‘Holly, beautiful girl. I don’t think you’re getting on that well without BUC, are you? This compulsive dating certainly isn’t helping. And neither is all this late-night bingeing.’
‘Yes,’ she said as he sat down next to her.
‘Cheese isn’t going to fill the hole, Hol. Temporarily, yes. But not long-term,’ he said slowly, as though it was an ancient Sanskrit proverb. ‘Neither are cheese-ball men, come to think of it.’
‘You’re right,’ she said, mulling over each word, marvelling at his profound wisdom.
She hugged Harry as they both looked out the window over Fortess Road. ‘Jesus Harry, is this a break up, or a quarter-life-sodding-crisis?’
Harry laughed and squeezed her hand. ‘Come here,’ he said, folding her into his arms, as her hot tears slipped down her cheeks and into his hair.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book would not have happened were it not for three life-defining break-ups, and two life-defining friends - Mark Hermida and Curly Katie Sheasby. The kindest, funniest two people I’ve ever met, who taught me that a break-up shared is a break-up halved. You guys make the worst of times into the best of times, and I’ll love you ‘til death do us part’. Mark, you’re the top (pig) dog. Katie - I owe you a dog.
Soppy thanks are due to so many other people for their help along the way – to name a few: Nathalie Turton, Ben Westaway, Lauren Taylor, Emma McMorrow, Jose Gomez, Mark Lunney, Hannah Marshall, Vicky Grut, Miriam Berry, Lucy Beevor, Donna Amey, Vicki Lines, Sarah Morris, Tom Hyde, Christopher Keatinge, Charlotte Eaton, Rick Johnson, Beattie McGuinness Bungay, Laura Lockington, Phillipa Ashley, Broo Doherty, Sarah Collett, Natasha Harding, Eli Dryden and everyone else at Maze and HarperCollins.
Thanks to Charlie of Pure Evil, for granting permission to quote his kick-ass street art. And to Alain de Botton, for the kind permission to quote him. Incidentally, his book Essays in Love is essential, beautiful reading that I would prescribe to anyone with a broken heart.
And thank you to all The Mathias Clan. The ones in this world – Mum, Camilla, Emil, Danny, Sarah. And the ones in the next - my daddy, who half-way through this book, suffered a much worse kind of heart-ache than any silly break-up could bring. But I know he’d have been smiling to see this now. As would my dear step-mother Evie, who so recently joined him. Sincere thanks to you both for your never-ending belief and encouragement. I just hope there’s a kindle up there with a big enough font for you both.
About the Author
Lorelei Mathias grew up in ‘Metroland’ before studying English & Philosophy at Birmingham University. Since then she has worked in Publishing and Advertising, and has written articles for various magazines. She lives in East London.
Her first novel Step on it, Cupid, was published when she was 25, followed by Lost for Words. Break-Up Club explores the importance of friendship, and was inspired by her experiences in an accidental break-up club of her own. One day she’d like to set up an official refuge for the broken-hearted, so that no one should ever have to go through a break-up alone.
In her spare time she enjoys making films, running a fictional bakery called Niche Quiche, and asking people where the nearest lido is. She’s also named after a mythical German mermaid, which might explain the obsession with outdoor swimming.
Follow Lorelei and her blogs at:
Loreleimathias.com
facebook.com/Lorelei.mathias.author
@loreleimathias
breakupclub.co.uk
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor
Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London, SE1 9GF
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com
Break-Up Club Page 39
