Beth Reekles - It Won’t be Christmas Without You

Table of Contents

Beth Reekles is the author behind the 2018 Netflix smash hit movie, The Kissing Booth.

Beth first published The Kissing Booth on Wattpad in 2010, at age 15, accummulating almost 20 million reads before it was published by (Penguin) Random House in 2012, along with her other YA novels, Rolling Dice and Out of Tune. She has also published a short story with Accent Press called Cwtch Me If You Can.

Her work as an author saw her named as one of TIMEs 16 Most Influential Teenagers in late 2013, and shortlisted for several awards, including the 2014 Queen of Teen awards.

She now works in IT while maintaining her career as an author, and runs a blog where she talks about life as a twenty-something and offers writing advice.

It Wont Be Christmas Without You is Beths first adult fiction novel.

@Reekles

www.facebook.com/Reekles/

@authorbethreekles

www.authorbethreekles.com

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I live for Christmas, so it was only a matter of time before I turned my writing efforts to a Christmassy book. Im all for keeping the spirit alive all year round like a reformed Scrooge, but even I was finding it weird to be watching Love Actually during heat waves in the summer or over a sunny Easter bank holiday to try and help me get in the mood to edit this book.

Thanks to my wonderful agents, Clare and Lydia, for supporting me through this first foray into the world of adult writing and for all your hard work making this happen. And thanks to my editor, Charlotte Ledger, for taking a chance on me!

I dont know whether to thank my family or apologise to them, because honestly, you guys put up with so much from me at Christmas. Whether its my singing of Marley and Marley, showing off my Christmas slippers la Arthur Christmas, or trying to spread as much festive cheer as Buddy the Elf. Thanks Mum, for always putting so much effort into Christmas, and for making a gorgeous Christmas dinner. Thanks Dad, for that Jingle All The Way-style dash for stockings that one year Ill never forget. Thanks Auntie Sally and Uncle Jason, for the driving home for Christmas mug and for always letting us help decorate the tree. Thanks to Gransha, for always being my biggest fan, and reliably asking for just some Mars Bars at Christmas.

Also, to Auntie Sally and Uncle Jason its been eight years since the Great Turkeypocalypse of 2011. I dont think I will ever recover from it. I couldnt resist a reference to it in this book.

This novel focuses on the relationship between two sisters and to my own sister, thanks for being such a brilliant sister and Baby, Its Cold Outside singalong partner, for putting up with my nonsense. Im so proud to be your big sister Even if Im dancing around town wearing my Christmas jumper and embarrassing you.

Kudos to the gang at work for helping me balance everything on the writing side alongside my day job whether its jetting off to Brazil for a weekend or not finding it weird when I say Ive spent my weekend working. A special nod to Barb and Jade for making the worst office in the world the best, and for all your mad stories. Especially the naked volleyball one.

For my friends, thanks for indulging me when I buy you Christmas presents simply because I cant help myself, and for always rooting for me, whatever it is. My Ghana Gals, my Dream Team, my Ovaries of Physics, and my lab buddy Harrison. You guys are the best. Love you forever.

Eloise stared so hard into the camera that Cara tapped on her iPad screen, wondering if the connection had cut out. But then her twin blinked.

What do you mean, youre not coming home for Christmas?

Caras face twisted. She knew Eloise would react like this. Shed braced herself for a screaming match, for tantrums, for tears and threats of never speaking to her again.

But she plastered on a big smile, noticing that her lipstick needed touching up. I mean, technically, I will be. Ill just be there a bit later. Its not the end of the world!

She really didnt see what the big deal was.

Eloise pursed her lips, eyes closing, head tilted down. It was a look of grave disappointment, punctuated by a slow shake of the head. She looks exactly like Mum when she does that, Cara thought.

Thats not the point. Christmas is well, its Christmas. Its the whole holiday season. My trees been up for weeks. And youre going to spend Christmas morning on a bus.

Its not like theres much public transport running on Christmas Day. And its the cheapest fare I could get, Cara admitted, before she could second-guess telling her sister that part. It wasnt as though she didnt spend a bloody fortune already, living in London. She rented one room in a five-bedroom house. Three bedrooms, technically but who needed a dining room, or a loft, when you could convert them to bedrooms and rent them out at extortionate rates to desperate graduates trying to kick-start their careers?

Predictably, Eloise let out a snide bark of laughter, her phone screen tilting back towards the sky before she realigned it with her face. Oh, of course. I hope you remembered to get yourself on Santas Naughty List this year, Car, or youll have to go buy that lump of coal to warm the house yourself.

Not for the first time in this conversation, Cara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. But her cheeks did colour, and her jaw worked furiously. So what if she was trying to save money? (And by save, she really meant not be broke.) And so what if she wanted to go all out proving herself in her job to try and get a promotion in the New Year? Dave Steers was leaving his editorial role in January and she knew for a fact they were going to recruit internally, and they were looking for someone with fresh, new ideas. Which could be her.

Shed worked so bloody hard over the past eighteen-odd months since graduating. Just four months into the job at the online lifestyle magazine and theyd run with one of