5 Reasons to Leave a Lover: A Novella and Other Short Stories

By Carolyn Moncel

In 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover, author Carolyn Moncel offers up a fresh batch of stories based on love and loss. As singer/songwriter, Paul Simon so eloquently suggested in a famous song from the 1970s, there are many ways to leave a lover. However, Moncel's characters demonstrate that the reasons for leaving in the first place are quite finite. Encounters in Paris` Ellery and Julien Roulet return, picking up their lives where the short story, "Pandora`s Box Revisited," ends. This time the Roulets are involved in a love triangle, and along with two other couples, must explore how love relationships are affected and splinter due to abuse, ambivalence, deception, cheating and death. This bittersweet collection of tales proves that some breakups are necessary; while others are voluntary; and still others are simply destined and beyond anyone's control.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carolyn Moncel
• Release date: May 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458059741

Carolyn Moncel

A virtual media and web consultant by day and author by night, Carolyn Davenport-Moncel moved to Paris from Chicago, her hometown, in 2001. In Paris, she started the first English-speaking Virtual Assistance firm. Known for her online articles on media relations, Moncel owns MotionTemps, LLC, a Digital Project and Web Content Management firm with offices in Chicago, Paris and Geneva; and its subsidiary, Mondavé Communications, a media relations training and publishing company. She has written, placed articles and been featured in such diverse publications as Entrepreneur.com, Expatica.com, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Wired News, International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Working Mother, Bonjour Paris, and PrissyMag.com. She currently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland with her husband and two daughters Encounters in Paris is her first work of fiction. Her next collection of short stories, 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover will debut in fall 2011.

Book preview

5 REASONS TO LEAVE A LOVER –

A NOVELLA AND OTHER SHORT STORIES

by

Carolyn Moncel

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Carolyn Moncel on Smashwords

5 Reasons to Leave a Lover –

A Novella and Other Short Stories

Copyright © 2011 by Carolyn Moncel, Mondavé Publishing,

a subsidiary of MotionTemps, LLC

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

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Also By Carolyn Moncel

Encounters in Paris – A Collection of Short Stories

Life is filled with random encounters and Ellery Roulet, a 35-year-old American PR executive living and working in Paris, has experienced enough of them to last five lifetimes.

She has the perfect life until trouble enters her world via job loss, infidelity, and death.

Paris seems like the most romantic thing in the world, until you live there. … A fun read that blends plenty of romance, Encounters in Paris is quite the pick, recommended.

—The Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Carolyn Davenport-Moncel is also the author of Encounters in Paris – A Collection of Short Stories. Originally from Chicago, she lives in Lausanne, Switzerland with her husband and two daughters. Her next two projects, Geneva Nights – A Novel and Encounters in Chicago – A Collection of Short Stories debut in 2012. Discover her other works at www.carolynmoncel.com

Acknowledgments

My thanks go to my husband Philippe, daughters Chloé and Jillian, and my family, friends, clients, designers, publishers, reviewers and fans for their support. A very special thanks to my editor, Priscilla Lalisse-Jespersen for her tireless assistance and encouragement on this project.

"...She said why don’t we both just sleep on it tonight

And I believe in the morning you’ll begin to see the light

And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right

There must be fifty ways to leave your lover…"

—Paul Simon, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, 1975

"…You and I together

But only one of us in love

And everybody knows…"

—Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, Everybody Knows 2007

A Novella

Chapter 1

Set Yourself Free, Ellery

It hadn’t felt like she’d slept very long but when Ellery Roulet awoke, it was already well past dinner time.

The day had been quite an emotional one; she was glad that Julien, her husband of ten years, had picked up their children from school in order to let her sleep. Now, she wouldn’t have to make dinner either. Julien had allowed the girls the rare treat of eating at McDonalds. The smell of French fries wafted through her bedroom.

Quickly, she pulled her clothes back on and padded down the hallway. She found her ten-year-old twins, Evie and Maddie still awake and watching cartoons in their bedroom. Ellery sat on the foot of Evie’s bed.

Hey, little ladies, where’s your dad? asked Ellery yawning.

Someone called and papa said he needed to go back to his office, said Evie. He said that he would be working late tonight.

Okay…well, did you have enough to eat?

Of course! We went to McDonalds, mom! Maddie stated proudly.

Then I guess that means you’re both sufficiently full...for now, Ellery said with a wink. Is your homework done? Oui, they answered in unison. Don’t forget your baths…and bedtime is in about an hour, Ellery cautioned as she raised herself from the bed and left the room. The girls’ groans of protest echoed behind her.

Later after getting the girls settled into bed, Ellery stepped outside on to her apartment balcony. It was a chilly night but clear without clouds or stars. As she took in the Parisian skyline, she could see the Eiffel Tower, lit up and sparkling in the distance. When it got too cold, Ellery went inside and tried dialing her friend Lola who lived near Place Saint-Sulpice in the 6th arrondissement. There was no answer on her mobile. Instead Ellery left a message on her voicemail. Knowing Lola, she was out with one of her latest conquests. Once Lola had a chance to do the walk of shame back to her flat, shower and sleep off the previous nights’ effects, she would call Ellery with all the delicious details.

Part Spanish and French, Lola Sanchez was Ellery’s partner in crime. Still single and about five years her junior, Ellery had met Lola through her former business partner, Olivier Rousseau. The two had dated on and off for a while. When it was over, Lola and Ellery remained friends, even if the once-loving couple hated each other presently. The funny thing was Ellery never knew if and when Lola and Olivier were over. For all Ellery knew, Lola was with Olivier right now.

Lola was a lot of fun to have around—especially on a girls’ night out. Although she was beautiful and smart, Lola also was loud, crazy, free-spirited and impulsive. She always had Ellery’s back. She was up for almost anything, anytime and anywhere and that’s why Ellery loved her so much.

Ellery allowed herself at least one night per month to let loose with friends like Lola. Sometimes they would meet up for dinner and a movie or attend an art gallery opening. Ellery even remembered one particular night when she and Lola hung out at some bar in the 9th arrondissement and received free foot massages from shirtless, hunky male servers. Later when she strolled into her apartment at 4 a.m., Julien wasn’t even angry or jealous. Actually, he seemed really turned on by Ellery’s adventure. There was no reason for him to feel threatened anyway because Julien knew he could trust her. Ellery could look without touching; she was just loyal that way.

Since Lola wasn’t available, Ellery considered calling her younger brother, Steve for moral support, but it was the middle of the day back in Chicago. He was probably working. Plus, he had his own problems. With an impending divorce from Leah, she didn’t want him worrying about her, too.

Ellery needed to keep her mind occupied. Sitting at her dining room table, she remembered there was still some mail that needed tending–mostly bills. Recalling that she had placed all incoming mail on the hall table, she began sifting through the correspondence again, separating them into personal and business piles. Letters for Julien were placed in a neat stack on his roll-stop desk in the alcove. There was one last letter that couldn’t be categorized, for she intended to keep it secret from him. It contained the day’s most distressing news.

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Good Evening my Belle,

I am writing to you because I have finally made a decision. It is you that I want, Katrine, and not my wife, Ellery.

Reviews for 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover

[samantha100_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

5 Reasons to Leave a Lover, by Carolyn Moncel, consists of a novella and two short stories that are about relationships, love and losses. While the couples in each story are in different stages of life, they share a commonality. They will suffer the loss of their relationships with varying results. The book includes a section where the author is asked why she decided to explore the area of lost love and she states that "If you ask the average person why a relationship ends, it usually has to do with death, abuse, cheating, dishonesty or dissatisfaction." Her decision was based on this and she skillfully incorporates these reasons into the stories.The novella, Set Yourself Free, Ellery, is the story of Ellery and her husband Julien. Who would have thought that the omission of a postal code on an envelope would lead to the destruction of a marriage? In this case, the envelope held the letter that Julien had written to Katrine, his mistress, telling her that he was leaving Ellery and that he wants to marry her. The letter is returned and it is Ellery who intercepts and reads it. Ms. Moncel's method of telling the story is superb. Ellery, Julien and Katrine each give their version of their part in this complicated relationship. Also included is conversation between Julien and Katrine and then Ellery and Katrine and, finally, Ellery and Julien. Their stories are interwoven and their emotions described with clarity and introspection. This is the story of three losses and asks the question: Was it worth it?The short story, Maybe Just Leave, Steve, is told by Cinnamon who has been in a long term relationship with Steve for a long time. She was the friend who saw him through relationships with various girlfriends. She understood his moods and eating habits and most of all, she was a loyal friend to him. Steve eventually marries Leah and unlike his relationship with Cinnamon, their relationship ends due to Steve's infidelity. Cinnamon expects to remain Steve's friend, but this is not to be. This is a story of loss that also becomes a story of new found love and loyalty.Maybe In Death, Beth is about finality. Beth and Herman are in their nineties and it is Beth who dies first leaving Herman to reminisce about their decades together. Theirs was in imperfect marriage that endured the test of time. Particulary moving is the author's description of how Herman tends to Beth's body in order to preserve her dignity before calling the paramedics. Even though they both knew the end was inevitable, Herman can't help being impacted by the finality of his loss.Ms. Moncel exhibits true understanding of human emotions. The characters are believable and easy to relate to. I recommend reading this book as there is much to be gained from doing so.I received this book free of charge and I give this review of my own free will.

[g82hug · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Relationships are difficult. They are often fragile, especially when they are neglected. They end for a variety of different reasons, but how do you know when it's time to walk away? What's a deal breaker for one person may or may not be for another, while our limits may vary, the pain of heartbreak is universal.5 Reasons to Leave a Lover explores five different relationships that have reached their breaking point. Carolyn Moncel has done a remarkable job of exploring the inevitable emotional turmoil that is experienced by all parties when a relationship ends. You will be captivated by the complexities of the characters and the simplicity of their raw feelings. Every story has a relatable character, whether you have experienced relationship peril firsthand or watched someone else go through it, you can't help but identify.

[krystal18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book contains 3 terrific novellas. The first one concerns Ellery and her husband. Ellery feels betrayed-as she should-by her husband and decides to take revenge. The author infuses her words with humor so as to lessen the damage Ellery inflicts upon her husband's possessions. The way Ellery restrains herself beyond the initial blow-up was inspiring, she was a truly likable and good character. Her character may be flawed, but that makes is so much easier for the readers to connect to her. This is the first novella and will leave the reader with an intense desire to read the next novellas. The second novella concerns friendship as well as "how to leave a lover." Cinnamon will draw the reader in and will come off as naturally a warm and kind person. This is the sweetest novella of the bunch. The third novella is much sadder than the first two. What happens when your soul mate dies? The author does not attempt to answer this question, but does a beautiful job of detailing one man's grief in taking care of his dying wife and the "what happens after" portion. Overall, the three novellas were well-written and intriguing, recommended to adult readers.

[oosabookclub · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love Is a Many Splendored Thing Carolyn Moncel gives her readers three novellas that cover the different faces of love in “5 Reasons to Leave a Lover.”The first novella deals with Ellery and Julien who are at a crossroad in their marriage. Ellery finds out Julien has been cheating, and she is determined to deal with the other woman. Even though the theme of cheating has been covered in many books I’ve read, this author writes an emotional story that takes a look inside the heart of everyone involved in this love triangle.The second novella deals with Steve, Leah, and Cinnamon. Steve divides his time between the two, but one feels he isn’t giving them enough to make the relationship survive. I love the spin the author put on this story. You will definitely ask yourself…Who is Cinnamon? You will have to read the last few lines of the story to figure it out.The third Novella deals with Herman and Beth who after years of being married experience a loss beyond measure. This story deals with the timeless theme of taking people we love for granted.I love this author’s ability to write strong characters that pull the readers into each story. This is the second book I have read from Carolyn Moncel and she never fails to give readers an exceptionally well-written book.Reviewed by: Orsayor