Clover can't say what triggered her change in attitude. Maybe it was the headache she woke up with, or the odd assortment of pills she took in order to dampen the pain. Maybe it was the unfortunate fork discovery in the dishwasher. Maybe it was that first staff meeting of the morning that served as the last straw. Or maybe, as a happily married, 46-year-old mother of twins, Clover simply got tired of always being the quiet person who was politely perched in the back of the room, smiling. Whatever it was, today was the day when everything changed.

Clover is an executive producer for an independent TV station in Bristol, England, west of London. Her outfit specializes in "reality" shows. Vince, her boss, insists on holding morning meetings, going over the same material in the same manner, day after day. (You know the type.) Today, Clover has had enough. After Vince makes a crass comment, she tells him off, leaves the room, grabs her bag from her office and walks out. Out and into the daytime world, a place unseen by those who are tethered to inside office work. Off she goes to explore Bristol.

Today, Clover does what she feels like doing. Like going to a private club. Taking in an art exhibit. Except that she now does everything in a very un-Clover-like fashion. Which feels terrific. It's time to right some wrongs and to tell it like it is. Clover is brutally honest to strangers, to friends, to co-workers and to family members. Will she end up burning every bridge today? Or will she somehow build new and different ones? We have to keep reading to find out.

I don't usually read novels set in England. I don't always get the cultural references or understand the unique turns of phrase. Nevertheless, this unfamiliarity didn't interfere with my enjoyment in the telling of this humorous tale. I'm sure that true anglophiles will get more out of Clover's banter than I did. For me, she was still a hoot and a half, as one of my friends would say.

The title of the novel and its premise will no doubt stir vivid memories of a funny story about a high schooler named Ferris Bueller. Friends, that film was released in 1986, and Matthew Broderick is now in his early 60s. Get over it. The point is: Don't adults get this chance, too? Why should such random and spontaneous fun be reserved for the young?

What would YOU do, if you walked out of a business meeting and had the rest of the day to yourself? Clover gives us an example, here. Clover Hendry's Day Off makes for a delightful beach or summer read. Or, pick this book up when you yourself need a pick-me-up. Watching Clover's adventures from a distance should instantly make your own problems and challenges seem tame by comparison.