Title by Author: Nadia Knows Best by Jill Mansell
Series (if applicable): none
Publisher: Headline
Book Publishing
Publication Date: August 2003
Page Count: 440 pages
Source: netgalley.com
Blurb:
When Nadia Kinsella meets Jay Tiernan, she's tempted. Of course she is.
Stranded together in a remote Cotswold pub, with a snowstorm raging
outside—let’s face it, who would ever know? But Nadia’s already met The One.
She and Laurie have been together for years—they’re practically childhood sweethearts,
and she still gets goosebumps at the sight of him. Okay, maybe she doesn’t see
that much of him these days, but that’s not Laurie’s fault. She can’t betray
him. Besides, when you belong to a family like the Kinsellas—bewitchingly
glamorous grandmother Miriam, feckless mother Leonie, stop-at-nothing sister
Clare—well, someone has to exercise a bit of self-control, don’t they? I mean,
you wouldn’t want to do something that you might later regret.
My Interest in
this book is: I have read a few Mansell books before and they are hilarious!
My Review:
Nadia
is dating current male model, Laurie, who is actually the boy next door that
she was dating and got him in to modeling by signing him up for a modeling
shoot almost as a gag! However, his
career took off, and when he flies in for a night or two, he goes straight to
Nadia. Until one night…
Nadia
met Jay on a stormy night where she was a very good girl while stranded with
him. At first she thought he was gay,
and that was a very amusing scene. Later,
Nadia runs in to Jay and ends up working for him as a landscaper for homes he
is renovating, helping her escape a dead-end job at a gardening center. It has been almost two years since Laurie
broke up with Nadia, and Laurie comes back to town wanting a second chance with
her. Nadia isn’t’ sure what to do.
What I
loved about this story was the English wit and humour! Having lived in England for a bit made it
easier to understand the places she describes, but it would not lessen the
storyline for anyone who has not lived or visited England. Also, all of her characters have a
personality of their own, to include the man who pines for Miriam, Nadia’s
grandmother.
There
are so many story lines that are going on in this book. We have Clare, Nadia’s younger sister, who is
trying to figure out life and who to love.
There is Tilly, a half- sister to Nadia and Clare, all the same mum, but
Nadia’s dad and grandmum are raising her.
She wants nothing more than to see her pseudo-father happy. I truly
enjoyed all of these stories that went along with Nadia’s story, and it added
to the storyline all the more. If you
had taken these other stories out of the picture, however, there would not have
been that much of a story.
This is
the perfect book to read on the plane while flying to see family over the
holidays. You will actually find
yourself wanting to slip away to read and find out what’s happening next in
this story. How is the chap that is
sending those bizarre letters to Miriam?
Why do Nadia and Jay seem to constantly misunderstand one another? Will Nadia find out the truth about the one
who wants her back? Will Tilly be
successful in setting up her ‘dad’? It’s
a fun read that you cannot help but wonder about this crazy family and how
everything will turn out for them. This
is actually one of the first books that Jill Mansell had written and
re-released, but does not detract from the fun and wit found between the
covers.
When I finished
this book, I felt: glad that I had picked it up. I love Jill Mansell and this one just
proved it even more.
Rating: 4 stars
Other books to
read by this author or theme: too many to choose from so it would be best to try
any that strike your fancy. If you love British
humour, give Jill a chance!
Tag: chick lit,
romance, England, sisters
