Sophie Kinsella

Meet Rebecca Bloomwood. She's a journalist. She spends her working life telling others how to manage their money. She spends her leisure time shopping. Retail therapy is the answer to all her problems. She knows she should stop, but she can't. She tries Cutting Back, she tries Making More Money. But neither seems to work.

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Financial journalist Rebecca Bloomwood seeks solace from the boredom and pressures in life with her shopping, a solution that brings her close to financial disaster, until she encounters a story that will change her life.

That's the other really weird thing. God knows how — but I know the answers to all the questions. I know about mortgages, and I know about life assurance, and I know about pensions. I know this stuff! A few minutes ago, Kenneth from St Austell asked what the annual contribution limit for an ISA is — and I answered £5,000 without even thinking about it. It's almost as if some part of my mind has carefully been storing every single bit of information I've ever written in Successful Saving, and now, when I need it, it's all there. Ask me anything! Ask me...the rules on capital gains tax for home owners. Go on, ask me.

Then gradually it comes to me that this is the way I always get treated when I ring up press offices. No-one's ever in any hurry to answer my questions, are they? People are always putting me on hold, saying they'll ring me back and not bothering. I've never minded before — I've rather enjoyed hanging on to a phone, listening to 'Greensleeves' (at least it beats working). 

Philip always has to make a joke about me living in Fulham. Just because he lives in Harpenden.

The journalists are knocking back the champagne as if they've never seen it before; the PR girls are looking supercilious and sipping water.

There's a sign up in the foyer of Brandon Communications saying that the Foreland Exotic Opportunities press conference is happening in the Artemis Suite, and a man in uniform is directing everybody down the corridor. This means it must be quite big. Not television-cameras-CNN-world's press on tenterhooks- big, obviously. But fairly-good-turnout big. A relatively important event in our dull little world.

And even better, although no-one can see them, I know that underneath I'm wearing my gorgeous new matching knickers and bra with embroidered yellow rosebuds. They're the best bit of my entire outfit. In fact, I almost wish I could be run over so that the world would see them. 

There's just one essential purchase I have to make on the way to the press conference - and that's the Financial Times. The FT is by far the best accessory a girl can have. Its major advantages are:

I’ve been reading a lot of stories about people with mental problems, but the voice of Rebecca Bloomwood has the most amount of character and personality than anything else I’ve read in a long time. I think there’s a noticeable nosedive in terms of quality for the book around the 3/4’s mark, and I will say that the movie makes better on the theming in my opinion, but it was such a sweet, cutsey, girly read. I adore most of my time spent with it :3

margo farto

Amelia C 

definitely an awesome escape from daily monotony.. and offers more thana few laughs along the way!

Sarah Sammis

JoAnna

I don't normally read chick-lit, but I thought I'd branch out a bit! This book has been sitting on my shelf since I was a kid—I adored the movie as a teen. 

Becky's voice is so bubbly, dramatic, and deluded that the book reads as delightfully satirical. The medley of situations she goes through, see-saw-ing between improving and worsening her debt, are hilarious and entertaining. And by the end of the novel, (view spoiler)[ Becky experiences some personal growth (albeit through stroke-of-lightning luck, but still) which I thought was a nice touch.  (hide spoiler)]

I didn't like how repetitive the book got (seriously, try taking a shot every time Becky claims a purchase is "an investment"). I also wasn't a fan of (view spoiler)[love interest Luke Brandon, whose appeal fell flat to me. (hide spoiler)]

Bessie Small

I found this book ok. It was kinda of slow and at some points kind of boring. I never thought I would actually say that I enjoyed the movie better than the book. Also Sophie Kinsella's dialog seemed a little unnatural to me. I dont think I will read the rest of the series.

Joy Bush

I usually love all of Sophie Kinsella's books but I had already seen the movie of this and its just very slow and repetitive. The best part was the ending.

Nessa Luna

Lately, I'd been thinking about the books I read when I was a kid/teen, and I thought about maybe rereading a couple of them to see if they held up to my love for them. Confessions of a Shopaholic is one of them. My mum read the entire series and I often borrowed books from her because they looked interesting. Now I already knew going into this book that I wouldn't love it, because I have realised in the last ten years that contemporary (and more specifically contemporary romance) just isn't my thing. Still, I wanted to reread this book because I have access to the entire series, and they might be nice to read in between all the 'big' books I usually pick up.

I have to admit this book only got three stars for nostalgia sake if I had read this book for the first time this year I probably would have ended up with maybe a 2 or 2.5 star. I just don't love this book as much as I guess I did years ago. I hated Becky as a main character, she was just so annoying and very judgy over other people. I loved her daydreaming about a better life, though, because I do that all the time, but other than that I just got annoyed by her every time. 

I fully understand shopping is a proper addiction and people go bankrupt every day because they just can't stop buying, but Becky just overdid it in my opinion. I mean sure, you can say something about me buying too many books, but at least I buy them with my actual money and don't put it all on a credit card I have no intention of paying off. 

Oh well, at least the book is entertaining and I did also kind of enjoy the movie (might rewatch it soon, just cuz I can).

Rhiannon Mansfield

It was cute. A little to girlie for me but I will read a few more and see how the series continues.

Joana da Silva

** spoiler alert **
           Fui defraudada por completo. Desde que o filme saiu que é o meu "primeira-escolha-para-quando-estou-prestes-a-cortar-os-pulsos" e achava aquilo máximo. Começo a ler e fico "O quê? O Luke já tem a Brandon Communications?" e "O Tarquin não era o noivo da Suse?". Venho a saber que o filme é o resultado da adpatação de 2 livros. Que bela vergonha. Mesmo assim não consigo deixar de ser apaixonada pela Becky Bloomwood.

Subasri Srikanth

Gillian Rose

This book definitely hits differently as an adult because GODDAMMIT BECKY STOP SPENDING MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE.

But Luke Brandon can still get it.

Sampurna Saha 

Nostalgia doesn't always hold up I guess.
I remember Rebecca being an absolute catastrophe and very disconnected from her privilege and reality ... but I was anticipating more of Luke or at least of some of their moments together, which is why I remember loving this series so much in the first place. Hopefully, as the series goes on I find the sense of comfort that I was looking for in this book.

Rachel Kanyid

I generally love Kinsella's writing, but I wasn't as big of a fan of this book as her others. Might be because I have watched the movie version so many times though.

Kelsey Joëlle

Damn it, I did it again. It’s almost 3 in the morning and I’m still awake and craving for the second book. Need it noooow! 

I love the shopaholic series, the first time that I’ve read them would be about 5 years ago. I still love them. Becky is a fantastic but dumb character that you just have to love. And then there is Luke, I wish I had a Luke. Dang it, Christmas is over. Have to wait another year then....

Neeky Reid

I felt like Rebecca Bloomwood was not really cured of her shopaholic ways and it was pretty handy how everything decided to work out for her in the end. However her character is very unlikable, she's selfish, impulsive and dishonest. She doesn't take her work seriously and she lies about the smallest things. It's book 1 of the series so I suppose her story isn't done yet.

Ari Gold

The main character drives me nuts...she knows she's in debt yet she spends spends spends...instead of book world where she meets a rich handsome man who bails her out.....
She needs THERAPY

Tierney Ahad

I listened to this as an audio book on the way to work. It made me laugh out loud at some parts and was a good book. Easy to listen to and pick up from where you last listened. Nice girls book-audio. 

Stefanie Sugia

The book is so fun and entertaining; and I can't stop reading! :D The main character of the story - Rebecca Bloomwood, is very approachable with all her mistakes and weaknesses. The story is well written, sometimes funny because Becky's thought are all written down. She can't stop buying things and spending more money, even though she's already in debt! The book is also not all about romance, there's also friendship between Becky and Suze - her roomate; and also family support. The great thing about this book is how Becky finds out a way to correct her mistakes in the end. It's incredible for the reader to see the main character finally changes herself for the better. It almost feels like we are there with Rebecca Bloomwood all the time. :) That's why reading this book is a lot more fun! ;) 

I'm already a big fan of Sophie Kinsella, and i'm a bigger fan now! :) Awesome. Great. Enjoyable read ;):)

Jocelyn Poh

think I first picked this series up waaaay back in 2006, which books I have re-read countless times ever since. fast forward to 2022, being in the financial services industry really sheds a new light to the first book of this series. while not being the key to the plot (though the irony of it lends a big part to it), I still thoroughly enjoyed my 2022 reread this book albeit reading it many times and that definitely has to do it with me having evolved into an adult :') I'll definitely pick this series up again in between the other books I want to read this year. 

Fiona Coffey

This book was a lot better than I expected! My Gran leant it to me, and I usually don't trust things with bright pink book jackets, so I was naturally apprehensive. 

It was actually really good! I forget how much I love British humor. The book was actually quite funny and it was really fun to read! I needed something to sort of jump me back into fiction. 

There were a couple cringey moments, but that was all part of the story. It was all in all a great book, you could really empathize with the characters, and it had a great ending.

I'd definitely read another of Sophie Kinsella's books.

Isa s

Sophie Kinsella is the only author I've read in this genre so far. Becky Bloomwook is an ambiguous heroine. Usually I don't like the person she represents - silly, not much substantial in her head, acting without thinking and only bent on buying new things - but for this book it somehow works for me. Her characteristics are drawn in such a sharp way, that even I can't help but smile at her way. As such this is a nice book which isn't too demanding.

Rainey Michelle

Patti Reinheimer

Fun, breezy novel. Becky Bloomwood is delightful.

Confessions of a Shopaholic

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