"This Could Change Everything"
- Amira
- Mar 28, 2018
- 3 min read
A book review of 'This Could Change Everything' by Jill Mansell.

Jill Mansell has always been one of my go-to authors for when I'm in the mood to read a happy and funny book with cute, lovable characters. Her books never fail to put a smile on my face, and 'This Could Change Everything' is definitely no exception.
Similar to the more recent novels Mansell has released, 'This Could Change Everything' is told through the eyes of six characters who, through heart-breaking journeys of their own, will each come to realise that even the worst of situations can lead to the most exciting and wonderful changes in your life.
The novel begins with Essie, who’s life falls apart when her jokey Round Robin email is sent to everyone in her contacts list, leaving her single, jobless and homeless. As she meets Zillah, an elderly, flamboyant woman who takes Essie under her wing, and Lucas, the man who ruined her life by supposedly hitting 'send' on her Round Robin, Essie is forced to learn that you cannot control what happens to you, but you can control how you're going to get through it. All it needs is faith, truth, and friendship.
"Every day we do things that are capable of changing everything, and that's what makes life exciting."
With an eye-catching cover, ‘This Could Change Everything’ is a feel-good story of friendship, love and starting over. Packed with humour, drama and tenderness, this story is beautifully written and will leave you smiling through to the final page.
*The following section contain spoilers*

There were many elements of 'This Could Change Everything' that I loved, especially the heart-warming relationships that developed between the characters. However, having said that, there were a few aspects that left me feeling a bit disappointed.
As soon as I was introduced to all the characters, I immediately knew who would end up together and who wouldn't. Maybe it's because I've read too many of Mansell's novels, or maybe it was intended to be this way, but in either case I found that the lack of surprise made the book quite boring at times. I knew that, no matter what issues Essie had with Lucas, she would nonetheless find it in her heart to forgive him, and they would nonetheless end up together. The same goes for Conor and Scarlett.
Many of Mansell's latest novels (i.e. post 2010) follow a similar style in that the plot focuses around three sets of character couples who all fall in love with each other by the end of the book. That's probably why 'This Could Change Everything' felt very predictable, at least for me. I felt like I was reading the exact same story as her previous works, only in a different town and with different characters.
However, despite that, there were many times when the book made me laugh out loud, crack a smile, or well up with emotion. The 'make-a-wish' treats that Zillah generously brought to life really tugged at my heartstrings and made me so thankful for all the blessings in my life. The moments between Essie and Lucas made for a funny and occasionally tense reading, and left me anxiously and desperately waiting for the moment they would finally realise and confess their feelings for each other. Conor was so adorable and awkward that it made my heart melt, while Scarlett brought humour and laughs to the story with the scrapes she gets into.
Zillah was by far my favourite character - at the age of eigthy-three, this feisty and full of life character is a social media guru who still wears high heels and can give many twenty-somethings a run for their money when it comes to style and flamboyance. She was also kind and generous to a fault, which only made her even more lovable!
All in all, 'This Could Change Everything' was a light, heart-warming and touching read through and through that can be read in one breath and will leave you asking for more.
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