Böcker av Patricia Bjornstad

Just how difficult is it to attract love and companionship after a woman reaches a certain age?The Widow and the Ring Dance is a romantic novel and an ironic portrait of a recent widow named Juliette, an American and long-time resident of Norway. She''s in a huge rush to find a new life''s partner before her good looks fade, and her age, 53, causes her to appear undesirable to suitors.To demonstrate her viewpoint of how difficult it can be to find love in middle age, she quotes from R.F. Delderfield''s novel, God Is An Englishman:"A man, even a fool of a man, could make any number of attempts to track down happiness, addressing himself to the task until he was old and senile, but a woman had so little time at her disposal, and time for her was running out ..."After a few feeble attempts at internet dating, the incurably romantic Juliette places a personals advertisement in a newspaper column designed for someone in Juliette''s position. Although she''s nervous about taking such a chance, Norway seems a safe place to take the gamble.Juliette is more attractive than she thinks, and in her lifetime has found love easily, but she has never been a middle-aged widow before! Will she meet Mr. Right?Patricia Bjornstad is a retired teacher of English, history, and drama. Raised in Memphis, Tennessee, she has lived in Miami, Key West, and Jacksonville, Florida, as well as Virginia Beach, Virginia, and now has resided for 32 years in Norway. This is her third book. 

The year is 1965. The U.S. is in turmoil as the Vietnam War escalates and civil unrest is seething. Kate Bamber, a 19-year-old telephone operator from Memphis, is longing to find a good husband and some meaning to her young life. Seeking to escape a sad and troubled existence with her abusive parents, Kate eagerly accepts a job transfer and moves out of her parent''s house to the beautiful, sunny beaches of Miami, Florida.Filled with hope and excitement, Kate immediately realizes her Mid-Southern upbringing and small-town naïveté are no match for the harsh realities of life during these rapidly changing times. Romantic notions and hunger for adventure drive Kate to a guilt-ridden yet passionate love affair that unexpectedly leads to a seemingly picture-perfect marriage. But her desire for love and companionship continues to burn and the idea of a quiet married life is not what Kate''s free-spirited nature is made for.About the Author:Patricia Bjørnstad spent her childhood in Memphis, Tennessee. She moved to Norway with her husband in 1987 where she studied English literature, linguistics, and education. Patricia teaches English and drama at a Norwegian high school and plans to pursue her writing career after retirement. Her next book is about her adventures and experiences immigrating to Norway. A Quiet Life in Bedlam is her first published novel.Publisher''s website: http://www.sbpra.com/PatriciaBjornstad