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Overture and Beginners
Two older men find each other when neither of them were looking.
Jimmy is an actor, short tubby and adored by millions. His career has been stellar but his private life is a disaster. After a string of relationships with younger men who always seem to leave him heartbroken, he decides that he has been hurt enough.
A love story about never giving up hope no matter how old you are.
Jimmy is an actor, short tubby and adored by millions. His career has been stellar but his private life is a disaster. After a string of relationships with younger men who always seem to leave him heartbroken, he decides that he has been hurt enough.
A love story about never giving up hope no matter how old you are.
Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2019
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Betty Valentine
15 books7 followersBetty Valentine is an author and poet.
To date she has four published novels and multiple contributions to short story anthologies.
She is an observant writer with a concise crisp style that is easy to read. Her readers appreciate a good story well told.
She creates believable and likeable characters and sets them into landscapes that are familiar. All her characters are ordinary people going about their everyday lives, but some of them have secrets.
A theme that runs through all her novels is moral dilemma and the problems associated with living a secret life. In her latest book Radcliffe Road, George, a stuttering henpecked little man living in 1950's Britain, begins a gay love affair in the garden shed.
She is a trained archivist with a background in historical research and she has an eye for detail and a feel for the past which she brings to everything she writes. This is coupled with a wry sense of humour about the ridiculous absurdities of life, which will make you smile.
Her books are suitable for 18-80 and they are very well suited to an older audience. She writes closed door romance without overly graphic descriptions of sex, but her characters like their creator have been known to swear quite a bit when the need arises.
She hopes you will enjoy her writing and leave her a lovely review
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 30, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
This is a fun and sweet story. The construction of it was a little odd, for me, however. It reads almost like a journal, with Jimmy narrating his experiences and recounting his foibles directly to the reader. There is zero effort made to describe setting or attitude, without Jimmy directly speaking about it. So, it’s really thin on those sorts of story parts. We don’t get any subtext, though Jimmy does drop foreshadowing hints from time to time. I didn’t warm to this jarring style of prose at first, especially because I often struggled to figure out who was speaking, and to whom. This was particularly troublesome when more than two people were part of the scene. I think I would have been really frustrated, honestly, except that Jimmy is an extremely lovable narrator.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
This is a fun and sweet story. The construction of it was a little odd, for me, however. It reads almost like a journal, with Jimmy narrating his experiences and recounting his foibles directly to the reader. There is zero effort made to describe setting or attitude, without Jimmy directly speaking about it. So, it’s really thin on those sorts of story parts. We don’t get any subtext, though Jimmy does drop foreshadowing hints from time to time. I didn’t warm to this jarring style of prose at first, especially because I often struggled to figure out who was speaking, and to whom. This was particularly troublesome when more than two people were part of the scene. I think I would have been really frustrated, honestly, except that Jimmy is an extremely lovable narrator.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
August 6, 2021
A charming tale of middle-aged love and the slow process of coming out and finding acceptance.
Jimmy Porter, A successful actor known in the profession as 'Allan Porter', has never had a problem with his sexuality - his problem is a series of failed relationships with younger men, usually wanting to piggy-back on his fame and success. When he hires painter and decorator Peter Clarke to freshen up the exterior of his house, the last thing he expects is a new romance.
Peter is divorced, pushing sixty, rough-and-ready, and apparently straight - what could possibly go right?
As Shakespeare reminds us, 'the road to true love never did run smooth', but along the way secrets are uncovered, crises faced, blackmailers confronted, tragedies survived and families required to adjust their expectations as Pete slowly finds the courage to come out of the closet and Jimmy dares to believe that this might actually be 'the one'. A gently paced, uplifting read.
Jimmy Porter, A successful actor known in the profession as 'Allan Porter', has never had a problem with his sexuality - his problem is a series of failed relationships with younger men, usually wanting to piggy-back on his fame and success. When he hires painter and decorator Peter Clarke to freshen up the exterior of his house, the last thing he expects is a new romance.
Peter is divorced, pushing sixty, rough-and-ready, and apparently straight - what could possibly go right?
As Shakespeare reminds us, 'the road to true love never did run smooth', but along the way secrets are uncovered, crises faced, blackmailers confronted, tragedies survived and families required to adjust their expectations as Pete slowly finds the courage to come out of the closet and Jimmy dares to believe that this might actually be 'the one'. A gently paced, uplifting read.
April 28, 2020
Another great wee read shows lifes ups and downs and the battles people live with. Authour really makes you feel part of the story and you become invested in the people and become part of there life
April 30, 2020
A different kind of love story
This is the love story of Jimmy and Pete. They mean everything to each other and almost lose it all. This is an engrossing story. It will delight you from the beginning. It is also a very easy read.
This is the love story of Jimmy and Pete. They mean everything to each other and almost lose it all. This is an engrossing story. It will delight you from the beginning. It is also a very easy read.
July 18, 2020
Brilliant
First time read by this author have to say it is a great book.
Seeing lives through different eyes, different experience, things you a relate to.
A defo must read
First time read by this author have to say it is a great book.
Seeing lives through different eyes, different experience, things you a relate to.
A defo must read
December 1, 2019
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this story. It’s not something I would normally read. But I have to stay I really enjoyed it.
When life gives you lemons make lemonade and that’s what Allen “jimmy” learned to do. After one bad relationship too many he decides enough is enough. That is until someone unexpectedly comes into his life. After a little hiccup along the way they form a beautiful friend ship .
The story is told from Jimmy’s point of view he tells it’s like he is sitting beside you reminiscing about the past. About his relationship the his manger, his significant other and just life in general. It’s a slow burn with lots of stuff that gets in the way but you know that old saying is true love conquers all.
When life gives you lemons make lemonade and that’s what Allen “jimmy” learned to do. After one bad relationship too many he decides enough is enough. That is until someone unexpectedly comes into his life. After a little hiccup along the way they form a beautiful friend ship .
The story is told from Jimmy’s point of view he tells it’s like he is sitting beside you reminiscing about the past. About his relationship the his manger, his significant other and just life in general. It’s a slow burn with lots of stuff that gets in the way but you know that old saying is true love conquers all.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews