From the blurb:

In the idyllic seaside town of St Carys, Sophie is putting the past firmly behind her. When Josh arrives in St Carys to run the family hotel, he can’t understand why Sophie has zero interest in letting any man into her life. He also can’t understand how he’s been duped into employing Sophie’s impulsive friend Tula, whose crush on him is decidedly unrequited. St Carys has more than its fair share of characters, including the charming but utterly feckless surfer Riley Bryant, who has a massive crush on Tula. Riley’s aunt is superstar author Marguerite Marshall. And Marguerite has designs on Josh’s grandfather…who in turn still adores his glamorous ex-wife, Dot…Just how many secrets can one seaside town keep?

Quite simply perfection in the women’s romantic fiction genre!

By turns funny and moving, this is a story to warm any heart and leave you smiling (while also a little sad to bid the characters farewell).

I love the way Jill Mansell puts people at the heart of her stories: the setting is appealing, and the plot kept me turning the pages, but it’s the characters that really jump out: likeable, believable, colourful, fun.

Romance abounds in the book with the sizeable cast of characters, but rather than dilute the feel-good factor, this ramps it up. I love the juxtaposition of the different storylines and the complexity of the interweaving, reminiscent of a TV mini-drama. I found myself rooting for each pair, and I was delighted by the outcome of each love story – just the ending you expect, and want, to find in a book of this genre.

A real strength of the author’s writing is her ability to juggle poignancy and light-hearted fun expertly. I laughed out loud several times while reading, especially at the author’s frequently funny phrasing, and I was also moved by ‘deeper’ parts of the book, especially the narration of the incident in Sophie’s past that caused her to swear off relationships for good – my heart was in my throat as  I read.

How can I sum up? This book is, I think, the equivalent of sharing a cup of fragrant coffee and a plate of delectable pastries with a best friend – the ideal read for a pick-me-up. It’s a ‘keeper’ as they say; one to return to safe in the knowledge you’ll thoroughly enjoy your reading time.

The Unpredictable Consequences of Loveis available now from Amazon; click on the book cover below to visit the store.