I’m the first to admit I love a Milly Johnson story. I know I’m going to get a feel-good read with relatable characters who will steal my heart. The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew is a page turner and, in my opinion, Milly’s best yet!
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The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew by Milly Johnson is published by Simon & Schuster and is available to purchase in digital, hardcover and audiobook formats with the paperback publishing 11th July 2019.
Book Review
Sometimes it’s hard to find the words to express how you feel about a story …
I enjoyed getting to know Sophie, in the present day as well as 18 years ago at her boarding school, St Bathsheba. It becomes clear that the life she’s living is not a choice but the doctrine she’s been exposed to from her family and St Bathsheba. I connected with her from the beginning, feeling that all important emotional tug. I had a couple of really late nights because I couldn’t put this story down, needing to know what she would do and the choices she would make.
Her family and John F’s are infuriating (apart from Edward who is on Sophie’s wavelength). That British stiff upper lip is very much in evidence, putting advancement ahead of real connections. I wanted to give her a hug and stroke her hair, giving her the nurture lacking in her life. It’s a wonder she didn’t follow in her sister’s footsteps … I was euphoric on the last Sunday in September! Awesome scene 🙂
I didn’t know for sure if Sophie could see through John F’s guile and narcissistic personality. At one point I was shouting at her (causing raised eyebrows from my family!). Breaking a mould, bucking the trend (call it what you will) is not an easy thing to do. Especially when you have no other connections other than a public circle who want to see you fail. Another thing I didn’t know for sure was the choice she would make next. Little Loste is the perfect place for Sophie’s retreat. Ells Bells, Luke and Tracey make this time alive and vibrant. The sun after the rain.
Sophie’s affinity with texture and design is a fabulous theme and as I’ve come to expect from Milly Johnson, there’s a sprinkling of magic too.
There’s so much to love about The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew. It will leave you with that feel-good fizz. But I think just as importantly, Sophie just may provide inspiration for anyone else living with a narcissistic partner. Often it just takes that one thing to act as a catalyst … and books have been known to change lives.
Milly Johnson is a Top Five Sunday Times bestselling author of thirteen novels so far, and has plans for many more. Her novels are about the universal issues of friendship, family, love, betrayal, good food and a little bit of that magic in life that sometimes visits the unsuspecting. Milly is a columnist for her local newspaper and is also an experienced broadcaster on radio and TV. She can be booked via the Women Speakers Agency for motivational speaking events. Milly is patron of several local charities, including Yorkshire Cat Rescue and The Well at the Core, as supporting her local community and animal welfare are both things that are very close to her heart. Her publishers call her ‘The Queen of Feel-good Fiction’ and together they are aiming to spread as much joy as possible with every book published. Find out more at www.millyjohnson.co.uk or follow her on Twitter @millyjohnson.
(photo credit Chris Sedgewick)
Books by Milly Johnson
Together, Again