Monday, August 10, 2009

The Penny Pinchers Club - Sarah Strohmeyer


The first book I read by Sarah Strohmeyer was the Sleeping Beauty Proposal - a great fun chick lit read that I enjoyed. So on a rainy Sunday I happily settled down with her latest - The Penny Pinchers Club.

Kat Griffiths is unpacking her husband's luggage after his business trip. But when she discovers two Mint Tingle Trojan wrappers and a receipt for a fancy dinner on a night she couldn't reach him at the hotel, she is caught unawares. Convinced he is having an affair with his young assistant, Kat visits a divorce attorney, who advises her that she will need at least $15,000 of her own money to land on her feet. The problem is - Kat loves to shop. What she doesn't love is knowing what she spends - Visa bills are the enemy. But forced with no choice, she vows to stop shopping, cut corners and save money. To that end, she joins the local 'Penny Pinchers' club. The plot thickens when a former lover appears back in her life.

Strohmeyer is a witty writer. The dialogue is funny and fast paced. Her characters are warm and engaging. The members of the club are an eclectic interesting group that I enjoyed. The secondary plots involving their lives added to the story. The group has some good realistic ideas on saving money - especially timely in today's economy. There's a list of their suggestions included at the end of the book. Although it's a light hearted entertaining read, the degree of happiness Kat achieves without the purchase of 'things' is worth noting, as is the degree of satisfaction she finds in taking control of her own life. The ending isn't quite what I envisioned or would have preferred, but I enjoyed it very much. If you're looking for a fun light hearted read, this would be a great choice. A little more hen lit than chick lit.

Read an excerpt of the Penny Pinchers Club.

5 comments:

Jillian said...

This looks like an ejoyable read; I'll have to add it to my ever-growing reading list : )

Another book you might really like is one called 'Knickles and Dimes'. It has hilarious characters and a really great story. I'd recommend it!

Thanks for the review : )

Morgan Mandel said...

I'm a hen (though I don't have any chicks of my own)

Sounds like a good read.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

bermudaonion said...

The cover of this book calls my name. The book sounds great, too - chick lit with tips to save money - what could be better right now!

Amy said...

This sounds so cute! Awesome review :-D
-Amy

p said...

I think I'd definitely enjoy this one.