I was in the middle of designing wedding invitations for a client—ironic, I know—when Poppy Wyatt lost her engagement ring and I completely forgot I was supposed to be working. Frida was asleep on my keyboard, Diego was judging me from the bookshelf, and I was cackling so hard at this audiobook that I had to pause and compose myself before getting back to kerning.
Look, Sophie Kinsella knows exactly what she's doing. This is comfort food for the ears. Pure, unfiltered romantic comedy chaos that feels like watching your best friend make increasingly unhinged decisions while you're screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOING" but also kind of living for it. That same delicious chaos pulled me through Edge, though with way more adrenaline and way less texting.
The Spiral That Hooked Me
Poppy is a mess. An absolute, lovable, relatable disaster. She loses her fiancé's family heirloom engagement ring, her phone gets stolen, and her solution? Grab a phone from a trash can and just... use it. As one does. The thing is, Kinsella writes anxiety spirals so well that I felt my own chest tighten when Poppy kept digging herself deeper. That frantic energy of "I can fix this, I can definitely fix this, oh god this is getting worse" is basically my entire twenties.
And then there's Sam. Grumpy businessman Sam whose phone Poppy has hijacked. Their text exchanges? Chef's kiss. The slow shift from annoyed strangers to reluctant allies to something more—it's the kind of slow burn that actually pays off. I found myself grinning at my screen like an idiot during their banter. Abuela would have been OBSESSED with Sam. She loved a grumpy man who secretly has feelings.
Jayne Entwistle Gets It
Jayne Entwistle's voice is perfect for this. She captures Poppy's breathless panic so well—that slightly manic quality of someone who's in way over their head but keeps smiling through it. The pacing matches the chaos of the story, which honestly could've gone wrong. A narrator who couldn't keep up with Kinsella's energy would've killed this.
Her character differentiation is solid. Sam sounds appropriately exasperated. Magnus (the fiancé, who honestly... we'll get to him) sounds exactly like the kind of guy you'd date before you realize you deserve better. The supporting cast all have their own flavor. I've seen some people say her British accent can be distracting, but honestly? I didn't notice. Maybe because I was too busy laughing.
The only thing I'll say is that if you're not into higher-pitched, energetic narration, this might not be your vibe. Entwistle commits FULLY to Poppy's frazzled energy. I loved it, but I can see how it could grate on some people.
The Part Where I Yelled at My Cats
Without spoiling anything—there's a moment around the middle where you start to realize that Magnus and his family are... not great. And Poppy starts to realize it too. Watching her wake up to the fact that she's been molding herself into someone else's idea of who she should be? MY HEART. I actually teared up. (Adding it to the spreadsheet.)
This book felt like a warm hug from someone who's been through it. The romance is sweet, the comedy is genuinely funny, and underneath all the chaos there's this really lovely message about being yourself. Even when yourself is a bit of a mess who accidentally reads other people's emails.
Your Vibe Check
This is a rainy Sunday book. Or a long commute book. Or a "I need something light after that devastating literary fiction" book. If you loved Can You Keep a Secret? or any of Kinsella's other stuff, you'll love this. If you want something cozy and romantic with a protagonist who makes questionable choices but has a good heart, this is your jam.
Skip it if you need your heroines to be competent and logical. Poppy is neither of those things and that's the point. Also skip if you're not into rom-coms that lean heavily into the "com" part—this is silly. Gloriously, intentionally silly.
Abuela Would Have Approved
At 13+ hours, it's a commitment, but it flew by for me. I finished it in three days of designing, which is honestly a record. The vibes are immaculate. I'm already eyeing my next Kinsella audiobook.
Abuela would have loved this one. She would've been texting me about Sam the entire time.
