Miss Guinevere Pettigrew is a desperate, middle-aged governess, pretty sure that she’s unlikely to find many more jobs, who by accident is sent to to the wrong address by the employment agency. Instead of a mother looking for a new child minder, she meets the glamorous and vivacious singer/actress Miss Delysia DeFosse (NOT her real name) and before she knows it, Miss Pettigrew’s rather colourless and boring life is full of high drama and romance.
Delysia has not one, not two, but three suitors that she appears to be juggling and she’s absolutely terrible at confrontations and making up her mind about what she really wants. Miss Pettigrew can’t stand to see her being upset or bullied, and steps in to help whenever she can. While she may have been sent to the wrong address, she can’t stand by and see a beautiful young woman in distress. Delysia is delighted, and insists on Miss Pettigrew coming along on new adventures throughout the most exciting and eventful day the lonely spinster has ever experienced.
One of the last few times I was in the US (not this summer), I watched the movie adaptation of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day with my best friend. Such a wonderful cast, with Frances McDormand absolutely perfect as Miss Pettigrew, Amy Adams absolutely radiant as the bubbly Delysia, Ciaran Hinds (the only Captain Wentworth worth mentioning) as the man Miss Pettigrew finally experiences romance with, and the stunning Lee Pace as Michael, the suitor it’s clear Delysia must end up with, as they are perfect together. I was so charmed by the movie and in preparation for this year’s US trip, I decided to read the book to remember the fun time I had watching the movie.
Full review on my blog.
I didn’t know this was a book! Adding to my list. I remember enjoying Ciaran Hinds in the movie…
I’ve been meaning to read this and your review is just the push I need.
Thanks for the review! I picked up a used copy of this a while ago but haven’t gotten around to reading it. Bumping it up the list now
I’m so glad you loved this! I LOVE THIS BOOK! And the movie, but yay! The book is a personal fav.