Beverley Watts
The Shackleford Diaries
Perfect laugh-out-loud, feel good books for fans of funny love stories
Meet Victory Shackleford, a self-proclaimed frumpish and overweight thirty-two-year-old whose one true love is her dog. Living with her eccentric retired Admiral father, Victory's life takes a wild turn when her father decides to rent out their house as a location shoot for a forthcoming Hollywood blockbuster.
In the picturesque yachting town of Dartmouth, Victory's mundane existence is about to be shaken up like never before. As the cast and crew of the biggest movie of the year descend upon her home, chaos ensues. But the real game-changer? The lead actor has recently been voted the sexiest man on the planet…
With her father determined to find Victory a suitable partner, she finds herself caught in a whirlwind of unexpected events. As she navigates the madness of showbiz, she discovers that love and laughter can be found in the most unexpected places…
Join Victory on her hilarious journey as she tries to balance her father's meddling, her own insecurities, and the irresistible charm of the Hollywood heartthrob. Will she find love amidst the chaos? Can she prove that there's more to her than meets the eye?
Claiming Victory is a delightful and witty tale that will have you laughing out loud and rooting for Tory every step of the way. With its quirky characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and unexpected romance, this book is the perfect escape into a world of comedic mayhem. So grab a copy, sit back, and get ready for a hilarious journey that will leave you smiling from ear to ear!
Against all the odds, perfectly ordinary girl next door, Victory Shackleford has won the heart of Hollywood heartthrob Noah Westbrook. But after a whirlwind courtship, the dust is now settling and Tory is faced with the reality of life with the most famous actor in the world. And it's not all hearts and flowers, especially as the media seem intent on digging up every bit of dirt about her they can possibly find.
When a secret comes to light that could not only land her madcap, irresponsible father in jail, but completely wreck Noah's acting career, Tory faces an impossible decision - one that could result in her losing everything. And not all fairy tales end happily ever after...
It’s not often that a fledgling career in Event Management kicks off with the wedding of a Hollywood superstar. Of course the fact that this particular Hollywood star is marrying her best friend might have had something to do with the fact that former art gallery owner, Kit Davies landed the job. That, and the fact that she was about to become homeless and penniless… But organizing her friend Victory’s big fat Hollywood wedding in the small yachting haven of Dartmouth without alerting the media is not for the faint hearted, and Kit very quickly realizes that she’s way out of her depth - especially as the bride to be has a secret of her own that is rapidly changing her disposition from a fairy tale Cinderella to a would-be Bridezilla.
And then there are the ongoing machinations of Victory’s father, who not only has his own agenda, but has decades of experience in the art of being slippery and evasive...
Inviting Hollywood to Dartmouth might actually be the least of Kit’s worries…
Kit Davies has been dating the gorgeous Captain Jason Buchannan for six months. Six whole months of being wheeled out as his significant other at various Naval functions. While she's not convinced she has the makings of a future Officer's wife, things have been pretty good, and at least she hasn't caused a diplomatic incident - yet.
Then one memorable evening, Jason drops a bombshell. His father’s health is failing and he wants to retire from the Royal Navy, and relocate to his crumbling ancestral home in the wilds of Scotland. And he wants Kit to go with him.
But Kit has too much unfinished business in Dartmouth to just up sticks and leave. She’s worked hard to build up her Event Management business, then there’s her best friend Tory who’s just had a baby, and her Aunt Flo who to date still hasn’t told Kit the whole truth about her father.
When Hollywood superstar Noah Westbrook agrees to help finance Jason’s plans to convert his pile of ruins into a luxury hotel, Kit begins to get desperate. How can she leave everything she’s ever known for a man she’s only known for six months? It’s no secret that she has trust issues, not to mention a ridiculous fear of change. In fact, burying her head in the sand is probably her strongest talent...
Decision time comes as Jason’s father Hugo goes missing from hospital. It’s no surprise to anyone that Tory’s irresponsible father is at the bottom of it, but in deciding to drag his old friend on an impromptu road trip across the country, the meddling Admiral may finally have gone too far…
Victory Shackleford has been married to Hollywood heartthrob Noah Westbrook for nearly two years, and despite all media predictions of doom, she has never been so happy. Of course, her best friend Kit’s relocation to Scotland did come as a bit of a blow, but being married to an A list actor has its perks, and ease of travel is definitely one of them…
Kit Davies has spent the last eighteen months helping the bad tempered, gorgeous ex-naval captain Jason Buchannan renovate his family pile up in the wilds of Scotland. Considering the chaos they’re in, nobody is more surprised than Kit when, out of the blue, Jason suddenly pops the question. Even more surprising is her lack of hesitation in saying yes. The only complication is the housekeeper’s niece Nicole, who for some reason is still hanging around like a bad smell.
When her best friend Tory suggests holding an engagement party in Dartmouth, Kit thinks she’s in for a relaxing break, away from all the dust and rubble, not to mention the redhaired pain in the arse. Unfortunately she’s reckoned without Tory’s interfering father…
…On discovering the Scot has unexpectedly proposed to his daughter’s best friend, Admiral Shackleford is of the firm opinion that Nicole has finally outstayed her welcome at Bloodstone Tower. What’s more, he’s determined to dig up enough dirt on the redhaired baggage to send her packing.
But this time, finally, the Admiral might have opened one can of worms too many...
Lasting Victory is the perfect laugh-out-loud, feel good book for fans of funny love stories, especially quirky British Romantic Comedies.
And then there are the ongoing machinations of Victory’s father, who not only has his own agenda, but has decades of experience in the art of being slippery and evasive...
Inviting Hollywood to Dartmouth might actually be the least of Kit’s worries…
After being suspended and subsequently dismissed from her job in the National Crime Agency, Teddy Shackleford reluctantly takes refuge in the quaint town of Dartmouth at the behest of her uncle, retired Admiral Charles Shackleford. Since she holds him partly responsible for the ignominious ending of her career, Teddy thinks the least he can do is give her a temporary roof over her head.
Expecting to spend the summer licking her wounds and keeping her head down, the last thing Teddy expects is to be recruited by an eccentric aristocrat to unravel a tangled web of missing titles and family inheritance.
Determined to solve the mystery, Teddy dives headfirst into her employer’s aristocratic world, but as she navigates the labyrinth of lineage and intrigue, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to the enigmatic and charming Sebastian Sinclair, Fourteenth Duke of Blackmore, complicating matters in ways she could never have imagined.
Will she uncover the truth behind the tangled inheritance? And could there be an unexpected prize waiting at the end of her journey?
‘A Shackleford Victory’ is a delightful contemporary romantic comedy that will have you laughing and cheering for Teddy as she navigates previously uncharted waters of friends, family and unexpected love.
Praise For The Shackleford Diaries
“I just love these books. Not only do they have a great storyline but they are so hilarious. They make me laugh out loud.”
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“The Shackleford Diaries are honestly the most memorable and fun books I’ve ever read, the characters are so relatable. Thank you for making me laugh and smile on my darkest of days.”
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“I’ve read a lot of romantic comedies, but none have had me crying with laughter like these books.”