Jilly Cooper time

[Disabrie22]

It’s that time of year again - when I want to be a character in a Jolly Cooper novel - and only eat orange and steak for a week so I can squeeze into a too tight dress with a stain I’ve artfully covered with a brooch, after I have drenched myself in scent so I can get off with a dangerous drunk mysterious man who is loaded with cash and will whip me away to San Tropez, where I will only have an old bathing dress with moth in the seat which I keep falling out of. There I will meet a loveable old lech covered in Man Tan and flirt wildly while getting tight after too much gin.

I have them on audio book too. The narrator for Polo is awful! She says purrr - d - it- uh. Not Purr- deee- tah.

And they’ve edited the fact she can’t pronounce Macleod.

Imogen, Rivals, Lisa and co.
The Common Years is top though.

I'm utterly jealous of my waiflike younger sister, who stalks around furiously in skin tight jodhpurs and our mother's favourite new cashmere polo neck, while I try and fade into the background in my oversized dungarees and turn puce with pleasure when the head groom compliments my coq au vin. I have a huge spot on my chin which won't fade despite layers and layers of cover stick - if I make my wee last 40 seconds, he'll ask me out for a drink.

God I adored Riders, must have read it 20 times.

My top 3 are Riders, Appasionata and Wicked.

Huge disappointment, my mantanned legs are on their third day and turning purple and I cut my fringe with the kitchen scissors so it now sticks together and reeks of bacon. If only my old ballgown didn't clash with my too red face

In the middle of rivals again, it’s like a literary hug

Rivals, Octavia and then I think Prudence! The early ones are brilliant.

I was so excited to find a new one, ‘Jump’, but it’s really not very good

I’m stuck at 1/5 if the way through.

I’ll get back to frantically toning down my flushed cheeks with powder.

The Man who Made Husbands Jealous, Riders and Polo.
Having been rudely awoken by next doors helicopter I am going to munch bramble jelly on toast whilst reading the paper and then walk my terrier on the property of the beautiful man with the exciting baton, who will be angry, but then charmed by my hairy ankles.

This thread is just glorious!

Must re read all my old JCs this summer!

I think what I love the most, is it is complete trash romance, but unlike much other in that genre it is well written, has a stunningly broad vocabulary and the sentences are accurately contructed. The story lines flow, the continuity is there and, for a pedant like me, these things matter!

Every dog I pass gives me an old-fashioned look. It seems to be the law in JillyLand.

I'm just about to do some topless sunbathing in my garden while Sibelius drifts out from the radio. Unbeknownst to me my aloof and arrogant - but devilishly handsome - neighbour is going to furiously storm in and disturb me because my basset hound puppy has escaped and was digging holes in his ornamental lawn. We will have a blazing row as I clutch a towel around myself for modesty until he suddenly laughs and asks me out for dinner. I will feel inexplicably shy, and agree to let him pick me up at seven.

So later, having spent all afternoon chasing your beloved Bassett hound around the village, you finally catch him, only to realise it’s 6.30pm already!

You dash into the shower, pile your still wet hair messily yet rather endearingly on top of your head, dress in the first thing you can find and pinch your cheeks in front of the mirror just as the doorbell goes....

I will never ever forgive her for making Rupert cheat on Taggie.

Luckily I found out before I bought the book so I didn’t read it. I’d have cried. No joke. As it is I won’t bother with any of hers now. The last new one I read was the one with the racehorse (can’t even remember the title) and it was awful.

I’ll stick to re reading her old ones.

Oh I love Polo, then Rivals a a finally the Man who made husband jealous!

But I love them all - I was least keen on the school one but I enjoyed the last one.

She’s a national treasure - I wish life was as exciting as a JC novel!

I love the phrase ‘caring chauvinist’

ps any fool knows if you want a stone off you give up booze and exist on a diet of smoked salmon and wholemeal bread!

I thought the cheating was done well - it was consistent with character and also, I believe she and Leo both loved each other deeply despite the infidelities, marriage is a long business.

I love Imogen, Harriet and Appassionata. I’ve never since looked at a glockenspiel the same way after Appassionata...

I love Imogen. I like the bit near the end where Cable takes off with half Yvonne's wardrobe!

I too love Imogen. I know it so well as I have read it so many times. Have just finished Prudence and have started Harriet. I love the short novels but also Rivals and The Man who made Husbands Jealous. Hated Appasionata for some reason and liked the one about the school although I don’t think that’s a popular choice on here?

Oh god I'd forgotten Imogen, I loved Octavia too.
I'm just of to cover my leg veins in Clinique and remove the grass seed from my dogs lashes.

Polo, TMWMHJ and Octavia are my top 3.

Ive just finished reading Octavia again in the bath of the house I'm staying in, having poured the whole of the hostess's bottle of Badedas in. I'm now raiding the pantry for the Fernet Branca to help shift my crashing hangover.

Even with my pink rimmed eyes I still look wildly gorgeous in my lover's pink silk shirt which I've hitched in at the waist with his old school tie.

heaves 11 stone bulk into thread

I think if you have read JC at a formative age you are set for life. I DEVOURED them probably abit young. Don't bother with the older stuff but Polo, Rivals and MWMHJ can't be matched in that genre. Her "Class" book was funny too.