This book review is by one of my assistants, Louise, thank you for reviewing this book.
‘‘Sleeping Arrangements’ – by Sophie Kinsella (writing as Madeleine Wickham) 
Rating: 3/5
Chloe is fed up with making wedding dresses every day of the week, and her partner is struggling with his work too; both are in dire need of a holiday. So when her wealthy friend Gerard offers them a free break in his luxury Spanish villa, how can they refuse?
Whilst Hugh’s job is going strong, it’s his family life that is pulling him apart: his children won’t even speak to him, and his wife seems more interested in fabric swatches than in him, even though he works so hard to fund it all – he’s not a happy man. But his old school friend Gerard has lent them a luxury villa in Spain out of the blue – perfect.
When both families arrive at the villa at the same time, these two worlds are forced to collide. But there’s a secret history between certain family members, and as past passions resurface, secrets reveal themselves, and tensions mount until we can’t be sure who’s sleeping with whom.
It was the plot of this book that really enticed me; it seemed like such a simple, even obvious storyline, but as soon as I started reading, it was clear that this book did have its surprises. For instance, nowhere on the blurb is there a reference to any children, so I was almost shocked when I found that both Chloe and Hugh had a family; this added innocence to the otherwise very adult themes, and I liked this sweet, young edge. Kinsella again uses a light and witty style to entertain us female readers, but there were aspects of this book that I didn’t like as much. For example, there is lots of strong language, and the plot really takes a while to develop: I found the first few chapters quite uneventful and predictable, and it wasn’t until the end of the fourth chapter that I became more intrigued. Maybe it’s because I’m a fan of Sophie Kinsella that I was somewhat disappointed by this novel, as it’s so different from her others, but even though this book wasn’t my favourite, I still became very attached to the characters in a way that only Kinsella can seem to do. Overall, it is a light-hearted and entertaining, if a little predictable, novel that would make a perfect holiday read, but if you’re looking for more depth, I would recommend Kinsella’s other books instead.’
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Rosie Amber 