Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell

Meh.  Not a good way to start a book review but unfortunately, that is the only word that comes to mind as I sit to write this review.  Well, that's not completely true.  The word gin, the word tonic and the word vacation also come to mind, but those have nothing to do with this book. Maybe if I would have read this book while drinking a gin and tonic on vacation I would have liked it better.  Maybe.

I really thought I was going to like Millie's Fling.  First of all, it was free.  ALWAYS a plus.  Second, it was billed by Barnes and Noble as a fun, romantic tale.  Sounds good.  Google Books said it "proves the road to matchmaking hilarity is paved with good intentions."  Not bad.  Fourth, did I mention it was free?

In this particular story, Millie just happens to run into a famous novelist about to commit suicide by jumping off a mountain.  It turns out Millie was at the same mountain dumping her boyfriend.  Millie and Orla (the suicidal author) become quick friends (after she talks her off the edge, that is) and Millie finds herself the subject of Orla's next book.  Millie's roommate Hester is also central to the book as is Hester's boyfriend Nate, her on-again-off-again-crush Lucas (who also turns out to be Millie's new boss after she quits her job), Millie's mom, Orla's gardener, Orla's husband, Orla's husband's mistress, Millie's old boss (who ends up dating her mom) and Hugh, Millie's widower admirer.  Really, a story revolving around  Millie and Hugh themselves would have been plenty.  Those two characters were developed, had chemistry and were extremely likeable.   Why the author chose to muddy the waters with so many other half-developed characters is beyond me.  It made the book too busy, which made me annoyed.

To be fair, it wasn't a bad book.  But for me it was just so-so.  While the author laid out a vast array of characters there were JUST.TOO.MANY.    I found myself having to flip back to remember who certain people were and how they related to Millie.   It wasn't like I read this over a long period of time, either.  I finished it in under a week, and ended up being happy with the ending. 

I just found out the author, Jill Mansell, released a new book last month called To the Moon and Back.  I'm willing to give it a try.  This time I will cross my fingers for less, more-likeable characters.   If that doesn't work I'm willing to break out a gin and tonic and take a vacation.  Isn't that nice of me?


Here is what Barnes and Noble says.