Full Description

Miranda's Big Mistake

Miranda's track record with men is horrible.

Her most recent catastrophe is Greg. He seems perfect—gorgeous, witty, exciting. And he and Miranda are in love… until Miranda discovers he left his wife when he found out she was pregnant.

With the help of her friends, Miranda plans the sweetest and most public revenge a heartbroken girl can get. But will Miranda learn from her mistake, or move on to the next "perfect" man and ignore the love of her life waiting in the wings…

Even the worst mistake of your life can lead to true love in the end…

"An exciting read about love, friendship and sweet revenge - fabulously fun."
Home and Life

"Both laugh-out-loud funny and tear-jerkingly sad…You won't put it down."
New Woman

"Watch and learn as Miranda wreaks her sweet revenge—and memorize her sharp one-liners."
Cosmopolitan (UK)

"A jaunty summer read."
Daily Mail

"Fast, furious, and fabulous fun. To read it is to devour it."
Company

"Pick this up at your peril: you won't get a thing done till it's finished."
Heat Magazine

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter 1

It was the first day of April. Seeing the reception desk temporarily unmanned, Miranda snatched up the ringing phone.

'Fenn Lomax salon, how can I help you?'
'Hello.' It was a male voice. 'I need a complete restyle.'
'We do have a long waiting list,' Miranda warned, uncapping a pen with her teeth. 'Could I have your name, please?'
'Bruce Willis.'
Over the phone, she heard gales of background laughter.
'Oh ha ha, well done, very good,' Miranda recited dutifully. 'If only Eddie Izzard was as witty as you.' She rolled her eyes at Bev, the salon's glamorous receptionist, now racing back from the loo.
'Who was that?' said Bev as Miranda hung up.
'An imbecile. April Fools' Day, don't you just love it?'
Grabbing her coat and rummaging in the pockets, Miranda dragged out one green woollen glove and one pink leather one. Well, imitation leather.
Bev's manicured blonde eyebrows went up.
'Lunch break already? It's only half past eleven.'
'Indentured servitude.' Making sure she wasn't being watched, Miranda pulled a face. 'Cigarettes for Alice Tavistock. And a box of herbal tea bags. And half a dozen first-class stamps. That woman, honestly, I don't know why she doesn't write out her whole week's shopping list, pack me off to Sainsbury's and be done with it.'

'And when you've finished that,' Bev suggested helpfully, 'you could valet her car.'
'Pop her washing round to the launderette.'
'Mow her lawn.'
'Fill out her tax return.'
'Clean her loos,' Bev blinked innocently, 'with her own toothbrush.'
'Miranda, are you still here?' Fenn Lomax, emerging from the VIP room, shot her a look of disbelief.
'Sorry, Fenn, no, Fenn, I'm gone.' Miranda jammed her gloves on, getting three fingers stuck in one thumb-hole. She grinned at Bev and made a dash for the door. 'Back in ten minutes, okay?'
Fenn called after her, 'Make that five.'
Since Fenn Lomax had landed himself a regular slot on the hugely popular TV show It's Morning! his client list had blossomed beyond recognition.

As the show's producer had pointed out, he was a seriously attractive heterosexual hairdresser. How could he fail?
The female producer had been right.
With his streaky-blond shoulder-length hair, thickly fringed hazel eyes and come-to-bed smile, Fenn had a way with women and scissors that had done his business no harm at all. No longer buried in the back streets of Bermondsey (special rates for pensioners on Mondays and Wednesdays), he had been catapulted upmarket to the altogether glossier pavements of Knightsbridge's Brompton Road (special rates never). Celebrities queued up, for months sometimes,for the privilege of shelling out two hundred and fifty pounds and being able to boast to friends, journalists…well, anyone who'd listen, basically, that theirs was a Fenn Lomax cut.

Nowadays you could spot his clients a mile off, thought Miranda, teetering on the edge of the curb as a chauffeur-driven limo pulled up inches from her toes. The snow had all but melted now, leaving only squelchy dregs, but the woman emerging from the back of the limousine was kitted out in enough fur to see her through a hike across the Antarctic. Gingerly, in her fur-lined boots, she picked her way through the slush.

Well, it was an awfully wide pavement. All of six feet from the car to the apricot-tinted-glass and brass doors of the salon.

And if you were going to pay a chauffeur to run you around town, it made sense to economize in other areas, Miranda acknowledged, recognizing the famous romance novelist as she removed her dark glasses. That must be why the stingy, face-lifted old hag had only tipped her thirty pence last week.

The stamps and cigarettes weren't a problem, but the Grapefruit Zing herbal tea bags with extra ginseng took longer to track down. By the time she'd bought everything, Miranda was already fifteen minutes late.

He was there, sitting in his usual spot outside the shoe shop. Experiencing a horrid qualm of guilt, Miranda wondered if she could cross the road so he wouldn't catch sight of her, or simply rush past pretending she hadn't seen him.

Then again, perhaps she should just explain that she was in a tearing hurry and didn't have her purse on her right now, but if he hung around for another hour or so, she'd see him later. Hung around for another hour or so, Miranda thought with a shudder. Crikey, patronizing or what?
Poor chap, as if he had anywhere else to go.
Oh, but he looked so cold, so utterly miserable and chilled to the bone.
Too late to try and avoid him now anyway, she realized. He'd spotted her.
'Hi,' said Miranda, feeling rotten already. His blanket was damp, soaked through with slush. 'Look, this isn't my lunch break, I'm just picking up a few things for a client, but I'll definitely be back before two.' Inwardly, she cringed. Oh, help, why did a perfectly good reason have to come out sounding like a feeble excuse? He didn't want one of her sandwiches in two hours' time, he needed something to warm him up now.
'Okay.' The man, who was probably in his early thirties, nodded and managed a faint smile. 'Thanks.'

He never begged, never asked for anything. Just sat there, with his greasy black hair falling over his face and his dark eyelashes half shielding his eyes, as he watched the rest of the world march on by. Miranda had never given him money in case he was a drug addict. The thought of her spare cash being injected into the nearest collapsed vein made her shudder. At least he couldn't fit a prawn sandwich into a syringe.

But today the circumstances were different. And there was a Burger King just across the road, selling hot drinks. What's more, Miranda remembered, Alice Tavistock had given her a ten-pound note to go shopping with…

'Here.' Hurriedly she fumbled in her coat pocket for change and thrust seventy pence into his hand. 'Buy yourself a cup of tea. Thaw out a bit.'
'That's very kind.'
Heroin cost more than seventy pence, didn't it?
Worried, needing to check, Miranda said, 'You don't do drugs?'
Another fleeting smile, accompanied this time by a shake of the head.
'No, I don't do drugs.'
Except…well, he would say that, wouldn't he?
Miranda gave up; she had to get back. Ugh, this weather, her feet were going numb.
'Okay, see you later.' She flexed her icy toes. 'Ham and tomato or prawn with mayonnaise?'
The man on the pavement shrugged.
'I don't mind. You choose.'

Reviews

Reviews

ForeWord
Bestselling British writer Jill Mansell delivers another witty, fun-filled read with her latest effort, Miranda’s Big Mistake. Meet Miranda – a hip, twenty-something woman who works as a salon junior at the posh Fenn Lomax Salon in the trendy Knightsbridge section of London. Describes as “dippy and goodhearted” by her best friend Bev, Miranda is not looking for love but just happens to run into it at every turn. Fans of Bridget Jones will find it difficult not to fall for Miranda, a plucky girl filled with genuine empathy for the downtrodden, and her uncanny knack for speaking her mind in unforgettable one-liners. Not only that, but she’s got blue and green lowlights in her shiny black hair. Edgy and entertaining, Miranda is someone we root for from the beginning, no matter which man she decides is the right one for her. First comes Hungry and Homeless, also known as Danny, a journalist posing as a homeless man whom Miranda befriends by giving him food and money whenever she can afford it, and sometimes even when she can’t. Once she discovers he is not homeless and is doing a documentary about homelessness for television, she becomes irate. When he asks her out, she chooses the most expensive restaurant she knows as a form of revenge. Next comes Greg, a handsome accountant Miranda meets at a charity event where she scrawls her phone number across his chest. Greg, who is out for a good time after having recently left his wife because she became pregnant against his wishes, falls hard for Miranda. After things end badly with Greg, Miranda and Danny plot revenge against him. And just as Danny is about to confess his love for Miranda, in walks Miles Harper, a dashing racecar driver intent on becoming the object of Miranda’s affection. And Mansell keeps us guessing by guiding us through Miranda’s hilarious relationship adventures with fast-paced plotting and choice dialogue. For any average girl, this all may seem too much to handle. But Miranda has the support of her landlady, Florence Curtis, a crusty wheelchair-bound woman in her mid-fifties with a heart of gold. Always ready with a shoulder to cry on, a stiff drink and sage advice, Florence is the perfect antidote for Miranda’s man troubles. If you are on your way to the beach, Miranda’s Big Mistake is a must-bring and will keep you reading long after the sun goes down. (June) Monica Carter

A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf Bella McGuire
Meet Miranda. She’s a junior hairdresser at a glamorous salon, and hopeless at relationships. When she meets the charming Greg she thinks all her dreams have come true. He is charming and sexy, but is he the real thing or is he Miranda’s next big mistake?

This time of the year is perfect for summer reading, grabbing a toe-curler chicklit novel, and devouring it all day and night. Jill Mansell’s Miranda’s Big Mistake is the perfect novel for such a summer read.

Jill Mansell has crafted a delightful read, that made me smile, laugh out loud and even cry.

While the plotline is far from original, as our heroine tries to find her perfect love, it is the characters that make this novel a true delight. Accompanying Miranda, is a wonderful cast of fun and unique characters. Florence, the quirky landlady, who loves keeping the fun in her life, even if it means upsetting her too spoilt son. Tabitha, the over-sexed ex-actress, who can’t keep her hands off stylist to the stars, Fenn Lomax. Not to mention the fun salon receptionist, Bev, who is Miranda’s best friend and desperate to find a man and get married.

The setting for Miranda’s Big Mistake is London, and includes the gossipy, fun salon, which could be any hairdresser salon across the globe. It is Jill Mansell’s attention to details when it comes to the settings that I was most impressed with. While I’ve never been to London, I did spot the reference to Charing Cross Road.

In the scene where Danny surprises Miranda with a copy of a rare-book she read as child, this infamous street is mentioned…

“It was nothing.” Danny sounded modest. “Just a question of trawling through every second-hand bookshop in the country. Found this one, finally, in a little back street in Newcastle-”
“You didn’t!” gasped Miranda.
Danny burst out laughing.
“No of course I didn’t. If you really want to know, there’s a shop on the Charing Cross Road that specialises in tracking down out-of-print books.”

If anyone has read Helen Hanff’s 84 Charing Cross Road, they will spot this delightful reference to a rare bookstore on that street.

Overall, I give this one a big thumbs up. It is a fun, quirky read, that had my toes curling right up until the last sentence. If you are a fan of celebrated UK contemporary authors such as Cathy Kelly and Marian Keyes, I strongly suggest giving Jill Mansell and Miranda’s Big Mistake a try.

Cheryl’s Book Nook Cheryl Koch
Miranda works at Fenn Lomax salon as a junior stylist. Poor Miranda though can’t seem to do anything right. First she gives away one of the salon’s client’s money to a homeless man. Next she gives the homeless man a pair of very expensive gloves, only to have the rightful owner call to say he is coming to pick them up. Hey it wasn’t Miranda’s fault that the owner after six weeks all of a sudden decides he wants his missing gloves back. Though some miracle, Miranda’s boss Fen Lomax tolerates all of Miranda’s antics.

Chole Malone has just received the biggest shock of her life. She is pregnant. She and her husband never planned on having children but sometimes surprises can be a good thing...right? When Chloe shares the good news with her husband, Greg, he is anything but thrilled. In fact he is so irate that he packs up and ditches Chloe. But he does leave her the clock his grandmother gave them as he isn’t a bastard that way.

While attending one of her friend’s charity parties, Miranda meets the most handsomest man there. Instantly they experience a connection. HIs name is Greg. Will Greg end up being Miranda’s biggest mistake yet?

Miranda is such a sweetheart. You won’t meet anyone with a bigger heart then her. I can’t get enough of her and all of her friends. Miranda may not see herself as star quality material but she is wrong. What a fun, flirty, fabulous summer read. Miranda’s Big Mistake I can assure you will not be a mistake to read. The only mistake you will be making is if you don’t read this book. This is the first time I have read anything by Jill Mansell and it won’t be the last.

Hollywood Today Gabrielle Pantera
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 5/28/2009 - “Miranda is a hairdresser,” says Miranda’s Big Mistake author Jill Mansell. “I think hairdressing salons are fascinating places. You can hear so much gossip and so much goes on there.”

“I saw a documentary on TV where a journalist went undercover, pretending to be a down-and-out and was secretly filming the public’s reaction to him in the street,” says Mansell. “That was my starting point. It also meant I’ve been giving money to down-and-outs ever since, just in case they happen to have a camera hidden under their coat.”

Miranda’s Big Mistake is about Miranda’s mistakes with men. Will she ever get it right? Miranda thinks everyone is good and nice. She’s been sharing her sandwiches for weeks with Danny, a homeless man. However, he’s not really homeless. Greg isn’t as he seems, either. He hasn’t told Miranda that he left his pregnant wife Chloe, that he doesn’t want the baby they made. A twist of fate puts Miranda and Chloe together.

“I’m not one for months of serious research,” says Mansell. “If I really need to know something, I’ll ask an expert or use the Internet. Sometimes the simplest things are the trickiest. For example, I’m currently writing about someone who works in an office as a PA, but I’ve never worked in an office and I have no idea what it entails!”

“Here in Britain my agent is Jane Judd,” says Mansell. “She’s an American literary agent who lives and works in the UK. I found her in the Writers and Artists Yearbook twenty years ago. She loved my first book, and we’ve been together ever since.”

“My agent submitted one of my books to Sourcebooks,” says Mansell. “Deb Werksman, the acquiring editor for Casablanca, loved it and immediately asked to see the rest. The editorial process has been minimal. The books have already been published by Headline in the UK. All I have to do is alter some of the British-isms that would make no sense to Americans.”

“I’m forever being told that ‘Miranda’ would make a great movie,” says Mansell. “My books keep being likened to the films Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’ Diary.” However, no films are imminent.”

Miranda’s Big Mistake is full of witty dialog. You get drawn right into the book. Miranda is a junior stylist and the hair salon setting really works. It’s fun to find how catty the people in the book can be and what loyalty the stylists can have. It’s a pleasure to see Mansell’s book in the U.S. You can picture it as a movie. It has a happy ending, unusual for British chick-lit.

Jill Mansell grew up in Bristol, England, where she still lives. She’s written twenty books. Three are being published in the U.S. this year. Three more are coming out next year.

I Just Finished Jani
The variety of characters makes a hilarious situation comedy. There is a puckish kind of mixed-up crush/love happening among the characters with lots of surprises.

Miranda falls in love with her dream man, then discovers that he is married and had left his wife when she became pregnant. His ex-wife is now Miranda’s roommate, so the two women marshall forces, rope in a few willing friends and exact a sweet revenge.

Miranda makes more than one mistake, as do her friends, but they stick together and make their way to happiness.

I can see this story as a stage play or movie. The timing, close calls and mix-ups would be hilarious to see. As one character closed a door, another would enter, just missing the person with whom they have issues.

I highly recommend this book for light, entertaining reading. It’s a great pick for the beach bag and will be available just in time for summer!

The Long and Short of It Reviews Camellia
Miranda is thrilled with Greg. He’s gorgeous, funny, and practically perfect. Greg thinks Miranda is great, but he hasn’t told her everything about himself. After all, even the sweetest girl is likely to be put off by a man who’s left his newly pregnant wife. But there’s now way she’ll ever find out... is there?

When Greg inevitably breaks Miranda’s heart, her friend Danny is there to cheer her up, and they quickly wreaks an unforgettable revenge. Miranda’s now ready to move on to another affair - but will Danny get a chance to tell her he’s in love with her himself...

Great fun and so much more, Miranda’s Big Mistake is loaded with remarkably interesting characters but Miranda is the one that “shoots herself in the foot” most often. She is also irrepressible, full of energy, kindhearted, ditsy, and a champion at picking “losers” for boyfriends.

Florence, Chloe, and Bev accept Miranda just the way she is as they add sub-plots to Miranda’s story. Florence, in her wheelchair, is a feisty, lovable, unrepentant meddler—a delight. Sweet Chloe initially seems to be a “doormat” but her metamorphosis is a joy to see. “Always-put-together” Bev finally comes into her own at the paintball games—a surprise and absolute fun! Mansell’s humorous style shines as she develops these characters.

“Good ole” Greg is an antagonist one loves to hate—yuck! But Bruce is not far behind. They add new layers to the happenings. Of course, Danny, Miles, Fenn, Johnnie, and Tom, the good guys so deftly woven into the story by Jill Mansell, are intriguing and unique—each of them gives a special meaning to true love.

The British humor, life styles, social life, and interest in celebrities propels the story along at lightening speed at times making it difficult to put the book down. Keeping up with all the characters does the reader alert. They are a busy bunch.

Jill Mansel’s writing style, with its many levels of humor, its multiple plots, and intriguing characters, makes Miranda’s Big Mistake splendid reading. It is funny, sassy, and it lifts the spirit. GOOD READING!

Booking Mama Julie Peterson
I couldn’t get enough of MIRANDA’S BIG MISTAKE and characters; and I didn’t want the book to end. After reading two of her books, I now consider myself a huge fan of Ms. Mansell’s; and I am glad that Sourcebooks is releasing more of her books in the next few months. I can’t put my finger on exactly why I enjoy her books so much, but I think it has something to do with the way she writes them. She comes up with an entertaining story, creates memorable and likable characters, and then writes her books with lots of humor thrown in. Whatever it is, it’s a formula that definitely works for me!

There were so many great characters in this story. Of course, Miranda was terrific and I couldn’t help but like her (even when I knew she was being rather thick-headed.) But I actually liked some of Miranda’s friends (and housemates) even more. I absolutely loved Chloe, the woman whose husband left her when he found out she was pregnant; and I also loved Florence, the older woman with whom Miranda lived. I even really liked Miranda’s hot boss Fenn and her best friend at work Bev. All of the characters, even the minor ones, were interesting and made the story better; and they all complimented Miranda perfectly.

In addition to the characters, I thought this story was terrific. There were quite a few twists and turns and even some confusion between the characters that caused some awkward (yet hilarious) moments. And while I was expecting this book to be very funny, I have to admit that I was surprised by the serious turn the story took. I can say that I was actually shocked at one point in this book, and I found myself appreciating the story on a whole new level. Don’t get me wrong: MIRANDA’S BIG MISTAKE is an overall fun read and perfect for the summer, but there were a few pages that did make me a little sad.

As was the case in the last Mansell book I read, there are a lot of characters and a lot of side storylines going on in MIRANDA’S BIG MISTAKE. In fact, this book is pretty long compared to your typical chick-lit book — it’s around 475 pages; however, the book is a very light, fun read and it’s not at all hard to follow all of the characters and their stories. I know this sounds sappy, but I loved that all of the characters (well, the likable ones) eventually discover love and happiness. I guess that is the reason that I read these types of books — for the happy endings.

A Bookworm’s World Luanne Olliver
Alright! The summer chick lit list just gets better and better. Make sure you add Miranda’s Big Mistake! This is the second book from Brit author Jill Mansell that Sourcebooks is releasing in North America. (today in fact!)

Miranda is a hair salon trainee. She’s constantly late, funny, kind to everyone - even that homeless guy who turns out to not be homeless... But I digress. She has great friends and loves her life, but is missing one thing - someone to love. When she meets Greg, she believes she’s found The One.

Now Greg just happens to be the husband, yes husband, of Chloe. Chloe, who told Greg they were going to have a baby. Chloe, who Greg, upon hearing this wonderful news, promptly left.

Greg hasn’t bothered to mention this little fact to Miranda. What would happen if fate intervened and Miranda and Chloe’s lives crossed paths??? And that’s as much as I’m going to give you!

Jill Mansell has penned yet another fresh, funny, warm story populated with people you really wish you had in your circle of friends. (Except for that Greg!) Miranda and Chloe are engaging protagonists, but the supporting characters are just as wonderful. I especially enjoyed Florence, the landlady who does her best to nudge things to go a certain way. Miranda’s gorgeous boss Fenn, who surprises everyone, including himself. Danny the documentary maker, who captures Miranda on film in all her glory. Bev, her best friend constantly on the prowl for a husband.

A story of love lost and found, lost again and found again. Of friendships and the warmth of those relationships. You’ll get a warm feeling from Miranda’s Big Mistake. (especially if you’re reading on the beach.) But seriously, an absolute romp of a read! Definitely recommended for those who love this genre. Or anyone else looking for a really great read!

Blog Critics Jill Hart
British sensation Jill Mansell’s first U.S. release, An Offer You Can’t Refuse, hit stores in April to rave reviews. Her second U.S. release, Miranda’s Big Mistake, is even better than the first.

The story centers around Miranda, a junior stylist (complete with maroon and blue streaked hair) in the salon of the famous Fenn Lomax, stylist of the stars. When Miranda spots a homeless man on the street near her workplace, she begins to share her lunch breaks, as well as her lunches, with him. Unfortunately, he turns out not to be quite what he seems...

Meanwhile, Miranda has a new beau, Greg. Greg is all that Miranda has ever wanted in a guy and she quickly falls for him. He is, of course, too good to be true and through a series of sad yet funny events she lets him know that she’s found him out.

In the midst of it all is Miranda’s landlord, an older woman who owns the home where Miranda rents a room. When a new girl rents the room next to hers, Miranda has no idea what’s in store for her - or how it will affect her love life.

This is a wonderful novel. Miranda is a loveable, heart-wrenching, hilarious character and I have to admit that I was sad to see her story end. There were times in the book that I thought I knew exactly what was to come, but in each case the novel twisted or turned and had me trying to guess all over again.

The story-lines that unexpectedly criss-cross, interconnect and zig-zag are what make them so delightful. Mansell knows how to create characters, that much is certain. They are all loveably human; messed up, but trying their best. From the crazy, marriage-obsessed co-worker to the homeless not-who-you-thought-he-was man on the street to the seriously-easy-to-hate Greg - each of them stood alone and I found myself cheering them on (or booing in some cases) and wanting to find out how each person’s story would unfold. I’m looking forward to Mansell’s next release (scheduled for this fall) here in the States!

Books by TJ Baff Tamara Baff
To say that I fell in love with a book would be somewhat dramatic but “wow...” Miranda meets this perfect man and he seems to be interested in all the same things that she is...but...then she finds out that he left his wife because she got pregnant. ’Got’ being the operative word here...apparently she did it all by herself...to spite him. She broke the rules.

This book recounts the journey of revenge that Miranda takes to pay back this self-centred man and how along the way she gathers up and shelters those in need...including a homeless man who is more than he seems.

This story is more than a simple revenge plot. This story celebrates women in all guises...old and forgotten...pregnant and discarded...single and desperate and Miranda herself...lost and searching. The pace of the story is perfect as each nugget of fact unfolds itself and each character evolves.

All the characters are fleshed out completely and the humour just dances off the pages. I can’t wait to read more books by Jill Mansell whose style is reminiscent of Marion Keyes and Sophie Kinsella but she also has a voice that is all her own.

Bravo Jill Mansell.

Wendy’s Minding Spot Wendy Hines
Miranda works as a junior stylist at Fenn Lomax salon. Everyday she shares her lunch with a bum, and runs errands for the celebrity clientele the salon caters too. At the end of the day, she goes home to help out her elderly landlady. Miranda just wants to find a guy, fall in love, and have the white picket fence.

Chloe Malone works for Miranda’s landlady’s son at a gift shop. She is an excellent employee, but hasn’t been herself lately. When the stick turns blue, Chloe gets frazzled. Her husband Greg has told her many times that he doesn’t want children. But she is determined to have her baby, even after Greg packs his things and leaves her.

When Miranda meets Greg at a fundraiser, sparks fly. She’s quickly falling in love with him, but is it just another mistake?

When Chloe can’t afford her rent anymore since she is now single, Miranda’s landlady urges her to move in with them. But when Greg is found out, Miranda wants her revenge. She and her friends, along with a new friend Danny, quickly hatch a plan to make Greg pay. But then afterward, Miranda is about to head into another fling. Will Miranda make another mistake or learn from her previous ones?

Miranda’s Big Mistake is a fabulous, fun read! Miranda has a huge heart, and her snappy one-liners had me howling. The first book I’ve read by Jill Mansell, but definitely not the last. Perfect for this summer to read at the beach, or anywhere for that matter. A fantastic fun read!

Booklist
Miranda Carlisle, 23, lives a quiet life. She works in an upscale salon and helps her elderly, wheelchairbound,

smart-mouthed landlord, Florence, get around. When she meets Greg Malone at a charity event,

she can’t believe her luck. After a whirlwind romance, she gets hit by a bombshell when her roommate

Chloe sees him walking up to the door. Greg is actually Chloe’s husband, who abandoned her after Chloe

revealed she was pregnant. Both women are thoroughly embarrassed and ready for revenge, and Chloe,

Miranda, and Florence plan out an elaborate scheme to put Greg in his place. Miranda swears that she

won’t make the same mistake again and won’t fall for sweet words so easily. But it’s hard not to get

carried away. Will Miranda finally meet Mr. Right, or keep meeting Mr. Right Now? Mansell’s novel

proves the maxims that love is blind and there’s someone for everyone, topped with a satisfying revenge

plot that every jilted woman will relish.

The Review From Here Tracee Gleichner
Miranda is a junior stylist at Fenn Lomax. Everyone loves her and she truly does have a heart of gold. But, it seems to do nothing but get her in trouble. First she ends up giving money to a homeless man that belongs to a client. Then she gives him a pair of gloves that were left at the salon that the rightful owner now wants back…after more than six weeks. She keeps trying to do the right thing but it just doesn’t seem to work. Until she meets Greg.

Greg is everything she has been looking for to make her life complete. Besides being handsome, they have an instant connection that neither of them can ignore. It looks like fate has decided to give Miranda a break for once and give her the love she has been so desperately searching for.

What Miranda doesn’t know is that Greg is married, with a child on the way. When his wife tells him that she is pregnant he is shocked and upset and leaves her. Will Greg get involved with Miranda and lead her on, not telling her that he is already married? Will Miranda find true love, or is fate going to deal her another low blow?

This is a great summer read – nothing too thought provoking, but that’s ok sometimes. I would recommend this book and think the author is a lot of fun to read.

Bookopolis Sheri Stock
After meeting Greg at a party, Miranda thinks he is a great catch and they eventually begin to date. Little does she know that he has just left his newly pregnant wife without looking back. Once Miranda discovers the truth, her friends help execute revenge on Greg but Miranda is still left feeling heartbroken. It will take some disappointments, tragedy and a little encouragement for Miranda to realize that the potential for love was right beside her all along.

This is another fun book by Jill Mansell, where the quirky characters come to life and get themselves involved in all sorts of crazy situations. I found myself laughing out loud during some parts from the series of misunderstandings and drama that transpire. Without revealing too much (hint: it involves race car driving), there is a plot twist that I did not see coming and though I’m still confused as to its place in the story, it did makes things more interesting.

Although Jill Mansell’s books are considerably longer than most other chick-lit, there is never a dull moment. The plots are always multi-faceted and she provides a little something for everyone with all the different personalities and Miranda’s Big Mistake is certainly no exception!

BIG THANKS to Danielle and Sourcebooks for my review copy

Savvy Verse & Wit Serena Cox-Augusto
Jill Mansell’s Miranda’s Big Mistake is a rip-roaring good time that will have you guffawing so loudly your friends, your neighbors, and people on the Metro will want to read what your reading.

"Sleety rain dripped down Miranda’s neck as she tipped her head back to drink the lager straight from the bottle. Her short black hair, urchin-cut and currently streaked with dark blue and green low-lights, gleamed like a magpie’s wing." (Page 13)

Miranda is a junior at Fenn Lomax’s trendy hair salon in London, and her love life is a disaster, but she just doesn’t know it yet. Her landlady, Florence, gets around in a wheelchair and is full of piss and vinegar. Her boss can be demanding, but he’s really a big softie. Miranda’s men—Greg, Miles, and Danny—have her twisting and turning, while love is simmering beneath the surface for Fenn, her flatmate Chloe, and her best friend Bev.

"’It isn’t a smirk. I never smirk. I’m not dopey either. I just wondered, do you have a girlfriend?’

’Why, are you offering? All applications for the post in writing, please. Just send a copy of your CV and a brief letter outlining why you feel you’d be the best woman for the job. If you make the short list, you’ll be invited to attend for an interview—’" (Page 167)

Mansell is adept at crafting in-depth characters with unique personalities and their actions make them even funnier. The sexual tension between Miranda and Miles and Miranda and Danny is electric, leaping off the page to zap readers through the tips of their fingers. Miranda’s Big Mistake not only oozes modern romance, but also sarcasm and wit. The dialogue is sharp and the plot will keep readers moving quickly, keeping them on their toes and cheering Miranda on. Grab a copy of Miranda’s Big Mistake and hit the beach.

S. Krishna’s Books Swapna Krishna
I absolutely love chick lit. There’s nothing better than coming home to a light and fun chick lit novel after a long day, which is why I was so thrilled when I found out that Sourcebooks was releasing Jill Mansell’s books in the United States. Jill Mansell’s chick lit books are widely available in the UK, but those of us stateside haven’t been able to read her books unless we want to pay exorbitant shipping charges. Now, thanks to Sourcebooks, we can enjoy Jill Mansell’s wonderfully amusing novels.

Miranda’s Big Mistake was the second Jill Mansell novel I’ve read (the first was An Offer You Can’t Refuse [review]). I found it to be wonderfully charming; it’s so easy to fall in love with these novels. It is so simple to lose yourself in these novels and become completely captivated by the characters in the book.

Miranda was a wonderfully written character who blunders her way through relationships. One of the things I loved about her was that her relationship difficulties weren’t really her fault; she didn’t act stupid or make poor decisions. It’s hard to read a book where the main character makes one bad decision after another. Miranda’s circumstances are often simply bad luck; therefore, it’s easy to sympathize with her and to hope that she’ll pick the right guy the next time around.

The secondary characters are also a lot of fun. I loved the setting of the hair salon with its celebrity clients. It provided for a lot of amusing secondary storylines. I also loved Florence, the woman who Miranda rents a room from. She is simply hilarious, especially when it comes to her rather annoying son.

Miranda’s Big Mistake was a great chick lit read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and highly recommend it to any fans of chick lit, especially those who love Brit chick lit. I can’t wait to read more of Jill Mansell’s work!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this book to review.

Diary of an Eccentric Anna Horner
If you’re looking for a light, fun read for the summer, I suggest you grab a copy of Miranda’s Big Mistake. There’s no doubt that Jill Mansell’s books can be categorized as chick lit, but in my opinion, they’re among the best written books in the genre. I read Mansell’s An Offer You Can’t Refuse (read my review here) not too long ago, and I enjoyed it. But I absolutely loved Miranda’s Big Mistake.

Miranda is a junior hair stylist at the salon owned by celebrity hairdresser, Fenn Lomax, which means she runs errands for the rich and famous. On these errands, she befriends a homeless man, who’s actually a journalist in disguise. Although Danny Delancey seems interested in Miranda, she’s too busy with Greg, who just happens to have a pregnant wife. And then there is Miles, a well-known race-car driver also interested in Miranda, who’s love life is one big roller coaster throughout the book.

I found Miranda endearing from the start. She’s unlucky in love, and when she tries so hard to play it cool, it blows up in her face, hilariously of course. And I loved the secondary characters, too — Miranda’s feisty landlady, Florence; her pregnant flatmate, Chloe; Bev, her best friend and co-worker who talks marriage and kids right away with every man she meets and wonders why she can’t get a date; Fenn, who falls in love for the first time after dating so many dull supermodels; and Danny, who gives Miranda a run for her money in the attitude department.

At nearly 500 pages, Miranda’s Big Mistake was a bit long, but Mansell kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Overall, it was predictable, but there were some hilarious moments and some sad moments that I didn’t expect. A lot of the book was about romance and the dating scene, and for someone who’s been married almost 10 years, amazingly I didn’t feel out of the loop. I could relate to the characters, and the romantic scenes were cute. And I just have to love a book that makes me laugh out loud on the bus so people think I’m crazy. I definitely see myself reading more of Mansell’s work in the future.

So Many Books, So Little Time Andrea Mason
I enjoyed reading this book! I loved the personality of Miranda-very quirky in the right way. I loved her sarcastic remarks! And I felt so bad for her—unfortunately there are probably a bunch of guys like Greg out there and I loved her revenge plan.. he totally got what he deserved. And while I saw the whole Greg breakup coming, what happened with her next love totally threw me. I didn’t see it coming at all and it made me gasp out loud.

I loved how all of the characters had their own small side story and I liked the ending for all of them! This would be a perfect summer beach read!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Bermuda Onion Kathy Roberts
Miranda is an apprentice in a trendy hair salon owned by Fenn. When it comes to love, Miranda makes bad decisions and only seems to fall for pigs. Bev is the receptionist in Fenn’s salon and all she dreams of is getting married and having four boys. Their luck seems to change when they attend a charity function – the only problem is they both fall for the same guy, Greg.

In the meantime, Chloe is a shop-girl married to a guy named Greg. She thinks things are fine and that’s she’s happily married until she accidentally becomes pregnant. Greg is less than thrilled with the pregnancy and leaves Chloe.

By a strange twist of fate, Miranda and Chloe both end up boarding with an older lady named Florence. After living together for a little while, they discover that they share Greg in common. That’s when the fun begins. They cook up a scheme to get even with Greg. Now, Miranda needs to get back on track and learn from her mistakes. Sometimes that’s easier said than done.

Miranda’s Big Mistake by Jill Mansell is a delightful example of chick lit. I was able to relate to the characters, even though I’m quite a bit older than most of them. The story line is fun and easy to follow and I didn’t get lost with the sub-plots running throughout. I loved that it’s not sexually explicit or loaded with foul language. I also loved the fact that it’s loaded with British terms, since the author is British – that just seems to make chick lit more fun for me. The story is somewhat predictable but there were a few unexpected turns in it for me. This book would be a great summer read!

Books and Needlepoint Kristi Herbrand
This was another fun read from Jill Mansell. Again, her cast of characters are so loveable that you want them to be your friends! Miranda’s life seems to be a mess - but she is surrounded by many friends who love her and care about her - from her landlady Florence, her boss at the hair salon, Fenn and her best friend Bev. Even though she seems to have her share of bad luck when it comes to men, it seems that everyone who comes in contact with her is instantly taken in by her warm and giving personality.

Miranda befriends a homeless man who sits outside the salon - she gives him half her lunch whenever she sees him - and even goes so far to give him money for tea and a scarf and gloves. Of course, the gloves were left at the salon by a client, and after waiting weeks to take them and give them to this homeless man, the client phones up and wants them back! This sort of tells you how her life in general seems to go. How would you feel if you had to go back to a homeless man just minutes after giving him a warm pair of gloves and tell him that you needed them back?

After Miranda finishes with Greg, the soon-to-be ex-husband baby-daddy of her new flatmate, she decides that she is happy just as she is - until, of course, she catches the eye of a very handsome, very well-known race car driver. How fast can she fall for him?

I have really been enjoying Jill Mansell’s books. If you missed my review of An Offer You Can’t Refuse you should really go check it out too. I also did an interview with Jill Mansell - just click on her name. I am really excited to tell you she is going to have a fall release also - Millie’s Fling! Watch for details.

Cindy’s Love of Books Cindy Smith
I have to send a huge Thank You to Danielle at Sourcebooks for sending me this book. She has introduced me to a fantastic UK author that I probably would never had read otherwise.

I loved this book and I can’t wait to read her Millie’s Fling.

I have to say right off that there is alot of characters in the book. There is Miranda, Chloe, Bev, Fenn, Florence, Danny, Greg, Bruce, Miles, Johnnie and a bunch of other characters which all have small parts in the book. Even though there is alot of characters and story lines happening, it was really nice to see that they all play a part in Miranda’s life and they all came together in the end.

Miranda is a young trainee at a hair salon. Her boss is the famous Fenn Lomax. She’s constantly late and always has the greatest excuses for being late which Fenn never believes. Miranda is a sweet and kind person who goes out of her way to make everyone around her happy. She even makes it a point to give half her lunch to a homeless guy and brings him gloves (which she takes from the salon after a customer left them behind) Then she discovers that the homeless guy (Danny) really isn’t homeless but that he is a making a documentary about life on the street and they want Miranda to okay her part. She is mad at first but then they become friends and perhaps more?

Chloe is married to Greg and works at Bruce’s store. Greg and Chloe seem to have the perfect relationship until Chloe tells Greg that she is pregnant. He isn’t happy and he lets her know. He leaves her because it hates the fact that Chloe broke their wedding promise about not having kids. Chloe decides that she will have the baby. When money becomes tight she decided to look for another place. Thankfully Bruce’s mother Florence tells Chloe that she can move in with her tell she gets on her feet again.

Greg takes tickets that Chloe had for a celebrity event and goes with his friend to the event in hopes to meet Daisy. Its at this party that Miranda and Greg meet. They hit it off instantly and quickly become a couple and then engaged. Greg hasn’t told Miranda about Chloe and swears he never will.

Now as any good book would go of course we know that fate plays a part and the paths of Miranda and Chloe cross. They are now housemates with Florence. How will this play out in the book? Will Chloe realize who the man in Miranda’s life really is?

I loved Miranda and I felt bad for her when she found out about Greg and what he did to her. He got what he deserved in my opinion. Then when she found Miles (the race car driver who was at Grand Prix in Montreal) It was sad to see that didn’t work out and it wasn’t by choice. Then there is Danny will he be able to win Miranda’s heart in the end?

There was alot of love happening in the book. Florence got her man in the end and even Chloe got hit with the love bug while she was having her baby.

The next book set to be released this fall in North America is Millie’s Fling. I am really excited and can’t wait to read it. I am sure it will be fantastic. I love reading chick lit and I am loving Jill’s books. If you haven’t read anything by Jill yet then you really need to pick it up.

Love Romance Passion Zarabeth
Miranda’s Big Mistake is a contemporary romance set in London. Our lead female, Miranda, goes through a series of what turn out to be unfortunate relationships all while “the one” sits quietly on the sidelines attempting to be supportive.

Our supporting female, Bev, is a very interesting character as well with entirely different standards, wishes, and dreams for her perfect man. Miranda leads a fairly average life as a junior hairstylists in a fancy salon and rents a room with a fantastic “old bird” of a woman, Florence.

We follow Miranda, Bev, Flo and a few other characters through a complicated web of relationships. But, by the end everyone ends up with the right man and it is a happily ever after.

I loved the style of narration and Jill Mansell’s attention to certain details. I never felt lost or bored. I enjoyed reading the book immensely. It was rather long at 450+ pages but I didn’t notice at all.

As with other romance novels, I can’t forget to inform you that this is not a smutty sexually erotic story. It’s about her life and the situations she finds herself in. Lots of situational humor, tragedy, and foresight that you wish the characters could see. Mansell does a wonderful job of keeping me reading the book.

Overall 4.5/5 Stars

Reading Adventures Margaret Bates
There are some days when you don’t want to read something that is hard to concentrate on or just long! When I read this book, I was actually in the middle of reading The Terror by Dan Simmons. I may (or may not) have stayed up until 2am messing around on the computer and so was really, really over tired when I began my trip to work, and the thought of carrying around an 800 plus page opus that was somewhat heavy to read as well was the last thing that I would be able to stay awake for. So instead, on my way out of the door, I grabbed this book, and it was a perfect read for me. In the end I read it on the train trip to and from work, and then finished the last part of the book that night. It was exactly what I needed to read on that day! Probably could have done without tearing up on the train at certain parts of the book, but I like it when a book affects me emotionally.

The two main female characters in this book are Miranda and Chloe. Miranda is a somewhat unique young lady who works as an apprentice hair dresser at a celebrity hair salon run by a very patient boss by the name of Fenn. She lodges with an older lady named Florence who is now in a wheelchair and is a little neglected by her family, unless of course they want something from her.

Chloe thought she was happily married to a man named Greg, until she finds out that she is pregnant. Greg had told her that he didn’t want children and left her as soon as he found out about the baby. Chloe works in an antique shop that happens to be owned by Florence’s somewhat lame son. Unable to continue to afford her current flat, Chloe is thrilled when Florence offers her a room in her house at an affordable cost.

Greg and his mate attend a celebrity function where he meets Miranda and they instantly click. Miranda falls hard for Greg and has no idea that he has been less than honest about his past. To the reader, Greg is clearly a cad, and when the truth comes out Miranda determines that she needs to teach him a lesson.

To aid her in her ruse, Miranda enlists the help of not only Florence, Fenn and Chloe, but also the resources of her new friend Danny who is a journalist who has made Miranda one of the stars of the documentary he is shooting about the plight of homeless people in London.

Whilst Miranda is recovering from her broken heart she meets grand prix racing driver Miles, and she again finds herself treading the path towards new love. With Danny on the sidelines, Florence providing advice and getting one up on her snivelling son and daughter in law, and Chloe beginning to find her own feet in her new life, there is a lot going on.

I must confess I was very surprised at the twist in the tale of this one. When I read my last Mansell (An Offer You Can’t Refuse), one of the things that I was a little critical of was how neatly all the loose ends were tied up at the end of the novel. The same is true of this one, all the loose ends are tidied up, but in no way would I call it a neat solution for all the characters.

With a full cast of entertaining characters, interesting secondary storylines, a few tears and more than a few smiles and laugh out loud moments, this is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone who likes chick lit, or who just wants a fun beach read.

If you want to read for pure entertainment then so far Mansell hasn’t disappointed. If I had to pick whether I enjoyed An Offer You Can’t Refuse or this book more, I would probably have to go with this one, but it is a very close race! The next book to be released by Sourcebooks is going to be Millie’s Fling which I read years ago along with another book called Good at Games . I have fond memories of both books and I am planning to reacquainting myself with more fun characters, and an entertaining storyline.

My thanks to Danielle from Sourcebooks for sending this book to me for review.

ForeWord
Bestselling British writer Jill Mansell delivers another witty, fun-filled read with her latest effort. Meet Miranda-a hip, twenty-something woman who works as a salon junior at the posh Fenn Lomax Salon in the trendy Knightsbridge section of London. Describes as "dippy and goodhearted" by her best friend Bev, Miranda is not looking for love but just happens to run into it at every turn. Fans of Bridget Jones will find it difficult not to fall for Miranda, a plucky girl filled with genuine empathy for the downtrodden, and her uncanny knack for speaking her mind in unforgettable one-liners. Not only that, but shes got blue and green lowlights in her shiny black hair. Edgy and entertaining, Miranda is someone we root for from the beginning, no matter which man she decides is the right one for her.
First comes Hungry and Homeless, also known as Danny, a journalist posing as a homeless man whom Miranda befriends by giving him food and money whenever she can afford it, and sometimes even when she cant. Once she discovers he is not homeless and is doing a documentary about homelessness for television, she becomes irate. When he asks her out, she chooses the most expensive restaurant she knows as a form of revenge. Next comes Greg, a handsome accountant Miranda meets at a charity event where she scrawls her phone number across his chest. Greg, who is out for a good time after having recently left his wife because she became pregnant against his wishes, falls hard for Miranda. After things end badly with Greg, Miranda and Danny plot revenge against him. And just as Danny is about to confess his love for Miranda, in walks Miles Harper, a dashing racecar driver intent on becoming the object of Mirandas affection. Mansell keeps us guessing by guiding us through Mirandas hilarious relationship adventures with fast-paced plotting and choice dialogue.
For any average girl, this all may seem too much to handle. But Miranda has the support of her landlady, Florence Curtis, a crusty wheelchair-bound woman in her mid-fifties with a heart of gold. Always ready with a shoulder to cry on, a stiff drink, and sage advice, Florence is the perfect antidote for Mirandas man troubles. If you are on your way to the beach, Mirandas Big Mistake is a must-bring and will keep you reading long after the sun goes down. (June)
Review by: Monica Carter

Publishers Weekly Annex
Taking a position as a trainee in a posh London hair salon may not seem the ideal situation for finding Mr. Right, but this breezy, whimsical novel from best-selling British chick-lit author Mansell (An Offer You Can’t Refuse) introduces just such a heroine, Miranda, to a wide range of men, from panhandler to racecar driver, on her way to true love (and true retaliation). In a series of escapades too over-the-top even for Bridget Jones, feisty but accident-prone Miranda joins forces with other unlucky-in-love ladies, including a pregnant woman abandoned by her no-good husband and an aging but still-game landlady with a terminally greedy son. Plotlines and characters interweave with unexpected but satisfying results, including delicious comeuppance for the offending males. Summarizing the girl-power revenge plot, however, fails to do justice to the shenanigans that fill it out, making this a winning read. While Mansell’s British humor doesn’t always translate, Miranda’s got more than enough irresistible transoceanic charm to promise that this, the first of several Mansell novels Sourcebooks is introducing to the U.S., should net a passionate new audience eager for the more. (June)

Allison’s Attic of Books Allison King
I never thought of myself as someone that liked chick-lit, but the books by Jill Mansell may have now turned me around! I first reviewed "An Offer You Can’t Refuse" last May and absolutely loved it. Now comes this one and I enjoyed it even more!! Ms. Mansell’s books are easy reading books, that pull you in to the lives of the characters and don’t let go until you finish the story!

"Miranda’s Big Mistake" is about a girl who does not have good luck on her side with her relationships with men. Miranda decides to get Greg back good this time because she is fed up with how men leave her heartbroken. While she decided how to get even, we get to know her quirky friends and their relationship issues. The book was like a train ride with good views from both sides of the windows. The author make me laugh, cry and want the ’revenge’ Miranda wanted in getting back at Greg...and boy does she get him back!!! The secondary characters really helped bring the story along and made the ending even better with many story lines to rap up.

I would recommend this to anyone that might have a chick-lit phobia, because Jill Mansell’s books will turn you in to a chick -lit reader!!

Rating: 4.5/5

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Trade Paper Specfications

• Length: 8.00 in
• Width: 5.25 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 19.00 oz
• Page Count: 496 pages