Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Becky is back in a fantastic new novel. When it's decided that Becky will host Christmas, demands pile upon problems upon difficulties upon misunderstandings until it seems that nothing will come right! Can Becky find the spirit of sprygge in time for Christmas?

You always know what you're going to get in a Sophie Kinsella novel, and especially in a Becky novel. Becky will do foolish things for good reasons. Luke will be patient. There'll be a lot of misunderstandings, most of which you'll see coming, and at the end everything will work out. It's the details that vary, and in this book the details are fabulous.

I cried twice; at a scene involving a school play, and a late scene involving words. Becky might be impulsive and materialistic, but she is a damn good person when it counts. We could all stand to be a little more Becky sometimes.

Her supporting cast, as ever, is wonderful. The only person I didn't like in this one is Jess. Not because she's keeping secrets from Becky (I wouldn't tell Becky anything remotely confidential myself) but because she's constantly trying to force her own beliefs on other people. I'm all for buying sustainably and recycling, but after several of Jess's scenes I wanted to go out and buy the biggest, most useless piece of plastic I could find just to spite her.

Apart from that, though, this is a great read, one I'll come back to again and again.

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) adores Christmas. It's always the same – Mum and Dad hosting, carols playing, Mum pretending she made the Christmas pudding, and the next-door neighbours coming round for sherry in their terrible festive jumpers.

And now it's even easier with online bargain-shopping sites – if you spend enough you even get free delivery. Sorted!

But this year looks set to be different. Unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocado, Becky's parents are moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch and have asked Becky if she'll host Christmas this year. What could possibly go wrong?

With sister Jess demanding a vegan turkey, husband Luke determined that he just wants aftershave again, and little Minnie insisting on a very specific picnic hamper – surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old boyfriend and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear . . .

Will chaos ensue, or will Becky manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas?