This book came to me among a stack of someone else's cast offs. Every time I look at the cover my mind reads the title to the tune of the cough drop commercial jingle. It's an older book and apparently never was terribly popular - I had to manually add it to goodreads' database.

There are a few places where the writing is clunky. "Not that she would ever..." The author seems to have believed the story some men must have told her that going without sex would ruin their health. But not too much, because our hero, in spite of being frustrated, is still the most eligible bachelor around.

Despite these flaws, the prose is compelling. I found myself turning page after page and choosing to read rather than watch a show.

Ethel/Nicola was sent to prison for three years for aiding and abetting her murderer boyfriend. She has returned to her seaside English village. We are treated throughout to the varied reactions and gossips of the villagers. Those closer to Nicola are treated more thoroughly while those further removed from her provide comic relief.

Til the story's end, it seems to be a simple romance. The climax, however, hinges on the gossip and reputations of the characters, and is a resounding condemnation of self-unaware self-righteousness.