Guest Post: Jill Mansell, Author of Millie’s Fling

I’m thrilled to welcome Jill Mansell to Diary of an Eccentric today! Mansell is the author of Millie’s Fling, Miranda’s Big Mistake, and An Offer You Can’t Refuse (click to read my reviews) — all fun chick-lit novels brought to the U.S. by Sourcebooks.

Here’s what Mansell had to say about her latest novel, Millie’s Fling and why her heroines aren’t stick thin (I just love how she keeps her characters real):

Hi, it’s lovely to be blogging here – I don’t have a blog of my own, so I feel like a cuckoo, borrowing other people’s! Ah, now wondering if you have cuckoos in your part of the world…OK, a cuckoo is a bird that occupies other birds’ nests because it’s too lazy to build one for itself. But I’m digressing already. I’m actually here to talk about my new book, Millie’s Fling. It’s set in Cornwall, in the UK, and is hopefully fun and frothy with plenty of laughs and some dramatic twists. I write feel-good fiction in the manner (so I’m told) of Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes. I like to make people laugh and cry. If you like to laugh and cry, try my book! You might like it!

I’ve also had some lovely comments from readers over the years, but one arrived this morning that made me extra-happy and I’d like to share some of it with you. I don’t know who wrote it, but I’m really grateful to her for doing so. (I have a Google Alert on my name, which is how it came to my attention.)

Anyway, here it is:

One word (or several) in general about Mansell’s books. They will appeal to you if you relate to Sex and the City through compassion for the girl’s difficult struggle. And I highly recommend them to teenage girls. The reason for the last statement is that Mansell’s characters are often, though not always, a curvaceous 14 or a dazzling 12. These physical looks are always talked about in a positive light with Liz the largest of the characters always being the sexiest most desirable one. Personally when I was a teenager this was the only input on the side of bigger than a size 8 is beautiful and sexy and I truly do acknowledge that this input gave me a healthy respect for my natural body and meant that I had very few image problems.

Isn’t that great? And that’s just one reader. I’ve sold over five million books, so who knows how many other girls out there might have taken that message and gained comfort from it? I’ve always deliberately avoided talk of diets and thinner-is-better in my novels, simply because I find it tedious beyond belief and not what you need when you’re wanting to escape from the real world into a happier one. I don’t diet myself. I flirted with dieting once or twice but it just made me think about food in the wrong way. I’m medium height and medium weight. I’m apple-shaped, in that my legs are skinny and my waist is not. (My nickname at school was Matchsticks – wow, listen to me, I’m in a confessional mood today!) But I do hate the endless pressure on girls to be thin and that’s why I’ve never promoted it in my books. I’d like to thank the girl who wrote that review – I now feel as if I’ve made a tiny difference to someone’s life. And if she’s out there reading this blog, I’ll say it now. Thank you!

If Millie’s Fling sounds like a good read to keep you warm as fall sets in, you’re in luck! Courtesy of Sourcebooks, I have 2 copies to give to my readers. Here’s what you have to do:

Leave a comment with you email address AND tell me the name of your favorite chick-lit heroine. (If you’ve never read chick lit or don’t have a favorite, you can tell me your favorite female protagonist from any genre.)

The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada addresses only, as the publisher is shipping the books. You have until Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, at 11:59 pm EST to enter.

**Please note that this giveaway is now closed**

Disclosure: I am an Amazon associate.

© 2009 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

Read Full Post »

Review: Millie’s Fling by Jill Mansell

Once again, Jill Mansell has reminded me why I enjoy British chick lit and need to read a fun romance every once in a while. There’s plenty of romantic mishaps and entertaining characters in Millie’s Fling, the latest of her novels to be released in the U.S. by Sourcebooks.

The heroine of Millie’s Fling, Millie Brady, is a 25-year-old woman living in Cornwall, England, who describes herself as a female Mr. Bean. She’s dumped by her boyfriend in the very first chapter of the novel — he’s asking her to move in with him, but she’s more concerned about the woman ready to jump off the cliff at Tresanter Point. That woman is Orla Hart, the best-selling romance novelist who is deeply hurt by her husband’s infidelity. Millie convinces her not to jump, and a close friendship — and work relationship — blooms. Orla, still reeling from a bad book review, decides to shake things up a bit with her latest novel, which she decides to base on Millie’s life. Millie must spill the beans on everything that goes on in her life — such as comforting her best friend and roommate, Hester, as she tries to juggle a long-distance romance with Nat, a chef working in Glasgow, and her long-time crush on Lucas, a womanizer who becomes Millie’s boss.

Other than her job as a roller-skating gorilla who delivers kissograms, Millie has a boring life (or so she says). The people around her, however, are another story. As usual, Mansell creates several interesting characters that kept me turning the pages, from Millie’s desperate mother, Adele, to the horrid couple with whom Millie worked as a travel agent. The supporting characters have mishaps of their own, which makes for an entertaining read. As for Millie, Orla figures introducing Millie to various men will spice up her life and enhance the plot of the book being written about her. However, Millie gets herself into a pickle with Hugh Emerson, a widower whom she meets after finding his lost wallet and playing a phone prank on him.

Mansell writes bumbling but endearing heroines whom you can’t help but like, and though her books tend to hover around 500 pages, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in the story that you forget about the length. The dialogue, particularly the banter between Millie and Hugh, is brilliant and had me smiling and chuckling to myself. While the plot was predictable, Millie’s Fling is a feel-good book for chick lit fans or readers looking for a light and funny novel packed with memorable characters.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Millie’s Fling from Sourcebooks for review purposes. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2009 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

Read Full Post »