Something From Tiffany's

by Melissa Hill

[Leah]

Melissa Hill is one of my favourite authors ever. She really knows how to write a novel that will keep my hooked and the plot twists she writes always come entirely out of the blue. I look forward to her new books each year and although I wasn’t a big fan of her last release The Truth About You, I was really excited for Something From Tiffany’s and mostly it didn’t disappoint proving that The Truth About You was just a blip (for me, anyway).

I must confess that I don’t see the appeal of Tiffany’s. Actually, that’s wrong; of course I see the appeal – expensive jewellery! In a blue box! What I don’t understand is why it’s so revered. I’m not a big jewellery fan – I wear a ring, a necklace, a bracelet and although I enjoy getting new jewellery, it’s not the be all and end all and I’m not really concerned where my jewellery comes from. However, I must admit, having read Something From Tiffany’s, I can perhaps understand why everyone loves it. I do reckon if I went to a Tiffany’s myself I’d probably change my mind about it all. Whereas I couldn’t get into The Truth About You, I got into Something From Tiffany’s immediately and I was really taken in with the two stories. How Ethan was going to propose to his girlfriend Vanessa and how Gary was looking for a small token for his girlfriend Rachel. I loved the mix-up that occurred and I was very interested to see how it was all going to pan out.

I did feel the middle of the book was rather padded with a lot of unnecessary to-ing and fro-ing and I did begin to wonder if Melissa Hill had made a huge mistake with this novel, that instead it should have been a short story. I mean, how long can one reasonably stay quiet about a missing ring, how long can it really be dragged out for? I did get quite frustrated with the characters when Ethan went to Dublin to sort it out once and for all – how he was definitely going to tell Rachel the truth and then… He just couldn’t. How Terri, Rachel’s co-partner in their business and best friend, knew but stayed quiet, too. How much of an idiot Gary was and how gullible Rachel was. But Hill pulled it back nicely and I did soon forget my concerns. I do still think the middle of the novel was a bit too padded with too much indecision, but it’s now just a slight niggle now I’ve reached the end because bar that it was a wonderful novel.

The differences between the two men was marked. They were chalk and cheese. Ethan who seemed so romantic and so wonderful and Gary who couldn’t care less about anybody but himself and his motorbike. It was very hard to like Gary – or to even tolerate him, when compared to Ethan. Evidently that was the point. Gary was just so awful. About the mix up, about the proposal, about it all and there was just no redemption for him, from me. I loved Ethan, and his little daughter Daisy. I mean, Ethan was like the perfect man. I was entirely taken in by Ethan and although I was annoyed at how chivalrous he was to Rachel (not wanting to blab about the ring), I still liked him and respected why he kept quiet. As for the women, I’ve already said I found Rachel to be gullible. Obviously, because the story is written in such a way that we know about the mix-up and Gary’s lies and Ethan’s desperate search, so unfortunately for Rachel it did make her seem very gullible and stupid. I did, however, love her best friend Terri, she seemed to warm and down-to-Earth and I really really liked her.

When I finished the novel, I was just so happy. Melissa Hill always gives us excellent endings and Something From Tiffany’s is one of her best. Despite my niggles in the middle of the novel, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and she’s absolutely back on tip-top form – though I DO question what happened to the charm bracelet Vanessa ended up with; it seemed to disappear into the ether. Overall, Something From Tiffany’s was an excellent read. It was magical and warm and I loved it. I can’t wait for Melissa’s next book, she’s really asserted herself as one of my favourite authors with this novel and her ability to tell a story is up there with Marian Keyes. I’ve been struggling with books recently but as soon as I picked up Something From Tiffany’s and read the first page, I was enchanted by it all and loved getting to know all the characters (except Gary). It was everything I expected from a Melissa Hill novel!