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Sleepless In Manhattan
Sarah Morgan
‘The perfect book to curl up with’ - HeatGreat friends. Amazing Apartment. An incredible job. Paige has ticked off every box on perfect New York life checklist. Until disaster strikes and instead of shimming further up the career ladder, Paige is packing up her desk.Her brother’s best friend Jake might be the only person who can help her put her life back together. He also happens to be the boy she spent her teen years pining after, and Paige is determined not repeat her past mistakes. But the more time she spends with Jake, the more Paige realises the one thing that was missing from her world all along: The perfect New York love story…Praise for Sarah Morgan'A gorgeously sparkly romance about letting go and learning to love again.- Julia Williams, bestselling author of Coming Home for Christmas'Full of romance and sparkle'– Lovereading'Morgan is a magician with words'– RT Book Reviews'Definitely looking forward to more from Sarah Morgan'– Smexy Books'The perfect book to curl up with'– Heat
Praise for SARAH MORGAN (#ulink_4f06589d-1076-5e5f-ad2f-f46113e27dd3)
‘A gorgeously sparkly romance’
Julia Williams
‘The perfect book to curl up with’
Heat
‘Full of romance and sparkle.’
Lovereading
‘I absolutely devoured it, every moment I got to read it!
I just adored how Sarah Morgan managed to bring small town romance to the big city, and build a community in Manhattan that I just can’t wait to be part of through the series.
Desperately awaiting the next one already!’
Sophie Pembroke
‘Twinkling romance, sparkling chemistry and full on cracker!
Sarah Morgan can do no wrong, the master of her genre!’
Chicksthatread.com
‘This author skilfully takes readers on a highly emotional journey with her characters, helping them feel every worry, fear, joy and traumatic event through the story.’
Splashes into Books
‘Sarah Morgan always delivers the perfect romantic read.’
Bookthing.co.uk
‘This is a warm and enticing romance.’
Lovereading.co.uk
‘The maturing love and friendship between Zach and Brittany kept me turning those pages. It’s a story that I would recommend to all romance readers not to miss!’
jerasjamboree.co.uk
SARAH MORGAN is the bestselling author of Sleigh Bells in the Snow. As a child Sarah dreamed of being a writer, and although she took a few interesting detours on the way she is now living that dream. With her writing career she has successfully combined business with pleasure, and she firmly believes that reading romance is one of the most satisfying and fat-free escapist pleasures available. Her stories are unashamedly optimistic, and she is always pleased when she receives letters from readers saying that her books have helped them through hard times.
Sarah lives near London with her husband and two children, who innocently provide an endless supply of authentic dialogue. When she isn’t writing or reading Sarah enjoys music, movies, and any activity that takes her outdoors.
Readers can find out more about Sarah and her books from her website: www.sarahmorgan.com (http://www.sarahmorgan.com). She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Sarah Morgan
Dear Reader (#ulink_371e1600-5b8e-527d-9ba1-e3e4d9772b37),
I can never decide if I’m a country girl or a city girl. If you’ve read any of my books before, you’ll know how much I love mountains (especially snowy ones) and also the beach. I love breathing in fresh outdoor air and being close to nature, and if you follow me on Instagram you will have seen plenty of my beach and mountain photos. But the truth is I also love cities. I love the energy, the buzz and the pace of life.
When my editor (her name is Flo and she is brilliant in every way) suggested I set my next series in a city, I wasn’t convinced. ‘I don’t know if I can write about a city,’ I said, to which she replied, ‘But you’re not writing about a city. You’re writing about love, friendship and community, which is what you always write about. And besides, you love New York.’
She’s right. I do. I’ve been lucky enough to visit New York several times, and each time has been more exciting than the last. Because New York features in so many of my favourite movies (When Harry Met Sally and Hitch, to name just a couple), I always feel as if I’m walking onto a film set. I have to stop myself from gaping with my mouth open and pointing (and in case you’re wondering, my favourite New York landmark is the Chrysler building. It’s magical, and yes it appears in this book.)
The idea for the characters came easily, and New York worked so well as a setting it felt like another character. It added a touch of urban sparkle to each story, and when my publisher proposed the titles, I was really excited. Sleepless in Manhattan is Paige’s story and begins at a point in her life where everything is about to fall apart.
I hope you fall in love with these characters and enjoy following their adventures as they negotiate love and life in the Big Apple. If you want help visualizing the setting, take a look at my Pinterest boards! They’re packed full of photos I used as inspiration while I was writing this series.
Welcome to From Manhattan with Love!
Love, Sarah
xx
This book is dedicated to Nicola Cornick, who is a wonderful author and everything a friend should be.
There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless.
—Simone de Beauvoir
Table of Contents
Cover (#u6c28cdf5-01e1-527e-9ef3-e9f409405f90)
Praise (#u482e020e-2163-5195-813e-e2aeeef1d0f7)
About the Author (#u608ab114-f854-5a43-b049-cfb6bbc410af)
Title Page (#u6a243790-ab6d-5580-8fe8-f5a57172547c)
Dear Reader (#u4744b457-9e47-58c4-9d23-9ffda4d00eae)
Dedication (#u970b44df-1e14-5a03-88e1-a7fe52db6706)
Epigraph (#u99bf5848-abd6-5045-829a-f28fc0e9b5f3)
One (#ua7c4beea-36d1-5af4-a3d8-005689f6de17)
Two (#uff03cdfa-f3b0-5ee2-99c8-94c105552586)
Three (#u68b4a66c-8543-5010-9593-780735221245)
Four (#u16a4277b-c822-5dde-9b53-f8470b9b1502)
Five (#litres_trial_promo)
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Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
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Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)
Thank You (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Endpage (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
One (#ulink_b3212744-e3c6-5789-969d-2b3fbe27c759)
When you’re climbing the ladder, always assume someone is looking up your skirt.
—Paige
“Promotion. I think it might be my favorite word. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.” Swept along by the tide of commuters, Paige Walker followed her two friends Eva and Frankie up the steps from the subway and emerged to blue skies and sunshine. Far above her the skyscrapers of Manhattan reached up to fluffy clouds, a forest of steel and glass winking in the bright morning sunlight, each competing to be taller than the next. The Empire State Building. The Rockefeller Center. Higher, bigger, better. Look at me.
Paige looked, and smiled. Today was the day. Even the weather was celebrating.
New York had to be the most exciting city in the world. She loved the vibrancy, the promise, the pace.
She’d landed a job at Star Events straight out of college and had been unable to believe her luck, especially when her two best friends got jobs there, too. Working for a big company headquartered in Manhattan was her dream. The sheer energy of the city seeped through her skin and into her veins, like a shot of adrenaline. Here, she could be whoever she wanted to be. She could live her life without being asked how she was feeling twenty-five times a day. In the breathless bustle that was New York City, people were too busy thinking about themselves to have time to think about other people. Interaction skimmed the surface and never went deep. She blended into the crowd and that suited her just fine.
Paige didn’t want to stand out. She didn’t want to be different, precious or special. She didn’t want to be anyone’s poster girl for brave.
She wanted to be anonymous. Normal, whatever that was. And here in New York, finally it had happened.
Urban chaos offered its own type of privacy. Everything moved faster.
Everything, that was, except her friend Eva, who was not a morning person.
“Promotion isn’t my favorite word. Love is probably my favorite word.” Eva yawned sleepily. “Or maybe sex, which is the next best thing. I think. I can’t honestly remember because I haven’t had it in so long. I’m worried I’ve forgotten all the moves. If I ever get naked with a guy again, I might have to buy a ‘how to’ book. Why is no one in Manhattan interested in a relationship? I don’t want a hookup. I want to mate for life. Ducks can do it—why can’t we?” She stopped to adjust her shoe and soft waves of blond hair bounced forward along with her breasts, as generously curved as the plumpest cupcake. The man walking toward her stopped abruptly, mouth open, and four other men slammed into him.
Attempting to avert a human pileup, Paige grabbed Eva’s arm and pulled her to one side. “You’re a walking hazard.”
“Is it my fault my laces untie themselves?”
“Your laces aren’t the problem. The problem is that you just announced to the whole of Manhattan that you haven’t had sex in ages.”
“The problem,” Frankie said, closing in to form a blockade, “is that a dozen investment bankers are now getting in line to manage your assets. And I’m not talking about your finances. Stand up, Sleeping Beauty. I’ll tie your shoe.”
“I don’t have any finances to manage, but at least that means I don’t lie awake at night worrying about yield and interest rates. That’s a bonus, although not quite the bonus those bankers are probably used to.” Eva stood up and rubbed her eyes. Before ten in the morning, she had trouble focusing. “You don’t have to tie my shoe. I am not six years old.”
“You weren’t this lethal when you were six years old. It’s safer if I do it. I don’t have cleavage that should come with a health warning or a brain incapable of filtering what comes out of my mouth. And move to the side. This is New York City. It’s virtually a criminal offense to block the flow of commuters.” There was a hint of irritation in Frankie’s voice, enough to make Eva frown as she stuck her foot out.
“You can’t be prosecuted for being in someone’s way. What’s wrong with you this morning?”
“Nothing.”
Paige exchanged glances with Eva. They both knew “nothing” meant “something,” and both knew better than to push for answers. Frankie spoke when she was ready, which was usually only after she’d bottled it up for a while. “Blocking the flow of commuters could be deemed provocation.” Paige said. “And she was this lethal. You’ve forgotten her eighth birthday party when Freddie Major threatened to beat up Paul Matthews if she didn’t agree to marry him.”
“Freddie Major.” The memory drew a ghost of a smile from Frankie. “I put a frog down his shirt.”
Eva shuddered. “You were an evil child.”
“What can I say? I’m not good with men. Of any age.” Frankie thrust her can of drink into Eva’s hand. “Hold that, and if you throw it in the trash our friendship is over.”
“Our friendship has survived more than twenty years. I like to think it would survive me throwing your junk food in the trash.”
“It wouldn’t.” Athletic and supple, Frankie dropped into a crouch. “Everyone is allowed a vice. Unhealthy eating is mine.”
“Diet cola is not breakfast! Your eating habits are life threatening. Why won’t you let me make you a delicious kale and spinach smoothie?” Eva pleaded.
