Generous Gardener

On her 40th birthday, Fran March wonders what more she could want in the world. With a precocious 18-year-old daughter, Rosie, a career as a cartoonist and illustrator, a husband who is possessive and moody only part of the time and a biting sense of humor, she seems to have everything (save for the slimmer waist she's been longing for). If only Rosie would stop asking questions about her unknown father, a mysterious gardener whom Fran foolishly slept with one drunken night in college, her life would be perfect. But when Fran catches an episode of the popular television show Restoration Gardener, she immediately recognizes the gorgeous host as the horticulturist from that fateful one-night stand. To make matters worse, he unexpectedly drops by the house Fran is selling and recognizes her, sending her world into a tailspin. Written with quintessential British wit and flair, this romantic comedy chronicles Fran's failed attempts to keep the gardener out of her life and her realization that it might not be easy to forget him. Ashley, author of Every Woman for Herself, creates some delightful characters, from Fran's bohemian mother in ""mock-lizardskin stilettos"" to her quirky, nagging friends, Nia and Rhodri. Though the plot is fairly predictable, the story's success lies in the humorous voice of Fran, who is both lively and self-deprecating as she describes the ups and downs of middle-age life.