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The Deliberations of Isabella M Smugge
267 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 28, 2026
Issy Smugge is a wonderful creation. Her chronicler, Ruth Leigh, has produced another - perhaps the final - account of a year in the life of the nation’s premier influencer.
There is so much to enjoy in this record of self-discovery. You care about the fights, and the people, because they matter: the fights may have the lightest of triggers (incautious remarks about a plate of sausage rolls, for example) but the estrangement and the pain are real.
There is so much sheer invention here. Issy Smugge lives a life crammed with marketing placements, from cat treats to eye gel, many of them rendered in pleasingly convincing French for that sophisticated touch.
What stands out, above all, is Issy’s own, beautifully consistent, interior voice as she narrates the crises of life in a Suffolk village. It is note perfect. It doesn’t falter for a moment. Over the five volumes Issy has become a steadily more likeable and more profound person. Her children, especially her elder son Finn, have found their own voices.
This is delightfully easy reading, but it has its depths, especially in the maturity of the female friendships and the steady celebration of a particular quality which undergirds the whole series: a gentle, true generosity of spirit.
There is so much to enjoy in this record of self-discovery. You care about the fights, and the people, because they matter: the fights may have the lightest of triggers (incautious remarks about a plate of sausage rolls, for example) but the estrangement and the pain are real.
There is so much sheer invention here. Issy Smugge lives a life crammed with marketing placements, from cat treats to eye gel, many of them rendered in pleasingly convincing French for that sophisticated touch.
What stands out, above all, is Issy’s own, beautifully consistent, interior voice as she narrates the crises of life in a Suffolk village. It is note perfect. It doesn’t falter for a moment. Over the five volumes Issy has become a steadily more likeable and more profound person. Her children, especially her elder son Finn, have found their own voices.
This is delightfully easy reading, but it has its depths, especially in the maturity of the female friendships and the steady celebration of a particular quality which undergirds the whole series: a gentle, true generosity of spirit.
September 28, 2026
The Deliberations Of Isabella M Smugge by Ruth Leigh is the fifth and final book in the delightful Isabella M Smugge series.
I have been with Isabella Smugge since the beginning and am gutted that her bookish journey has ended. Maybe when she becomes a grandparent, I am hopeful that she may have more to say – pretty please, Ruth Leigh.
Isabella Smugge journey as an influencer has seen her move from London to the Suffolk countryside; from self-absorbed and image conscious to a far more ‘real’ portrayal; and from a new Christian dipping her toes in the water to a fully fledged Christian who is muddling through life just like the rest of us. It has been a wonderful journey to witness.
Isabella Smugge is an extremely likable, believable and kind person. I love her views on life. She tells it as she sees it. She navigates through single parenting of four children; deals with a selfish ex-husband; an overbearing agent; and playground bullies (the parents).
As the books have progressed, Isabella Smugge’s faith in God has emerged. “It would be helpful if God could just reply immediately… A kind of spiritual WhatsApp conversation… If I got it right, He would give me a thumbs up.” She notes “I’ve been going to church… and chatting with the good Lord (who I have to say, is a lot more approachable than I had previously thought). Her faith walk with God is authentic. What you see is what you get. She talks to God very naturally, but ends her prayers “Thank you again and kindest regards.”
Her reaction to having her prayers answered: “Hello again, it’s me… Listen, that was impressive! I asked for a DM and a sigh, and You sent me one. I feel like a proper religious person now.”
We hear Isabella Smugge view on Christians. “I’ve discovered that going to church doesn’t necessarily make you a weird, judgy person who never has any fun. Quite the reverse.” Isabella Smugge realises that Christians can have fun and enjoy life. God is not against us having fun.
When life is tough, we need kind and loving people around us. “You need people to warm your heart and encourage you, not cold, aloof ones who hurl Bible verses at you and behave appallingly to others while claiming they are religious.”
We learn about the good heart of vicar’s wife Claire. “Claire’s kitchen… is…a hub for anyone who needs a hug, a non-judgmental chat or just a place to let off steam.” Isabella Smugge also believes that “Claire is married to an actual vicar and therefore must have a hotline to the good Lord.” It comes as quite a shock to hear just how Claire struggles too.
There are times when Isabella Smugge is absolutely hilarious. “The subject of gossip came up at homegroup last week and to my amazement, I discovered it is a Bad Thing. Can’t we call it information exchange?”
Isabella Smugge is a relatively new Christian. “Do you think we should pray about it?”… “You mean out loud? I’m not very good at it, but we could give it a bash.” She is still a WIP (Work In Progress) but tries to be a better person than she was. She “Keep[s] listening to God and model kind, gracious behaviour to these playground mums.”
As the mother of a busy household and one cat. She notes of the cat, “Fresh from a session of being violently sick on the rug… (why can’t she choose the hard floors which are easier to clean?) I can totally empathise with the situation as I have always been a cat mum.
Mimi, the agent of Isabella Smugge is very worldly and has none of Isabella Smugge’s values. “Mimi is driven by money and power and the more I think about it, the less it aligns with my values.” As Isabella Smugge has drawn closer to God, she realises that some of the relationships in her life are toxic, and they need cutting off.
I absolutely adore Isabella Smugge. It has been a pure delight to watch her grow and develop over the five books. Her outlook on life is kind and generous. The seas of life that she has navigated are easily recognisable – even though we aren’t influencers.
Ruth Leigh has created a very human and lovable heroine. All the Isabella Smugge books are very charming. I recommend reading them in numerical order for character development and for continuity of the tale.
Thank you to Ruth Leigh for introducing me to my favourite literary character of all time, Isabella Smugge.
I think these books would perfectly translate into either a streaming series or movies – any producers out there please take note.
Goodbye Isabella M Smugge. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know you.
I received a free copy from the author. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
I have been with Isabella Smugge since the beginning and am gutted that her bookish journey has ended. Maybe when she becomes a grandparent, I am hopeful that she may have more to say – pretty please, Ruth Leigh.
Isabella Smugge journey as an influencer has seen her move from London to the Suffolk countryside; from self-absorbed and image conscious to a far more ‘real’ portrayal; and from a new Christian dipping her toes in the water to a fully fledged Christian who is muddling through life just like the rest of us. It has been a wonderful journey to witness.
Isabella Smugge is an extremely likable, believable and kind person. I love her views on life. She tells it as she sees it. She navigates through single parenting of four children; deals with a selfish ex-husband; an overbearing agent; and playground bullies (the parents).
As the books have progressed, Isabella Smugge’s faith in God has emerged. “It would be helpful if God could just reply immediately… A kind of spiritual WhatsApp conversation… If I got it right, He would give me a thumbs up.” She notes “I’ve been going to church… and chatting with the good Lord (who I have to say, is a lot more approachable than I had previously thought). Her faith walk with God is authentic. What you see is what you get. She talks to God very naturally, but ends her prayers “Thank you again and kindest regards.”
Her reaction to having her prayers answered: “Hello again, it’s me… Listen, that was impressive! I asked for a DM and a sigh, and You sent me one. I feel like a proper religious person now.”
We hear Isabella Smugge view on Christians. “I’ve discovered that going to church doesn’t necessarily make you a weird, judgy person who never has any fun. Quite the reverse.” Isabella Smugge realises that Christians can have fun and enjoy life. God is not against us having fun.
When life is tough, we need kind and loving people around us. “You need people to warm your heart and encourage you, not cold, aloof ones who hurl Bible verses at you and behave appallingly to others while claiming they are religious.”
We learn about the good heart of vicar’s wife Claire. “Claire’s kitchen… is…a hub for anyone who needs a hug, a non-judgmental chat or just a place to let off steam.” Isabella Smugge also believes that “Claire is married to an actual vicar and therefore must have a hotline to the good Lord.” It comes as quite a shock to hear just how Claire struggles too.
There are times when Isabella Smugge is absolutely hilarious. “The subject of gossip came up at homegroup last week and to my amazement, I discovered it is a Bad Thing. Can’t we call it information exchange?”
Isabella Smugge is a relatively new Christian. “Do you think we should pray about it?”… “You mean out loud? I’m not very good at it, but we could give it a bash.” She is still a WIP (Work In Progress) but tries to be a better person than she was. She “Keep[s] listening to God and model kind, gracious behaviour to these playground mums.”
As the mother of a busy household and one cat. She notes of the cat, “Fresh from a session of being violently sick on the rug… (why can’t she choose the hard floors which are easier to clean?) I can totally empathise with the situation as I have always been a cat mum.
Mimi, the agent of Isabella Smugge is very worldly and has none of Isabella Smugge’s values. “Mimi is driven by money and power and the more I think about it, the less it aligns with my values.” As Isabella Smugge has drawn closer to God, she realises that some of the relationships in her life are toxic, and they need cutting off.
I absolutely adore Isabella Smugge. It has been a pure delight to watch her grow and develop over the five books. Her outlook on life is kind and generous. The seas of life that she has navigated are easily recognisable – even though we aren’t influencers.
Ruth Leigh has created a very human and lovable heroine. All the Isabella Smugge books are very charming. I recommend reading them in numerical order for character development and for continuity of the tale.
Thank you to Ruth Leigh for introducing me to my favourite literary character of all time, Isabella Smugge.
I think these books would perfectly translate into either a streaming series or movies – any producers out there please take note.
Goodbye Isabella M Smugge. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know you.
I received a free copy from the author. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
October 11, 2026
“The Deliberations of Isabella M Smugge” is the fifth book in the series and I enjoyed it as much as the previous four. I bought the first two books together (I was a little late to the party) and since then have eagerly awaited and bought the following two books. I received this latest one for free from Instant Apostle in return for an honest review, which is my absolute joy to do.
I find I very easily lose myself within the pages of each of these books, and struggle to put the book down. What a dilemma – reading it quickly because I want to know it all or read it slowly, savouring it and putting off ending it. In this book I quickly became immersed in the world of Issy Smugge.
I like that these books are written as though Issy is keeping a diary. It’s a great technique which allows us to get right in her head and see what she’s thinking. We get to know who she is and also get to really like her. She has grown as a person in her five years of life in a Suffolk village and I have also grown to like her more and more.
At first sight she can be quite intimidating as a premier influencer. (Being a social media guru, her diary is full of wonderful hashtags.) She knows how to dress to impress. She has wealth and has all the latest in home decor and is always on trend. However, there is more to her than meets the eye. Issy is the kind of friend we could all do with having in our lives. She is extremely generous and loves nothing more than to share with those she loves. She really cares about the people in her life, even down to being friends with both women who have been/are involved with her awful ex husband. She stands up for her friends and supports them in tough times. She does the right thing, even when it’s hard and could be costly. Her relationship with God has also developed over the years, she hosts a home group and is genuinely curious to know more about God and what it means to have him in her life. Her prayer conversations with God are interesting and natural, the kinds of prayers anyone completely new to faith would pray.
Once again, there is plenty of playground drama, not so much between the children but between the parents. It is so relatable. You can imagine any of the incidents happening in any of the primary school playgrounds in the UK and you may possibly have been involved in something very similar yourself.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and was drawn back quickly into the world of Issy Smugge, the character we all know and love. All the characters are so relatable and realistic, facing believeable situations and responding in ways we would. The humour comes out of the everyday experiences and Ruth is an expert not only at bringing out the funny side of life, but also in including poignant moments such as when Issy and a few of her friends gather together to support her as she throws her wedding ring off a cliff top.
If what I have written has whetted your appetite to read more about Issy, then do go and buy a copy of this book. It can be enjoyed as a standalone read, but why buy just one when all the previous books in the series are just as good? So actually my recommendation is that you treat yourself and get all five books!
I find I very easily lose myself within the pages of each of these books, and struggle to put the book down. What a dilemma – reading it quickly because I want to know it all or read it slowly, savouring it and putting off ending it. In this book I quickly became immersed in the world of Issy Smugge.
I like that these books are written as though Issy is keeping a diary. It’s a great technique which allows us to get right in her head and see what she’s thinking. We get to know who she is and also get to really like her. She has grown as a person in her five years of life in a Suffolk village and I have also grown to like her more and more.
At first sight she can be quite intimidating as a premier influencer. (Being a social media guru, her diary is full of wonderful hashtags.) She knows how to dress to impress. She has wealth and has all the latest in home decor and is always on trend. However, there is more to her than meets the eye. Issy is the kind of friend we could all do with having in our lives. She is extremely generous and loves nothing more than to share with those she loves. She really cares about the people in her life, even down to being friends with both women who have been/are involved with her awful ex husband. She stands up for her friends and supports them in tough times. She does the right thing, even when it’s hard and could be costly. Her relationship with God has also developed over the years, she hosts a home group and is genuinely curious to know more about God and what it means to have him in her life. Her prayer conversations with God are interesting and natural, the kinds of prayers anyone completely new to faith would pray.
Once again, there is plenty of playground drama, not so much between the children but between the parents. It is so relatable. You can imagine any of the incidents happening in any of the primary school playgrounds in the UK and you may possibly have been involved in something very similar yourself.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and was drawn back quickly into the world of Issy Smugge, the character we all know and love. All the characters are so relatable and realistic, facing believeable situations and responding in ways we would. The humour comes out of the everyday experiences and Ruth is an expert not only at bringing out the funny side of life, but also in including poignant moments such as when Issy and a few of her friends gather together to support her as she throws her wedding ring off a cliff top.
If what I have written has whetted your appetite to read more about Issy, then do go and buy a copy of this book. It can be enjoyed as a standalone read, but why buy just one when all the previous books in the series are just as good? So actually my recommendation is that you treat yourself and get all five books!
September 25, 2026
The deliberations of Isabella M Smugge is the fifth book in this delightful series. Isabella Smugge (whose name rhymes with Bruges) is a high profile influencer, who has moved from London to a village in Suffolk. Her story is told as a diary following the school year. I pre-ordered this book and was able to read it before the official publication date (18th September 2026).
The deliberations of Isabella M Smugge did not disappoint me. I laughed out loud. As the title suggests Issy faces a number of challenging situations over which she deliberates for some time before deciding what to do.
My complete review with links to my reviews of the other books in the series is
here
The deliberations of Isabella M Smugge did not disappoint me. I laughed out loud. As the title suggests Issy faces a number of challenging situations over which she deliberates for some time before deciding what to do.
My complete review with links to my reviews of the other books in the series is
here
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews