Tuesday, February 7, 2017

My Not So Perfect Life: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella

My Not So Perfect Life: A Novel.  Sophie Kinsella. Bantam Press/The Dial Press. February 2017. 448 pp. ISBN #: 9780812998269.

Katie Brenner is living the dream!  She’s escaped her small-town Somerset life, dumped her accent, and is living in London in a flat she shares with two other workers.  She’s working for a chic London company which specializes in unique marketing strategies.  Her boss, Demeter, is a genius in branding products, even if she is a hyped up, selfish and demanding woman whose key interest, outside of her skilled choices of advertising, is being the first to do whatever is trending in food, clothing, etc. 

Initially, Katie is hired as a research assistant, putting survey data into a computer, hardly a blip on Demeter’s interest screen. Katie, who is now calling herself “Cat” is starting to yearn for more.  She’s got what she thinks are some brilliant design and advertising schemes and wants the chance to become acknowledged as someone worth encouraging to become an integral part of Cooper Clemmow, a famed company.

She then accidentally meets Alex and he shares with her some wacky adult toys (no, not sexual).  As time passes, Katie and Alex become close but this goes nowhere fast as a dramatic error happens at Clemmow and Katie is fired.  No, this isn’t a downer, although Katie is deeply upset.  Katie’s such a spunky character that she takes it in stride and returns to live in Somerset with her caring Dad.  He and his new wife has opened a country resort.  Lo and behold, who should arrive as guest but Demeter, her husband and her children.  And not too long after, Alex appears but not to woo Katie.  Before his arrival, Katie sees another side of Demeter which throws her plan to spike some revenge on her.  Alex has the same plan and the remainder of the novel brings some surprises and shows Katie maturing and making some startling choices!

Sophie Kinsella has done a marvelous job in creating this feisty character, Katie.  The plot is simple but there are enough snarky, funny moments to lighten the plot and give the reader a delightful experience.  Smart, humorous and satirical look at fame and fortune, laced with a bucket of old-fashioned, spot-on values. Nicely crafted, Sophie Kinsella!