Nadia Knows Best by Jill Mansell

 

Nadia's family isn't quite the norm.  Her mother, Leonie, left Nadia and Clare, her sister with their dad, James, when they were quite small.  The three moved in with James's mother, Miriam, and have lived with her ever since even though the girls are in their twenties now.  Along the way, Leonie had another daughter and brought her to live with James, Miriam, Nadia and Clare also.  Tilly is thirteen and figuring out all the teen issues.

Nadia is a landscape designer.  She has just landed a marvelous job with a property developer.  While his construction workers fix the inside, Nadia turns the outside into proper gardens.  Clare is an artist trying to get noticed.  She is dating an entitled rich guy who treats her terribly.  Nadia's long time boyfriend left her when he became a model and an actor and she sees him in the gossip columns.  But her new boss might just be the ticket to get over Laurie.

James hasn't dated anyone since Leonie as that was quite enough chaos, thank you very much.  But Tilly introduces him to Annie and they start to do out.  Meanwhile, Miriam has been in a relationship with Laurie's father, Edward, for years.  Edward wants to marry her but Miriam steadfastly refuses.

Things are going along when out of the blue, after a year and a half, Laurie shows back up.  He wants to get back with Nadia but she isn't sure if he is serious plus there's the new relationship with Jay to consider.  Then out of the blue, Leonie decides Tilly should leave the only home she's known and move in with Leonie, her new boyfriend and his teenage daughter.  How will things work out?

If you are feeling sad, there is always a way to perk up and Jill Mansell is high on the list.  Her breezy novels introduce the readers to characters they feel they could be friends with and puts them in situations where it seems unlikely they will emerge unscathed.  But somehow things always work out and the last page is turned with satisfaction and pleasure.  This book is recommended for women's fiction readers.