I absolutely love Sophie Kinsella and this is the first book I've tried of her chick-lit line featuring less romance and more grounded issuesthrough her real name, Madeleine Wickham. Sleeping Arrangements is light, refreshing, and has a bit of a implausiblebut still charmingly Britishstoryline; I enjoyed it immensely, but don't think it's something from which I took much away.
The hidden past surrounding Chloe and Hugh is slowly unraveled through flashbacks. From their first encounter at Gerard's villa, there's an explosive recognitionboom. From there on, readers slowly learn what exactly it is that's between them, and how exactly they'll react. Without giving too much away, I will say the plot itself was highly extractable and far-fetched, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Wickham's characters aren't particularly deep. For the most part, they're static and unrelateable, but she pens them with such grace and endearment, that I can't help but like them all. Even the ones that are portrayed negatively, such as Hugh's ridiculously anal wife, Amanda, are pleasing and entertaining to follow.
The highlight of this novel would definitely be its execution. The plot and characters themselves are mediocre and unremarkable, but the writing flows easily, and Wickham's style is smooth, often subtly hilarious, and blithe. I breezed through this novel; Sleeping Arrangements is a quick, lighthearted story set to the backdrop of a gorgeous Spanish town; a great read for a sunny day!
Pros: Charmingly clever // Witty and perceptive // Linear storyline // Light, breezy read // Masterful, yet brief description of Spanish countryside
Cons: Shallow, two-dimensional characters // Nothing deep or profound // Unmemorable
Verdict: Cute and fluffy, Sleeping Arrangements isn't particularly complex or profound, but it's a damn entertaining read. The characters are fun to get to know and the story unravels by itself; this is effortless, feel-good chick-lit with stormy twists and turns and a penchant for family values. Madeleine Wickham weaves a funny, breezy, and tender story with her usual British magnetism and sprightliness of touch.
Rating: 8 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): An engaging read; highly recommended.
Source: Complimentary copy provided by TripFiction in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!).
The hidden past surrounding Chloe and Hugh is slowly unraveled through flashbacks. From their first encounter at Gerard's villa, there's an explosive recognitionboom. From there on, readers slowly learn what exactly it is that's between them, and how exactly they'll react. Without giving too much away, I will say the plot itself was highly extractable and far-fetched, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Wickham's characters aren't particularly deep. For the most part, they're static and unrelateable, but she pens them with such grace and endearment, that I can't help but like them all. Even the ones that are portrayed negatively, such as Hugh's ridiculously anal wife, Amanda, are pleasing and entertaining to follow.
The highlight of this novel would definitely be its execution. The plot and characters themselves are mediocre and unremarkable, but the writing flows easily, and Wickham's style is smooth, often subtly hilarious, and blithe. I breezed through this novel; Sleeping Arrangements is a quick, lighthearted story set to the backdrop of a gorgeous Spanish town; a great read for a sunny day!
Pros: Charmingly clever // Witty and perceptive // Linear storyline // Light, breezy read // Masterful, yet brief description of Spanish countryside
Cons: Shallow, two-dimensional characters // Nothing deep or profound // Unmemorable
Verdict: Cute and fluffy, Sleeping Arrangements isn't particularly complex or profound, but it's a damn entertaining read. The characters are fun to get to know and the story unravels by itself; this is effortless, feel-good chick-lit with stormy twists and turns and a penchant for family values. Madeleine Wickham weaves a funny, breezy, and tender story with her usual British magnetism and sprightliness of touch.
Rating: 8 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): An engaging read; highly recommended.
Source: Complimentary copy provided by TripFiction in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!).
