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The Trials of Isabella M Smugge
Life in the country isn’t going as Issy Smugge planned it. However, the woman Gorgeous Home magazine once called ‘Britain’s Most Relatable Mum Designer’ is nothing if not resilient!
With an unexpected baby on the way, a good-for-nothing husband and a mother who never seemed to care but now needs caring for, her hands are full. Her venal agent and creative socials guru keep work fizzing, but how will she cope with the mysterious village snitch and poisonous gossip columnist Lavinia Harcourt?
Discovering others’ problems can be far worse than her own, she confronts bizarre church sub-culture and braces herself to use the NHS, rethinking all she thought she wanted. Could true happiness be just a few hashtags away?
With an unexpected baby on the way, a good-for-nothing husband and a mother who never seemed to care but now needs caring for, her hands are full. Her venal agent and creative socials guru keep work fizzing, but how will she cope with the mysterious village snitch and poisonous gossip columnist Lavinia Harcourt?
Discovering others’ problems can be far worse than her own, she confronts bizarre church sub-culture and braces herself to use the NHS, rethinking all she thought she wanted. Could true happiness be just a few hashtags away?
288 pages, Paperback
Published October 22, 2021
4 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Leigh
2 books26 followersRuth is a novelist and freelance writer, the author of “The Diary of Isabella M Smugge”, “The Trials of Isabella M Smugge” and “The Continued Times of Isabella M Smugge. She writes for a number of businesses and charities and blogs at ruthleighwrites.co.uk. She has abnormally narrow sinuses and a morbid fear of raw tomatoes, but has decided not to let this get in the way of a meaningful life. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter at ruthleighwrites and at her website, www.ruthleighwrites.co.uk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 24, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
‘The Trials of Isabella M Smugge’ is the second book featuring social media influencer, Issy Smugge, from the pen of Ruth Leigh. We pick up the story from where the first one finished, with Izzy’s near perfect life thrown into turmoil by the desertion of her philandering husband, who has left her for their au pair. A brief ill-judged night of passion with her errant spouse has left Issy pregnant with her fourth child. As time goes by she realises she misses their au pair perhaps more than her husband, Johnnie, as she struggles to hold everything together at home and continue to promote her brand.
The themes from the first book continue through this second instalment with the structure remaining the same with each chapter being devoted to a month of the year. Despite the setbacks in her personal life, Issy is determined to remain relevant and grow her audience. We witness her making decisions Johnnie would disapprove of and start to throw off the emotional control he had exerted over her during their marriage. Her self-awakening continues and by the end we leave a more grounded and empathic Issy Smugge than the image-obsessed influencer we met when she first moved to the country. She’s still materialistic but as her fortieth birthday approaches, she strives to be more sincere with her new friends and reconnecting with people from her past. She’s also open to new avenues to explore in the future.
The author employs the same literary techniques which worked well with the first book and this sequel doesn’t disappoint. I admire the author’s ability to take wring so much content out of minutiae and turn it into a tongue-in-cheek account of life which is, at times, hilarious. It is a well-written slick production which although light on plot, does tentatively flirt with some complex issues and is a very easy and entertaining read. The fourth wall approach can be a little disconcerting but in this instance it helps to create the illusion that the character is real and chatting informally with her loyal followers.
Issy’s hesitant faith journey will strike a chord with some, as will her relationship with her mother and their changing dynamic. I quite enjoyed the continued malevolent jealousy of Lavinia Harcourt and would have liked a bit more depth to the conflict. Arguably, the school angle is a little thin as a motive for so much vitriol after so many years.
This tale will appeal to anyone who enjoyed this influencer’s first outing; if you haven’t read it, I would recommend doing so before starting this instalment, as I suspect the way has been left open for another year in the life of Isabella M Smugge.
‘The Trials of Isabella M Smugge’ is the second book featuring social media influencer, Issy Smugge, from the pen of Ruth Leigh. We pick up the story from where the first one finished, with Izzy’s near perfect life thrown into turmoil by the desertion of her philandering husband, who has left her for their au pair. A brief ill-judged night of passion with her errant spouse has left Issy pregnant with her fourth child. As time goes by she realises she misses their au pair perhaps more than her husband, Johnnie, as she struggles to hold everything together at home and continue to promote her brand.
The themes from the first book continue through this second instalment with the structure remaining the same with each chapter being devoted to a month of the year. Despite the setbacks in her personal life, Issy is determined to remain relevant and grow her audience. We witness her making decisions Johnnie would disapprove of and start to throw off the emotional control he had exerted over her during their marriage. Her self-awakening continues and by the end we leave a more grounded and empathic Issy Smugge than the image-obsessed influencer we met when she first moved to the country. She’s still materialistic but as her fortieth birthday approaches, she strives to be more sincere with her new friends and reconnecting with people from her past. She’s also open to new avenues to explore in the future.
The author employs the same literary techniques which worked well with the first book and this sequel doesn’t disappoint. I admire the author’s ability to take wring so much content out of minutiae and turn it into a tongue-in-cheek account of life which is, at times, hilarious. It is a well-written slick production which although light on plot, does tentatively flirt with some complex issues and is a very easy and entertaining read. The fourth wall approach can be a little disconcerting but in this instance it helps to create the illusion that the character is real and chatting informally with her loyal followers.
Issy’s hesitant faith journey will strike a chord with some, as will her relationship with her mother and their changing dynamic. I quite enjoyed the continued malevolent jealousy of Lavinia Harcourt and would have liked a bit more depth to the conflict. Arguably, the school angle is a little thin as a motive for so much vitriol after so many years.
This tale will appeal to anyone who enjoyed this influencer’s first outing; if you haven’t read it, I would recommend doing so before starting this instalment, as I suspect the way has been left open for another year in the life of Isabella M Smugge.
October 28, 2021
Very enjoyable book - the more you read, the more Isabella grows on you. Well done Ruth, keep it up - when is Episode 3 ?
September 12, 2024
In The Diary of Isabella M Smugge, Ruth Leigh created a monster who comes in from the cold. Lifestyle blogger, bestselling author, interior designer and photographer, Isabella is an endlessly manipulative and relentlessly poised individual whose move to the country places her like a glossy bird of paradise amongst the apparently dowdy peahens of her Suffolk village. Her three children are pressed into service as accessories to her blog, featuring in one tastefully photographed setting after another.
Except, of course, the peahens – the mothers of the local schoolchildren – are utterly unimpressed. Then Johnnie, her handsome and successful husband, absconds with her gorgeous Latvian (or is it Lithuanian? Isabella can never remember) au pair. Issy Smugge is devastated – all the more so when, after a fierce fight with her husband which ends in make-up sex, she finds herself pregnant once again. Buffeted by rejection, derailed by hormones, Issy’s glossy demeanour starts to crack – or is she starting to grow?
At the start of this second volume a more appealing Isabella gradually emerges from her perfect house and garden. Things however are still heading downhill. Loathsome Lavinia, gossip columnist and arch-rival, still brandishes a poisoned dagger in every column. Someone among the playground mums is feeding Lavinia tainted gossip. Mummy is vitriolic as ever. Despite this, some of the playground peahens are actually becoming friends. And could Johnnie be made to see the error of his ways?
Funny, observant, sharp, but ultimately compassionate, Ruth Leigh clearly relishes the derailing of Isabella, while celebrating the emergence of a less controlling and more engaging heroine. Her formidable eye for telling detail and her firm grasp on good dialogue make this a thoroughly entertaining read.
Except, of course, the peahens – the mothers of the local schoolchildren – are utterly unimpressed. Then Johnnie, her handsome and successful husband, absconds with her gorgeous Latvian (or is it Lithuanian? Isabella can never remember) au pair. Issy Smugge is devastated – all the more so when, after a fierce fight with her husband which ends in make-up sex, she finds herself pregnant once again. Buffeted by rejection, derailed by hormones, Issy’s glossy demeanour starts to crack – or is she starting to grow?
At the start of this second volume a more appealing Isabella gradually emerges from her perfect house and garden. Things however are still heading downhill. Loathsome Lavinia, gossip columnist and arch-rival, still brandishes a poisoned dagger in every column. Someone among the playground mums is feeding Lavinia tainted gossip. Mummy is vitriolic as ever. Despite this, some of the playground peahens are actually becoming friends. And could Johnnie be made to see the error of his ways?
Funny, observant, sharp, but ultimately compassionate, Ruth Leigh clearly relishes the derailing of Isabella, while celebrating the emergence of a less controlling and more engaging heroine. Her formidable eye for telling detail and her firm grasp on good dialogue make this a thoroughly entertaining read.
October 22, 2021
I found the previous Isabella book a surprise, expecting a high farcical content: instead, it was a poignant and touching tale of contemporary family life and relationships. Fans of the first book will find this follow-up exceeds all their expectations.
I was intrigued by how the author chooses to handle the character of Isabella: lifestyle blogger and Instagram influencer, a style guru with enormous expertise in fashion, interior decor, and haute cuisine. The author is acutely observant about our consumer society, obsessed with brands, trends and image. She is brimming with phrases like 'carefully curated personal appearances'; 'doyenne of the lifestyle blogging world', 'so not me'; 'I was the first to spot that seagrass was over'; 'my trademark eye for a good finish'; 'conceptual layered pieces'; 'a delightfully on-trend and vibey air'. I loved this, and it often made me laugh out loud.
Behind it all, we feel great sympathy for Isabella herself, in her increasingly chaotic personal life: betrayed by her husband, coping with an unexpected baby on the way, targeted by a vicious gossip columnist, and trying to rebuild her life as a single mother. Alongside all this, her drive to keep up her perfect online image becomes increasingly ridiculous.
Johnnie, her faithless, charming, hedge-fund-manager husband, masquerades as protective but in fact is emotionally manipulative and controlling. Around Isabella and her family, the author develops a cast of characters who either support or goad or torment her, some leading her along the path to true authenticity, others urging her to negative behaviour and values.
Ironically, Isabella appears to be 'a woman in control', on top of things, telling other people how to attain high society's false idea of perfection; yet in reality we can see she is not in control at all. She is not liberated in the true sense of the word: rather she is enslaved by what her husband thinks of her, and is rarely true to herself. We just want her to break through the web of artificiality she weaves around herself, to become real and honest about who and what she truly is.
As the story builds, the author includes sharp and waspish descriptions, especially of church services and Christians praying. Yet it is Christian friends who become a lifeline to Isabella. Following childbirth she suffers what many would recognise as postnatal depression: nothing she has to say about her baby is loving: the only things she notices are very negative and even cynical. Then we feel a great sense of relief when Isabella’s friend Nicki speaks the truth to Isabella at last, about herself, and Johnnie.
This is very much a book about family life and friendship as well as growing self-knowledge. I do like the end, very much: it is clever and perceptive, and the signs of transformation in Isabella may give rise to sparks of amusement and recognition in the reader.
A highly recommended book.
I was intrigued by how the author chooses to handle the character of Isabella: lifestyle blogger and Instagram influencer, a style guru with enormous expertise in fashion, interior decor, and haute cuisine. The author is acutely observant about our consumer society, obsessed with brands, trends and image. She is brimming with phrases like 'carefully curated personal appearances'; 'doyenne of the lifestyle blogging world', 'so not me'; 'I was the first to spot that seagrass was over'; 'my trademark eye for a good finish'; 'conceptual layered pieces'; 'a delightfully on-trend and vibey air'. I loved this, and it often made me laugh out loud.
Behind it all, we feel great sympathy for Isabella herself, in her increasingly chaotic personal life: betrayed by her husband, coping with an unexpected baby on the way, targeted by a vicious gossip columnist, and trying to rebuild her life as a single mother. Alongside all this, her drive to keep up her perfect online image becomes increasingly ridiculous.
Johnnie, her faithless, charming, hedge-fund-manager husband, masquerades as protective but in fact is emotionally manipulative and controlling. Around Isabella and her family, the author develops a cast of characters who either support or goad or torment her, some leading her along the path to true authenticity, others urging her to negative behaviour and values.
Ironically, Isabella appears to be 'a woman in control', on top of things, telling other people how to attain high society's false idea of perfection; yet in reality we can see she is not in control at all. She is not liberated in the true sense of the word: rather she is enslaved by what her husband thinks of her, and is rarely true to herself. We just want her to break through the web of artificiality she weaves around herself, to become real and honest about who and what she truly is.
As the story builds, the author includes sharp and waspish descriptions, especially of church services and Christians praying. Yet it is Christian friends who become a lifeline to Isabella. Following childbirth she suffers what many would recognise as postnatal depression: nothing she has to say about her baby is loving: the only things she notices are very negative and even cynical. Then we feel a great sense of relief when Isabella’s friend Nicki speaks the truth to Isabella at last, about herself, and Johnnie.
This is very much a book about family life and friendship as well as growing self-knowledge. I do like the end, very much: it is clever and perceptive, and the signs of transformation in Isabella may give rise to sparks of amusement and recognition in the reader.
A highly recommended book.
October 1, 2021
This much anticipated follow-up from Ruth Leigh did not disappoint. Fresh, moving and funny, it had me rifling through the pages, particularly at the beginning and towards the end, to find out what happens to our friend, the now considerably less-smug Isabella. How will she cope as a single mum? Will she get back together with Johnnie? What about Lavinia and the life-long grudge she holds against Issy? Will Mummy soften as she ages? These and other questions are amply answered during the course of this enjoyable read.
What I love about Ruth Leigh’s writing is her ability to entertain as well as subtly examine life’s deeper issues: rejection, friendship and the games we play on social media, to name a few; also, Issy’s wonderfully refreshing and simple take on faith which is devoid of all the usual stereotypes and ‘Christian-speak’ which can so annoy and detract from what really matters (‘I decided to call in the big guns…Dear God, Isabella M Smugge here. I wonder if You would be so kind as to send a tall person along…’) Why? You will have to read the book…
It’s not easy to take a character you’ve spent a whole book developing and then plumb further depths with her in Book 2. Yet Ruth Leigh has achieved this with apparent ease and in considerable detail, yet not in a way you really notice until the end. Skillfully weaving Issy’s changing perceptions of life into a relatively gentle but absorbing plot, you finish the book replete yet reflective. A thoroughly satisfying follow-up to The Diary of Isabella M Smugge.
What I love about Ruth Leigh’s writing is her ability to entertain as well as subtly examine life’s deeper issues: rejection, friendship and the games we play on social media, to name a few; also, Issy’s wonderfully refreshing and simple take on faith which is devoid of all the usual stereotypes and ‘Christian-speak’ which can so annoy and detract from what really matters (‘I decided to call in the big guns…Dear God, Isabella M Smugge here. I wonder if You would be so kind as to send a tall person along…’) Why? You will have to read the book…
It’s not easy to take a character you’ve spent a whole book developing and then plumb further depths with her in Book 2. Yet Ruth Leigh has achieved this with apparent ease and in considerable detail, yet not in a way you really notice until the end. Skillfully weaving Issy’s changing perceptions of life into a relatively gentle but absorbing plot, you finish the book replete yet reflective. A thoroughly satisfying follow-up to The Diary of Isabella M Smugge.
October 20, 2021
Sometimes sequels can disappoint but not this one. Perhaps a little darker or more realistic than the first one, the Diary of Isabella Smugge, in this book, Isabella has more struggles but comes through in the end as a stronger person. The perfect family of three and loving husband, Johnnie, of the first book are gone. Johnnie has run off with Isabella's au-pair and friend, Sofija but left her pregnant and alone. Her best friend, vicar's wife, Claire, is seriously ill in hospital after the birth of her fourth child, and not only does lifestyle blogger and influencer, Isabella have to face snipes from the column of her arch nemesis, Lavinia Harcourt, but she becomes aware that Lavinia is being fed information from a local Suffolk source. Isabella has her baby and struggles to bond at first but then has to face her mother having a serious stroke. At least her sister, Suze has come back to the UK and the two sisters bond is stronger than it has been for a long time as they look after their mother. Johnnie begs to come back after Sofija leaves him but should Isabella let him? And should she forgive her arch nemesis? These are questions Isabella deals with as she comes to terms with a newly emerging Christian faith.
October 5, 2021
I very much enjoyed The Diary of Isabella M Smugge and have been anxiously awaiting the sequel ever since. I wasn’t disappointed! Ruth Leigh has created some fabulous characters. Isabella, an award winning lifestyle blogger with a fantastic lifestyle of her own and an ego to match, has been left in a bit of a fix by her adulterous husband, Johnnie (I felt like slapping him on several occasions!)
The author is very witty and we are kept entertained and amused on every page, but there are some very touching moments as well, as Issy’s character grows and changes with the ups and downs in her life. The episodes where Issy struggles with forgiveness were particularly insightful and I found myself rooting for her more and more as the story unfolded. Some of my favourite characters from book one are back, including Mimi, Issy’s pushy agent, Tom the handsome vicar, frightful Mummy and the lovely and not-quite-so-lovely mums from the school playground.
I found this book hard to put down and would recommend it to anyone. I will now have to wait as patiently as I can for book three, to find out what Isabella will do next.
The author is very witty and we are kept entertained and amused on every page, but there are some very touching moments as well, as Issy’s character grows and changes with the ups and downs in her life. The episodes where Issy struggles with forgiveness were particularly insightful and I found myself rooting for her more and more as the story unfolded. Some of my favourite characters from book one are back, including Mimi, Issy’s pushy agent, Tom the handsome vicar, frightful Mummy and the lovely and not-quite-so-lovely mums from the school playground.
I found this book hard to put down and would recommend it to anyone. I will now have to wait as patiently as I can for book three, to find out what Isabella will do next.
November 9, 2021
A total delight!
Ever since I devoured The Diary of Isabella M Smugge, I’ve been eagerly awaiting Book 2 and it didn’t disappoint.
Leigh’s writing is effortlessly witty and clever - there are so many bits that made me laugh out loud, but at the same time the writing contains sensitively-handled thought-provoking topics.
The characters are brilliantly developed from Book 1, but Leigh leaves plenty of scope for future growth in Book 3. An absolutely cracking read and I am going to have to practice patience as I wait for Book 3!
Ever since I devoured The Diary of Isabella M Smugge, I’ve been eagerly awaiting Book 2 and it didn’t disappoint.
Leigh’s writing is effortlessly witty and clever - there are so many bits that made me laugh out loud, but at the same time the writing contains sensitively-handled thought-provoking topics.
The characters are brilliantly developed from Book 1, but Leigh leaves plenty of scope for future growth in Book 3. An absolutely cracking read and I am going to have to practice patience as I wait for Book 3!
October 31, 2021
While this follow-up to the Diary of Isabella M Smugge could have been simply more of the same, Ruth Leigh does a brilliant job of character development as Issy navigates her way through this latest batch of family and personal challenges. The growth in Issy's self-awareness is beautifully handled and while the storyline doesn't shirk serious issues, the writing is full of optimism and the same wit and sharp observation present in the first book. This should be available on prescription.
September 27, 2021
Review to follow - but I can say I enjoyed re-visiting Isabella's life!
May 30, 2022
Excellent sequel, just as funny as the first book. I really engaged with the characters and wanted to go on reading. Well done Ruth Leigh
October 26, 2021
Do you read before going to sleep ? Do you read on the train ? Do you read on the beach, on the loo, on the sofa, in the garden, the shed, the bath. Anywhere you can ? If you have answered yes to any of these, you will find no better book that Isabella's trials (except maybe her Diary). The ever-relevant, hugely observant author has done it again. You'll find yourself increasingly caught up in Issy's #world. You'll laugh with her, cry with her, encourage her and despair of her. You'll want it all to come together. You'll pray that it won't. We'll all see a little of ourselves (and quite a lot of others we know) in this wonderful character. If you read one book this winter (or next summer!) make it this one. Let Issy take you on this rambling road with many twists, a lot of turns and a few unexpected cliffs. #goodreadingindeed #bravaMrsLeigh #Isaluteyou.
October 30, 2021
Was really looking forward to this after the 1st book and in no ways did is disappoint! Just left me needing to know more… loved the short quips and one liners which are incredibly subtle and very clever!! Love the variety of characters and all the ‘goings on’. Still lots more we need to know… desperately hoping/waiting for a 3rd book! Brilliant
September 28, 2021
Ruth Leigh's second novel charting famous blogger and 'Mumstaggrammer' Isabella M Smugge's rocky journey towards self-awareness didn't disappoint me. In fact, I think this sequel to 'The diary of Isabella M Smugge' has even more depth and shade. There are plenty of LOL lines - she asks a friend if there's a forgiveness app in the same way there's a Couch to 5K app for runners, and wonders whether baby Milo has a drink problem, he feeds so often. They are three examples among many others. The hashtags provide some laughs, too - #inyourfaceharcourt made me smile. But, alongside the laughs, there is a deepening realisation for Isabella that honesty and authenticity win over pretence and posing, and this journey is also very satisfying to follow. I kept turning the pages to find out whether Isabella manages to deal with Lavinia Harcourt's snidey attacks on her, whether she really is that blind to Johnnie's faults and whether her mother finally softens and becomes what Isabella needs. I like the way the book ends - this time without the enormous cliff hanger but with plenty of potential for further adventures and epiphanies in Book 3!
October 30, 2021
This series is great fun, found myself laughing out loud and admiring the twist right at the end. #Buythisbook
October 13, 2021
I honestly could not put this book down. I would highly recommend it. The book hit all emotions. From start to finish I was hooked an easy book to read an amazing story covering so many different things. The character Isabelle Smugge was easy to relate to and empathise with, can’t wait for book 3.
February 22, 2024
The funny, witty and heart naive Isabella Smugge returns. Although the many sun plots and characters made it slightly confusing, I really enjoyed the second installment of this series.
October 11, 2021
It took me a while to warm to everyone’s favourite ‘mumfluencer’ and hashtagger in book 1, but I found I was right behind her in book 2.
Another tongue-in-cheek romp through the fictional lifestyle blogger’s eventful year including childbirth, testing the waters of the NHS, Bloggers Awards Ceremony and managing life without the wretched husband and fabulous au pair with whom he unfortunately ran off with in Book 1. All played out through the school calendar year with an invigorating mix of Issy's friends and family, a fledgling relationship with church going and maybe even faith (#hellogod), as well as the continuing snipes in journalistic toxicity from her school mate of yesteryear and the gushing recommendations and delights of her somewhat cloying agent.
Be sure to read The Diary Of Isabella M Smugge first and enjoy an undemanding, giggle-causing pleasant hour or two before tucking into this one when it's on sale from 21st October.
Another tongue-in-cheek romp through the fictional lifestyle blogger’s eventful year including childbirth, testing the waters of the NHS, Bloggers Awards Ceremony and managing life without the wretched husband and fabulous au pair with whom he unfortunately ran off with in Book 1. All played out through the school calendar year with an invigorating mix of Issy's friends and family, a fledgling relationship with church going and maybe even faith (#hellogod), as well as the continuing snipes in journalistic toxicity from her school mate of yesteryear and the gushing recommendations and delights of her somewhat cloying agent.
Be sure to read The Diary Of Isabella M Smugge first and enjoy an undemanding, giggle-causing pleasant hour or two before tucking into this one when it's on sale from 21st October.
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October 1, 2021Another triumph by Ruth Leigh!
It’s impossible not to become completely invested in Isabella’s life. Hilarious and heartwarming, poignant and painful at times, and so, so relatable! You won’t regret getting involved with Issy Smugge.
#goontreatyourself
It’s impossible not to become completely invested in Isabella’s life. Hilarious and heartwarming, poignant and painful at times, and so, so relatable! You won’t regret getting involved with Issy Smugge.
#goontreatyourself
March 4, 2022
BOOK REVIEW - The Trials of Isabella M Smugge by Ruth Leigh
It was so nice to be back in Isabella’s company for another season of relaxation and enjoyment. This is the second book offering us insight into a year in the life of the social media influencer and lifestyle guru, and it is no disappointment. It is just a just as good fun as the first instalment (The Diary of Isabella M Smugge).
Being the second book in the series, there is plenty of scene setting in the first chapter, so if you haven’t read book one then you will soon catch up (but better still, read that one too!)
During our year in her life, Isabella is faced with some serious issues to deal with, as most people do in their life adventure, plus she continues her journey of realisation, challenging what is really important to her and what brings her happiness.
Her trials, which are quite a list of significant life events, do strengthen her. Whilst coping with a new baby and being a single mother to four, she battles with loneliness, dysfunctional relationships and rejection in her own inimitable style. New layers of the onion are peeled away, exposing more of her background and family history, to offer more insight into the circumstances that created the characters.
Her attitudes change, her opinions soften, her barriers come down...
Read the full review at https://www.robseabrook.com/the-trial...
It was so nice to be back in Isabella’s company for another season of relaxation and enjoyment. This is the second book offering us insight into a year in the life of the social media influencer and lifestyle guru, and it is no disappointment. It is just a just as good fun as the first instalment (The Diary of Isabella M Smugge).
Being the second book in the series, there is plenty of scene setting in the first chapter, so if you haven’t read book one then you will soon catch up (but better still, read that one too!)
During our year in her life, Isabella is faced with some serious issues to deal with, as most people do in their life adventure, plus she continues her journey of realisation, challenging what is really important to her and what brings her happiness.
Her trials, which are quite a list of significant life events, do strengthen her. Whilst coping with a new baby and being a single mother to four, she battles with loneliness, dysfunctional relationships and rejection in her own inimitable style. New layers of the onion are peeled away, exposing more of her background and family history, to offer more insight into the circumstances that created the characters.
Her attitudes change, her opinions soften, her barriers come down...
Read the full review at https://www.robseabrook.com/the-trial...
September 28, 2021
Another incredible book from Ruth, never finished books so fast in my life, I just couldn't put it down. It was so well written that I felt like I was Isabella, I felt her pain and could see myself in her shoes. Highly recommended
September 28, 2021
Loved this book. Easy reading, funny, emotional, relatable characters. I didn’t want the book to end. Just brilliant.
February 26, 2022
I was so excited to read the second part of Issy’s story. It is such a heartwarming read. Funny and touching. I really found myself routing for Issy. It’s also very inspiring and reminded me of the power of prayer and faith.
December 10, 2021
A triumph of a sequel- I couldn’t put it down! Very moving, very funny and very very clever. Lifestyle blogger Issy Smugge has realised there’s a big difference between appearing honest and relatable and actually being honest and relatable. She embarks upon a journey of self discovery which left me weeping at her heartbreaks, squirming at her lapses in self awareness and cheering her on in her courageous choices. Ruth Leigh has managed to transform a character that at first appeared so shallow and irritating into somebody who is honest, likeable and truly relatable, the proof of the latter being that I found myself face to face with myself on numerous occasions as Issy gave voice to many of my own struggles: my deep insecurities, secret self-centredness, painful memories, complex relationships, postnatal haze (did your new baby REALLY start sleeping through by three months Isabella M Smugge??) and desire to be a better person. I really hope there’s more to come #illbeyourfriendissy
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February 3, 2022If you read “The Diary of Isabella M Smugge” you will know that there was one, tremendous, cliff-hanger of an ending. What a relief it was to receive the second novel, it was almost like having Isabella herself coming to the door!
The reading of this second book about Issy Smugge is as eventful as the first. We are reminded again and again that life can be full of drama, that nothing is straight forward, that there are no easy answers and that decisions are tough to make. Throughout the book Ruth challenges us to read about potentially life-changing events with a bit of a smile. Yet through the humorous asides the reader begins to see Issy in a different light. She grows and matures. With the help of her friends, she establishes herself more positively within those relationships that have, perhaps, held her back from being her true self.
And that cliff-hanger that this sequel follows on from? The full outcome is not revealed at the beginning, which in-itself helps to make the book particularly absorbing.
The reading of this second book about Issy Smugge is as eventful as the first. We are reminded again and again that life can be full of drama, that nothing is straight forward, that there are no easy answers and that decisions are tough to make. Throughout the book Ruth challenges us to read about potentially life-changing events with a bit of a smile. Yet through the humorous asides the reader begins to see Issy in a different light. She grows and matures. With the help of her friends, she establishes herself more positively within those relationships that have, perhaps, held her back from being her true self.
And that cliff-hanger that this sequel follows on from? The full outcome is not revealed at the beginning, which in-itself helps to make the book particularly absorbing.
May 9, 2023
This sequel is another book to savour! As I felt compelled to read it aloud, so as not to miss a single word, it struck me that Ruth Leigh’s writing is so Jane Austen-ish, yet unique! Reconnecting with Issy Smugge was like catching up with a friend. Learning about the pregnancy was quite a twist. Will that news bring husband Johnnie to his senses, I wondered? And if that happens will she still want him after his decidedly shabby behaviour?
I really enjoyed the progression of Issy’s character, from shallow social media influencer to discovering how to be a true friend, and it unfolds so well. I hope these new friends aren’t going to let her down, though, but no plot spoilers here. Take your time and read this delicious tale slowly.
I really enjoyed the progression of Issy’s character, from shallow social media influencer to discovering how to be a true friend, and it unfolds so well. I hope these new friends aren’t going to let her down, though, but no plot spoilers here. Take your time and read this delicious tale slowly.
October 16, 2022
Isabella Smugge's second outing was every bit as fun as the first. It's poignant to witness her struggles following her separation from her unfaithful husband, difficult relationship with her mother, deep concern for her hospitalised friend Claire. With greater self-awareness, Isabella emerges as a more likeable and humane character. The witty hashtags and dry asides made me giggle. Another entertaining read, and I look forward to moving on to the third book in the series.
January 14, 2023
I have just finished the second in the series and continue to be a huge fan of Ruth Leigh and her books. Her writing is true craftsmanship as she develops the character of Isabella, now less dependant, more empathetic and at the same time incredibly funny. Can't wait for The Continued Times of Isabella Smugge to arrive in the post!
February 17, 2023
Very enjoyable read
February 17, 2023
What a fantastic series, can't wait to read the next installment 😁
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