Staying at Daisy's

by Jill Mansell

If you're looking for a hotel where anything can happen, try staying at Daisy's...

Daisy MacLean runs the country house hotel owned by her flamboyant father, Hector. When she hears who's about to get married there, she isn't worried at all - her friend Tara absolutely promises there won't be any trouble between her and ex-boyfriend Dominic, whom she hasn't seen for years. But Daisy should be worried. Dominic has other ideas. And seeing Tara again sets in motion a chaotic train of events with far-reaching consequences for all concerned.

While Daisy spends the ensuing months doing battle with Dev Tyzack (Dominic's so-called best man), Tara battles with her conscience. Meanwhile, Hector's getting up to all sorts with...well, that's the village's best kept secret. And then Barney turns up, with a little something belonging to the husband Daisy's been doing her best to forget. That's the thing about hotels, you never know who you're going to meet. Or whether they're going to stay...

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Humor, Adult

500 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Jill 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.

Reviews

[Brianna (The Book Vixen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy provided by publisher

Why I Read this Book: Once in a blue moon, I like to read a good chick-lit novel. Way back when (after I had read the Harry Potter series and I was trying to find my reading groove), I dabbled in a bit of click-lit. I’m not a huge fan of the genre so a book really has to grab my attention in order for me to read it. In fact, I have about 10 chick-lit books on my shelf, that have been on my shelf for over 3 years, that are waiting for me to read. When I get in the mood.

What I Liked: The book’s length seems daunting – it’s 500 pages long!! But don’t let that get to you. I felt a bit overwhelmed by the size of the book but once I started reading it, I hardly noticed how long the novel was because I got sucked into the story.

I was also overwhelmed by the blurb. There seemed to be a lot going on (there is) and I was worried that I would get lost in the multiple story arcs. But that wasn’t the case. Staying at Daisy’s is a soap opera; there are many characters to keep track of and a lot of different storylines going on. The different storylines interconnect in ways you wouldn’t have guessed. But the author does a great job at mastering this soap opera. It’s not confusing or overwhelming. It is funny and at times, crazy.

What I Didn’t Like: When I had this book in my hands, the pages just whizzed by. But when I put the book down, I wasn’t so anxious to pick it back up. It wasn’t a gripping novel; it’s a great night time read to keep on your nightstand.

Overall Impression: Staying at Daisy’s interesting characters with drama-filled lives and intertwining storylines will be a perfect read for soap opera fans and chick-lit fans. This is the first book by Jill Mansell that I’ve read so far and I’m looking forward to more from this author. And I’m not even a huge fan of chick-lit! This book is funny, it’s touching and it’s a novel you won’t want to miss.

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Jill Mansell novel. I loved this book! It put a huge smile on my dial.

[Goddess Of Blah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DUMB. DUMB. DUMB. SO DUMB IT HURTS.

JUST SHUT UP. YOU'RE STUPID.

NO MORE PLEASE! YOU DUMB B****


Jill Mansell's books (that I have had the misfortune to read) have so far been an insult to any self-respecting intelligent (or even semi-intelligent) audience. All seem to follow the same premise of ultra chick lit trash. Be prepared to lose brain cells when reading her trite, clichéd rubbish.

The heroine is generally naïve and either unsuccessful in her career or from a disadvantaged background. A confirmed sap, she's invariably misunderstood by our dashing rich “hero” - and is usually betrayed by a former boyfriend or she has suffered an unfortunate break-up from a long term relationship.

The hero's are all from the same chick-lit mould - a text book recipe shared by the uncreative of romance authors: tall, dark and handsome (and invariably wealthy). If she could create a romance novel with a hero suffering a receding hairline, a middle income and of average height - her books would have some depth. If one recollects Jane Eyre - the characters' of a romance need not be good looking.

I loath absolute chick lit – and all her books are thus. Great if you're a bimbo though – because these books are so light that they float. Enjoy.

[Talar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book! Very predictable chick lit type book (I could see it being made into a romantic comedy movie one day) but very enjoyable. The characters are cute and you feel like you really get to know them, very likeable. My only complaint, and it's not just with this book but with any book I've read by this author, is that the story just kind of wraps up really quickly at the end. You know the whole time who is going to get together, that much is obvious, but it all literally happens in the span of one chapter, just a few paragraphs. I feel like you don't get to enjoy the new couple/romance that you've been waiting for the whole time you've been reading the book! Kind of a dumb complaint, I know, but you've been cheering for them the whole time so I wish she would've maybe given us just a little bit more at the end.

[Aleida Oskam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een heerlijk verhaal was dit weer van Jill. Af en toe had ik het idee dat ik stukken herkende waardoor ik dacht dit boek al eerder te hebben gelezen. Maar dat zal waarschijnlijk gewoon wel herkenning zijn geweest van een soort gelijk scenario in een van de andere chicklits die ik heb gelezen over de jaren. Overall gewoon weer een leuke van Jill Mansell. Die vrouw kan gewoon heerlijke verhalen schrijven!

[Dion Ribeiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este é o tipo de leitura que me diverte e que me faz esquecer um pouco as atribulações e o stress do dia a dia. Por tudo isso, vale a pena ler!
Gostei muito do humor e da escrita de Jill Mansell.

[Ana Gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Era mesmo isto que estava a precisar. Um romance leve e divertido.
Recomendo

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Folks, I can finally announce that I’ve grown up and that I’m completely and unquestionably done with reading romance books!

While this book was not particularly bad for a romance novel, it was just the last straw: too many clichés, eye-roll after eye-roll and of course the extremely sweet ever after… I just can’t take it anymore: life’s too short to waste on “fantasies” (pun intended).

[luisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Are you serious about this?”
“Absolutely.”
“You’re kidnapping me?”
“Yes. Well, taking you hostage.” Maggie pulled a face. “Sorry.”

idk why but this book made my day. i was smiling so hard whilst reading it.

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I want something light, easy and fun to read, Jill Mansell is always a sure bet. Staying at Daisy's was a winner.

Daisy MacLean manages a small hotel owned by her father Hector is a village in England. The hotel is the setting for a wedding that seems to touch off events for the friends, family and employees of Daisy's hotel.

Daisy has been burned before in love and has no interest in best man Dev - mind you he is awfully handsome... And Daisy's best friend and chambermaid Tara just happens to have dated the groom before....and Hector - well, he's never met a guest he couldn't charm ...but he's got a secret...and so does Tara's Aunt Maggie...and the new porter at the hotel....and who is his mystery girlfriend...and...

Well, you get the idea. Lots of madcap situations, miscommunications and missed signals make for a amusing, light hearted read. Staying at Daisy's is populated with the kind of characters Mansell is known for - warm, funny and unique personas. They're all a little bit quirky and you can't help but be charmed. Daisy is the kind of person you'd love to know and have as a friend. The supporting characters are all clearly drawn roles, filling out the roster. Hector is the one individual who struck a sour note with me - I didn't think he deserved his happy ending. And of course, there are happy endings for all involved. And that's the fun of Mansell's books - the journey there is delightfully entertaining. Staying at Daisy's is a bit longer than previous books. About 50 pages too much in my opinion - one too many missed opportunities with Daisy and Dev stretched out the ending.

A lovely diversionary read, perfect for fans of the chick lit genre.

[Rachy_reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can you tell I’m still struggling with reading anything with any real substance (although I don’t mean that as a criticism to my beloved Jill) although I’m feeling like I’m coming out of that a bit... ready to read some more things with a bit more depth.
I feel like this one is not Mansell at her best. There are just too many characters and the plot is weak and a bit thrown together, I feel like she just ran out of steam at the end a bit and was like “oh let’s just pair everyone up”
Also I love great chick lit but this one just veered too much into ridiculousness, saying I love you after 2 dates with no build up to the relationship, getting back together with your ex and then not minding that he wants to be with your best friend to name but a few...
Hilariously bad fashion in this too; blue velvet top with white jeans , bright orange silk shirt with a tight pencil skirt and stilettos 👀 also love how old I felt when a scene is set in La Senza, who remembers that shop?
This book is also too long when there is such a lack of substance. Disappointing from a favourite author of mine

[Alexandra WhimsyPages · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daisy, Daisy, Daisy… Despite the name, no one could call her a delicate flower. She was the most charismatic character from all the books I’ve read in a past few months. She was funny, ironic, often sarcastic, but still stayed warm-hearted and a true friend, helping out people she cared about, all while herself was going through a fairly tough time.

The romances (yes, plural), intrigues, friendship, family… Just name it this book has it all. There were different plots going on at the same time, that followed different characters who met at some point.

It was light, it was very funny - I caught myself giggling a handful of times, and it reminded me how much I missed reading books in this genre.

Jill Mansell is a British author well-known for her chick-lit books, and I believe this is not one of her best novels. So I am definitely very curious to read Rumour Has It, written by her in 2009 which instantly became a bestseller.

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Wednesday, ‎January ‎22, ‎2014] The first time I picked a Jill Mansell's book was by my exceeding boredom, and now I'm so glad I stumbled upon this author. Jill has a defined style when it comes to storytelling, there is always a new beginning, a new hope and second chances with her books. Now that I -kind of- passed my vampire phase, I now indulge myself in her romantic modern England as much as I can. If you're close to 30, flirty and fabulous, I'm sure your little heart will adore her characters and stories.



The beginning of this book is so promising, I'm already in page 77 in only a few hours.

[T.L. Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

When times are dark, there's nothing like a good chick lit novel to lift one's spirits. And this one filled the brief beautifully.

Confession: I'd...never...read... a Jill Mansell book - shocking, I know. But there it is. So many books, so little time. And I've remedied the situation now.

So, Staying At Daisy's - my head kept trying to place the hotel in Scotland, but no, it's near Bath (a city I love btw). Daisy helps run her father's fabulous large country house hotel. He's a larger than life character with an unfortunate fondness for karaoke.

All the characters leap off the pages of this book. They each have their own quirks and are masterfully brought to life. And those lives interweave like a twisty turny thing.

As the story unfolds, there's plenty of farce and action - all with a delightful British wit.
What should be a quaint village is turned into a hotbed of scandal. Love it!

I don't think the author specifies, but the time this book is set in is the late 1990s, I think. And it was a lovely trip down memory lane at times (this was my era!). It was fascinating to see how opinions and behaviours have changed over the not-so-many-thank-you-very-much-years.

If you like chick lit you'll want to read this one.
4.5*

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I like these, but I had a few nits, with a couple of the side pairs...and I really wish these would have a epilog because they always end with the main pair deciding to 'give it a go' and I would like a more solidified HEA

[Catsalive · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light, entertaining tale - great fun.

[Catarina Águas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so much but I just couldn't. I liked Daisy, she was fearless and strong, I liked her attitude but what she did at the end to Dev, that I can't forgive, she was a b*tch to him and I understand her having trust issues but that's no excuse. He never made anything to make her doubt him, she was the one that pushed him away and got a boyfriend, so at the ending when he tells her he likes her and they a lot of sex and she just tells him that's all they will ever be and still insults his feelings and him? Yeah, that was a no from me, and of course he was the one that went after her. UGHHHHHHH. Barney was a sweetheart, a really pure soul, loved him but I didn't like Mel, she was the one that had an affair with Daisy's deceased husband and got pregnant and had the gal to act like she was in the right. Daisy let her visit him in the hospital when she had just found out her husband had been cheating and at the cemitery let Mel visit his grave without trouble. I hated Mel, her attitude was too entitled, she knew he was married and I know he lied to them both and made Daisy seem like the guilty but after everything she saw and heard about Daisy, to still defend that piece of sh*t was just too much. Josh was awesome, so funny, I saw him and Tara happening from a mile away. Tara was just dumb, not naive nor innocent, just plain dumb. Her ex boyfriend, Dominic, just got married to a woman with a lot of money and goes and tells Tara about how he's being mistreated. How can anyone be that dumb? Dev was right, she's not 16 years old, she should use her f*cking head, it was ridiculous. And she only stop because Dominic's wife went to talk to her, like really? Her best friend, Daisy, had a cheating husband and was told lies too but Tara somehow thinks she's diferent. Girl, have some self respect. Maggie was a sweet and funny woman but no way in hell would I wait for a man that after 2 years of having paid sex with just starts dating some other woman and at same point wants to have sex again while with that woman. I hated Hector, the hell? He's with Paula for awhile and doesn't care about Maggie, he called her during that time 2 or 3 times if that, but the moment Maggie is seen with another man, he's all jealous and possessive. Just NO. I hated that, she's the one that calms him and is ok with him being with another woman, the man gave her crumbs and she just ate them. WOMAN, WHERE IS YOUR SELF RESPECT??!!! I just can't with the women in this book, they make me defend the men and like them more and I don't like to do that

[Jesi Sarracino · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought a box set on Nook a few years ago, and after having my son I needed something to read while he fell asleep in my arms. So when he would nap, or we were out and I didn’t have my book I would read this. It was fine, it took a lot of time to build up the characters and stories. Honestly I could have just read the last 100 pages and been good. Lol. I liked how everything came together, just seemed to take a while to get there. Daisy was super pessimistic and sometimes it was just a lot. You cheered for her and Dev the whole time, waiting to see if they would get together. Barney & Mel were a complicated pair. Hector was a character all his own. Tara was rough at times. It wasn’t bad, but I’ll never read it again.

[readingwithmar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het boek komt wat traag op gang, om vervolgens in een wervelwind te veranderen, ik geef het 2,5 ster, er gebeurd van alles, zonder rommelig te worden, er zijn precies genoeg personages, de verhaallijnen vind ik niet geloofwaardig, dat daisy uit elkaar gaat met josh en het meteen oke vind dat hij met haar beste vriendin gaat? De opmerkingen over mensen die wat zwaarder zijn of “minder knap” vind ik ongepast” en dat alleen knappe mannen je pijn kunnen doen, heel vreemd. (Want minder knappe mannen gaan niet vreemd lijkt de conclusie?) al met al zijn de personages leuk, lijkt het een knus dorpje en is de schrijfstijl makkelijk leesbaar.

[Anne Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun light read which you can pick up and put down again without anything essential being lost. For me, it needed about a third of it cutting as 500 pages for a comic romance is ridiculous. It also has a lot of scenarios we've all read before and one scenario that is basically pinched from a real-life story of a few years ago - which seemed to be cheating somewhat ... However, I kept on reading, and it's all nicely sorted out in the end, which is exactly what you need in a light romance.

[Gertrud Glaser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liebeschaos
Dieses Buch bescherte mir entspannte Lesestunden . Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und daher gut zu lesen. Die unterschiedlichen Charaktere sind super ausgearbeitet, und es geht zeitweise auch turbulent zu. Musste des öfteren schmunzeln. Aber auch dieses nicht vertrauen können konnte ich nach vollziehen. Fühlte mich wohl in der Story auch wenn für mich zu langatmig war. Kürzer hätte es auch getan.

Möchte aber dennoch eine Leseempfehlung geben. Es ist eine Neuauflage des im Jahr 2002 unter dem Titel "Mitten im Gefühl" erschienen ist





vergebe 3,5 Sterne

[ava ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didn’t like this book as much as i like the other jill mansell books but it was still good there was more relationships in this one that made it slightly harder to follow but overall it was cute with the couples who did get together

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of her books continue to make me smile.

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

Vídeo de Opinião em: https://youtu.be/5U1RWXXZFJ0

Cliché e previsível. Um filme de domingo à tarde sem nada de surpreendente.

[Tine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 had wel leuke elementen en delen hoor maar greep me niet zo aan. Zo veel verschillende mensen waardoor het diepgang en inleving mist. Blij dat het uit is :)

[Chloe Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is so cute, glad i got to reread it. Feel like Jill Mansel really likes cheating in her stories which is kind of strange but ig thats a good plot point.

[Vilde Fagerland · Rating 2 out of 5]

So much drama, i ekstrem heteronormativ forstand. Not my cup of tea.

[Margarida Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Descontraído, descontraído e descontraído. Primeiro livro que li desta autora. Simples e eficaz. Para quem quer sair do stress do dia a dia e ser transportado para o ambiente dos romances.

[Filipa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originalmente visto aqui

Numa pequena aldeia britânica, esconde-se um hotel muito simpático com funcionários e clientes que não perdem um momento de diversão nas suas vidas. Os segredos nesta pequena comunidade também são mais que as pessoas que lá habitam e o caos rapidamente nasce por aqui.
Daisy, directora do hotel local, descobriu que o seu marido lhe era infiel após a morte do mesmo, consequência de um acidente rodoviário. Um ano depois, só tem cabeça para a gestão do seu hotel. Mas quando conhece Dev, as suas prioridades ficam confundidas. É que ele é um homem irresistível e não lhe dá nenhuma trégua. Só que Daisy não consegue confiar completamente em Dev, pois as suas memórias não são as melhores e não consegue lutar com a sombra das infidelidades do seu marido.

Há bastante tempo que não lia nada de Jill Mansell e tendo em conta que ela é uma das minhas autoras favoritas no panorama de literatura romântica, isto é dizer muito. Contudo, eu gosto sempre de guardar estes livros para quando preciso ou me apetece ler algo dentro deste género. Assim tenho a certeza que os livros e as leituras são muito melhor apreciadas. Foi o que aconteceu com este Paixões à Solta, que se leu de uma assentada, como invariavelmente acontece com esta autora bem-disposta. Sinceramente, já não sei quantos livros dela li até hoje. Talvez tenham sido uns 11 e portanto conheço o estilo de escrita dela muito bem. É uma escrita leve, bem-disposta onde a autora se apoia em personagens um pouco desajeitadas, muito divertidas que se introduzem em situações cómicas e caricatas, sempre com azar ao amor.
E entre as confusões e os mal-entendidos, as personagens acabam por se apaixonar e encontrar as pessoas que são certas para cada um deles.
A autora escreve sempre sobre três ou quatro casais no mesmo livro e estas são sempre leituras que nos deixam bem dispostos e ainda nos arrancam umas boas gargalhadas.

Gostei especialmente deste livro porque fala sobre um hotel muito simpático, numa comunidade algo fechada e com personagens mesmo muito divertidas. As situações caricatas e divertidas também lá estão em grande número e esta leitura foi um bálsamo exactamente por esse factor. Ri-me bastante e gostei especialmente de assistir ao romance entre os personagens principais Daisy e Dev.

Posso dizer que voltar a esta leitura me deixou com extrema vontade de ler os restantes livros que ainda não li da autora. Mas vou resistir porque sei que apreciarei ao máximo estes livros quando mais precisar deles para descontrair da melhor maneira com Jill Mansell.
Estes livros são o melhor remédio para os dias mais tristes.