Take a Chance on Me
The latest confection from the author of Perfect Timing (2009) is about what happens when your past collides with your present. In tiny Channings Hill, chauffeur Cleo can’t help but run into her childhood tormentor Johnny LaVenture at every turn. Now a successful artist, he’s back in town to settle his uncle’s estate. Cleo takes solace in the fact that she’s dating perfect Will until his perfect wife Fia shows up on her doorstep. Cleo dumps Will, but she can’t avoid Fia, who has decided to stick around Channings Hill and becomes the object of Cleo’s friend Ash’s affections. Cleo is nursing a crush, too, as she realizes that Johnny has outgrown his teasing ways. Then he receives a surprise of his own from his supermodel ex-girlfriend. Quirky characters, a charming setting, and misunderstandings aplenty make this madcap romantic comedy a fun, light read. --Aleksandra Walker