Aah! Sophie Kinsella! She’s one of those authors where I either love the heroine or go completely cringe at the heroine. There’s no middle ground. It’s love or loathe.
Still, whatever my take on the story or the main couple, I always find her books readable. Now while it’s nearing the end of the year, I need to get in a couple of quick ones to make my Goodreads 35 books a year number (sadly unlikely to happen now since I have gotten sucked into another 1000-page chunkster). So, I decided to take a chance with this book. Love it or hate it, I know I”ll finish it!
I”ll skip the suspense. This time, with The Party Crasher, it was all through love ❤️.
About The Party Crasher
It’s been over two years since Effie’s beloved parents divorced, destroying the image of the happy, loving childhood she thought she had. Since then, she’s become estranged from her father and feuded with his hot (and much younger) girlfriend, Krista. And now, more earth-shattering news: Greenoaks, the rambling Victorian country house Effie called home her whole life, has been sold.
When Krista decides to throw a grand “house cooling” party, Effie is originally left off the guest list–and then receives a last-minute “anti-invitation” (maybe it’s because she called Krista a gold-digger, but Krista totally deserved it, and it was mostly a joke anyway). Effie declines but remembers a beloved childhood treasure still hidden in the house. Her only chance to retrieve it is to break into Greenoaks while everyone is busy celebrating. As Effie sneaks around the house, hiding under tables and peeping through trapdoors, she realizes that Greenoaks’s secrets aren’t just in the dusty passageways and hidden attics she grew up exploring. Watching how her sister, brother, and dad behave when they think no one is looking, Effie overhears conversations, makes discoveries, and begins to view her family in a new light. Then she runs into Joe–the love of her life, who long ago broke her heart and who’s still as handsome and funny as ever–and even more truths emerge.
But will Effie act on these revelations? Will she stay hidden or step out into the party and take her place with her family? And truthfully, what did she come back to Greenoaks for? Over the course of one blowout party, Effie realizes that she must be honest with herself and confront her past before she’ll ever be able to face her future.
~ Synopsis from GoodReads
My Review
This is one of those fast-paced books. The heart and soul of the story unfold within a mere 12-hour window, creating a quick read that left me utterly captivated and unable to put it down. I happily lost sleep, staying up late into the night, unable to resist the sheer compulsion to devour every page.
Effie is the typical Kinsella heroine – ditzy and clumsy, but essentially warm-hearted and kind. When her parents break up, she’s unable to stand the dissolution of her family home. She has issues with her dad’s new girlfriend Krista; she hasn’t gotten over a breakup with her childhood boyfriend. Overall, she’s a mess.
Everything comes to a head, when she decides to sneak into her dad’s housecooling party. As she goes from one room to another, hiding from her family, she overhears secrets and starts to understand the complexities of her family.
The book is light and entertaining, but it’s also very warm. Effie and her family are adorable. Their house Greenoaks, is the real star, though! So beautifully and lovingly described! I wanted to move in there. If there is one drawback to this book, it’s her boyfriend – so lame and one-note I didn’t care about their romance. Kinsella has a gift for creating awesome chemistry between the lead couples, but that knack wasn’t on display here.
The focus is not on the romance, though. This is a family story through and through – about a family that breaks and gets back together stronger. I really enjoyed it, even if there were one too many unbelievable plot points and an almost unrealistic happily ever after.
Still, it’s one of those warm, cozy reads that will surely put you in a good mood. Very enjoyable!
I’m a fan of your unique writing voice.
Your insights make a real impact.