Author: Jill Mansell
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: January 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: Good intentions go awry in this irresistible page-turner from international bestseller author Jill Mansell.
Outspoken Tessa Duvall lives in a tiny, cozy cottage near Bath, struggling as an artist and feeling she doesn't really fit in with her posh friends. One fateful evening, she lets her best friend drag her to an elegant party, with every intention of sneaking out early. Then she encounters Ross Monahan, the high-profile hotel owner who, quite literally, charms the pants off Tessa.
She knows Ross and his wicked reputation may be nothing but a distraction, but soon, Tessa realizes that even a temporary fling can have permanent consequences… Could Ross actually be the best thing that’s ever happened to her?
One fling follows another, and now the whole community is embroiled in a great big web of deceit, the untangling of which will charm you, amuse you, make you laugh and make you cry.
My Thoughts: Initially, I thought I would enjoy this book more as an audiobook but struggled to remain focused on the story. I switched to digital and loved it. Jill Mansell does a brilliant job of filling her stories with numerous characters and storylines all occurring simultaneously but they flow so well that the reader isn’t overwhelmed trying to keep everyone and their story straight.
I enjoyed meeting Tessa, Ross, Holly, Max, Grace, Adam and everyone else. OK, maybe not everyone because I wanted to chuck Antonia through a window after first meeting her and my opinion of her didn’t improve. But see, that’s the beauty of Jill Mansell’s writing. Even the odious characters leave an impression.
I was quite intrigued with how Tessa and Ross meet and didn’t think a one-night stand and an unplanned pregnancy would work out for anyone, but it does here. Even though I wanted to shake Tessa sometimes at her stubbornness and quick reactions to believing the worst of Ross, even if he sometimes deserved it. I was rooting so hard for these two to make it work.
I adored Holly and though she comes off as very self-centered and a little bit arrogant, she has a heart of gold. She is in love with Max but he doesn’t acknowledge her existence, much less reciprocate any feelings for her. Adam, on the other hand, is head over heels for her, though he is a bit obnoxious in demonstrating it. I was on pins and needles on how her story would turn out.
I loved Grace and just wanted to hug her. She is barely out of school, probably around eighteen and working at the hotel Ross owns. Her world is turned upside down when she finds out about her father who she has never met. I was worried she would end up on skid row or something. Life is hard in the best of times, but to be dealt such traumatizing news at a young age could cause someone to spiral into a pit so dark and deep they would never be able to climb out. I must say that I think Grace was probably my favorite character and after you read this book, I think you will agree with me.
My Final Verdict: This book made me laugh, made me cry, made me angry and frustrated me. I loved it and highly recommend it to readers of contemporary romance and women’s fiction.
Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
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