“‘Freewheeling to Love’ started out as something to entertain myself during my first maternity leave 7 years ago. Covid lockdown inspired me to finish it.”
It is a great pleasure to introduce you all to Irish writer Máire O’ Leary who published her debut novel Freewheeling to Love with Orla Kelly Publishing on 17 January 17th 2021.
Freewheeling to Love is described as ‘a complicated Irish romance love triangle and rewarding romantic fiction novel‘ set in Kerry, Máire’s home place. Máire has kindly given me an excerpt from the book to share with you all today so I do hope you enjoy!
[ About the Book ]
Saoirse and Oisin are good friends and fellow bicycle riding enthusiasts in Ireland, who have always been there for each other through the trials of life. Their friends say they are like a married couple, but they always respond by saying that you can just be friends with the members of the opposite sex.
All was well, until one stormy day when Saoirse was rescued from the side of the road by Donal. After a slow start, Saoirse and Donal begin dating. They have shared interests in a love of cycling, the outdoors… and amazing sex.
Saoirse and Donal are getting along well until one morning after a mind-blowing soirée, she realises no protection was used, and at age 30, she is torn between having to get the morning after pill or taking a chance on nature. As Saoirse and Donal’s passion and relationship matures, Oisin realises that he is deeply in love with Saoirse, as well. He is devastated, when he discovers that he may be losing the love of his life, along with his best friend.
Freewheeling to Love is a complicated Irish romance love triangle and rewarding romantic fiction novel set in the charity cycling scene near Kerry, Ireland. It is an appreciation of the natural beauty in and around Killarney National Park and an emotional search for true love and passion.
[ Extract ]
After a tough pedal back up the hill through the deluge coming down against him Donal finally arrived at the spot where he glimpsed the flash of red. Sure enough it was the girl from the cafe and she is hunched up and shivering with her head between her legs and he could hear what he thought was sobbing. “Hi there” he says, “we meet again, are you alright?” She looks up with a big puffy face and her hair matted to her head and says, “Do I look like I am alright? Would I be sitting here bawling if I was alright? Jesus, he thinks to himself I must be mad, to think I came all the ways back up here and this is the reaction I am getting, so much for trying to help. He says “Now you look here, there’s no need to take the head off me, I just came back up the hill because I thought I saw someone who might need some help. If my presence is pissing you off that much, I can leave again and you can sort out your own sorry mess.” “Alright, Alright” she says with a ghost of a smile as he turns to leave, “sorry let’s start again, the back tyre on the bike is gone, I think it’s a blow out and while I have a tube I don’t have a tyre or patches, my phone is not working, I am frozen and soaked and unless I walk there is no way of getting back into Killarney” at this she started crying again.
“That’s some list of misfortunes alright, but have you got a thumb?” She gave him an odd look, and thought, what a strange question? She says “how’s that going to help me, it certainly won’t plug a hole in a tyre.” “No” he said “but it might have gotten you a lift if you went out to the road and stuck it out.” “Yeah right” she says, “who is going to pick me up in this condition? I would soak their car and I could have gotten picked up by any sort of weirdo … On that point, how do I know you are alright? And by the way where is your friend?” He replies, “To answer point one, I think you’re safe enough with me in your saturated state and in these weather conditions my intentions are honourable. As for point two, my friend felt you were just waiting for a spin home and he had better things to do than come back up here to check to see if you were alright.” “Oh, so I suppose I should be thankful at least one of you is a gentleman and didn’t leave me out here to perish.” He sits down under the tree with her and declares “well at least you came off at a good spot where you had a bit of shelter.” She turns to him and says, “Aren’t you Mr positivity? How are we going to get out of this mess?” “Oh so it’s ‘we’ now is it?” he says and smiles. Despite being miserable, soaked and frozen she felt her heart begin to beat faster as awareness and attraction reasserted itself now that she was out of imminent danger and she knew he would at least help to get her out of this pickle. Looking at him she thinks, wow that’s some smile, he really is a handsome bugger, cool as you like. She says, “Well you are still here aren’t you so I assume if you came back and I didn’t frighten you off with my first attack, you are not going to leave me … By the way, I am Saoirse and you are?”
Purchase Link ~ Freewheeling to Love
[ Meet the Author ]
“Hello my name is Máire O’ Leary. I grew up loving books in a house with no television. As a child I visited the library fortnightly and always dreamed of having my name on a book cover. ‘Freewheeling to Love’ has fulfilled that dream for me.
I am at my happiest in the great outdoor’s and living in Killarney, Co. Kerry I am blessed with easy access to wonderful lakes, mountains, rivers and the beach. A good day out for me is a day spent with my husband and two boys in nature.
In my day job I am a Health Promotion Officer with Cork Kerry Community Healthcare. For the past 16 years I have predominantly worked in the field of Sexual Health Promotion.
‘Freewheeling to Love’ started out as something to entertain myself during my first maternity leave 7 years ago. Covid lockdown inspired me to finish it.”
Twitter ~ @maireoleary1
