Nadia Knows Best

May 21, 2013 Elizabeth (Soluna) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, chick-lit

This is a definite low-point in Jill Mansell's work. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of her other books that I've read but this one just left me feeling blah.

It started with a lot of promise, a quirky family of interesting characters in addition to the typical heroine of chick-lit. But the main plot line, "will Nadia choose Jay or Laurie" dragged while all the other family shenanigans took place.

And there were shenanigans. The sister Claire was just plain mean and her possibly redeeming moment f...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Carla Soares rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tinha ouvido opiniões sobre este livro, de quem já leu muitos da autora, apontando-o como o mais fraco e bastante irritante. Para mim foi uma estreia.
De facto, as persoanegns revelaram-se, aqui e ali, irritantes. Não percebo a razão de todas as decisões da personagem principal, mas a leitura foi rápida e suficientemente agradável. Parece-me que, auando me apetecer uma coisa mesmo leve, sou capaz de procurar outro livro dela.

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Apr 15, 2013 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jill-mansell, romance, nadia-knows-best

We first meet Nadia Kinsella when she is steering her car as it is sliding out of control on packed ice. Eventually the car comes to a stop as it ploughs into a ditch and Nadia is happy to be alive and unhurt. Not knowing where she is and realising the battery on her phone is dead, she decides to sit out the snowstorm in the car and take a chance someone will pass by and stop to help her. That’s where she first meets Jay Tiernan. He invites Nadia to walk with him to the nearest village as it is...more We first meet Nadia Kinsella when she is steering her car as it is sliding out of control on packed ice. Eventually the car comes to a stop as it ploughs into a ditch and Nadia is happy to be alive and unhurt. Not knowing where she is and realising the battery on her phone is dead, she decides to sit out the snowstorm in the car and take a chance someone will pass by and stop to help her. That’s where she first meets Jay Tiernan. He invites Nadia to walk with him to the nearest village as it is not far away, according to his map. When they get there they find a local pub and negotiate with the drunken landlord to spend the night in his one spare room as the storm looks set to continue overnight. The attraction between them is undeniable but Nadia already has a boyfriend and is not the cheating type, so, even though they end up sharing the same bed at the pub, nothing more than familiar chatter and banter happens between them. Soon after she makes it home safely, Nadia is unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend!

A year and a half later, by chance, she bumps into Jay again, but this time she is single and it is he who has responsibilities. Jay has moved into Nadia’s home town and is renovating a property there. Soon their lives become a tangled mix of working together, longing for each other and indecision. To make matters even more complicated, Nadia’s boyfriend has moved back home having given up his life in Hollywood. He wants Nadia back and is determined to get her. Eventually, Nadia realises she has some difficult choices to make.

The thing I enjoy most about Jill Mansell’s books is the way all of her characters play such a big role in the story she is telling. They are not peripheral to the plot, they are an integral part of it and at times one could be forgiven for wondering who the main character is. Nadia has two sisters, Claire the selfish artist and Tilly the sensible teenager, an eccentric, irresponsible mother who abandoned all of her daughters when they were babies and who changes lovers almost annually, an understanding, kind father who is shy and steadfast, an irrepressible grandmother who brought the girls up and who has been hiding a dark secret for over half a century, a supermodel boyfriend who gained fame and fortune after Nadia entered him into a modelling competition and Jay, the handsome, successful business man who ends up becoming Nadia’s boss. There are other characters at the centre of this story, too. Even though they are not main characters, they are so well drawn they could well be.

Nadia Knows Best is a delightful read and Jill Mansell does not disappoint with the writing, the plot or the ending. I particularly loved the last scene in the book which made me laugh out loud.

This book is definitely a keeper for me!
Nadia Knows Best (less)

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Mar 15, 2013 Ashleigh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, ebook, chick-lit

I really enjoyed this because often in a chick-lit book a lot of things are overlooked, sometimes the family is overlooked and this really wasn't the case in this book. Nadia lives with her dysfunctional family (personally I consider them to be very normal, but I suppose in the grand scheme of things they're a little odd) and though Nadia is the main protagonist, each member of the family has their own story arc and are as equally important.

I loved how this started; Nadia's thought process as s...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Pallavi Subramanian rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wanted to like this book. I really did. But COME ON. The heroine is an idiot. Of the top order.

Normal people do not behave like her. The boyfriend-from-babyhood (or some such crap) dumps her so he can have meaningless sex. Months later he comes back (after having had ALL the meaningless sex he could have had apparently) and She. Doesn't. KICK. His. Ass. Even though she has the hero stringing along. Mind you, the hero is no better. He is also an idiot. He doesn't show or tell her his interest -...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Suad Shamma rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, 2012

There were so many ways that story could have gone, but Jill Mansell decided to go with the silliest of plots.

The book started out with so much potential. I was immediately gripped and could not put the book down - that was until Laurie came back into the picture. Everything went downhill from there. To say the book is predictable would be an understatement, but the twists and turns that Mansell decided to take where, to be quite honest, absolutely ridiculous. I feel like she must have written t...more There were so many ways that story could have gone, but Jill Mansell decided to go with the silliest of plots.

The book started out with so much potential. I was immediately gripped and could not put the book down - that was until Laurie came back into the picture. Everything went downhill from there. To say the book is predictable would be an understatement, but the twists and turns that Mansell decided to take where, to be quite honest, absolutely ridiculous. I feel like she must have written this book in such a hurry because so many things were simply discarded, leaving us (the readers) confused and frustrated at the same time.

She could have made it super-romantic, and instead it left me with a 'meh' feeling.

To sum this up, Nadia is with Laurie, her hot boyfriend/model. Nadia meets Jay, and is instantly attracted to him, but makes no moves because she's in love with Laurie. Laurie dumps Nadia. Nadia finally has a shot with Jay. But then just as things are about to get serious with Jay and Nadia, Laurie comes back and asks for her forgiveness. Nadia is confused and does not know who to pick. Sigh.

I hated Nadia's sister Clare. She was horrible. She's mean, and spoiled and made people's lives miserable. She's rude and obnoxious and a horrible judge of character. And when I thought Mansell was going to set her up for a proper redeeming moment, she ended up leaving us underwhelmed. Clare finds out she's pregnant, and then has a miscarriage, and THEN moves on way too quickly for my liking.

Laurie sleeps with Suzy WHILE trying to win Nadia back, and for some reason Mansell decided to not do ANYTHING with that specific event and Nadia never finds out about it. So um, what's the point of adding that in the story? It was completely unnecessary, if you weren't going to use it to create some dramatic event later on. Not to mention that Nadia sleeps with Laurie just when she decided she didn't want him back and is in love with Jay. What is this mess?!

Then there's the horrid affair with Miriam. She started out sounding like the coolest character, but slowly disintegrated with that really bizarre mystery she was keeping. Another mess in my opinion. First, we find out she's a bigamist (which is way more serious than the book let on) and then she decides she wants her ancient husband, only to quickly change her mind and decide she loves Edward after all. Oh, and that whole other mess with her affair with Edward while he was married and her involvement with his wife's death. Jesus, just listing all of it makes me realize what a hot mess this book was.

The only storyline I really enjoyed were that of James and Annie. That's how I imagine a chick-lit to go like, perhaps an extended version of it, but like that nonetheless.

Eitherway, good start, horrid end. But hey, you can't win them all! (less)

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Sep 30, 2012 Leo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"When everything goes wrong, maybe this time..."
Set in Bristol, a close-knit family with an array of colorful personalities and delightful perceptions are tested in the boundaries of relationships, old and new. Secrets kept and revealed are unleashed in surprisingly, intriguing ways. The Kinsellas are comprised of protective grandmother Miriam, dutiful father James, and a wily set of young women- Nadia, Clare, & young Tilly. The three altogether were raised by their grandmother Miriam and fa...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Cocktails and Books added it · review of another edition

Shelves: cnb-reviewers

First off, I enjoyed this book immensely. This story is about more than Nadia and her romantic issues, it’s about her whole family and told from the varying viewpoints of her and her two sisters Claire and Tilly. Each character is distinct and the author does an amazing job of describing each sisters’ perspective and story. Tilly is thirteen and desperately trying to find her place in the family and the world at large. Claire is the middle daughter, a beautiful artist, whose attention seeking be...more

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Jul 10, 2012 drey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, romance-contemporary

Love. Nadia has it – or so she thinks – in the perfect package: her childhood-BFF-turned-gorgeous-megahunk Laurie. Then he dumps her. And she’s smashed to smithereens by it. Then she meets a sassy stranger who helps her out of a bind, and spends the night with him weathering a brutal snowstorm. Next thing you know, she’s bumping into him everywhere, and ends up landscaping the house he’s fixing up.

Not that she’s willing to admit that she’s attracted to him, oh no. One heartbreak per lifetime is...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Gayle Surrette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

When Nadia Kinsella’s car slid off the road in a snow storm, she ended up spending the night, talking about everything with Jay Tiernan, whose car had also run off the road. Somehow, Nadia assumed that Jay was gay and thus didn’t worry about impressions and relationship issues but just enjoyed the company — after all she had a boyfriend, Laurie Welsh, who worked as a fashion model.

Nadia lived with her father and two sisters in the home of her grandmother, Miriam Kinsella. Clare was slightly youn...more When Nadia Kinsella’s car slid off the road in a snow storm, she ended up spending the night, talking about everything with Jay Tiernan, whose car had also run off the road. Somehow, Nadia assumed that Jay was gay and thus didn’t worry about impressions and relationship issues but just enjoyed the company — after all she had a boyfriend, Laurie Welsh, who worked as a fashion model.

Nadia lived with her father and two sisters in the home of her grandmother, Miriam Kinsella. Clare was slightly younger than Nadia and an artist. Tilly was 13 and still in school. Somehow everything worked out. Nadia was cautious, Clare a bit wild, and Tilly was quiet and studious. They even got along with Miriam’s loudmouthed parrot — Harpo. (I mean how can you resist a book where the loudmouth parrot is named after the silent Marx brother?)

Having read a previous book by Jill Mansell, I knew things were probably going to go wrong for our main character, Nadia — maybe even horribly wrong. But since these are considered chick lit romances, you can pretty well rest assured that the ending will be happy for our main character. Well, you’d be mostly right.

In point of fact things go horribly wrong for just about everyone — Miriam, Nadia, Clare, and even for their father, James. Mansell doesn’t necessarily follow the expectations of her readers — for the betterment of the book, if you ask me.

Nadia Knows Best as a title does imply that Nadia believes she knows what’s best for herself and others. Thinking you know what is in your own best interest, as well as that of those you love, is a sure fire way to find out just how little you know about your best interest, and that of your loved ones. While you may have the issues down solid — love, happiness, support — how those things are to be achieved is essentially a moving target with no single answer for anyone.

Nadia has her heart broken and her confidence shattered. But, she comes out swinging and when she runs into an opportunity to do the kind of work she’s always dreamed of doing, she takes a chance. Of course, that’s when everything goes pear-shaped and the family seems to be falling apart at the seams. Not because they don’t care for each other, but because they care too much.

In many books the family the characters are born into isn’t necessarily the family the stories are about. In Nadia Knows Best, a close loving family nearly loses each other because they care too much to put their feelings first. They fear that if they say what they want, that they’ll be influencing the other person and thus forcing them into something they don’t want to do.

As a reader, we’re glued to the pages, hoping that they’ll realize that talking things out with each other is how we not only communicate information, but how we feel, what we want out of live, and how we appreciate and love those around us. Mansell’s goal I’m sure was to tell as good story. That the story she told resonates with the reader would be an added benefit. The characters have real-life problems, maybe on a level that many of us don’t have, but none the less ones that real people deal with each day — dashed hopes, ex-spouses and all the baggage that entails: spite, love, loss, longing, caring, and hard choices. That’s what makes us human and what makes readers connect to a story.

Chick Lit is considered by many to be light and fluffy — but many of the authors write stories that have depth and deal with issues that readers deal with in their own lives. Enjoy Nadia Knows Best, it will entertain you and it just may get you to think outside the box. (less)

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Jul 14, 2010 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bought-copy, chick-lit

Nadia is a twenty-something landscape gardener who we meet for the first time when she is stranded in the snow and rescued by Jay Tiernan, a rather gorgeous property developer. Despite sparks between them, Nadia does nothing because she is involved with The One - Laurie, a model. Predictably, soon after this Laurie dumps her and moves to America to pursue his modelling career. Also predictably, Nadia meets Jay again and is about to embark on a relationship with him when Laurie comes back into he...more Nadia is a twenty-something landscape gardener who we meet for the first time when she is stranded in the snow and rescued by Jay Tiernan, a rather gorgeous property developer. Despite sparks between them, Nadia does nothing because she is involved with The One - Laurie, a model. Predictably, soon after this Laurie dumps her and moves to America to pursue his modelling career. Also predictably, Nadia meets Jay again and is about to embark on a relationship with him when Laurie comes back into her life saying he made a massive mistake and wants her back. Nadia vacillates between the two men, but needs to make a decision before she loses everything.

So, a very predictable book. And, although warmly written and hard to put down, one in which there were a number of superfluous subplots and some really dislikeable characters. The worst for me was Clare, Nadia's sister. She is appallingly spoilt, believes herself to be irresistible, does huge amounts of damage to people's relationships and shrugs off a miscarriage as though it didn't happen. Sure, she didn't want to be pregnant, but I think it would have been braver and less fluffy for Mansell to have the pregnancy run its course.

Some areas of the plot went nowhere. Robbie's brother - the gay art dealer - was presumably only brought in for comic effect and had a tiny bit part before he was dropped with no resolution to the storyline. Here again I might have liked to see Clare meet him gratefully for dinner, after the debacle of the first night she went to see him.

I disliked the 'mystery' of Miriam - and my previous liking for the character went down several notches when it was revealed (in a massive amount of exposition and info-dumping) what her back story was. She had been a genuinely eccentric character that I enjoyed reading about, but her story drifted into rather surreal territory.

I did like the main characters of Nadia and Jay (although I did wish that Nadia could have made up her mind a little more quickly - however, had she done that, we wouldn't have had the last page showdown that is so fashionable for these sorts of novels). My favourite characters and storylines revolved around Tilly, James and Annie - they were warm and realistic, and I felt glad that everything worked out well for them.

Certainly not my favourite chick lit author by any means! Isn't doing anything particularly clever or interesting, and doesn't believe in 'show, don't tell'. I will likely read more by Mansell because she has a large back catalogue and her books are relatively diverting for a quick read, but I will borrow rather than buy. (less)

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Sep 13, 2012 Hazel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, fiction

**Spoiler alert***

I'm of two minds about this book. On the one hand, I liked that we got to know Nadia's family. But on the other hand, having all of those extra storylines going took away from the impact of the main character, which is supposed to be Nadia. I also felt that Miriam's story (the grandmother) was a bit outlandish and unbelieveable. I mean, who does that in real life? This book is more like a telenovela than a chick lit book. It was a bit campy and hyperbolic for me. Though I did l...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Bookworm rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh my goodness! If I had to use one word to describe Nadia Knows Best it would be delightful. I settled in to read this book and I was instantly swept away.

First off, I enjoy a fun romance and it was delivered in spades in this book. Secondly, I'm generally fascinated by all things British, so this was a no brainer. I enjoyed the setting and reading the different turn of words and phrases.
Crikey. I enjoyed reading about this funky lot. <- Is that British slang? Or just nonsense from a Jersey...more

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May 09, 2012 Blodeuedd Finland rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, fiction

First of all, the blurb is very hinting that she is tempted and all that. But she is only looking and who would not. So no funny business, this is not a book about how the grass is greener in the other side.

As with other Mansell books this one is not only about Nadia. We have her sister Clare who is an artist and who dates this posh idiot and they are having issues. Then there is the father who has never really dated since their mum left them ages ago, and perhaps he should find love too. The gr...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Tqwana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 12, 2012 Gabriela rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lol, romance, time-filler

A fairly good book though rather annoying with the multiple focus on various characters. I suppose I've gotten used to a single view of the plot, rather than multiple, converging stories but this one was good nonetheless. It was humorous and entertaining, even with the little bit of deus ex machina at the ending, by all means, everybody loves a happy ending and I love it most. It wasn't necessarily a realistic story but then again, this is a fictional romance.
The one bit that I found rather r...more

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May 27, 2012 Virginia Jewel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I simply cannot resist the indulgence of a Jill Mansell novel! I love escaping into the lives of her charming English village characters. In fact, I choose to live in a world where all of England (and everyone in it) is exactly like a Jill Mansell book! That works just fine for this American girl.
"Nadia Knows Best" is another delicious diversion from real life. The characters are the perfect balance of fictional and fractured. Everyone is searching for their happy ending, and Mansell delivers. N...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love Jill Mansell’s novels. She does a wonderful job of bringing together a great cast of unique characters and making them work together in a well-blended story.

In Nadia Knows Best, Nadia Kinsella is having a hard time. Stranded on a snowy road, she meets Jay Tiernan, a handsome stranger. They both make their way to a small village and stay overnight in a small and shabby inn. While Nadia feels attracted to Jay, she has a wonderful childhood sweetheart turned model boyfriend, Laurie. When li...more

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May 29, 2012 Jocelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved, loved, loved this book! The perfect beach read. Light, fun, entertaining with a few emotional moments thrown in for balance. This is the first Jill Mansell book I've ever read and I rank her up there with Marian Keyes and Sophie Kinsella.

I picked up this book on a whim. I had never read anything by Jill Mansell but her name kept popping up as "recommended read" wherever I went. So one night I decided to read the first page of NADIA KNOWS BEST and see what I thought. I can pretty quickly...more Loved, loved, loved this book! The perfect beach read. Light, fun, entertaining with a few emotional moments thrown in for balance. This is the first Jill Mansell book I've ever read and I rank her up there with Marian Keyes and Sophie Kinsella.

I picked up this book on a whim. I had never read anything by Jill Mansell but her name kept popping up as "recommended read" wherever I went. So one night I decided to read the first page of NADIA KNOWS BEST and see what I thought. I can pretty quickly decide if I like a writer within the first ten pages. What started as a ten page test turned into 300 pages of non-stop reading. I couldn't put it down! I was immediately drawn into the lives of this one beautifully flawed and unusual family. I loved Nadia, I loved her father, her grandmother, her sisters and her friends. I loved the way their lives worked and I loved the mistakes they made. These characters make poor choices along the way but every decision they make is ruled by their heart and you are just as surprised as they are when things don't work out. On the flip side, when things DO work out, you rejoice in their happiness. Mansell writes the most readable kind of book ever. Stories about real women and real lives, with humor and sadness in equal measure. I now want to read every book Jill Mansell has written (and judging by her backlist, I have quite a few to choose from).

The story starts with Nadia driving through a blizzard and sliding into a snowy ditch, only to be rescued by a charming, good looking man named Jay. Don't you love when a handsome stranger happens to be there to pull you out of a snowdrift? There is some temptation and flirtation, but Nadia is in love with a male model, Laurie, whom she trusts completely (of course!). Nadia and Jay's lives continue to intersect when she goes to work for him as a gardener. He buys houses, fixes them up and sells them. Nadia creates the outdoor landscaping and helps Jay by building lush gardens to draw in buyers. Nadia has a sister Clare who is in love with a cad and another sister Tilly who is a teenager just beginning to enter the world of dating and love while still trying to connect with the mother who abandoned her years ago. All three women are navigating different areas of life and love and each find it complicated in unique ways. Their father, James and grandmother, Miriam, are the guiding forces in the lives of these women and they symbolize the strength and comfort of home. But Miriam is keeping a secret that could change everything.

Grab this book and RUN to the beach! It will keep you entertained for hours.(less)

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Jun 24, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nadia Kinsella gets stuck in a snowstorm with Jay Tiernan and she’s tempted. Who wouldn’t be, Jay is sexy and smart, not to mention he rescued her from a snowstorm. But Nadia is in love with her boyfriend Laurie. They’ve been together for years. Laurie is currently modeling in the States and sees Nadia only sporadically.

When Laurie returns to Bristol, Nadia knows something is wrong and she’s right. Laurie breaks up with her, he wants to explore other options and enjoy his career. Fast forward...more Nadia Kinsella gets stuck in a snowstorm with Jay Tiernan and she’s tempted. Who wouldn’t be, Jay is sexy and smart, not to mention he rescued her from a snowstorm. But Nadia is in love with her boyfriend Laurie. They’ve been together for years. Laurie is currently modeling in the States and sees Nadia only sporadically.

When Laurie returns to Bristol, Nadia knows something is wrong and she’s right. Laurie breaks up with her, he wants to explore other options and enjoy his career. Fast forward fifteen months. Nadia has a chance encounter with Jay Tiernan, he rehabs houses for profit – and once he finds out Nadia is a gardener, hires her to fix up his new buy.

Nadia and Jay are still attracted to each other, but just when things start heating up, Laurie returns, professing his undying love for Nadia and claiming he made a mistake. Nadia is torn and can’t make up her mind which guy she wants.

Another Mansell book that I really enjoyed, Nadia knows best is a fun, light read that will sink its teeth in from page one and having you flipping pages at warp speed. Nadia’s love life isn’t the only star of this book, but the rest of the Kinsella clan as well. From Nadia’s eccentric grandmother, Miriam (who’s keeping her own secrets) to her dad James and sisters Clare and Tilly it’s not just a book about picking the right guy but about family – even if they drive you mad.

I loved the cast of characters and the antics of the Kinsella family. They were fiercely close and loyal to a fault. I didn’t get on with Clare, Nadia’s sister. She was a selfish cow (wow look at me being British) and too bratty for her age. Nadia’s younger sister Tilly, at age thirteen was more mature than Clare.

As I was reading this novel, I was thinking about British chic lit and how much I really enjoy Jill Mansell’s writing. It’s light and quick to read, but the story is always a good one. They are not just about finding mister right, they are also about family and both books I have read so far touched on more serious issues. In Nadia Knows Best, the stronger issues are a neglectful mother and the effects on a young daughter.

I really admire the British women depicted in Mansell’s books, they are strong and independent. They say what’s on their minds (not always a good thing re: Clare) and they aren’t afraid to eat- even around men. They are comfortable in their own skin (even size 12 – the horror). It’s really refreshing to read these types of books.

Overall, I think this is a good choice for summer reading. It’s light, fun and a quick read. There weren’t as many British-isms as the first Mansell book I read – rumour has it but it had a sprinkling. I leave you with another new favorite line: “What a mess, what a complete and utter balls-up.” (pg. 96). (less)

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May 20, 2012 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit

I've now read all of Jill Mansell's novels that are available in the US and I've come to believe that they are the literary equivalent of The Love Boat. That's not necessarily a bad thing. The books are predictable, there are numerous subplots and secondary romances, and everything is tied up neatly in a bow by the end. The writing is lighthearted, the characters are at least semi-quirky, and even when someone's heart is broken it doesn't seem to be taken too seriously, because we know that a ha...more

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Oct 18, 2010 Goddess Of Blah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

this is her best book so far that i have read. Although it does follow ALL the clichés

Jill Mansell's books that I have read so far have been far too chick lit and stupid for me. Be prepared to lose brain cells when reading her trite, clichéd rubbish.

The heroine is generally naïve is either unsuccessful in her career or from a disadvantaged background, and a bit of a sap and misunderstood by the “hero” - and are usually been betrayed by a former boyfriend or just broken up from a long term relat...more

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Aug 23, 2007 Deena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

New to Jill Mansell but will try to read them all as I love her way of writing as it is easy and amusing . I love how her characters are so identifiyable and are realistic and are surrounded by family and friends of whom I can relate to. This made me want to do get stuck into gardening!!!

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May 16, 2012 Serena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Nadia Knows Best by Jill Mansell, the Kinsella family is far from conventional with a mother, Leonie who skips out on her husband and two daughters, Nadia and Clare, and drops another daughter, Tilly, off with her former husband James years later. Living with their high-brow grandmother, Miriam, Nadia and Clare are mostly well-adjusted young women sorting out their own lives, while their youngest sister, Tilly, is just 13 and still looking for her place in the family.

With Mansell readers know...more

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May 02, 2012 PopcornReads rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jill-mansell, bestselling-author, comedy, cross-cultural, family, fiction, funny, humorous, relationships, romance

I was in the mood for a little light romantic comedy, so when I saw Nadia Knows Best by bestselling British author Jill Mansell, I snapped it up. I know, I don’t normally review Chic Lit on this web site; in fact we state on the web site that we don’t review that kind of novel. But every once in a while a really fun novel comes along and I just can’t resist, especially if I need a breath of fresh air after reading a lot of dark, twisted novels. I had never read anything by Jill Mansell but found...more

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May 31, 2012 Susana Guerra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to admit that this story had a lot of drama between all family members. But it was really fun to read. I mean between the three sisters, the dad and his new girlfriend, the awful mom and her fiance, then the grandma with her secret and each of the two sisters dealing with their love lives... Way too much, but exciting. I do like the ending. Even though I would have wanted Nadia to stay with her old boyfriend, i can understand why she decided to go for Jay instead. And Tully, so sweet and...more

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May 15, 2012 Kristy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 19, 2012 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, arc, e-book, net-galley, read-in-2012, romance-contemporary, review-for-smexybooks

Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/05/review-...

Favorite Quote: “ We’re saved. We shan’t have to eat either, that’s a relief. “

First off, I’d like to lodge a small complaint. Nothing in the write up indicated this was a reissue(first released in 2002). I don’t mind reissues but please, let the readers know this. I’d also like to add that I really feel Ms. Mansell’s writing has matured greatly since this was first published. Okay, I’m done.

Nadia Kindale is a twenty something landscap...more Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/05/review-...

Favorite Quote: “ We’re saved. We shan’t have to eat either, that’s a relief. “

First off, I’d like to lodge a small complaint. Nothing in the write up indicated this was a reissue(first released in 2002). I don’t mind reissues but please, let the readers know this. I’d also like to add that I really feel Ms. Mansell’s writing has matured greatly since this was first published. Okay, I’m done.

Nadia Kindale is a twenty something landscaper who is relatively happy with her life. She is dating her childhood sweetheart and surrounded by her loving, abet, crazy family. When she is stranded in a snowstorm and is saved by the handsome Jay Tiernan, she‘s attracted to him but truly love her boyfriend and regretfully chooses not to pursue the attraction. When her boyfriend, Laurie, dumps her over dinner to pursue his career, Nadia bounces back rather quickly when Jay reappears and offers her a job. As Jay and Nadia get closer, Laurie reappears, sorry over his treatment of her, and asking for a second chance. As Nadia tries to decide between an old love or a new love, she is also dealing with the return of her absent mother, her crazy, selfish sister, and a mystery surrounding her grandmother that could put her in jail. Soon, Nadia realizes that she doesn’t know best.

Nadia Knows Best is classic chick lit. We have a nice heroine, an unsure hero, and a mix of crazy family members and friends to round out the story. A sweet, though predictable, light hearted romantic contemporary about love, loss, and choices. Ms. Mansell’s dry wit, comical romantic entanglements, and eccentric characters are back in force as we are once again transported to the other side of the pond and become entangled in the crazy escapades of these mad, mad Brits. The biggest draw of Ms. Mansell for me is her characters. She infuses a sense of realism into their personalities and situations; allowing you to connect intimately with them. They make bad decisions, say dumb things, and act inappropriately at times. Just like all of us. You’re never really sure what these people are going do or where they will end up till the end.

Nadia, our protagonist, has a snarky mouth, an infectious personality, and a dry sarcastic wit that engages quite frequently throughout the book. I like that she doesn’t hold back and has no problem saying what’s on her mind. She hasn’t had an easy life but takes it all one day at a time and enjoys each day as it comes.

Jay Tiernan was hard to get to know we don’t really get his POV. We only see what Nadia sees through their interactions. Jay has a lot going on himself and while his life seems to be a constant drama in the making, he seems like a genuinely nice person who likes Nadia and would like to get to know her better. They mesh well together and I found myself rooting for them, even knowing they would end up together. I’m not spoiling here. If you read Mansell, you know right off the bat the hero and heroine end up together. The story, or comedy of errors I like to call it, is merely the journey they take to get to their HEA.

There are actually five story lines here that intertwine and play off each other. Each one is given equal time which adds a sense of confusion to the overall plot. While I enjoyed getting an in-depth look into everyone’s lives, trying to keep up gets tiring and took away from our main couple. I found myself ready to stop halfway through as we are spending more time with everyone else’s lives while Nadia is caught in an endless loop of, “ Does she loves him, does she not?”

The secondary characters are both humorous and pathetic at times as they all scramble around trying to keep secrets in a family that prides itself on knowing each others business. I loved Nadia’s younger sister Tilly and her father James. They both put up with a lot as Nadia’s selfish mother and older sister proceed to make everything about them with no consideration for anyone else’s feelings. Nadia’s grandmother is quite a character whose own conflict was interesting until it jumped the reservation and I found myself wondering what just happened. The parrot is the best in the book and I want one just like him.

The ending wraps everything up okay though it takes a very long time to get there. All in all, Nadia Knows Best is a predictable example of a romantic contemporary that will entertain those who aren’t expecting much more.

Overall Rating: C(less)

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May 21, 2013 Rochelle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-read, chick-lit

I need a new shelf - a "should not have finished" one.
This was bad. I think there were so many characters with their own situations going on that the author couldn't do anyone justice. She had several self-absorbed, loathsome characters (Mom Leonie, Sister Clare, Boyfriend Piers, shall I go on???) who just really had no reason to be taking up space.
This was my first book by this author, and also my last. When a typical book like this usually takes me 1.5 days to read, and this one took 4, I rea...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Catarina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jill-mansell

Os livros desta autora, no que ao humor diz respeito, são todos bastante similares e o formato da história também não difere muito, por essa razão dificilmente há que acrescentar nas opiniões de cada livro.

Neste caso o facto de os livros serem identicos não é, necessáriamente, uma coisa má. Além de raramente nos desiludirmos, ao sabermos com o que podemos contar, conseguimos escolher a altura certa para o ler. O que nem sempre acontece resultando depois em livros inacabados ou que na altura não...more

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