What’s your favorite breakup song?
I asked that of all my friends, family, and Facebook fans while I was working on the first draft of Cure for the Common Breakup.
I wanted to compile a playlist for the Whinery, a (sadly) fictional bar in the (sadly) fictional town of Black Dog Bay, Delaware, aka “the best place in America to bounce back from your breakup”. Black Dog Bay is a tiny seaside village filled with all the amenities you might need after a sudden split: the Retail Therapy Boutique, the Rebound Salon, and the Better Off Bed and Breakfast, which features both kickboxing and yoga sessions as well as strict cellphone confiscation policies (the better to avoid those regrettable texts at 3 a.m.). But the Whinery is really the center of the social scene; it’s where local residents and “heartbreak tourists” go to dance, bond, and soothe their soul with a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc while singing along to “These Boots Were Made For Walking” at the top of their lungs.
I didn’t set out to write a book set in “Breakup Town, USA”, much less a book set in Delaware. But my last book (“The Week Before the Wedding”) featured a wild, charming maid of honor named Summer, and I knew she had to have her own story. I decided I’d brainstorm some brilliant plot ideas for her…right after I went on vacation with my family in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Of course, it turns out that writers’ brains never truly go on vacation. After three days of “not working” at the beach, I had an idea for the new book–and by incredible coincidence, it was set at the Delaware shore!
The character of Summer Benson was truly a gift from the writing gods—she’s spontaneous, whip-smart, and hilarious, with an “I regret nothing!” attitude—and I hope you’ll enjoy hanging out with her as much as I did.
SUMMER BENSON’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING YOUR BREAKUP:
- Almost die in a commercial aircraft malfunction and, upon regaining consciousness, get dumped by boyfriend. (Note: This step is optional, and should be omitted if at all possible.)
- Skip town. Drive to Delaware, where no one will ever think to look for you. Word to the wise: See all those local road signings warning you to watch for turtles crossing? Yeah, you might want to take those seriously. It would be a shame to swerve at the last minute and run into somebody’s fence.
- Make friends with the other heartbreak tourists at the Whinery. Dance. Drink. Swear off men forever.
- See ridiculously hot guy at bar. Ask him out. Get shot down.
- Ask ridiculously hot guy out again—this time, in a way that he cannot resist. (Hint: get creative. Don’t be afraid to use every weapon in your womanly arsenal.)
- Make more friends, including a brilliant high schooler who insists you are her mentor, and a cantankerous, filthy rich old woman who keeps trying to bust up your budding new romance. Tell them both to back off. Find yourself ignored on all fronts.
- Realize that, despite your best efforts to close your heart forever, you have somehow become more emotionally engaged and vulnerable than ever before. Curse self. Continue to make out with hot guy.
- Experience uneasy feeling that this level of peace and happiness can’t continue indefinitely. Something’s gotta give.
- Something gives. And it’s bad. Really, really bad.
- Brace yourself for the worst…but hope for a miracle.
(SPOILER ALERT: Miracles happen. Especially in Black Dog Bay.)
Beth Kendrick is the author of ten women’s fiction novels, including Cure for the Common Breakup and Nearlyweds, which was made into a Hallmark Channel original movie. She grew up in New England, went to college in the Midwest, and headed to grad school in California, where she earned her PhD in psychology. She now lives in Arizona with two red rescue mutts. Her favorite breakup songs include One Trick Pony’s “The Bride” and Icona Pop’s “I Love It”. For more information, please visit her website or connect with her on Facebook.