I Owe You One - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

I Owe You One
by Sophie Kinsella

What is it about:
Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” But since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will? It’s simply not in her nature to say no to people.

So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, Fixie not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. Turns out the computer’s owner is an investment manager. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, Sebastian scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. But Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?

Then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. She wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. And Seb agrees, until the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon 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? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants?

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I was in the mood for something light and funny, and in that case you can't go wrong with a Kinsella book.

This book follows the Kinsella method of quirky young woman isn't taken seriously, meets guy, gets in weird situations, figures things out, and everything end well.

As simple as it is, Kinsella does manage to keep coming up with new stories to fit this mold. This one was yet another entertaining, silly, and fun one to add to my growing pile of fluffy Kinsella books. Although I must say that the romance in this one didn't lead the story for me. Yes: the guy she meets sets things in motion for Fixie, but this story is mostly about Fixie getting her priorities straight and claiming her own space. That it's a hunky guy who gets her moving is just a nice little extra in my opinion.

I can recommend this book if you like Kinsella's silliness and don't mind that the romance is understated in this book. I for sure will keep it to reread if I need something light and funny.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun Contemporary read.


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The Undomestic Goddess - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

The Undomestic Goddess
by Sophie Kinsella

What is it about:
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.

But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does...will she want it back?

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
This is a nice read.

I will confess it all went a bit too easily for Samantha in my opinion. She manages to keep her worst mistakes hidden from her employers (who are completely clueless btw...), hunky gardener immediately falls for her and helps her, she can cook like a chef after one day of lessons, etc...

I also did not like the implication that housekeepers usually are stupid foreigners, and can't speak English.

That aside this was an enjoyable read. Even without any real obstacles I liked reading how Samantha settled into her new life. Then she gets the opportunity to get back her old life. No surprises there either, even though I had hoped for a bit more nuance.

This won't be a keeper, but still a nice read if you're in the mood for something uncomplicated.

Why should you read it:
It's an easy and enjoyable read.


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My Not So Perfect Life - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

My Not So Perfect Life
by Sophie Kinsella

What is it about:
Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed.

Ok, so the real truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers.

But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they?

Until her not-so perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business.

Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams? Or try to get her job back? Does Demeter – the woman with everything – have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems.

And what’s wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway?

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
This is yet another fun and funny read by Kinsella.

Katie is trying hard to make it big in London, but with her low paying job it's hard to get by. She is creative in showing the world a perfect life though. This is especially because her father never understood the attraction of London, so when she's fired she doesn't want to face an "Ï told you so" and so the lies and subterfuge get bigger.

Kinsella knows how to tell a story in a funny way, so that even cringe-worthy moments are fun. I was hooked from the start and was eager to see what Katie would do to keep others from finding out the truth about her life. Throw in a father who thinks up more getting rich schemes than he can handle, and a possible revenge on the woman who fired her and there wasn't a boring moment in this book.

All in all a fast and very entertaining read, just as I've come to expect from Kinsella.

Why should you read it:
It's a funny and entertaining read.


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Can You Keep a Secret? - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Can You Keep a Secret?
by Sophie Kinsella

What is it about:
Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets: Secrets from her boyfriend: I've always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken. Secrets from her mother: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur. Secrets she wouldn't share with anyone in the world: I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is. Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger...

Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company's elusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her...

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
After reading Wedding Night I was in the mood for more fluffy reads. Luckily I found Can You Keep a Secret? at the local second hand bookstore.

And this is yet another fun and fluffy read.

Emma and Jack seem to connect, even though Jack knows all her secrets. It was fun to read how Jack helps Emma to see that some secrets should be revealed to improve her life, while at other times he blunders by assuming he knows what Emma wants.

This is a feel good romance, so there are many events that are unlikely to turn out this well in real life, but as I'm reading these kind of books for the happy fluff I didn't mind. Instead I enjoyed the funny mishaps and miscommunications, trusting all would turn out well in the end.

All in all a very enjoyable read that will get a place among my other comfort reads and will be reread when I need something funny and fluffy. When I found this book at the secondhand store I found another Kinsella book as well, so I'll be reading that one soon as well.

Why should you read it:
It's a very entertaining, fluffy contemporary romance read.


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Wedding Night - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Wedding Night
by Sophie Kinsella

What is it about:
It's all gone wrong with the man Lottie thought was Mr Right. Then out of the blue she gets a call from her first love. She decides it must be Fate, and rushes off to marry him and rekindle their sizzling Greek island romance.

Lottie's older sister can't believe she's doing something so crazy. No more Ms Nice Sister, she's stopping this marriage. Right away! And she'll go to any lengths to do so...

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
Once in a while I want to read something silly and fun and Kinsella is one of the authors who I know delivers on those two things.

The lengths Fliss goes through to stop her sister's wedding, so Lottie won't have to go through a divorce just as painful as her own are totally overboard, but make for a fun read.

The viewpoint switches between both sisters so you get to read both of their adventures and thoughts. I liked Fliss more than Lottie even though Fliss is a bit of a weirdo in how far she goes to stop her sister. I even didn't mind that she drags her kid along, although I did feel that the storyline with her son didn't have a proper conclusion. Lottie is too much of a flake to really connect with her, but I enjoyed reading about her misadventures on her honeymoon.

All in all this book was just as silly and fun as I hoped when I picked it up and I will most certainly pick up another one of Kinsella's books when I'm in the mood for something light and funny.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and enjoyable Contemporary read


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Twenties Girl - A Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

What is it about:
Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?
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. Lara, on the other hand, has a number of ongoing distractions. Her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, her start-up company is floundering, and she’s just been dumped by the “perfect” man.

Sadie, however, could care less.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I will confess I read the first Shopaholic book by Kinsella and although I liked her writing style, the story itself wasn't for me. So when I saw this book I decided to give Kinsella another chance and I'm very glad I did as I love Twenties Girl!

Lara is a character you can't help loving although she clearly needs to learn to stand up for herself, while Sadie is so spoilt I wanted to kick her at several occasions. As Lara is the only one who can see Sadie, the girls have to learn to work together and both learn a lot in the proces of finding Sadie's necklace. Kinsella's writing style is light, funny and fluffy with a romance added to it that I really enjoyed, which makes this book perfect reading material when you just want to relax and enjoy an easy read.

All in all I think I might pick up other Kinsella books in the future although I will stay away from the Shopaholic series.

Why should you read it:
It's an easy, fluffy romantic read.