Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

 *re-reads for the millionth time for the laughs and second-hand embarrassment

374 pages

goodreads | MOBIUS

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "Call Ava romantic, but she thinks love should be found in the real world, not on apps that filter men by height, job, or astrological sign. She believes in feelings, not algorithms. So after a recent breakup and dating app debacle, she decides to put love on hold and escapes to a writers' retreat in remote, coastal Italy. She's determined to finish writing the novel she's been fantasizing about, even though it means leaving her close-knit group of friends and her precious dog, Harold, behind.

At the retreat, she's not allowed to use her real name or reveal any personal information. When the neighboring martial arts retreat is canceled and a few of its attendees join their small writing group, Ava, now going by "Aria," meets "Dutch," a man who seems too good to be true. The two embark on a baggage-free, whirlwind love affair, cliff-jumping into gem-colored Mediterranean waters and exploring the splendor of the Italian coast. Things seem to be perfect."

I finished it!! Finally! Through sheer stubbornness, I did it. 

I usually love Sophie Kinsella, but this book was a miss for me. 

Favorite bits:

• Depicting Ava's friend Nell's struggle with chronic illness (lupus). A+++
• When Ava finally admitted "But real is hard sometimes. Real is really hard."

416 pages

goodreads | MOBIUS

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand for herself? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants?"

I just love Sophie Kinsella! This one wasn't as laugh out loud funny as some of her other novels, but I found it still interesting and heartwarming.

435 pages

MOBIUS | goodreads

--Laura

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "When Katie Brenner is fired from her dream job in advertising in London...she is forced to rethink her revenge fantasies and her assumptions about family, love, and office politics and realize how much she may have misjudged everyone--and everything--around her."

Well, I picked up this Sophie Kinsella novel because I was in desperate need of a laugh, and her novels always deliver giggles and random bursts of laughter in public. BUT, this was not the case in this instance. I enjoyed the story and the message, but I hardly ever laughed, which was such a disappointment. :(

438 pages

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "When the spirit of Lara's great-aunt Sadie-a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance-mysteriously appears, she has one last request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie's possession for more than seventy-five years, and Sadie cannot rest without it. Never mind that Lara has her own problems--which Sadie could care less about. Will this sparring duo ever find what they're after?"

Twenties Girl was a nice read. It followed Sophie Kinsella's normal formula, which is comforting in a way. I did particularly enjoy Sadie's spirit and her bond with Lara. I also appreciated how Sadie's story and life prompts readers to analyze the meaning and impact of their own lives. Quite powerful. 

435 pages

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "After she loses her engagement ring and her phone is stolen during a hotel fire drill, Poppy Wyatt, discovering an abandoned phone in a trash can, crashes into the life of the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton, when she uses his phone to make her wedding preparations."

Whew, this Sophie Kinsella novel is exactly what I needed! I laughed out loud so many times. Poppy is a fun and interesting character. I loved seeing inside her head and cringing in second-hand embarrassment through her various missteps. 

One of my favorite Sophie Kinsella novels thus far! 

433 pages

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, having survived a car accident, she has lost a big chunk of her memory--three years to be exact. And that's not all. Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband--who also happens to be a multimillionaire?"

I couldn't stay away from Sophie Kinsella for long...her books are just so fun and interesting. I loved Remember Me? for the laughs as well as the intrigue. It pulled me in, and I couldn't put it down! 

Even though there were a few plot holes and loose ends, I enjoyed this book very much overall. 

389 pages

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (Books 1-4)

Summary: "Becky Bloomwood is bored to death writing for Successful Saving. So, with a handsome credit line from her bank, she liberates herself the best way she knows how -- by shopping! Think of it as an investment, she tells herself. But, soon she is buried in bank notices and cursed VISA bills."

I had previously seen the Confessions of a Shopaholic movie, and wasn't sure if I'd like the book series. Turns out, as usual, the book series is much better than the movie! :) I'm so glad I picked these up, as they put a big goofy smile on my face no matter what.


310 pages












Summary: "With her shopping excesses in check- for now at least-and her new career as a TV financial adviser. But now Becky's business minded boyfriend needs to move to New York and he wants her to move with him!"

Becky's spirit, creativity and imagination are often the best bits of this series. Becky's daydreams are vivid and wild and most importantly, something we can all relate to! 

However, Becky can be a very frustrating character as she often lies to her loved ones and continues to make repeated mistakes. But in these books, the good ultimately outweigh the bad!

323 pages







***SPOILERS***


Summary: "Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) returns from her honeymoon only to discover she has a half-sister-who hates to shop."

Surprisingly, this is my favorite of the series so far! It had more drama and heart in it than the previous two installments. Becky faced down some tough situations with grit and determination. I could hardly put it down!


352 pages










Summary: "Becky is pregnant! She couldn't be more overjoyed, especially since discovering that shopping cures morning sickness. Everything has got to be perfect for her baby. But when her must-have celebrity obstetrician turns out to be her husband Luke's glamorous, intellectual ex-girlfriend, Becky's perfect world starts to crumble."

I enjoyed this installment of the Shopaholic series, but it wasn't as good as Shopaholic & Sister. Becky's foray into the baby shopping world was funny, but alarming. I enjoyed certain parts very much, and found others to be frustrating and upsetting. I did not enjoy Luke's storyline at all because he is such a great character who deserves much better treatment!

358 pages

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She's made a mistake so huge, it'll wreck any chance of a partnership. Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she's mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they've hired a lawyer--and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can't sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope--and finds love--is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake."

I've been on a Sophie Kinsella binge lately, but I think it's time to step away and take a break. I noticed some similar themes and plot points in this novel as the Shopaholic books, and it's just a little too stale for me. Overall, this is a good chick-lit novel, and had some laugh-out-loud moments. I enjoyed all the characters and it was a good reflection on life's priorities. 

374 pages

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

Summary: "Trials and tribulations of a single girl living and working in London. During a turbulent flight Emma pours her heart and soul out to a complete stranger, only to live to regret it."

I found this book through reading rave reviews of it on Goodreads and thought that it surely couldn't live up to the hype. But no, I was wrong, it exceeded the hype!

Emma Corrigan is fun, charming, entertaining and relatable, which makes her my top choice for English heroines! Sophie Kinsella captures the charm of British humor to the fullest extent, and I wish that JoJo Moyes would inject more of that into her writing. I loved the witticisms and quips and inside look into Emma's world. She seemed more real and relatable than Bridget Jones, and I truly laughed out loud in multiple places. In a few plot points, I was afraid that Emma would fall into overdone and cliched responses, but she responded in a sincere and thoughtful way. 

On to the next Sophie Kinsella novel!

357 pages