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The Unexpected Consequences of Love
Sophie has no interest in finding love. But what happens when love finds her?
Sophie Wells is a successful photographer with a focus on putting the past firmly behind her. When Josh Strachan returns to the seaside town of Cornwall from the States to run his family's hotel, he can't understand why the fun, sexy girl has zero interest in letting him-or any man for that matter-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. Both girls remain mum about the reasons behind Sophie's indifference to love. But that doesn't mean Josh is going to quit trying...
Sophie Wells is a successful photographer with a focus on putting the past firmly behind her. When Josh Strachan returns to the seaside town of Cornwall from the States to run his family's hotel, he can't understand why the fun, sexy girl has zero interest in letting him-or any man for that matter-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. Both girls remain mum about the reasons behind Sophie's indifference to love. But that doesn't mean Josh is going to quit trying...
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2014
423 people are currently reading
6162 people want to read
About the author
Jill Mansell
85 books4,870 followersJill Mansell lives with her partner and children in Bristol, and writes full time. Actually that’s not true; she watches TV, eats fruit gums, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the internet marvelling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she’s completely run out of displacement activities does she write.
Jill Mansell's books have sold over ten million copies and her titles include: Making your Mind up, Fast Friends, Good at Games, Sheer Mischief and Solo, among many others.
Jill Mansell's books have sold over ten million copies and her titles include: Making your Mind up, Fast Friends, Good at Games, Sheer Mischief and Solo, among many others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 687 reviews
April 9, 2018
Jill Mansell books are hit or miss with me. I needed some good reads this weekend and just read books til I fell asleep. This was the only sample by Mansell that actually intrigued me, so I ended up buying this. Per usual there is a cast of characters, some misunderstandings, and a HEA for all the people involved. The only reason why I didn't give this five stars is that I thought the reaction of one of the characters to another character butting in on her business was not what we have been shown the whole book. If she had a bad reaction to the things that he went and got nosy about, that would have felt more real to me.
"The Unexpected Consequences of Love" has photographer Sophie doing what she can to build up her business in Cornwall. Due to events that happened years ago, Sophie has sworn off all men, Her best friend Tula, ends up getting fired and moves to Cornwall to work as well. Tula has a crush on the local hotel owner's grandson (Josh) but he only has eyes for Sophie. Too bad Tula doesn't like the local writer's grandson (Riley) who only has eyes for her. Josh's grandmother and grandfather (Dot and Lawrence) are divorced though both wish that they could go back and do things differently. So that sets up things between all of the major characters in this one.
I have to say that I loved Sophie a lot. We find out why she has sworn off men. Though she is curious/intrigued by Josh, there's a reason why she is rightfully gun-shy about becoming involved with anyone.
Tula was a bit of a mess, but also lovable. She wants a romantic happily ever after and believes that Josh is the one that will give it to her. Even though he practically puts up smoke signals to let her know that he's not into her at all. Tula's father ran off when she was young and her mother kept getting involved with men who were allergic to work. Due to Riley not having a real job, Tula is staying far away from him even though she acknowledges how attractive he is.
Josh bugged me. Due to Sophie turning him down repeatedly, he is determined to figure out why she won't go out with him. He snoops and involves himself with her past all so she will go out with him. Sorry, I am still annoyed by this whole thing. Due to how Mansell characterized Sophie in this book, I had a hard time with this whole thing without her being really upset by it. And this is all due to a guy not hearing the word "no". Instead he is determined he is going to "fix" her or her past so that he can finally get with her. Ugh.
Riley was very cute and I loved the reveal about him.
Dot and Lawrence were adorable. I don't know what I would have done in Dot's shoes, she has a rightful reason to be upset with Lawrence. When she starts dating someone else, I was of two minds about it while reading. A very good resolution occurs with these two, but then they kind of just disappear for the last portion of the book.
The writing was very good. I liked all of the interactions between characters. The flow worked too.
The ending didn't feel very realistic and was kind of abrupt. I wish we had gotten a chance to look at everyone months down the road or something.
"The Unexpected Consequences of Love" has photographer Sophie doing what she can to build up her business in Cornwall. Due to events that happened years ago, Sophie has sworn off all men, Her best friend Tula, ends up getting fired and moves to Cornwall to work as well. Tula has a crush on the local hotel owner's grandson (Josh) but he only has eyes for Sophie. Too bad Tula doesn't like the local writer's grandson (Riley) who only has eyes for her. Josh's grandmother and grandfather (Dot and Lawrence) are divorced though both wish that they could go back and do things differently. So that sets up things between all of the major characters in this one.
I have to say that I loved Sophie a lot. We find out why she has sworn off men. Though she is curious/intrigued by Josh, there's a reason why she is rightfully gun-shy about becoming involved with anyone.
Tula was a bit of a mess, but also lovable. She wants a romantic happily ever after and believes that Josh is the one that will give it to her. Even though he practically puts up smoke signals to let her know that he's not into her at all. Tula's father ran off when she was young and her mother kept getting involved with men who were allergic to work. Due to Riley not having a real job, Tula is staying far away from him even though she acknowledges how attractive he is.
Josh bugged me. Due to Sophie turning him down repeatedly, he is determined to figure out why she won't go out with him. He snoops and involves himself with her past all so she will go out with him. Sorry, I am still annoyed by this whole thing. Due to how Mansell characterized Sophie in this book, I had a hard time with this whole thing without her being really upset by it. And this is all due to a guy not hearing the word "no". Instead he is determined he is going to "fix" her or her past so that he can finally get with her. Ugh.
Riley was very cute and I loved the reveal about him.
Dot and Lawrence were adorable. I don't know what I would have done in Dot's shoes, she has a rightful reason to be upset with Lawrence. When she starts dating someone else, I was of two minds about it while reading. A very good resolution occurs with these two, but then they kind of just disappear for the last portion of the book.
The writing was very good. I liked all of the interactions between characters. The flow worked too.
The ending didn't feel very realistic and was kind of abrupt. I wish we had gotten a chance to look at everyone months down the road or something.
January 18, 2015
The first thing you need to know is that this book has already been released with the title The Unpredictable Consequences of Love. I hadn’t read it before and assumed at first that this might be a follow-on, but it is the same book.
It is the second Jill Mansell that I have read just lately and I am fast becoming a Jill Fan. I really loved both reads, the other being Three Amazing Things About You. I really loved the setting of this read – St Carys, a seaside resort in Cornwall. Jill really brings it to life – it almost felt like summer was already here as I was reading it, I could almost smell the sea and feel the sand between my toes.
It is a book you can get lost in, with four main characters who you just cant help liking. Hotel owner Josh and surf dude Riley are smitten with local photographer Sophie and her friend Tula. However, Sophie and Tula are determined not to get involved with them, for their own reasons. Tula is looking for a man with a strong work ethic, which Riley certainly does not seem to have, and Sophie has a secret in her past which has made her swear off men for good. We also get to meet Lawrence and Dot, Josh’s divorced grandparents who have remained friends over the years since their separation. In fact, they are very good friends, but Lawrence has feelings of guilt and regret to get over and Dot may have forgiven him for past transgressions, but she certainly hasn’t forgotten.
Can these six people work things out? It is a comfortably predictable read. We certainly know how we want things to work out, and with lots of wires getting crossed, other love candidates popping up and long held beliefs to be faced up to and dealt with, it is a really fun, absorbing read getting to the conclusion. It is a story which teaches us about letting go of the past, so that you can learn to love and life again and it is one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
It is the second Jill Mansell that I have read just lately and I am fast becoming a Jill Fan. I really loved both reads, the other being Three Amazing Things About You. I really loved the setting of this read – St Carys, a seaside resort in Cornwall. Jill really brings it to life – it almost felt like summer was already here as I was reading it, I could almost smell the sea and feel the sand between my toes.
It is a book you can get lost in, with four main characters who you just cant help liking. Hotel owner Josh and surf dude Riley are smitten with local photographer Sophie and her friend Tula. However, Sophie and Tula are determined not to get involved with them, for their own reasons. Tula is looking for a man with a strong work ethic, which Riley certainly does not seem to have, and Sophie has a secret in her past which has made her swear off men for good. We also get to meet Lawrence and Dot, Josh’s divorced grandparents who have remained friends over the years since their separation. In fact, they are very good friends, but Lawrence has feelings of guilt and regret to get over and Dot may have forgiven him for past transgressions, but she certainly hasn’t forgotten.
Can these six people work things out? It is a comfortably predictable read. We certainly know how we want things to work out, and with lots of wires getting crossed, other love candidates popping up and long held beliefs to be faced up to and dealt with, it is a really fun, absorbing read getting to the conclusion. It is a story which teaches us about letting go of the past, so that you can learn to love and life again and it is one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
March 22, 2020
Lubenes nākot par labu sirdij, tā nu tagad brīžos, kad atnāk satraukumiņš, remdēju to ar romantiskās literatūras zālēm. Un strādā!
Kā jau ierasts, izvēlējos savu iecienīto autori, ar kuru man saskan humoriņš. Arī šī grāmata nepievīla, var pat teikt, ka šī ir viena no viņas labākajām, jo autore nav pārcentusies ar cukurošanu. Cukurs, protams, ir arī šeit, kur nu bez tā. Tāds jau tas žanrs.
“Bazs bija skarbs, izskatīgs, ārkārtīgi bagāts. Viņam bija pašam savi zobi un privāta lidmašīna.” Hei, būs vecums (ja paveiksies), kad “savi zobi” būs greznība vai nopietns selling point.
Kā jau ierasts, izvēlējos savu iecienīto autori, ar kuru man saskan humoriņš. Arī šī grāmata nepievīla, var pat teikt, ka šī ir viena no viņas labākajām, jo autore nav pārcentusies ar cukurošanu. Cukurs, protams, ir arī šeit, kur nu bez tā. Tāds jau tas žanrs.
“Bazs bija skarbs, izskatīgs, ārkārtīgi bagāts. Viņam bija pašam savi zobi un privāta lidmašīna.” Hei, būs vecums (ja paveiksies), kad “savi zobi” būs greznība vai nopietns selling point.
March 10, 2014
The last time I reviewed one of Jill Mansell’s books – Don’t Want To Miss A Thing – I told you all a very long shaggy dog story all about how I lost my love of reading, but Jill Mansell cured me. I won’t go through all that again, but I just wanted to say what a truly perfect writer she is. The blurb makes this book sound very ordinary – but this really is an extraordinary book, and I absolutely loved it.
The central character is, I guess, Sophie – working as a photographer in St Carys, interested only in work and certainly not looking for romance after a traumatic experience that put her off men for life. That’s particularly bad news for Josh – he’s just returned to St Carys to manage a hotel with his grandmother Dot, turning his back on the high life managing a boy band in LA. Then there’s Sophie’s friend Tula – very much a good time girl and immediately targeted by love-them-and-leave them Riley, but she doesn’t want to become just another notch on his bedpost.
But for me the real joy of this book lay in the supporting characters – lovely Dot and her French admirer, and her ex-husband Lawrence targeted by larger than life writer Marguerite (a magnificent creation...) but still in love with his ex-wife. They were all wonderfully drawn – it’s quite unusual to come across such an engrossing story line involving older characters, and this older reader really appreciated it.
This book was quite wonderful, a read equally perfect for a drab winter’s afternoon or an afternoon in the sun – there are episodes and incidents throughout that will always stay with me (I absolutely adored one photography session with a lady on the beach in the rain... brought a tear to my eye). The way in which the various stories played out - with all their twists and turns, laughs and real sadness – against the vividly drawn Cornish setting made for quite engrossing reading. And I just love Jill Mansell’s writing style – you find yourself so comfortably swept along by the story, it just envelops and cuddles you to the very last page. This is the sort of book that the expression "feel-good" was made for - I loved it.
P.S. You’ll love the dog too...
My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my advance reading e-copy.
The central character is, I guess, Sophie – working as a photographer in St Carys, interested only in work and certainly not looking for romance after a traumatic experience that put her off men for life. That’s particularly bad news for Josh – he’s just returned to St Carys to manage a hotel with his grandmother Dot, turning his back on the high life managing a boy band in LA. Then there’s Sophie’s friend Tula – very much a good time girl and immediately targeted by love-them-and-leave them Riley, but she doesn’t want to become just another notch on his bedpost.
But for me the real joy of this book lay in the supporting characters – lovely Dot and her French admirer, and her ex-husband Lawrence targeted by larger than life writer Marguerite (a magnificent creation...) but still in love with his ex-wife. They were all wonderfully drawn – it’s quite unusual to come across such an engrossing story line involving older characters, and this older reader really appreciated it.
This book was quite wonderful, a read equally perfect for a drab winter’s afternoon or an afternoon in the sun – there are episodes and incidents throughout that will always stay with me (I absolutely adored one photography session with a lady on the beach in the rain... brought a tear to my eye). The way in which the various stories played out - with all their twists and turns, laughs and real sadness – against the vividly drawn Cornish setting made for quite engrossing reading. And I just love Jill Mansell’s writing style – you find yourself so comfortably swept along by the story, it just envelops and cuddles you to the very last page. This is the sort of book that the expression "feel-good" was made for - I loved it.
P.S. You’ll love the dog too...
My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my advance reading e-copy.
July 16, 2015
Very lovely and light read ... just perfect for this hot summer day :)
March 8, 2017
In Jill Mansell's books everyone finds the person who is right for them, and then goes about getting that person, even if that person says, "No thanks, I would prefer not to date you." There were aspects of this book that made me really uncomfortable. One of those would be how stalkery Josh is. He is attracted to Sophie, but when she politely turns down his offer of a date, but remains friendly, he goes into stealth stalker mode. He gets her friend Tula drunk and asks her questions she wouldn't answer if she was sober. He follows her around and keeps trying to find out what traumatic thing that happened to make her refuse a date with HIM. It's annoying. Why should Sophie have to say yes, if she'd rather not? As it happens, she did have something painful happen in her past that has led her to concentrate on building a successful business, without the complications of a relationship. But why is Josh's insistence on "getting to the bottom of what is up with Sophie" presented as lurvely and romantic, rather than borderline creepy and weird.
The other relationships in the books are similar. Laurence leaves Dot for his coup de foudre soul mate, but continues to lurve Dot. When his soulmate dies, he wants to return to Dot, who reasonably won't have him back. It is presented as if leaving Dot over an obsessional love was something he was helpless against. Isn't that why when we get married, we vow to forsake all others and cleave to each other...so that when situations like this come up we say, "Although I find myself attracted to this woman, I will not sleep with her or leave my wife for her." Instead Laurence gets his knickers in a knot that Dot continues to live her life, free from bitterness, but will not let him back in.
Riley, who appears to be your basic man-slut, meets Tula, who is not his usual type. What attracts him to her is that she does not fall all over him. Tula thinks he's good looking, but he's also a do-nothing playboy, not a type she finds attractive. She explains that she's looking for a hardworking, reliable man for a partner, due to her own father's lousy record in that area. And Riley, who no one has ever said no to before, takes that as a challenge. The fact that he's not really a useless layabout is sort of beside the point.
And Tula bugged the crap out of me. What a stupid, stupid Betty Sue. No one could have that little going on upstairs and live.
I won't be seeking out any more books by Jill Mansell if this is what she regularly offers.
The other relationships in the books are similar. Laurence leaves Dot for his coup de foudre soul mate, but continues to lurve Dot. When his soulmate dies, he wants to return to Dot, who reasonably won't have him back. It is presented as if leaving Dot over an obsessional love was something he was helpless against. Isn't that why when we get married, we vow to forsake all others and cleave to each other...so that when situations like this come up we say, "Although I find myself attracted to this woman, I will not sleep with her or leave my wife for her." Instead Laurence gets his knickers in a knot that Dot continues to live her life, free from bitterness, but will not let him back in.
Riley, who appears to be your basic man-slut, meets Tula, who is not his usual type. What attracts him to her is that she does not fall all over him. Tula thinks he's good looking, but he's also a do-nothing playboy, not a type she finds attractive. She explains that she's looking for a hardworking, reliable man for a partner, due to her own father's lousy record in that area. And Riley, who no one has ever said no to before, takes that as a challenge. The fact that he's not really a useless layabout is sort of beside the point.
And Tula bugged the crap out of me. What a stupid, stupid Betty Sue. No one could have that little going on upstairs and live.
I won't be seeking out any more books by Jill Mansell if this is what she regularly offers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2018
Enjoyable stories.
I enjoyed reading about the various characters. I liked the happy romantic endings. There were no detailed sex scenes other than one referred to but nothing shown.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
I’d prefer a different narrator. Beverly Crick used a cockney and/or Irish accent for some characters. It bothered me. I love some British accents, but not these.
BOOK TITLE:
This book was published with different titles: The “Unexpected” Consequences of Love and The “Unpredictable” Consequences of Love.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 352 pages. Swearing language: none. Sexual content: none. Setting: current day Cornwall area, U.K. Book copyright: 2014. Genre: contemporary romance.
I enjoyed reading about the various characters. I liked the happy romantic endings. There were no detailed sex scenes other than one referred to but nothing shown.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
I’d prefer a different narrator. Beverly Crick used a cockney and/or Irish accent for some characters. It bothered me. I love some British accents, but not these.
BOOK TITLE:
This book was published with different titles: The “Unexpected” Consequences of Love and The “Unpredictable” Consequences of Love.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 352 pages. Swearing language: none. Sexual content: none. Setting: current day Cornwall area, U.K. Book copyright: 2014. Genre: contemporary romance.
October 19, 2014
As it says in the cover: 'Just Jill.' I'm becoming quite obsessed with her books!!! ♥ Seriously! All of her characters are always so special and unique,and i love how we always get to see their POVs and their stories and their entanglements. Jill's books are like a mastered beautiful knitting. because each little thing leads to another and the big mess you see at first,makes total sense in the end. Her books are the fluffiest kind. full of different stories and happy endings. ♥
October 16, 2016
2.5 stars. Somewhat entertaining, but the characterizations could have been stronger. I couldn't find one character (except for maybe Dot) that I liked or felt compassion for.
April 1, 2017
Really enjoyed this pleasant, delightful read. Just what I needed with a bunch of stressful life events going on!
February 21, 2014
Fairly typical example of Mansell's work in that it is a musical chairs of light-hearted romances where in the end, everyone has been sorted out in various happy pairs. All told from multiple POVs.
The main couple is Sophie and Josh. She is a photographer who doesn't date and he is the handsome entrepreneur who has his eye on her. Sophie has some past heartache that she is still working through, which is told in a great flashback. Josh really wants to start something with her but needs to get past the hard shell she's put. He just needs to figure out what it is.
While I liked Sophie quite a bit, i had a hard time understanding why Josh was so infatuated with her. She rebuffed him at every turn. They barely had the chance to really get to know each other before Josh had conquered Sophie's fears and they were having their HEA. Even for Mansell's decidedly frothy style which I normally go with quite easily, Sophie and Josh just didn't connect for me.
Much better is the secondary couple Tula and Riley. Tula is a stitch. She is madly infatuated with Josh (who only talks to her to get intel on her best friend Sophie). Meanwhile Riley slowly falls in love with Tula. He's a handsome, surfer womanizer type who makes his living as his famous author aunt's personal assistant. Which basically means he doesn't do much. And even though Tula is a little flaky and flighty, her one requirement for a boyfriend is that he has a good work ethic which she doesn't believe Riley has. But Riley is more than meets the eye.
I loved these two and i knew that there was something going on with Riley. I loved how his story played out. And even though Tula was a a bit much sometimes, I couldn't help but really like her.
And finally the last couple was the most poignant. Dot and Lawrence had been married for close to 40 years. But a few years ago Lawrence fell crazily in love with another woman and left Dot. But now he wants Dot back.
I thought Dot and Lawrence's story was probably the most interesting. It had a few twists and turns that made for some good drama.
For me Mansell is a comfort read. She has such a deep back-list that it is easy to find Surprise! one that I hadn't read yet. And yet, I know exactly what I get. In some authors I would find this samey-ness boring and a little off-putting. But there is some strange alchemy with this author that just makes me was to pop these books like candy-corn.
Fun read. Not one that breaks out of the pack like some of her others, but still fun nonetheless.
The main couple is Sophie and Josh. She is a photographer who doesn't date and he is the handsome entrepreneur who has his eye on her. Sophie has some past heartache that she is still working through, which is told in a great flashback. Josh really wants to start something with her but needs to get past the hard shell she's put. He just needs to figure out what it is.
While I liked Sophie quite a bit, i had a hard time understanding why Josh was so infatuated with her. She rebuffed him at every turn. They barely had the chance to really get to know each other before Josh had conquered Sophie's fears and they were having their HEA. Even for Mansell's decidedly frothy style which I normally go with quite easily, Sophie and Josh just didn't connect for me.
Much better is the secondary couple Tula and Riley. Tula is a stitch. She is madly infatuated with Josh (who only talks to her to get intel on her best friend Sophie). Meanwhile Riley slowly falls in love with Tula. He's a handsome, surfer womanizer type who makes his living as his famous author aunt's personal assistant. Which basically means he doesn't do much. And even though Tula is a little flaky and flighty, her one requirement for a boyfriend is that he has a good work ethic which she doesn't believe Riley has. But Riley is more than meets the eye.
I loved these two and i knew that there was something going on with Riley. I loved how his story played out. And even though Tula was a a bit much sometimes, I couldn't help but really like her.
And finally the last couple was the most poignant. Dot and Lawrence had been married for close to 40 years. But a few years ago Lawrence fell crazily in love with another woman and left Dot. But now he wants Dot back.
I thought Dot and Lawrence's story was probably the most interesting. It had a few twists and turns that made for some good drama.
For me Mansell is a comfort read. She has such a deep back-list that it is easy to find Surprise! one that I hadn't read yet. And yet, I know exactly what I get. In some authors I would find this samey-ness boring and a little off-putting. But there is some strange alchemy with this author that just makes me was to pop these books like candy-corn.
Fun read. Not one that breaks out of the pack like some of her others, but still fun nonetheless.
February 8, 2014
Following her usual pattern Mansell sets us up with two main characters, Sophie and Josh, but surrounds them with a whole host of secondary characters that we get to know as well as our hero and heroine. What I love most about Mansell is the knack she has for weaving together the multiple threads of her novels so that no character's story really seems peripheral and despite the large number of there is never any confusion over who’s who.
The story is split between most of the characters POV at some point, although it falls primarily to Sophie, Josh, Tula and Riley. As a result the male characters are as well developed as the female and their motivations are as clear, something lacking in the majority of romance novels these days. In fact, it feels as though Josh steers a lot of the novel, something that I actually really enjoyed. Mansell's characters span all ages and situations, her characters are much more than the chocolate loving, depressed 30 somethings and the variety is what really helps her characters remain memorable. In the end I loved Tula, Riley, Marguerite, Dot and Lawrence as much as I did Sophie and Josh.
Sophie is a successful and independent photographer who's been burnt once before, her relationship with Josh blossoms from a strong friendship that was such fun to read, although for me, Tula and Riley were the main source of amusement in the novel. As always Mansell does tackle some difficult issues in her novel, and she handles them well. Topics that could turn the book twee, predictable and clichéd are dealt with empathy and heart, elevating the book from the ranks the ordinary.
Full review at Rosie Reads Romance
The story is split between most of the characters POV at some point, although it falls primarily to Sophie, Josh, Tula and Riley. As a result the male characters are as well developed as the female and their motivations are as clear, something lacking in the majority of romance novels these days. In fact, it feels as though Josh steers a lot of the novel, something that I actually really enjoyed. Mansell's characters span all ages and situations, her characters are much more than the chocolate loving, depressed 30 somethings and the variety is what really helps her characters remain memorable. In the end I loved Tula, Riley, Marguerite, Dot and Lawrence as much as I did Sophie and Josh.
Sophie is a successful and independent photographer who's been burnt once before, her relationship with Josh blossoms from a strong friendship that was such fun to read, although for me, Tula and Riley were the main source of amusement in the novel. As always Mansell does tackle some difficult issues in her novel, and she handles them well. Topics that could turn the book twee, predictable and clichéd are dealt with empathy and heart, elevating the book from the ranks the ordinary.
Full review at Rosie Reads Romance
October 22, 2021
Fantastic book! Best one yet from Jill Mansell. I loved it! This was a library book but I'm definitely buying it for my Kindle and getting the Audible version as well. Funny, romantic, great lovable characters and satisflying ending. Wonderful!
February 2, 2016
If you’d ask me how I ended up with a copy of this book on my shelf, I wouldn’t know what to tell you. I honestly don’t remember what made me pick out this book. But after endless months just waiting abandoned on my shelf I finally picked it up and read a story, I thought I would love.
Only I didn’t love it. I didn’t even really like it. There are many factors that triggered this dislike though:
First of all I think Mansell’s biggest problem is that her characters are superficial, stereotypical and don’t intrigue the reader, or at least me. I didn’t connect with any of the many many characters she created for this book.
Josh was the good looking, sporty, rich dude who had to fight for his love interest.
Riley was the typical laid back best friend, surfer dude, ladies’ man but secretly he was a tragic brooding hero as well.
Then Tula was the typical man eater friend and last but not least Sophie was the poor damaged victim, who for some reason attracts the handsome Josh and makes him fall so madly in love with her, he’ll do anything.
As for the other characters, I really didn’t get why they needed to be added. This entire drama with Lawrence, Dot and Antoine was unnecessary and I didn’t enjoy it – at all.
What annoyed me a lot about many of Mansell’s characterizations was her blatant judgmental way of portraying some of them; the slutty posh girls who pose in ridiculously tiny bikinis. The pretty, tall, thin girls who are complete bitches… The rich American teenagers who only talk like Valley girls and are rude. The caring grandmother who acts like a wannabe fairy godmother. Obnoxious, arrogant famous people. I mean really, Mansell over does it with her stereotyping.
But what was even worse was her fixation on, in her mind, beautiful people and shunning of those who aren’t. So after reading this book, I knew that to Mansell you only count as pretty if you’re tall, thin and blonde. If you’re a brunette you can be pretty enough but still, people will be wondering how you can ever snag a hot guy! And don’t even get me started on the short, not so thin girls. This entire story with Amy or Amelie and her model aspirations was frustrating and only angered me. So yeah, if you’re not really tall and thin you probably won’t make it as a runway model, BUT there could have been ways to deal with this better. Mansell just kept repeating that this girl was ugly and thought that Sophie would look like a saint if she got a famous kid to ask her to play badminton. A kid who by the way also loudly stated she was ugly and showed no respect for her what so ever. And we’re supposed to believe that THIS did something for that girl’s ego? How about Sophie making a real photo shoot with her and sending it to some contacts? How about painting a picture of a society in which a girl is not called ugly for not being tall, blonde and thin? How about that?
So storywise there’s the same superficial problem most of her characters. Let’s begin with this so called love between Sophie and Josh: WHY? Seriously, they have no chemistry, they have nothing, not even a little itty bitty connection. It’s just the two pretty people of the book.
Mansell obviously tried to give Sophie a tragic background with her failed marriage, but the way she rushed through this chapter and the way she told the story was just cold, boring and not at all convincing. I didn’t feel any pain. I didn’t relate to it at all and frankly, it only felt like an excuse to have her be the poor poor victim Josh can rescue.
And that’s the other thing about this ending
Likewise Tula’s relationship with Riley was only forced. As with Josh and Sophie there is no chemistry the author manages to create between these two, frankly with her entire obsession about beauty she kind of kills any chances of it. Because how dare the gorgeous tall, blond, muscular surfer Riley fall for a brunette!!! A flat chested brunette who could never be a model! I mean seriously, the nerve of him!
BUT to make sure this love story is not to easy, let’s also give Tula a tragic background with lazy men and therefore, reject Riley because all he ever does is surf and party and sleep with girls (gorgeous blondes, remember that!) So we’re supposed to believe that he sees her on the beach one day and BOOM just falls madly in love with her and even though she’s really really attracted to him too, she won’t even give him a chance because he’s so lazy. But good thing he’s a misunderstood sweetheart and he has his aunt to set the record straight…. Nope, not impressed.
So as mentioned before this entire drama with Lawrence, Antoine and Dot was completely unnecessary and frankly quite childish. At first I had respect for Dot, for being grown up and mature about her friendship with her ex-husband. But then she went and started dating the ex-husband of her ex-husbands mistress? Really? There is only one reason any one of the two would do it and it’s payback. That simple. Only you’d think that people who’ve passed the age of 60 could be past such childish and ridiculous games. Also there, neither with Lawrence and Dot nor with Antoine and Dot is there any bloody chemistry. Really, I feel as if the author just failed on every level to create loveable characters that have the reader intrigued and connected. These two dimensional characters did nothing for me, really absolutely nothing. Once I finished this book the only thing I was truly passionate about was to get this review done so I could air my frustration with this book.
Only I didn’t love it. I didn’t even really like it. There are many factors that triggered this dislike though:
First of all I think Mansell’s biggest problem is that her characters are superficial, stereotypical and don’t intrigue the reader, or at least me. I didn’t connect with any of the many many characters she created for this book.
Josh was the good looking, sporty, rich dude who had to fight for his love interest.
Riley was the typical laid back best friend, surfer dude, ladies’ man but secretly he was a tragic brooding hero as well.
Then Tula was the typical man eater friend and last but not least Sophie was the poor damaged victim, who for some reason attracts the handsome Josh and makes him fall so madly in love with her, he’ll do anything.
As for the other characters, I really didn’t get why they needed to be added. This entire drama with Lawrence, Dot and Antoine was unnecessary and I didn’t enjoy it – at all.
What annoyed me a lot about many of Mansell’s characterizations was her blatant judgmental way of portraying some of them; the slutty posh girls who pose in ridiculously tiny bikinis. The pretty, tall, thin girls who are complete bitches… The rich American teenagers who only talk like Valley girls and are rude. The caring grandmother who acts like a wannabe fairy godmother. Obnoxious, arrogant famous people. I mean really, Mansell over does it with her stereotyping.
But what was even worse was her fixation on, in her mind, beautiful people and shunning of those who aren’t. So after reading this book, I knew that to Mansell you only count as pretty if you’re tall, thin and blonde. If you’re a brunette you can be pretty enough but still, people will be wondering how you can ever snag a hot guy! And don’t even get me started on the short, not so thin girls. This entire story with Amy or Amelie and her model aspirations was frustrating and only angered me. So yeah, if you’re not really tall and thin you probably won’t make it as a runway model, BUT there could have been ways to deal with this better. Mansell just kept repeating that this girl was ugly and thought that Sophie would look like a saint if she got a famous kid to ask her to play badminton. A kid who by the way also loudly stated she was ugly and showed no respect for her what so ever. And we’re supposed to believe that THIS did something for that girl’s ego? How about Sophie making a real photo shoot with her and sending it to some contacts? How about painting a picture of a society in which a girl is not called ugly for not being tall, blonde and thin? How about that?
So storywise there’s the same superficial problem most of her characters. Let’s begin with this so called love between Sophie and Josh: WHY? Seriously, they have no chemistry, they have nothing, not even a little itty bitty connection. It’s just the two pretty people of the book.
Mansell obviously tried to give Sophie a tragic background with her failed marriage, but the way she rushed through this chapter and the way she told the story was just cold, boring and not at all convincing. I didn’t feel any pain. I didn’t relate to it at all and frankly, it only felt like an excuse to have her be the poor poor victim Josh can rescue.
And that’s the other thing about this ending
Likewise Tula’s relationship with Riley was only forced. As with Josh and Sophie there is no chemistry the author manages to create between these two, frankly with her entire obsession about beauty she kind of kills any chances of it. Because how dare the gorgeous tall, blond, muscular surfer Riley fall for a brunette!!! A flat chested brunette who could never be a model! I mean seriously, the nerve of him!
BUT to make sure this love story is not to easy, let’s also give Tula a tragic background with lazy men and therefore, reject Riley because all he ever does is surf and party and sleep with girls (gorgeous blondes, remember that!) So we’re supposed to believe that he sees her on the beach one day and BOOM just falls madly in love with her and even though she’s really really attracted to him too, she won’t even give him a chance because he’s so lazy. But good thing he’s a misunderstood sweetheart and he has his aunt to set the record straight…. Nope, not impressed.
So as mentioned before this entire drama with Lawrence, Antoine and Dot was completely unnecessary and frankly quite childish. At first I had respect for Dot, for being grown up and mature about her friendship with her ex-husband. But then she went and started dating the ex-husband of her ex-husbands mistress? Really? There is only one reason any one of the two would do it and it’s payback. That simple. Only you’d think that people who’ve passed the age of 60 could be past such childish and ridiculous games. Also there, neither with Lawrence and Dot nor with Antoine and Dot is there any bloody chemistry. Really, I feel as if the author just failed on every level to create loveable characters that have the reader intrigued and connected. These two dimensional characters did nothing for me, really absolutely nothing. Once I finished this book the only thing I was truly passionate about was to get this review done so I could air my frustration with this book.
March 3, 2014
Sparkling like a glass of vintage champagne and delicious like a box of Belgian chocolates, The Unpredictable Consequences of Love is the phenomenal new romantic comedy from the fabulous Jill Mansell!
When managing a band of bratty teenagers had grown wearisome, Josh Strachan had realised that he had had enough of his life in Los Angeles. Fed up of being taken for granted and looking for a new challenge, Josh decided to bid farewell to the City of Angels and headed back to St. Carys in Cornwall to help his grandmother Dot run the Mariscombe House Hotel. Managing a five-star hotel is no walk in the park, but Josh is enjoying the change of pace and loving his new life in St. Carys – especially as he’s just clapped eyes on Sophie Wells, a pretty photographer he’s desperate to get to know better. Used to women throwing themselves at him on a regular basis, Josh is confident that Sophie will quickly fall for his charms. However, he is shocked when she tells him that relationships are strictly off the agenda for her!
Bitter experience had taught Sophie to keep her heart firmly under lock and key and to never let anyone get close to her ever again. With her burgeoning photography business growing in leaps and bounds and an active social life, Sophie has got plenty to keep her occupied – she doesn’t want or need to have a man in her life. But when Josh Strachan strides into St. Carys and reawakens feelings deep within her that have been buried for a very long time, Sophie soon begins to realise that her resolve to stay single is weakening. Is she willing to put her heart on the line for the second time? Or will old fears and never resolved issues ruin her chance of redemption?
Sophie’s best friend Tula has just moved to St. Carys for a fresh start. Having found a job she loves and been embraced by the St. Carys community, Tula is loving her new life in Cornwall. Although her crush on Josh Strachan looks set to remain unrequited, Tula is determined to find her Mr. Right. With so many sexy surfers around, Tula is confident that she’ll not remain single for long. However, the feisty barmaid is not about to let her head be turned by a good-looking beach bum. Tula wants an intelligent, confident and self-sufficient man – and unfortunately feckless Riley Bryant does not subscribe to a single one of these categories. A man who spends his days chatting up girls on the beach and who lives on the hands-out given to him by his rich aunt, Riley – despite his good looks and delectable body – is as far removed from Tula’s perfect man as it is possible to get. However, there’s more to the laid-back surfer than meets the eye…
The unpredictable consequences of love have knocked the inhabitants of St. Carys for six. But are they prepared to thrown caution to the wind and let love into their lives? Or will they let this unexpected happiness slip through their fingers?
Jill Mansell is one of the queens of romantic comedy and she is on top form with The Unexpected Consequences of Love. Funny, heartwarming, emotional and deliciously feel-good, take the phone off the hook, cancel all your appointments and get ready to enjoy a fast-paced romantic romp that will make you laugh, cry and keep you up way past your bedtime.
I adored the characters in this book. I loved Sophie and Tula, swooned over Josh and Riley and I desperately want to meet up with Riley’s Aunt Marguerite for a gossip and a glass of bubbly. As always, Jill Mansell creates a wonderful community you would love to be a part of and brings the idyllic villages she writes about to such vivid and colourful life, that I am packing my bags and booking the first available flight to St. Carys!
Wonderfully witty, highly compelling and absolutely impossible to resist, The Unpredictable Consequences of Love is not to be missed!
This review was originally published on the Single Titles website.
When managing a band of bratty teenagers had grown wearisome, Josh Strachan had realised that he had had enough of his life in Los Angeles. Fed up of being taken for granted and looking for a new challenge, Josh decided to bid farewell to the City of Angels and headed back to St. Carys in Cornwall to help his grandmother Dot run the Mariscombe House Hotel. Managing a five-star hotel is no walk in the park, but Josh is enjoying the change of pace and loving his new life in St. Carys – especially as he’s just clapped eyes on Sophie Wells, a pretty photographer he’s desperate to get to know better. Used to women throwing themselves at him on a regular basis, Josh is confident that Sophie will quickly fall for his charms. However, he is shocked when she tells him that relationships are strictly off the agenda for her!
Bitter experience had taught Sophie to keep her heart firmly under lock and key and to never let anyone get close to her ever again. With her burgeoning photography business growing in leaps and bounds and an active social life, Sophie has got plenty to keep her occupied – she doesn’t want or need to have a man in her life. But when Josh Strachan strides into St. Carys and reawakens feelings deep within her that have been buried for a very long time, Sophie soon begins to realise that her resolve to stay single is weakening. Is she willing to put her heart on the line for the second time? Or will old fears and never resolved issues ruin her chance of redemption?
Sophie’s best friend Tula has just moved to St. Carys for a fresh start. Having found a job she loves and been embraced by the St. Carys community, Tula is loving her new life in Cornwall. Although her crush on Josh Strachan looks set to remain unrequited, Tula is determined to find her Mr. Right. With so many sexy surfers around, Tula is confident that she’ll not remain single for long. However, the feisty barmaid is not about to let her head be turned by a good-looking beach bum. Tula wants an intelligent, confident and self-sufficient man – and unfortunately feckless Riley Bryant does not subscribe to a single one of these categories. A man who spends his days chatting up girls on the beach and who lives on the hands-out given to him by his rich aunt, Riley – despite his good looks and delectable body – is as far removed from Tula’s perfect man as it is possible to get. However, there’s more to the laid-back surfer than meets the eye…
The unpredictable consequences of love have knocked the inhabitants of St. Carys for six. But are they prepared to thrown caution to the wind and let love into their lives? Or will they let this unexpected happiness slip through their fingers?
Jill Mansell is one of the queens of romantic comedy and she is on top form with The Unexpected Consequences of Love. Funny, heartwarming, emotional and deliciously feel-good, take the phone off the hook, cancel all your appointments and get ready to enjoy a fast-paced romantic romp that will make you laugh, cry and keep you up way past your bedtime.
I adored the characters in this book. I loved Sophie and Tula, swooned over Josh and Riley and I desperately want to meet up with Riley’s Aunt Marguerite for a gossip and a glass of bubbly. As always, Jill Mansell creates a wonderful community you would love to be a part of and brings the idyllic villages she writes about to such vivid and colourful life, that I am packing my bags and booking the first available flight to St. Carys!
Wonderfully witty, highly compelling and absolutely impossible to resist, The Unpredictable Consequences of Love is not to be missed!
This review was originally published on the Single Titles website.
February 29, 2016
Leuk boek met diepgang die ik niet echt verwacht had. Was wel fijn. Geeft het verhaal net dat extra's.
July 31, 2022
Rozengeur en Zonneschijn ~ Jill Mansell
LS Amsterdam, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Als ik niet weet wat ik wilt lezen, maar ik gewoon iets wil waar ik niet te veel bij hoeft nate denken en met volle teugen van kan genieten, dan pak ik een Jill Mansell. Altijd gegarandeerd genieten van een happy end. Het verhaal van Sophie en Josh was hobbelig, maar uitelijk kon ik toch met een tevreden zucht met boek dicht slaan. En erg leuk dat er dit keer een auteur in het boek voor kwam, met een leuke plottwist! Heerlijk boek weer ♡
LS Amsterdam, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Als ik niet weet wat ik wilt lezen, maar ik gewoon iets wil waar ik niet te veel bij hoeft nate denken en met volle teugen van kan genieten, dan pak ik een Jill Mansell. Altijd gegarandeerd genieten van een happy end. Het verhaal van Sophie en Josh was hobbelig, maar uitelijk kon ik toch met een tevreden zucht met boek dicht slaan. En erg leuk dat er dit keer een auteur in het boek voor kwam, met een leuke plottwist! Heerlijk boek weer ♡
June 10, 2017
Heerlijk voorspelbaar.
February 28, 2016
Ik heb een aardige tijd over het boek gedaan. En dat kwam voornamelijk dat het lang duurde voor het verhaal me echt pakte. Daardoor deed ik liever andere dingen dan lezen. Toen het verhaal me eenmaal te pakken had was het wel echt leuk. Maar ik heb zeker te weten wel leukere boeken van Jill gelezen.
May 3, 2015
Lovely, fun read typical of Jill Mansell. It was the right book at the right time I guess, because I loved the whole thing. The characters were great, setting was wonderful, and I enjoyed it so much. If you are a Mansell fan or enjoy british chick-lit, this book is for you!
October 16, 2024
A cute read. Multiple characters finding love. Some surprises.
July 18, 2023
Jag är nöjd
Bra karaktärer
Inga oavslutade historier
Najs plottwist
Bra karaktärer
Inga oavslutade historier
Najs plottwist
October 17, 2025
3.5 stars. Nice story set in Cornwall to read while traveling near there. The story was predictable but unique enough to be interesting.
May 16, 2016
I didn't expect much from this title and it still let me down. It's basically a soap opera, but without the luxury of tension. From start to finish this was a bore and a disappointment.
Admittedly, some of the characters do have some depth, but they're trapped in sub-par writing, where the author can't seem to write adult only weird 30 year olds acting like teenagers with teenage level story telling. Their backgrounds aren't shown nor told in the correct way to make them feel like they matter. These characters were fighting their author every step of the way and it's dreadfully obvious. None of the love interests were remotely interested in one another. I never got that feeling in my chest when the characters were in the same scene where I wanted them to touch, but didn't. No sexual tension with anyone. More or less I felt dread because I knew exactly what was coming next and it was never good.
The story is contrived through and through. None of it feels real--The characters and scenes were deliberately placed so that happenstance would force the characters together, but half the time it makes no sense. In fact, on page 361 Josh thinks: "Sometimes fate intervenes and offers a helping hand, and it would seem rude to refuse it." Fate honestly intervenes a lot. Chapter 28, Josh gets to see Sophie naked because he happened to wake up early and drive around with the dog, Griff (whose honest sole purpose is to haphazardly put Sophie and Josh together because the dog does what it wants, but only when convenient. This happens several times), and sees her car and must make sure she's not getting murdered somewhere when instead she's having a photo session done in the nude (nothing wrong with that, but overmanipulation, much?). And then later he just happens to take the dog for a walk and sees Sophie embracing another man and immediately thinks she's sleeping with him. The worst thing about Josh is that he purposely gets Tula drunk so he can get her to tell him Sophie's secret, which she does. It's dishonest and a down right breaking of privacy and respect. Josh is too busy trying to get things his way to consider any of the people around him including the girl he's supposed to be in love with. There's this weird "she needs saving" complex within this book and it's sickening.
On page 118 Sophie has a complete shift in character and suddenly decides to race Josh. Somehow this was an attempt to make them playful with one another, but it fell flat. Then immediately after she somehow gets injured by a stroller (which are generally made to be lightweight for easier handling) and then has to employ Josh ' s help for her photo shoot and for getting out of the tub. Okay...I still can't see how she got injured in the first place. This poor girl is just manipulated the entire book into being with Josh and she doesn't even like the guy. The only thing there is is the fact that he's apparently attractive...mkay. Other than that he is entitled and quite the stalker.
Riley and Tula had similar issues. The author managed to drown out the tension of their first kiss with too many words. Kisses can be simple; it won't hurt the writing. There's this one odd moment where Tula has driven to Sophie's flat, but she isn't home, so Tula is changing in her vehicle before she goes to her interview and lo and behold Riley is parked right next to her, watching her undress. The question is what was he doing parked near Sophie's place when he knew exactly where she was. Sophie said nothing about Tula being in town, so...how? I didn't find them attracted to each other either.
For some reason, the author felt the need for every character to have a happy ending except for the jerks, unless you're Lawrence--where he's just unlucky by circumstance. (Best explanation I have for his entire tangent of existing). But minor characters didn't need to make second or third appearances. Sometimes they can just be left alone. This novel was needlessly long, but way too hard to understand time passage. It felt like mere days when it was weeks between some of the chapters. It just does a poor job of showing that.
The setting is nearly nonexistent. You just kind of have to assume what the rooms are, but you never feel grounded in the story.
This book had me in tears it was so bad.
Admittedly, some of the characters do have some depth, but they're trapped in sub-par writing, where the author can't seem to write adult only weird 30 year olds acting like teenagers with teenage level story telling. Their backgrounds aren't shown nor told in the correct way to make them feel like they matter. These characters were fighting their author every step of the way and it's dreadfully obvious. None of the love interests were remotely interested in one another. I never got that feeling in my chest when the characters were in the same scene where I wanted them to touch, but didn't. No sexual tension with anyone. More or less I felt dread because I knew exactly what was coming next and it was never good.
The story is contrived through and through. None of it feels real--The characters and scenes were deliberately placed so that happenstance would force the characters together, but half the time it makes no sense. In fact, on page 361 Josh thinks: "Sometimes fate intervenes and offers a helping hand, and it would seem rude to refuse it." Fate honestly intervenes a lot. Chapter 28, Josh gets to see Sophie naked because he happened to wake up early and drive around with the dog, Griff (whose honest sole purpose is to haphazardly put Sophie and Josh together because the dog does what it wants, but only when convenient. This happens several times), and sees her car and must make sure she's not getting murdered somewhere when instead she's having a photo session done in the nude (nothing wrong with that, but overmanipulation, much?). And then later he just happens to take the dog for a walk and sees Sophie embracing another man and immediately thinks she's sleeping with him. The worst thing about Josh is that he purposely gets Tula drunk so he can get her to tell him Sophie's secret, which she does. It's dishonest and a down right breaking of privacy and respect. Josh is too busy trying to get things his way to consider any of the people around him including the girl he's supposed to be in love with. There's this weird "she needs saving" complex within this book and it's sickening.
On page 118 Sophie has a complete shift in character and suddenly decides to race Josh. Somehow this was an attempt to make them playful with one another, but it fell flat. Then immediately after she somehow gets injured by a stroller (which are generally made to be lightweight for easier handling) and then has to employ Josh ' s help for her photo shoot and for getting out of the tub. Okay...I still can't see how she got injured in the first place. This poor girl is just manipulated the entire book into being with Josh and she doesn't even like the guy. The only thing there is is the fact that he's apparently attractive...mkay. Other than that he is entitled and quite the stalker.
Riley and Tula had similar issues. The author managed to drown out the tension of their first kiss with too many words. Kisses can be simple; it won't hurt the writing. There's this one odd moment where Tula has driven to Sophie's flat, but she isn't home, so Tula is changing in her vehicle before she goes to her interview and lo and behold Riley is parked right next to her, watching her undress. The question is what was he doing parked near Sophie's place when he knew exactly where she was. Sophie said nothing about Tula being in town, so...how? I didn't find them attracted to each other either.
For some reason, the author felt the need for every character to have a happy ending except for the jerks, unless you're Lawrence--where he's just unlucky by circumstance. (Best explanation I have for his entire tangent of existing). But minor characters didn't need to make second or third appearances. Sometimes they can just be left alone. This novel was needlessly long, but way too hard to understand time passage. It felt like mere days when it was weeks between some of the chapters. It just does a poor job of showing that.
The setting is nearly nonexistent. You just kind of have to assume what the rooms are, but you never feel grounded in the story.
This book had me in tears it was so bad.
February 26, 2014
I’ve been a fan of Jill Mansell’s books ever since her first novel, Fast Friends in 1991, and she is one of the few authors whose books I will always buy regardless. I very much enjoyed her last book, Don't Want to Miss a Thing, and have been eagerly awaiting the next one. A new book is always a treat worth waiting for and this, her 25th novel, is no exception.
The story is set in the fictional, idyllic sounding St Carys in Cornwall. The main character, Sophie is a photographer and has moved to Cornwall to set up her own business. She is pretty and popular and soon catches the eye of a local hotelier, Josh Strachan. Josh has recently returned to the UK from California and co-owns a local hotel with his grandmother Dot. When Josh’s repeated attempts to date Sophie are rebuffed he is intrigued to know why. He’s good looking and successful and is not used to being turned down. Sophie however has vowed to stay away from relationships and men and as the story unfolds we learn the reason why.
There are several other characters featuring heavily in the book and they are all interesting and people that you could care about. Sophie’s best friend Tula, Josh’s fun loving friend and co-conspirator Riley, Dot and her ex-husband Lawrence, and local author Marguerite. All have their own sub-plots and dramas which are perfectly woven throughout the story. What I love about Jill’s books is that all the characters are so well drawn, you feel that you know them and could be friends with them - I could have fallen for Josh myself! Riley has a thing for Tula and is described as being a “lazy, work-shy, pleasure-seeking hedonist” – could he really be that shallow?
There are ups and downs for all our characters and a twist that I didn’t see coming. I love the Cornish coast and the gorgeous location was a big plus for me. The story isn’t all frothy and light – there are deeper issues covered but these are dealt with sympathetically and made to feel an integral part of the story.
This was a lovely feel good humorous story and another 5* read for me. I’m now keenly waiting for book number 26!
The story is set in the fictional, idyllic sounding St Carys in Cornwall. The main character, Sophie is a photographer and has moved to Cornwall to set up her own business. She is pretty and popular and soon catches the eye of a local hotelier, Josh Strachan. Josh has recently returned to the UK from California and co-owns a local hotel with his grandmother Dot. When Josh’s repeated attempts to date Sophie are rebuffed he is intrigued to know why. He’s good looking and successful and is not used to being turned down. Sophie however has vowed to stay away from relationships and men and as the story unfolds we learn the reason why.
There are several other characters featuring heavily in the book and they are all interesting and people that you could care about. Sophie’s best friend Tula, Josh’s fun loving friend and co-conspirator Riley, Dot and her ex-husband Lawrence, and local author Marguerite. All have their own sub-plots and dramas which are perfectly woven throughout the story. What I love about Jill’s books is that all the characters are so well drawn, you feel that you know them and could be friends with them - I could have fallen for Josh myself! Riley has a thing for Tula and is described as being a “lazy, work-shy, pleasure-seeking hedonist” – could he really be that shallow?
There are ups and downs for all our characters and a twist that I didn’t see coming. I love the Cornish coast and the gorgeous location was a big plus for me. The story isn’t all frothy and light – there are deeper issues covered but these are dealt with sympathetically and made to feel an integral part of the story.
This was a lovely feel good humorous story and another 5* read for me. I’m now keenly waiting for book number 26!
February 24, 2014
I’ve previously read and enjoyed Jill’s other novels, and this one was no exception. I absolutely love the cover, the yellow is so beautiful and sunny and made me want to sit down and spend my time reading Jill’s latest release.
In the beautiful town of St Carys, Sophie is determined to keep the past behind her, and she has no interest in letting any man into her life, something new arrival Josh can’t understand. Josh has arrived in St Carys to run the family hotel, and he’s also been duped into employing Sophie’s friend Tula, who has an unrequited crush on him. With many different people living on St Carys, how many secrets can one seaside town keep?
Jill Mansell is such a talented storyteller, every time I sit down with one of her books I feel as though I am transported to another place entirely, and I spent an afternoon happily immersed in Jill’s writing. The setting of St Carys was lovely, it was charming and I could imagine myself walking along the streets and truly belonging there.
The characters were very well-written, there was such a variety of personalities and they were all vibrant in their own ways, I really enjoyed getting to know them all. One of things I loved most about this book was that every character had their own story, their own personal issues or secrets and Jill explored these beautifully. The characters are all entertaining and had me engaged and very involved in their lives, I particularly liked Josh and Sophie, but at the same time I was eager to see how all of the characters would get on!
The Unpredictable Consequences Of Love is a truly delightful and absorbing read that is thoroughly enjoyable, and I am really looking forward to re-reading it again!
In the beautiful town of St Carys, Sophie is determined to keep the past behind her, and she has no interest in letting any man into her life, something new arrival Josh can’t understand. Josh has arrived in St Carys to run the family hotel, and he’s also been duped into employing Sophie’s friend Tula, who has an unrequited crush on him. With many different people living on St Carys, how many secrets can one seaside town keep?
Jill Mansell is such a talented storyteller, every time I sit down with one of her books I feel as though I am transported to another place entirely, and I spent an afternoon happily immersed in Jill’s writing. The setting of St Carys was lovely, it was charming and I could imagine myself walking along the streets and truly belonging there.
The characters were very well-written, there was such a variety of personalities and they were all vibrant in their own ways, I really enjoyed getting to know them all. One of things I loved most about this book was that every character had their own story, their own personal issues or secrets and Jill explored these beautifully. The characters are all entertaining and had me engaged and very involved in their lives, I particularly liked Josh and Sophie, but at the same time I was eager to see how all of the characters would get on!
The Unpredictable Consequences Of Love is a truly delightful and absorbing read that is thoroughly enjoyable, and I am really looking forward to re-reading it again!
February 8, 2015
Fans of Jill Mansell know what they are going to get when they pick up one of her novels—a romance between likeable characters (or make that romances—usually there’s more than one couple featured in the story), humor (generally linked to social awkwardness of some kind), and a happy ending. And that’s the case in The Unexpected Consequences of Love as well.
Ostensibly the novel is the story of Sophie, a photographer with an aversion to relationships due to a mysterious past that she refuses to discuss, and Josh, the man who falls for her and determines to uncover her secrets. However, the relationships between two other couples are explored as well, and all three get their happy endings. And although the story contains a darker note than some of Mansell’s novels with the exploration of the sadness in Sophie’s past, several scenes between the various characters are quite humorous and make sure the mood of the story never gets too dark.
If I have one criticism of this novel, it’s that I found Sophie and Josh a bit bland as a couple—likeable enough, but a little boring. For me, Sophie’s best friend Tula and her potential love interest, Josh’s friend Riley, kind of stole the show.
Recommended for anyone who enjoys British chick lit or who is looking for an enjoyable romantic read.
An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ostensibly the novel is the story of Sophie, a photographer with an aversion to relationships due to a mysterious past that she refuses to discuss, and Josh, the man who falls for her and determines to uncover her secrets. However, the relationships between two other couples are explored as well, and all three get their happy endings. And although the story contains a darker note than some of Mansell’s novels with the exploration of the sadness in Sophie’s past, several scenes between the various characters are quite humorous and make sure the mood of the story never gets too dark.
If I have one criticism of this novel, it’s that I found Sophie and Josh a bit bland as a couple—likeable enough, but a little boring. For me, Sophie’s best friend Tula and her potential love interest, Josh’s friend Riley, kind of stole the show.
Recommended for anyone who enjoys British chick lit or who is looking for an enjoyable romantic read.
An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2015
I do not think it matters on whether or not you read a book written by the author for the first time or you consider yourself a devoted reader to Mansell as I do, it's easy to see why so many readers fell in love with her, as let's face it no one does light-weight romance better than Mansell!
A few years ago I was on the search for a better romance. I was little burnt out on the erotic content of books and all the cheesy romance remarks that can often times be found in certain romance novels. Basically I was looking for something fresh and yet entertaining. I discovered Mansell in a book shop, purchased two of the books and I have never looked at romance the same way again. So whenever a book such as this one is available for early review or even for purchase I always get a giddy feeling in my stomach as I cannot wait to read the material.
This novel is of no exception. I adored it. I laughed, rooted for the characters and just outright enjoyed this book from start to finish and I know that you, as a fellow reader will too!
To read more of this review please click that has been provided. All copyrights belong to Night Owl Reviews. This review cannot be copied or shared by third parties.
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Rev...
A few years ago I was on the search for a better romance. I was little burnt out on the erotic content of books and all the cheesy romance remarks that can often times be found in certain romance novels. Basically I was looking for something fresh and yet entertaining. I discovered Mansell in a book shop, purchased two of the books and I have never looked at romance the same way again. So whenever a book such as this one is available for early review or even for purchase I always get a giddy feeling in my stomach as I cannot wait to read the material.
This novel is of no exception. I adored it. I laughed, rooted for the characters and just outright enjoyed this book from start to finish and I know that you, as a fellow reader will too!
To read more of this review please click that has been provided. All copyrights belong to Night Owl Reviews. This review cannot be copied or shared by third parties.
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Rev...
March 12, 2017
Táto, navonok krásna a obsahovo veľmi bohatá, kniha nám ponúka hneď dva príbehy. Jeden je o fotografke Sophie, druhý, paralelne sa vyvíjajúci sa s prvým, je o jej najlepšej kamarátke Tule.
Sophie fotí ľudí, svadby, obálky časopisov, rodinné fotky. Fotografuje í i sebe pre radosť. Práca je jej zmyslom života. Iba láske sa vyhýba ako čert krížu. Nemá s ňou dobré skúsenosti. Keď sa jej do života zamotá Josh, slušne odmietne jeho ponuku vyjsť si von. Josh je však muž, ktorý sa nevzdáva ľahko, obzvlášť, keď sa mu nejaká žena páči. A Sophie sa mu páči veľmi. A nenechá sa odradiť.
Do Cornwallu sa za Sophie prisťahuje jej najlepšia kamarátka Tula. Zoznámi sa s Rileyom Bryantom, známym plážovým povaľačom a surfistom. A hoci sa jej páči, nechce s ním mať nič spoločné. Zo skúseností vie, že muž, ktorý si na seba nedokáže zarobiť ani korunu, nie je tým správnym mužom pre ňu. Riley však nie je taký ako sa na prvý pohľad zdá. Tiež má tajomstvo, ktoré zdieľa spolu so svojou tetou, slávnou spisovateľkou Marguerite Marshallovvou, u ktorej býva. Tulu sa napriek všetkému snaží presvedčiť o svojej láske. No ona sa nechce dať obmäkčiť.
Dej je veľmi spletitý. Okrem týchto dvoch dejových línií sa tu odohrávajú i ďalšie, menšie, no rovnako zaujímavé. Zvyšok recenzie nájdete tu: http://kokina1.blogspot.sk/2016/01/sr...
Sophie fotí ľudí, svadby, obálky časopisov, rodinné fotky. Fotografuje í i sebe pre radosť. Práca je jej zmyslom života. Iba láske sa vyhýba ako čert krížu. Nemá s ňou dobré skúsenosti. Keď sa jej do života zamotá Josh, slušne odmietne jeho ponuku vyjsť si von. Josh je však muž, ktorý sa nevzdáva ľahko, obzvlášť, keď sa mu nejaká žena páči. A Sophie sa mu páči veľmi. A nenechá sa odradiť.
Do Cornwallu sa za Sophie prisťahuje jej najlepšia kamarátka Tula. Zoznámi sa s Rileyom Bryantom, známym plážovým povaľačom a surfistom. A hoci sa jej páči, nechce s ním mať nič spoločné. Zo skúseností vie, že muž, ktorý si na seba nedokáže zarobiť ani korunu, nie je tým správnym mužom pre ňu. Riley však nie je taký ako sa na prvý pohľad zdá. Tiež má tajomstvo, ktoré zdieľa spolu so svojou tetou, slávnou spisovateľkou Marguerite Marshallovvou, u ktorej býva. Tulu sa napriek všetkému snaží presvedčiť o svojej láske. No ona sa nechce dať obmäkčiť.
Dej je veľmi spletitý. Okrem týchto dvoch dejových línií sa tu odohrávajú i ďalšie, menšie, no rovnako zaujímavé. Zvyšok recenzie nájdete tu: http://kokina1.blogspot.sk/2016/01/sr...
March 9, 2014
I find that there are two distinct Mansell voices. Earlier novels seem to be a bit ... Picasso. Bold portraits of over exaggerated and odd characters that are too much, while later novels have become a bit more Monet. Contextual and subtle landscapes that are intricately woven and incredibly interesting, revealing hidden aspects.
This novel was very similar to the last four or so novels in both characterization, plot and structure. This new cast of characters still managed to offer something different, but while maintaining something routine and similar.
I would have enjoyed a deeper development of Josh and Sophie's relationship feeling that Tula and Riley eclipsed them. I didn't like Tula as a character and was annoyed that she was given center stage over the much more likable Sophie. Having said this, I am still guessing about Sophie and Josh's happy ever after, which is as much of a sign of a good novel as an underdeveloped one.
I really enjoyed the 'secretive' aspect of the novel, with characters being developed slowly and small hints t a secret emerging and then BAM the secret comes out and opens a whole new dimension within the novel.
As I say, there were some aspects that I would have liked to have been explored more, but largely a very good read.
This novel was very similar to the last four or so novels in both characterization, plot and structure. This new cast of characters still managed to offer something different, but while maintaining something routine and similar.
I would have enjoyed a deeper development of Josh and Sophie's relationship feeling that Tula and Riley eclipsed them. I didn't like Tula as a character and was annoyed that she was given center stage over the much more likable Sophie. Having said this, I am still guessing about Sophie and Josh's happy ever after, which is as much of a sign of a good novel as an underdeveloped one.
I really enjoyed the 'secretive' aspect of the novel, with characters being developed slowly and small hints t a secret emerging and then BAM the secret comes out and opens a whole new dimension within the novel.
As I say, there were some aspects that I would have liked to have been explored more, but largely a very good read.
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