I laughed out loud at the antics of the characters in Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell. These hapless figures literally leap off the pages, and I was thoroughly entertained through their various awkward love stories. A great fast read! Chick lit category. ( )

I wasn't quite sure what to expect, having never read a Jill Mansell novel before. But a friend lent me this book and recommended it, so I started it a few days ago. It begins with Poppy, on the night before her wedding, meeting a rather attractive stranger after falling down some steps...

I thought the characterisation was great. Caricatured in places, to be sure; but Poppy was a believable, untidy, disorganised romantic who I warmed to almost immediately. There was a large cast of characters, but they were different enough that I didn't get lost, and there were so many interesting subplots that I found myself reading it a great deal more quickly than I had intended to.

There's a painter, an antique dealer, a frustrated young mother (one of the less attractive people in the book), and plenty of attraction, partying and couples getting together. Yet, happily, there was nothing sordid or explicit, very little bad language, and a light touch that made this surprisingly readable.

Recommended to anyone who enjoys light women's fiction. Much better than the cover would suggest! ( )

Pretty much all the main characters in this book went through the process of self discovery - discovering lost parents, discovering what they really wanted - not just what they thought they should want, and discovering what really matters in a relationship. It's a romance novel of sorts so in the end everyone ends up happy and matched, but that's part of the charm! ( )

Average chick lit book, no big surprises. An ok read but nothing great. Easy way to pass a weekend. ( )

A very standard story, exactly what I wanted to read at that moment. Of course I enjoyed it, because Jill Mansell definitely knows how to write romance. ( )