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Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood – which is underlined several times throughout the book) is back. She’s now sports a toddler: two-year-old Minnie. I have read all the Shopaholic books, and enjoyed them well enough to look forward to this last book. However, I must say, I was quite disappointed with the first 250 pages. Thankfully the last hundred pages were more interesting and did not leave me feeling disappointed over the entire book.
I know I have changed a lot myself since last reading a Shopaholic book, so it could be that it’s just me looking at this book with a bit more of personal experience, but I do like to believe that the first books weren’t as naive and predictable as this book. Becky’s goal for the book: to throw her husband a surprise party, is, in my opinion, a little lightweight for a 365-page book. The problems or challenges Becky is then faced with to pull this off are again a little naive, unlikely and too unrealistic for me to be pulled head-first into Becky’s world like I have been with the previous books. Becky’s quirky personally traits and issues are also stretched a little too far in this book, I often found myself feeling a little annoyed by the protagonist. Becky has in the first books come across as intelligent, well-reflected and logical, though of course with her perks and issues, which makes her so fascinating. Becky wasn’t as convincing in this book, but, of course, this could be Becky under the influence of spending a lot of time with a toddler.
Now, the book wasn’t all bad. It was just a little less than average, compared to the earlier books. The last hundred pages or so, though, were better. The final chapters tied the book well together and nicely solved all problems and challenges presented earlier. The book still left me me with a good feeling and I don’t feel the time spent reading it was wasted. I both smiled and was moved, but it will never be a favourite.