Blog Tour: 'The Trouble with Words' by Suzie Tullett

Promises are easy to make but hard to keep. 
Having long made a promise to her husband, young widow Annabel has no intentions of breaking it. What she does plan to do, though, is have a baby. Not the easiest of tasks for a woman with a deceased other half, and having explored all her options, her only choice is to take the unconventional route. Setting out to find her own donor, Annabel meets Dan. Single, fun-loving and definitely not looking for commitment, this unruly blonde, blue-eyed man seems perfect for the job. 
Dan wants nothing more than to find his dream woman. But with a mother intent on sabotaging his every relationship, he can't help but think he's destined to remain single. Of course, he knows his mother doesn't really want him all for herself, why else would she keep insisting he meet Maeve? Why else would she insist Dan promise to find himself a wife before she meets her maker? 
Forced to negotiate matters of love, life and death, Annabel and Dan seem the answer to each other's prayers. But will they really be able to keep the promises they made? And is having a baby really the answer?
Today I'm excited to be a part of the blog tour for Suzie Tullett's latest release 'The Trouble with Words', which was published by Safkhet Publishing on October 1st. I was contacted directly by Safkhet Publishing about the blog tour and I straight away thought the book sounded quite promising. Taking part in the tour would provide me the chance to work together with a new publisher, a new author and discover a new, hopefully good, read, so enough reasons to say 'yes'! I also had the chance of doing a short author interview with Suzie Tullett, so be sure to scroll down to read a bit more about her novel, her own favourite books and her future plans as an author!
Annabel was lucky enough to find the love of her life in the form of her husband Tom. Yet, all the big plans they had for their life together were rudely interrupted when Tom is involved in a car crash and Annabel unexpectedly becomes a young widow. Now, years later, Annabel thinks she's ready to move on. Not with another man, because she wants to keep the promise she once made to Tom, but to have a baby. On her search for the right man to be a donor, she bumps into Dan, who is attractive, friendly, and willing to help Annabel while he's on his search to find his dream woman. Annabel and Dan seem to have a deal, but as other things come in the way, both of them start to have doubts: is having a baby really the answer and might there perhaps be more to this than just a basic agreement...?
Suzie Tullett has created a thoroughly enjoyable novel with 'The Trouble with Words', which has a story at its centre that really warmed my heart. While the basic plotline is not particularly original (single woman looking for a sperm donor to have a child she plans on raising by herself, friends and family do not think it's a good idea), the author gave it her own twist and turned it into something that held my attention and made me want to read on and find out more. One of the absolute strengths of the novel is the combination of the two main characters, Annabel and Dan. The story is told from both their perspectives, resulting in two complementing storylines. Annabel has been through a lot and I just instantly liked her. Dan finds himself in a challenging situation together with his mother, and I just loved both Dan and his mum; they were great characters. 
The author's writing style was comfortable to read; well-paced and the novel wasn't too long (in print roughly 192 pages), resulting in a relatively quick read for me. There was a lot of description in the story; more description than dialogue, I felt, but after getting used to it I really enjoyed it and also think it fitted the story. I'm really glad I got the chance to discover Susie Tullett's writing and already look forward to seeing what she will come up with next. Overall, 'The Trouble with Words' is a heart-warming, quick, and simply lovely read about love, family, and finding happiness; I really enjoyed it!

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Author Interview with Suzie Tullett!

Can you tell us something about your novel, ‘The Trouble with Words’?

This is my third novel – a story about two people dealing with loss, whilst at the same time trying to look to the future. Annabel and Dan don’t know each other, however, thanks to circumstance and a couple of promises, their paths do cross. We follow their journey as they try to negotiate matters of love, life and death. Needless to say, it’s a book filled with laugh out loud highs and tear inducing lows. And because I’m a sucker for a happy ending, it’s got one of those too.

Where did you get the inspiration for your novel? Is it in any way based 

on your own experiences?

I’m pleased to say the Tullett family has expanded in the last couple of years and becoming a Grandmother (I know, I know, I’m way too young) got me thinking about parenthood and family dynamics in general. Our roles, how we interact, the expectations we place on one and other, things that ultimately led me to think about the promises we make – some of them realistic, some of them not. Although not based on personal experience, these are the seeds that grew into The Trouble with Words.

Can you tell us a bit more about the main character, Annabel?

Annabel is a young widow who’s finally ready to move forward in life – just not in the way everyone expects. She knows raising a child is difficult enough when there are two parents involved and having done her homework, her decision to become a single mother isn’t one she’s makes lightly. Putting her motherhood plan into action, her friends and family are understandably concerned, they think she’s still fragile. It’s a theory that’s tested when Annabel meets Dan, a man about to embark on his own personal trauma. A trauma that could either drag Annabel kicking and screaming one hundred per cent into the future, or send her hurtling back into the past.

Can you also tell us a bit more about the cast of supporting characters in the novel? Which character did you most enjoy writing?

I love the supporting cast as much as I do Annabel. From her sister, Rebecca, with her controlling ways, to her friend, Katie, and her inability to commit, it’s like they each have their own story to tell. Who knows, maybe one day they will have a book of their own too.

As for the gorgeous Dan and his eccentric mother, Gerry, I don’t know if it’s because I’m a mother of sons myself, but I loved writing about their relationship. The two of them share such a strong bond and Gerry’s outlook on life is so positive, even in the most difficult of circumstances she manages to focus on what really matters.

Did you do any particular research for parts of the book?

When it came to writing The Trouble with Words, my research included the need to delve into personal history. Without wanting to give anything away, some people shared some pretty sad stories with me and I’m both thankful and grateful to those who willingly re-lived their experiences. That’s not always an easy thing to do.

Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans? Are you perhaps already working on a next novel?

I’m excited to say that, yes, I am working on the next novel. Another romantic comedy, this one set in France. We moved here a couple of years ago and with such a wonderful culture to draw upon, you can imagine how much fun I’m having, especially when it comes to research. 

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

I’d say read lots and across all genres, learn your craft, and definitely don’t give up. 

What is the last book you read that you’d like to recommend to others?

There are so many books I could recommend here, but if I had to choose just one I think it would be The Artist by Angelo Marcos. It’s a story of murder, mystery and intrigue, even though there’s never a Policeman on the page. Told from the points of view of the victims and the murderer, the ending really surprised me.

Which book could you not live without?

A copy of Jane Eyre that my husband bought for me. 

And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘The Trouble with Words’ in just three words, which words would you pick?

Description wise, I say ‘an emotional rollercoaster’. But if you were to ask me what The Trouble with words represents, I’d say ‘live, laugh, love’.

Thanks so much, Suzie!