Portobello Book Blog

I’m pleased to be sharing #TenThings about Marie Laval today. I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few of her novels and her most recent book, Happy Dreams at Mermaid Cove, was published last Tuesday by ChocLit. More about that below but first, let’s hear from Marie.

Here are ten totally random things about myself.

• I always say that I am from Lyon but in fact I come from a small village about ten kilometres south of the city. I moved to England in August 1989. I first lived in Bolton, and later moved to the beautiful, green and hilly Rossendale Valley and have lived here ever since. It’s a great place for walking and it has its own micro-climate – in winter, it is sometimes the only place in this part of Lancashire which is cut off by snow!

• 

• 

•  I put on a lot of weight these past few years, and tried several diets with no great success (I take entirely the blame for that as I do have a very sweet tooth). However last year before the first lockdown I joined a fantastic gym and managed to lose a bit of weight. One of my favourite sessions was Box and Burn. I absolutely loved hitting that punching ball! I hope I can go back soon.

• I got my baccalauréat (A’Level equivalent) when I was sixteen and my father thought I was too young to go to university (which he thought was a den of perdition), so I enrolled in a secretarial course and learned French, English and German shorthand. I also learned to touch type. I remember that it was all very old fashioned and I didn’t like it much, but with hindsight that course helped me get me several secretarial jobs, and of course touch typing is brilliant now for my writing.

• I say a lot of naughty French words when I’m driving.

• After my second child was born I retrained as a teacher, and now teach French in a large secondary school. I think it’s a wonderful job. I love the contact with the kids, and I love telling my classes lots of funny stories about my childhood or anecdotes about France. Music and laughter are brilliant to help children learn. I used to bring lots of French food too but Covid has put a stop to that for now.

• I am a very bad loser. I used to play tennis when I was young and always used to sulk when I lost a match, which was often… As a family my husband, children and I used to play Scrabble a lot, especially on holiday, and we had a lot of fun… and quite a few heated arguments!

• I mowed the lawn for the first time in my life two weeks ago. I enjoyed it so much I did it again yesterday.

• My mother was born and brought up in Algeria and her father fought in the Zouaves regiment during the First World War. My paternal grandparents were Polish and lived in a part of Poland which was at the turn of century under German control. Therefore my mum’s father and my dad’s father fought on opposite sides at Verdun.

• My favourite French pastry is millefeuille. I haven’t eaten any since Pâtisserie Valerie shut down in Manchester…

•  I wanted this post to be upbeat but life has been cruel for my family recently since I lost the love of my life, and my children lost their father. HAPPY DREAMS AT MERMAID COVE is dedicated to him. Robert was a librarian by trade and I met him back in 1984 when I did a three month placement with Wigan Libraries. We didn’t get together immediately but I knew back then that he was the one and I miss him terribly.

From the back of the book

From the big city to a little yellow mobile library on the Isle of Skye … When Jenna Palmer agrees to the new position of mobile librarian on the tiny Arrandale peninsular of the Isle of Skye, she knows she’s signing up for difficult working conditions and mediocre wages. But Jenna needs to get away, and a little yellow mobile library called Buttercup could be her escape to happier dreams …
However, whilst Jenna can get to grips with foggy island roads, local mermaid legends and even big purple monsters, she never expected to have to contend with a boss as grumpy as Daniel McGregor, or a young book lover as enthusiastic as his niece, Katrina.
Arrandale might represent Jenna’s safe port in a storm, but could she and Buttercup also become a beacon of hope to Daniel, Katrina and the entire island community?

HAPPY DREAMS AT MERMAID COVE is available as an ebook on Amazon and Kobo.

About Marie Laval

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie now lives in the Rossendale Valley in Lancashire. She writes both contemporary and historical romance. Her novels include best selling contemporary romantic suspense novels LITTLE PINK TAXI and ESCAPE TO THE LITTLE CHATEAU, which was shortlisted for the 2021 RNA Jackie Collins Romantic Suspense Awards, as well as A PARIS FAIRY TALE and BLUEBELL’S CHRISTMAS MAGIC. Her historical novel, ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE, was published in February 2021, and HAPPY DREAMS AT MERMAID COVE is her latest contemporary romance. Marie also contributes to the best selling Miss Moonshine’s Emporium anthologies together with eight author friends from Authors on the Edge.