Book Review of Jane Mansell's Perfect Timing

"The thing about going out on your hen night, Poppy Dunbar couldn't help noticing, was that nobody-but nobody-bothered to chat you up." So opens, Jill Mansell's newest novel, Perfect Timing.


If you haven't read one of Jill Mansell's books before, you're in for a treat! Perfect Timing is a book that you'll want to read straight through. The characters are delightful, even the scheming ones.

You'll meet Poppy Dunbar who on her hen night gets into an accident and meets Tom, the charming stranger who literally sweeps her off her feet. Then he says those words, "Is this seriously bad timing or what? I wish you weren't getting married tomorrow. I'm sorry about...you know, just now. I shouldn't have said it."

Poppy calls off the wedding and learns a long kept family secret. To avoid her angry "almost in-laws," Poppy packs her bags and heads to London where she can start over, search for her biological father, and possibly reunite with Tom.

Along the way, Poppy comes across Caspar French, the gorgeous, talented, and slightly irresponsible painter, and his roommate Claudia. Claudia, constantly unlucky in love, is the slightly chubby and dissatisfied daughter of two glamorous movie stars. The last thing that Claudia wants is to room with the cheeky, cheery, and beautiful Poppy. But Caspar, Claudia, and Poppy all come together.

Perfect Timing has just the right mix of interesting and likable characters, romantic leads, crazy plot twists, and satisfying moments. I thoroughly enjoyed Perfect Timing and am looking forward to my next Jill Mansell fix!

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark; Reissue edition (November 1, 2009), 448 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author, courtesy of her website:
Jill Mansell lives with her partner and children in Bristol and writes full time. Actually, it's not true; she watches TV, eats gum drops, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the Internet marveling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she's completely run out of ways to procrastinate does she write. Learn more on Jill Mansell's website at http://www.jillmansell.co.uk/index.html

Thank you so much to Danielle and SourceBooks for this review opportunity!