by Sophie Kinsella

“You can’t switch sides!” I glare at him in fury.

“I was never on your side,” retorts Lorcan. “Your side is the nutty side.”

I Loved this book. and loved the performances for the audio version even more. I am sure this was a very funny read, but I am also sure that the audio version was twice as funny as the book would have been. It was everything I have come to expect from Sophie Kinsella. Of course, it had its drawbacks. Lottie was very flawed (as is usual for SK) but I kept my patience with her because she is shown to be wise, kind, generous, and talented in her professional life. In a great scene, she and her colleague speak to a class of what they assume are science majors but who turn out to be cosmetologists. Her partner freaks out (they are recruiters for a pharmacological corporation) and walks off the stage, but Lottie carries on, changes her approach to fit her audience and ends up getting a standing ovation. Fliss, her overprotective sister, was also a very likable character as were both of their love interests. And Fliss’s little son Noah is one of the funniest creations of a little kid I have read in a long time.

There were aspects of the plot that went on a little too long and tended to go over the top at times. I wish there had been a little more closure as to what became of Ben’s company and his relationship with Lorcan. Kudos to Sophie Kinsella and the continuing maturation of her plots and characters. (this one had a bit of a serious thread that I have enjoyed in the last 2 or 3 novels and are not present in her earlier ones.) But extra Kudos to Mark Bramhall, Jayne Entwistle, Fiona Hardingham, the brilliant performers in the audio version.**5 out of 5 stars**

October 24, 2019