The asking price for this house includes a stunning renovation of hearts and dreams….Liz and Jonathan Chambers were stuck with two mortgages, mounting debts, and a miserable adolescent daughter. Then realtor Marcus Witherstone came into their lives—and it seemed he would solve all their problems. He knew the perfect tenants from London who would rent their old house: a glamorous PR girl, Ginny, and her almost-famous husband, Piers.
But soon Liz is lost in blissful dreams of Marcus, Jonathan is left to run their business, and neither of them has time to notice that their teenage daughter is developing an unhealthy passion for the tenants, Piers and Ginny. Everyone is tangled up with everyone else, and in the most awkward possible way. As events close in, they all begin to realize that some deceptions are just a bit too close to home.
It’s all about a house. A house and the people that come and go. A family, a girl, a couple, a marital affair, a schemer, actors and many more. In Madeleine Wickham’s most recent release, A Desirable Residence, the story revolves around a quaint little house just outside of London and all the people that come and go. Each person has a story to tell and each a problem to be solved, but in the end who will be left with the house?
This was the first book I’ve read by Madeleine Wickham, being that all the other books I’ve read have been under her pen name Sophie Kinsella, and I loved it! It was completely different, but still had that same feeling, a sort of charm. In one thing though it was quite different from the Kinsella books I’ve read, A Desirable Residence was written from multiple points of view, whereas the others were all from one character. It was actually done quite well and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from so many different angles of the story.
By far my favorite character was the teenage daughter, Alice. She was written so well, I could vividly picture myself at her age, perhaps not doing the same things, but definitely feeling those same emotions. She longed for the home her parents had recently given up for a new venture and the terribly small flat that accompanied it. It was also interesting, as a parent, to see how her own parents treated her in relation to how she was really feeling and acting. They truly had no idea what she was doing throughout most of the novel, primarily because they chose not to care or delve to deeply. Her story and ending point in the book was definitely the highlight for me.
Besides Alice, there are a whole list of other characters involved in the story. From Marcus to Liz to Jonathan to Duncan to Piers and Ginny, they seem to almost never stop coming, but it’s not tiring in the least. It was actually a bit like a soap opera in a way and very entertaining. This was primarily because Wickham kept the story so tightly woven, each person connecting with the other to serve a greater purpose for the story. It was perfectly executed and very enjoyable.
Fans of Chick Lit everywhere will be eager to pick up this most recent “Sophie”/Madeleine Wickham book. She easily blends the variety of characters, from teens to professors to actors, making a cast and story that flow easily. Without a doubt one of my favorite Chick Lit reads of the year!
Don’t forget to enter our contest for a chance to win one of 5 copies of A Desirable Residence by Madeleine Wickham! Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for the opportunity to review and offer this fantastic contest!
Because Sophie’s novels are set primarily in Britain or at least have a “British-feel” to them we thought it would be great to ask our American readers why they love Sophie Kinsella. Surprising or not, many of our American readers felt just as strongly about her as our International readers. Have a look at what they thought!
“Sophie Kinsella’s books are escapism pure and true. Romance, wit and humor fill the pages and allow the reader to step outside their busy life to experience the quirk and fun.” – Michelle from Galleysmith
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