is a cute little chick-lit book by (of course) Sophie Kinsella. I liked this one a lot less than the last two Kinsella novels I read recently: Remember Me? and Can You Keep a Secret? but it's still cute, and would actually make a killing as a movie. The climactic scene is a lot more tense than her other stuff, and likely to be more fun at the box-office.We'll start with Samantha, our main girl. She's twenty nine and about to be made the youngest partner in her law firm's history. Naturally, she's completely married to her job. She works sixteen hour days, every day. So she's a little... stressed. Then, she makes a huge (gigantic!) mistake and leaves the legal field, and accidentally becomes a (gulp) full-time housekeeper. Yes, accidentally. Samantha is stubborn, determined and incredibly bright. But then, when life slows down, she learns to be softer, and she... well, you'll have to read the book to find out what else she learns :) Is it weird that I totally pictured Rachel McAdams?
I know she's supposed to be British, but I just could.not. get her out of my head. And if Renee Zellwegger can pull of being British as well as she did, surely somebody else can do it, too, yes? Yes. I vote for Rachel McAdams. She's the only one I can think of who is the right age and can be both the workhorse and the slower, sweeter Samantha, and still look like a sex kitten doing so.
Ketterman is one of the partners at Samantha's firm. He's a... well, there's not really a nice term for it: he's a hardass. He's tough, though fair, and he is not the least bit friendly. It took about one page for me to see Daniel Craig in this part.
Arthur is the senior most partner at Samantha's firm. He's a nice guy, kind of a Santa-comes-to-life crossed with a corporate executive type of lawyer man. Yeah. That's an accurate description. He also needs to be capable of subterfuge, but you didn't hear that from me. I vote for Jim Broadbent.
Guy is one of Samantha's colleagues. He's dashing and handsome (not available... darn!) and a partner in one of the other departments. He's an American, and Harvard educated. He's also cocky and overly efficient. I kind of picture Ryan Reynolds, even though he's waaaaay too big of a star to have this small of a role. But you know, somebody like Ryan Reynolds.
Nathaniel is the gardener at Samantha's new location after she absconds from London. He's one of those work-outside-all-day types, but has a head for business and is (of course) absolutely gorgeous. I like Sean Maguire for this part.
Iris is Nathaniel's mother. She's a homey, simple, beautiful woman who loves her role as a housewife. She cooks, bakes, cleans and keeps a beautiful English country home with class and grace. She's well mannered and sweet and the epitome of English manners. I could not help thinking of Helen Mirren.
Trish Geiger is Samantha's new employer. She's an average lady in her late forties who is now trying to keep up with the trophy wives of the English society, and not doing a very good job of it. Again, there's no real "average looking" women in acting. So you need somebody who you can frumpify. I pick Jane Leeves.
Eddie Geiger is Trish's husband and Samantha's new employer. He's a "Joe Six Pack" who made big money kind of by accident. He's kind of a doof and not really attractive. He's just an average guy who got lucky and is now living the good life. Somebody who looks kind of like Mark Addy.
Melissa is Trish and Eddie's niece. She's a second year law student and life is just. so. hard. :: pout :: She has to, you know, read. And she doesn't get to go out with her friends like she used to. Like I said, life is so hard. She's young and pretty and looks like the words she's reading maybe aren't sticking in her head so well... I like somebody like Talulah Riley.
