This book kept me reading well into the early morning hours! It was just too good to put down.

I have read all of Sophie Kinsella books, and also everything that she has written as Madeleine Wickham. She makes the characters seem so real almost touchable.

So far this is one of top faves, When Effie finds out her family home is being sold after her dad has been divorced for about 2 years. The new fiancee Krista decides to throw a "house-cooling" party, and accidently on purpose Effie is not invited, but Effie hates the thought of losing the house and all the memories attached, so she decides to sneak into the house unnoticed (right?) and retrieve her beloved Russian dolls.

Well, it doesn't go exactly as planned when Effie hears conversations not meant for her ears. Of course this provides a lot of mischief and humor and a splash of romance.

This book is delightfully written and is enjoyable from start to finish.

I always look forward to a new book released by this author. Join in on the fun and purchase your copy today! You will NOT be disappointed.

Also posted on Goodreads today)

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this story and give my unbiased review.

Great for Christmas gifts too!

This book had me so gripped I read it in about three hours. I related to the characters and saw it was a beautiful story of family and forgiveness

Truly, this might be Sophie Kinsella's best book in years. It's charming and sometimes bittersweet, with excellent characters and a plot that has both big heart and some very entertaining, goofy moments. Effie is in a season where change and some big curveballs have really challenged her perception of herself, her family, and her relationships, and she works a lot of things out throughout this story, both in slightly madcap ways and in heartfelt connections. This book feels sincere without being too sweet.

What do you do when your father has divorced your beloved stepmother? And found a new younger girlfriend? And you are sure that girlfriend convinced him to sell Greenoaks, your childhood home? Perhaps you’ve been a bit angry and provoked her but Krista (the girlfriend) has planned a gala party to say goodbye to the house and…you are not invited! Of course you decide to break in!

The Party Crasher is Effie’s story. With some background information and an epilogue, it takes place over a weekend. And what a weekend! After Effie turns down Krista’s passive-aggressive non-invitation to the party, she realizes she has left her Russian nesting dolls behind, carefully hidden. She plans to climb the shrubbery to the second floor, retrieve the dolls and leave. However, a chance meeting with former boyfriend Joe Murran, now Dr. Love of YouTube fame, changes her plans.

The Party Crasher is pure delight. A laugh-out-loud plot line, characters you can’t help but love (except Krista) combine with real truths about family and secrets. “…they seem like a load of Russian dolls to me…All hiding their inner layers. All protecting their secrets…” Thank you, Sophie Kinsella! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and Sophie Kinsella for this ARC.

This book brought all the feelings! The family dynamics and drama that this book brought were awesome. Effie's parents have divorced and her father and his much younger girlfriend are selling the estate home that she's grown up in. As a farewell to the home, her father's girlfriend throws a gigantic party and purposefully neglects to invite Effie. So begins 48 hours of high family drama, romance, and sneaking around. This book will have you laugh out loud and also feel all the feelings.

This is another adorable book from Kinsella! She always has characters that make me laugh and pull at my heart a bit! This story is about Effie and her sisters and brothers living a life that Effie feels is pretty great. Then her parents announce their pending divorce and everything changes for Effie. I enjoyed this one, and I think Kinsella readers will as well!

For fans of Sophie Kinsella this is another fun book in her canon. Effie is our protagonist, and is dealing with her parents divorce and a declining relationship with her father after he meets and moves in the new woman in his life. Her father is selling the house and they are having one last hurrah before the sale closes. There is only one problem Effie was not invited.

Effie is hurt that her father would let this happen, but vows not to make a big deal. On the morning of the party she realizes she forgot to get her beloved set of Russian Nesting Dolls. Of course, she decides to crash the party, to get her prized possession back. When she shows up there is a bouncer, but with the help of her sister and an ex-boyfriend she gets in.

I will leave it at that, as I don’t want to spoil this fun romp. This was very typical Kinsella and I thoroughly enjoyed it. She writes delightful stories that always have a Happy Ever After, it is just a bit of a mess (in a good way) to get there. If you are looking for a lighter read, that will make you laugh, run and pick this up, you will not be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Actual Rating 4.25 out of 5] The Party Crasher follows Euphemia (Effie) as she struggles with the divorce of her parents and now her dad and his new girlfriend are selling her childhood home, Greenoaks. The story begins with her dad, Anthony’s, birthday near the holidays with the family all together. Effie, 28-years-old, is the youngest of the family with her older brother, Augustus (Gus), 31-years-old, and older sister, Beatrice (Bean), 33-years-old. Together they are celebrating with their father and his wife, their stepmother, Mimi. Tony and Mimi married when Effie was three years old after her birth mother, Alison, died when Effie was eight months old. It is a lovely opening to paint the picture of a happy family.

The main story takes place eighteen months later after Mimi and Tony divorced. Tony is now together with Krista and Effie is having a difficult time accepting this concept. Effie discovers that her childhood home is being sold and Krista is hosting a “house cooling” party where Effie receives an insincere invitation. While her family and friends encourage her to still go to the party, Effie is not interest in attending as a guest. Originally, Effie thinks she does not need anything from the house, but she soon figures out that there is one trinket that she wants. She comes up with a plan to sneak into the party in order to retrieve it. Of course, things do not go smoothly as she not only has to avoid her family, but also her ex-boyfriend and childhood friend, Joe Murran.

While the concept of the story is simple, the novel is complex with multiple subplots. Effie goes through an emotion journey of dealing with her parents’ divorce and attempting to repair her relationship with her father after it was damaged when he was with Krista. There is also Effie going through a journey seeing her ex Joe again and wanting some closure from their relationship. On top of Effie’s journeys, she eavesdrops and learns some secrets about her family. Each of her family members have secret of their own and it was nice to see how everything comes up as the family tries to work through the dysfunction. The house itself was the perfect backdrop with its various elaborate rooms, hidden attic spaces, and lovely grounds.

Overall, this was a fun light-hearted read. There was a lot of humor through Effie’s misadventures at the house mixed with emotional and heart-felt moments. The entire family dynamics were well done as the family was initially displayed as perfect with the opening chapter and slowly it was revealed that everyone within the family has a lot going on in their own lives. The romance aspect between Joe and Effie was cute, but I wish there was a little more between them. The main focus is on the family, so I would have liked a little more with the romance. It was a very entertaining read and I cannot wait to continue reading more from Sophie Kinsella in the future!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, The Dial Press, for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

This was a cute, classic Kinsella story. It follows Effie and her two siblings as their parents get divorced and her dad gets a new girlfriend and sells their beloved home. I have to admit, I laughed out loud at several parts in this book, but I also enjoyed it because I think Effie was a tiny bit more down to Earth than Kinsella's heroines normally are. All in all 4 stars and I am still a devoted Kinsella reader!

I love this new book from Sophie Kinsella!!!!!!!! Her books always have a kind of delicious comedy in them that everyone can relate to. Her characters are always lovable sometimes disasters that we love to read about. I highly recommend this book

3.5 stars. I love Sophie books so I’ll always read them no matter what. This one has a fun and scrappy heroine named Effie. Effie is dealing with the fall out of her parents divorce when she is an adult, the worst of all being they are selling her beloved childhood home. She feels like her family is changing and she’s struggling. Not to mention her career and love life are in shambles while her dad has a young girlfriend who is making Effie miserable. The last thing Effie wants to do is attend her “house cooling party” but when she realizes her most treasured childhood dolls are in danger of being lost forever, she decides she needs to crash the party to find them. Lots of high jinks ensue in natural fashion as Effie learns way more about her past than she ever intended.
Overall, this was entertaining if a little silly. But for a light and happy book, I was pleased. It’s not at Can you Keep
A Secret level but it’s fun nonetheless.
I received this advanced copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. I hope it does well!

This ley was truly a delight to read. Funny (literal LOL moments), heartwarming, engrossing, and a slight departure for Kinsella in that the romance actually wasn't the A-plotline. The story starts with the Talbots gathering for their annual Christmas/birthday celebration at the family estate in the English countryside, called Greenoaks. This was the childhood home for all three of the Talbot children: Bean, Gus, and Effie. This Christmas, their dad and stepmom announced their stunning divorce, which eventually led to Greenoaks having to be sold. The meat of the story unfolds at the "house-cooling" party that the dad's new girlfriend throws, where Effie finds out that all is not as it seems and the true meaning of family and memory. The middle part did drag on a bit long, and some of the same "endearing" (but actually irritating) quirks and antics that Kinsella always reserves for her heroines make appearances in Effie as well. Nevertheless, overall, this is a must read for Kinsella fans as well as anyone who's looking for a light-hearted and amusing/witty story about a tight-knit but also dysfunctional family. (I especially loved the sibling dynamics.) Recommend!

Three adult children must learn to grow up when life hands them challenges.

Effie, Gus and Bean grew up in the quirky but fun house known as Greenoaks with their father and stepmother. Now adults, life has presented some challenges including the impending sale of Greenoaks. Effie, the youngest, is having the most trouble adjusting. Hilarity ensues when her plans to rescue beloved childhood dolls backfires.

A fun, charming novel about growing up, moving on and realizing what is worth caring about. You can not help but love the Talbot family and friends.

4.5 stars.

Two years ago, Effie’s world as she knew it came tumbling down.  Since that time, her parents divorced, her Dad has met someone that Effie and her siblings don’t really like, and now their beloved family home is being sold.  Effie really has tried to get to know her Dad’s girlfriend Krista, but she acts as a gatekeeper between Effie and her Dad.  Her relationship with her father has become strained and Effie doesn’t know how to make it right.

When she learns from her sister that there is to be a “house-cooling” party before they vacate the home, Effie awaits the email invite received by both of her siblings.  But it never comes.  It seems that Krista has not bothered to invite her.  That is, until she receives a last minute invite that is certainly not inviting.  She declines this “invite”, but later remembers her beloved childhood treasure of a set of Russian dolls.  She develops a plan to get into the house, retrieve her dolls, and exit the house without being noticed.  What she hears and sees along the way will be sure to alter her life forever.

The Party Crasher is one of my favourite Sophie Kinsella books.  I was engaged and entertained throughout the course of the book. For those of you familiar with her work, this book feels like a more mature read than Kinsella’s previous books.  The characters are well developed and somewhat quirky. I felt an emotional connection to Effie right from the very beginning of the book and hoped she’d find all that she was looking for.

There are many humorous moments in this book which I’ve come to expect from the author.  Effie’s stealth-like ability to move throughout the home did not come without its own challenges.  Indeed, at moments she witnessed conversations that only the proverbial fly on the wall would normally have access to.  Her accomplices in this mission were very supportive, especially as time went on.

Throughout the book, Effie explores the memories of her family in this house before the divorce.  I found this to be very touching, and reminiscent of time spent in my own childhood home. During this party, Effie is also reunited with a former long-term boyfriend who ghosted her after being together for years.  Their love story is moving and one that added the perfect element to this already amazing book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for this honest review.

I read the Shopaholic books awhile ago, but this is the first book I’ve read by this author that is a stand alone. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Effie is struggling with life, her parents divorce, no job, no boyfriend. Everything has changed and she isn’t dealing with it well. Then her father’s new girlfriend decides that the old family home is to be sold and she holds a party that Effie decides to crash. A touching, heart-warming and funny story that readers can relate to.

Of course, Sophie Kinsella never fails to deliver anything less than a delight. She’s a dark decadent box of chocolate in her genre, and The Party Crasher is a treat of a novel. Her heroine is funny, clever, and ditzy all at once, with a surrounding cast of memorable characters. Touching family dynamics blend with comedy and surprises on this journey through an eccentric house in the English countryside, and as always I enjoyed this immensely. Many thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the happy chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

I have loved Sophie Kinsella for years and have ready ALL of her novels. Maybe I am getting a bit older (haha), but this was not my favorite. It was a cute book, pretty predictable, but a fun read. I hope she does a follow up on this character, I enjoyed her!

This is a light and entertaining read told in Kinesella's usual flair. Effie's parents are separating. However, Effie's dad is turning there mom in for a slightly younger model. Effie JUST knows that this "younger woman" must be after their dad's money or something. Effie is trying to get her siblings to go along with her, but her siblings have their own problems. Effie's dad decides to sell the house and puts the gf in charge of the going away party and this puts the plot in motion. Effie takes off running with all sorts of ideas of what if's.

I have always been a fan of Kinsella's work and always will be.. Whenever I see she has a new book, it is a must read!

Really enjoyed this book! It was exactly what I needed....light, funny and an interesting enough plot that I kept reading. I love how Sophie Kinsella always creates these characters with such quirky and unique personalities. I always wish that I knew them in real life. This is a family story about a woman (Effie) who has not yet accepted that her parents have separated. She does not get along with her new father's girlfriend and is frequently trying to get her siblings to go along with her reasonings for disliking her. This does not always happen and Effie ends up distancing herself from her father. Well, when her dad and his new gf decide to sell their house, they throw a goodbye house party and Effie is not invited. So she decides to sneak in to rescue one of her beloved childhood toys. The rest of the novel takes place as Effie sneaks around the house and eves drops on her family's conversations. It really is quite hilarious!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. I will be recommending this to my friends when they are in the need a pick me up or something to read by the beach!

Oh my gosh, Sophie Kinsella. Truly this woman never fails to make me happy. The plot of this book was predictably chaotic, with every family member having their own issues and side plots all tying together into the main character's arc. I adored the relationships between Effie and her siblings, and honestly some of the vibes felt a little bit mysterious as we tried to uncover where things went wrong in their family.

ALSO THE ROMANCE/love interest. Swoon.

Every Sophie Kinsella book is delightfully light and fluffy, but I found this one particularly relatable since a lot of Effie's 'things' were related to her being the baby of the family!!

5/5, love this woman