Tuesday 26 November 2013

It Felt Like a Kiss by Sarra Manning

Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with?

Ellie Cohen is living her dream. A great job at an exclusive Mayfair art gallery, loyal mates, loving family, and really, really good hair. Well, there's the famous rock-star father who refuses to acknowledge her and a succession of 'challenging' boyfriends, but nobody's perfect.

But when a vengeful ex sells Ellie out to the press, she suddenly finds herself fighting to keep her job, her reputation and her sanity. 

Then David Gold - handsome, charming but ruthlessly ambitious - is sent in to manage the media crisis . . . and Ellie.

David thinks she's a gold-digger and Ellie thinks he's a shark in a Savile Row suit, so it's just as well that falling in love is the last thing on their minds . . .


I must admit that I found this quite a slow burner to start with, and despite falling love with the book at first sight of the cover, I briefly struggled and considered giving up.  I think this was because Sarra Manning spends the first part of the book fully building the character of Ellie, and although it didn't seem particularly overkill with detail, I found myself wanting it to move on.  

However, after a little while, the story found its pace and I settled into religiously turning the pages.  I liked that it wasn't just about the romance.  Ellie is a working woman and she has career ambitions.  It also touches on relationships with both family and friends, and that ultimate mother-daughter relationship.

I loved the "lame duck boyfriends" reference.  And David Gold sounded utterly delicious.  The fact he was a lawyer was particularly appealing to me, being someone who works in the law myself.

Ultimately you know what is going to happen but that, personally, didn't bother me as there were enough twists and turns along the way to keep me going.

** Released just in time for Valentines Day on 13 February 2014, pick up a copy of this for your beloved book worm **