Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (2003, Hardcover, Prebinding)

Sophie Kinsella's novel, "Confessions of a Shopaholic," is a hoot and- having known one or two people like this, myself- all too realistic. If you've ever paid off one credit card with another, thrown out a bill before opening it, had clothes hanging in your closet or piled in your dresser that you've never worn, or convinced yourself that buying a cart-full of buy-one-get-one free items is like making money, then this caricature novel is for you.

Rebecca Bloomwood, the protagonist, is a recent college graduate who is offered a line of credit by a London bank. Within a few months, she has exceeded the credit limits, and begins stealthily scanning her credit card bills at work, before ceasing to open the bills at all. As a writer for the finance magazine, "Successful Saving," the world of financial management shouldn't be a mystery to Rebecca. In a moment of financial lucidity, she purchases a book- is anyone surprised?- by an expert who advises his readers to learn to appreciate life's less expensive pleasures: parks, museums, and so forth. Yet she considers her first Saturday at the Victoria and Albert Museum a waste. Why? There's no price tags on the exhibits. Eventually, Rebecca's uncontrollable spending, and her "imaginative" solutions for debt control, attract the attention of not only several credit managers, but of handsome Luke Brandon- the 31st wealthiest man in Great Britain and PR representative for a finance group frequently covered in her magazine. But Rebecca is so unremittingly shallow, and Luke is so wonderful, that readers may find themselves rooting for the girl to not get the guy.

"Confessions of a Shopaholic" makes excellent fantasy reading between credit card offers, buy-one-get-one-free sales, and that next eBay purchase. The mirth and mayhem of Rebecca's inner dialogue and her ceaseless scheming to avoid bill collectors- broken leg, dog died, aunt died, bill collector is a stalker- are worth more than a few smiles. The book is great fun and a quick read- well worth a reader's time.