- Hardcover: 372 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st. Edition edition (3 Mar 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007137648
- ISBN-13: 978-0007137640
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13.6 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,010,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Jenny Colgan has carved out some highly individual territory as a writer of great warmth and humour; she is a clear-eyed observer of human nature, as ready to extend sympathy to her characters as she is to be sardonic about their foibles. With Working Wonders, this brand of humorous writing is satisfyingly in evidence once more, wedded this time to a complex and intriguing plot.
Arthur Pendleton has led an unexciting life, working as a town planner and slowly realising that his life holds few surprises. Then he encounters the head of a team of management consultants, the beguiling and beautiful Gwyneth Morgan, a woman Arthur finds himself intimidated by. Her job is to inspire Arthur and his ill-assorted team of planners to take on a daunting task--ensure that Coventry becomes the new European city of culture. Looking around at such colleagues as nerdish computer expert Sven and the unhappy (and long-suffering) Cathy, Arthur becomes increasingly dispirited. And then, astonishingly, Gwyneth shows signs of being attracted to him, and (even more surprisingly) his team begins to fire on all cylinders with ideas. But which is more achievable: beginning a relationship with the intriguing Gwyneth, or making Coventry appear interesting? The elements that made Jenny Colgan's earlier books bestsellers are firmly in place here: quirkily observed characters, capricious plotting and a truly involving sense of the way in which most of us live our lives. Both Arthur and Gwyneth are beautifully drawn, and even if the basic theme (dull hero and brighter heroine in a non-metropolitan culture clash) may owe something to David Lodge's Changing Places, it's none the worse for that; this is an enchanting read. --Barry Forshaw
Review
‘Funny, magical and moving.’ TIME OUT
‘A sharp, witty love story.’ OBSERVER
'With the humour and warmth that have made her previous books bestsellers, she expertly transforms Arthur Pendleton's bid to make his home the new European City of Culture (and sweep ice-cool Gwyneth off her feet at the same time) into a delicious comedy. Will melt even the
hardest of hearts.' RED
‘hugely entertaining and very funny.’ COSMOPOLITAN
‘Colgan’s witty book perfectly captures the frustrations and petty vexations of office life.’ SHE
PRAISE FOR JENNY COLGAN:
‘What really sets Jenny apart… is this: she is very, very funny’ Express
‘Compulsively comical’ Cosmpolitan (of Amanda’s Wedding)
‘Colgan is on top form with her latest outrageous romp’ Cosmpolitan
‘Wonderful, warm and resonant’ Hello
‘Jenny Colgan is one of the leaders of the pack… and this will delight her legion of admirers. Fast-paced, funny, poignant and well-observed’ Daily Mail
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I usually enjoy the jenny colgan/katie fforde type novel - quirkily and warmly themed, perfect for light reading. This book however was disastrous. I felt colgan was trying to become to 'lit' with the bizarre and unsuccessful attempt at introducing a modern day arthurian legend. She wasnt comfortable in this almost fantastical realm of fiction and the book felt muddy and trapped. Give it a miss.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
At first it seemed boring, but I forced myself to continue reading it as she has written some good books, it started to get a bit interesting in a "weird book" kind of way and I thought maybe it would be worth getting to the end. Totally disappointing. The end is awful, I was utterly disgusted. I wouldn't recommend anybody to part with their hard-earned cash for this.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the worst book i have ever read. It has taken forever to finish reading and the only reason i continued to read it was just to see what it was all about. Dont waste your money or your time on this book. I found it very confusing and all over the place.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Save yourself
I gave this to the charity shop (and felt guilty doing so) as I wouldn't insult any of my friends by donating it to them - this is one of the worst books I have ever had the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Asbury-NJ
Sadly, not her best...
Stuck with it until the end just to see if it got any better, but it didn't. I normally pass my books on, but I really wouldn't want anyone else to waste their time with this one... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Water Baby
working wonders
I have read all the Jenny Colgan books and enjoyed them. I started reading this and just kept thinking it would improve but it didn't. I read it to the end. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2010 by bren
confusing and boring
Now i dont mind admitting i'm a bit of a bookworm and i love chic lit books, Jenny Colgan being high up amongst my favourite authors. Read more
Published on 18 Dec 2009 by Ms. Elizabeth C. King
Like Marmite.
From reading the other reviews it seems that this is something of a 'Marmite' book (you either love it or hate it). Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2007 by L Barrington
Disappointing and VERY badly researched
This book looked good. It started off OK, and just became boring, culminating (if that's the right word) in a non-ending.
Not to mention the glaring blunder. Read more
Not to mention the glaring blunder. Read more
Published on 19 Aug 2007 by R. D. Eager
I wouldn't recommend this as your first book by Jenny Colgan...
I wasn't an avid reader or anything, in fact I hardly read at all until I read 'Amanda's Wedding' and then 'Looking For Andrew McCarthy' immediatley afterwards - and I've been... Read more
Published on 3 April 2007 by L. Sewell
Expect the unexpected
It seems several readers didn't like this book, perhaps because they were expecting/wanting something more "chick-lit" because of the cover and Jenny Colgan's other work, and... Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2006 by Raven
Boring!!!!!!
Like the other reviewers i also found myself wondering what else i could have been doing with my time!! Read more
Published on 18 April 2006 by Lilly Mae
Well, I liked it...
I was expecting disposable chick lit - entertaining while you're reading it, but very forgettable.
However, what I got was magic, Arthurian legend and a book I actually needed... Read more
However, what I got was magic, Arthurian legend and a book I actually needed... Read more
Published on 3 April 2006 by "agoodwitch"
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