THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING MARRIED

Author: Gemma Townley ISBN: 9780345499806 6/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: BALLANTINE

Jessica Wild isn’t big on commitment. But after inheriting millions from Grace, a sweet old lady she met in her grandmother’s nursing home, the situation seems to have changed. To put an end to the many questions about her nonexistent love life, Jess had led Grace to believe she had a boyfriend-turned-fiancé-turned-husband: her glamorous boss, Anthony Milton. But Jess’s fantasy to keep Grace happy has backfired—Grace has passed away and left her fortune not to Jessica Wild but to Mrs. Jessica Milton. Having weighed all legal options, Jess comes to the realization that there’s only one thing she can do: get Anthony to fall in love with her and pop the question for real. With help from her feisty best friend, Helen, Jess reluctantly learns the art of flirting, seduction, and playing hard to get. But just when it appears that Anthony is about to ask the (literal) million-dollar question, Jess finds herself wondering if it’s right to say “I do” for all the wrong reasons.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING MARRIED by Gemma Townley is a delightfully comedic romance that is a breeze to read. Fun, with smart, witty characters, it is a perfect addition to the summer reading lineup.

Loosely paralleling Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, it is a story based on one woman's desire to make those around her happy at all costs. Even if they don't deserve it (ahem! Grandmother!) or if she barely knows them, Jessica wants everyone to be content. Unfortunately she sacrifices her own happiness to everyone else's... that is, until an unlikely matchmaker, intent on seeing the world secure before she leaves it, pushes Jessica to tell a lie. We all know one lie leads to another... and another... and another. Don't we? Before long Jessica is tangled in her lies, and her focus switches to getting herself extricated before the whole mess she's built suffocates her.

There is a predictability to this story, but it is well written, sharp and funny, with dialogue that made me grin and characters who are more than mildly intriguing. As I said, it's a perfect, breezy afternoon summer read. Nothing deep or thought-provoking, just good, clean fun. And really, isn't that the thing most of us want to find in a fast read? I can easily recommend THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING MARRIED by Gemma Townley. Nicely done!

Kay James