What’s your favourite Jilly Cooper moments?

[Singlebutmarried]

I’ve been contemplating and one of my faves.

Billy and Fen. Just before they get it together and she’s wearing a pink panther nightie.

Oh to be that looked after.

Kitty and Lysander. I want a Lysander! He's so lovely. And I still get angry when Rannaldini is vile to Kitty.
I love Daisy too. Bloody Perdita.

I love it when the lovely characters land the people they’ve fallen in love with.

Gorgeous Luke and Perdita (more fool him)
Taggie and Rupert
Daisy and Ricky
Kitty and Lysander
George and Flora

It’s so long since I’ve read them though, they’re a bit hazy. Time to reread them all.

Helicopter Sex!

Plus Points

Caitlin and Fen rock.

Cable is the greatest super-bitch in the entire history of super-bitches. She could put a Kate O'Mara character to shame.

Imogen's makeover. Who couldn't love that?

When Macaulay bucks Rupert off in a major competition, chases him, and tries to savage him. Poetic justice!

Yvonne's cardboard beak, that she wears over her nose to stop it burning in the sun.

When Prudence tips the rat-droppings style muesli all over awful Berenice's newly washed hair. WTG, Pru!

Not-so-good Bits

Agree with a PP that the foursome scene is horrific, with one clearly-unwilling participant and a scenario that's tantamount to rape. Likewise, the scene when Gareth beats ten bells out of Octavia for getting steaming drunk and humiliating him at a country party. Very unpleasant undertones to some of her macho versus weak little female stereotypes.

I find Taggie, who we're all supposed to love, insipid. Likewise, Tory.

Chessie. She's insufferable.

Oh No Moments

Billy Lloyd-Foxe has carked it? I had no idea! (In mourning)

I went into a posh dress shop the other day and the evening wear section was full of frightful ge-owns with bows on the bum 😂

Yes to the Imogen make over...”you look like one of the girls at the motor show” as if it’s the ultimate in compliments.

The Common Years is one of my favourites...I wander round dog walking with a group of friends from the village and I often think of Jilly being dragged round the common by Maidstone, Fortnum and Mabel.

Oh wow, so many. I need to get my jilly books out again. I always thought Billy sounded so much nicer than Rupert and that the televised version of Riders was a let down. They should do a remake.

'Wrong leg'

RCB being ‘bad ‘

There's the shorter books (Imogen, Bella,Prudence,Lisa&Co, Harrier, Emily, Octavia) that are good for a quick read .

DH bought them for me when we were students , they had the cover photo of Jilly as all the heroines

Been re-reading lately and totally shocked by some of it, especially the 4 some where Helen sobbed through it and even her friend Billy apologetically got on and had a go!! And Janey was pregnant!! Shocking today but probably erotic back then when there was no such thing as rape within marriage. So glad times have changed!!

Chessie in Polo swimming naked and parting her legs so you could see her goof. The power of the minge reigns supreme in JC

As a teenager I covertly read my mum's JC books. Was there a scene where someone played tennis without shaving their legs and was mocked for it? Random question but I remember that so vividly.

Billy and Fen

The bit where someone (Helen?) says something about not eating food that moved and Rupert says “What, not even jelly?” made me laugh out loud and fall in love with him (despite him being an utter shit)

I hated Janey, I hated Perdita and I thought Helen a complete self righteous cow.

In fact, the rage bubbling up now tells me I still hate them.

Lysander, Dino, Wolfie and Luke could stay in my life forever and it wouldn’t be enough!

Oooh if they remade Riders who would play whom?

I love JC! Always loved her description of lush fragrant gardens - have been subconsciously planting the same sort of flowers in mine in the hopes it will look and smell divine in the summer.

When Ricky tells Daisy that Chessie buggered off with Red and they get together

When Jake rescues Macaulay and puts him back together

When Taggie meets Rupert at the airport

When they win the gold at the LA Olympics

All the random bits of poetry that are scattered throughout the books

And the very worst bit?

“Buttercunt” 🤮🤮

Taggie dumping meringue on Cameron- she utterly deserved it, the bitch.
Tabitha putting Cameron through the Step Mother wringer- she utterly deserved it, the bitch.
Lizzie and Freddie getting together- so sweet. Especially after she's bumped into Valerie.
Daisys first night with Drew, but Ricky saying he loves her is even lovelier!
Perdita trying to drown the ghastly Mrs Coley and revealing that she wears a wig!
Luke being reunited with Fantasma.
Declan and Maud reconciling, because there was blame and bad behaviour on both sides but also great love.
George and Flora- the hot air balloon seduction and the brandy dropping!
Natasha and Ferdie on the train with the improper use cord!
The Appasionata orgy with Dimitri declaring his love for Miss Parrott and also later, the scene with Viking chucking Rattledicky over the dessert trolley.
Billy meeting Janey, although not their marriage. Not forgiven JC for killing Billy!!!

Oh, and I never liked Fen. I know she's meant to be a protege for Jake, but I found her a bratty little madam.

The whole of The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, Rivals and Appassionata. Obviously.

And... Patrick coming to get Cameron after Taggie and Rupert get married. Lysander escaping from Elmer's mansion. And Georgie telling Julia that "I would have expected you to come in through the catflap". I have always assumed that the whole Georgie/Guy thing was basically Jilly and Leo.

Love Jilly but really wish I hadn't read Mount

Oh and Ferdie appearing on the train with Natasha. Why did we never find out what happened to them?

Riders is gross and I am horribly aware that Riders Rupert could never have become Rivals Rupert really.

Oh- and the two lovely black eyes scene in TMWMHJ- Ranners deserved it!

Daisy is one of my favourite characters ever, and Lizzie. I also like Maud, she's so openly selfish and flawed but I find her intriguing. Caitlin is also feisty, and Abby is flawed but essentially kind. Can't help but love Kitty. Taggie is sweet but drippy.

Fen, Perdita and Georgie are my least favourites. Chessie is the most amoral. Hermione is so awful, she's hilarious!

Rupert says “What, not even jelly?” made me laugh out loud and fall in love with him (despite him being an utter shit)

SAME.

She is so good at writing awful characters...Valarie Jones is brilliantly vile!

"Dearie me, I'll never get rid of this erection"

Must have a re read. I actually loved Fiona Walker’s older work and reading The Country Set and this thread makes me crave Jilly again! What do I read first?