I am delighted to share a guest post today ~ thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for organizing.
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Genre ~ romance, family drama
Publication date ~ February 9, 2024
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WHEN WE WERE US introduces us to Erika Forde, a woman who finds herself re-examining her past in order to move into a future which she hasn’t envisaged.
There’s always a need to gaze behind us before we can step ahead, and this is exactly where we find Erika, joining her on an adventure of self-discovery ahead of unearthing a major revelation about her family.
In her professional life, Erika is hitting a peak, working in as lead creative at Linga Franca advertising agency, which becomes her playground against increasing turbulence in her personal life. Her marriage has spanned the birth of a son, Matt, and a couple of decades. The increasingly erratic behaviour of her husband, David, initially spark her discontent, and this growing curiosity leads to Erika playing amateur detective.
David Daniel Forde is a rather egotistical, former best-selling novelist, keen to revisit his earlier success as he prepares to release his latest novel. He also appears to be slowly moving into the garage, is becoming increasingly maniacal in his commitment to household recycling and has an unnerving fondness for mint green Crocs. But that’s the least of Erika’s worries.
Erika begins to re-examine their relationship, unaware that as she does so, tides are turning behind the scenes to wash up at her feet. Her own past literally catches up with her in the form of Enzo Morelli, an old friend of the family, and her former lover. Enzo first arrives on the scene through her work on a major advertising campaign, but soon, her personal and professional worlds collide as Enzo helps Erika to navigate question marks surrounding her marriage. What Erika doesn’t realise, is that Enzo has quite a few questions of his own.
As Erika delves deeper, Enzo joins her for the ride, resulting in a caper with increasingly ominous consequences, and it’s this notion of consequences which informs a major theme of When We Were Us. The choices Erika made in the past stitch together to form the basis of the novel, and unpicking those stitches was great fun.
Erika is such a relatable character. As her birthday approaches, she’s finding herself at a bit of a standstill, rather overwhelmed by the absence of her son, who’s studying at LIPA, and as well as the strange sense of detachment she’s feeling from David, she’s also at odds with her own body.
Writing a female character over forty, I felt a responsibility to chart her first steps into perimenopause. Erika explains the lack of medical insight, how it’s through female friendships that women are becoming more aware, less unsettled, and embracing these changes as part of a healthy process. Introducing that topic, I also wanted to put to rest any cultivated negativity around women’s health. In the past, menopause was regarded as almost the end of everything for women, but as the conversation grows, sharing information and reassurances, you find temporary symptoms of an altogether healthy process.
Despite a lack of representation, which is thankfully being challenged, older women have climbed career mountains, raised children, maintained or grown through their relationships.
They are full of fascinating stories, inspiring sights, and an appreciation of a new era which sometimes finds them feeling more kind, confident, and nurturing toward themselves. And Erika is certainly one of those women.
Book blurb:
A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that will warm your heart! Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Marian Keyes, Kathleen Whyman and Caroline James.
Is it ever too late to start again…?
Erika Forde has always played second fiddle to her husband David, the famous novelist. But since their son, Matt, left home for university, cracks have started to show in their marriage.
Erika has long had a nagging suspicion that David may not always have been faithful, and now his latest books are starting to wane in popularity causing erratic moods that are affecting Erika.
But while David’s career starts to dip, Erika’s advertising agency is on the up.
Erika’s creative genius wins the agency a huge client in Stable Denim, but her life is thrown into turmoil when one of the models cast for the campaign turns out to be her ex-boyfriend, Enzo.
Has Enzo been sent back into Erika’s life for a reason? Is it time for her to reevaluate her marriage?
Or should some things be left in the past…?
WHEN WE WERE US is a second chance love story, that shows the ups and downs of family life with buckets of humour and wit.
Purchase Links –
Author Bio
Patricia Caliskan’s latest novel, WHEN WE WERE US, will be released in February 2024.
GIRLFRIEND, INTERRUPTED, was released by Sapere Books, June 2018.
Her debut novel, AWFUL BY COMPARISON, was released in August 2016.
Told with mischievous humour, Patricia Caliskan’s stories explore family dynamics, office politics, and the divergent roles of women throughout their lives.
Patricia began her writing career as an arts and entertainment journalist, before joining Reach PLC as commercial editor across a portfolio of magazine titles.
Patricia likes a nice, flouncy scarf, a good pair of boots, and laughter. Lots of laughter. Otherwise life feels far too grown-up for her liking.
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