This week I’m joined by fellow RNA Birmingham chapter friend Suzanne Lissaman. She is sharing an extract from her new novel Be More Capybara which is published on 11 August 2026 and telling readers more about the book and herself …
Thank you so much to Morton for letting me share an excerpt from my new novel, Be More Capybara, which is published tomorrow, Tuesday 11 August 2026. It’s a second-chance, later-in-life romantic comedy set in Dashford-on-Sea – a fictional, picturesque village on the North Devon coast, and it is the fifth book in my popular Dashford series.
Excerpt from “Be More Capybara” by Suzanne Lissaman
This excerpt starts on New Year’s Day morning, when 48-year-old Nigel, who’s making a surprise visit to his childhood home, is walking along the cliffs:
***
Nigel walked along the path until he reached the highest point of the cliff, then turned to admire the view.
Something bashed into his legs, making him stumble. An animal. What the hell? He watched it continue its mad trajectory along the path. A small greyhound, or perhaps a large whippet, which explained the speed. Who was stupid enough to let a dog off the lead up here?
He turned to look where the dog had come from. A woman was jogging towards him. Judging by her padded full-length coat and walking boots, she hadn’t intended to go running this morning. ‘Rocky!’ she shouted.
‘Your dog nearly knocked me over,’ Nigel yelled into the wind. ‘You should keep him under control.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ the woman said as she drew nearer. ‘We don’t normally see any rabbits up here. Oh, thank God – he’s stopped.’
Nigel turned to follow her gaze. The dog was making his way slowly back to them.
‘A lead might be a good idea.’
‘He was on a lead.’ She was getting her breath back now. ‘He pulled it out of my grip.’
She held her hand out in front of her so he could see the angry red mark running across her fingers where the lead had given her a friction burn.
‘That looks awful. You need to put that under a cold tap.’
‘Bit tricky up here.’ She stared at him. ‘Nigel?’
How did she know his name?
The woman pulled down her hood.
He could see her face properly for the first time. He’d recognise those hazel eyes anywhere, even after all this time. ‘Helen? What are you doing here?’
***
Helen was so thrown by seeing Nigel standing in front of her, older and greyer and looking exhausted but still recognisably Nigel, that she almost forgot to answer him. ‘I’ve moved back into my parents’ old house. And you?’
‘I’m visiting my mother for a few days. Well, I’ll probably stay for a while.’
They looked at one another awkwardly for a few seconds until Rocky nudged her. She grabbed his lead and winced.
Nigel looked concerned. ‘What are we going to do about your burn? Let me look at it properly.’
She held it out to him.
He removed his glove and took her hand gently in his. A jolt of electricity shot up her arm as soon as he touched her. That hadn’t happened in so long. He quickly let go, looking as confused as she felt.
2024 was getting off to an interesting start.
***
About Suzanne Lissaman
Suzanne Lissaman is a British rom com author who lives in leafy Warwickshire with her husband, two grown-up children and a demanding but adorable cat. Her stories feature strong women doing their best to navigate life’s challenges, and the charming men who enter their lives, usually when neither of them is looking for love.
She’s won three Romantic Novelists’ Association awards: Debut Romantic Novel 2024 for Be More Octopus, Romantic Comedy Novel 2025 for Love Me Till Wednesday, and the Elizabeth Goudge Trophy 2026 for the first chapter of Thirty Years Later.
When she’s not writing, she’s also an artist and photographer.
Social media and website links
Website: https://suzannelissaman.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/suzannelissaman
Facebook: https://facebook.com/suzannelissamanauthor
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@suzannelissaman
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@suzannelissaman
More about Be More Capybara
Successful interior designer Helen returns to the Devon village she left behind decades ago, accompanied by Rocky, a retired racing greyhound with no concept of personal space.
After her ex-husband blew their life savings on a hopeless scheme, she’s looking for a fresh start and trying to learn to trust her own judgement again.
Then old friend Nigel unexpectedly returns from New York. He’s still the warm, caring man Helen never quite forgot. But while she has spent twenty-five years believing he didn’t return her feelings, Nigel has spent just as long convinced that she never wanted him.
As their friendship sparks back into life, it looks as though they may finally have another chance. But Nigel hasn’t told Helen the whole truth about why his high-flying career ended. And after everything she has been through, one secret may be all it takes to send her running again.
Funny, warm and full of second chances, Be More Capybara is a later-in-life romantic comedy about letting go of the past, learning to trust again, and finding the courage to follow your heart.
It is the fifth book in Suzanne’s popular Dashford Comedies series and can be read as a standalone.
Tropes. Themes and style
- Second chance romance
- Later-in-life romance
- Fresh starts
- The one that got away
- Fade to black
- Dual POV
Book buying links
Be More Capybara is available from Amazon in paperback, and on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited: here
This is the blog for Morton S. Gray, writer of romance with a mystery to solve The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series set in the fictional seaside town of Borteen for Choc Lit Publishing an imprint of Joffe Books.
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The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series – Buying link here
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