Hearts and Diners (Extract post) by Joseph Reilly

From Goodreads

"Relationships, both brutal and redemptive, are at the heart of Reilly’s debut. The author shows a good grasp of why people make the same mistakes over and over, and of the intense, fragile pleasure when a long-nursed desire is finally fulfilled." -- Kirkus Review

Heather Sand has always given 100% at doing the right thing; from being the perfect big sister to the girlfriend who wears a loving heart on both sleeves. After the passing of her father, a measuring stick for perfect, she’s met with the not so unexpected—a cheating boyfriend. Plucked from a wholesome little world into the abyss of a cold reality, Heather comes face to face with a man who wears confidence like cologne with tattoos to decorate his charisma. For the first time in her life she discovers in herself a deep shallowness laced with jealousy, lust, neediness and passion. With the closest one’s pleading that she has embraced a darkness that is her new found love, she learns that she must also be the angel on the shoulder to her mother, who only after six months of losing her husband has found “love” online. Struggling with that revelation while dealing with her own rocky relationship, Heather decides to do some snooping and just as she feared: her mother’s new romantic interest is bad news. The dilemma-- Will Heather fend off her unrelenting inner demons or will she embrace the insecure love that makes her happy?

"It's a book for anyone who's been blinded by love or fascinated by those who are; for the ones who get told to leave their relationship, and even the ones who are doing the telling." -- Author Joseph Reilly

My input

My thanks to Emma of Damppebbles Blog Tours for the opportunity to take part on the Blog tour of this book. I was hoping to be able to read and review it in time, however life has got in the way. As a result of not being able to review in time to take part, please find below an extract from the book.

Extract from the Book

BITE THE TONGUE

   Heather drove fast. Her little car weaved in and out of traffic and tempted the yellow lights. She needed to talk to someone and although she didn’t do that often, Nicole was the one that she could squeeze a little bit of emotion out to.

I hate her. How dare she? Five months. The hell is Leah going to think? I need to calm down. Maybe she hasn’t met anyone.

The red and blue lights sprinkled across her rearview mirror. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. She pulled over and took out her license and registration, slamming the glove compartment shut. The officer was already at the window. She could see his slick black hair and sunglasses peering in at her.

“You are aware of speed limits correct? Do you know how fast you were going?”

“I’m really sorry officer, really. I’m just upset and my mind wandered. I’m being completely honest with you. I wasn’t paying attention. I’m sorry. Here’s my stuff.” She quickly handed him her identification in a messy pile.

“Whose dog is this?”

 For a second Heather thought he was insulting her but then realized a picture of Max was shuffled into her papers; it gave her an idea.

“Mine, I just had to put him down.”

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry to hear that, what happened to the pup?”

The fuck is wrong with this cop? “He got into a bottle of bleach.” I’m sorry Max, forgive me please I don’t want to get a ticket.

“I know what it’s like to lose a dog, had to put down Cheddar two years ago…”

Heather rolled her eyes.

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“I just met the weirdest fucking cop. I wish you had been there, he showed me pictures of his dead dog.” Heather walked into Nicole’s house, the spiral staircase and chandelier never failed to grab her attention. Along the staircase pictures of Nicole’s family regrettably made Heather long for the happy one she once had.

“Why were you talking to a cop, you got pulled over? Should have just called me.”

“And what, have your dad get me out of it? Attorneys aren’t magical Nicole.”

“My dad loves to push around cops and loves you. So yeah, next time call me. What happened though that made you unreachable for the rest of the night?”

Heather plopped down on the couch and took a handful of pistachios from the bowl on the table.

“My mom joined a dating website. I saw it on her laptop. The bitch said she’s lonely.” Heather cracked some shells.

“That’s sketchy, I mean, she must be craving someone to like hold her and stuff I guess, I don’t know.”

“Fuck outta here, those days are over for now. At least wait like ten years. Please don’t tell me you’re sympathizing.”

“It’s hard to not be around Jack sometimes, I couldn’t imagine being with him for twenty years and then him dying. Your dad was a war hero, to lose him in a car crash when he was supposed to come home from a movie is a kick in the teeth.”

Heather’s phone rang on the table. Her heart began to race. It was very rare that her mother or Leah called her, with Nicole sitting next to her it could only leave him; the guy from the diner. What do I say? What if my voice sounds squeaky?

“Are you going to get that? Why is your ringtone the Jersey Boys, have I heard that before?”

Heather grabbed her phone, almost letting it slip through her shaking hand, spilling the pistachios off her lap in the process. The phone read Leah. Both Heather’s shoulders fell.

“Hey what’s up?”

“Thank you for the crackers.”

 Heather’s shoulders perked back up, her sister was so cute sometimes. It made her realize what was really important; making sure that she was okay.

“Awww you didn’t have to call me for that, I know you like Goldfish. What are you doing?” Although she had been but a mile away, she missed Leah as if she were overseas. Despite that, the situation with her mom made her feel a lot closer to Leah.

“Mom went grocery shopping and I’m home alone bored.” 

    “Ummm, she left you alone?” 

“Yeah, she said that she didn’t want to bother you and that you were in a mood.”

Nicole must have taken note of how angry Heather was. Maybe it was that thing she did with her mouth where it tensed between each word, because now she was rubbing her shoulder. “Relax.”

“Okay, I’m coming home. I’m at Nicole’s, I shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes Okay?”

“Yeah, my trainer gave me Candy land, it’s a board game. Can we play it when you get here?”

“Yeah anything you want Leah. I’ll see you soon.”  Heather hung up the phone and picked up the pistachios. “Sorry.”

“Are you alright?” Nicole tilted her face, probably knowing the answer already.

“I’m fine yeah.” I’m going to beat the living shit out of this woman, leave my sister home alone, Is she being spiteful? That bitch, I hate her so much. “I’m going to get going, thanks for listening.”

“Anytime Heather, you’re my best friend. Just please relax.”

“I’m fine.”

Final thoughts

The above has whetted my appetite for this story and in the words of the Terminator 'I will be back!'. Well I think that's what he says. Keep your eyes peeled on my blog as I will post a review of the story when I have finished it.