Lessons in Duck Shooting

Ally used to know the world of marketing like the back of her hand: the three Ps of packaging, promoting, placement and the art of selling overpriced glamour products to overpaid glamorous women, that was what she lived for; that and her husband and 2 children. Sadly, her life has changed radically since those days. Now in her 40s, Ally has swapped hairspray for the distinctly less glamorous field of breakfast condiments and her husband has swapped her for a younger model - or rather a series of younger models. And watching The Little Mermaid is probably the nearest she's come to an exciting date in the last few years. When Ally's best friend invites her to a seminar run by a famous American dating guru, Ally's is reluctant. Marina Boyd claims that applying marketing principles to the dating game is the only way to a successful love life, but surely packaging and promoting hair products and perfume (let alone marmalade!) can't possibly be the same as dating and falling in love? And how on earth would you find the time for a makeover, a direct mail campaign and a branding programme when your two children are raising hell at home? Ally is about to find out...

note - shelf wear and some foxing