The diary of Isabella M Smugge by Ruth Leigh
Is this just a humorous tale of a rich young mother with a delightful family and innumerable online followers?
Financed by her weekend-only, hedge-fund banker husband and her successful social media postings, Isabella and her wonderful children have recently moved from London to a huge ex-rectory in the countryside. She keeps fit with her morning swims and vegan snacks, and spends her days posting photos to social media. Meanwhile, her Latvian au pair cares lovingly for the children, the gardener who came with the house proves very competent, and her cleaner does all the dirty work. What more could she desire in life?
Isabella’s attempts to organise everyone in the village and put these simple country folk to rights don’t go down so well. Her son shows withdrawal symptoms and the other mothers, who don’t even subscribe to her Instagram channel, tend to ostracise her. Only Claire, the vicar’s wife (Horror! We thought we were atheists!) and Lauren, a young, skinny woman with purple streaks in her hair, show any signs of friendship.
When a rival blogger posts slanderous stories about her and the ladies she meets in a home group pour out their sorrows, Isabella finds she has to question her own childhood scars and failings. Then, one after another, everything starts to go wrong. Will she come out with her head above water, or is all lost?
The book is entertaining and very readable. The characters – somewhat exaggerated – come over quite convincingly. And we are keen to read the next books to find out how Isabella copes.