De schrijfstijl van Mansell is prettig en toegankelijk, waardoor het een erg gemakkelijk te lezen boek is. Ik heb hier wel een puntje over de vormgeving, maar dit heeft geen invloed op de beoordeling van het boek. De hoofdstukken starten namelijk direct waar het vorige hoofdstuk eindigt: niet mijn favoriete vormgeving.

Promise Me by Jill Mansell | Goodreads

Hoe voorspelbaar ze ook zijn, het is steeds weer een feestje om haar boeken te lezen en zo dus ook ‘Het zonnetje in huis’. He directed her out of the town and up a steep, winding lane overhung with trees and dappled with sunlight. Meanwhile Sammy’s brother Remy has begun to catch Lou’s eye. Handsome and charming, with women falling at his feet, Lou is determined that she will not become another notch on his bedpost. Resisting temptation is not easy! I loved every second I spent reading this book. It is warm, realistic and life affirming' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ No worries, I’m fine. I’m in someone’s kitchen,’ Lou said cheerfully. ‘We met in the supermarket car park, then he broke his glasses so I had to drive him home.’

Now read the opening chapter of Jill’s latest book…

For a split second, Edgar looked as if he might be on the verge of breaking into a smile. It didn’t happen. When she’d put her phone away, Lou fished the tea bag out of her own mug and carried it over to the bin. As she reached it, her foot skidded and she almost went flying into the wall. Op zoek naar een baan, woonruimte en wat rust in haar leven, loopt ze per toeval tegen de brompot van het dorpje Foxwell aan wanneer ze haar beste vriend Sammy bezoekt. Dit jaar heeft Luitingh-Sijthoff Amsterdam flink uitgepakt. 'Het zonnetje in huis' schreeuwt lente. Wat is het toch een prachtig exemplaar! Met fleurige bloemen die de cover én de edges sieren. Mooi vanbuiten, maar is het ook mooi vanbinnen? En ondanks de voorspelbaarheid van het genre, weet Jill je in dit verhaal toch weer te verrassen met wat leuke en spannende twists in het verhaal.

Promise Me: The most heart-warming novel of 2023 eBook

And with that, she discovers so much more about herself, helps the people around her, genuinely just cares to do what's right. Edgar, the old man set upon living life to the fullest before he passes away, does push her to her limits; but, she knows that despite the pay-off she believes she'll receive after, she just wants him to find a bit of happiness, no matter how late in life it comes.Covered in trifle.’ Lou winced; she hadn’t meant to utter those words aloud. They’d spilled out in response to the mental image her brain had conjured up. The book is filled with a diverse cast of interesting and well-developed characters including a woman from Edgar’s past and her family. I enjoyed the sweet romances in the book and the special bond that Edgar forms with his rescue dog. It was the special relationship that develops between Edgar and Lou that made this book such an enjoyable read. Outside, it was a bright but blustery August afternoon and the old man was still making his way slowly across the car park. As Lou paused at the exit, wondering whether to break into the doughnuts now, she saw him brush past a dilapidated van with its crumpled bumper hanging off. Lou's relationship with her best friend, Sammy, and his older brother, Remy (who she's been harboring feelings for since their younger days) was one of the highlights of the story. And Captain Oates, of course! Truly man's best friend, in this case, Edgar - their relationship was so wholesome, so very sweet, so very sad at Edgar's final moments, that had me tearing up.

Promise Me: The most heart-warming novel of 2023 Promise Me: The most heart-warming novel of 2023

Fine, let’s get it done.’ There was a gaping hole in the side of the carrier, so Lou stuffed the Merlot and doughnuts into her shoulder bag and used her own. De verschillende perspectieven, de verschillende levens en dus de verschillende verhaallijnen, maken ook dit verhaal weer intrigerend en vlot leesbaar. Het verhaal is niet mega uniek ten opzichte van andere feelgood verhalen, waardoor de beoordeling wat aan de lagere kant ligt. Dit betekent echter voor mij niet dat het een slecht boek is, het voldoet namelijk wel aan mijn verwachtingen: lekker in het zonnetje weg kunnen dromen met een ‘licht’ boek.

Multibuys

Edgar is a treat. What a difficult and disagreeable old man. Lou does her best with him and we do see a more affable, but still brutally savage Edgar emerge. It is amazing what the love of a good dog can achieve too. When Della, a woman from Edgar’s distant past arrives on the scene, things change for Lou. She leans on the members of the small community that she’s become part of more than ever and Edgar is going to learn a stark lesson about human nature too. Lou heaved a sigh. This was getting silly now; she’d got herself into a situation with a truculent pensioner who was a stranger to manners. And much as she wanted to say no to his demand, her conscience wasn’t letting her. The storyline moves along at the perfect pace, building up not only Edgar and Lou’s relationship, but also Lou’s relationship with childhood friend, Remy. Remy was lovely and I soon realised why Lou had fell for his charms so easily the first-time round – I just hoped she trod more carefully this time! Most of the characters were likeable and I was caught up with their storylines. I have to admit to not really liking Della, but I suppose that was the whole point! My favourite had to be our four-legged friend, Captain Oates and I thought the relationship between him and Edgar was just absolutely delightful! It wasn’t a retirement home, then. Nor, from the look of the place, had it been divided into separate apartments.