This rollicking British romance by the author of Asking for Trouble
finds 29-year-old smart-mouthed Harriet in an awkward position. She hasn't set out to get involved with John Mackenzie, the boyfriend of her old schoolmate Nina, a stunningly successful beauty whom she's envied for years. But Harriet and John strike up a conversation, crack a few jokes, bond over a spilled drink, and the rest is history. And what kind of saint could resist such an opportunity to make Nina squirm? But little lies and big misunderstandings pile up as Harriet continues to see the almost too-good-to-be-true "gorgeous bloke." Though there are no revelations here, Young does plumb the joys and absurdities of contemporary romance with flair. Harriet's engaging group of friends—housemate Sally, whose one-night stand on holiday left her with a child; Jacko, Harriet's former school chum, surrogate brother and occasional house guest, who is constantly bickering with Sally; and next door neighbor Helen, whose husband left her and her children for a younger woman—provoke laughs and sympathy as they muddle through singledom. Harriet also manages a great balancing act between the vagaries of her own life and that of her divorced parents, each of whom has found new partners. Scenes and conversations can sometimes drag on longer than necessary, and Young's humor is of the gentle—rather than piercing—variety. But for the most part, she holds her own against the likes of Anna Maxted and Helen Fielding. (Dec.)
