The Setup

Mara believes in fate and astrology. She has to consult her daily horoscope several times a day and finds it hard to make decisions without some sort of guide. Her one friend has married, had a baby and Mara feels very cut off from the universe. But all that changes when she sees a clairvoyant in Budapest. She is told that she will meet a tall, handsome man imminently and that before they get together she needs to fix something in her life.

What I love about Dent's writing is the humour that runs through the novel. Her main characters all have flaws and are at times completely hopeless in sorting themselves out. As a forty-something woman I can totally relate to the protagonist who remind me of myself and my friends in our twenties.

Along with making over herself, Mara tries to revamp and save the local lido. This side story was also highly entertaining, opening up Mara's world and allowing her to form new friendships. The English seaside village in which the book is set was the perfect backdrop.

Once again Dent has produced the perfect summer read; romance, reinvention and rejuvenation, in a humorous, easy read where one chapter is just not enough.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, I highly recommend this and The Summer Job by the same author.