Shopaholic & Baby [Hardcover]

Sophie Kinsella (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 27, 2007 | Series: Shopaholic

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) is pregnant! She couldn’t be more overjoyed–especially since discovering that shopping cures morning sickness. Everything has got to be perfect for her baby: from the designer nursery . . . to the latest, coolest pram . . . to the celebrity, must-have obstetrician.

But when the celebrity obstetrician turns out to be her husband Luke’s glamorous, intellectual ex-girlfriend, Becky's perfect world starts to crumble. She’s shopping for two . . . but are there three in her marriage?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hail the return of Kinsella's airhead heroine, Becky Bloomwood, now married, pregnant and working as the head personal shopper for a brand-new London boutique. In this latest installment of the Shopaholic franchise (Shopaholic Ties the Knot; Shopaholic Takes Manhattan; etc.), the commercially insatiable Bex shops for two in every upscale baby shop and catalogue in London, snags a celebrity ob/gyn and leverages a pair of the moment's "most coveted" boots to negotiate a home purchase. Complicating an otherwise uneventful pregnancy, Becky suspects her husband, PR biz-wiz Luke Brandon, is having an affair with her hot doc (who also happens to be Luke's ex-girlfriend), so she hires a gumshoe with predictable madcap results. For chick lit lovers with babies of their own, or for those who covet one, Kinsella mines a rich vein by tweaking 21st-century glossy mag obsessions: from sonograms to the hottest baby strollers to tricked-out birthing rooms. Kinsella's ode to baby blues is both sly and slapstick—and for now, at least, Becky is more lovably Lucille Ball than annoyingly Paris Hilton. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Kinsella's follow-up to Shopaholic & Sister(2004) finds the irrepressible Becky expecting her first child with her dashing husband, Luke. Naturally, there's shopping to be done: Becky is determined that her child will be as stylish as a baby can be. That includes having the best obstetrician, so when Becky learns about Venetia Carter, who caters to models and movie stars, she's determined to get herself into Venetia's practice. She succeeds, only to discover to her dismay that the stunning Venetia dated Luke in college and may still be carrying a torch for him. Becky will go to any length to keep her husband, whether it be intercepting text messages from Venetia in Latin or hiring a private detective to trail Luke and learn whether or not he has actually been unfaithful to her, rendering marriage over before it has really begun. Through it all, Becky never loses her spark, making this fifth entry in the Shopaholic series every bit as delightful and hilarious as its predecessors. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: The Dial Press; 1ST edition (February 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385338708
• ISBN-13: 978-0385338707
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (258 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #220,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sophie Kinsella is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series as well as the novels Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I've Got Your Number, and Wedding Night. She lives in England.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#44 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#52 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#64 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#85 in Books > Romance

#44 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#52 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#64 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#85 in Books > Romance

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sophie Strikes Again!! March 2, 2007

By Marcie

Format:Hardcover

I have been anxiously awaiting this newest installment of the Shopaholic series and grabbed one of the last books off the shelf on Tuesday...as luck would have it, the next day we were in the middle of a huge blizzard, so I was able to stay home and read the whole book in one sitting. It was great! I was laughing out loud over and over and tried to share the humor with my husband (who didn't get it!). Of course, Becky goes crazy with her shopping and buys way more than a baby could ever use, but the storyline with Luke's old girlfriend was great, and I love the other characters from past books like Jess and Suze, and Becky's mom and Janice are always a hoot! I just hope she doesn't stop here with the series. No, it isn't deep, insightful reading, but for a fun time, you can't beat Becky Bloomwood and her Visa card!

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Superior to most Chick lit and a very fun, fun book to read, stylish writing! March 4, 2007

By K. Corn TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm getting a bit tired of the Chick Lit category for some books because this book deserves to stand out and be accessable to MORE readers, ones who don't consider themselves "typical" Chick Lit readers. I confess that I'm one of those and because of that, I nearly missed reading this delightful book. It isn't deep literature but it is a pleasure to read, even if you're long past the days of parenthood (my kids are nearly grown).

Quite simply, it is funny, believable and has a mother who readers should be able to relate to - or actually a mother-to-be. From the first days of pregnancy to other decisions, large and small, she is eccentric and lovable, in her own quirky way, fuming at her husband as he juggles business and HER needs, getting in debates with him about whether to learn the gender of the baby during an ultrasound, etc..

I laughed out loud at some parts.

Take a chance on this one. I wish I could include excerpts from every section of the book but you deserve to discover her style without having the surprise spoiled.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Becky's Back, Endearing and Charming as Ever! March 22, 2007

By Antoinette Klein TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

If you're a fan of the Shopaholic series, this one will definitely be a favorite. Sophie Kinsella has not lost her magic touch of making Becky the charmingly air-headed shopping maniac we have come to love. I found myself laughing out loud throughout Becky's adventures in pregnancy. From her obsession with shopping in all the chic baby boutiques, to ordering online and from the glossy upscale catalogues, to investing in "antiques of the future" for her baby's portfolio, Becky was in fine form. Now working (more or less) as a personal shopper at a laughingstock of a store, Becky finds ways to make it soar while enlisting the help of an old friend. Familiar characters like Suz, Mr. and Mrs. Bloomwood, Janice, Tom, Jess, and of course Luke, are all featured prominently as Becky goes in search of the A-list obstetrician, the choice of all the glam people, only to discover she is Luke's ex-girlfriend and still carries a torch for him. Will Becky trust Luke when he is seen out and about with the doctor? Will she be able to find the right pram for her baby? Will she be the toast of the town when Vogue magazine features her as one of London's "yummiest Mummies-to-be"? From her first sonogram to the most hysterical delivery ever, everything's coming up pink and blue for our favorite shopper. Don't miss this one!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Becky strikes again! December 2, 2007

By Ratmammy VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

SHOPAHOLIC & BABY by Sophie Kinsella
December 2, 2007

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I've loved all the SHOPAHOLIC books by Sophie Kinsella, and this was no exception. In SHOPAHOLIC & BABY, Becky Brandon (Nee Bloomwood) is now pregnant, and as all fans will suspect, she's shopping like a madwoman for baby items. But not just any old baby items. She has to have the best of all designer products, such as fancy prams (no, she can't just have one!). Forget the breast pumps, the diapers, and all the stuff that is essential. Becky is only interested in one thing, and that is to have anything that looks great, has a designer label on it, and all the celebrities have as well.

When Becky learns about the gynecologist to the stars, she HAS to switch doctors and finds a way to get on the waiting list for this very exclusive doctor. When she throws her name around (being married to the very famous Luke Brandon), she gets in immediately. Unfortunately, she finds out too late that Luke actually knows her new gynecologist. In fact, Luke and Venetia used to date in college, and from Becky's viewpoint, it looks like the two of them may have some unfinished business.

SHOPAHOLIC & BABY is one misunderstanding after another, although it begins to look like maybe Becky isn't really misunderstanding anything at all. Is Luke really having an affair With Venetia? Will Becky allow this woman to deliver her baby? And what about all those baby strollers she bought? Will she be able to keep them all?

In the mean time, Luke's business is heading for some rough times, and Becky is still spending money like it grows on trees.... Becky's best friend is having a crisis of her own, and Becky's newly found sister (from the previous book) thinks that Becky has seen the light and is no longer the big consumer she used to be. Ha! I have a feeling this may be the last book in the series, although there is always a way to add yet another novel. I have enjoyed all the SHOPAHOLIC books, and I somehow relate to Becky (scary, I know) and am glad that there is someone out there, albeit fictional, that spends more money frivolously than I do. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Another sweet funny book about this trainwreck of a girl... April 5, 2007

By Tamara J. Buchli

Format:Hardcover

You'd think this stuff would wear thin. Becky really is, as one of the characters in the book accuses her of being, a frivolous, silly airhead. And a compulsive liar to boot. And she never seems to learn a thing -- here it is, the fifth Shopaholic book, and she's still getting into the same foolish fixes as she got into in the first one. Yet, somehow she remains tremendously likeable.

High points: The bit with Becky's mum and Janice at the childbirth class is an absolute hoot. I also particularly enjoyed Becky's confrontations with Luke's horrible mother, and with the potential homewrecker... And the scene right after the baby was born was very tender and very, very true. That moment right after your child is born when you look it it and think, "It's you." Kinsella put her finger right on it.

A charming book all in all. I'm already looking forward to the next one.