Monday 19 January 2015

Review ~ Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell.

Title: Three Amazing Things About You.
Author: Jill Mansell.
Publisher: Headline.
Genre: Women's Fiction.
Publication Date: January 15, 2015.
Source: Bookbridgr/Netgalley.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Purchase: Amazon UK

Hallie has a secret. She's in love. He's perfect for her in every way, but he's seriously out of bounds. And her friends aren't going to help her because what they do know is that Hallie doesn't have long to live. Time is running out...

Flo has a dilemma. She really likes Zander. But his scary sister won't be even faintly amused if she thinks Zander and Flo are becoming friends - let alone anything more.

Tasha has a problem. Her new boyfriend is the adventurous type. And she's afraid one of his adventures will go badly wrong.

THREE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT YOU begins as Hallie goes on a journey. A donor has been found and she's about to be given new lungs. But whose?





OK, I’m going to say it and you’re all going to think I’m exaggerating again but I will just sit back with my big smug face because I’ve read it and I know it’s true. This book is PERFECT. I’ve never read a Jill Mansell book before (…I know) but what a bloody wonderful book to introduce me to this incredible author. Three Amazing Things About You is a beautiful, warm, sparkling book which set me on such an emotional rollercoaster. I smiled, laughed, cried, had my heart broken a little bit and prepared to kick up a bit of a fuss when it ended but I didn’t, because we’re brought the best ending to a book I’ve ever read in the most flawless fashion. I would quite love to lock myself away for a few months with all of this author’s previous books for company because I just know they would be some of the most stunning reads but they wouldn’t, they couldn’t top Three Amazing Things About You.

This book is really hard to review without giving too much away, which I won’t do. It’s also really hard to do it justice but I’m going to try. The opening to the novel is gorgeous, really gorgeous, and it sets the tone for the rest of the book. Throughout the course of the novel, we meet several characters to treasure and I’m not choosing a favourite because it’s impossible. Let me love them all equally.

Hallie is twenty-eight years old and has cystic fibrosis. She needs a new set of lungs to save her life. Hallie has the most beautiful personality. She knows she’s dying and yet has that refreshing sense of humour and so much love to give. The way she approached every single day in her life warmed and broke my heart all at the same time – she was such a brave and wonderful character with huge spirit and a brilliant attitude to life. Hallie anonymously runs the website threethingsaboutyou.com, where people looking for a bit of advice send in three things about them and their problem, and Hallie provides an entertaining and thoughtful response every time. I loved this aspect to the book – it wasn’t a major part but the ongoing insight into other people’s lives really brought something different to the novel and the responses showcased Hallie’s fabulous character.

Hallie’s doctor Luke is adorable and equally quite the fine looking gentleman. I loved the way he treat Hallie like a human being and not a dying patient. She wanted to live as normal a life as possible and he was so respectful of that. Their little chats and the communication between them were a highlight of this book for me.

We meet another leading female character, Tasha, in let’s just say more of a hilarious way than the emotional way we’re introduced to Hallie. Tasha quite quickly ends up rooting through a disgusting litter bin searching for her lost credit card. She’s soon christened Bin Girl. I LOVED this scene. This was the moment, so early into this book, where I knew as much as this book was set to be upsetting, it was also going to be wonderfully uplifting and it really, really was. In a whirlwind of a romance, Tasha finds herself madly in love with her Superman, Rory, and their story was really cute and romantic. I loved when they met each other’s best friends in Carmel and Joe. If I was forced to pick a favourite character then it might just have been Joe. He was in ways your typical guy but also so much more. He brought lots of humour and light-heartedness to the novel and his attitude towards Carmel really made me smile – it was crying out for something to happen there…

The third leading lady is Flo, who is a care assistant at Nairn House retirement home. She was likeable straight away and I loved her relationships with the residents at the home. When we meet Flo, we also meet Lena, whose neck I wanted to wring on countless occasions. I did love the building of her character, though, as much as I disliked her. Thankfully, Lena’s brother Zander didn’t seem to be as ghastly as his sibling. I had a bit of a crush and his character had the most mystery to it throughout the novel, probably because it was hard to see how he could be decent when his sister was so infuriating. There were more characters I loved throughout this novel but I can’t keep on naming them. You NEED to read this book yourself, and see what I mean. The characters were a true delight to read – warm and witty and big-hearted – and there was also a cat called Jeremy, which very much appealed to my future as a crazy cat lady.

The journey Three Amazing Things About You goes on is sublime. Whilst touching on some serious, sad themes, this book is also full of hope and faultlessly optimistic. It’s a big reminder that you need to make the most out of every moment in your life and just enjoy it the best you can. As I was reading on, I loved the occasions when some of the characters crossed paths but I was always interested in the bigger picture and how the main characters were going to be linked in some way. Wow… this did not let me down in any way. Jill’s writing blew me away. The intertwining of the characters was effortless and in some of the most gorgeous writing, ever. I didn’t want any harm to come to any of the characters. I wanted everything to be perfect and everyone to be happy and I also knew that wishing for a fairytale was pretty unrealistic. Saying that, I didn’t expect the book to go exactly the way it did and I honestly adored every single page and every single feeling this story evoked in me. I really haven’t expressed anywhere near enough how much I loved this book. It was beautifully researched, beautifully told and expressed and I want to read it again and again but without losing that special feeling when you read a book for the first time and know it’s just become one of your all-time favourites.




Review also posted on Goodreads | Amazon UK

7 comments:

  1. Please don't tell me perfect. I really need to get this. All the reviews have been great. Your description of the characters brings them to life.

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  2. Thank you so much Sophie for my copy x

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  3. I am so glad it wasn't just me that felt like that! Your review is far better than mine in how to describe what an amazing story it was! I don't think there are any words that can explain it without making everyone read it! That should be our mission! Lol get everyone to read this book! xx

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  4. I am so glad it wasn't just me that felt like that! Your review is far better than mine in how to describe what an amazing story it was! I don't think there are any words that can explain it without making everyone read it! That should be our mission! Lol get everyone to read this book! xx

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    Replies
    1. It totally should! Everybody should read it, it's a stunning book which our words really can't do justice to :) xx

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