Shopaholic Ties the Knot (2002)

** spoiler alert ** I love this series, but in this one Becky Bloomwood just annoyed me. TWO WEDDINGS?! If she were a real person standing in front of me, I would have screamed, JUST TELL THEM THE TRUTH AND CHOOSE A FRICKIN' WEDDING! ( )

SHOPAHOLIC TIES THE KNOT is the 3rd book in the Shopaholic series. Luke and Becky are now living together in New York and life is good. Becky has the most perfect job for her - she is a personal shopper for Barney's, this means she can shop till she drops with other people money. Luke meanwhile is hard at work in the New York office of his company, and assisting his snooty high society mother with her charity work. When Becky and Luke pop over to England to attend her best friend Suzie's wedding Luke proposes to Becky in front of all the wedding guests; before Becky and Luke have even left the country to return to the US her mother has set the date and started to organise a backyard wedding, and altering her frilly wedding dress for Becky to wear.

No sooner are they back in New York when Luke’s cold and haughty mother announces she has organised a wedding planner, and booked the Plaza for the wedding Becky has always dreamed of. Becky is torn, wanting to please both mothers, she can’t say no to either and keeps on hoping that something will sort itself out soon – but the clock is ticking and it seems increasingly likely that there are going to be two wedding ceremonies in two different countries on the same day…what a mess! Can Luke and Becky tie the knot before everything unravel?

I am enjoying Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic books and really laugh at the predicaments that Becky gets into. There is something about the character that just worms its way into your heart. Yes Becky can be silly and frivolous, but there has been growth with her character and she is thinking more, and agonising more over her predicaments. She appears to have cut down on her spending this time – well except for when Suzie goes into labour suddenly and Becky buys the funniest and inappropriate things for the birth – such as a blow up pool (for a water birth) and an expensive perfume (has lavender in it which sooths the birthing mother).
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I loved this one just as much as the previous two. These books are so incredibly entertaining to read and keep me wanting to get to the next page as soon as possible. As the title suggests, Becky is getting married in this one. Her parents are planning her wedding in England, while Luke's mother is planning one in New York. It's so amusing to see all the ridiculous situations Becky gets herself into, and how she always tries to sort things herself. I loved this one from start to finish and look forward to reading the next one. ( )

Abridged audiobook.

I have read (listened to) one other Sophie Kinsella book, but it was not from the Shopaholic series. This was the first time I had met Becky Bloomwood. She struck me as totally divorced from the realities of life and it is this that makes her both endearing and frustrating. Bills for clothes do not become any smaller because you drop Tippex on them!

When Becky's boyfriend, Luke Brandon, proposes, Becky's mother is thrilled and immediately starts to make arrangements for her only daughter's wedding in their home in Oxshott, England. She brings out her own wedding dress, which fits Becky perfectly - but is the last thing Becky wants to wear as she walks down the aisle.
Meanwhile, Luke's Mum in America, decides to treat them to the perfect wedding in The Plaza Hotel, New York.
True to her pattern of 'head in the sand', Becky manages to not quite cancel either wedding and as the time approaches, the situation becomes more and more urgent.

I felt for her, but I could have slapped her too! Entertaining to listen to in the car.
I have a couple of other Shopaholic books on my shelves but there are many other books that are more urgently queueing for my attention.

Also read:
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella (4 stars) ( )

Yeah, I read it. I told you I liked to have sherbet books once in a while, and the Shopaholic collection is quite that. You should also know I intend to read Shopaholic and Sister eventually, as well as Shopaholic and Baby; and apparently there’s a new book that just came out.

Why do I like Becky Bloomwood? She is funny, airheaded sometimes, but funny. And is light to read, I finish the book in 2 days (technically 3, but that’s because I forgot my book at my boyfriend’s car, so doesn’t count). And because, just as Elle Woods (oh, what? You don’t know who that is?...you are a boy right?) at the end she surprises you in a sweet yet smart way.

The book wasn’t predictable, which is sometimes the problem with this type of books. Well, of course you know she will get married, but you don’t know when nor the problems she will encounter. The book doesn’t have a lot of new characters either. Luke is there, working his way to success, a little bit oblivious to the wedding preparations (luckily for Becky) and trying to work on his relationship with his mother (not so luckily for Becky). We have Suze, always trying to help Becky, even though her life is going through mayor change. And Becky’s lovely parents, giving it all for her daughter. I’m telling you, you cannot get a better feel-good book than this type of books…if you are a girl.

One thing that I particularly love of this series is the odd pages showing the letters Becky gets or writes, from banks, credit card companies, etc. They are just hilarious, and give you a bit more of the story. Also, you have tiny side stories, than do not overshadow the main, but some of them will merge to help the conclusion of the story in a soft, not over the top way.

You can read the rest of my review at: http://greenmushroom1up.blogspot.ca/2012/06/shopaholic-ties-knot-by-sophie-kinse... ( )