by Sue Watson
As the registrar says, ‘You may kiss the bride,’ I’m swept up into Dan’s arms arriving finally at my destination, after our long, rocky road to here. We’ve travelled continents to be with each other, we spent a year apart and against all the odds we’re finally together forever.
Marrying Dan is my second chance, and this time I’m not settling for anything less than the best, it has to be perfect. There will be ups and downs as there are in life, but together we’ll get through them. And as we eat the lemon myrtle cake he baked for our wedding, and toast the bride, he tells everyone that he loves me, he’s always loved me, and he always will. And I glow, bathed in his sunshine, under the purple jacaranda tree eating lemon wedding cake, this is my happy ending.
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Want to read another hilarious romantic comedy from Sue Watson? Ella’s Ice Cream Summer is guaranteed to scoop you off your feet.
Available now!
Ella’s Ice Cream Summer
The Ice-Cream Cafe Series Book 1
Ella’s life just hit rock-bottom, but can a summer by the sea mend her broken heart? When life gives you lemons… make ice-cream!
Available now…
Life hasn’t always been easy for single mum Ella, but she has just hit an all-time low; she’s jobless, loveless, very nearly homeless and, to make matters worse, now the owner of a pocket-sized pooch with a better wardrobe than her.
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Packing her bags (and a bigger one for the dog), Ella sets off for the seaside town of Appledore in Devon to re-live the magical summers of her youth and claim her portion of the family ice-cream business: a clapped-out ice-cream van and a complicated mess of secrets.
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There she meets gorgeous and free-spirited solicitor, Ben, who sees things differently: with a little bit of TLC he has a plan to get the van – and Ella – back up and running in no time.
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Ella’s Ice-Cream Summer is a heartwarming and hilarious romance that will scoop you off your feet and prove it’s never too late for a fresh start. The ideal holiday read for fans of Lucy Diamond, Abby Clements and Debbie Johnson.
A Letter From Sue
Thank you so much for reading Love, Lies and Wedding Cake. I loved spending time with Faye and Dan again – I hope you did too!
If you did enjoy it, and want to keep up-to-date with all my latest releases, just sign up at the following link. I promise I won’t share your email address with anyone, and I’ll only send you an email when I have a new book out.
Sign up here!
Thanks also to those wonderful readers who made Love, Lies and Lemon Cake a bestseller. So many of you have been in touch to say how much Faye’s living list inspired you. From jumping out of planes to going on dates after divorce to learning to dive, you’ve amazed yourselves and everyone else. You rock! And I hope this new book pushes you even further. Just remember Sue’s famous words (stolen from Pinterest): the greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live. So just keep on keeping on, ladies!
I too will keep on keeping on writing as long as you want to read my books and I really hope you enjoyed this one enough to write a review. Reviews make a huge difference in helping other people find my books and I am grateful for every single one.
Meanwhile, I’d love to see you on Facebook, become a friend, like my page and please join me for a chat on Twitter. I’d love to know about your own living lists – and your wedding cakes too!
And don’t forget, if you want to taste a little more of that Aussie sunshine, I’ve included Dan’s recipe for lemon cake, just like his mum used to make.
So thanks again for reading, and until we ‘meet’ again, I’ll leave you with Mandy’s profound advice: ‘Life’s short – get a vajazzle!’
www.suewatsonbooks.com
Also by Sue Watson
The Love and Lies Series:
Love, Lies and Lemon Cake
Love, Lies and Wedding Cake
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The Ice-Cream Cafe Series:
Curves, Kisses and Chocolate Ice-Cream
Ella’s Ice Cream Summer
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Bella’s Christmas Bake Off
Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances
Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake
Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams
The Christmas Cake Cafe
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Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes
Younger Thinner Blonder
Dan and Faye’s Lemon Myrtle Wedding Cake
Here is Dan’s wonderful cake recipe, and you don’t have to be getting married to bake it!
For the wedding, Dan made five cakes, placed them at different heights along the wedding table, and scattered them with fresh pink rose petals.
Lemon myrtle is native to Australia (like Dan!) and used in sweet and savoury recipes, but if you don’t have any, don’t worry – it’s optional in this recipe. Just remember to always add an extra sprinkle of love though!
Ingredients
175 g/6 oz softened butter
175 g/6 oz caster (superfine) sugar
3 eggs, beaten
175 g self-raising flour (if you’re in the US, use 6 oz all-purpose flour with 2 tsp of baking powder)
2 lemons
2 tsp lemon myrtle (optional)
For the icing
200 g/7 oz softened butter
400 g/14 oz icing (confectioner’s) sugar
1 lemon
1 tsp lemon myrtle (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease two 20 cm/8-inch round sandwich tins and line with greaseproof paper.
Now put the butter and sugar in a bowl and cream together until thick and pale, then add the 3 beaten eggs. Next, sift in the flour and add slowly, then grate the zest from the 2 lemons, squeeze 1 tbsp lemon juice and add this, along with the (optional) lemon myrtle.
Beat for about 2 minutes, until everything is combined and the mixture is light and fluffy. Spoon into the 2 tins, spread level and bake for 30-35 minutes or until firm and golden. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack, then leave until completely cooled.
For the icing, beat the softened butter with the icing sugar until light and fluffy, and squeeze 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp (optional) lemon myrtle into the mixture.
Once the cakes are cooled, spread the icing over the top of each cake using a palette knife. Sandwich together and then using the remainder of the mixture, cover the cake. For their wedding, Dan scattered the cake with fresh rose petals, but tiny pansies or any other edible flowers look pretty and delicious!
Love, Lies and Lemon Cake
Faye Dobson has lost her sparkle. Living on film star fantasies and vague memories of a marriage that once was, she can’t help feeling that life is passing her by. She dreams of being whisked to Paris for dinner, making three wishes at the Trevi fountain and having sex under the stars. But the wrinkles are multiplying, her husband’s passion is for plumbing, and the nearest she’ll get to Rome is a takeaway pizza.
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So when Faye meets Dan the gorgeous Australian surfer guy working in the local deli she can’t help but wonder what it would be like to see the world. He is blonde, tanned, ten years younger and bakes the most amazing lemon cake. Unlike her husband, Dan actually listens to Faye, his smile makes her feel fizzy inside, and when he smiles… Oh. My. God.
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But is Faye being silly? What would Dan see in someone like her? Even if he did have feelings for her, could she give everything up to be with him?
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A laugh-out-loud, bittersweet comedy about taking your life back before it’s too late.
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View Love, Lies and Lemon Cake
Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances
Get it here!
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Escape to Devon for blustery walks along the beach, hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and proof that miracles really do happen, especially at
Christmas.
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A year after she separated from her husband, Gianni, on Christmas Day, Chloe’s heart is still in pieces as she unpacks the decorations for her first ever festive holiday alone. That is, until the phone rings…
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It seems Gianni’s new seaside restaurant is in trouble and Chloe must go to Appledore to save the business – and him. Equally famous for his experimental culinary extravaganzas and his explosive temper, Gianni has been really stirring up a sensation with the locals – and not in a good way!
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As pans fly and the temperature in the kitchen rises, Chloe’s calming influence and magic touch might just get critics back on side in time to save the restaurant from sinking like a sad soufflé. But will it be enough to save their marriage?
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Chloe came to Appledore in search of her Christmas sparkle, but when the snow clears, will she finally find the way back to her husband’s heart?
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Order now…
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A laugh-out-loud festive treat that will give you the tingle of freshly-hung tinsel. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Abby Clements and Debbie Johnson.
Curves, Kisses and Chocolate Ice-Cream
The Ice-Cream Cafe Series Book 2
Order it here!
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Dani’s on a mission to get her life back on track by the end of the Summer. Running, rowing, aerobics and more, but perhaps all she needs are sweet treats and a second chance?
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Twenty years ago, Dani fled Appledore with a broken-heart and a suitcase full of shattered dreams. Only now is she brave enough to put her past behind her and return for a summer selling homemade ice-cream and getting fit by doing sit-ups by the sea.
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But the new-look cafe is filled with old memories of Jude, her teenage sweetheart-turned-sour. She thinks of him every time she swirls warm sauce onto a “chocolate-bockaglory” and even with the help of Chris, her gorgeous personal trainer, the urge to break her diet is everywhere she turns.
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When Jude makes an appearance at the cafe on the eve of Dani’s birthday party, history threatens to repeat itself. Is Dani strong enough to say no? And is the love she’s been longing for much closer than she thinks?
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Get it now.
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A truly delicious, laugh out loud beach read that’s guaranteed to melt your heart. Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond, Jenny Colgan and Debbie Johnson.
Bella’s Christmas Bake Off
Two best friends. One big lie. The best bake off EVER.
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Bella Bradley is the queen of television baking – a national treasure. Her Christmas specials have been topping the ratings for years and her marriage to Peter ‘Silver Fox’ Bradley is the stuff of Hellomagazine specials.
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But this year things are going to be different.
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For Amy Lane, Bella’s best friend from school, life hasn’t held quite the same sparkle. And when Amy’s husband walks out three weeks from Christmas, it seems their lives are further apart than ever.
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Amy has watched Bella’s rise to fame fondly, despite the fact Bella was always a terrible cook. But when she realises that Bella’s latest Christmas book is made up entirely of Amy’s mother’s recipes, the gloves are off…
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After winning a competition to appear on Bella’s TV show, Amy is going to make sure that for Bella and her viewers, this will definitely be a Christmas to remember…
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A hilarious, heartbreaking and feel good read about best friends, baking and the magic of Christmas.
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Buy now!
The Christmas Cake Cafe
A brilliantly funny feel good Christmas read
Heartwarming and hilarious, a story that will make you laugh, cry and bring a smile to your face. Get ready for another deliciously amazing Christmas treat from Sue Watson….
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Available here!
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As the Prosecco chills and Bing Crosby croons, Jen Barker just knows that her long-term boyfriend is about to propose. But instead of a diamond ring nestled in her champagne flute, Jen finds cold flat rejection. Her once perfect life and dreams of a husband and family seem even further from reach.
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A working holiday to the Swiss Alps with her younger sister Jody might not be the Christmas Jen had it mind, but it offers her the chance to recharge her batteries and recover from heartbreak.
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When Jen meets handsome ski instructor Jon Zutter her hopes for a happy-ever-after seem within her grasp again. Jon is kind and gorgeous and as they bond over Sachetorte at the picturesque Cake Café, Jen thinks he might just be her perfect man. But a relationship with him comes with a catch – and there are some things even cake can’t fix.
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As the snow falls and Christmas approaches, could this be the place that restores Jen Barker’s faith in love?
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Get it here!
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What people are saying about Sue Watson:
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‘At one point I choked on my coffee I was laughing so much! … with characters you really care about Sue Watson has written a book that will keep you captivated until the very last page. The Book Review Café
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‘Oh guys, this book wowed me totally! … It’s going to warm your heart, break your heart as well, and make you laugh. It’s a perfect mix of every feeling possible. It’s a compelling, captivating, optimistic read and I highly recommend it!’ On My Bookshelf
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‘A magical, sparkling Christmas story about learning to forgive and move on with life when things turn sour. Filled with festive sweets, sarcastic wit and real-life issues, Snow Angels, Secrets & Christmas Cake is sure to warm your heart, make you laugh and encourage you to think about what’s truly important in your life. Life With Joy
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‘The story is just wonderful … It truly is heartwarming and hilarious, but also connected with serious issues … It’s a magnificent Christmassy story.’ Liina Reads
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‘This book is a delight, perfect for curling up with a glass of wine and a bar of chocolate or cupcake in hand. This was a fabulous, humorous, easy read which I devoured in two sittings.’ Shaz’s Book Blog
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‘Sue Watson did it again! Every single word in her stories is sweetened with chocolate, vanilla and cupcakes and there is no way you’ll feel down after reading them … perfect Christmas read, just to curl by the fire, grab a cup of hot chocolate and mince pie and enjoy … Totally recommended!’ Chick Library Cat
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‘Heartfelt and warm, and perfect for the holiday season. Highly recommended.’ Any Good Book
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‘I never thought I’d laugh and cry as much as I did while reading this book. I wish I could give it 10 stars! I loved this story and hope others do too.’ The Final Chapter
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‘I genuinely laughed out loud reading Bella’s Christmas Bake Off. It was a lovely, relaxing read, and one that really cheered me up. It has the perfect recipe of laughter, happiness and a little romance thrown in… I absolutely loved this book, it is a fab Christmas read and I highly recommend it. I give Bella’s Christmas Bake Off 5 Stars.’ Tea Lady Mumbles
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‘This does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s funny and heartwarming, sad and heat-breaking, all at the same time.’ Claire Loves to Read
Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams
A hilariously funny, uplifting romantic comedy
A laugh-out-loud, uplifting comedy about finding the courage to be yourself, the importance of dreams, and learning to grab life by the glitter balls.
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Get it here…
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Dance like nobody’s watching. Love like you’ll never get hurt…
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<
br /> Laura Watkin’s heart isn’t broken, she’s just forgotten how to use it.
After years on her own, the highlight of single mum Laura’s week is watching Strictly Come Dancing with a glass of Pinot Grigio and a large helping of imagination.
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With her daughter Sophie going travelling, Laura knows the time is right to do something for herself for a change. One disastrous Zumba class later and Laura ends up at the feet (literally) of gorgeous dance instructor Tony Hernandez.
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A natural dancer and inspiring teacher, Tony rekindles in Laura a passion she inherited from her ballroom dancer father – and with it comes a dream… to make him proud.
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But when Tony enters them to perform at the National Dance Festival, can Laura’s new-found confidence survive the test? And with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn Flamenco in Spain, could Laura truly learn to dance like nobody’s watching… and love like she’ll never get hurt?
Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake
Available now!
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A truly heartwarming and hilarious read about sisters, love and finding the courage to be yourself – one snowflake at a time.
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For Tamsin Angel, Christmas is always the biggest and best… chic parties and a little showbiz sparkle are a must. This year though, things aren’t going quite as planned…
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With bailiffs suddenly at the door and her husband nowhere to be found, it looks like Christmas just got downsized. Moving into her sister’s flat, she wonders whether things will ever be the same again.
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After losing her husband on Christmas Eve, Sam Angel has rebuilt her life around her son Jacob and her new business – The White Angel Bakery. She’s also found herself a very handsome, loving boyfriend, but is struggling to let go of the past.
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Thrown together with a sprinkle of Christmas magic, Sam and Tamsin might just learn a little more about each other – and themselves. But when disaster strikes at the bakery, will they be able to save the day in time for Christmas?
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Order it here…
Acknowledgements
This story has been a labour of love, and writing about weddings is almost as much fun as having one. And like all bridezillas, I had my faithful team by me every step of the way, guiding me down the aisle and helping Faye and Dan achieve their dreams against all the odds.