This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) is back! It has been roughly four years since fans of Sophie Kinsella were last blessed with a Shopaholic book. When Mini Shopaholic hit the shelves in 2010, Sophie suggested she wouldn’t write another story in the series and fans were worried they would be left pining for Becky and her uncontrollable addiction forever. Thankfully, things have changed and following a ‘new book’ announcement this spring, we have finally been able to delve back into the sometimes shocking, but always hilarious world of Becky Brandon.
For those who haven’t read any of the other books in the Shopaholic series, Becky has a shopping problem. In fact, she has a shopping addiction that’s so serious, you really can’t get your head around her logic at times. Mainly because there is no logic to Becky’s thoughts! She loves shopping of any kind. Her loving (more sensible) husband Luke handles Becky’s addiction well. Best friend Suze, however, often gets sucked into Becky’s schemes and though she tries to provide a voice of reason, she never quite manages it.
For this book, the entire gang is back and they’re moving to LA! Luke has landed a job representing one of Hollywood’s hottest actresses, Sage Seymour, and family Brandon are heading to LA for three months. The Brandons’ young daughter, Minnie, is of course in tow, but she’s entering the terrible toddler stage, which provides a lot of laughs and sticky situations.
Becky settles into LA life very quickly. She joins an exclusive wellness retreat, which some of Hollywood’s biggest stars swear by, to try and cure her shopping addiction (buying all of the wellness centre’s promotional merchandise in the process). Minnie is even accepted into the top pre-school in LA, only for Becky to discover that Minnie had a little help getting in from her arch rival. Yep, Alicia ‘bitch long legs’ Billington is back, too.
Becky’s best friend Suze and her partner Tarquin have also been having a rough time in England, so decide to fly out to LA and stay with Family Brandon for a relaxing break. But life with Becky is anything but relaxing! With Becky determined to make it as a successful Hollywood stylist, Luke trying to keep everything calm and Minnie wanting … well … everything in sight, it’s definitely a roller-coaster!This book is hilarious. It was like reconnecting with old friends that I hadn’t seen for ages – Sophie Kinsella knows these characters so well, it feels as though she never stopped writing them. Becky gets herself into the usual scrapes, which could seem a little repetitive and I can understand some readers becoming frustrated with her, but you have to accept Becky for who and what she is – truly terrible with money. The characters have clearly grown up since we first encountered them. Suze and Becky are both married, for example, and having young children, but their friendship is just as strong and just as funny as ever. There is plenty of action wih moments of embarrassment and hilarity to keep you turning the pages until the end.
Even as a huge fan of the Shopaholic series, I’m not sure how many more of the novels Sophie can produce before they start to wear a little thin for readers. Some have argued that she should have left it at Shopaholic and Baby, but what I love about these books is Becky herself. And, like Becky, the series never takes itself too seriously. A fun read!
7/10