Behaving Badly - Softcover

Wolff, Isabel

3.49

1,318 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007118627 ISBN 13: 9780007118625

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2010

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The fifth novel from the hugely entertaining writer of RESCUING ROSE. Stylishly written, sophisticated but warmhearted and accessible, this is Isabel Wolff at her inimitable best.

All men are beasts...

...or so Miranda Sweet believes. As an animal behaviourist, she can get inside the heads of deluded Dalmatians and introverted iguanas, but she can’t work out why the men in her life behave so badly. Animals are braver kinder and a lot more reliable. So Miranda’s given up on love to open her own clinic and work her magic on neurotic pets and their grateful owners.

But can she keep the whole male species at bay for ever? Her best friend, Daisy, an incurably romantic wedding-planner, doesn’t think so. When a delicious photographer comes into her life, even Miranda starts to wonder if she’s been a bit hasty. But, just when she’s letting her guard down, her past starts to catch up with her. Now, she has to face up to her own behaviour, which hasn’t always been as sweet as she’d like to pretend...

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Review:

‘A superior confection...one of Wolff's talents is inventing central characters that the reader can identify with...Wolff's writing quirks are charming.’ INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

‘A charming comedy that'll reel you in from the first page. ‘ COMPANY

‘Wolff has a light touch and a slick prose style that makes this story flow effortlessly.’ MARIE CLAIRE

‘This novel is so good because it’s funny, tender and true.’ CLOSER

PRAISE FOR ISABEL WOLFF:
Rescuing Rose
'Hilarious, moving, a wonderful story. I loved it.' WENDY HOLDEN

'Isabel Wolff has done it again. A cunningly twisted plot, a fabulously rewarding romance and a dog called Trevor – what more could you want?' JESSICA ADAMS

The Trials of Tiffany Trott
'I absolutely, genuinely loved. It's funny, charming, upbeat and unputdownable. Acutely observed, and so well-written. I was completely diverted and entertained' MARIAN KEYES

'A hilarious novel' JONATHAN SALE, Independent

Out of the Blue
'A fabulous romantic comedy' Emma Freud, Radio 4

'A warm, witty, romantic comedy. Perfect! Isabel's work has a lot of substance as well as the fun' Helen Lederer, Express

The Making of Minty Malone
'Hilarious and accurate...Truly gripping' The Times

'It's effervescent and heartwarming and somehow the pages just turn themselves' Big Issue

From the Author:

To my great relief, 'Rescuing Rose' was a huge success in 2002. One of the things readers said was that they'd enjoyed the fact that Rose was an agony aunt, desperately trying (and often failing) to solve other peoples' problems - yet with an enormous problem of her own. So when I started planning book five, I decided that the heroine would be another agony aunt - but of a different kind - an agony aunt for animals and pets. So I made Miranda Sweet an animal behaviourist, but one whose own past behaviour leads much to be desired.

Behaviour is therefore one of the main themes of the book. The others are courage - different kinds of it - and also redemption and forgiveness as well. For Miranda has done something terrible years before for which she will seek atonement during the course of the book. This, crucially, is where the many references to Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' come in. And this is why I named my heroine 'Miranda' (a name Shakespeare invented specifically for 'The Tempest') because it means 'deserving of admiration' - but in many ways Miranda has not been admirable at all. During the course of the novel she must try and find the courage to do the honourable, admirable thing.

For Miranda faces a very difficult - I hope gripping - moral dilemma. She has hurt someone in her past - a young man called David. Now, sixteen years on, she decides to look for him and seek his forgiveness. But, to her dismay, she finds she's falling in love. How can she tell him the truth about herself - and who she really is - now?

Against this I've counterpointed Miranda's best friend Daisy's huge physical courage. Daisy happily parachute-jumps and hang-glides and abseils, yet lacks the courage to confront her long-term boyfriend, Nigel, about his continuing failure to commit.

I loved writing the animal scenes - the pet problems and animal 'agony' letters - the puppy parties and the dog show too. Nearly all my novels feature animals because they are such a touchstone for human feeling, and the way we treat them and interact with them says so much about who we are. But the critical thing about being an animal behaviourist is that you have to understand the human behaviour before you can begin to sort out the pet.

My novels involve a search for redemption - for the second chance that so often eludes us in 'real' life. I try to make them ultimately uplifting and hopeful. And I hope you'll feel that the journey to Miranda's redemption - despite her difficult moral and emotional struggle - was well worth your time.

Finally, if you'd like to know more about my books, or would like advice on how to get published yourselves, then you might like to visit my website - IsabelWolff.com.

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