I’m excited to reveal the cover for my next novel, Five French Hens, which is available from December 10^th. It’s a story about people seeking fulfilment and it shows that sometimes life’s routine appears fine until you move away from it and take a look from a different angle.It is a novel about celebrating life, having fun, being resilient and unafraid of embracing change.

The plot concerns Jen, who is a widow. She meets Eddie, a widower, when walking alone on Exmouth beach on Boxing Day and they strike up a conversation. A friendship develops; they meet regularly and find they have much in common. In many ways, they are the ideal couple; they look good together, they enjoy each other’s company and they both know that living with each other would fill a hole in their lives so, when Eddie proposes to Jen on Valentines’ Day, she accepts and a date is set for an early spring wedding.

Her four friends from aqua aerobics are surprised at the news of Jen’s sudden engagement but they are all delighted for her and so, when Eddie announces that he will go to Las Vegas with his son for his stag party, the friends convince Jen to have her ‘hen do’ in Paris.

Jen’s four friends have very different lives. Tess is full of fun, but unhappily married. Della is happily married, wise and caring but with a mischievous streak. Pam is independent and happy living alone, although she has her adorable spaniel Elvis for company. Rose is a lonely and somewhat under-confident widow who teaches piano lessons to uninspired children and hates it. The unlikely group of friends embark on the hen party to Paris with the intention of enjoying themselves, but they have no idea how the trip will develop or how it will affect the rest of their lives.

Paris brings glamour, mischief and excitement: galleries, casinos, clubs, restaurants, shopping, and the five friends have a whale of a time. The women hit Paris and they are outrageous, romantic, funny and the events that occur make them rethink the course of their lives. But it is a very different group of women who return home several days later and, of course, when they arrive back in England, much has changed for each of them.

I hope readers will find Five French Hens hilarious, poignant, but with a strong sense that life is out there for the taking and, no matter what your age, you can try to find another chance at happiness.

For more information, go to https://www.boldwoodbooks.com/contributor/judy-leigh/