Can You Keep A Secret?

- Sophie Kinsella -

Laugh. Yep, this one will make you do that. The situations this girl gets herself into by keeping a few secrets are actually quite funny. I've written this down as another funny Kinsella book I'd recommend...which I know makes all the difference in the world to you.

This was one of those books I've been meaning to read for about five years now. During which time it has travelled, but eventually made it back to me. I feel it was my destiny to read it. It was initially my wife's book. She bought it when it was new, read it, and said it was good. I had read a couple of The Shopoholic books, so I kept it in the bookshelf thinking I'd read this Kinsella installment soon enough. Well, life moved on; babies, moving, cleaning the basement...which sent this book to the thrift shop/charity shop pile. Luckily, just as we were about to drop it off I had this great money-making idea that I'd sell the books to co-workers. The book was saved for a day or two. I took my pile of books into work and managed to sell them all, making a tidy profit of about $2. This book, however, was snatched up by a co-worker who didn't pay for it, but, promised to read it and give it back. Well, awhile later the book returned to me. Again, it sat on my shelf in the basement. Until just recently, when I felt like reading a humour book...well, look at that Can You Keep A Secret was just waiting for me. Now, that I've read it I can chuck it, or burn it, or 'sell' it to my co-workers again.

A quick rundown of the story is that the main character is on a plane that is about to crash. She spills her guts to the guy sitting beside her. Every small white lie she has ever told. Every embarrassing thought she's has. Her deep dark secrets. Everything! Of course, the plane does not crash and as it turns out the guy she told all her secrets too is the owner of the big corporation she works for. The romance story develops from there. I'm going to spoil the obvious ending - she get with the owner. But, of course, it's the journey that counts...which includes her secrets and little lies being put on public display. Oh, the hilarity.

What I liked was the witty internal dialogue. We've all had some thoughts we keep to ourselves, but, to read them is for some reason so funny. I could especially relate to the office jokes, as I work in an office. And, the supporting cast of characters were just quirky enough to be believable yet absurdly funny at the same time. The english slang is also another high point - oh bugger, oh bollocks, going to nip out for a Starbucks...just another layer of humour for high browers like me.

Rating : READ