"Ah, Dublin. There's just something so romantic about this city." Lyn says as the hostesses walk along the River Liffey in the city centre.
"I hear Dublin is particularly stunning at night," LaVerne adds. "With the lights over Dublin bay; and the bridge over the river all lit up, it's the perfect setting for a romance."
"The scenery is gorgeous, but these Irish men with their sexy brogues are to die for," Lilly says as they walk past two men who are deep in conversation.
Mac nods her agreement. "I know. And Derry Cullinane, the hero in Sharon's book
Going Against Type is Irish. So, I bet he sounds just as sexy."
"Aye, but he's takin',"Mary says, trying her best to sound Irish. Lyn and LaVerne groan.
"Please!" LaVerne says. "You Americans can barely fake a British accent. Don't even try an Irish accent."
"You got to admit; an Irish accent is sexy," Lilly says.
"Not coming out of Mary, " LaVerne says, laughing.
"I love Irish music," Lyn says as they turn the corner. "It's so lively; you can't help tapping your toes."
"It's definitely fun music," LaVerne agrees as they approach a bar.
"Is this the place?" Mac asks. "It's got to be. It's huge."
Lyn confers with her phone before glancing up at the large, brick building trimmed in bright red. "Yes it is. And what better place to have a party just three short days after St. Patrick's Day than at an Irish Pub in Dublin?"
"Aye, and we are going to a ceilidh for a wee bit 'o Jameson and a meejum of ale," Mary says in a thick brogue that makes the other hostesses cringe.
"Stop it!" Lyn, LaVerne, and Mac squeal.
Lilly giggles. "You crack me up, Mary."
"That's an awful accent," Mac says.
"And you sound kind of manly when you talk like that," LaVerne adds.
Lilly snorts, looks at Mary, and says, "Manly yes, but I like it too."
The hostess are all laughing when they enter the pub. Oliver meets them at the door with a tray filled with Guinness on tap and shots of Jamesons.
LaVerne and Mac reach for a shot. Lilly drops her shot in a tall glass of Guinness and shouts, "Boiler maker!"
Lyn shakes her head and laughs indulgently. "It's going to be a short night for you if you don't pace yourself, Lilly."
"Oh, but everything looks so good. The food. The drink."
"The men." Mac adds as she spies the guest of honor, Sharon, with Charlie and Derry, the heroine and hero from her book. "Derry is definitely my idea of tall, dark, and Irish."
"He's definitely a hunk," LaVerne agrees. "Maybe he can introduce us to some of these yummy Irish dishes, like the coddle."
"Ick! It sounds nasty," Lilly says, turning up her nose.
"I hear it's delicious," Mac says. "But I want to try the Stew and Bacon & Colcannon."
"Can't go wrong with bacon," Mary agrees.
LaVerne smacks her lips. "How about a Bailey's marble cheescake?"
"And Irish coffee," Lilly adds as Sharon, Charlie, and Derry approach.
"Everyone grab a drink," Mary says.
Lyn nods. "We have Guinness, Irish whiskey and Irish mineral water, Ballygowan."
"And Jameson," Lilly adds.
"To Sharon," Mac says.
LaVerne smiles. "To Charlie and Derry."
Lyn holds her glass high.
"May your neighbors respect you,
Troubles neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you."
GOING AGAINST TYPE: BLURB
Some would say Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Regan has it all. Beautiful, smart, athletic and a great job working as a journalist – in the almost exclusively male sports department. But Charlotte is not quite as sure as she seems. Recently split from her overbearing boyfriend, she escapes for weekends, surfing in the Atlantic, and spends her free nights watching sports, roaring at the TV.
Derry Cullinane is a fashion writer, gossip columnist and sophisticated man-about-town. The go-to guy for any woman seeking expert advice on what fabulous outfit to wear for any given occasion. He’s also tall, dark, good looking – and straight! So what’s the snag? He has a track record of dating glamorous, vain and shallow women.
Charlie gets an opportunity to write a new column under the pen name Side Swipe, but is soon drawn into a war of words and wit with a rival paper’s columnist The Squire – and their verbal fireworks get readers and editors talking. Yet neither Charlie nor Derry knows just whom the opponent is...
When Charlotte and Derry meet at the Races, the attraction is instant. As their relationship develops, so much more proves at stake, than protecting their alter egos. But a blunder puts Charlotte’s job in jeopardy just as Derry’s past makes front page, and Charlotte begins to doubt her feelings.
When Side Swipe and The Squire are finally forced to reveal themselves, will they revert to type – or confound everyone’s expectations?
EXCERPT
Charlotte glanced quickly about, hoping to engage with the other women, but to her frustration she
found they'd drifted away. Leaving her with this egotistical...
'So as an experiment, do you think we'll work? Derry said, interrupting her thoughts.
‘Um, will what work?’
He shot her an arrogant smile.
‘Fiona’s matchmaking attempts. Either Cupid will be on target or we’ll end up throwing bread rolls at each other.’
Charlotte gritted her teeth.
‘I’m a crack shot with a bread roll.’ This guy was definitely making fun of her. What had Fiona been thinking? She’d kill her. She forced a polite smile.
‘You’re a journalist?’
He grinned wickedly, as if well aware of her struggle to be civil.
‘The Irish People. I’m a fashion writer.’
Charlotte hid her surprise. ‘I really only read the sports section. That sleaze The Squire put me off the whole paper. He had a go at a friend of mine, Miranda Greene.’
Derry frowned.
‘The socialite? She’s a friend of yours?’
‘We were in college together. The Squire wrecked her marriage. She and her husband were
trying to put a bad patch behind them and make things work. The Squire milked that model’s revelations for weeks.’ Charlotte stopped suddenly. ‘You probably know The Squire?’
‘Not at all,’ Derry said, taking a sip of wine. ‘They don’t tell us who writes that. That’s a beautiful dress, it’s a Louise Kennedy, right?’
Charlotte glanced down at the dress. Dammit, she sounded like rent-a-rant. No wonder the guy was keen to change the subject.
You can find Going Against Type at tirpub.com/gatype.
SHARON BLACK grew up in Dublin. She studied history and politics at University College Dublin and then did post-graduate in journalism at Dublin City University.
She has worked for national newspapers, including The Evening Herald and The Irish Examiner.
She had short stories published in U Magazine and won the 2010 Dromineer Literary Festival short story competition.
When she is not writing, she reads, walks and sees friends. She co-founded a local book club 14 years ago. She loves theatre, old Hollywood films, science fiction and good stand-up comedy.
She lives in Sandymount, Dublin, with her husband and their three children.
***GIVEAWAY***
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