Welcome to another Weekend Read post. My featured book this week is Rose has a right to Happiness by romance author Kerry Manning. Kerry has dropped by today to to tell us a bit about herself and the book. So grab yourself a cuppa, get cosy and let’s get chatting to Kerry.
Blurb
At thirty-something, Rose Ryan is finished settling.
Finished with a boss who makes her dread Monday mornings. Finished with relationships that fizzle out before they’ve even begun. Finished with playing it safe and calling it a life.
So, when her best friend Aimee offers her a fresh start — a gorgeous seaside home in the village of Inverbridge, just outside Galway — Rose says yes. To the move. To the vision boards. To the slightly terrifying idea that she might actually deserve to be happy.
But happiness, it turns out, doesn’t arrive quietly.
Two very different men are about to walk into her world. One unsettles her in ways she can’t quite name. The other might just be the kind of person she stopped believing existed. And somewhere between the wild Atlantic coast and the shimmering blue of Lake Lugano, Rose is going to have to figure out what — and who — she actually wants.
Because wanting more isn’t selfish. It’s long overdue.
Warm, joyful, and shot through with humour and heart, Rose Has a Right to Happiness is a story about female friendship, the courage to begin again, and learning that the best things in life have a habit of showing up the moment you finally decide you’re worth it.
Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Cecelia Ahern, and Cathy Kelly.
Buy link: Amazon
Welcome to my blog, Kerry. Have you always wanted to be a writer?
I have! I fell in love with reading at a young age. I think it was Enid Blyton that hooked me first, or was it the beautiful rhythm of Dr Seuss? As a child I always lived in my imagination, and nothing has really changed. I love getting lost in a good story, and now with a few years of life experience behind me, I hope my stories inspire others.
Has any author inspired you?
I grew up in South Africa and when I started reading woman’s fiction the Irish authors Maeve Binchy and Patrica Scanlan inspired me, and then of course Marian Keyes.
What do you like writing most?
I like writing stories with heart, and a little nugget of a message too. Friendship is a huge part of my life, and I would say that the love between friends of all ages is as important in my novels as the romance.
Do you have a special place for writing?
I write in my very messy ‘office’, which is also my studio as I am an artist. I sometimes wonder about myself and how I work in the mess, but I do. Yesterday my Teams background wouldn’t work and I was embarrassed!
Are you a pantster or a plotter?
I am mostly a pantser. I find that as the story unfolds the characters start to do their own thing and direct me. (I did say I live in my imagination) Over the course of writing the guts of 5 novels now, I have started to do some basic planning, looking at character arcs and beats.
Is your writing ever inspired by your family or real-life incidents?
Such a great question. People often ask if I am Lucy, the main character in my first novel. The answer is there is a little bit of me in all the characters. I do draw from my own life, especially when it comes to highlighting issues. My latest book, coming out in October features a character struggling with chronic illness. This part has been drawn from my own life, but the personality of Maura, the main character is nothing like me.
What are you writing at the moment?
I am writing book 4 in the series. It is Ciara’s story – a bit of enemies to friends to lovers, and a cheeky little girl who has stolen my heart.
What inspired you to write this book?
My own child was severely bullied at school but has overcome so much and I am an extremely proud mother. He is getting married next year and watching him navigate his life has really inspired me to make this a theme of Ciara’s story. It is uplifting I promise.
What time of the day do you write best?
I write after breakfast and before morning coffee. Because of my health I can’t do really long sessions, but the words mount up.
What are your hobbies?
Creativity in a word! I paint, I stitch, I dressmake and my husband would say I make a mess.
What advice would you give to other writers?
Just do it. Don’t over think it. Sit down and get that first draft down, editing can come later.
Thanks for dropping by and talking to us today, Kerry. I hope your book sells shedloads!
Meet Kerry
Author bio
Kerry Manning has now published two novels, both earning glowing 5-star reviews from readers, with a third on the way! Her stories are set in a small fictional village along Ireland’s wild and beautiful Atlantic Way. Her debut, Learning to Love Lucy, is an emotional journey of self-love and romantic love, as Lucy learns to face down a past that’s determined to hold her back — all set against a touching intergenerational friendship. The second Rose Has a Right to Happiness, follows Lucy’s friend Rose as she navigates workplace politics and two very different men — one a “hobosexual” looking for somewhere to land, the other a good man who brings her real happiness.
Twenty years ago, Kerry moved from South Africa to Ireland, and she couldn’t be prouder to call herself an adopted Irish woman.
Contact links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DynamicKerry
Instagram: @kerryisfabulous
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/60604820.Kerry_Manning
