A Promising Man (and About Time, Too) [Paperback]

Elizabeth Young (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 12, 2002

From the fire-hot author of Asking for Trouble comes a second irresistibly funny and romantic novel, in which we meet the delightfully wicked Harriet and John, who are matched as perfectly as scones and clotted cream -- if only Harriet would let herself indulge.

Up to her eyeballs in her friends' dramas, Harriet Grey has no time for her own, let alone getting entangled with John Mackenzie. And though it's been ages since she's met one of the most gorgeous men London has to offer, it seems John's entangled with someone else. Or is he?

Though they say all's fair in love, Harriet isn't about to complicate her life -- or risk her heart. But the persistent John seems to pop up everywhere she turns, and soon she's agreeing to meet him for a cocktail to repay a favor. After all, what harm can come out of one innocent little drink? Maybe a few breathtaking kisses, some suspiciously lingering embraces, and a wonderful weak-kneed dizziness that most definitely is not the flu. And that's before she finds herself all alone with John at Christmas. .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This rollicking British romance by the author of Asking for Trouble finds 29-year-old smart-mouthed Harriet in an awkward position. She hasn't set out to get involved with John Mackenzie, the boyfriend of her old schoolmate Nina, a stunningly successful beauty whom she's envied for years. But Harriet and John strike up a conversation, crack a few jokes, bond over a spilled drink, and the rest is history. And what kind of saint could resist such an opportunity to make Nina squirm? But little lies and big misunderstandings pile up as Harriet continues to see the almost too-good-to-be-true "gorgeous bloke." Though there are no revelations here, Young does plumb the joys and absurdities of contemporary romance with flair. Harriet's engaging group of friends-housemate Sally, whose one-night stand on holiday left her with a child; Jacko, Harriet's former school chum, surrogate brother and occasional house guest, who is constantly bickering with Sally; and next door neighbor Helen, whose husband left her and her children for a younger woman-provoke laughs and sympathy as they muddle through singledom. Harriet also manages a great balancing act between the vagaries of her own life and that of her divorced parents, each of whom has found new partners. Scenes and conversations can sometimes drag on longer than necessary, and Young's humor is of the gentle-rather than piercing-variety. But for the most part, she holds her own against the likes of Anna Maxted and Helen Fielding.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Elizabeth Young started writing after holding a variety of jobs that included modeling for TV commercials in Cyprus and working for the Sultan's Armed Forces in Oman. She has two daughters and lives in Surrey with her husband who never once told her to forget writing and get a "proper" job.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; First edition. edition (November 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060507845
• ISBN-13: 978-0060507848
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #547,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The *kayters* review, February 11, 2003

By 

Katie F. "kayters" (Marietta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Promising Man (and About Time, Too) (Paperback)

I read Elizabeth Young's first novel Asking for Trouble and loved it, so I thought I would try this one! Harriett Grey is just your average London girl, though she has inherited half a house in Putney which she is living in with her best friends Sally & Jacko, Sally's infant son Tom, & Frieda, a Swedish girl who doesn't play a large part in the novel. The story begins with Harriett's friend Rosie telling her that Nina, an acquaintance they were at school with and hated because she was Little Miss Perfect and liked to lord it over them, has just been dumped by her boyfriend and she's put a private detective onto him because she just knows there's another woman. Harriett tells Rosie that she is the other woman and then the story goes into flashback mode to tell the story of how Harriett came to steal Nina's boyfriend! Or did she?

This is not your average chick lit novel! Oh sure, the basic story line is there, but Ms. Young does such an excellent job of fleshing out the story and creating unique and intriguing characters that you can forgive the fact that there's not a huge twist on the usual plot. Ms. Young does an excellent job on her secondary characters - giving side plots that are almost as interesting as the main plot! Way to go and can't wait for the next one!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Promising Read, March 20, 2004

By 

Lisa Fischbach "Lisa Fischbach" (Henryville, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Promising Man (and About Time, Too) (Paperback)

Elizabeth Young is the author who got me hooked on British chick lit with Asking For Trouble. Her use of "brit-speak" alone makes this book like her previous a funny and offbeat diversion for any American woman. I find myself "fancying" things and wanting "spots" of this and that.
This story is about Harriet Gray, a twenty something Londoner, living with her three friends in the house left to her and her father by an elderly Aunt. Sally moved in after having her unexpected son Tom and Harriet seeing how attached Sally had become has put off the inevitable sale of the house while Sally gets oriented to motherhood and puts off rejoining the workforce. Jacko from Liverpool, her bestfriend from college has been staying since he had an accident and broke his arm, so he can be close to his physiotherapist, he is a wild been around the block type of bloke, who may fancy the swedish border who also lives there.
Harriet hasn't had a proper boyfriend not to mention sex in months. When she meets John, a man she could just fancy rotten, she is dismayed by the fact that he is dating her old high school rival Nina, but then since he loaned her cab fare at their first meeting it would be rude not to take him out for a drink to repay him, wouldn't it? When sparks fly she's caught out of sorts, is he seeing Nina still or isn't he? When Christmas rolls around and she finds herself nursing him through the flu, she's starting to think the heck with Nina. Then through the gossip mill she starts getting all sorts of information about the Nina/John thing and she doesn't know what to think. Is John the Promising Man he seems when they are together or simply a smootharse, looking for a little on the side?
This book is laugh out loud funny and doles out the warm and fuzzies as well. Definitely a good pick if you like Brit Chick lit. If you've not tried any yet, this would be a perfect starter.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read, October 27, 2004

By 

BA (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Promising Man (and About Time, Too) (Paperback)

I read Young's "Asking for Trouble" and did not care for it, so I started this book with some apprehension. I am halfway through it now and must admit that it is much better than "Trouble." It even had me laughing out loud on several occassions. Young uses a lot of British slang in her books, so if someone isn't familiar with the words it may get a bit confusing. I have been enjoying the book and can't wait to see how it ends.