This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
REVIEWED BY KIRA SLAUGHTER
Suzy Curtis falls in love with Harry Fitzallan the moment she shows him her husband’s sperm sample. Actually, it isn’t her husband’s, because she isn’t married. It isn’t a sperm sample either; it’s a carton containing the dregs of her milkshake. (But when you’re desperate to escape a speeding charge you just have to improvise, don’t you?) Oh, and it isn’t really love at first sight. Still, it’s undeniably a healthy case of lust.
Suzy is the girl with everything- dream job, dysfunctional family, red Rolls Royce and ravishing rock star ex. Then she meets Harry- and his deeply sceptical brother Leo- and before long finds herself with a whole lot more.
I first read this book about seven years ago when I bought it to take on holiday. Let’s just say that I didn’t take it with me as I ended up reading it before I went!
As ever with Jill Mansell’s books, the story is wickedly funny and the characters even more so. She always manages to create a female character that you can relate to and that doesn’t take herself too seriously, very much like the character Suzy in this book.
The impression that the synopsis on the back cover of the book gives you of Suzy is that she’s a bimbo who drives a fancy car, but as you read on you get to understand the real her and she’s hilarious, and some of the situations she lands herself in had me giggling. Throw in the added stress of warding off the attentions of Harry and trying to appease Leo, who doesn’t trust Suzy one bit, and she doesn’t know what to do with herself.
Along with Suzy there are other loveable characters such as her ex-husband (and rock star!) Jaz, her newly discovered half sister Lucille and Jaz’s housekeeper Maeve. There is a story surrounding each of these characters which make for a funny and engaging read, one that I found very hard to put down. (This seems to be a common theme with me and books; I can never put them down!).
What’s also great about Good at Games is the contrast between the two male leads. Even though Harry and Leo are brothers, they sound so different, both in looks and personality. This makes for good reading when Suzy finds herself in complicated situations concerning both of them.
I recommend any book of Jill Mansell’s as she is my favourite author, yet this is my favourite book of hers. Good storyline and good characters make this one of my must read classics.
Definitely give it a 10/10!