As a great fan of Meg Cabot's wonderful Princess Diaries, I was doubtful whether she could be as funny writing for adults, but she is. This is an hilarious story, told entirely in e-mails. Mel is a gossip columnist on a New York newspaper. When her next-dorr-neighbour, elderly Mrs Freidlander, is knocked on the head and endus up in hospital, Mel is stuck with caring for her two cats and Great Dane. She contacts Mrs Freidlander's nephew Max to come and take over. Max however doesn't want to give up his holiday with supermodel Vivica, so her persuades his reluctant friend John Trent to take his place and pretend to be him (Max doesn't want to be cut out of auntie's will, she is very, very rich). Of course, Mel and John get to know each other and start to fall in love, but John is afraid to tell Mel the truth, especially as he is a reporter on a hated rival newspaper. The e-maile exchanges become more and more complex as Mel's love life is discussed freely by all her friends at the newspaper office.(Dolly, the outrageous fashion editor, is particularly funny). John dithers over whether or not to tell Mel the truth, while at the same time doing some investigating into the mysterious attack on Mrs Friedlander. The book reaches a climax with Mel's spectacularly clever and funny revenge oh John when she discovers the truth. This is a very, very funny book, and it would probably make a good film, though I am appalled at a previous reviewer's suggestion of Meg Ryan and Hugh Grant for the leads. I could not bear to see awful, simpering Meg Ryan playing the delightful Mel (anyhow, she's too old for the part),and Hugh Grant, though not as irritating as Meg Ryan, is not at all suitable to play John.
Amazon Home
