This novel starts as it means to go on, with a great opening sentence (You know you're in for a bad day when the Devil eats your last HobNob)spoken by the heroine, Jemima. A witty, charismatic character who has a big secret which she doesn't want to share, Jemima meets her match in former rock musician Ben, who has a secret of his own. Who will admit the attraction first - Ben or Jemima? I was kept on tenterhooks as I waited to find out.
I can't discuss the developing story line of this novel without giving far too much away. But I will say this - when Ben finally opens up to Jemima, it's one of those of-course-why-didn't-I-notice-that-ages-ago moments, and I was really impressed. The clues and hints are all there, but they are so cleverly hidden that the reader (or this reader, anyway) didn't spot them.
The characters are great. They're all brilliantly realised and well-rounded, and I cared about them all. Well, apart from the villainess Saskia, whom I wanted to slap! Single mother Rosie and her baby son Harry are lovely. Landlord, disgustingly successful artist and sex god (he wishes) Jason is lots of fun. The hero Ben is sweet, vulnerable, totally gorgeous (ooh those tight jeans) and also completely believable. Since the story is narrated in the first person by Jemima, it is easy to identify with this heroine, and to want everything to come right for her in the end.
This story exemplifies the fact that when you fall in love you hand the beloved a loaded gun. Over the course of the story, Jemima and Ben learn to be brave enough to trust, and they're rewarded for it in the end. If you enjoy romantic fiction full of slightly risque but hilarious humour, clever plotting and characters who will live on in your mind, this story is for you.
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