The Shopaholic series is a series of novels written by Sophie Kinsella, the pen name for Madeleine Wickham, who also releases other novels under her own name.
They follow Becky as she navigates life as a shopaholic and modern woman.
Today, we will go through the books and their plots and how to read the books in order, as well as where you can buy them.
There are 10 novels in the series, all of which we will cover below. Keep reading to find out more about the Shopaholic series and how to read them in order.
In this pilot novel, Kinsella introduces the main protagonist of her Shopaholic series, Becky Bloomwood.
She is a financial journalist but is ironically in debt due to her shopping addiction, but despite this, she continues to buy new clothes.
Not only is her job boring, but it isn’t well paying either. That is until she comes across her own financial story to break the news of.
The financial story embroils her with Luke Brandon, a man she deems as an eligible bachelor, as well as a millionaire.
While the financial story has success it puts her relationship with Luke in hot water, until her own confidence and brashness lead to Luke finally considering her, leading to their romantic conclusion as well as some life lessons for Becky herself.
The novel was originally released in 2000 under the name The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (2000) but after its initial success, they chose to release it under the name Confessions of a Shopaholic (2001).
Pros
Funny
Best-seller
Is both relatable and witty
Cons
Some women may find it cements certain negative stereotypes
This novel takes more of the form of an adventure novel as Becky enters America and specifically New York.
Now as a financial TV guru, Becky goes on a large and inevitable shopping spree in Manhattan.
But her finances are not as stable as she imagines when her debts to the bank are leaked, leading to people suggesting she is a fraud for providing advice on TV.
Matters get worse as her billionaire boyfriend Luke learns of the debt, which undermines his own PR client which is a bank.
As Becky overhears a conspiracy against her boyfriend’s company Becky turns into a sleuth investigating what the antagonist, Alicia, has done, which leads her on a path of discovery and self-discovery that changes her situation greatly in the end.
Again, this novel was originally released as Shopaholic Takes Manhattan but was renamed Shopaholic Abroad soon after.
Released before the final novel in the series – all the way in 2014 – Shopaholic on Honeymoon is a short story that fills the gap between the third and fourth books.
It covers Becky and Luke’s honeymoon which isn’t described in either of the novels aforementioned.
Mr. and Mrs. Brandon spend a whole year exploring the world, from India to Venice, to South America, with Becky buying pointless souvenirs on the way.
While Becky wants to bring Luke some well-earned rest and relaxation, a disagreement unearths itself that could threaten their marriage let alone their honeymoon.
This argument is strongly referenced in the next full book.
As Becky and Luke’s marriage gets off to a rocky start during their honeymoon and is in recovery, now she has an imposed budget, no job, and is losing her best friend.
Then suddenly Becky’s life takes another turn as she learns of her long-lost sister.
Finally, Becky can enjoy sisterhood, excited to share the love of shopping, until she meets her sister.
Becky is in for a shock when she meets Jessica and she soon learns that she hates shopping and is pretty much everything Becky isn’t.
Pros
Interesting plot choices
Takes a different route from other Shopaholic novels
Cons
The main plot point is retroactive continuity and can seem like a cheap move
When things finally seem to be going swimmingly for Becky in all her family matters, relationship, and dealing with her shopping addiction, she suddenly finds out she is pregnant.
While her shopping habits help cure her morning sickness, she is now buying for two and her confidence takes a hit.
This confidence hit comes hard as Becky’s dream obstetrician turns out to be Luke’s beautiful ex-girlfriend.
Becky’s world starts to crumble in comparison to Luke’s intelligent and more confident ex-girlfriend.
Both Becky and Luke must navigate the world of pregnancy together in order to find success.
Pros
Has a classic Shopaholic narrative for those who enjoy it
Now reduced to a modest life with their new daughter Minnie in tow, the couple now navigate life as parents together.
Yet, Minnie exhibits some behavioral problems and tends to act out, causing them both to reevaluate the idea of a second child, all while they try to find their own home with which to raise Minnie.
In her own way, Becky seeks to throw a surprise party to keep her spirits up but runs into some unexpected sources of help, embroiling her in a secret as well as a conspiracy.
Pros
Great for fans of the series
Perhaps a little more grown up in its themes
Cons
Is frivolous when dealing with more serious topics
Luke, Becky, and their daughter Minnie have now relocated to Hollywood.
Starry-eyed, Becky joins her husband on his journey to handle PR for famous actress Sagey Seymour.
Becky is infatuated with her and plans to ideally become her personal stylist – if only Luke would introduce them.
Suddenly, Becky not only becomes a stylist to the stars, dealing with red carpets and paparazzi, but now she must evaluate whether she really has everything she dreamed of.
Pros
The novel actually has an unpredictable ending and cliffhanger
Cons
Rehashes a lot of older themes from Shopaholic Takes Manhattan and Mini Shopaholic
Events continue from the cliffhanger left in the previous novel, now Becky must find her lost father and her material habits now seem so unimportant when her father’s wellbeing is in question.
Luke drives Becky and a corral of Kinsella’s characters from LA to Las Vegas in search of her father, who may not exactly be missing in the way we think.
Pros
More serious in tone
Continues from the cliffhanger of the last novel
Cons
Kinsella uses a lot of retroactive continuity for the sake of narrative
Everything is settled – Mum and Dad are back home, Minnie’s growing up, Luke is happy, and Becky seems happy.
That is until she is asked to host Christmas for her family for the first time ever and her buying skills are put to the test.
Things don’t go to plan at the party and everything suddenly goes awry when Becky’s ex turns up.
Pros
Classic Shopaholic themes and plot
Updates Becky’s character within the modern consumer world
Cons
The book itself is clearly a money grab with little effort
Final Thoughts
The Shopaholic series does have a clear order and the narrative is chronological, following Becky as she grows up, so it can make sense to read them in order.
Albeit the most recent novel may not be the last and certainly isn’t a finalized neat bow for the series’ plot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Genre Is The Shopaholic Series?
The books are targeted at girls, often labeled as ‘chick-lit’ but can be much more complex and ‘adult’, in their themes. I would describe it as romantic young adult fiction.
Is the Shopaholic Series Appropriate For Kids?
There is very little swearing but there is a discussion of some adult themes. Generally, they are appropriate for anyone aged 13 or over, but this can be up to parents.
Noah Burton works as a Librarian full time, and is a blogger in his spare time. His goal is to write compelling recommendations for all of the most popular books he can find, from science fiction to romance.
With a passion for books, a drive to find new reads to get stuck into, and a love for sharing book recommendations with others, Noah can help you find the next novel for your bucket list.
