I've Got Your Number: A Novel

When Poppy Wyatt loses her engagement ring, an antique, three-generation-old emerald and diamond ring given to her by her fiance, Magnus Tavish, in a hotel fire drill, her life as she knows it is over. Just when she thinks things couldn't get any worse, Poppy's mobile phone is stolen, immediately rendering the emergency contact number she distributed to the hotel staff in case they located the ring useless. Her luck begins to look up, however, when she discovers an abandoned mobile phone in a litter bin. Following the universal law of finders keepers, Poppy pockets the phone and immediately begins using it as her own, with hilarious, and often unexpected, results. Little does Poppy know that what she found was actually a company phone that formerly belonged to Violet Russell, the personal assistant to Sam Roxton, a brusque, no-nonsense public relations executive. Sam and Poppy eventually come up with a rather unusual phone-sharing arrangement, in which Poppy keeps the phone in order to intercept any calls about her missing ring, with the condition that she forward all pertinent emails and other work-related information to Sam. As their lives (and texts) become increasingly intertwined and Poppy becomes unintentionally immersed in the mercenary business practices at the White Globe Consulting Group, Sam and Poppy's lives will never be the same again.I have a very dysfunctional relationship with Sophie Kinsella. I adored both Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Takes Manhattan and continued to dutifully read the followup novels in the Shopaholic series in spite of a rapidly waning interest. Despite this, I was still interested in reading Kinsella's other work and began delving into her standalone novels. After being thoroughly underwhelmed by The Undomestic Goddess and Can You Keep A Secret? and actively disliking Remember Me?, you can imagine my reluctance to explore any of her newer standalone releases. But I am, if nothing else, a glutton for punishment with an innate curiosity, and I couldn't resist when I saw one of her newer releases for 40% off at Target. Thankfully, I am happy to report that my Sophie Kinsella standalone curse seems to have ended with her 2012 release I've Got Your Number.Poppy Wyatt is a classic Kinsella heroine in the same vein as Confessions of a Shopaholic`s Rebecca Bloomwood. Like Becky, Poppy is spunky, flighty and a little insecure, as well as harboring a secret that has the potential to change her life forever. Unlike Becky, however, Poppy is a much more nuanced character with a backstory and personal growth that had me crying and applauding in turn. Poppy is undeniably a people-pleaser and a bit of a doormat, too intimidated to assert herself lest anyone be the least bit offended or put out. Always thinking of other people's feelings first, Poppy invariably puts herself last. At times it was difficult to watch the more unscrupulous characters take advantage of her generous nature. Poppy is also a physiotherapist. Although she is passionate about her work and proud of the fact that it enables her to help an innumerable number of people, Poppy's occupation is simultaneously a source of shame and embarrassment when it comes to Magnus' family. Surrounded by a group of academics and intellectuals who are more interested in being published in academic journals than in the feelings of those around them, Poppy is intimidated by their intelligence and inevitably feels inferior when she's unable to keep up during particularly combative games of Scrabble or in conversations about the latest publications on the fourth-century virtues and the stoics. Poppy continually struggles to find acceptance and belonging within a group of people from whom she couldn't be more different.Sam Roxton is an absolutely charming love interest that stole my heart right along with Poppy's. Sam isn't an unrepentant `bad boy' or womanizer waiting to be saved by the love of a good woman. He isn't an angel with a heart of gold with a savior complex who wishes to rescue or help every woman who crosses his path. He is simply a good man. Hard working, intelligent, capable and not without a rather unique sense of humour, Sam Roxton is a man that any woman would be lucky to have in her life. Now, that isn't to say that Sam isn't without his fair share of flaws. He can be impatient and quick to temper. His curt, no-nonsense demeanor can often be interpreted as cold and distant. But this does not make him unlikeable in any respect. Rather, all these flaws and attributes coalesce to make a character that is undeniably real. Kinsella breathed new life into the often hackneyed, cliche romance-genre hero and instead crafted a character that was easy to root for and even easier to love.It is during Sam's increasingly frequent interactions with Poppy that his character truly begins to shine. Sam and Poppy are equals, and he treats her as such. He values and appreciates her and doesn't hide this fact. He is complimentary and thankful when she helps him at work. Perhaps most importantly of all, Sam challenges Poppy to be the best version of herself. Isn't that what we ideally strive for in all of our relationships, be they romantic or otherwise? Sam is supportive and empowers Poppy to demand what she rightfully deserves in her life, rather than settling for the sake of keeping the peace or to avoid being difficult.If there was one aspect of the story that felt a little lackluster, it would have to be the secondary characters. Lucinda and Willow are archetypal villains, utterly unscrupulous and, more often than not, patently ridiculous. Poppy's friends were relatively amorphous apart from a scant couple of identifying characteristics. Ruby is unfailingly nice while Annalise is an unapologetic trouble-maker and coquette who apparently has no qualms about flirting with her friend's fiance right in front of her (Remind me: Why was Poppy friends with this person, again?) If there was one instance where the secondary cast shone, it was in Kinsella's creation of Wanda, Magnus' mother and Poppy's prospective mother-in-law. Although she is initially portrayed as a formulaic antagonist, I was pleasantly surprised by the direction Kinsella eventually took with her character. She provided some much-needed insight into Magnus and I was fascinated by the twists and turns Wanda's relationship with Poppy eventually took.I've Got Your Number is Sophie Kinsella at her finest. Irreverently funny (There was a particular scene featuring Beyonce's `Single Ladies' that had me laughing aloud, much to the confusion of those around me) and achingly heart-warming, this is one novel that shouldn't be missed! I've Got Your Number is an utterly engrossing thrill ride from which one never wants to get off. How engrossing, you ask? Well, I was so absorbed in Poppy's story, I was awake until after 4:00am one morning because I couldn't bear to put this book down for an instant until I knew how it all would end! I'm happy to report that I was not disappointed in the slightest and wound up going to sleep with a smile on my face a mile long. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a quick pick-me-up. I promise that you won't regret it!

With I’ve Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella has done it again…a delightful modern-day love story that is so fun it’s a guilty pleasure. The perfect summer confection. I laughed and eagerly turned the pages to see what kind of situation our heroine, Poppy, would get herself into next. Her earnest, wide-eyed excitement over her engagement to Magnus (so British, don’t you love it?) was endearing. Magnus is quite a catch. He’s a dashing and debonair professor at La-Tee-Da University, who comes from a long line of intellectuals. Poppy can’t believe her luck or the gorgeous emerald family heirloom ring he’s given her. But after a whirlwind engagement and only ten days till the wedding, there are some tiny, tiny red flags. I just knew things weren’t going to go smoothly for her.The book opens with Poppy losing the ring…in a typical convoluted, far-out there, yet totally plausible way that only Kinsella can dream up. Poppy is afraid to tell her fiancé, because it was just so careless. There’s also the small matter that Magnus’s family doesn’t seem particularly excited about the wedding. Poppy doesn’t want to rock the boat and prove to his family that she’s just a silly, dimwitted girl, as Poppy believes they perceive her. Poppy has some self-esteem issues, as well as some abandonment issues, because she lost both her parents in a car accident.In another so-crazy-you-can’t-believe-it twist, which I know may drive some readers crazy…but it’s a means to an end, so I suggest just going with it…Poppy’s phone is stolen. She miraculously finds another one in the trash bin, which she decides to “borrow,” claiming finders-keepers, rather than taking the time to go get another phone. Then of course, she gives out the new number to everyone and anyone, as a contact for her lost ring.The mobile turns out to belong to the PA of yet another dashing man, Sam Roxton. However, the PA quit her job and her final act was trashing the phone, quite literally. With-in minutes of finding the phone, Sam is calling it constantly, which perhaps should have been a sign for Poppy to toss it back in the bin. Poppy, comically and uniquely manages to save a big deal for Sam, and then informs him that he owes her, and pleads with him to let her keep the phone, until she finds her ring. Sam begrudgingly agrees, but only until her ring is found.Over the course of the next few days, Poppy gets to know Sam, both by texting him (she ends up acting as his defacto PA) and by reading basically all his e-mails (even the personal ones), which she can do, since all his e-mails seem to go through his PA. She totally snoops.Predictably, Poppy and Sam are opposites. She says (or writes) too much and is big on “lol,” “xoxoxo,” and lots of “s”. Sam is all business, direct and to the point, “Yes,” “No.” Poppy’s attempts to change the way he communicates with his colleagues gets her, and there for him, into all kinds of trouble. Then there’s also the fact that she’s gotten a few cryptic, anonymous messages that appear to be nothing, but in fact end up being HUGE deals. Before you know it, Poppy is totally wrapped up in all the corporate intrigue at his company. Sam can’t save his mentor or the company without Poppy’s help.The more time that Poppy and Sam spend together, instead of texting, they realize they have a lot more in common, than they realize. Fundamental things. Things that define a person, things only they can understand. Problem is they don’t communicate in the same way. Of course, Poppy begins to develop feelings for Sam, whom she’s not sure would be paying any attention to her, if not for the all corporate espionage. We can’t forget about Magnus, either.Poppy is a great character, with the obvious exceptions of stealing a phone, lying about her ring, and secretly having a relationship with another man, albeit mostly by text. I honestly couldn’t hold any of these things against her. Seriously. She was sweet, smart, funny, very kind and believed in the good in everyone. She’s also kind of alone in the world. In the end, I just wanted Poppy to have her happy ending.The texting angle, and our total dependence on “smart phones” was very timely and it really worked. I am probably one generation removed from texters, but perhaps there is hope for our fast fingered friends, that they do actually communicate and get to know one another….kind of a throwback to the letter writing of days past. There was one particularly romantic text exchange between Poppy and one of her suitors, which actually made my heart flutter.The ending was awesome, totally made you want to stand up and cheer! Oh, and the ring is eventually found, and has quite a little story itself. I must say, everything was connected and resolved at the end of the story, tied neatly in a bow. It was masterful. This book would be a perfect romantic comedy for the big screen. I’m thinking Colin Firth, Hugh Dancy and Emily Blunt.

Have you ever shared your phone with anyone? A loved one? Or even a stranger? To me that concept is so strange. Even though I have nothing to hide on my phone, I wouldn't want to share it with my boyfriend. Because it's mine. It's personal. But I had so much fun reading about how Poppy and Sam deals with it. Admittedly, it must have been especially trying for poor Sam, as Poppy just can't seem to stop herself from doing (what she thinks of as) good deeds. Which in reality is just a roundabout way of saying that she wants to butt in.When I recently discovered how funny Sophie Kinsella's writing is, I couldn't stop myself from continuing my reading streak. That's how I found "I've Got Your Number". The female main character, Poppy Wyatt, has to be one of the most meddlesome, crazy, nutty, irrational and endearing characters I've ever read about. The irrational way she deals with panicky situations, is definitely something I can recognise and it makes her even more likeable and relateable.It is said that opposites attract, and with Poppy and Sam that's definitely the case. While Poppy find it rude to send a text without signing off with a gazillion x's (no o's, after all she's not Gossip Girl xxxx) - Sam is more into just writing his name at the end. This leads to some hilarious mistakes and misunderstandings, as Poppy uses Sam's previous PA's company phone, and forward messages to Sam. Especially as she looses track of all her spamming butting in.This is only the second book I read by Sophie Kinsella and both have been really funny, and the romance have definitely pulled at my heartstrings. And this book definitely deserves maximum rating. But I think it's time for me to move on to other authors. Because hilarious as Ms. Kinsella's books are, they follow the same pattern. And while they're both entertaining and great reads, they're also predictable. So, going forward I'll keep her in mind for when I need to read something light and hilarious.

This is my first Sophie Kinsella book and whilst it wasn't great, it wasn't bad. Safe to say I will at least try another of hers before making a decision as to whether or not to purchase more. You see, my issues weren't with the writing or the characterisation within the book but rather with the plot. I could sincerely not get on board with the whole idea of phone sharing, especially a complete stranger being allowed to keep a company phone that she "found" which was getting emails for what is essentially a company director - no, I could not get past that and it is a major part of the story.Apart from the ridiculousness of the situation, the rest of the plot is actually pretty good. I particularly liked Poppy's issues around her prospective in-laws, nicely tense but not over dramatised, even if the whole kimono thing was overblown. I wasn't too sure about the ending if I'm being honest, you could see where it was going but, ultimately, it left a sour taste behind and you kind of want joy from this genre.Characterisation was very well done, no endless descriptive passages to get across someone's character just broad strokes on the page that allow the reader to learn about them in the way we formulate opinions about people we meet in real life. Even side characters like Ruby, who barely get page time, you feel like you have a good idea of who they are as a person. To be honest I think this is all that kept me reading on as the plot annoyed me and the footnotes were even worse - yes, I get why they were there and I truly understand the decision behind them but when reading in a digital format they are a royal nuisance.I know this sounds like I hated the book but I really didn't, it just frustrated me.

I'm a few chapters in and starting to enjoy the story, partly because the story is just starting to take off and partly because I've stopped reading the stupid footnotes. I'm sorry if I've totally missed the point of them, but I don't think they add anything to the read, if anything they are a damn nuisance and ruin the flow. Whoever told Sophie they would be a good idea obviously secretly hates her. Perhaps if they were informative they would be worth reading, but most of the time it's just mindless drivel and makes me angry that I stopped to read it. Please Sophie, your books don't need them. Now I've got that off my chest I can get back to the book!

I have just finished reading this and it doesn't disappoint.I don't read a lot of novels and I never would have thought that I could get lost in a 'chick lit' but her books are humerous at least to positively laugh out loud funny. You can't help identifying with her heroines, even though they may be nothing like you at all. She manages to go beyond the scatty, ditzy female to delve out their sensitive, vulnerable sides, and all with the best intentions.'I've Got Your Number' finds Poppy in an anxious state after losing her expensive 'family heirloom' engagement ring on the eve of meeting her future in-laws. Add to this the fact that she has her mobile phone stolen and is on the point of absolute panic. By chance she finds a working mobile phone that someone has thrown into a waste bin, which actually belongs to a business man Sam, who is not happy that someone is reading his messages. Mayhem ensues as Poppy tries to get her life on track, with the aid of friends and family, whilst 'helping' Sam (who thinks it is interfering and inappropriate and wants his phone back).A thoroughly enjoyable read. I've put it on my bookself and in a year or two will read it again, as I have her other books.

Sophie Kinsella is quickly becoming the Queen of chick-lit. In her latest book I've Got Your Number, we meet Physiotherapist Poppy whose just got engaged to Magnus Tavish. Magnus has given her a priceless family heirloom, an emerald engagement ring. But while at her hen party - a Marie Curie Champagne Tea in a Hotel she looses the ring when the fire alarm goes off.Poor Poppy searches high and low for the ring, but cannot find it. So she leaves her number with the hotel receptionist and goes outside to ring a friend to see if she's got the engagement ring. A hoodie on a bike rides past and snaps her phone out of her hand and makes a quick get-away. Poppy worried that the hotel won't be able to get hold of her, goes back to the hotel to tell them that her phones been stolen. But then she sees a phone in a bin in the hotel foyer and thinks finders, keepers.The phone belongs to Sam Roxton's PA and it rings. Sam tells Poppy she must stop a group Japanese business men led my Mr. Yamasaki from leaving, as jobs are at risk if she doesn't. Poppy gets Sam to agree to let her borrow the phone if she stops the business men from leaving. What follows is the most hilarious scene in the book where Poppy announces she's a singing telegram. She sings "Mr. Yamasaki, Mr. Yamasaki" in the style of `Single Ladies' by Beyonce. The business men like it and then Sam arrives. Poppy takes her leave quickly, before Sam can change his mind about borrowing her the phone.A relationship starts to develop between Poppy and Sam, as Poppy continues to look for her engagement ring and forward Sam's calls, text and email messages.We learn more about Poppy's life and about her fiancé Magnus. Poppy feels inferior to Magnus' super-intellectual family, Antony & Wanda Tavish have both had articles published in journals and spend most of their time reading academic literature or debating it. Poppy seems to be a "people pleaser" and doesn't like the conflict involved with saying "No." Sometimes it feels like Poppy sees what she wants too and ignores the rest. Although the reader comes to understand the reasons why, early on in the book I felt myself getting frustrated with her because of it. As for Poppy's men...Magnus plays an arguably small role within the story. At the beginning of the book his role is bigger and as the story continues it wains. Poppy and he met through her Physiotherapy work. At first he seems OK - a little boring perhaps, but as the book goes on and revelations are made that change what you think about him. Magnus is a serial proposer, who has offered the emerald engagement ring to many women - including the Wedding Planner.Sam is a executive of White Globe Consulting Group. But there's ongoing office politics with potentially massive consequences - which is a usual plot line for Kinsella. Poppy can't help read some of the messages on the phone intended for Sam's PA. Poppy makes some assumptions based on the texts and emails for Sam about him, most of which turn out to be wrong. Poppy also finds it increasingly frustrating that Sam doesn't respond to messages she feels important. So she decides to reply to some on his behalf with some funny consequences.The book brings Poppy and Sam together in the end as you'd expect. The use of text messages to bring them together is interesting and I suppose it fits in to the "modern use of technology." I would have preferred them to talk, but that's just me. The book made me laugh, get teary eyed and feel good at the end. Everything that you'd want from a chick-lit book.