Nadia Knows Best: A warm and witty tale of love, lust and family drama - Softcover

Mansell, Jill

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0747272131 ISBN 13: 9780747272137

Publisher: Headline, 2002

Synopsis

Twenty-something Nadia is very happily involved with her long-term boyfriend Laurie when she's rescued from her broken-down car in a snowdrift by Jay and ends up spending the night with him - entirely platonically, not that she isn't tempted - while awaiting the thaw. By the time she meets Jay again, Nadia's been dumped by Laurie thanks to his hectic jetsetting career as a model, and soon, despite all sorts of obstacles, sparks are flying between them. Until Laurie, familiar, beloved, regretful, comes home wanting to make up, and Nadia finds herself torn in half... Meanwhile Nadia's sister Clare is going out with the kind of man who never rings, her father has fallen in love for the first time since his divorce, and Nadia's mother, who abandoned the family because babies are so boring, is about to put the cat truly among the pigeons...

About this title

Review:

Are the days of chick lit numbered? That question exercises the glossies a lot these days, but on the evidence of Jill Mansell's Nadia Knows Best, there's still plenty of life in the genre--particularly if you can deliver goods as sassy, sharp and witty as this. In previous novels (such as Head Over Heels and Mixed Doubles), Mansell's subject has been the vagaries of love and friendship (with a healthy leavening of sex and revenge), and those ingredients are all well represented in the mix here.

A snowstorm has cloistered the guests at a secluded Cotswold pub. One of them is Mansell's heroine Nadia Kinsella, and she finds herself sorely tempted by beguiling fellow guest Jake Tiernan. But giving in to such alluring temptation is not that easy when Nadia has been virtually betrothed to the faithful Laurie since both were childhood sweethearts. Nadia's decision is not helped by the peculiar mix of personalities within her family: her irresponsible mother Leonie, her ruthless and uncompromising sister Clare, and her surprising grandmother Miriam, every bit as well turned out as the younger members of the family.

It doesn't matter how sharply wrought the dialogue is, or how buoyant the plotting--a novel such as Nadia Knows Best stands or falls on whether or not the reader identifies with the central characters. And it's here that Jill Mansell knows precisely what she's doing: it's impossible to resist becoming involved with the characters even when they irritate us (and Mansell knows that from Jane Austen onwards, the reader needs to heartily disagree with some of the characters' actions). This is a stylish and cuttingly funny read. --Barry Forshaw

Review:

Mansell's trademark wit and quirkiness is showcased in this fun chick-lit tale that has enough going on to keep readers entertained through the last page.

"Mansell's trademark wit and quirkiness is showcased in this fun chick-lit tale that has enough going on to keep readers entertained through the last page." - Booklist

"Delightfully quirky and memorable... " - Bellas Novella

"A delightful read... Mansell does not disappoint." - Still Reading

"Fun, flirty and entertaining. " - Under the Boardwalk

"The characters in this story are outstanding. Reviewer Top Pick" - Night Owl Reviews

"I just love Jill Mansell. LOVE HER! " - Charlotte's Web of Books

"Mansell's characters are charming, witty, and fun, but they're also dynamic and flawed, which will keep readers coming back for more." - Savvy Verse and Wit

"Jill Mansell novels are a quintessential must have for any chick lit lovers... Her stories sweep you in...and keep you amused and immersed in the (always) wacky worlds of her vibrantly colorful characters." - Bellas Novella

"The characters in this story are outstanding. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Nadia and her family. 4.5/5 stars, Reviewer Top Pick!" - Night Owl Reviews

About this edition

• Publisher: Headline
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0747272131
• ISBN 13: 9780747272137
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352