Lifetime is the story of Amelia, an ordinary mother whose life is turned upside down by her divorce. By day she tries to be the best mother she can, but when the kids have gone to bed, she turns to Nutella and Pinot Grigio.
Amelia needs some magic back in her life. So, when she finds the phone number given to her twenty years ago by a handsome stranger in New York, Amelia wonders whether he might be The One That Got Away.
Amelia’s friend, Sian, has a habit of getting carried away, so she decides to launch a worldwide hunt to find the handsome stranger Amelia met outside Tiffany’s two decades ago. Amelia finds herself on a flight to the Big Apple to reconnect with her ‘Perfect Patrick’. But is he really the one for her? Or is there someone closer to home?
Purchase link
Amazon link – https://t.co/YcUeRZLH5b?amp=1
Now let’s move onto Helga’s interview with Amelia
Welcome Amelia. Who is your dream man?
Well, of course, I do love Robson Green and Tim Peake. How could you not? Perfect Patrick was always my dream man. He is tall, dark, handsome, and I met him outside Tiffany’s in Fifth Avenue in an incredibly romantic moment many years ago. But, as I get older, I also see more to a dream man than romantic charm. So, my dream man is someone who looks out for you and is kind. It would be a benefit if he drove a nice car to whisk you off for the weekend too!
How did it feel when you were reunited with Perfect Patrick after 20 years?
Oh, it was just amazing. But, of course, I was very nervous. Since we last met, I had changed a lot, and I was no longer the carefree girl he once met but a 48-year-old mother of mischievous twin boys who have given me my fair share of wrinkles and grey hairs. I was worried about what he would think when he saw me. I had only skyped him from a very dark room before, as I had always made sure that the lighting was flattering. But, meeting him in the flesh was completely different.
What is your biggest flaw?
I generally like to think the best of everyone. If someone tells me something, I believe them. I wouldn’t say I am naive; I simply want to believe in the best in people. I don’t want to think that bad people out there want to do people harm or take advantage. I want to live in a world where people are kind and nice to each other, although this means that sometimes it appears as though I live in my own bubble.
You like making your children welsh cakes, would you say that is your favourite welsh food?
Yes, I think so. I can never have enough welsh cakes, especially when they are freshly made on my mother’s plank. I do love going to Swansea market and getting fresh cockles too. The markets in Wales are some of my favourite places to get great welsh produce, like tub butter and welsh faggots. I enjoyed the food in the fancy restaurants I went to in New York, but there is something about welsh home-cooked fresh produce too.
If you won the lottery, what would you do?
The first thing I would do is knock on the house I was brought up in and offer them a considerable amount to sell the house back to me. Unfortunately, when mum died, I could not afford to keep the house due to my divorce. So, the first thing I would do is get that back, although it isn’t the same now and has changed so much since the new owners took over. Then I would buy the boys all the things they wanted that I was unable to afford. I would then take them to Disneyworld myself, as last time they had to go with their dad and his new fiancé. I would also make a massive donation to a dementia charity so that they could make progress in finding new treatments to help people like my mum.
Why do you think that you, Sian and Jamie have such a wonderful friendship?
We have known each other since our early teens. The three of us are similar in our own ways but also very different, if that makes sense. Essentially, I think we all share the same values in life, but we each have different characteristics. For example, Sian would never harm anyone, but she can be a bit wild and liven any party up. Jamie, again, would always look out for anyone. On the other hand, I am normally too afraid to speak up and don’t want to make a scene, so Sian and Jamie tend to help me when I’m in a sticky situation. In return, I always make sure Sian gets home safe when she has over-indulged at a party and I tend to be the more sensible one. We just seem to all have different strengths and are like one team
Some Nice Reviews
Jules Wake/Julie Caplin, Writer of feel good romantic comedy
I ended up staying up until the wee small hours wanting to know what Amelia would get up to next because I simply couldn’t put this down. I laughed out loud several times before I’d even finished the first chapter.
Thanks for the bags under the eyes, Helga, a wonderful, feel good, laugh out loud debut that I couldn’t put down.
A wonderful read with heart warming, down to earth, slight zany characters, a fast paced plot and some real laugh out loud lines.
——————–
Pernille Hughes, Author, Probably the Best Kiss in the World
‘Warm, witty and well-observed Jensen writes a joyous tale of rediscovering your dreams, love and sense of self. Sheer fun and absolute UpLit!’
——————
Natalie Normann – Novelist
I love this book so much!
Amelia is the mother of twin boys, recently divorced and mostly a sensible woman. She struggles with getting to terms with how her life has turned out. When Amelia finds the phone number of a gorgeous man she once met in New York years earlier, her best friend Sian gets the ball rolling, looking for him. And despite all of Amelias attempts to stop what’s going on, she soon finds herself in a huge mess. It’s hilarious!
This book got me through a difficult time, (tax season), by providing a wonderful distraction and a lots of laughs. Amelia is such a lovely person who tries so hard, you can’t help falling in love with her. There are twists that I did not see coming, and I loved the surprises. All I wanted was for it not to end! Helga Jensen knows how to tell a good story that stands out in the crowd. It’s right there on my top romcoms list now. That’s a five stars from me!
Meet Helga
Helga Jensen is a freelance journalist and award-winning author. In 2020 Helga secured a two-book publishing contract with Hera books. Twice in a Lifetime, her debut, was published in June 2021, and her second novel is due out in spring 2022. Helga is of Danish/Welsh parentage and holds a BA Hons in English Literature and Creative Writing and is currently finishing her Creative Writing MA at Bath Spa University.
You can contact Helga here
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/HelgaJensenF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/helgajensenfordeauthor
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/helgajensenauthor
Lovely to talk to you, Helga. I hope your book soars.
Karen King – Writing about the light and dark of relationships.
Amazon Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/y2q5audb
Website: http://www.karenking.net/
Karen King: Author 