The best Sophie Kinsella books – ranked

I was so sad to hear about Sophie Kinsella’s passing. Like for so many others, her books have always been a great comfort to me. I remember picking up The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic when I was about eleven and falling in love with the world of Becky Bloomwood. Since then I’ve devoured all her books. Some of them became constant comforts that I return to annually.

I have read her other books under her real name, Madeline Wickham, but since my favourites of hers were released under her pseudonym, they will be the ones featured here.

10. I’ve Got Your Number

In true Sophie Kinsella fashion, this one has a unique meet-cute and story that follows Poppy who loses her engagement ring and then finds a stranger’s phone. She hopes the owner of the phone, Sam, is going to be able to track down the ring. I read this one a few years ago and didn’t find it as memorable as those I’ve ranked higher.

There’s a lot of deception in this one and it does seem silly at times but I remember enjoying it nonetheless. I quite like that you don’t necessarily get the picture-perfect ending too. The writing format of this one was fun, with text conversations breaking up the main paragraphs of the book. This is definitely a book where the main character has a lot of growth personally and is perfect for fans of slow burn romances. Kinsella has a great knack for making her characters and dialogue come alive and feel realistic and it’s definitely showcased in this novel.

9. Twenties Girl

It’s been a while since I read this one but I remember it fondly, mainly because it was quite a unique story. The main character is visited by a ghost who just happens to be a 1920s flapper. They end up helping each other in various ways throughout the story. The ghost needs help moving on to the afterlife and Lara is trying to get over a heartbreak.

It’s a lovely story of friendship with lots of touching moments. This is different from all Sophie Kinsella’s other books as it has some light supernatural elements that her other books don’t have. I loved how the ghost was the lively and energetic one, bringing the fun to Lara too. The modern day setting with a hint of the roaring 20s made for the perfect setting. I think the additional information we get toward the end of the book was a nice touch, wrapping the book up nicely.

8. Shopaholic and Baby

This is both crazy and brilliant. Pregnant Becky convinces her husband Luke to change doctors so she can be treated by a famous obstetrician – who turns out to be Luke’s ex. Again this one is a rollercoaster ride, full of vulnerable moments from Becky along with the usual frenzied entertaining antics. Life would be boring without Becky, after all.

While this one is a bit sillier than the first instalments, I enjoyed it a lot. The fact we still see a lot of her family, her best friend as well as all the other side characters we have met throughout the series makes the story and world feel very fleshed out. I think it’s fun seeing the progression of a character through all aspects of life but also we get to see that with lots of the other characters too – including neighbours Janice and Martin.

7. Shopaholic and Sister

You’d probably think, how can there be more to this series and it actually be good? But I find the more I get to know the characters, the more I fall in love with them. They feel like old friends every time I revisit the stories. This is a great addition to the series as we get a long lost sister, who is the complete opposite of our protagonist, Becky.

Jess is frugal and hates everything that people like Becky stand for, or so she thinks initially. She hates shopping and overconsumption and doesn’t understand Becky’s world. And as hard as Becky tries to be more like her sister, she struggles to grasp her way of life too. This obviously leads to some hilarious moments but also some that have a lot more nuance. There are tender scenes with Becky as she goes on a journey of self-discovery after feeling like an outcast by her friends and family.

6. The Burnout

One of her most recent books became an instant favourite for me. It’s a story about self-discovery, rebuilding and starting over. Sara is burnt-out so ends up heading to Devon for a relaxing break of yoga, peace and relaxation. She has fond memories of one particular holiday destination from her childhood so she heads down to the coast. Unfortunately she discovers the hotel is not what it used to be. Not only is it falling apart, a guest named Finn is increasingly playing on her nerves and getting in the way of her relaxing retreat.

I particularly liked the seaside setting of this one, which felt very quaint and relaxing. There is also an array of great characters – from the hotel staff trying to make her stay as perfect and zen as possible to Finn who is on his own journey of grappling his past. The friendships Sara makes in Devon are some of the best aspects of the book too.

5. Remember Me?

This is one of those books that stays with you for a long time. Lexi wakes up in hospital thinking she’s 25, but she soon realises she has had some memory loss and her life has changed quite drastically. While the injury topic is serious there are a lot of lighthearted moments too – including finding out some of her own scandalous secrets and the mess she managed to get herself into.

The book makes me very reminiscent of the past with all the technology and pop culture references. I adored the message of this one – life isn’t always perfect and what you want out of it isn’t always what’s best for you either. There are a lot of reveals in this book as we discover things at the same time as Lexi, so I can’t talk too much about it without giving away any spoilers. But it’s one you should read for sure.

4. The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic

Our introduction to Becky Bloomwood is far from boring. She’s chaotic and fun. You’re never quite sure where the story will end up because her brain works in mysterious ways. I liked seeing her job as a financial journalist in this one, her friendships and family dynamic. If you’ve watched the movie and not read the book, I’d say you’re missing out because this is so much better. They left out a lot.

Becky hates her job, but doesn’t really know what else to do, so she sticks at it. What she does love is shopping and it gets her into a lot of sticky situations, from borrowing money from people at work conferences to hiding and sneaking around from the bank manager. There’s a lot of laugh-out-loud moments and times where you feel embarrassed for the character but you just can’t look away because it’s so entertaining.

3. Shopaholic Abroad

This, the second of the Shopaholic books, is my favourite in the series. While I do love the first, I see it as more as a scene-setting introduction to the series as a whole. I just love the dynamic between Becky and Luke, the drama surrounding her secrets, and the New York setting. There are a lot of twists and turns in this one that kept me hooked throughout.

Becky takes New York in this one as her dream of moving to America for her tv show becomes within reach. But the book would be pretty boring if it stopped there and life is never quite simple for Becky. Along the way there’s a lot of comical lies and mishaps. It was fun wandering the streets of New York, hearing about all the places in detail, from the Guggenheim (if you know, you know) to the shops and tall skyscrapers. Even though Becky’s progression as an addict hasn’t really gotten any better in this book, I think she did have some character growth, learning to own up to her mistakes and be accomplished on her own terms.

2. The Undomestic Goddess

The Undomestic Goddess is another I’ve reread over the years. I love how the author tackles real life issues including work stresses and goals, as well as family demands. The characters always feel fully rounded and it’s never just a soppy love story.

After making a huge mistake in her job as a lawyer, Samantha runs away to the countryside. She gets mistaken as the new housekeeper. Through a lot of missed wires, she ends up taking on the job. There’s a lot of miscommunication in this one, particularly with the main character not correcting other people when they assume she’s on the run from someone in her past.

The friendship development to romance with Nathaniel, the gardener, seemed realistic too. He was kind and helpful when she needed a friend the most. He’s one of my favourite romantic leads in the Kinsella universe. The fact he absolutely despised lawyers too was an absolute hilarious touch.

While the book is funny at times as we see a highly intelligent woman have a lot of mishaps with very basic tasks, I think it’s one of the more tender and emotional books as Samantha learns to rebuild her life and stand on her own two feet. She learns how to do all the basic chores she’s never had to do and along the way makes some great friends. I quite liked this one wasn’t all sunshine and roses.

1. Can You Keep a Secret?

My favourite is Can You Keep a Secret, which I’ve probably mentioned a few times on my blog over the last nine years. It’s a comfort book for me and one of my all-time favourites ever. If I’m in a reading slump or just fancy rereading something this is usually my go-to. My copy is about 20 years old and is well loved.

The plot of this is unique, with the protagonist, Emma, spilling all her secrets to a fellow plane passenger when she thinks they’re about to die. When she arrives in the office the next day, he just so happens to be her boss, Jack. He is enigmatic and caring, appearing perfect on paper but I liked that he wasn’t. Yet he still had values and is ferociously protective of his loved ones. Emma is one of my all-time favourite characters because she wears her heart on her sleeve. She has a whole life outside of the relationship, great friendships and a career that she’s trying hard not to mess up.

The setting of this one mainly being at an office is intriguing too and it feels realistic as you find people from all walks of life in the workplace so it leads to some eventful moments. I love the drama of it all, how you end up caring for these characters and finish wanting more. I always wished this one had a sequel just so we could get one more glimpse into Emma’s world. I also liked the date night settings and the workplace event attended by family. Seeing all her people end up in one place was an eventful read.

This one is sharply witty and captures something I’ve always sought in a book since putting it down.

I’m sad I’ll never again get to read a new Sophie Kinsella, but what a body of work she leaves behind.