When looking plain is finally what is needed

Synopsis

Who applies for a job asking for an unattractive woman?

Probably someone having the worst day of her young life.

Heart-broken Millie just lost everything, including her confidence, and desperately needs a job, a new home and a new start.

With nothing but a little courage, she sails to La Canette, atiny rustic island in the English Channel. Her impossibly grumpy new boss doesn’t allow cars or street lights on his island and he keeps trying to fire her. 

Despite all this, she makes new friends who help her rediscover her laughter and the beautiful little island full of unique wild flowers awaken Millie’s long-lost dreams. Gradually she blossoms into the beautiful confident womanshe is meant to be.

The only danger is her boss’ son. 

George might look like a knight in shining armour, but he’s sick and tired of being seen as a catch. Is it too much to ask that a woman love him for himself not his position or money?How can he allow himself to fall for Millie when she is exactly the kind of woman who needs a knight in shining armour.

If you enjoy the novels of Heidi Swain, Carole Matthews and Sue Moorcroft, you’ll love this beautiful, funny and moving novel.

 

Praise for Plain Jane Wanted

★★★★★ “An incredible story, couldn’t put it down. The perfect romantic comedy and New Start romance. A story of courage, hope, and healing – guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings.” BestReads Book Club

★★★★★ “The cast of characters you’ll wish you knew in real life. It’s an absolute joy from beginning to end.”

★★★★★ “A gorgeous, funny, heart-warming love story about starting over.” 

“Milly is incredibly relatable, with a good sense of humour and sincerity.” Harper Colins

★★★★★“The location is just exquisite. Imagine a charming cove, fields of flowers, long evenings in a warm cosy kitchen with great friends … a touch of passion and the best proposal scene I’ve ever read…”

My review

Millie is not having an easy time at all. Not only has her marriage ended in betrayal, but her marriage also made her feel small, and even mousy. To make things worse, she also is now without a job, and even without a home. Oh, of course things are getting even worser, as she has an awful encounter with a handsome yet obnoxious man after an incident. So Millie is more than ready for a new and fresh start. And there is one advert that catches her eye, where a Plain Jane is needed. The fact that she is going to have to move to a little island of the English Channel, known as La Canette. With a lot of enthusiasm yet a little bit of trepidation, she starts her new job. But quickly she realizes that it won’t be an easy task, as her boss is not only an actual Lord, but also impossibly grumpy. Yet Millie quickly makes new friends and starts to feel that she has found a place where she belongs, surrounded by wild flowers and wild herbs. But not everyone is happy with Millie’s arrival at La Canette, because George, the Lord’s son, is wary of Millie and her intentions. And it doesn’t help that he is the obnoxious man Millie has met previously. And also the fact there is an obvious relationship between the Lord and George is obvious to anyone. So when Millie and George start to feel an attraction, will it also be an opportunity to heal several hurts of the past? And what about the fact that Millie promised herself to never let a man getting close enough to hurt her and make her lose her confidence again?

Before I start talking about the book, what I liked about it and what I loved about the main characters, and perhaps what I didn’t like, I need to get something off my chest… FINALLY there is appreciation for a Nissan Micra!!! I have a cute little Micra myself, and as I adore her (yes, it’s a ‘her’), I was over the moon that someone choose this car!

My heart broke at the start of the book, because what Millie has gone through and is still going through. I felt also so much anger towards her (ex) husband Henry. What started as a beautiful romance, turned over time into something truly ugly. While initially I could understand that the choice has been made to prioritize Henry’s career, seeing other chances, and Henry belittling Millie more and more, even making her feel invisible, that was just ugly, making me almost literally sick…

Thus when she first meets George, which isn’t a pleasant encounter, but she finally stands up to him (perhaps driven too much by her emotions), I was happy. Because it’s clear that she has had enough of people taking advantage of her, and starts to find her voice again.

That first encounter is the start of Millie’s journey, not only literally as she heads off to La Canette, but also the emotional journey.

And I loved reading how Millie stands up to Lord Du Montfort, right from the start was just hilarious but also admirable! It is clear that she is not going to take cr*p from anyone anymore, but she also seems to understand that there is more to the Lord than that he may show.

I don’t know why Millie sees herself as mousy. Yes, her past circumstances didn’t benefit her, but everyone can clearly see that she is just a wonderful person, even if those that were supposed to support her, were belittling her.

On La Canette, it feels that Millie can finally not only breathe her freedom, but also learn who she is, as she has lost that over the years. And with a beautiful setting, seeing Millie finding her dreams and passions again, just marvellous!

While this is absolutely Millie’s journey and her personal progress, obviously there is also room for romance. But of course, it cannot be just a straightforward romance!

The very first impression of George isn’t one of the best. But in that same situation, he starts to redeem himself rather quickly. But that doesn’t mean that he is an easy man to read or to understand.

The animosity between George and his father is palpable from each page whenever they are sharing the scene together. And I was very curious to learn where that it was all coming from, because it is also clear that the past truly scarred George, but also scared George.

And perhaps it’s him being scared to truly allow himself to feel, and his need to run away at moments, made me want to slap his head a few times. Just because there is so much potential that could emerge way sooner, if he would just dare to open up, to stay and even to listen.

So this in also George’s journey, which he starts together with Millie. Because without Millie, George couldn’t go through his emotional rollercoaster. But without George, Millie’s growth wouldn’t be that gripping, that significant.

What started perhaps for me what would be an easy story, was a wonderful story, with amazing characters that go through an emotional journey, a journey that put new people on their paths, but also makes them understand themselves much better, allowing them also to put the past behind them and learn about their dreams again.