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    Rumor Has It: In a town this small, a secret is hard to keep
    Unavailable
    Rumor Has It: In a town this small, a secret is hard to keep
    Unavailable
    Rumor Has It: In a town this small, a secret is hard to keep
    Ebook446 pages6 hours

    Rumor Has It: In a town this small, a secret is hard to keep

    By Jill Mansell

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Would you be tempted?

    Newly single, Tilly Cole impulsively accepts a job offer in a small town as a "Girl Friday." Fun job, country house, fresh start, why not? But soon she finds herself in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the town's most desirable bachelor—Jack Lucas.

    Rumors of Jack's "love 'em and leave 'em" escapes abound, and Tilly decides to do the mature, sensible thing... avoid Jack at all cost. But the more time Tilly spends with Jack, the more the rumors just don't make sense. Tilly doesn't know what to believe... and Jack's not telling.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSourcebooks
    Release dateMay 1, 2010
    ISBN9781402247002
    Unavailable
    Rumor Has It: In a town this small, a secret is hard to keep
    Author

    Jill Mansell

    With over 10 million copies sold, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Mansell writes irresistible and funny, poignant and romantic tales for women in the tradition of Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Jojo Moyes. She lives with her partner and their children in Bristol, England.

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    Reviews for Rumor Has It

    4/5

    140 ratings7 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I would give this 3.5 stars if I could: I enjoyed it, it kept me interested, and I empathized with the characters. But, I didn't quite see the main character moving from fancying the guy to being deeply in love with him, and I'm not sure at what point he really fell for her, either. If anything, the excellent cast of secondary characters stole the show just a little.

      Also, after approximately half the book being very light-hearted, a seriously terrible thing happened to one character. This did change the mood abruptly. I don't have a problem with weighty issues in books like this, but it felt a bit like finding a shark in a swimming pool - nothing had signalled (to me) that we were getting into dangerous waters.

      Nonetheless, if I could write like this, I'd be proud. Look forward to reading more by this author.
    • 4/5
      Its a little slow in the middle but the writing is much better than most chick lit and I truly enjoyed listening to this story.
    • 4/5
      I loved Tilly in this story. She was funny and genuine and her storyline was the most fun. People get together for a lot of different reasons, but here Ms. Mansell looks at genuine love versus the counterfeits.
    • 5/5
      I was intrigued when I read the blurb about RUMOR HAS IT.Newly single Tilly Cole impulsively moves to a small town, only to find she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the most desirable man—Jack Lucas, whose reputation is beyond bad. Tilly has no intention of becoming another notch on his bedpost. But she finds the thoughtful, caring guy she comes to value as a friend doesn't seem to fit the town's playboy image. Should she listen to her friends or her heart? Is Tilly being mature and sensible—or running away from the love of her life? After reading the book, I don’t think the blurb really does the book complete justice. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good blurb and gets your attention. However, there is so much more going on with the other characters that’s not mentioned.There are several basic storylines happening at the same time. Author Jill Mansell has a unique way of intertwining all the storylines so they flow smoothly from one to the next and back again naturally.Besides the fascinating story of Till and her attraction to the town’s Casanova, Jack; you have her best friend Erin, who owns a consignment dress shop. Erin falls for Fergus, who is estranged from Stella. Their story is funny, outrageous, sweet and touching. To have Erin’s grace would be amazing.Next you have Tilly’s new box, Max, and his 13-year-old daughter, Lou. Max owns an interior design company and is gay. Lou is a typical teenager with moments of grownup wisdom.Also in the mix is Max’s ex-wife, Kaye, a Hollywood actress. Kaye finds herself in a wee bit of trouble in the states, returns to Roxborough and soon has the attention of a “stalker” from New York.All of this may sound a little confusing, but not to worry. RUMOR HAS IT is a delightful read from the opening line until the last word with no confusing bumps along the way.If you enjoy YOU’VE GOT MAIL or SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, you don’t want to miss this book. It will have you laughing out loud, shaking your head in disbelief, stunned at some of the outrageous behavior, and even shedding a tear or two of joy and sorrow. This may be a chick-lit book, but I think male readers will enjoy it too. They just may not tell anyone they’ve read it.As for the central figure, Tilly. She’s a wonderful character. She has the normal faults and concerns we all have. She does, however, find herself in some unusual circumstances from time to time.When you need a relaxing, fun book to help you unwind and have a laugh or two, reach for RUMOR HAS IT. You won’t go wrong.
    • 5/5
      From My Blog...Funny, smart, and wonderfully amusing Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell is a delightfully refreshing look at the inhabitants of the eccentric and gossipy town of Roxborough. Mansell writes strong and realistic characters, replete with flaws and mannerisms that can at times drive a person a bit mad, yet makes the characters all the more endearing and unforgettable. The main character, Tilly, returns home from work to discover her boyfriend has done a bunk, leaving her with a flat she cannot afford and does what anyone would do, she goes to visit her best chum Erin. While visiting Erin in Roxborough, Tilly answers an advert for a Girl Friday position and before she knows she is hired on by Max Dineen and his precocious teenager Lou. Rumor Has It is filled with several sub-plots with a hint of intrigue and a few twists making it rather impossible to set down. The reader is quickly immersed into Roxborough and the inhabitants of High Street through the descriptive writings of Mansell and the gossip surrounding Stella, Fergus, Erin, Max, Jack, Lou, Kaye and the rest of the inhabitants of High Street. While I enjoyed all of the characters, I must say my absolute favourite was Max, his mannerisms were very familiar as was his wit and I found him irresistible. Rumor Has It is a novel one easily becomes absorbed in and readers will soon lose sight of time. My only regret was when the novel ended. I highly recommend Rumor Has It to anyone looking for a charmingly witty, and all around fun novel.
    • 5/5
      I really can't say enough how much I enjoyed reading this wonderful book. As a fan of Meg Cabot's adult books, and Sophie Kinsella's stand alone novels, I felt like I'd found a book that was reminiscent of the type of "chick lit" that allowed the main character to be strong, yet emotionally open. Tilly was a sweet character that only annoyed me in her resistance to Jack, who really manages to warm the heart. Jack isn't the regular Lothario that you're eager to hate; he's actually much more complex and filled with surprising depths of kindness and generosity. I think that I fell in love with Jack!The other thing I really enjoyed about Mansell's novel was the number of other characters involved in the story. Sometimes I feel as if a writer needs to fill space and keep you reading, so they introduce a number of characters to get your attention. In this case, they each felt important and lovely in connection with the story as a whole. I loved Tilly's best friend Erin, and wanted to see her happy. Max was also a lovely character, with a wonderful back story to add depth to the novel. Altogether, I really loved each of the characters, and was almost sad to see the book end!Overall, I give Rumor Has It a high two thumb's up. I loved the escape factor of the story, and the sweet love story that unfolded. As mentioned, if you're at all a fan of Cabot or Kinsella, then I can readily and happily recommend this novel as another fun addition to the genre.
    • 4/5
      Story OverviewThis is the story of what happens when a girl from the city moves to a little town and finds out what happens when people stop being polite ... and start being real. (Oh wait ... that is the description of The Real World, isn't it?) But, essentially, this book is about how living in a small town can be a little like living in fish bowl. The town in question is Roxborough (located in the UK ... but I'm not sure if it is a real town or a Mansell creation). When Tilly Cole is left by her live-in boyfriend (who she secretly wished would leave her so she didn't have to do the dirty work of breaking up with him), she impulsively moves to Roxborough to work as a Girl Friday for an interior designer named Max. As she gets involved in town life, it turns out that almost everyone is the victim of a rumor or has a secret of some kind, including:* Erin - Tilly's best friend who owns a dress shop and recently began a secret romance with a not quite yet divorced man* Stella - the wife of Erin's new boyfriend, who attempts to get revenge for her husband leaving her by spreading nasty rumors about Erin* Max - Tilly's new employer who is openly gay but knows a few secrets about other folks who may be gay (whether they know it or not)* Lou (Louisa) - Max's daughter who has a secret of her own that she is keeping from her family ... but it isn't the one that Tilly and her mother think it is* Kaye - Max's ex-wife and Lou's mom, who moved to America and became a TV star but who recently got blacklisted in Hollywood after falling victim to a nasty rumor started by the deranged wife of a producer on her show* Jack Lucas -Roxborough's resident hottie and tragic widower, who seems to have slept with every woman in town (if you believe the rumors ... ) and now seems to want to add Tilly to his list of conquests.The heart of the story is the relationship between Tilly and Jack, but all the characters get attention and a chance to work through their rumors, relationships and secrets. Although the book is light-hearted and fun, Mansell is careful to add grayer tones to the story as well.My ThoughtsThis was a fun read that is perfect for the beach or summertime reading. Mansell populates Roxborough with a collection of fun characters who all have their own issues, secrets and rumors to deal with. Yet, at the same time, Mansell isn't afraid to add in more serious story lines as well, including cancer, homophobia and a tragic early death for Jack's first love. This helps ground the book and make it more than just a fluff piece. Yet, at the same time, you don't have to worry about things not working out or the story suddenly turning into a tragedy when you just wanted to have a happy little read.The press release I got with the book describes Mansell as the "Brit-Chick-Lit Sensation" and later describes the books as "funny, sassy woman's novel." (Are women not "chicks" I wonder?) Now I personally have no problem with books labeled "chick lit," but I think they've gotten a bit of a bad reputation. According to the Source of All Knowledge (Wikipedia), chick lit is fiction that addresses issues of modern women often humorously and lightheartedly. When you think about that way, what is the matter with that? I know I don't always want to read heavy books; you need a light, humorous book every now and then to cleanse your palate.My Final RecommendationDon't be turned off by the "chick lit" label! If you're looking for a funny, light read that entertains, this books fits the bill nicely. Mansell has a breezy writing style that moves the story along nicely, and I appreciated that she took the time to develop the secondary story lines as much as the romance between Jack and Tilly. Mansell is a bestselling author in the UK, and I suspect she will be here in the US as well. I mean, how can you not want to support an author whose bio reads like this:"Jill Mansell lives with her partner and children in Bristol, and writes full time. Actually that’s not true; she watches TV, eats fruit gums (gum drops), admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the Internet marveling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she’s completely run out of displacement activities does she write."