Maybe This Time by Jill Mansell @JillMansell @headlinepg @HeadlineFiction #MaybeThisTime @JessFarrugiaPR

Mimi isn't looking for love when she spends a weekend in Goosebrook, the Cotswolds village her dad has moved to. And her first encounter with Cal, who lives there too, is nothing like a scene in a romantic movie - although she can't help noticing how charismatic he is. But Cal's in no position to be any more than a friend, and Mimi heads back to her busy London life.

When they meet again four years later, it's still not to be. Cal is focusing on his family, and Mimi on her career. Then Cal dives into a potentially perfect new romance whilst Mimi's busy fixing other people's relationships.

It seems as if something, or someone else, always gets in their way. Will it ever be the right time for both of them?

Maybe This Time by Jill Mansell was published by Headline on 24 January 2019, my thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review.


Mimi's Dad and his new partner have moved to the Cotswolds village of Goosebrook. Mimi is a London girl through and through and when she meets Cal, one of the locals, she's certainly attracted to his looks, but is unsure as to why he appears to be wrestling a sheep in the middle of a field.

This is the first of many meetings between Mimi and Cal, but there's no romance between them, even if Mimi does dream a little about the what-ifs. As Mimi becomes a regular visitor to Goosebrook, she begins to make real friends amongst the locals. They pick her up when she's disappointed in love, and in work and include her in village events. It is during one of these events that tragedy strikes and nothing is quite the same for Mimi, or Cal and his daughter Cora ever again.

When Mimi is offered a job in Spain, as the PA to a well-know crime writer, she knows that it's an opportunity that she has to take, but this also results in missed opportunities in love. Jill Mansell's depiction of the self-obsessed crime author and his treatment of his staff is hilariously funny, and probably quite near to the mark!

Maybe This Time is a romantic, funny, heartwarming and heartbreaking story. As always Jill Mansell writes with wit and charm. Her characters leap from the pages and the reader is soon swept up in the lives of the villagers. This author cleverly includes some serious and often tragic issues within her novels and this one is no different. Her depiction of the devastation caused by a tragic accident is genuine and compassionately done.

Another wonderful read from Jill Mansell and highly recommended by me.

Jill Mansell’s books are full of love, life and friendship and have been bringing joy to readers for twenty-five years. She started writing fiction while working in the NHS, after joining a local creative writing class. She has since written over twenty Sunday Times bestsellers, including THIS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING, THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT and YOU AND ME, ALWAYS, and her books have sold over 11 million copies around the world. 

Jill's hobbies include buying stationery, particularly magical new colours of ink for the fountain pen she uses to write all her books – Jill is one of the few authors who still write their books by hand. Jill also loves people-watching and finding new characters to put in her novels. So when you’re out, make sure to always be on your best behaviour. And beware of beady-eyed authors carrying notebooks . . .

Jill keeps in touch with her readers on Twitter - @JillMansell - and Facebook - /OfficialJillMansell.