Review: 'Me and Mr Jones' by Lucy Diamond (2013)

Is Mr Jones really Mr Right? Meet the women in love with three very different brothers ...

Izzy’s determined to escape her troubled past with a new start by the sea – but flirtatious Charlie Jones is causing complications. Alicia’s been happily married to loyal Hugh for years but secretly craves excitement. Maybe it’s time to spice things up? Emma’s relationship with David was once fun and romantic but trying for a baby has taken its toll. Then temptation comes along...

As the future of the family’s B&B becomes uncertain, Izzy, Alicia and Emma are thrown together unexpectedly. It seems that keeping up with the Joneses is harder than anyone thought...

As soon as I took my review copy of Lucy Diamond’s ‘Me and Mr Jones’ out of its envelope (thank you, Becky!), not only a smile appeared on my face but I also think it lit up the room just a bit! The lovely colours and small pictures on the cover immediately made me think of sunshine, fun times and summer. I hadn’t read any of Lucy Diamond’s novels before this one, but the beaming cover and the blurb (which includes the phrase ‘from the queen of summer reading’) already promised rays of sunshine, which seemed a good and welcome distraction from all the horrible rain we’ve been having the past couple of weeks!

‘Me and Mr Jones’ tells the story of the Jones family. Eddie Jones and his wife Lilian, who have been happily married for several decades, still live in the lovely Mulberry House, where they once started their family. After their three sons Hugh, David and Charlie left home, Lilian and Eddie turned their home into a cozy Bed & Breakfast, but Eddie’s health is slowly deteriorating. Lilian decides it is time for them to retire, but who will take over the business and Mulberry House? Will it be the eldest son, Hugh, who is dealing with a big secret of his own, while his wife Alicia is dreading her upcoming birthday (the big 4-0) and decides to step away from her reputation as the perfect housewife? Or what about David and his wife Emma, who have been trying for a baby for several years, which is slowly driving the two of them further and further apart? Or Charlie, the youngest Jones man and a true charmer who can’t possibly be able to run the family business by himself... Right? What will happen when Charlie falls head over heels for dance teacher Izzy, who has two young daughters and some bad experiences with men? The Jones family seems to not only have to decide about their beloved home, but also deal with some tricky individual troubles along the way... 

I really loved this novel, from the very first chapter. Lucy Diamond’s writing is fabulous, which made me not want to stop reading. From the start, I could easily imagine the beautiful Mulberry House and the town of Lyme Regis, where most of the story takes place. Next to that, the novel includes an amazing set of instantly-captivating characters, which all have their own distinctive personalities. The chapters each focus on a different person and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen each member of the Jones family and their own particular part of the complete storyline. I especially loved Charlie and Izzy (and Izzy’s two adorable daughters) and their tale, but the entire Jones family managed to capture my heart. 

This novel is a delightful, warm read with a real family feeling attached to it. It focuses on the struggles of multiple characters of different ages, and some serious subjects are touched upon. However, Lucy Diamond manages to do this in a perfectly-balanced whole with fun and drama mixed together. ‘Me and Mr Jones’ is a delightful summer read, but also ideal for a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. I really enjoyed reading about the Jones family, and I am sure I am not the only one secretly hoping we will perhaps be able to visit Mulberry House again in the future in the form of a sequel!

Rating:9,5/10