I finished reading Jill Mansell’s This Could Change Everything several months ago, and the characters have stuck with me since then. The novel centers on Essie, whose life is turned upside down when her scathing but hilarious Christmas round-robin email is sent to her entire address book by Lucas, a stranger who drove her drunk brother home from a party. She and her friend Scarlett had planned to exchange these letters privately as Christmas gifts. But what Lucas thought was harmless fun results in Essie being jobless, homeless, and single all at once.
When Essie meets the elegant, fun-loving, and generous Zillah, her life appears to be looking up. She has a new apartment in a new town, new friends in Zillah and Zillah’s other tenant, the former lawyer turned gardener and photographer Conor, and a new job at a bar close to her new home. However, she is in for a major shock when she comes face to face with Lucas, and it becomes harder and harder for her to see him only as the man who ruined her whole life.
In true Mansell style, the characters are endearing, fun, and a bit over the top at times, and she does a great job of blending humor with romance and even some teary-eyed scenes. As always, Mansell’s secondary characters are just as interesting as the main characters, and I enjoyed watching them evolve and journey toward their own happily ever afters. This Could Change Everything shows how seemingly small actions really do change everything for each character, and how an email prank brings them together in unexpected ways, teaching them a lot about friendship, family, love, and forgiveness.
Sounds interesting. I just wish I had more time to read the books that blogs recommend. Happy Holidays to all.
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Happy Holidays, Sheila! I know what you mean; I have sooooo many unread books on my shelves and Kindle. So much to read, so little time!
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I’ve got a friend who adores Mansell’s books. I’ve been meaning to try one. This one sounds good. Thanks for sharing about it, Anna!
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I hope you give them a try. She’s one of my favorite authors! I still have a bunch of her books to read, but I’m trying to savor them and not plow through them all at once. 😉
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Mansell is fun. Thank you for the review, Anna. I find that when I take a break from Austenesque fare, I appreciate it more.
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Indeed! I do love the Austenesque books, but I find that I have to make time for my other book loves as well.
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I love books that focus on friendship and family. This sounds like a winner!
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You really can’t go wrong with Mansell, in my opinion. I like some of her books better than others, but I’ve enjoyed every one that I’ve read.
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This sounds interesting. I really love Mansell’s books, but I’m woefully behind on that TBR list.
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I have a lot of hers left to read, too. At least when I get to them, I know I’m in for a treat.
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