Book Review: "Staying at Daisy's" by Jill Mansell

Summary from Goodreads: 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...

Reading this book is a great way to spend an afternoon. It keeps you completely enthralled for hours and you never want to leave this small village. I love how everyone in this book is somehow connected with each other. Call me a bit slow but I didn't realize some of the obvious connections and was delighted when I discovered them halfway through the book (even though I'm sure everyone else realized it right from the get go). I loved all the main characters in the book. Everyone has their own bit of charm and Mansell writes in such as way that even though there are several characters to keep track off, you never lose interest or get lost.

Daisy's story is a whirlwind. Her former husband was a total prick and I felt so bad for her. The feelings that she had must have been so horrible. The ending is a bit obvious but it's still fun getting there and seeing who she ends up with. Normally I would have been annoyed with Tara's character but I could relate to her. The guy that keeps pulling you back even though you KNOW he's bad for you and it's not a good situation to be in. Her whole situation was sad and funny all at the same time. Sad because I'm sure many have found themselves in that same situation but funny at the end result. Barney's story was my favorite. I was expecting something sinister when we first meet him but he's just a really sweet guy. The only story I didn't really connect with involved Tara's aunt. It was just a weird situation all around but the story of the washing machine was absolutely hilarious.

I absolutely adore Jill Mansell's books and this one is no exception. It's a light fun read that will keep you hooked for hours. This book is over 500 pages but I swear it reads so fast that you will wish it was longer. If you know me then you know how much I enjoy chick lit and her books are a perfect example at what a chick lit book should be like. Likable characters make this is huge plus in my book and the fun storyline adds to the appeal. Plus it's British! A great read and I cannot wait until her next book releases!

Staying at Daisy's by Jill Mansell is published by Sourcebooks Landmark (2011)

This ARC was provided by the publisher