Event planner Isabel Serranti is having one of those days; she's recently been dumped, she's mistaken for being pregnant after weeks of binging on Cornettos and planning Lady Boswell's upcoming Nordic Ice Feast is about to do her in. As if things couldn't get much worse, Izzie has been hired to coordinate the charity ball of the year at Pantiles, her childhood home. While normally this would be an exciting and welcome distraction from the train wreck of her life, Izzie is loathe to take on the job if it means she has to work in close proximity to her childhood bully, Simon Monkwell.

The Monkwell family owns one of the most beautiful, sprawling estates in the English countryside. That is until Elizabeth, mistress of the household, suddenly dies. The family struggles to keep everything together but their estate has fallen into disrepair and they can't afford the staff to maintain the house and grounds. The last few years have been increasingly hard on the family as Simon took over the estate and put the family on such a strict budget they could barely afford to feed themselves. Things go from bad to worse when Simon's company plans a hostile takeover of another company in America. The media has made Simon out to be a complete monster as his bullying didn't seem to end after puberty. The deal threatens to fall through when a rather unsavory article shows up in the papers, portraying Simon as calculating and cruel.

The stress is almost too much for Izzie when her best friend, Dom, suddenly starts acting strangely, hanging up the phone when she enters the room and being vague about his plans and whereabouts. Her sister won't return her phone calls, and her parents are uncharacteristically ambiguous on the phone when she mentions her new gig with the Monkwells. The youngest son, Will, seems to be developing a crush on Izzie, but she can't ignore the butterflies in her stomach every time Simon enters the room. Could this be love -- or just a really bad case of indigestion?

PARTY GIRL is a dry, albeit quick read. Reminiscent of Bridget Jones, Izzie too is concerned with her weight, her job and finding Mr. Right. However, Izzie's escapades tend to end more in groans than in laughter. Highlights of the book include the descriptions of whimsical Aunt Winnie, the rambunctious little boy, Harry, and the passel of dogs that seem to be just as human as the main characters. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy Bridget Jones- esque plotlines or movies like The Wedding Planner.