Book Extract: Keeping up with the Kershaws by Helen Buckley

A lovely big welcome back to Helen Buckley. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, Keeping up with the Kershaws.

What do you do when your life becomes more dramatic than reality TV?

As the devoted carer for famous antique expert Harold Kershaw, Karrie Morgan was always happy to keep a professional distance from his four spoilt grown-up children, who rarely made time for their father.

But then a surprise involving Harold’s Will means Karrie is flung headlong into a press scandal, and into the chaotic world of the surviving Kershaws.

With the support of her trusted childhood friend Andrew, mild-mannered Karrie must face down ruthless ice queen Portia, master manipulator Gabriel, Botox fanatic Arabella, and ladies’ man Rafe, star of reality TV show Raised in Richmond … although perhaps not as fake and flashy as he initially seems?

As vicious rumours circulate and Karrie’s past comes back to haunt her, she struggles to know who to trust. Can she keep up with the Kershaws’ schemes?

Helen has shared an extract from Keeping up with the Kershaws with Novel Kicks today. We hope you enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

In this extract, Karrie is about to face the fury of the four Kershaw siblings, who have found out that she has inherited their father’s millions.

Karrie shuddered with nerves as she paused outside the library, wondering if this was all just some awful nightmare that perhaps she would wake up from. She blinked hard and pinched her hand just to make sure, but she didn’t wake up. It was real and this was really happening, as much as she wished it weren’t. She took a breath, squared her shoulders, and pushed open the door.

The library was once her favourite room in the Kershaw house. The ornate wallpaper was largely obscured by the towering bookcases, made of specially ordered English Cherry, and filled with collectibles and rare books. The room had always smelled of old paper, particles of dust gently floated in the sunlight; a room of knowledge and peace.

But now the Kershaw siblings were there with their solicitor and the atmosphere was tense and ominous, as though a storm were about to break. Portia was red-eyed and raw with anger, and Gabriel glared at Karrie with a dark expression, his eyebrows drawn low in a scowl. Arabella stared at Karrie with a cold blank look on her surgically-improved features. Rafe stood close to the window, his arms folded. Karrie could practically feel the rage emanating off them and the room no longer felt like a sanctuary, more like a potential battleground, and she was totally unarmed.

Karrie faced them alone, dressed in her usual black jeans and a T-shirt, feeling smaller than five foot six, and hopelessly unprepared for the confrontation.

*****end of extract*****

About Helen Buckley: 

Ever since I was little I wanted to be a writer, to turn daydreams into books.

I’m fascinated by fame, in love with Happy Ever Afters, and enthralled by slow-burn romances.

I squeeze in time to write around looking after my two sons.

Find out more about me on my website www.buckleybooks.org or say hello via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Keeping up with the Kershaws is book 4 in the Spotlight series and was released in March 2022. Click to buy on Amazon UK

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.