What a beautiful cast of characters this book has. Ms. Mansell is one of my favorite authors and I love her new book. There is happiness, sadness and of course a little romance in this novel. I throughly enjoyed it and recommend highly.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a light and nice read but seemed to lack that spark of real romance, witty banter, and charisma I crave from fiction and romance reads. I enjoyed it, but it left me wanting more.

This was my first Jill Mansell book, but it won’t be my last. The story has folks dealing with real life problems and situations. I love small towns and the people who live in them. Makes no difference on which side of that big ocean you are. How many of us have had a best friend who wasn’t quite what we thought they were? I think we are too quick to judge folks without really knowing them or they are too quick to judge us. Loved these characters and it was fun watching some of them grow. Hopefully I can make another trip to Goosebrook and catch up with my new friends. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

There were times in this book when Jill Mansell ripped my heart out.

Yes, Maybe This Time has the Jill Mansell touches you‘ve come to appreciate: humor, affection, quirky and dynamic characters, romance, hopefulness. But this book also addresses death, fear, and loss. It feels richer, in a way, although I always think Jill Mansell’s’ books are rich and vibrant. Perhaps the better way to put it is that this book feels more poignant?

Mimi and Cal meet cute in Cotswold village. She is drawn to his good looks, yes, but she’s also drawn to his humor and charisma. Can they be together, though? Can he be hers and she his?

The series of near- (and sometimes far) misses that Mimi and Cal experience runs the gamut of hilarious to heartbreaking. In one particular scene, Mimi believes that all hope for a relationship with Cal is ruined. Dear reader, I wept. A few scenes later, though, I guffawed. Such is the magic of Jill Mansell’s writing.

Mansell tells this tale solely through Mimi’s eyes. You stay in her head as she copes with heartache and betrayal, and you are with her when she celebrates love and hope. You will adore her. She is real and interesting, and she compels you to keep reading her story. Cal, too, is wonderful. You can feel his anguish and optimism, and you easily can see what Mimi sees in him.

I enjoyed this book so much. Any book that shouts out ABBA and Colin Firth has to be marvelous, non? When you get to know Mimi, Cal, and the rest of Goosebook, let me know what you think.

Pour Cal and Mimi, these two just can't seem to catch a break. It takes five years and many things happening to keep these two apart. It was fun to follow these two as they navigate all the ups and downs they have to go through until they are finally together. The town they live in is quite quaint and a place i would love to see some day. If you are a fan of Jill Mansell you will enjoy this book. Though again I always wish she would put an epilogue in her books.



*I received a free copy of this book via the NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

Overall, I absolutely loved this story of Jill’s. There were also a few characters from past books that pop up as background characters, but it is not necessary to read anything else by Jill, but you definitely should! There is lots of slow burn and tension, but no sex scenes. This was a quick, one-afternoon read, and it just left a huge smile on my face. If you need a feel-good, will they/won’t they, pick up Maybe This Time on June 4th!

Mimi's Dad lives in the Cotswolds in a small village called Goosebrook. When Mimi finds out her boyfriend has been cheating with her roommate she quits her job and goes to stay with her Dad and his partner. She meets lots of people in the village but Cal and his wife are instantly best friends. Tragedy kills several people in the village including Cal's wife and her Dad. Mimi is drawn to Cal but circumstances keep them apart.
I love this book and did not want it to end. I encourage everyone that likes uplifting books to read this one, it will make you smile.

If you’re ever in need of chicklit that offers just that right amount of fluff, depth and of course – will they won’t they? Jill Mansell is your woman – and Maybe This Time is your first stop!

I was offered an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are strictly my own.

The story
Is there ever a perfect time for love?

When Mimi Huish first visits her dad’s new home in the Cotswolds, she falls in love with Goosebrook and the people who live there. There’s Paddy, with his electric-blue eyes and seductive charm. Friendly and funny Lois makes Mimi laugh. And seriously gorgeous Cal Mathieson is welcoming and charismatic. Though Mimi loves her city life and her career, she’d be very happy to return to Goosebrook if it means seeing more of him.

Life is about to take some unexpected and shocking twists and turns. And Mimi’s path and Cal’s are set to cross again and again–but will it ever be the right time for both of them?

The opinion
Here’s the thing – it used to be that Jill Mansell had a fairly classic set-up of her stories. This book, however, does not adhere to that classic set-up. At all. And I love it. We get to follow Mimi through the years as she deals with heartbreak, loss, personal and professional growth, … And of course: as she keeps going back to Goosebrook.

And what a village Goosebrook is! Basically every stereotypical English village you’ve ever seen? Combine all of those, and you end up with Goosebrook. The good thing about those villages is that there’s always so many characters, and Maybe This Time gets to show off not only Mimi’s story, but all of their stories as well.

Throughout all of this, Jill Mansell manages to keep her distinct voice. I loved the love between Mimi’s dad and his boyfriend, the growth between Lois and her mother-in-law, the irresistible (or should that be: incomparable) Paddie… And I especially loved how they all got their moment to shine, outside of Mimi’s story!

The rating: 4/5
What with the summer really coming up now, this was exactly the book I needed to read. It’s light, it’s fluff, it drags you in with its variety of characters. And of course – it’s Jill Mansell, so you just know Maybe This Time delivers with that final kiss!

-Saar

i always enjoy jill mansell's books - i know what i am getting, a group of fun characters, a few love stories, lots of laughs and a cringey embarrassing moment or two. i don't remember the others super clearly but this has to be the slowest of slow burns ever [the main couple don't get together until the very last chapter]. UGH. that made me cranky. maybe that happens in her other books but it just seemed to take an inordinately long time this time. perhaps that wouldn't have bothered me if it wasn't paired with two other things that bothered me - 1) dead ex. obviously, knowing Cal is the love interest, when you meet his absolutely perfect wife, you know something is going to happen to her. she dies, which is fine and all, but when it comes to a dead ex trope, i want to know that the MCs would have ended up together regardless, ie the original couple would have broken up so the MCs would get together. realistic? no. do i care? double no. in this one, absolutely would not have happened, Cal and Stacey would have stayed happily married forever and ever. 2) i'm not a big fan of 'the timing is never right' - Cal is married, Cal is mourning his wife, Mimi has a boyfriend, Cal is dating Della... if the MCs aren't getting together, i want it to be for other reasons than OW/OM. gah. just not my jam. fair? nope. again, do i care? nope. Cal clearly didn't think of Mimi like that until well after his wife and after Della, whereas Mimi had been crushing on him from the very first day. I wish she'd had another boyfriend or dated someone so the scales weren't so imbalanced.

i really liked the felix and lois story, cora was a delight as well. i do feel like there was less focus on the side characters compared to her other books, which didn't bother me because i always care more about the MCs - but in this case, it just put more pressure on the MCs relationship for me, i wanted them together even more because there was nothing else distracting me.

so with the two things that annoyed me being pretty big things, it sounds like i hated it. that's sooooo not the case. i just wasn't super happy with it. like i said, i love jill mansell books and this one certainly didn't turn me off her writing, it just left me a little unsatisfied. it was still an easy read, i laughed, i totally covered my face in embarrassment a couple of times, it was cute and fun... i just wish a few things were different. it's not the end of the world, it was still a good read and i will definitely pick up another jill mansell book in the future, this one just wasn't my fave.

There is nothing I love more than to settle in with a cup of tea or glass of wine and the latest Jill Mansell book. Thank you NetGalley. While the basic formula that make Jill Mansell's books so popular is present in this title, there was just something missing this time...maybe the characters weren't as developed as in previous books. That being said, it is still a good read, but not one I'd reread like some of her previous titles.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Maybe This Time by Jill Mansell follows the heroine Mimi Huish over the course of several years. When we meet her she is coming down to the Cotswold Village of Goosebrook for the first time to spend the weekend with her father and his partner. Goosebrook becomes home for her and although she lives in London and Spain it becomes her touchstone the place where she is known and loved no matter what the world throws at her. There is a long slow burn of a romance with missed chances and bad timing but finally it all comes right in the end. The cast of supporting characters are well written and add much to the story. I did find the end just a bit abrupt and would have liked more of the happy ending but overall enjoyed the book enough to read it in a single day. More sweet than spicy. Publishing Date June 4, 2019 (note on the publishing date there are several formats of the book and also it’s published in more than one country at different times so the date I noted is the one I was given by NetGalley) #NetGalley #MaybeThisTime #JillMansell #SourcebooksLandmark

I really needed a light-hearted, romance book. This delivered perfectly!
It was a good old fashioned 'will-they-won't-they?' story. Cal and Mimi meet by chance and become good friends, but their situations and lives are never quite aligned enough for them to discover whether they want more than just friendship. Mimi is a high-flying career girl, and Cal is a heartbroken single dad to Cora. Over the years, they become more and more entwined in each other's lives, but it never leads to more…
This book is so heartwarming, and even though it is light-hearted, there are some unfortunate and sorrowful moments that leave you gasping to try and hold back the tears.
The characters are all likeable, even Henrietta, in the end. It is a true small village camaraderie that makes you want to rush and buy a cottage in the country.
It was very surreal being set in the Cotswolds, just up the road from where I live, although I don’t think Goosebrook actually exists? I could picture them at the Water Park, as my husband and I go there often for walks and for lunch. Although Cirencester isn’t my local town, I do go there quite often, so I could imagine the area properly instead of making it up in my head as you would usually have to.
I was glued to the book to find out the outcome of all the characters as the story involved most of the villagers. I would like to find out whether any of Jill Mansell’s other books revolve around any of the periphery characters, as I would certainly like to visit this world again.
This is the first Jill Mansell book that I have read, she’s one of those authors I hear about all the time, but have never actually gotten around to reading any of her books. I can certainly see why she is a worldwide bestseller. This book was exquisite!

This is the perfect summer beach read. My only complaint is that I would have liked another chapter or an epilogue. I would have loved to see these characters after everything has been figured out.

Jill Mansell never disappoints and this story is yet another winner for me. From the very beginning expectations of romance and a happy ending are high and the only mystery is how will the story develop and continue through the book to leave the reader satisfied with a feel good conclusion. The characters are diverse yet believable with a smattering of tragedy woven in along the way to help endear our main characters Cal, Mimi and Cora to us.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jill Mansell and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC.

Jill Mansell has been one of my favorite authors for years. I loved this novel. It's a "will they or won't they get together" chick lit that is CLASSIC Jill Mansell. I loved everything about this book., and was rooting for Mimi and Cal the whole time.

Love love love everything that Jill Mansell has ever written.

There once was a time I didn’t read any Feel Good books. I was all fantasy and historical fiction. And then one day I picked up a really cheap edition of Jill Mansell’s The One You Really Want and I fell in love with her writing style, but also the genre in general. Jill Mansell was my introduction to feel good as a genre and over the years I have been recommending her books to friends and colleagues; because you just can’t go wrong with a book of hers. When I saw an ARC was available of her new book Maybe This Time I realized that I have been recommending her a lot, but I haven’t read anything new myself by her hand for a couple years now. So time to see if I still love her stories as much as I once did.

Let’s just be frank, I loved it. And I am kind of wondering why I don’t read stories by her more often. The main story-line in this book is one of the tropes I absolutely love. Mimi feels butterflies in her stomach from the first moment she meets Cal. But Cal is happily married, father of a beautiful daughter. So over the years they develop a strong friendship, but the question in the background is always “could it be more, if it was ever the right time. And will it ever be the right time?” I absolutely love this trope. Characters who have a strong connection, but the timing is always wrong.

I also love following characters for a longer period of time. And this is exactly what we do in Maybe This Time. We follow Mimi through several years of her life, which gave me as a reader more connection to Mimi as a character. You follow her trough many emotions. Dealing with serious grief after her father passes away, but also living abroad, making friends for life in the little village of Goosebrook. At the same time it makes the story feel more real. You see life altering changes happening, but in a realistic time setting. Not everything happens in one week like some books want us to believe.

The story is geographically set in three background settings. Goosebrooke, Londen en Puerto Pollensa on Mallorca. I absolutely loved the addition of Mallorca to the story, because it just gave it a little bit extra. I don’t know, maybe it was the sun shining outside but it gave the story a little extra glamour. I really loved how the little village of Puerto Pollensa brought a vacation feeling to the story.
Apart from giving it an exotic feel, it gave Mimi’s character more depth. Because of course this is a story about finding love, but it is more than that. Showing Mimi on her own, making a life for herself, made her a stronger character in my opinion. The story didn’t revolve only around her romantic feelings, but it was also about her exploring what she wanted in life and what she could be on a professional level.

A new Jill Mansell book is always a treat. But this one really captured a place in my heart. When I turned the last page I wasn’t ready to let go of the lovely people in Goosebrook and of Mimi. I would have liked to see a more elaborate ending. But that just because I am a sucker for a good epilogue set in the future. I just want to know if the characters become truly happy. But hey, that is just me. This is a brilliant book. I would highly recommend to read during one of those long summer days by the pool.

Full review will be posted on my blog on 27/05/2019

Maybe this time follows the life of Mimi Huish. Mimi gets off a train to visit her dad for the first time in his new town of Goosebrook. She meets a mean woman who refuses to give her a ride to town and ends up walking. On her way she ends up seeing a man (who she thinks is killing a sheep) and rushes to the rescue, only to find out the sheep is pregnant and can't get up. She is instantly taken with Cal who ends up having a wife and daughter. Stacey, Cal's wife is so lovable and so is his daughter Cora. Stacey plays a big part in helping Mimi get her father and step dad to mingle with the locals. During some shocking events Mimi finds herself crossing paths with the locals of Goosebrook again and again. This is a story about missed opportunities and bad timing! This book will have you falling in love with all the characters and their stories. I will admit at first I had a hard time getting completely into the story. Sometimes if flashes forward and Mimi is somewhere else and you're not sure how much time has passed. I would say that this book was a solid 3.8 stars. I wish there was a little bit more depth in the characters! I did enjoy this book and I think this is the perfect easy summer read!
Thank you to Source Books Landmark for the advance copy!

Maybe This Time is a great story that will leave you smiling. I loved Mimi and her character development. Jill Mansell is a master at storytelling. She captures the feeling of the family and community while making you feel like you could actually be a part of the story.

Is it just me or when the title of a book mirrors the lyrics of a song, do you get the song stuck in your head in a loop? Ever since I picked up Maybe This Time by Jill Mansell (in stores June 4), I have Liza Minnelli’s voice in my head—not that I ever mind a good Broadway soundtrack every now and then. But that’s beside the point.

I was looking for something a little lighter to read while I was on vacation, and this ended up being a perfect read. It was much more plot-driven than the typical beach read (which I really appreciate) and the story was a mixture of heartwarming and heartbreaking and really made me feel. I’ve never read anything by Jill Mansell before, but this definitely won’t be my last.

Synopsis
When Mimi first visits her dad’s new home in the Cotswolds, she quickly falls in love with Goosebrook and its inhabitants. (Well, maybe not rude Henrietta, who lets Mimi walk miles in the rain rather than give her a lift.) There’s Paddy, with his flashing eyes and seductive charm. Friendly and funny Lois makes her laugh. And seriously gorgeous Cal is welcoming and charismatic. Mimi would be more than happy to return to Goosebrook if it means bumping into him again…

Time passes and Mimi comes and goes, and concentrates on her career. Yet as their lives continue to intersect over the years and emotions (or relationships) become tangled, it’s Cal who makes her feel most welcome whenever she does return to Goosebrook. But if he’s The One, will it ever be the right time for them both?

My musings
I appreciate the fact that Jill Mansell sets up a world with many developed characters with intertwined stories that make me feel like Goosebrook is a real place and that I want to visit the pub to hang out with the residents on a nightly basis. I love that we get to know the characters with Mimi, first as an outsider, and then on a more deeper level as she becomes more integrated into the community. Her relationships with the people of the town seem genuine as we get to see them develop over many years.

There is a tragic event that happens pretty early on in the book and the rest of the book deals with the aftermath beyond what we would normally get in this type of novel. We see how this catastrophe affected everyone in this little town over the next few years and how relationships needed to grow or change to make it through.

The central love story of the story is a slow burn, and I love it. It’s a true testament to missed chances, timing not working out quite right and miscommunication that is much more realistic than falling in love over a long weekend vacation. I was expecting more of the former, so I’m very happy we had time to get to know them and fall in love with them, too.

4.5 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the advanced copy, and to Ivy Barn on Unsplash for the featured photo of the Cotswolds.

This review will appear on my blog The Modest Reader on May 27 at 7 am (https://themodestreader.com/2019/05/27/maybe-this-time/)

I both enjoyed and was irritated by this book at the same time,
Im a long time Jill Mansell reader, and fan, she offers utterly unbelievable stories - bringing the prince charming story to the modern reader - and whilst some parts really do irk, overall I still keep coming back for more as ultimately you always know you will be rewarded with a smile.