Review – The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell

This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.

Beautiful beaches, beautiful men who want to date you and the one girl who’s not interested. No, really. The title of Jill Mansell’s latest offering could not be more perfect. The Unpredictable Consequences of Love focuses on Sophie Wells, a beautiful, successful photographer who has sworn off men for good. Except local hotel owner and dangerously handsome Josh Strachan has a crush on Sophie that he simply can’t ignore. He also can’t understand why Sophie keeps turning him down. Throw into the mix Sophie’s best friend Tula, sarcastic and bundles of fun, and sexy but lazy Riley, serial womanizer who, until now, has had eyes for every woman in St.Carys, and you’ve got some very unpredictable consequences indeed. As always with Jill Mansell’s novels, I was engrossed immediately in this story. It’s set against the stunning Cornwall backdrop and I found myself falling into this novel like Alice in Wonderland down a rabbit hole. I’m surprised that I even realised where I was. I am a lifelong fan of Jill Mansell’s writing, the ease with which she weaves so many love stories together with equal compassion and humour is a perfect combination for any chick lit lover. Sophie is hardworking, easy to relate to and I was intrigued by her reasons for refusing every date that she is ever asked on. Tula is equally lovely to read. loved her fun-filled attitude to life and her obvious crush on male protagonist Josh provides plenty of laughs along the way. Josh and Riley, both equally handsome (in my head, I had a couple of lovely images mapped out! Yummy!), but from completely different backgrounds with completely different work ethics, struggle to figure out why the two women they are falling for aren’t falling for them. I liked the suggestion that just because they’re handsome, Sophie and Tula are strong, independent women who don’t need men to make them feel good about themselves. There is also another plot line weaving itself into the story, too. Riley’s incredibly successful Aunt, Marguerite Marshall, has set her sights on Josh’s grandfather, who in turn is still in love with his glamorous ex-wife Dot. It’s safe to say that there is a lot to keep up with. For all of the laugh out loud scenes, this book does have a serious side. Sophie is keeping a secret about her past, which is the reason for her aversion to relationships. It is both original and wonderfully written and endeared me to Sophie even more. I could completely understand why she wouldn’t want to enter into another relationship, even with delicious Josh. However, this seriousness does not dampen the spirit of the book and there are some fantastic moments within it. Tula sinking a jug of Pimms on a “date” with Josh and Sophie running around naked on the beach in the rain are just a couple of key scenes that had me in fits of giggles. What I love most about Jill Mansell’s book is the incredible warmth about them. I invest in the characters and I am never disappointed. I particularly enjoyed the humour and the surprises in this book. So, if any of you are feeling a little chilly in this terrible weather at the moment, I recommend grabbing your onesie, a glass of wine and this book and you’ll be warm in no time. 9/10 MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK Jill Mansell’s Website