Review: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

 I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Pages: 448
Expected publication: February 14, 2012 (The Dial Press)
Source: E-ARC from NetGalley
Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone
Rating: Squee-worthy
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Website | Facebook Page

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I've lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate Poppy. Stay positive!!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her 'happy ever after' begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn't agree. He wants his phone back and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other's lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents... she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

My Review

It's been awhile since I read a Sophie Kinsella novel, but hers are always light, fun reads, and that's what I was craving when I've Got Your Number showed up on NetGalley.  I knew my next few reads would likely be heavy, so I dove into Kinsella's newest novel with hopes for a quick read, which is what I got - but also a bit more than I expected.  I've always liked Sophie Kinsella's stand-alone novels far more than her Shopaholic series, which started to wear thin for me after about four books.  To me, her stand-alone novels are the perfect mix of her unique brand of humor, memorable characters, and addictive plots, without drawing out the story too much.  In I've Got Your Number, we meet Poppy Wyatt, whose phone is stolen shortly after she loses her irreplaceable engagement ring.  Poppy spots an abandoned phone in a nearby trash can, and I've Got Your Number takes off from there on a hilarious and at times emotional roller coaster ride. 


Poppy was my favorite character, which was a nice treat, considering when I can't connect with the lead character, I usually don't like the book.  But I sympathized with Poppy right away - a spirited, fun-loving girl who spends all of her time doing things for others and worrying about what others think.  At first, Poppy came off as a bit shallow, but as I've Got Your Number progressed, Sophie Kinsella took us deeper into what made Poppy who she was, and as a character, Poppy really started to make sense, and take on a genuine feel.  She wasn't just someone I was reading about - she was someone I understood, and someone I liked.  I really enjoyed seeing her grow as a person over the course of this book!

The secondary characters were all very entertaining, from Poppy's co-workers, to her fiance's parents and brother, to Sam, the businessman whose assistant's phone Poppy commandeers.  Sophie Kinsella has a way of writing characters who really leap off the pages - even the minor characters, for the  most part, are always somewhat memorable.  And Sam especially was a wonderful addition to I've Got Your Number.  I adored him from the start, although I spent most of the book going, "no, no, Sam, you idiot!" (in a loving way.)  His interactions with Poppy were golden - there were actually several moments between them that made me laugh out loud, and one or two where I grinned uncontrollably.  I loved watching Poppy juggle her life, and her encounters with Sam, via email, text message, or in person.  The added mix of her acting as his PA/assistant was just too cute, especially when she decided to try to "help" him out by making him appear more persona able to his staff. 



Several aspects of I've Got Your Number were too neatly wrapped up for me, and there were a few too-convenient solutions.  Normally, those sorts of flaws would have gotten this book a different rating, but like I said, I expected a fun read, and that's what I got, though still with more depth than I expected!  And what really put this over the top and made it a great read for me was how funny it was, and the unforeseen emotional moments.  I could overlook the fact that the ending was rather tied with a pretty bow because a) in a way, it was still a good ending and b) it was just TOO cute NOT to love. 

Disclaimer

In accordance with FTC guidelines, I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  No money or compensation of any sort exchanged hands.   I review books with no intention of monetary gain; rather, I review books out of my love of reading.