REVIEW: The Unexpected Consequences Of Love by Jill Mansell

Title: The Unexpected Consequences Of Love
Author: Jill Mansell
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: February, 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit

Description: Sophie has no interest in finding love. But what happens when love finds her?

Sophie Wells is a successful photographer with a focus on putting the past firmly behind her. When Josh Strachan returns to the seaside town of Cornwall from the States to run his family's hotel, he can't understand why the fun, sexy girl has zero interest in letting him-or any man for that matter-into her life. He also can't understand how he's been duped into employing Sophie's impulsive friend Tula, whose crush on him is decidedly unrequited. Both girls remain mum about the reasons behind Sophie's indifference to love. But that doesn't mean Josh is going to quit trying...

My Thoughts: An amusing and heartwarming story about a young man named Josh who returns to Cornwall to help his grandmother run the family business. He wants to get to know local photographer Sophie Wells better and on a personal level, but she keeps him and every other man at arm’s length. Sophie shows absolutely no interest at all in the dating ritual and would rather bury her wounded heart in her work, where she focuses all of her energy. The more Josh tries to draw Sophie out of her shell, the more resistance he meets, but he is determined to get to the bottom of the matter, no matter the outcome.

I really liked all of the characters in this story. Sophie and Josh were wonderfully written and just perfect for each other. I just kept turning pages in anticipation of how they would eventually get together. The secondary characters breathe glorious life into the story in their own right. There’s Sophie’s impetuous friend, Tula who finds herself unemployed and moving to Cornwall after she gets busted calling off sick when she wasn’t. There’s Riley, the attractive beach bum who appears to have no prospects and is living with his successful author Aunt and last but not least, Josh’s divorced grandparents who are still quite fond of one another. I was rooting for all of these characters to receive a happy ending because they were all so likable. I loved the setting of Cornwall for this story. The pace seems slower, which fits this story beautifully. No big city noise or smog polluting the air or the ears here. I got a very real sense of tranquility, peace and relaxation while reading this story. I’m not a fan of the beach setting, myself, but I really felt so comfortable while reading it.

My Final Verdict: Overall, I’m fairly new to the writing of Jill Mansell, but after reading this book, I am a fan. I highly recommend this book if you like stories that feature characters who surprise you with their actions. This story will reaffirm that love happens in the most unexpected ways so there is no use fighting it or trying to avoid it.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Unexpected Consequences Of Love from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Patron Saint Of Lost Dogs by Nick Trout

Title: The Patron Saint Of Lost Dogs (Cyrus Mills #1)
Author: Nick Trout
Publisher: Hachette Books
Publication Date: January, 2013
Genre: General Fiction

Description: After fifteen years, Dr. Cyrus Mills returns to rural Vermont to inherit the Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the failing veterinary practice of his recently deceased and long-estranged father. Cyrus, a veterinary pathologist far more comfortable with cold clinical facts than living, breathing animals (not to mention their quirky, demanding owners), intends to sell the practice and get out of town as fast as he can.

Then his first patient—a down-on-her-luck golden retriever named Frieda Fuzzypaws—wags her way through the door, and suddenly life gets complicated. With the help of a black Labrador gifted in the art of swallowing underwear, a Persian cat determined to expose her owner’s lover as a gold digger, and the allure of a feisty, pretty waitress from the local diner, Cyrus gets caught up in a new community and its endearing residents, both human and animal. Sensing he may have misjudged the past, he begins to realize it’s not just his patients that need healing.

The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs is a winsome tale of new beginnings, forgiveness, and the joy of finding your way home.

My Thoughts: The Patron Saint Of Lost Dogs by new to me author, Nick Trout, is a very good story about coming home again, forgiveness and making peace with your past. Cyrus Mills returns to his hometown to take over his deceased father’s veterinary practice that is on the brink of failure. To further complicate matters, Cyrus is not a veterinarian in practice as he has never treated living animals. Instead, his expertise lies in veterinary pathology. Cyrus intends to sell the practice and return to South Carolina as quickly as he can. However, he does not anticipate how his arrival affects the numerous quirky characters he meets, both animal and human.

I really enjoy books that feature animals prominently throughout the story and this book did not disappoint. Mr. Trout does an excellent job of bringing the animals to life with individual personalities and traits that enabled me to feel a profound connection with each one. I was intrigued and worried at the same time whether or not Cyrus would figure out in time what was wrong with each of his patients. A couple of the animals really got to me on an emotional level and a box of Kleenex was necessary. In addition to the animals, the human characters of Eden Falls, Vermont are just as interesting and intriguing.

The story flows smoothly as Cyrus tries to acclimate himself to his new surroundings that are filled with painful memories and ghosts from his past. I enjoyed how he handled the stress of being out of his element interacting with living animals for the first time while meeting new people. Cyrus is very much a loner who has done a remarkable job of hiding his feelings and not getting close to people. Seeing him open up to both animals and people was uplifting.

My Final Verdict: If you enjoy heartwarming stories that feature animals in leading and supporting roles or enjoy stories that have likable characters who tug on your emotions, I highly recommend The Patron Saint Of Lost Dogs as a very good choice. This is the first book of the series and I am looking forward to reading the next book, Dog Gone, Back Soon.