Monday to Friday Man
By: Alice Peterson
From Goodreads:
He proposed. She accepted. He changed his mind.
She was heartbroken.
What do you do if you’re 34 and recovering from being jilted two weeks before your wedding day?
While friends are marrying, having children and moving to the depths of the countryside, Gilly Brown finds herself alone in London with just her little dog Ruskin for company. It’s time to move on, so, on a friend’s advice she looks for a lodger, a Monday to Friday one, and finds handsome television producer Jack Baker. Gilly falls for Jack’s charm and is transported into an exciting social whirlwind of parties, dining out and glamour.
When Jack is introduced to Gilly’s family and friends, it’s only the attractive and eccentric Guy, the newest recruit in the dog walking group, who isn’t quite so convinced about Jack’s intentions. As Guy watches them grow closer, his suspicions of Jack and his feelings for Gilly deepen. Is Jack so perfect after all… and what exactly does he get up to at the weekends?
What do you do if you’re 34 and recovering from being jilted two weeks before your wedding day?
While friends are marrying, having children and moving to the depths of the countryside, Gilly Brown finds herself alone in London with just her little dog Ruskin for company. It’s time to move on, so, on a friend’s advice she looks for a lodger, a Monday to Friday one, and finds handsome television producer Jack Baker. Gilly falls for Jack’s charm and is transported into an exciting social whirlwind of parties, dining out and glamour.
When Jack is introduced to Gilly’s family and friends, it’s only the attractive and eccentric Guy, the newest recruit in the dog walking group, who isn’t quite so convinced about Jack’s intentions. As Guy watches them grow closer, his suspicions of Jack and his feelings for Gilly deepen. Is Jack so perfect after all… and what exactly does he get up to at the weekends?
My thoughts:
This is a very cute story
about a woman discovering what she wants out of life. Gilly with a G is at a
point in her life where she needs to make some changes and deal with some
issues in her past. These changes lead to a strong friendship and a little
romance with two completely different men.
In the beginning, I struggled
to keep up with all the characters and names. Gilly has several friendships in
the book and it is a bit difficult to remember who is who and how she knows
them. Of course this gets easier throughout the book, but some of the characters
I felt were a little unnecessary.
Also , the timeline and some
of the switching back and forth between the past and present was a little confusing but became easier to
follow as the story progressed.
The romance in this story is
subtle but sweet. I love Gilly's and Guy's time together in the park and the
glimpses of their developing friendship. I wish we could read even more about
them. I love when Guy lights the candle in the church for Megan and how he
speaks to her. Both Guy and Gilly are very likable and relatable characters.
I liked the subplots with her
sister Megan and how her family were all affected by what happened to her, and
also with her twin brother Nick and his current relationships with his wife and
children. Jack of course was a jerk, but she needed that experience with him.
Overall, the book has good
flow. It is an enjoyable read that is neither rushed nor boring.
Quotes I liked:
"When you feel stuck in
a rut, you need to do something different. Life can be like a padlock refusing
to open. One small change in the combination can finally open the door."
p.25
"Her memory is like a
pebble in my shoe. There are some days when I know it's there but I can live
with it. Other times it's so sharp that it digs and cuts into my skin, my foot
bleeds and I can't walk on" p. 89
Rating:
3 Stars
