This book was a very nice surprise for me. A lot of chick-lit-type novels try too hard to blend humor, mystery and romance, resulting in a book that's never truly witty, with characters that seem much more like caricatures than people you might actually know or be. But "Accidentally Engaged" is definitely an exception, deftly blending wit that makes you laugh out loud (I'm still laughing over a cute paragraph of internal dialogue after Jack asks Clair "What up?"), with an appealing, original lead character and a bit of supernatural suspense that never feels hokey.
Clair Ivers is a real psychic, and it's definitely to the author's credit that this ends up being completely believable. Clair reads Tarot cards (in the beginning we get a very clear and funny explanation of the meanings of the different cards) and occasionally does private readings. She both appreciates and loathes her gift, which she inherited from her grandmother. One day she is forced to do a reading for Rachel, a woman who is about to marry Jack, a wealthy business owner who manufactures vodka under the family name. Rachel comes with her Jack's sister, Susan and each woman has an agenda: Rachel wants a reading that warns her in absolute terms NOT to marry Jack, while Susan wants a reading that convinces Rachel that marrying Jack is the right thing to do. In the end, Clair ends up giving in to Rachel. There's only one problem: when Rachel exits the reading, she leaves behind her engagement ring.
Now feeling guilty and determined to confront Jack with the ring and with the truth of the reading, Clair sets off to Jack's estate. She also sees a picture of Jack and feels an undeniable attraction and connection to him. Yet before she can meet him in person, she experiences a car crash, runs into a bunch of men she thinks are the estate gardeners (and shares a mind-blowing kiss with one of them), and finds herself mistaken for Rachel by Jack's grandmother.
It's hard to summarize the plot because there's truly so much going on at any given point. But the main drama concerns Clair grappling with her attraction to the man she kissed, as well as her feelings for Jack. The supporting characters are well drawn, with the exception of Jack and Rachel, both of whom I never quite got. By the end, there are all sorts of intriguing threads-- who is Clair fated to be with? Was there ever really a car accident? What was Rachel really up to when she went to have her cards read? What is the deal with Madeleine, Jack's mother, and Anderson, the butler? Mary Carter makes sure to give satisfying answers as she ties up all loose ends. There's also a great ending.
This novel deserves a lot of attention, in my opinion. It's very well crafted and engaging; the writing is also definitely more assured than your average chick lit novel. The style reminded me of a mix of Beth Kendrick and Jennifer Crusie, and if you like those authors, I think you'll enjoy Mary Carter, too.
