Rambling About.. Samantha Tonge's Doubting Abbey

Title: Doubting Abbey Author: Samantha Tonge Publication: 10 November 2013 - Carina UK First Lines: Welcome to this blog. Your visit is appreciated. May I introduce myself - I am Lord Edward, the son of the Earl of Croxley. Our home, Applebridge Hall, is in the final of the Million Dollar Mansion competition. Favorites on 4s: (4%, 24%, 44%, 64%, 84% )  Life has a habit of throwing opportunities our way... Who knows what will happen? (4.4%) I lifted the book to my face and sniffed. 'My mother always used to do that,; muttered Edward and stared. 'She believed you could smell a good story.' (24%)  'You have five minutes to explain yourself, young lady, before I tell the Earl everything; before you reduce my niece's reputation to tatters.' (44.2%) 'Perhaps talking movies aren't the great invention people thought them to be. Perhaps silence is ... safer.' (64.8%) 'But what this fortnight has taught me, more than anything else, is that money and status don't change things that are important, like looking after your own and not letting down those you love.' (84.9%)

Ramble: Abigail Croxley has been called to her family estate, Applebridge Hall, to assist her cousin and uncle with the final run of the reality show Million Dollar Mansion. The money would greatly help with much needed repairs to the old place and, Abbey hopes, would bring her father and his brother together again as they've been estranged for decades. The only problem is that she's due to head off to Africa to help care for orphans with her boyfriend. Abbey and her roomate, Gemma Goodwin, look quite alike and have been mistaken for each other before -- aside from the fact that Abbey is polished and proper and Gemma is happiest with heavy makeup, short skirts, bronzer, bra inserts, and speaks more in slang and idioms than Abbey. Luckily, Lady Constance used to run a finishing school and is prepared to give Gemma a crash course in being a lady to take Abbey's place. Abbey's uncle and cousin hadn't seen her since she was nine years old so it shouldn't be too hard to fool them for a couple of weeks ... except, of course, that nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I was expecting to like it (I rarely pick up a book without expecting some pleasure), but I wasn't expecting to flying through it as quickly as I did. After starting it Saturday afternoon I didn't put it down for more than a minute or two until my eyes snapped shut at night and I fell asleep. As soon as I woke up I finished the remaining 20% or so before even finishing my first cup of coffee for the day.