The Undomestic Goddess

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Samantha Sweeting has her whole world turned upside down because of a mistake. A mistake which has the power to destroy her career forever.

I had so much fun charting Samantha’s comedy disasters in the kitchen, her battles with the ironing board, her gradual slowing down and relaxing and finding love… It’s a story of an uber-professional realizing there’s more to life than work, and starting to appreciate the little things. With her signature wit and charm, Sophie Kinsella proves once again why she is a masterful storyteller. "The Undomestic Goddess" offers readers a captivating escape from reality while imparting poignant life lessons. It reminds us all of the importance of balance, self-acceptance, and the joy that can be found in unexpected places.OK. So sometimes I do feel a bit tense. Kind of pressured. But I’m a lawyer in the City, for God’s sake. What do you expect? The story is told in the first-person voice of Samantha Sweeting. There are no dull moments and a good pace is maintained throughout the book.

As Samantha clumsily navigates the unfamiliar world of domestic chores and learns to bake, clean, and garden, she begins to embrace the simpler joys of life. Along the way, she encounters quirky characters, including the eccentric yet endearing gardener, Nathaniel, and the Cook, who becomes her unexpected mentor. With their guidance, Samantha starts to discover there is more to life than power suits and corporate success. The writing style of the author is great. Sophie Kinsella writes in her signature style and that is what makes this book such an outstanding read. Sophie Kinsella has sold over 40 million copies of her books in more than 60 countries, and she has been translated into over 40 languages. If I’ve learned one lesson from all that’s happened to me, it’s that there is no such thing as the biggest mistake of your existence. There’s no such thing as ruining your life. Life’s a pretty resilient thing, it turns out.”

I didn't have any trouble staying interested and reading it from start to finish whilst on holiday, although I do agree that the ending became predictable near the end. The next day when she wakes up, she is the housekeeper of a beautiful big mansion in rural England and has no clue how to go about her new job. (I have not mentioned any spoiler; all this is already mentioned in the blurb). What redeems this book is the writing style. It's very easy to read. Kinsella has a good ear for dialogue and moves the story along at a steady pace. If you're looking for an undemanding summer holiday read then you could do a lot worse - Barbara Taylor Bradford's Emma's Secret or indeed any of her later work, springs to mind, but you could do better too. For something with a little more meat and style you could try Julian Fellowes' Snobs, Anthony Capella's The Food of Love or Maggie O'Farrell's After You'd Gone. We also have a review of Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella. To be more accurate, it’s last year’s birthday treat. Aunt Patsy gave me the gift voucher for an ‘Ultimate De-stress Experience’ just over a year ago. She’s my mother’s sister and has major worries about women with careers. Every time I see her she grasps my shoulders and peers at my face with an anxious frown, and in the card that came with the voucher she wrote ‘Make Some Time For Yourself, Samantha!!!’

Meet Sankalpita, the bookworm extraordinaire! 📚 With an insatiable appetite for reading (over 100 books annually!), she embarked on her book blogging journey in 2013 to share her boundless love for books. What started as a quirky hobby has blossomed into India's top-tier book blog, bookGeeks – the reigning champion for five consecutive years! 🏆 Just hours before her long awaited promotion to partnership is announced, corporate attorney Samantha Sweeting learns she made a 50-million-pound mistake. Dazed and unable to confront the firm's principals, she boards a train out of London. Dropped off in the middle of nowhere, she asks for directions from a nearby country home, and this hilarious story of transformation from lawyer to housekeeper begins. Katherine Kellgren depicts the kind nouveau-riche landowners, Teddy and Trish, with exaggerated English accents. When handsome gardener Nathaniel makes it known he's ready for romance, this delightful, but somewhat implausible, story takes off. The narration is fast paced and the outcome predictable, but overall this is well done. G.D.W.Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she’s mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they’ve hired a lawyer–and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can’t sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope–and finds love–is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake. Well.’ Maya gets up. She presses a button set in the wall and gentle pan-pipe music fills the air. ‘All I can say is, you’ve come to the right place, Samantha. Our aim here is to de-stress, revitalize and detoxify.’ I look up, a bit defensive. What does that have to do with anything? What makes home-cooked meals superior?

I don’t have time for this. I really do not have the time. But it’s my birthday treat and I promised Aunt Patsy. The plot is well-conceived and delivered. My only qualm with it was that maybe too much of what happens in the story was revealed in the blurb. I also loved the character of Nathaniel. If I have to describe him in one word, it will be – Sexy. He is just irresistible. The characters of Trish and Guy are again noteworthy bringing in the necessary drama.

What accounts for the different lives led by Samantha and her childhood friend, Freya? What fun and essential roles does Freya play in Samantha’s life?