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Five Ladies Go Skiing: A feel-good novel of friendship and love
Karen Aldous
Five ladies, one unforgettable trip…Escape to gorgeous Switzerland this winter with the brand new, uplifting read from Karen Aldous.When Ginny Watts’ husband passes away, she is left grief-stricken, not only over her husband’s death but the secrets he has left behind…Luckily for Ginny, she has four wonderful friends – Lou, Cathy, Angie and Kim – poised to whisk her away on a ladies’ skiing holiday to beautiful La Tzoumaz, Switzerland.While all of them appear to have their lives together from the outside, little do the ladies know that every single one of them is fighting a secret battle.As the trip unfolds, they realise that fears of tumbling down the slopes after too much après-ski fun is the least of their worries and all is not what it seems…A novel of love, loss and friendship, perfect for fans of Jules Wake, Erica James and Cathy Kelly.Readers love Karen Aldous:‘A sumptuous story…what I love about fiction, being able to travel from my armchair!’ Rachel’s Random Reads (top 500 Amazon reviewer)‘An uplifting story of hope, self-discovery and love.’ Got Books, Babe?‘Stunning… perfect for reading while on your own Mediterranean break!’ Pretty Purple Polkadots‘Gloriously escapist, wonderfully entertaining and absolutely impossible to put down! Sure to appeal to fans of Cathy Kelly and Erica James.’ Bookish Jottings‘Fascinating, heartwarming, engaging, romantic and utterly compelling.’ Sparkly Words
About the Author (#u93fa485a-f3b7-55df-897b-0a8505d26d9a)
KAREN ALDOUS enjoys village life on the edge of the North Downs in Kent with easy access to the buzz of London. Not only does she love the passive pleasures of reading and writing but also craves more active pursuits such as walking, cycling and skiing – especially when they involve family, friends, food, and … wine!
Much of Karen’s inspiration comes from her travels. The UK, France, Switzerland and USA are just some of the places you’ll be transported to in her books, but wherever she goes, new characters invite themselves into ‘Karen’s World’ screaming at her to tell their stories; strong independent women who are capable of directing their own lives but struggle to control them … especially when temptation strikes!
As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Write Place, Karen feels she owes so much of her success to the love and support of her fellow writers.
You can follow Karen on Twitter at @KarenAldous_ (https://twitter.com/karenaldous_?lang=en)
Also by Karen Aldous (#u93fa485a-f3b7-55df-897b-0a8505d26d9a)
The Vineyard
The Chateau
The Riviera
One Moment at Sunrise
Under A Tuscan Sky
Five Ladies Go Skiing
KAREN ALDOUS
HQ
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018
Copyright © Karen Aldous 2018
Karen Aldous asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
E-book Edition © November 2018 ISBN: 9780008302672
Version: 2018-10-31
PRAISE FOR KAREN ALDOUS (#u93fa485a-f3b7-55df-897b-0a8505d26d9a)
‘A story of relationships, love and the importance of family, a romantic tale that leaves the reader with a glow.’
Postcard Reviews
‘I could have been lost in this book for months on end and I wouldn’t have noticed the days slipping by …’
Becca’s Books
‘Light, easy to read and entertaining, perfect for a summer holiday read.’
Portybelle
‘A perfect book for these final summer days, to indulge in with a glass of wine or two.’
Paris Baker (Amazon Reviewer)
‘Escapism with more than a touch of reality … Karen Aldous is an author that you need on “auto order”!’
Crooks on Books
‘A great holiday read – quick, easy and entertaining!’
Ginger Cat Blog
‘Gloriously escapist, wonderfully entertaining and absolutely impossible to put down! Sure to appeal to fans of Cathy Kelly and Erica James.’
Bookish Jottings
‘Fascinating, heartwarming, engaging, romantic and utterly compelling.’
Sparkly Words
To Lynette & Stephen, Christine & Nigel, Sally and Peter
With Love
Table of Contents
Cover (#ucdb21b41-ac3e-5bc7-9b6c-e6eee32f593d)
About the Author (#u657a7b75-a0b5-5db7-a88b-57d2806d91ff)
Also by Karen Aldous (#u1fcb6437-eb55-5900-8a51-42c65a5094c2)
Title Page (#uf279bb3a-1fd1-5af1-9bcd-3651a5aad50e)
Copyright (#u01471d28-f184-5bed-aa96-69940dba61db)
Praise for Karen Aldous (#u04401408-dd39-51a8-b785-c165e651f514)
Dedication (#ua8555d22-4d6e-54e5-88fe-aee067c39ed1)
Meet the Girls – Preparing for Switzerland (#uee36395b-954c-5502-9ef5-b8e20a1538de)
Chapter 1 (#u08304f18-7469-596d-8bee-8f2900c82a1b)
Chapter 2 (#u551f8548-f1d8-57ea-91c9-303d7c49e655)
Chapter 3 (#u2a29f23a-088a-50af-bc0a-bb9155610a82)
Chapter 4 (#u0469f795-5f64-551f-a5ee-bfe00b7340db)
Chapter 5 (#u2c66f96c-c4b2-583f-928f-697145eb9105)
Chapter 6 (#u14137c11-eb59-5186-81bc-bb718847ac83)
Chapter 7 (#u02492b7d-d7fb-5c17-8c7c-07421617be4c)
Chapter 8 (#ue41b62fa-750a-57e1-8ee0-33142e99614f)
Chapter 9 (#u7f605f55-888a-5143-9d44-9a11a9ac8fae)
Chapter 10 (#uac082a93-5494-5f3b-aea0-45c26150a8e4)
Chapter 11 (#uee145290-e95e-5024-9e50-1b598994e6ea)
Chapter 12 (#u9c312564-73e5-50d4-bf70-9b925d505fa1)
Chapter 13 (#u9f7b9b98-8c64-5313-b753-dd2b66ade748)
Chapter 14 (#u9b94b66d-d9d5-561d-a531-50a476f92b88)
Chapter 15 (#u928f50f1-9427-5687-98aa-151e265ab698)
Chapter 16 (#udbbf07e5-e46d-57dd-a409-2c44898f1370)
Chapter 17 (#u5e15c1a1-094d-5834-8245-412978af3dda)
Chapter 18 (#u4e6182c9-d6da-5851-8234-b472f3cc3ec0)
Chapter 19 (#ud95672f2-bd6f-5303-b30f-48de70c8190b)
Chapter 20 (#uecb4cf89-84f1-5bfd-adce-cfa3af67ce1c)
Chapter 21 (#uc371bb7c-80cc-5184-9f81-542f8f7ba513)
Chapter 22 (#u4e0e3612-43ee-5225-9478-abcb8ae7fceb)
Chapter 23 (#u4ad33db0-7ee0-545d-a67e-2471468fa890)
Twelve Months Later (#ubd23cd91-214c-5e25-ab36-d2e0989b129d)
Acknowledgements (#u47d223e6-a82d-5d33-9c84-37ee089ca772)
Keep Reading … (#ue7cfb17e-db31-50bf-b38c-3e822cf6f357)
Dear Reader (#ucfad15fe-2eb3-5880-892f-3e6177c86578)
Dear Reader (#udc9aaef9-fb32-5040-82eb-26c8e5154870)
About the Publisher (#ufcf3b7ec-d7ed-5016-a270-5f088884955a)
MEET THE GIRLS – Preparing for Switzerland (#ulink_abe0b600-73ec-5bfd-af40-4ec5a66f0468)
Ginny
As Ginny stepped out into the dining area, the candlelit festive dining table caught her breath. She shuddered at the sting in the backs of her eyes.
‘Oh, it’s …’ The amber flickering mixed with the sparkle of the decorations toyed with her emotions. They looked almost too cheerful. ‘It’s gorgeous,’ she said, blinking away those brimming tears. Her daughter Rachel and daughter-in-law Clemmie had laid it beautifully, and Ginny’s heart swelled at the effort each of her children and in-laws, even the grandchildren, had made on this difficult day: their first Christmas without their father and grandfather. It just didn’t feel right to enjoy Christmas without him.
The family waited in silence for her to be seated, watching as she wiped a stray tear from her face and pulled on a band at the back of her head, unleashing her mane of shoulder-length hair that she had tied back before preparing dinner.
‘You’ve all made such an effort. Thank you,’ she said smiling at each of them as she nestled in the chair and smoothed her hair. ‘OK, let’s enjoy,’ she added, grateful for their input. Thank goodness Rachel and Ross had helped in the kitchen getting everything into the right serving dishes. The morning had been manic. In fact, the whole week had. It had been a rush trying to fit everything in before her ski trip to Switzerland. The effort involved in getting time off work for a hair appointment, getting to the farm shop for the last-minute veg, fruit and salad, cleaning the house, cooking the meats and prepping in readiness for the family’s arrival had all proved to be worth it. She had forgotten just how much Mike used to contribute to helping around the house, particularly at Christmas and family gatherings. He always prepped the veg and was a dab hand at juggling the food around in the fridge so that beers and wine would fit in. They were small things that counted in a big way.
She heaved out a sigh. At least they were all together. She raised her Prosecco-filled glass, first to her daughter Rachel and son Ross who sat either side of her, then to the others.
‘Well, shall we …?’ Ginny waited for each of her family to pick up a filled glass or, in the children’s case, plastic flutes of lemonade.
‘Merry Christmas, Mum,’ Rachel cheered in unison with Ross, and Ginny’s eyes glistened mirroring theirs, her gaze flicking quickly to their partners and children gathered around the festive-food-filled table.
‘Hope you’re feeling our cheer, Dad,’ Rachel hailed, peering out of the window and up at the grey sky. ‘We miss you loads but we’ll always cherish our lovely memories. Merry Christmas.’
‘Absolutely,’ Ginny rushed in after a gulp of the bubbly, trying again to steel herself against the constant burning in the backs of her eyes; but then catching a glimpse of Rachel’s lips quivering, a sudden gasp escaped her throat. ‘Me … merry Ch … Christmas, Mike.’ It was only the third time they had all been together since Mike’s passing but it wasn’t getting any easier.
Ross reached for his mother’s wrist, his caring green-grey eyes, so like his father’s, misting. ‘You OK, Mum?’
Ginny reached for her napkin, holding back sobs as five-year-old Tommy, Rachel’s eldest, gazed at her, concerned. ‘Yes, yes. I’ll be all right. Truly. I knew it would be tough. Our first Christmas without him. I know it’s difficult for all of you too.’
‘I miss Grandad,’ Tommy said. ‘He’s going to miss me opening my presents.’
A symphony of swallowing and gasping sounds resonated around the table and, like her mother, the petite Rachel grabbed her napkin and wiped her eyes as she turned to her son. ‘I know, darling, but he’s here in spirit. We just have to deal with the rest.’ She turned to the empty chair then back to her son. ‘We’ll get used to it; we have to. Come on, there’s a good boy, get your dinner.’
Ross leaned back, nervously rubbing his four-year-old daughter Amelia’s back and faced his mother. ‘If you don’t mind, Mum,’ he said hesitantly, ‘I’d like to ring you on Monday, the twenty-eighth, the anniversary. A bit selfish I know, but I just want to know that you’re all right.’
