Book Review: The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

Kinsella, Sophie. The Undomestic Goddess. New York: The Dial Press, 2005. 384 pages.

Although I haven't read through her "Shopaholic" series yet, I've thoroughly enjoyed Sophie Kinsella's other romantic fiction. In "The Undomestic Goddess" think Amelia Badelia for grown ups--heroine Samantha Sweeting has done and achieved everything that a young modern woman is expected to do: studied well, graduate from a fabulous law school, work in the most prestigious firm in London, become the youngest partner of said firm--well, ALMOST everything. Just on the cusp of Samantha being named partner of Carter Spink law firm, disaster strikes when Samantha makes a multi-million dollar mistake.

Samantha finds herself on the first train out of the city and at the doorstop of Trish and Eddie Geiger's beautiful mansion. Imagine Samantha's surprise when she is mistaken for being an applicant as the Geigers' maid! Severely dehydrated, disoriented, and in desperate need of some sleep, Samantha decides to keep up the charade until she could find a way home. But upon hearing of her reputation being completely shattered in London, Samantha sees no harm in laying low at the Geigers' for a while. Clean house, cook food, chill out for a while, should be a piece of cake right? Except Samantha doesn't exactly know how to do any of that, which should make the whole experience a tad more complicated, especially since the Geigers' adorable gardener Nathaniel isn't as gullible as their employers. Can Samantha hide in the countryside forever?

In an easy light read style, Kinsella does a wonderful job making her characters likeable and relatable. You can't help but care for what's going to happen to Samantha, even if you're a little skeptical of how easily the Geigers are fooled. The Undomestic Goddess is a great read beach- or pool-side, and for any woman, young or old, who's in need of a little grown up fairytale.