Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Headline Review (published 12th July 2018)
Genre: Women's Fiction
- ISBN-10: 1472208986
ISBN-13: 978-1472208989
I have to admit that the opportunity to be a host on this blog tour for one of the queens of women's fiction, the legendary Jill Mansell, has to be the highlight of the first year of my blog. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this happening, especially so soon. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Headline for the privilege of being part of the promotional tour for Jill's latest novel.
Book Description:
Book Description:
On the one hand, if Essie hadn't written that letter - the one that only her best friend was meant to see - then she'd still be living like an actual proper grown-up, tucked up with Paul in his picture-perfect cottage, maybe even planning their wedding...
On the other hand (if her true feelings hadn't accidentally taken the internet by storm, that is) she wouldn't have moved into the attic flat on the square. She would never have met Conor. Or got to know Lucas...
And she wouldn't have found herself falling in love with someone she really, really shouldn't fall in love with...
My Review:
This book is typical of Jill's writing style with strong, inspirational characters who may be a little flawed but who are credible and have you rooting for a good outcome for them from start to finish.
We are first introduced to glamorous octogenarian Zillah, who gets herself involved with a young man who she spies in a local shop as he considers shop lifting. She diverts the situation by pretending to be the teenager's grandmother and hopefully setting him on a better path in life.
Then comes thirty-something Essie, who manages to get herself in a proper pickle when she makes the disastrous decision to put into writing her deepest thoughts regarding life with partner Paul and her opinions of his family - including her prospective mother-in-law who just happens to also be her boss. Her document ends up being sent to all the contacts in her address book thanks to the mischievous late night click of a laptop mouse. That one spur-of-the-moment decision by a rather inebriated house guest results in Essie losing her partner, home and job in one fell swoop.
But as we all know as one door closes, another opens and Fate decrees that Essie and Zillah find themselves in the same letting agent's office at the same point in time. And there begins the next chapter of their lives.
Not everything is plain sailing for any of the characters, with tear jerking moments and life changing scenarios sprinkled in amongst some lighter,funnier moments. Zillah's life story really made me consider what a genuinely lovely person she is as she takes stock of events which happened many years previously and does her best to put things right even if it is at her own personal expense emotionally as well as financially. If only there were more people like her in the world to touch the hearts of many.
There is a wonderful cast of characters in this story. I don't think I disliked any of them despite some of them being incredibly annoying at various points in the tale: Zillah is very glamorous ( I shall strive to be like her in my pensionable years), bar owner Lucas is very dashing but I felt there was more to him than the veneer he showed in his hospitality role, and the brash Brendon Banks and Caz have absolutely fabulous personalities which raised a few smiles - whether I could cope with them in real life I'm not sure! I think one of Jill's main strengths is her creation of some of the best characters in contemporary fiction, put together with her feel-good storylines they can only be a recipe for success.
This is a fabulous tale of second chances, being brave enough to admit when we're wrong and being prepared to do something about putting things right. As always Jill has hit the spot perfectly with this book, I absolutely adored it. What more can I say?
We are first introduced to glamorous octogenarian Zillah, who gets herself involved with a young man who she spies in a local shop as he considers shop lifting. She diverts the situation by pretending to be the teenager's grandmother and hopefully setting him on a better path in life.
Then comes thirty-something Essie, who manages to get herself in a proper pickle when she makes the disastrous decision to put into writing her deepest thoughts regarding life with partner Paul and her opinions of his family - including her prospective mother-in-law who just happens to also be her boss. Her document ends up being sent to all the contacts in her address book thanks to the mischievous late night click of a laptop mouse. That one spur-of-the-moment decision by a rather inebriated house guest results in Essie losing her partner, home and job in one fell swoop.
But as we all know as one door closes, another opens and Fate decrees that Essie and Zillah find themselves in the same letting agent's office at the same point in time. And there begins the next chapter of their lives.
Not everything is plain sailing for any of the characters, with tear jerking moments and life changing scenarios sprinkled in amongst some lighter,funnier moments. Zillah's life story really made me consider what a genuinely lovely person she is as she takes stock of events which happened many years previously and does her best to put things right even if it is at her own personal expense emotionally as well as financially. If only there were more people like her in the world to touch the hearts of many.
There is a wonderful cast of characters in this story. I don't think I disliked any of them despite some of them being incredibly annoying at various points in the tale: Zillah is very glamorous ( I shall strive to be like her in my pensionable years), bar owner Lucas is very dashing but I felt there was more to him than the veneer he showed in his hospitality role, and the brash Brendon Banks and Caz have absolutely fabulous personalities which raised a few smiles - whether I could cope with them in real life I'm not sure! I think one of Jill's main strengths is her creation of some of the best characters in contemporary fiction, put together with her feel-good storylines they can only be a recipe for success.
This is a fabulous tale of second chances, being brave enough to admit when we're wrong and being prepared to do something about putting things right. As always Jill has hit the spot perfectly with this book, I absolutely adored it. What more can I say?
About The Author:
Jill Mansell is the author of over twenty Sunday
Times bestsellers including THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT, TO THE MOON AND BACK, YOU
AND ME, ALWAYS and MEET ME AT BEACHCOMBER BAY. TAKE A CHANCE ON ME won the
RNA's Romantic Comedy Prize, and in 2015 the RNA presented Jill with an
outstanding achievement award.
Jill's personal favourite amongst her novels is THREE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT YOU, which is about cystic fibrosis and organ donation; to her great delight, many people have joined the organ donor register as a direct result of reading this novel.
Jill started writing fiction while working in the NHS, after she read a magazine article that inspired her to join a local creative writing class. Her first book was published in 1991 and she is now a full-time novelist. She is one of the few who still write their books by hand, like a leftover from the dark ages. She lives in Bristol with her family.
Social Media Links: Twitter - @JillMansell
Jill's personal favourite amongst her novels is THREE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT YOU, which is about cystic fibrosis and organ donation; to her great delight, many people have joined the organ donor register as a direct result of reading this novel.
Jill started writing fiction while working in the NHS, after she read a magazine article that inspired her to join a local creative writing class. Her first book was published in 1991 and she is now a full-time novelist. She is one of the few who still write their books by hand, like a leftover from the dark ages. She lives in Bristol with her family.
Social Media Links: Twitter - @JillMansell
Facebook - /OfficialJillMansell
You can also visit her website http://www.jillmansell.co.uk/
Follow the Tour:
Thanks so much for the Blog Tour support Sandie xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for your invitation Anne.
ReplyDelete