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Perfect Timing
Poppy Dunbar is out on her hen night when she meets Tom Kennedy. With his dark eyes and quirky smile, he could lure any girl off the straight and narrow, but what really draws Poppy to him is the feeling that she's known him all her life. She can't go through with the meeting they arrange - but she can't go through with the wedding either. Suddenly notorious as 'The Girl Who Jilted Rob Macbride', Poppy moves to London. Soon Poppy's installed in the bohemian household of Caspar French, a ravishingly good-looking young artist with a reputation for breaking hearts. But even in her colourful new home, Poppy can't get Tom off her mind. Until she's tracked him down, she'll never know if their meeting was destiny - or if the future holds something entirely different for her...
416 pages, Paperback
First published December 4, 1997
242 people are currently reading
4741 people want to read
About the author
Jill Mansell
94Ìýbooks4,751ÌýfollowersJill Mansell lives with her partner and children in Bristol, and writes full time. Actually that’s not true; she watches TV, eats fruit gums, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the internet marvelling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she’s completely run out of displacement activities does she write.
Jill Mansell's books have sold over ten million copies and her titles include: Making your Mind up, Fast Friends, Good at Games, Sheer Mischief and Solo, among many others.
Jill Mansell's books have sold over ten million copies and her titles include: Making your Mind up, Fast Friends, Good at Games, Sheer Mischief and Solo, among many others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 481 reviews
July 11, 2011
For a long time, I've been confused. I thought Jill Mansell was another pseudonym for the woman that writes as Sophie Kinsella, and I could not understand why I liked the Mansell books so much and wanted to throw the Shopaholic book across the room.
Turns out I was wrong. They are not the same person.
That's good to know. All I can say about this one is that it was sweetly romantic and fun. The characters, for all their absurd behavior at times, were frightfully real. They struggled with the inability to speak up about their feelings, struggled with understanding their own hearts, and finally had to speak up. Poppy starts the book with the act of speaking up--she realizes the night before the wedding that she's about to marry the wrong guy. That act of boldness propels her forward and into a new, more assertive life in London. People around her struggle to be like her. They, too, would like to be bold, but they each have obstacles to overcome. And they don't realize that sometimes boldness masks an inability to face other decisions.
Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and will read more of Mansell's catalog. I'm so glad that she's not Sophie Kinsella. I can go on liking her without the guilt.
Turns out I was wrong. They are not the same person.
That's good to know. All I can say about this one is that it was sweetly romantic and fun. The characters, for all their absurd behavior at times, were frightfully real. They struggled with the inability to speak up about their feelings, struggled with understanding their own hearts, and finally had to speak up. Poppy starts the book with the act of speaking up--she realizes the night before the wedding that she's about to marry the wrong guy. That act of boldness propels her forward and into a new, more assertive life in London. People around her struggle to be like her. They, too, would like to be bold, but they each have obstacles to overcome. And they don't realize that sometimes boldness masks an inability to face other decisions.
Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and will read more of Mansell's catalog. I'm so glad that she's not Sophie Kinsella. I can go on liking her without the guilt.
May 28, 2008
This is the 2nd Mansell book I have read and I enjoyed this one as much as the first! This is light reading drama. Great beach read! I call this Brit Chick Lit. It is light and funny and full of surprises. A bit far fetched at times but nothing to take away from the fun! This one is about Poppy. While out on her “hen night�, Poppy bumps into a stranger named Tom and she hit with “love at first sight�. So much so, she calls off her wedding and moves to London. She moves in to an apartment owned by Caspar the artist. Thus begins a new life. As in “Thinking of You�, I really like the characters in this book. They are funny and imperfect. Lots of drama that takes the reader on a fast ride from beginning to end. I recommend this fun book and look forward to reading more from this author!
September 27, 2020
Mais um magnÃfico romance da Jill Mansell. Posso vos dizer que andei atrás deste livro muito tempo, porque saiu numa promoção de uma revista e não consegui arranjar. Mas lá resolvi fazer uma troca de livros e lá o arranjei e daqui já não sai de certeza absoluta.
Na véspera do seu casamento Poppy muda de opinão e não pretende casa e decide mudar de ares, mas será que vai começar um romance com Tom ou será que irá se apaixonar por outro? Só mesmo lendo...
Na véspera do seu casamento Poppy muda de opinão e não pretende casa e decide mudar de ares, mas será que vai começar um romance com Tom ou será que irá se apaixonar por outro? Só mesmo lendo...
August 12, 2020
Dit is zeker een van de beste boeken van J. M. die ik tot nu toe gelezen heb -23 van de 31 - en de volle 4 sterren waard .
Gewoon een heerlijke chicklit romcom met allemaal leuke en minder aardige typetjes .
Gewoon een heerlijke chicklit romcom met allemaal leuke en minder aardige typetjes .
May 24, 2011
3.5 stars
The night before her wedding during her bachelorette party (or Hen night as the Brits call it), Poppy meets a man to whom she is incredibly attracted. Tom, a dark-haired, dark-eyed handsome doctor implores her to meet him after the party is over and not to go through with the wedding.
While Poppy chooses not to meet Tom, she does indeed call off the wedding. She realizes that if she goes through with it, it would be a big mistake. Her groom and his large family do not let her off easily and as a parting shot, her now bitter ex-fiance drops a major bombshell on her.
It propels her to leave Bristol and go to London. There she meets a great cast of characters including Caspar the sexy artist, Claudia the insecure daughter of two narcissists, Jake her shy boss for whom she itches to give a makeover, Rita and Alex a nouveau riche couple with tacky taste and big hearts, and, of all people, Tom who, as it turns out, isn't a doctor at all.
I've been on a Jill Mansell glom because right now these are about the only books that seem to be holding my attention. These books are right up my alley. I adore books that are funny, romantic and a little soapy, with a big cast of characters all of whom have their own plots going that intersect with each other and peel off in other directions as well. Not all authors can juggle multiple stories and characters and make it all satisfying. Mansell does this and in grand fashion. Not all the stories are neatly tied up in a bow, some have dangly strings, there are parts where I wished I had seen the reaction of so-and-so to something. But that is ok. Everything works great in the end for everyone.
I also think this author works well for me because even though this is chick lit, she doesn't give her heroines (and even some B & C plot characters) a HFN ending, which I believe is ultimately why some chick lit doesn't work for me. She give them true HEA endings. The are nicely romantic and you are completly on board with the pairings.
And I love learning British slang. Gonna have to work 'naff' into a sentence at some point.
The night before her wedding during her bachelorette party (or Hen night as the Brits call it), Poppy meets a man to whom she is incredibly attracted. Tom, a dark-haired, dark-eyed handsome doctor implores her to meet him after the party is over and not to go through with the wedding.
While Poppy chooses not to meet Tom, she does indeed call off the wedding. She realizes that if she goes through with it, it would be a big mistake. Her groom and his large family do not let her off easily and as a parting shot, her now bitter ex-fiance drops a major bombshell on her.
It propels her to leave Bristol and go to London. There she meets a great cast of characters including Caspar the sexy artist, Claudia the insecure daughter of two narcissists, Jake her shy boss for whom she itches to give a makeover, Rita and Alex a nouveau riche couple with tacky taste and big hearts, and, of all people, Tom who, as it turns out, isn't a doctor at all.
I've been on a Jill Mansell glom because right now these are about the only books that seem to be holding my attention. These books are right up my alley. I adore books that are funny, romantic and a little soapy, with a big cast of characters all of whom have their own plots going that intersect with each other and peel off in other directions as well. Not all authors can juggle multiple stories and characters and make it all satisfying. Mansell does this and in grand fashion. Not all the stories are neatly tied up in a bow, some have dangly strings, there are parts where I wished I had seen the reaction of so-and-so to something. But that is ok. Everything works great in the end for everyone.
I also think this author works well for me because even though this is chick lit, she doesn't give her heroines (and even some B & C plot characters) a HFN ending, which I believe is ultimately why some chick lit doesn't work for me. She give them true HEA endings. The are nicely romantic and you are completly on board with the pairings.
And I love learning British slang. Gonna have to work 'naff' into a sentence at some point.
February 7, 2021
Lol zo problematisch!
November 20, 2011
Unputdownable! Glued to my hands!
Jill Mansell is my absolute favourite author. She weaves this amazing tale that funny, serious and lovable! You come to love all the characters in her books, even the ones who in the end aren't the most perfect.
Poppy meets her soul mate on her hen night, and the next day its her wedding. She finds out her father isn't her father and that love can be found in the strangest of situations. So, she goes to London. Moves in with complete strangers, who in a years time, become her best friends and something more ;), and attempts to find her father and Tom (soul mate).
In this novel Jill shows us, or maybe it just seemed that way to me, that you might think someone is perfect for you but in reality they might just be the worst thing that could possibly happen to you. Then the most cliched saying, the thing you want the most is at time right in front of you.
Tom was a lovable character, even if we didn't see him till the end, then he became throw-him-away-and-snog-Casper-character. Now Casper was just perfect from the beginning. He was attracted to Poppy from the start but let his feelings slide so that she could be with Tom. (spoiler)
Claudia was getting on my nerves, with the way she acted, but Jill Mansell weaved her in such a way that you couldn't help but feel sorry for her and hated her at the same time.
So, there you have it. My review. Be sure to grab a copy for yourself because it was the perfect read that you need to relax, and for me to get over my reader's block.
Jill Mansell is my absolute favourite author. She weaves this amazing tale that funny, serious and lovable! You come to love all the characters in her books, even the ones who in the end aren't the most perfect.
Poppy meets her soul mate on her hen night, and the next day its her wedding. She finds out her father isn't her father and that love can be found in the strangest of situations. So, she goes to London. Moves in with complete strangers, who in a years time, become her best friends and something more ;), and attempts to find her father and Tom (soul mate).
In this novel Jill shows us, or maybe it just seemed that way to me, that you might think someone is perfect for you but in reality they might just be the worst thing that could possibly happen to you. Then the most cliched saying, the thing you want the most is at time right in front of you.
Tom was a lovable character, even if we didn't see him till the end, then he became throw-him-away-and-snog-Casper-character. Now Casper was just perfect from the beginning. He was attracted to Poppy from the start but let his feelings slide so that she could be with Tom. (spoiler)
Claudia was getting on my nerves, with the way she acted, but Jill Mansell weaved her in such a way that you couldn't help but feel sorry for her and hated her at the same time.
So, there you have it. My review. Be sure to grab a copy for yourself because it was the perfect read that you need to relax, and for me to get over my reader's block.
May 3, 2012
Tenho tanta coisa para dizer que neste momento nem sei por onde começar. Não, não se assustem, são tudo coisas boas!
Vamos começar então pelo inicio, este foi um dos pontos altos do livro. Cheio de acção e tensão, Jill Mansell atira-nos logo para um trio meio confuso que nos vai fazer roer unhas para saber como se vai resolver. O que eu não estava à espera era do que vinha a seguir, que, por seu lado, não tem muita relação com este inicio. O Tom e o coitado do ex-noivo vão desaparecer e só aparecer novamente quase no final, o que foi muito mauzinho da parte da senhora Mansell. Esta teve a crueldade de nos seduzir com o tÃpico artista Caspar, manter em stand by o adónis Tom e entreter-nos (ou devo dizer distrair-nos?) com a personagens como a ex-cunhada Dina, com a desconhecida madrasta Rita, com a colega de casa tipo barbie Claudia e com o chefe tipo Clark Kent Jake. Com estas personagens secundárias, a escritora conseguiu uma história cheia de trocas, controvérsias e como sempre muitas risadas pelo meio. Por isso, com muitas cenas mais ousadas e mui femininas, Jill Mansell tornou a vida de Poppy Dunbar numa autêntica confusão. Aqui vamos encontrar não só uma história "noiva em fuga" como muitos outros altos e baixos.
O que mais gostei nesta rede de acontecimentos e sentimentos foi mesmo como tudo se resolveu. Com uma pitada de óbvio e outra de suspense, o final vai ter aquele sabor adocicado de drama e estaladiço de final feliz, em que tudo se resolve de uma maneira ainda melhor do que tÃnhamos imaginado! Adorei adorei adorei.
O melhor de Jill Mansell até agora!
Vamos começar então pelo inicio, este foi um dos pontos altos do livro. Cheio de acção e tensão, Jill Mansell atira-nos logo para um trio meio confuso que nos vai fazer roer unhas para saber como se vai resolver. O que eu não estava à espera era do que vinha a seguir, que, por seu lado, não tem muita relação com este inicio. O Tom e o coitado do ex-noivo vão desaparecer e só aparecer novamente quase no final, o que foi muito mauzinho da parte da senhora Mansell. Esta teve a crueldade de nos seduzir com o tÃpico artista Caspar, manter em stand by o adónis Tom e entreter-nos (ou devo dizer distrair-nos?) com a personagens como a ex-cunhada Dina, com a desconhecida madrasta Rita, com a colega de casa tipo barbie Claudia e com o chefe tipo Clark Kent Jake. Com estas personagens secundárias, a escritora conseguiu uma história cheia de trocas, controvérsias e como sempre muitas risadas pelo meio. Por isso, com muitas cenas mais ousadas e mui femininas, Jill Mansell tornou a vida de Poppy Dunbar numa autêntica confusão. Aqui vamos encontrar não só uma história "noiva em fuga" como muitos outros altos e baixos.
O que mais gostei nesta rede de acontecimentos e sentimentos foi mesmo como tudo se resolveu. Com uma pitada de óbvio e outra de suspense, o final vai ter aquele sabor adocicado de drama e estaladiço de final feliz, em que tudo se resolve de uma maneira ainda melhor do que tÃnhamos imaginado! Adorei adorei adorei.
O melhor de Jill Mansell até agora!
December 28, 2017
Weer een leuk boek van Jill Mansell. Hier en daar vond ik het boek wel wat langdradig maar toch bleef ik lezen. Ook miste ik een beetje het ‘sociale thema� in het boek, normaal gesproken gebruikt Jill Mansell een actueel thema in haar boeken. Wellicht omdat dit boek al iets ouders is, heb ik het niet herkent of deed Jill Mansell dit nog niet. Desondanks wel een leuk boek om te lezen en een aanrader voor chicklit-fans!
July 18, 2022
4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Ook met dit boek flikt ze het me weer, die Jill! Ik pak een boek om mezelf in slaap te lezen, wat normaal gesproken ook lukt.
Jill laat me doorlezen tot ergernis van mijn collega's die zich afvragen waarom ik steeds zo moe op de dagbesteding verschijn.
Helaas kan ik er niets aan doen, het is gewoon de schuld van Jill. Moet ze maar niet van die leuke, verslavende boeken schrijven!!!! Hahaha
Ook met dit boek flikt ze het me weer, die Jill! Ik pak een boek om mezelf in slaap te lezen, wat normaal gesproken ook lukt.
Jill laat me doorlezen tot ergernis van mijn collega's die zich afvragen waarom ik steeds zo moe op de dagbesteding verschijn.
Helaas kan ik er niets aan doen, het is gewoon de schuld van Jill. Moet ze maar niet van die leuke, verslavende boeken schrijven!!!! Hahaha
October 15, 2022
2,5 �
Meestal lees ik de originele versie van Engelstalige boeken en ik weet weer waarom. Ik (Vlaams) moet meer woorden en uitdrukkingen opzoeken in de vertaling dan in het origineel. Gribus, echt? Stik de moord.
Meestal lees ik de originele versie van Engelstalige boeken en ik weet weer waarom. Ik (Vlaams) moet meer woorden en uitdrukkingen opzoeken in de vertaling dan in het origineel. Gribus, echt? Stik de moord.
July 5, 2020
He was pretending to be married to, and having sex with, another woman the day before the love declaration. That's a little too modern for my tastes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2009
I really enjoyed the breezy story of a young woman re-inventing her life. On the eve of her wedding, Poppy meets a man who could have been THE ONE. Thinking about this, she reevaluates her feelings for Rob and realizes that she cannot marry him. In the ensuing bru-ha-ha, it is revealed to Poppy that the man who has raised her is not her biological father. This suddenly puts a new perspective on their relationship, as Mervyn has always been distant with Poppy.
Armed with this information, Poppy is off to London to start a new life with broader perspectives and possibly find her father. Here she finds work as a waitress and in a vintage shop. The right circumstances give her a home renting a room from Caspar, an up and coming artist, who likes to have roommates in his large home. Along with their third roommate, Claudia, Poppy eventually forms a new family for herself.
Although Perfect Timingis Poppy's story, Claudia and Caspar have their own sub plots, and since the book is written in the third person the reader is given insight to their opinions and feelings about different situations, which is something I liked. Even the secondary characters are given a little more life outside the realm of Poppy's story, which I don't often find in books of this genre. Jill Mansell is a huge author in the United Kingdom, and I'm surprised I haven't run across her before this opportunity. She is now definitely on my TBR list, especially when I need a laugh, or a good book to take on vacation.
Armed with this information, Poppy is off to London to start a new life with broader perspectives and possibly find her father. Here she finds work as a waitress and in a vintage shop. The right circumstances give her a home renting a room from Caspar, an up and coming artist, who likes to have roommates in his large home. Along with their third roommate, Claudia, Poppy eventually forms a new family for herself.
Although Perfect Timingis Poppy's story, Claudia and Caspar have their own sub plots, and since the book is written in the third person the reader is given insight to their opinions and feelings about different situations, which is something I liked. Even the secondary characters are given a little more life outside the realm of Poppy's story, which I don't often find in books of this genre. Jill Mansell is a huge author in the United Kingdom, and I'm surprised I haven't run across her before this opportunity. She is now definitely on my TBR list, especially when I need a laugh, or a good book to take on vacation.
January 15, 2010
Oh, how I truly love working on Jill's books for Sourcebooks.
September 27, 2015
Too much language and immoral behavior. This is my least favorite Jill Mansell book.
June 30, 2024
This book... wasn't my thing. I feel like I was sold something that wasn't what the synopsis suggested. I thought there would be a lot of romance in this book instead of it being more of a woman/chick lit discovery quest with a splash of romance near the end. It was just... odd. Not what I expected.
I felt like the two halves of the book also didn't feel like they fit together and the book just dragged on. And there were so many toxic people in this book... it was almost triggering for me. It was just a frustrating read and I don't fully understand what the purpose of the book was. I can easily say the book wasn't for me, and after reading other reviews... Maybe I just didn't get it? Which is fine! Not every book will be for every reader. I have a couple other Jill Mansell books somewhere in my collection, so I'll be trying a couple others to see if maybe the book wasn't the match.
One out of five stars.
I felt like the two halves of the book also didn't feel like they fit together and the book just dragged on. And there were so many toxic people in this book... it was almost triggering for me. It was just a frustrating read and I don't fully understand what the purpose of the book was. I can easily say the book wasn't for me, and after reading other reviews... Maybe I just didn't get it? Which is fine! Not every book will be for every reader. I have a couple other Jill Mansell books somewhere in my collection, so I'll be trying a couple others to see if maybe the book wasn't the match.
One out of five stars.
December 31, 2022
3.5 out of 5 stars
August 27, 2024
«O estilo de escrita de Jill Mansell é, como de costume, simples e fluido, o que torna a leitura fácil de acompanhar. No entanto, mesmo com a escrita agradável, a trama não conseguiu prender a minha atenção como eu esperava. »
August 26, 2022
one star is self explanatory
January 26, 2023
An easy to read book.
March 1, 2015
This review is difficult to write because there were two very distinctive halves to this novel. The first was engaging and entertaining, our leading lady Poppy was introduced, as were her supporting cast and their individual storylines were mapped quite quickly.
The plot progressed at a nice pace throughout the first half, but I felt that this dropped off by the second. Characters such as Dina were allowed a lot of page time, yet her story was nothing more than a filler and slowed the pace of more important events. If you take Dina out, did she really have any significant impact on any other story line? Not really enough to warrant the size of the role awarded to her, and espescially as I found her such a horrible character.
I have always said that Mansell can be a bit 'Picasso' in her characterisation, a bit overexaggerated and bold, and Dina was as exaggerated and bold as she could get, gratingly so. Claudia also teetered on the edge, I felt like Mansell wanted us to be sympathetic to her, and to ultimately like her, but I just couldn't. She was such a bitch and a snob and I was desperately wishing that she wouldn't hook up with sensitive Jake.
Overall I quite liked it, and it had all the markings of a classic Jill Mansell novel, I just felt as though importance was awarded to aspects that didn't warrant it, while others fell flat. The pacing of the plot drifted off by the second half of the novel and I ended up growing bored.
The plot progressed at a nice pace throughout the first half, but I felt that this dropped off by the second. Characters such as Dina were allowed a lot of page time, yet her story was nothing more than a filler and slowed the pace of more important events. If you take Dina out, did she really have any significant impact on any other story line? Not really enough to warrant the size of the role awarded to her, and espescially as I found her such a horrible character.
I have always said that Mansell can be a bit 'Picasso' in her characterisation, a bit overexaggerated and bold, and Dina was as exaggerated and bold as she could get, gratingly so. Claudia also teetered on the edge, I felt like Mansell wanted us to be sympathetic to her, and to ultimately like her, but I just couldn't. She was such a bitch and a snob and I was desperately wishing that she wouldn't hook up with sensitive Jake.
Overall I quite liked it, and it had all the markings of a classic Jill Mansell novel, I just felt as though importance was awarded to aspects that didn't warrant it, while others fell flat. The pacing of the plot drifted off by the second half of the novel and I ended up growing bored.
March 22, 2011
Acerca do Encontro Inesperado, adorei como já era de prever. Do inÃcio ao fim, foi delicioso.
Ainda tenho dois livros dela por ler e mais um para comprar, mas ela diverte-me sempre.
Adoro a escrita dela, as personagens que ela cria e os enredos. Adoro a forma como ela brinca com os acontecimentos e tem sempre alguma surpresa.
Estou muito contente.
Os livros da Jill deixam-me sempre super bem disposta.
Este não foi excepção.
Gostei muito da ideia dela e de brincar com o destino. Todas as reviravoltas foram interessantes e não consegui largar o livro. Li-o em menos de 24 horas.
Espantoso, para mim. Só mesmo um livro bom me faz ter essa reacção.
Adorei a Poppy. Tudo o que ela passou, bem...ela também acabou por crescer, a meu ver. Era apenas uma rapariga de 22 anos mas com pouca cabeça. Claro que não é fácil passar por aquilo que ela passou, mas todas as circunstâncias fizeram que ela se tornasse uma pessoa mais adulta. Devo confessar que ficava com vontade de lhe dar um abanão quando ela se armava em miúda estúpida, destravada. Mas redimiu-se.
Ela acabou por ter um final à medida - gostei bastante.
Já o Caspar, também gostei dele, apesar de ele ter uma tendência promiscua estúpida que odiei na altura. Curiosamente, mesmo com essa tendência nunca deixei de gostar dele. Ele acabou por se revelar uma surpresa constante em todo o livro.
O Jake e a Claudia... só posso dizer que são os dois a alma da festa. Chorei a rir em cada uma das cenas dele.
E a Dina? Odeio-a. A sério e o mais interessante é o que o sentimento persistiu até ao fim. Não a suportei. Que nervos.
De resto, só posso referir que com uma capa destas (que adoro), um enredo destes e uma boa-disposição pronta para ser descoberta conforme vamos avançando no livro... Do que estão à espera para o ler?
Nem sabem o que estão a perder!
Ainda tenho dois livros dela por ler e mais um para comprar, mas ela diverte-me sempre.
Adoro a escrita dela, as personagens que ela cria e os enredos. Adoro a forma como ela brinca com os acontecimentos e tem sempre alguma surpresa.
Estou muito contente.
Os livros da Jill deixam-me sempre super bem disposta.
Este não foi excepção.
Gostei muito da ideia dela e de brincar com o destino. Todas as reviravoltas foram interessantes e não consegui largar o livro. Li-o em menos de 24 horas.
Espantoso, para mim. Só mesmo um livro bom me faz ter essa reacção.
Adorei a Poppy. Tudo o que ela passou, bem...ela também acabou por crescer, a meu ver. Era apenas uma rapariga de 22 anos mas com pouca cabeça. Claro que não é fácil passar por aquilo que ela passou, mas todas as circunstâncias fizeram que ela se tornasse uma pessoa mais adulta. Devo confessar que ficava com vontade de lhe dar um abanão quando ela se armava em miúda estúpida, destravada. Mas redimiu-se.
Ela acabou por ter um final à medida - gostei bastante.
Já o Caspar, também gostei dele, apesar de ele ter uma tendência promiscua estúpida que odiei na altura. Curiosamente, mesmo com essa tendência nunca deixei de gostar dele. Ele acabou por se revelar uma surpresa constante em todo o livro.
O Jake e a Claudia... só posso dizer que são os dois a alma da festa. Chorei a rir em cada uma das cenas dele.
E a Dina? Odeio-a. A sério e o mais interessante é o que o sentimento persistiu até ao fim. Não a suportei. Que nervos.
De resto, só posso referir que com uma capa destas (que adoro), um enredo destes e uma boa-disposição pronta para ser descoberta conforme vamos avançando no livro... Do que estão à espera para o ler?
Nem sabem o que estão a perder!
March 15, 2014
It kept my interest but I can’t recommend it. It’s chick lit with a romantic happy ending.
I was frustrated and angry with stupid actions. I did not like Poppy’s best friend Dina who was so obnoxious and unlikeable that she reflected poorly on Poppy. But I don’t want to fault this too much because bad characters do make stories better. Several parts of the story were good. And I loved the happy ending. It was a surprise.
Stupidity:
1. Poppy works for Jake an antiques dealer. She and Jake are at an auction. Jake has to leave so he writes down what he wants Poppy to bid on and how much to pay. She loses the paper. So she tries to remember what was on it and bids on things he did not want. He is forced to pay for them. I was angry.
2. On another occasion, Poppy did something similar. She bought something for the store to sell that Jake had to pay for that was a huge mistake. She was a store clerk. She had no business doing that.
The main plot based on errors in connecting did not work for me. Poppy meets Tom at a bar. They have an immediate attraction. She wants to stay with him but her obnoxious girlfriend Dina forces her to leave. Poppy doesn’t ask his last name. She pines for him for the rest of the book. Later Tom sees Dina in a bar and asks her to give his name and phone to Poppy. Dina loses the paper and doesn’t remember what was on it. Why didn’t Tom ask Dina what Poppy’s last name was and try to contact her himself? For some reason I was not enjoying this.
OTHER BOOKS:
I preferred two other books by this author. Take a Chance on Me (4 stars) and Miranda’s Big Mistake (3 stars).
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Karen Cass was good.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 11 hrs and 44 mins. Swearing language: I don’t recall any but there may have been an occasional word. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: about 3 referred to but no details. Setting: 1990's Bristol and London, England. Book copyright: 2009. Genre: chick lit with romance.
I was frustrated and angry with stupid actions. I did not like Poppy’s best friend Dina who was so obnoxious and unlikeable that she reflected poorly on Poppy. But I don’t want to fault this too much because bad characters do make stories better. Several parts of the story were good. And I loved the happy ending. It was a surprise.
Stupidity:
1. Poppy works for Jake an antiques dealer. She and Jake are at an auction. Jake has to leave so he writes down what he wants Poppy to bid on and how much to pay. She loses the paper. So she tries to remember what was on it and bids on things he did not want. He is forced to pay for them. I was angry.
2. On another occasion, Poppy did something similar. She bought something for the store to sell that Jake had to pay for that was a huge mistake. She was a store clerk. She had no business doing that.
The main plot based on errors in connecting did not work for me. Poppy meets Tom at a bar. They have an immediate attraction. She wants to stay with him but her obnoxious girlfriend Dina forces her to leave. Poppy doesn’t ask his last name. She pines for him for the rest of the book. Later Tom sees Dina in a bar and asks her to give his name and phone to Poppy. Dina loses the paper and doesn’t remember what was on it. Why didn’t Tom ask Dina what Poppy’s last name was and try to contact her himself? For some reason I was not enjoying this.
OTHER BOOKS:
I preferred two other books by this author. Take a Chance on Me (4 stars) and Miranda’s Big Mistake (3 stars).
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Karen Cass was good.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 11 hrs and 44 mins. Swearing language: I don’t recall any but there may have been an occasional word. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: about 3 referred to but no details. Setting: 1990's Bristol and London, England. Book copyright: 2009. Genre: chick lit with romance.
July 24, 2017
Jill Mansell is usually good for a light, entertaining read full of interesting characters, but this was not up to her usual standard. I spent most of the book aching for some sort of confrontation - literally between almost any of the characters - and was never satisfied. The conflicts just sort of dissipated rather than being resolved in any meaningful way.
Most of the characters were not particularly compelling or likeable. I had high hopes for Poppy's fresh start, but as a character, Poppy was mainly defined by being attractive but dippy. She perpetrates a well-meaning deception for the majority of the book and it's forgotten almost as quickly as it's discovered.
Meanwhile, Claudia came off mostly as petty, judgmental, and money-obsessed, and even though it's obviously due to her insecurity and mommy issues, she expresses only a brief moment of contrition after Jake confronts her about it using a trick (that also has no real consequences), never any real growth. On the other hand, Jake, while likeable, is just a hot guy without much depth aside from his lack of fashion sense and mild personality. He has one moment of justified anger toward Poppy but backtracks almost immediately. On the third hand, Babette is mainly just a plot device (and don't even get me started on Dina).
Read one of Mansell's others instead - Staying at Daisy's, Millie's Fling, and An Offer You Can't Refuse are all miles better.
Most of the characters were not particularly compelling or likeable. I had high hopes for Poppy's fresh start, but as a character, Poppy was mainly defined by being attractive but dippy. She perpetrates a well-meaning deception for the majority of the book and it's forgotten almost as quickly as it's discovered.
Meanwhile, Claudia came off mostly as petty, judgmental, and money-obsessed, and even though it's obviously due to her insecurity and mommy issues, she expresses only a brief moment of contrition after Jake confronts her about it using a trick (that also has no real consequences), never any real growth. On the other hand, Jake, while likeable, is just a hot guy without much depth aside from his lack of fashion sense and mild personality. He has one moment of justified anger toward Poppy but backtracks almost immediately. On the third hand, Babette is mainly just a plot device (and don't even get me started on Dina).
Read one of Mansell's others instead - Staying at Daisy's, Millie's Fling, and An Offer You Can't Refuse are all miles better.
October 25, 2014
The clever and witty way Mansell weaved multitude of characters' life into the flow of the story with each one interesting in their own way, is marvellous.
I think the reason I like it so much is she doesn't harp on an event or a character's mental emotional state for too long, so the story keeps moving and every chapter feels fresh. That saying, nothing was brisk over but slowly explored through her exceptional writing skills and Brit humours (oh boy do I love them).
Her knack to turn the most mundane occurrence (like colliding into someone while entering a shop) so hilarious and amusing with her relatable description of the character's expressions and feelings and choice simile made me laugh out loud.
Most importantly, the characters felt real, they all have their flaws and are consistent to their personalities and the gratification at watching their growth till the end of the story is unspeakable.
Oh and the twist... Kekeke totally unexpected yet could have seen it coming but love it nonetheless!
I think the reason I like it so much is she doesn't harp on an event or a character's mental emotional state for too long, so the story keeps moving and every chapter feels fresh. That saying, nothing was brisk over but slowly explored through her exceptional writing skills and Brit humours (oh boy do I love them).
Her knack to turn the most mundane occurrence (like colliding into someone while entering a shop) so hilarious and amusing with her relatable description of the character's expressions and feelings and choice simile made me laugh out loud.
Most importantly, the characters felt real, they all have their flaws and are consistent to their personalities and the gratification at watching their growth till the end of the story is unspeakable.
Oh and the twist... Kekeke totally unexpected yet could have seen it coming but love it nonetheless!
January 21, 2016
Een boek van Jill Mansell, daar kan ik heel kort over zijn : ze zijn, in mijn ogen, geweldig. Romantiek, komische situaties, misverstanden, onzekerheden, verlangens en, met als kers op de taart, steeds een happy ending. Het zijn feel good verhalen maar toch is niet alles altijd rozengeur en maneschijn. Vaak komt er ook een heel triest maar reël aspect in voor.
De cover is leuk en doet je al onmiddellijk glimlachen, de titel is dubbel. Waar eerst niet echt van een 'perfect timing' kan gesproken worden, blijkt het het achteraf eigenlijk wel te zijn geweest.
Hoewel het boek voor het eerst in 1997 (vorige eeuw dus wink-emoticon ) werd gepubliceerd, is het een leuk hedendaags verhaal.
Conclusie
De boeken van de auteur zijn tijdloos. Ze beschrijven alledaagse dingen die altijd zullen blijven bestaan. 4 sterren.
De cover is leuk en doet je al onmiddellijk glimlachen, de titel is dubbel. Waar eerst niet echt van een 'perfect timing' kan gesproken worden, blijkt het het achteraf eigenlijk wel te zijn geweest.
Hoewel het boek voor het eerst in 1997 (vorige eeuw dus wink-emoticon ) werd gepubliceerd, is het een leuk hedendaags verhaal.
Conclusie
De boeken van de auteur zijn tijdloos. Ze beschrijven alledaagse dingen die altijd zullen blijven bestaan. 4 sterren.
January 15, 2012
This was a good book. Classic chick lit. Fast read that was fun, lighthearted, engaging.
See my full review at:
See my full review at:
May 29, 2022
Less impressed with reread. What is it in the earlier Jill Mansells that so many characters (in this case a parent and a temporary love interest) are full on abusive? And that other characters just take that shit at least for a while? Is it supposed to be funny?
November 14, 2018
I liked the way this book kept me guessing for 75% of book!
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