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Debbie Young
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Marry in Haste: 15 short stories of dating, love & marriage Kindle Edition

by Debbie Young (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 49 ratings
These 15 warm, witty short stories take an affectionate look at love and romance. There are five wry tales about each of the following stages: seeking a partner, committing to marriage, and surviving the long haul. Each story has a cast of different characters, from single girls seeking Mr Right, to couples struggling with the technicalities of getting hitched, to long-wedded couples who have plenty of time to repent at leisure.

Although most of the stories are told from a female perspective, this is far from being a feminist rant, but is rather a gentle celebration of matrimony - provided you find the right partner, plan the wedding your way, and find ways to live together long-term, despite each other's foibles.


Debbie Young is renowned for her sharp observational British humour, which is underpinned by a cheery optimism and a heart of gold. This little book is ideal for anyone who believes in love and longs to live happily ever after, even if they haven't yet found their perfect partner. Although not a classically romantic book, it could be a fun and quirky gift for an engagement, wedding, anniversary or Valentine's Day.



WHAT READERS SAY ABOUT "MARRY IN HASTE"



"Debbie Young's cleverness as an author and storyteller shines through in this collection, which I highly recommend. Debbie Young may have changed my attitude to short stories forever." - Helena Halme, author of "The Navy Wife"



"Brimful of the Debbie Young brand of sly and wry humour" - Mari Howard, author of "Baby Baby"
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  1. Print length
    104 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    1 Jan. 2016
  5. File size
    1.5 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product description

Review

"Brimful of the Debbie Young brand of sly and wry humour" - Mari Howard

"These stories are a witty & engaging slice of life in the marriage market and a perfect tonic for a quick read. We all need a dose of fun in our lives and Debbie's humour is unmissable, wry and mischievous." - Lynne Pardoe

"If you like a modern take on old-fashioned love, then you'll enjoy this collection. Readers can't help but give a sigh of satisfaction at the end." - Betsy Talbot

"This book's fifteen short stories about dating, love and marriage' are essentially optimistic about these experiences, even though one or two of them tell of wrong turnings. Their optimism is not starry-eyed, however - love is a beautiful and powerful force, but has to be accompanied by a healthy dose of tolerance, of learning to put up with your partner's more annoying habits, and of humility, in realizing you may not be free of annoying habits yourself... I particularly liked The Homecoming, where the (female) author takes the risk of writing in a male voice and succeeds.The New Coat is a clever (and, in the current climate, brave) riff on a fashionable theme of the controlling husband. And The Butterfly Clip rounds the set off perfectly, with its sense of the quiet reward that can await us if we get this love business right. If you like your fiction noir and see life as a nasty, messy business we have to fight our way through, this is probably not the collection for you. But if you have a more upbeat take on things... here are fifteen gentle, well-crafted stories. Written by an unknown author who lives in the sticks (the book's publisher is based in rural Gloucestershire), they would probably not have seen the light of day under the old order. But they are now available for us to read and enjoy. More, please.." - Christopher West

"Marry in Haste"---the title invites us to add the suffix: - "Repent at Leisure." But there is little evidence of repentance, as Debbie Young's characters seem to embrace their fate with whole hearted enthusiasm. The dangerous angle of the wedding cake couple on the cover might indicate future perils, but one hopes they are simply "falling" in love. Jane Austen was acclaimed as a creator of microcosms, tiny brush strokes on a small piece of ivory. Was she also the first writer of "chick-lit"? No shame if she was. Women number half the population of the world. Why should we not have light hearted fiction, which speaks largely to the feminine psyche? Debbie Young is a gifted proponent of this genre. Her warm humour and appealing characters place her with Catharine Alliott and Katie Fford, but her stories have a depth all her own. Each vignette of "Marry in Haste" contain characters that have a complete imagined life with a past and a future. Each little history contains the possibility of a full length novel, whilst being sufficient unto itself. The subtle humour with which the writer invests her stories, permeates each scenario. A sushi roll carefully examined for "signs of life", Barbara in A and E after food poisoning provides specimens, "of which unfortunately she still had plenty," Thomas, the over demanding partner, turns out to be a cat. Very occasionally married bliss is questioned . The over solicitous husband tells the feminist saleswoman that he and his wife are perfectly happy as they are . "And do you know, though his attitude flew in the face of my feminist principles, I'm sure he was speaking the truth." A collection of short stories which positively celebrates love, yet subtly raises the wedding veil on the slightly sinister. questionable side of that well worn institution, marriage." - Celia Boyd

About the Author

Debbie Young has a reputation for wry, witty fiction full of gentle English humour, based on meticulous observation of everyday domestic life. She has three published collections of short stories, and her work also appears in various anthologies. She is currently writing a series of cosy mystery novels, the Sophie Sayers Village Mysteries, set in a small English village with an author as its heroine and a bookseller as the love interest, which will be published in 2017. The first book will be "Best Murder in Show", followed by a series of six titles completing a year in the life of the fictitious village of Wendlebury Barrow: "Trick or Murder", "Murder in the Manger", "Murder by the Book", "Springtime for Murder", "Murder Your Darlings" and "School's Out for Murder". She has performed her short stories at various litfests and events including the Cheltenham Literature Festival 2016 and is a frequent guest on BBC Radio Gloucestershire and various community radio and television stations. She is a regular member of the panel on BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Book Club slot during the lunchtime programme. She is the founder of the Hawkesbury Upton Literary Festival (founded April 2015) which provides an annual celebration of books and reading on the closest Saturday to World Book Night, in which all events are free of charge to make it accessible to all. Her regional reputation is also enhanced by her long-running humorous column in the Tetbury Advertiser, described by its editor as "the jewel in our crown". She is also an avid reader, reviewing books for various publications including Vine Leaves Literary Journal and on her own blog. She has been blogging as since 2010 and is very active on social media, with a 10K Twitter following over 1,000 Facebook friends and over 500 "likes" on her Facebook author page. Her YouTube channel includes videos of her performing her stories and speaking at public events and on podcasts. She also has a high profile in the author community in her role as Commissioning Editor of the Authors Advice Blog for the Alliance of Independent Authors, for which she is UK Ambassador. She also runs three author meet-up groups in Bristol, Cheltenham and Oxfordshire. She lives and works in the small Cotswold village of Hawkesbury Upton with her Scottish husband and teenage daughter where she is very much involved in the life of its busy rural community. She enjoys travelling in the family camper van in search of adventure, armed only with blank notebooks and reading matter. More information about all of these activities is available on her author website at www.authordebbieyoung.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01A391EKC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hawkesbury Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 Jan. 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.5 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 104 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1911223009
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

About the author

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Debbie Young

Debbie Young

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I write warm, witty, feel-good contemporary fiction full of English humour, inspired by life in the Cotswold village which has been my home for over 30 years. I have three series of cozy mystery novels plus various short fiction, and I've written a couple of non-fiction books too.

NOVELS

My latest book is "Death at the Village Chess Club", the second in my Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mystery series, which begins with "Death at the Old Curiosity Shop". Moving from the city to the lively Cotswold village of Little Pride, Alice Carroll (50) discovers that nothing is quite what it seems. Each novel in this series has at its heart an intriguing item to be found in her bric-a-brac shop, and features eccentric characters, plenty of red herrings and lots of English humour. The sequel is "Death at the Village Chess Club", and the third in the series, a Christmas special (as yet unnamed) will be published in time the autumn of 2025.

My Sophie Sayers Village Mystery series begins with "Best Murder in Show". Originally envisaged as a seven-book series to run the course of a calendar year in the life of the idyllic English Cotswold village of Wendlebury Barrow, it continues to grow, with the most recent addition being Sophie Sayers' ninth outing, "Driven to Murder",

My Gemma Lamb Cozy Mystery series is a mashup of romantic comedy, gentle mystery and nostalgia for classic children's school stories but aimed at adults. It focuses on the intrigues among the teachers and visitors to the school, rather than the children. "Dastardly Deeds at St Bride's" (previously published as "Secrets at St Bride's"), and is followed by "Sinister Secrets at St Bride's" (formerly "Secrets at St Bride's"), Wicked Whispers at St Bride's", and "Artful Antics at St Bride's". Two further books will follow to complete the series of six, running the course of the academic year at St Bride's Boarding School for Girls.

All of my novels are now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audio in English. There are also German language editions of the first five Sophie Sayers adventures and Italian translations of the first two Gemma Lamb stories.

SHORT FICTION

My series of comedy mystery novelettes, Tales from Wendlebury Barrow, is set in the same world as the Sophie Sayers Cozy Mysteries. The first, "The Pride of Peacocks", is available exclusively to members of my Readers' Club (visit my author website to claim your copy). "The Natter of Knitters" and "The Clutch of Eggs" are available in ebook and paperback. A Christmas special, "Christmas with Sophie Sayers", featuring festive short stories set in the same world, was published for Christmas 2023. Two more Sophie Sayers short stories appear in the charity anthologies "Everyday Kindness" and "The Little Shop of Murders".

My standalone novella, "Mrs Morris Changes Lanes", is a second-chance mid-life romantic comedy with a touch of magical realism, set in the Cotswolds in spring,

Earlier in my career, I published three themed collections of short stories, "Stocking Fillers", "Marry in Haste", and "Quick Change".

PLAYS

I've also now started writing scripts for murder mystery events, and my debut play, "The Importance of Being Murdered", will be premiered by Hawkesbury Drama Group in April 2025. I'm planning eventually to novelise my plays to reach a wider audience.

AWARDS

The first St Bride's novel was shortlisted for the 2020 Selfies Award given for the best independently-published fiction in the UK. The sixth Sophie Sayers novel was shortlisted for the same award in 2021.

FREE EBOOK

Receive a free ebook of my comedy novelette "The Pride of Peacocks" when you join my Readers' Club via my author website (just search for Author Debbie Young to find it). I'll also send you a monthly enewsletter to keep you up to date with news of my books and events and insights into my writing life. There is a free prize draw in every issue.

PUBLISHER'S NEWSLETTER

You are also warmly invited to join Boldwood Books' newsletter about my books and special offers - you'll find a joining link in the sidebar of my website.

HELPING OTHER WRITERS

When I'm not writing fiction, I'm helping other authors. I'm a course tutor for Jericho Writers, and I've written several guidebooks and many articles and blog posts for authors. I frequently speak at events for readers and writers, and I judge writing competitions.

MEMBERSHIPS & AGENT REPRESENTATION

I'm a member of the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors. I'm represented by Ethan Ellenberg at the Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency in New York.

PUBLIC EVENTS

Back in 2015, I founded the Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival in my home village in the Cotswolds. The Festival now takes the form of a year-round series of talks on different themes and genres, each featuring at least three guest authors, with me in the chair. See festival website for more details. I am a frequent speaker at other litfests - if you'd like me to speak at your event, please don't hesitate to send a request via the contact form on my author website.

I may be busy, but I am never too tired to curl up with a good book.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
49 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find these short stories gently humorous and well-crafted, with one review noting they offer different angles on dating and marriage. Moreover, the book is easy to read, and customers love the author's style. Additionally, one customer describes them as beautifully observed, with another mentioning they provide an engaging slice of life in the marriage market.

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HumorShort story qualityReadabilityStyleObservanceRomance
7 customers mention ‘Humor’7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book gently humorous and witty.

"...We all need a dose of fun in our lives and Debbie's humour is unmissable, wry and mischievous I just hope this is the first of many anthologies." Read more

"...They are funny, observant and lovely to read...." Read more

"...Debbie has once again mastered the short story with her wonderful sense of humour. You will not regret reading this." Read more

"This lighthearted collection of short stories is funny, endearing, and beautifully observed...." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Short story quality’6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the short stories in this collection, describing them as snappy and well-crafted, with one customer specifically mentioning they are entertaining tales about marriage and dating.

"...But here are fifteen gentle, well-crafted stories...." Read more

"What a fabulous light hearted read. Short snappy stories that you can dip in and out of whenever you have a spare five minutes - Or you can easily..." Read more

"I love this author's style. Warm, funny and so easy to read. Fifteen separte stories, so you can dip in and savour a treat anytime...." Read more

"Short tales which explore the many phases which may be encountered in a relationship...." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Readability’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read.

"...& engaging slice of life in the marriage market and a perfect tonic for a quick read...." Read more

"...They are funny, observant and lovely to read...." Read more

"...But they are now available for us to read and enjoy. More, please." Read more

"...out of whenever you have a spare five minutes - Or you can easily read the whole book in one go...." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Style’4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's writing style, with one noting it is endearing and another describing it as clever.

"...are separated into different stages of relationships, which is a nice touch. They are funny, observant and lovely to read...." Read more

"...Their optimism is not starry-eyed, however – love is a beautiful and powerful force, but has to be accompanied by a healthy dose of tolerance, of..." Read more

"This lighthearted collection of short stories is funny, endearing, and beautifully observed...." Read more

"I love this author's style. Warm, funny and so easy to read. Fifteen separte stories, so you can dip in and savour a treat anytime...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Observance’3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's observance, with one describing it as beautifully observed.

"...They are funny, observant and lovely to read...." Read more

"...collection of short stories is funny, endearing, and beautifully observed...." Read more

"...Well-observed, with its particular strength being the handling of the dialogue." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Romance’3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romantic stories in the book, with one review noting how they explore different angles on dating and marriage, while another describes them as an engaging slice of life in the marriage market.

"...These stories are a witty & engaging slice of life in the marriage market and a perfect tonic for a quick read...." Read more

"...these short stories: very varied in length and with different angles on dating and marriage...." Read more

"...the spirits and reminds those feeling particularly jaded that love takes many forms...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • spabbygirl
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a great read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 January 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I'm still smiling from the story I read last night, I had no idea how a story about an argument over a wedding present would end, I thought one or the other would have to give in but when I saw what actually happened I had to laugh out loud! And I'm still tickled now. I also thought it was just me who had trouble with putting lavender flowers in things but it seems not, what seemed like a good idea at the time didn't quite work out as planned!
    These stories are a witty & engaging slice of life in the marriage market and a perfect tonic for a quick read. We all need a dose of fun in our lives and Debbie's humour is unmissable, wry and mischievous I just hope this is the first of many anthologies.
    One person found this helpful
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  • ks0303
    4.0 out of 5 stars I read this as I thought some short stories would be good during a very busy time of my life when ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2016
    Verified Purchase
    As with Debbie Young's book Stocking Fillers, I read this as I thought some short stories would be good during a very busy time of my life when I couldn't quite get into a novel. I was proved right. These 15 stories are separated into different stages of relationships, which is a nice touch. They are funny, observant and lovely to read. Even if you haven't got a lot of time available for reading, you will find yourself reading on nevertheless.
    Helpful
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  • Sam Walker
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 June 2016
    I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories. If only they had been longer!
    Helpful
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  • Amazon Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful collection
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 September 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This book’s ‘fifteen short stories about dating, love and marriage’ are essentially optimistic about these experiences, even though one or two of them tell of wrong turnings. Their optimism is not starry-eyed, however – love is a beautiful and powerful force, but has to be accompanied by a healthy dose of tolerance, of learning to put up with your partner’s more annoying habits, and of humility, in realizing you may not be free of annoying habits yourself.

    I particularly liked The Homecoming, where the (female) author takes the risk of writing in a male voice and succeeds. Having Your Cake has a charming twist. The New Coat is a clever (and, in the current climate, brave) riff on a fashionable theme of the controlling husband. And The Butterfly Clip rounds the set off perfectly, with its sense of the quiet reward that can await us if we get this love business right.

    If you like your fiction noir and see life as a nasty, messy business we have to fight our way through, this is probably not the collection for you. But if you have a more upbeat take on things…

    This book is an excellent advert for the new world of independent publishing, which is often criticized as having unleashed a torrent of churned-out, formulaic melodrama. But here are fifteen gentle, well-crafted stories. Written by an unknown author who lives in the sticks (the book’s publisher is based in rural Gloucestershire), they would probably not have seen the light of day under the old order. But they are now available for us to read and enjoy. More, please.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Sue B
    1.0 out of 5 stars Boring
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 December 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Not to my taste
    Helpful
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  • Cailleach Eilidh
    5.0 out of 5 stars Short snappy stories that you can dip in and out of whenever you have a spare five minutes - Or you can easily read the whole bo
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2016
    Verified Purchase
    What a fabulous light hearted read. Short snappy stories that you can dip in and out of whenever you have a spare five minutes - Or you can easily read the whole book in one go. Debbie has once again mastered the short story with her wonderful sense of humour. You will not regret reading this.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Mrs Yvonne Payne
    4.0 out of 5 stars Warm, witty and clever
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 July 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This lighthearted collection of short stories is funny, endearing, and beautifully observed. I grinned on ‘recognising’ some characters from the Enduring section, and then laughed aloud when I ‘found’ myself in one story. I’m sure other people will do so too. I read my copy before and during a flight when I’d not have been able to concentrate on a novel. The next time I get an invite to a wedding, I’ll use a copy of the book instead of a wedding card as there was never a barbed ‘Repent at leisure’ story.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Chris Calder
    5.0 out of 5 stars I love this author's style
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 February 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I love this author's style. Warm, funny and so easy to read. Fifteen separte stories, so you can dip in and savour a treat anytime. A bit like a box of soft-centred luxury chocolates, in more ways than one. Buy it and enjoy!
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Marcia GLoster Ammeen
    5.0 out of 5 stars I suggest you read Marry in Haste slowly, it goes all too fast!
    Reviewed in the United States on 14 August 2016
    Verified Purchase
    By Marcia Gloster, Author

    I had no idea what to expect from Marry in Haste but was I ever delighted! I spent a few hours smiling and occasionally laughing out loud.
    This is a wonderful collection of short stories, or I should say, slices of lives and relationships told in a subtle, gently sly and yet knowing manner. I would find it difficult to pick my favorite. I immediately emailed all my friends to buy it.
    Debbie, please give us more!
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  • Nancy Freund
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely and fun
    Reviewed in the United States on 16 October 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Perfect book for the nightstand, a story or two each night before bed to ease the transition from all the stresses and worries of the day to a lovely night's sleep. It seems very fitting that I have finished and originally reviewed this one on Valentine's Day. Debbie Young looks at marriage and love from all angles, and it's all good fun.
    Report

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