Shopaholic ties the knot (by Sophie Kinsella)

(Amazon UK link)

I reread the late Sophie Kinsella’s ‘Shopaholic abroad’ last month. So I’ve just finished the third in the series, ‘Shopaholic ties the knot’, which I last read in 2012.  Yes, they are essentially quite silly, fluffy books. Yes, the protagonist, Becky Bloomwood, is by turns irritating, naive and over-emotional. 

But the writing is - in my view - excellent, and the stories, particularly this one, cleverly plotted. The story is, admittedly, unlikely, but at times it’s quite amusing. The opening scene could be from a comedy show: Becky is trying to fit a large, hundred-year-old cocktail cabinet into a taxi. She’s bought it at an antique store, and doesn’t want to pay their huge delivery bill because she only lives around the corner… 

It’s an excellent introduction to the insatiable shopping addict who can’t resist a bargain. Even though she and her boyfriend Luke have theoretically agreed that they don’t need any more furniture. And she’s not supposed to spend large amounts without discussing it first… but Becky is an incurable optimist. It’s one of her best attributes, although it also leads to extremely difficult situations at times. 

Becky and Luke have been living in New York, but fly to the UK for the wedding of Becky’s best friend Suze. Becky is to be the bridesmaid, and her dress is made, somewhat at the last minute, by a neighbour in her apartment block called Danny. He’s an aspiring designer, but not very good at finishing anything, or working to a schedule. He, among others, keep hinting that Becky and Luke should get married.

Inevitably - given the title of the book - Luke proposes, and Becky accepts. Her parents are delighted, and she agrees that she wants to be married in their local church, with the reception at her parents’ home. She is the only child, and they have been saving for years to give her a wonderful experience. 

Unfortunately, when they return to New York, Becky discovers that Luke’s mother Elinor is convinced they will be married in a huge extravaganza in an expensive building. She is extremely wealthy, and says she will fund everything. Becky tries to tell her that she’s getting married in her parents’ village, but Elinor won’t listen. There’s a wedding organiser, and when Becky realises just what it involves, she can’t help getting caught up in the idea of a fairytale wedding, full of glamour… 

Most of the book involves her becoming more and more worried about the fact that two very different weddings are being planned. The longer this goes on, the more difficult it becomes to decide which one will have to be cancelled. And any time she reaches a decision, something happens to make it impossible… 

It’s quite tense in places; while Becky is something of a caricature, she’s also a very likeable person who has an excellent relationship with her parents. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but at the same time she can’t resist trying on gorgeous wedding dresses, tasting extravagant cakes and signing up for wedding lists at different stores. It’s a nightmare dilemma, but - optimist as she is - she’s convinced something will happen to sort the problem out.

There are other side stories, too - there’s Danny, increasingly desperate for his clothing range to be accepted somewhere. Then there’s Michael, Luke’s best friend and colleague, becoming concerned about a new charitable organisation run by Elinor. We also meet some of the people Becky works for, as a shopping assistant, advising them about what clothes would suit them. And there’s an ongoing deeper issue of Luke, desperately trying to please his cold mother who had no interest in him during his childhood.

It’s a world far removed from anything I’ve ever known, but somehow I find these books compelling and, at times, quite moving. I even laughed aloud in one place in this book, something that’s quite unusual for me. I did vaguely remember what transpired in the end, and how the problem was solved; but I had totally forgotten the details. 

These books are not to everyone’s taste. If you prefer more serious women’s fiction, or fast action books, then give these a miss. But if you want something light and fluffy, with some humour, and are prepared to accept the materialistic but warmhearted Becky with all her flaws, then I would recommend this. It’s not necessary to have read the earlier books in the series, but I enjoy them more when reading them in order.  

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