Sophie Kinsella was born on 12th December 1969 and is the eldest sister of fellow writers Gemma Townley and Abigail Townley. She was educated at Putney High School, Sherborne School for Girls and New College, Oxford, where she initially studied Music, but after a year switched to Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
Sophie worked as a financial journalist (including for Pensions World) before turning to writing full time. She is best known for writing the ‘Shopaholic’ novels series of ‘chick lit’ novels, which focus on the misadventures of Becky Bloomwood, a financial journalist who cannot manage her own finances. The series focuses on her obsession with shopping and its resulting complications for her life. The first two ‘Shopaholic’ books were adapted into a film and released in February 2009. Sophie lives in London with her husband and family.
Can you keep a Secret? – June 2009
Emma is sitting on a turbulent plane. She’s always been a very nervous flyer. She really thinks that this could be her last moment, so, naturally enough, she starts telling the man sitting next to her – quite a dishy American, but she’s too frightened to notice – all her innermost secrets; How she scans the backs of intellectual books and pretends she’s read them; How she does her hair up like Princess Leia in her bedroom; How she’s not sure if she has a G-spot, and whether her boyfriend could find it anyway; How she feels like a fraud at work – everyone uses the word ‘operational’ all the time, but she hasn’t a clue what it means; How the coffee at work is horrible; How she once threw a troublesome client file in the bin. If ever there was a bare soul, it’s hers.
She survives the flight, of course and the next morning the famous founding boss of the whole mega corporation she works for is coming for a look at the UK branch. As he walks around, Emma looks up and realizes – it’s the man from the plane. What will he do with her secrets? He knows them all – but she doesn’t know a single one of his, or… does she?
Shopaholic Abroad – June 2009
For Rebecca Bloomwood, life is peachy. She has a job on morning TV, her bank manager is actually being nice to her and when it comes to spending money, her new motto is ‘buy only what you need’ – and she’s really (sort of) sticking to it. The icing on the brioche is that she’s been offered a chance to work in New York.
New York! The Museum of Modern Art! The Guggenheim! The Metropolitan Opera House! Becky does mean to go to them all. Honestly. It’s just that it seems silly not to check out a few other famous places first – like Saks and Bloomingdales and Barneys and one of those fantastic sample sales where you can get a Prada dress for $10 (or was it $100?). Is Becky too dazzled to care?
Shopaholic to the Stars – Sept 2014
Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is in Hollywood! She’s hanging out with celebs, or at least she will be, once her husband Luke introduces her to his new A-list client Sage Seymour.
Becky sets her heart on a new career – she’s going to be a stylist to the stars and when a chance encounter thrusts her into the limelight, she grabs her opportunity. In between choosing clutch bags and chasing celebrities, Becky loses touch with her family and her best friend.
Caught up in the whirlwind of Tinseltown, has Becky gone too far this time?
If you are looking for some light reading this holiday, Sophie Kinsella has it in bucket loads!