"We're playing Scrabble. It's a nightmare."
"Scrabble?" He sounds surprised. "Scrabble's great."
"Not when you're playing with a family of geniuses, it's not. They all put words like 'iridiums'. And I put 'pig'."
Poppy Wyatt seems to have everything going in her favor - she is about to marry the ideal man - successful Magnus Tavish whose parents are even more successful university professors. But on the very day Magnus' parents are visiting, Poppy loses her engagement ring, which is also a family heirloom. On top of it, she also lost her phone and while she anxiously tries to ponder missing the one message saying her ring has been found, she finds another phone in the bin. Happy to find a functional discarded phone, she quickly tells everyone to text/call her at this number, only to get a call from someone named Sam Roxton asking for the phone back since it belongs to his company.
Sophie Kinsella has done it again. She made me laugh from the first page without making me roll my eyes or feel ridiculous or cry 'cheesy'. I stopped reading light women fiction years ago, but Kinsella is the only author that I still happily read, knowing she won't disappoint me.
I've Got My Number rolls along standard Kinsella lines - the plot is pretty much predictable, the protagonist has low self-esteem, there is a hot guy who we know she will end up with but she is totally clueless about the guy, the guy is some high flying corporate guy with plenty of influence and moolah, things go wrong and then wronger and then even wronger than possible from the first page, there are plenty of laughs and deja-vu moments, and most significantly, the central character knows how to stand on her feet when it matters.
That pretty much sums up any Sophie Kinsella book, and while I typically hate formulaic plots and predictability, there is just something about these books that make me enjoy them more than feel pulled away. As JoV says in her review, "Kinsella is a keen observer of contemporary popular culture." I thought this was very true, because I find her novels set well in environments that I can relate to, and not something that feels more of a historic before-my-days past.
I enjoyed the addition of technology in this book - it was fun reading all the texting that went on and on between Poppy and Sam. Poppy's overuse of X's and O's made me snort - I have a few friends who speak mostly in X's and O's and that annoys me, ha! True, some of the events that happen were a little too convenient, but I knew what I was getting into, so that was fine with me. I didn't really like where Magnus' character ended up - I thought that could have been done better, and the introduction of a corporate scandal towards the end kind of sprung up on me, but otherwise, I've Got Your Number was a truly delightful read.
I received this ebook for free for review from the publisher via NetGalley.

27 comments:
great review - I loved this one too!
I read this one a few days ago, and all I could think was that Poppy would irritate me madly, checking her phone all the time!
Okay, I have got to read a Sophie Kinsella book. I hear such fun things about them
Kinsella's books are somewhat predictable but it doesn't matter, because they're so much fun! I need to get hold of this one!
I love SK! So glad to hear this is another hit.
Oh my gosh, that quote made me snort with glee! I haven't read a Kinsella book in ages, and really need to read this one. It seems like it would be a hit with me! I loved your enthusiastic review, and the fact that you loved the book so much! Off to see if I can find this one on audio!
Oh, this sounds fun! I admit I am not a Kinsella fan. I don't really like the idea of a fairly ditzy but well-meaning girl always being "saved" by some billionaire, even as she continues on the same path of making mistake after mistake. But I DEFINITELY love an author who can make me laugh, and it seems like Kinsella does that for you :-)
Thanks for the mention Aths. I don't read chick lit either, but Kinsella made me laugh, every time, without fail. and life is too short not to laugh from reading books! Great review Aths.
Great review. I agree, its a bit "convenient" but like you, I as ok with where the story was going. It was still fun.
I enjoyed reading this book (somehow) but I found it also pretty annoying. Why did Poppy have to be so numb-brained and do all these silly things? Would anyone really be allowed to keep a business phone?
But when you turn your brain to "barely awake" it makes a fun read. :-)
I agree with you that Kinsella is the one person who can get away with the formulaic plots. Her books are so hysterical!
I liked the Shopaholic series for awhile, but it's gotten a bit stale. I do enjoy Kinsella's standalone books, so I'm going to have to read this one at some point. Glad to see you enjoyed it.
I don't read a ton of "light" fiction, either, but every once in a while I just need some brain candy! This sounds perfect for that.
I got this in Hardback for r/v and finished it the other day! The XO's were snort worthy most definitely! But as you said an enjoyable read and even though predictable worth the time! Love Kinsella's books and always have so gotta keep up the tradition!!!
Great review Aths x
I hope you enjoy them! I've enjoyed the ones I've read.
Oh yeah - I cannot stand people who do that. A few times, alright. But throughout a lunch/dinner? Hmm!
I agree they are predictable but that they are still enjoyable! I hope you enjoy this one too.
I really hope you enjoy this! I had fun!
I don't like such books either, and some parts of Kinsella books do smack of that, but I feel that in the end, the heroine just stands on her own feet - though that's pretty much up to interpretation. But yeah, she makes me laugh. :)
You're welcome JoV! Although I'm not a fan of predictable books, I like any book that can make me laugh without feeling silly!
I found myself wondering all those things too. I know for sure that no high flying corporation would allow non-employees to keep a business phone or have so many liberties as Poppy did. Those definitely bugged me, but other than that, it was fun.
Totally!
I think I stopped the Shopaholic series midway. They did get even more predictable than I could stand. I enjoy Kinsella's standalone books better.
It certainly is. I hope you enjoy it!
I can't wait for her next standalone book! I still have Can You Keep a Secret to Read, but other than that, only three of the shopaholic books.
I enjoyed this one, too. I suspect that Kinsella deliberately uses ditzy, bumbly characters as a way to parody the world around us.
I guess you're right. I haven't thought of it that. way.Some of the characters definitely felt like a joke.
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