A Coffee Break Story Collection: 36 Short Stories

by Sally Jenkins, Iain Pattison

Three of Sally Jenkins’ short story collections brought together in one bumper volume!

This compilation contains all 36 stories previously published in Sally’s individual collections, One Day for Me , Old Friends and House Guests . Enjoy tales with a twist, competition-winning prose and gentler slices of life, with a hint of romance.Many of these successful stories were selected for inclusion in UK publications such as The Weekly News, My Weekly and The People’s Friend.

“ Sally Jenkins knows how to build a story. She takes the mundane, and makes it intriguing. She hooks the reader, and reels him in ... her capacity for twisting each tale's ending is nothing short of phenomenal. ” - US Readers’ Favorite Book Review Website.

Delve inside and discover how the past catches up with a government minister. Read a tale of TV talent shows and first love. And experience a school French exchange visit with a difference …

One Day for Me A middle-aged lady has a rare day of pampering. Will it be her last?
Replacing the Empire Mrs Simpson gets cold feet before her marriage to Edward VIII
The Loneliness of the Short Distance Runner Gold medals need sacrifice. Is it worth it?
Found Property Charlotte finds an umbrella on a bus & starts her own business
Deal or no Deal? Why does Julia meet her daughter’s boyfriend in a café?
Out of the Shadows Sylvia’s been out with married men before but Gerald is different
Consequences The past catches up with the new Minister for the Family
A Tangled Web An imaginary boyfriend causes problems
Another Fine Mess A follow up visit from a ‘clean your house’ reality show.
Please Hold A student wants more cash from Mum
Points Mean Prizes Robert is obsessed with supermarket loyalty points & grocery vouchers
Old Friends Caroline’s life is different to that of her friends. Will she cope when they meet again?
Genius Decision Barbara meets a genie. What will she wish for?
Lifting the Cup A new football trophy is up for grabs
Out of Control A terrifying experience in a car
Champagne Girl A tale of TV talent shows & first love
Mrs Muggins A mum drops hints about her birthday present
Night Shift Louise’s boss is a tyrant
Christmas Lights A story of neighbourliness
Collateral Damage A dining room is wrecked
Built to Last Yvonne’s wedding anniversary trip to Florence isn’t what she expected
The Verdict Can the jury chairman get a unanimous verdict?
Boxes in the Loft Lisa needs extra money. Is her first customer all he seems?
Hard Labour Jessie & Steve had difficulty conceiving. Now their son is on his way!
Charity Challenge Katie’s money-raising charity challenge has an extra twist
Growing out of Burgers A school French exchange visit with a difference
Fathers’ Club A new dad struggles to cope
Making News A trainee reporter has a big story to write
Salvation by Iain Pattison An angel visits Martha’s deathbed
Too Fast, Too Soon Maxine wants to take things slowly but Paul’s in a rush
Rescue A climbing expedition goes wrong
The Key of the Door A modern day ‘Pride & Prejudice’ Anne de Bourgh celebrates her 21st birthday & incurs her mother’s wrath
Last Bus Home A man in a balaclava watches teenage girls waiting for the last bus home
The Worm Test Will Susannah pass the ‘stepmother test’?
House Guests A student grandson outstays his welcome
My Ballet Dancing Rival Emily’s teacher becomes her hero

221 pages, Paperback

Published June 29, 2017

About the author

Sally Jenkins is an American sports columnist and feature writer for The Washington Post, and author. She was previously a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. She has won the AP Sports Columnist of the Year Award five times, received the National Press Foundation 2017 chairman citation, and was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize. She is the author of a dozen books. Jenkins is noted for her writing on Pat Summitt, Joe Paterno, Lance Armstrong, and the United States Center for SafeSport.

Reviews

[shark typhoon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute rubbish. The stories are obvious, unoriginal and always similar characters (older women?). Not really made for everyone and just a very specific demographic.

No surprises in any of the stories.

[Mik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheap and cheerful

A reasonable sets of short stories ranging from just a couple of pages to a handful of pages some just end abruptly but they passed the time on ideal for just having a cup of coffee when you need something to while away a few minutes

[stephen smitten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

Predictable short stories. Not a book that I would rush to read again. Ok to pass a bit of time.

[Sarah Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled the gaps between books nicely

Reading this made me realise how very clever short stories need to be to keep engaging you again and again. Well worth the read.

[Kyrenia Boucher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars a lovely collection of short stories. i enjoyed this book.