Despite this being only Jenni Keer's second book, this was my first introduction to her work. It is very well written book that was full of charm but with some added giggles along the way. I was absolutely hooked from the start. I instantly warmed to Maisie and adored her character. I loved reading The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows and can't wait to read more from Keer.

Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy via NetGalley from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ah, this book. Let me draw you a picture. Imagine someone you really trust running the backs of their fingers against your cheek. Or the soft touch of a parent; or someone who knows you're busy and uses the softest of voices to ask you something before leaving the room as quietly as they came. Can you imagine that soft feeling that spreads through you? That's what reading The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows was like for me. 

Our lovely, slightly-on-this-side-of-an-OCD Maisie is the youngest child of a family split right down the middle. An older brother that rarely ever comes to see his family, two older sister who can never ever seem to put up with one another and a mother and father who both love and hate one another and so can't stand to be around one another for a moment. 

The arch of the story follows Maisie as she is cheated on and left to find another place of work, simply because how do you work everyday reporting to and sitting opposite the very man that decided to be unfaithful to you? Maisie then finds herself at an auction shop, agreeing to be the Marketing 'Head' (read only one on the team) for the little disorderly, but lovely shop filled with people with no connection whatsoever with one another, but with whom Maisie starts feeling a strange and lovely kinship. Enter, of course, hero, whose entrance we can never ever forget--thank you God *wipes tears of laughter away*.

Obsessed with the idea of bringing her family back together, Maisie recalls the magical and eerie tale told to her by the late neighbour of her childhood home and finds herself in the presence (and later, search of) these seemingly-magicked set of tea cups. All pish-posh right? But, what does it mean that with every bit of the tea set that she finds and reunites, more of her family starts coming together, standing at her doorstep laughing and talking as if nothing had transpired this last decade?

In truth, the The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows is actually about a set of tea cups. But it's also so much more. It's the story about a girl's heartfelt and desperate love for wanting her family and finding out that the pretty lenses she's been seeing things through were exactly that: the gaze of a child, unassuming and love-filled. It's about this young girl giving up this dream, only to find it around her all this while. 

TULoMM has many many laugh-out-loud moments, many many heart-moving sentiments (What? Who said I cried? My eyes merely misted....Okay, I'm lying. I totally cried) and a sweet romance that builds slowly and frankly you're almost ready to clear out the confusions yourself before the characters do, just because these two characters are so precious and you justcan'ttakeitanymore. This book has so many surprises that you never see coming until, they're suddenly there and you're wondering how this never occurred to you?

Imagine all this... now wrap it up just that little bit of magic. 

I highly recommend this lovely read! Read. It. Now. Luckily for you, The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows has released already and you can now go grab a copy in whichever retail store of your choice! 

Jennnnnny! I'm in love with your lovely writing. Please never stop. <3

Jenni Keer has woven together a beautiful story with threads of family, romance, and Magic. When Maisie finds herself loveless and jobless on New Year’s Eve she resolves that she is going to get it together. She also resolves that she is going to unite her fractured family. Soon Maisie finds herself working at an auction house. Job✔️ her new boss is an intriguing and interesting man named Theo. Love✔️ A heartwarming and uplifting story that will put a smile on your face.

Maisie was a delightful character that I loved getting to know. I loved meeting her family and I was really rooting for their eventual reconciliation. I also loved loved loved her coworkers, so much fun, made me want to get a job at an auction house. Loved the magical element with the tea set and Maisie trying to get the set back together. I kind a liked how it was in alignment with her trying to get her family back together. The romance was sweet, Theo was a doll, made my heart melt. This book was simply divine a definite gem.

*** thanks to Avon UK for my copy of this book ***

I think this book had the potential to be a really sweet romantic comedy, but there were just too many misunderstandings and miscommunications such that the conflicts felt very contrived. It's pretty par for the course that there are mishaps and miscommunications in romantic comedies, but it was hard not to get frustrated at the characters in this book at times.

What this book has going for it, however, is that there are a wide variety of characters. This book doesn't limit itself to the normal cast of players in a romantic comedy but rather expands its character list.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this ARC.

Favorite Quotes:

He was not only showing the new girl from HR around the archives but also giving her a guided tour of his tonsils.

Being single was all very well until your ovaries started idly flicking through pension options – not that she was anywhere near that stage, but sand still trickled relentlessly into the bottom chamber of her hourglass.

Theo’s jeans weren’t distressed, they were positively traumatised

Honestly, you’re so tightly coiled that if anyone springs your release catch you’re going to ping over the moon.

… her house was sterile, her desk at work was sterile, bloody hell – after six months without a boyfriend, she was sterile.

He doesn’t give up. All the time he’s in my peripheral vision, lurking like an unidentifiable odour.

My Review:

Jenni Keer is found treasure. This cleverly written and highly amusing book had more sparkles than a glitter bomb and was an utter delight to read. I adored every quirky character and savored each brilliantly chosen word. I fell right into this craftily paced and witty tale, which caused frequent eruptions of giggle-snorts and kept a well-earned smirk on my face throughout perusal. I was also quite resentful of any interruption to my reading and may have actually hissed at the ringing phone. Ms. Keer’s writing was deliciously clever, emotive, crisp, and extraordinarily engaging. She definitely has a gift for effortless levity and absorbing storytelling and I deeply suspect ownership of a magical pen or bewitched software, as she is an absolute powerhouse of a wordsmith.

And in addition to being totally besotted with Ms. Keer, I scored three new additions to my Brit Word List with claggy – which is Brit informal for thick and sticky; banjaxed – which is slang for destroyed or ruined; and G Plan – which is an iconic British brand of furniture.

This was such a wonderful, charming and magical story that should definitely be on everyone’s reading list this summer.

I just fell in love with the main character Maisie who is trying to get her, rather dysfunctional, family back together. She was a great character full of quirky traits and really fun to read about. She has a big heart which just shines from the page and I felt quite sad to finish the book and leave her behind.

I thought this book had a wonderful flow to it which made it easy to get into. I liked the fact that the author resists the temptation to make everything perfect but instead includes some variety into the story with some sad moments alongside the funnier ones. I felt this made the story seem more realistic and like I was reading about a real family so felt more invested in the story.

This is the author’s second book and I’m very excited to read more from her in the future as she knows how to write some fabulous characters!

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Avon for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

I gave this 3.5 stars and rounded up because of the ending which I absolutely loved. I did figure out some twists, but one in particular caught me off guard in the best way (its an adult drama with twists). That said, it took me longer than usual to read it because it was slow at points and because the characters – especially the sister, while well done, acted and felt much younger than they were supposed to be. Sometimes things just didn’t connect. Still, the beginning and ending of the book were brilliant (confusing review I know).

Its the story of Maisie who is on a mission to reunite her family, and an old tea set. Thats the core story, but the lives of the people around her – her family, coworkers, and each link to the tea set – made both missions so interesting

The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows was such an endearing book to read! I loved every minute of it. I could relate to so much of it in regards to families and the brokenness that can occur, but still remains such a big part of our lives and upbringing. The characters were all so well written and the auction house setting was something to imagine and fall in love with. Definitely will be looking to read the other book written by Jenni Keer!

When Maisie Meadows finds herself out of a job and boyfriend she makes a vow to get her life back on track, bring her family back together and find a new job! She gets herself a job in a small auction house run by the wildly eccentric Johnny and handsome Theo. There to spruce up their marketing campaign, Maisie fits nicely in with her fellow workmates, but finds herself drawn to Theo in particular! Can Maisie keep her promise to herself or will she find Theo just far too distracting?!

My first book by this author, and only the second book which the author has written. The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover! It looked so bright and attractive and purple is my favourite colour! I loved the theme of working in an auction house and equally loved the characters that were found working alongside Maisie. The writing made it so easy to just picture yourself amongst them all! I initially felt quite sad for Maisie spending Christmas Day all by herself, but she’s a great character and obviously not one for letting things get her down for too long!! I also loved Maisie’s relationships with all the other characters and the “chalk and cheese” attraction between Maisie and Theo was particularly endearing!! Without saying too much, their first meeting was so funny it made me laugh out loud!

There was though so many moments that did make me laugh that it is impossible to pick my favourite one! Nigel the Hamster though was definitely the star of the show!! The storyline did, in parts, also bring tears to my eyes and I found myself alternating between wiping away tears of laughter and tears of sadness! The writing was clever, witty and heart-warming and I felt an instant connection to the whole premise of the book right from the beginning. Full of family relationships, romance, laughter, sadness, past and present – this book had everything you could possibly need! The book grabbed me from the very first chapter and didn’t let me go until I’d finished it. Would highly recommend it for the ideal summer read!!

Absolutely adored "The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker," so i was excited to read this book. It didn't disappoint and I LOVED it!!! I admit, I even had some tears once maybe twice. At first I was going to rate it 4/4.5 stars, but the ending just got to me. The story was just so heartwarming and I loved all of Maisie's coworkers at Gildersleeve and the Mayhew sisters. Not only did the book bring me to tears but it also made me laugh. What does one do with a box or two of X-rated gnomes? At least Maisie finally found a home for them. Naked Man definitely made me smile, he definitely was shy and eventually found a friend who didn't mind his nakedness. Chuckled a bit when Nigel escaped and Theo thought he was looking for a child. My favorite part of the book were the characters, especially Arthur. He was such a sweet, old man. He loved posing for pictures for the website. Maisie's family was another story. When they were together like fought like cats and dogs. Lisa was just too much and caused a lot of her own problems. Working at the auction house was the best thing for Maisie and ended up meeting terrific people. Although, I don't think she should use that tea set again. Actually she should NEVER use it!!

Definitely recommend the book. I loved everything about it- the story, characters and writing style.
The book was simply wonderful!!! I can't wait to read more books by the author. Loved the book cover.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Avon Books UK through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Don’t you just love family drama!! Maisie Meadows’ family has had it’s fair of drama and arguments over the years, yet one thing Maisie herself longs for, is all of her family under one roof…together. Not much to ask though is it? Ha…

Maisie was such an interesting character to get to know. On one hand she was very determined and feisty, and then the next she came across very uncertain which, weirdly enough, I actually found quite endearing. Her heart was in the right place completely, and she was so hopeful that she could patch her family up for Christmas. However, Maisie seemed to be unable to think logically which definitely surprised me.

I did enjoy the premise of the story and the magic behind the teapot. I really felt the love and the joy it brought to it’s original owner, and then Maisie. That said, I struggled a lot with how the storyline switched between the past and present, as the sections weren’t clearly defined which hindered my enjoyment a little.

Like I say, I did enjoy the storyline, and I thought the characters were such a colourful bunch. Johnny’s flamboyant personality had me giggling and he really lifted the story up when the vibe became a bit sad due to what was happening with Maisie.

I may be on the fence, yet I totally appreciated the thought and feeling behind ‘The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows’. Jenni Keer did a grand job of creating a bunch of characters who are guaranteed to leave their individual marks on readers.

Where do I start when trying to describe this incredibly special story? This book had heart and soul by the bucket load and delivered a touching and heartwarming narrative that will stay with me for many years to come.

Jenni's books are like master classes in the art of character creation. Each and every one is crafted to perfection with such certainty that they become an integral part of the performance, no matter how small their role. I fell in love with every character and couldn't choose a favourite as they all sparkled in their cookie and quirky ways. But Maisie was certainly a shinning star at the centre of this stunning story, who stepped into the spotlight and gave a sublime performance. My heart went out to her on many occasions but I equally couldn't help but laugh out loud at her naieve and endearing approach to life....I mean four boxes of gnomes!!!

What I love most about a Jenni Kerr book is that wonderful infusion of magic that weaves its way into her work. This dusting of fascination adds an element of allurement and draws the reader in with enchantment and intrigue. Maisie's endeavour to bring her family back together is mirrored in her need to reunite the bewitching tea set together as a whole. This need for order is so sweetly etched into Maisie's character that you can't help but will her on to succeed in her life's ventures.

This story will wrap you up in charm and magic and whisk you away on an unforgivable ride. Maisie and the gang are pure perfection and this is one story not to miss. So get this book on your radar at once and step straight into Maisie's world....you won't be disappointed in the slightest.

Ahhhhhh........(that's my satisfied noise after finishing this book).

What a wonderful story!  If you are looking for a romance with a hint of something magical then this book is the perfect read for you.  My first thoughts upon finishing the novel as that it's like an adult fairy tale.  The 'magic' aspect isn't strong or overpowering but it adds a little smidgen of unique essence to the story - adding depth and additional narrative to pull the different aspects together.

The narrative has two main story plots; the romantic aspect and the family perspective. 

The two main protagonists (Maisie and Theo) are delightfully lovable characters with little imperfections making them very human and realistic.  I love how Maisie also gets the opportunity in the novel to discover a lot about herself and not just find romance.  The additional characters who work with them both add depth, comedy and a heartwarming feel to the novel.

Maisie also has to deal with her dysfunctional family.  This aspect of her story is told through a series of flashbacks and present day events that across the book explain some of Maisie's quirks and beliefs.  As her family begin to come back to her, Maisie is dealt with a few surprises. 

This novel was such a  delightful and indulgent read and I cannot recommend it enough.

What a magically fun read! An array of characters and wonderful moments that will tug on heartstrings. The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows is enchanting, a great read that gives us Maisie and her quest to reunite a very special tea set. During this search we see how Maisie’s perspective on life changes and how this affects the relationships with those around her.



It’s a story about family, friendships, and love; it encourages you to embrace whatever comes your way, enjoy life and it’s unexpected occurrences. I also love the idea of perfection not being celebrated and that you should welcome all those quirky differences that make people special.



I loved Maisie, she’s gutsy and funny, she makes mistakes and will hold her hands up to them. I loved how she was so caring and considerate; she likes order and everything ‘in it’s rightful place’ so to speak but then we know she has that hidden ‘messy’ side where she can let go and lose control through her art. She evolves throughout the book and it only makes her more endearing, I was rooting for her all the way through – even if cringing at some of the moments of misunderstanding!



Theo is a complete contrast to Maisie, which is nice. He’s a character I instantly liked; his charm leapt from the page and I could totally understand Maisie’s increasing fondness towards him. He brought out the best in Maisie.

There is a whole host of secondary characters you will adore – each with their own quirks they learn to embrace. Each has their own story to tell but all contribute to Maisie’s story in their own way. Honestly watch out for Arthur, he’s brilliant and your heart will just burst for him.



There is just so much going on within this story, so many potentially cringy moments and misunderstandings but that just added some honesty and comedy to the story.

I highly recommend this book and definitely keep a watch out for Jenni Keer in the future!

What a lovely story. Maisie the youngest child in a dysfunctional family is the star of this gently paced, characterful story. Her attempts to recreate the ‘perfect family’, are spectacularly unsuccessful, as she is let down by her latest lover and loses her job as well.

The auction house job is a new start, and it feels right, but the serendipitous change in circumstances and career, and the part tea set she uncovers have a profound effect on her life and those close to her.

Maisie is a realistically flawed but easy to empathise character, her motivation for good is strong, but her foundations are rocky. Was life really as ‘rosy’ as she remembers? Is having a tidy house, the only way she can live her life, which seems so out of control. Is her secret, a true reflection of who she really is?

There are so many levels to this story, a potential romance, that is fraught with misunderstanding. A little magic, that Maisie hopes to use to bring her family together. The outcome is not what she expects, but is believable and hopeful. A multi-generational theme, that adds depth to the story and shows how the present reflects the past, and the lessons to be learnt.

It’s easy to lose yourself in this book. Character-driven, it makes you believe in the story, and want the best for Maisie and her friends. The setting is authentic, and relatable and gives the book its unique twist.

Gentle romance, quirky characters and a wealth of emotion and regret, all make this story a lovely interlude in everyday life.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A wonderfully witty, heartwarming and engrossing romantic tale that kept me turning the pages late into the night, Jenni Keer’s latest novel, The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows, is a compulsively readable fun read sure to put a great big smile on your face!

New Year’s Day is a time for celebration, optimism and good cheer, however, Maisie Meadows is not feeling particularly festive or hopeful as everything that could possibly go wrong has gone wrong for her. Poor Maisie is single, jobless and feeling as if life is passing her by. With her family scattered all over the place, she decides to put romance on the back burner and focus all of her time and energies into reuniting her family. Maisie doesn’t want or need all the complications and challenges of a new romance, however, when she starts a new job working at an auction house, she finds all of her resolves to stay stubbornly single melting away…

Her new job puts her in close proximity with a man who is absolutely perfect for her. Theo is charming, charismatic, gorgeous and absolutely unattainable. Maisie knows that she should not even contemplate the thought of a relationship between them, however, that soon proves to be easier said than done. As the bond between the two of them intensifies and their feelings for one another grow, Maisie wonders whether she should stop being so scared to take a chance on love and grab this unexpected chance at happiness with both hands.

As the Meadows clan ends up being reunited in the most unexpected of ways, Maisie cannot help but wonder whether she should cast aside the burdens of the past that are weighing heavily upon her shoulders and start living life on her own terms. But is she strong enough to let go and start over? Or will she finally take a leap of faith and be the one in charge of her destiny?

Charming, enjoyable and a delight from beginning to end, The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows is a terrific read that is absolutely impossible to put down. Jenni Keer creates a world you simply want to jump into and live in and she has penned a tale of hope, new beginnings, fresh starts and chasing your dreams that is simply irresistible. Maisie is a wonderful character you will cheer for and relate to and her antics are sure to having you laughing out loud.

Uplifting, feel-good, emotional and far too good to miss, Jenni Keer has done it again and penned another winner with her latest novel, The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows!

The break up of a relationship and loss of job allows Maisie to realise she needs her family reunited and the way she does it is through a magical tea set of which each piece can be associated with a family member of Meredith whom the tea set once belonged to, this in turn helps her achieve her goal. The usual romance and great story telling ensures a fun, quirky and at times confusing (not in a bad way) read, which include many misunderstandings and communications which eventually get resolved
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed reading "The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows", as the author has an exeptional writing style which inclueds very detailed descriptions of places, clothes or characters. This helped me with understanding the scene and feeling like a part of the book. I liked Maisie's organized but quirky character and especially the description of her workplace, the auction house.
The romance between her and Theo is written in a nice way and it's charming, how they both fall in love but the circumstances aren't on their side at first.

I knew that The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows would be a hit with me from the first paragraph.
Keer's writing reads beautifully, flows really well and feels elegant. The story she tells is engrossing, the characters she offers are interesting. I liked the pacing, I liked the romance the story featured. I found it all to be surprisingly unpredictable. With laugh out loud moments, this book was basically unputdownable, which is why I read it so fast.
Everything about this book is well executed. I think it's very enjoyable, and it's definitely a read that fans of the genre will enjoy.

When you read as many romance books as I do, it can be quite difficult to find one that stands out from the crowd – although I enjoy every single one, and have a love for the genre that will never die. But it is always particularly exciting when you find one of the particularly special ones – and this lovely book provides sheer enjoyment from beginning to end, with some really original twists and turns to the story, a touch of magic, and a cast of characters that you can’t fail to fall in love with.

And then there’s the writing: strong, confident, with dialogue that sparkles and the surest of touches with both the emotional content – and there’s plenty of that – and the gentle comedy that constantly makes you smile. There’s a multiplicity of story threads in this book that would be daunting for the most experienced of authors – all equally enchanting and engaging, every one spooled out and untangled with dexterity, care for the detail, and tremendous aplomb.

Maisie, at the book’s centre, won my heart very quickly – with her desperate need to bring together her fragmented family, to recreate the happier times of her childhood, however unlikely and difficult that might be. And that’s mirrored in her quest to reunite the parts of a tea set, initiated by the chance find of a teapot that played an important part in her childhood memories. I loved Maisie’s quirkiness and relentless optimism, unusually coupled with an obsessive need for control and order, everything in its proper place: and I loved her release, the art created in her spare bedroom, a truer reflection of her messy life but tackled with a joy that’s entirely contagious.

As she tries to bring her family and the tea set together – and finds herself involved in bringing together yet another fractured family, and quite a few more broken links and relationships – she’s finding her feet in a new job at Gildersleeves auction house, taken on to bring their marketing into the 21st century. The setting is wonderful and lovingly recreated – if the auction house’s name sounds Dickensian, wait until you meet Johnny – and allows the introduction of a whole additional cast of quite wonderful characters. Misunderstandings do abound, mainly about the relationships between all her new colleagues – and while that might not always be my favourite plot device, in this book it all works just perfectly, its glorious confusion providing many of the book’s funniest moments.

Then there are the gnomes, Nigel’s reactions and interventions (no, you’ll need to read the book!), the tea set’s secret code, the relationship between Maisie’s parents (I adored her mother), her particularly intrusive and entitled sister, Theo’s scruffiness and 80s obsession (but he’s so thoroughly loveable), Elle’s vulnerability and the unfolding of her character…

I must particularly mention the quite excellent handling of the individual stories of the book’s older characters – Meredith’s support for her struggling neighbours, the nursing home scenes so realistically portrayed (and with such funny and touching moments), the relationships between the Mayhew sisters – but particularly that of auction house porter Arthur, so beautifully done and so unexpected that it made me cry.

I’ve rarely come across a book where every subsidiary character is so perfectly drawn that I became so entirely engrossed in and enchanted by their personal stories, every one given appropriate weight and worked through to conclusion. Its magical touches might be real, might be coincidental, but it’s all so very beautifully and cleverly done – and the book’s ending is so absolutely perfect, uplifting and heartwarming, that it moved me to tears yet again.

Just in case I might have left any room for doubt, this was such a special book, and I loved everything about it – highly recommended to all.

(Copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available.)