Samantha Sweeting, the 29-year-old heroine of Kinsella's latest confection (after Shopaholic Sister), is on the verge of partnership at the prestigious London law firm Carter Spink—the Holy Grail of her entire workaholic life. But when she finds she has made a terrible, costly mistake just before the partnership decision, she's terrified of being fired.
In a fog, she stumbles out of the building and onto the nearest train, which drops her in the countryside, where she wanders to a stately home. The nouveau riche lady of the house mistakes her for the new housekeeper—and Samantha is too astonished to correct her. Numb and unable to face returning to London, Samantha tries to master the finer points of laundry, cooking and cleaning. She discovers that the slow life, her pompous but good-hearted employers and the attentions of the handsome gardener, Nathaniel, suit her just fine.
But her past is hard to escape, and when she discovers a terrible secret about her firm—and when the media learns that the former legal star is scrubbing toilets for a living—her life becomes more complicated than ever. If readers can swallow the implausible scenario, then Kinsella's genuine charm and sweet wit may continue to win her fans.
Book reviewed by MaryS
Copy obtained at the Solano County Library
I picked up a copy of the audio book from my local library to entertain me on my commutes to and from work. What an entertainment this book turned out to be! I will speak primarily for the audio book. The reader made this story great for me. The accent, the voice she gave to each character brought this book to life.
Like the description says, the story is a bit on the implausable side but I still found myself smiling and laughing at Samantha's adjustment to domestic life. I appreciated her honest attempts to make the best of the situation she found herself in, despite the fact that it took her only a couple of weekends to master the kitchen. I've spent time in the kitchen, with some knowledge of cooking, but no way could I make a gourmet meal for every meal.
{{SPOILERS!}}
I could appreciate the dilemma Samantha found herself in at the end. Devoted to a career, but discovering life? How often do people today lose out on life trying to further their careers? When Guy confronted her about her decision, I applauded him. I like to think that my friends and family would make me realize my gifts and talent, and insure they're not wasted. In the end, I'm not sure I'm happy with where Samantha ended. Despite finding joy in the kitchen, she was incredibly intelligent, respected and talented. Being a lawyer doesn't have to be the end game, but I like to think that her path lead her to something that nurtured her talent and brains, and was driven by her own dreams and desires - not just love, or fear. I don't believe that life should come at the cost of finding your passion or your career. In the end, I couldn't decide if Samantha decision was truly right for her.
Overall, 3 stars for the story, add another for the audio version of the book.
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