The Do-Over by Sharon M Peterson (Tuesday Intros & Teaser Tuesday)

 

 Title: The Do-Over

Author: Sharon M Peterson

Publication: 1 August 2022

Format: Kindle eARC via NetGalley & Bookouture

Amazon Description

“Look, you’re a nice girl but I don’t think we should see each other anymore.” The voicemail ends and I freeze in the dentist’s chair as I realize… I’ve just been dumped on live radio.

It took the most humiliating break-up for me to see that my life is in serious need of a do-over. Cue my anti New Year’s resolutions that even I can’t fail at:

1. Stop dating. (Men are the worst.)
2. Stop trying to lose weight. (I’m never giving up chocolate.)
3. Stop working so hard. (Selling mortgages is not my dream career.)
4. Stop trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. (Start living my best life.)
5. Stop trying to please my mother. (It’s not possible.)

But it turns out number five is harder than I thought, as she begins her campaign to get me back with my ex. So, what’s the perfect solution to keep her out of my love life? An imaginary boyfriend—at least he was supposed to be imaginary until I blurted out my neighbor’s name…

Nate, the bad boy next door with gorgeous hazel eyes, a razor-sharp jawline and a mysterious scar, might be hot, but he’s definitely not my boyfriend. Now all I need to do is stick to my resolutions while also keeping my interfering family away from my non-existent lover who has no idea that we’re fake dating. What could possibly go wrong?

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

I am absolutely blown away by the debut novel by Sharon M Peterson and I'm so very grateful to Bookouture for not only giving her a deal (which I am hoping is a great big one with a lot more to come), but for letting me read it prior to release via NetGalley.

It's a rom-com in the best sense of the phrase. There is a lot of coffee-spurting-through-the-nose "com" (I so want to be like Perci's grandmother when I grow up), and a sweet little swoony "rom" ... but the greatest "rom" of all is the self-rom Perci finds. 

It was difficult to pick the Teaser part of today's post. My notebook is full of quotes, my ebook is full of highlights, and I am most definitely full of awe. Each chapter starts with a "Mimi-ism" -- words of wisdom from Perci's grandmother -- and each one is worthy of a teaser post all of their own. Rather than do that, though, here are some of my favorites and the rest you will just have to read for yourself when you buy this book:

• "One day, you'll need to be the bigger person. Eat all the cake you can no to prepare yourself."
• "Always choose kindness. Unless the other person's a jackass. Then all bets are off."
• "Hell hath no fury like a woman who is pissed off at her man."
• "Drinkin' your sorrows away only works till the beer runs out."
• "All a woman needs is a man who treats her like an angel and kisses like the Devil." 
• "An ending is just the beginning of something new." 

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"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is from the first paragraph or two of a book being read now (or in the future) and is hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews. 

"Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.