I was really lucky to receive a copy of this from the publishers ahead of publication and I devoured it in a few hours. I promised myself that after I finished my chores on the weekend I would reward myself, and this was the reward I chose.
It was definitely the perfect reward after cleaning my flat and I loved every minute of it.
Remember, there will be no spoilers in this review because I think that it’s well worth ordering and reading for yourself.
Little does Lou realise that the grumpy old man in front of her in the queue at a small Foxwell supermarket is going to be the catalyst for a massive life change.
Lou is reeling from a triple whammy of shocks that have left her loveless, jobless and almost homeless. Staying for a night with an old friend in the Cotswold village of Foxwell, she lends a helping hand to a spectacularly ungrateful older man with a reputation in the village for being a ‘character’. When Edgar makes a suggestion that would solve two out of three of Lou’s problems in one fell swoop, it’s hard to resist. Especially as the return to the village of the very attractive Remy—not that he’s even noticed Lou!—makes it an unusually appealing place to live. But Edgar wants Lou to make a promise that could be very hard to keep. Is she willing to give her word, with all the potential consequences? Perhaps she can help Edgar find a way to be happy while she’s there …
But there are others who have an eye on Edgar. Lou will soon learn that it’s not so easy to ‘fix’ people, especially when the past re-emerges into the present with hilarious—and unexpected—consequences . . .
Down from Birmingham to visit her friend Sammy, there to show him support as he performs for the locals in the village pub she is passing time when she witnesses Edgar Allsopp on his regular visit moaning about the price of everything.
When she loses her job as a carer in Birmingham and then quickly loses her home (her landlord decides now is the perfect time to sell), Lou isn’t sure what to do next. But life has a plan for her, or at least persistent Edgar does, for he wants her to live with him, be his companion and care for him in his home, Walton House.
Slowly but surely, Lou does everything she can to change Edgar’s worldview. He’s been miserable and alone for so long that the battle is not an easy one, but she has also been through hard times and suffered because of bad decisions, so she isn’t going to give up quickly.
When Lou’s marriage and widow status are first mentioned I have to be honest, I was expecting a To the Moon and Back situation, but I was very wrong and that such a wonderful woman suffered so poorly made me cry.
Yes, this book made me cry, quite a bit, but it also had me laughing at times too. And that, for me, is the wonder of Jill Mansell’s books. There is a measure of heartbreak and tears in every single one, but it’s well-balanced with lighthearted and fun events as well as strong characters.
This story is not just about Lou, There are a considerable number of characters to keep track of, each one is different to the next and those qualities make them memorable.
Sammy is the dreamer, he has worked for years to garner success, but he also dreams of finding true love. His question has to be whether he can have both love and fame, or will one have to give?
Remy, Sammy’s brother, is an architect, the complete opposite to his younger brother, but he also has dreams, he knows what he wants and though hesitant will take any opportunity if it presents itself. When he and Lou meet again for the first time we almost have the ‘no room at the inn, must share a bed trope, but it is thwarted!
There’s ageing and broke actress Della with her two adult children. She’s worried about how she is going to pay her bills, but has no qualms about using people to get her way.
Tom is Della’s son, he’s a wannabe screenwriter who spends a lot of time bedhopping. He is very like his mother when it comes to using people for his own ends.
Fia is probably the only one out of the final trio who has anything resembling a redeeming quality. Though she’s Della’s daughter she’s nothing like her. Is she an It girl? Absolutely, but she also seems to be one of the only people who can get Captain Oates to do more than growl.
And as far as storylines go, no Jill Mansell book would be a Jill Mansell book without intricately melded multi-layered plots. We have:
- Sammy’s disastrous dating history finally turns around just as he finds fame
- Edgar reconnects with an old flame but is she all that she appears
- Lou finally opens herself up to a relationship and he’s definitely not what he seems
- Edgar finds love when a dog with attitude, Captain Oates, enters his life
Does this sound like a lot? Yes, but it works so well. Every single element of each of these storylines melds with the core plot as though perfectly synchronised and that’s something I admire about Jill Mansell’s writing.
Every character in this story had a purpose, though possibly not all of them had the best of intentions. They were well-developed and none of them eclipse the others, their tales and characteristics complement each other.
Every moment of reading this book, whether I was laughing, crying, or laughing through tears, was wonderful and I wanted to read it again as soon as I had put it down. I marked each moment that made me feel something so there are a lot of tabs covering the book.
Thank you for introducing me to acerbic Edgar, bitey Captain Oates, Remy, Jess, Val, Sammy, Lou and even Della, Tom and Fia.
Pros
- Beautifully created characters
- Captain Oates (he’s a pro every which way)
- A slow-building relationship that feels incredibly natural
- Lou’s perpetual optimism even after so much adversity
Cons
- I had to put this down to go to work on Monday morning
