Product Description

Nell Fitzgerald worries that her life is shallow and meaningless. She's right -- it is. Stricken by an acute pre-mid-life crisis, she's walked out on her obstreperous boyfriend, moved in with her icy Knightsbridge grandmother and been forced to assume the role of faux girlfriend to closet gay TV presenter, Blair Taylor, by her merciless boss at the Morgan theatrical agency.In a desperate bid to inject a little depth into her existence, Nell enrols at 'Helping Hands' volunteer centre. There the frighteningly grown up coordinator, Phred, looks on in bemusement as a series of mishaps lead her to discover that 'doing good' doesn't offer the immediate rewards she'd bargained for.Can Nell juggle the demands of her two very different worlds as well as her eccentric family, perplexed girlfriends and unexpected feelings for Phred?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #226790 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 386 pages

Review
"'Fresh, sensitive, fun, addictive and well-written. Hodder is deservedly aiming high' - The Bookseller on THE RELUCTANT LANDLADY 'Bernadette Strachan has ticked all the boxes for her debut novel... True love and a happy-ever-after ending? Well, that would be telling' - Heat magazine on THE RELUCTANT LANDLADY '... for the romantic of heart' - Elle magazine on THE RELUCTANT LANDLADY 'Exciting debut... A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy... This is, quite simply, great fiction and the launch of a talented new author' - Booksellers Choice (BCA) The Bookseller"

Marie Claire, December 2005
'A book, which like its heroine, has a heart of gold.'

Company, December 2005
'Fresh, funny and full of romance'

Customer Reviews

Funny
This second offering from Ms Strachan had me tittering away on the journeys to and from work, and missing my stop a fair few times. Focussing on Nells realisation that her life has become shallow and meaningless, we see her dump her boyfriend and move in with her scary Grandmother in posh Kensington, sign up to the Helping Hands charity to do some good, juggle her life as a celebrity faux girlfriend to the perma-tanned Z list Blair Taylor and struggle to hold down her full time job at a theatrical agency. Full of well observed characters and a great plot, this book is a perfect way to loose yourself for an afternoon.

Hilarious!
I bought this book to accompany me on my 3 hour journey from london to birmingham and i couldn't put it down even once i home! it was such a lively book to read and the comical scenes so kept me in stitches. If you are a Bridget Jones Diary fan, you'll love this!

handbags and halos
This is the first B strachan book ive read and i throughly enjoyed it..... Although slightyly predictable.. its a real feel good easy read. Perfect if u need cheering up!