The Continued Times of Isabella M Smugge

The Continued Times of Isabella M Smugge is the third book in the series by Ruth Leigh. I read this book in just three days. I was only a few pages into it when I remembered just why I enjoy Ruth’s books so much. Once I started reading it was very difficult to put down! Isabella Smugge has her hands full, being a single parent of four children, whilst navigating time for them to spend time with their Dad, taking care of her Mother who is temporarily staying with them as she recovers from her stroke, and working, as she herself puts it, as “one of the UK’s most beloved mumfluencers.” Isabella is a great mix of both confidence and vulnerability. She is completely confident in her work as an Instagram Influencer. she continues to appear in magazines, and in this book she is invited to have a slot in a morning television show and star in a podcast alongside her mum. Her vulnerability is seen, for example, in her relationship with her mother, who never gave her the love she craved for as a child. Her mother still has the ability to bring out the child in Isabella. She longs for her mother to be proud of her. We do see, however, that there are signs of improvement in their relationship whilst her mother stays with her. Isabella has to come to terms with her mother’s new love interest and there are some great scenes in the book involving them all. I look forward to seeing how this develops in Ruth’s next book. Her own struggles have helped to make her far more aware of the difficulties others also go through. She has become less selfish and less self-absorbed and more considerate of others and their needs. We also see Isabella make big strides in forgiving her au pair, Sofija, for the sake of her children who adore Sofija. (You’ll need to read the first two books if you want to know more about the strained relationship between them.) And as a result of a school reunion, Isabella finds herself beginning to understand Lavinia better and begins to take steps towards reconciliation with her. Lavinia has held a grudge against Isabella since they were at school, and still takes it out on Isabella in her column in which she writes poisonous things about her. Again, I’m hoping to read more about their reconciliation in the next book in the series. I enjoyed reading this book because as well as dealing with serious issues, such as forgiveness and reconciliation, family relationships, and difficulties in maintaining a healthy work-life balance, Ruth injects plenty of humour throughout, such as when Isabella agrees to help with the nativity play at the Christingle Service, and host a Christmas meal for the family which includes two difficult to please women – her own mother and her sister’s mother-in-law. This third book in the series did not disappoint me at all and I’m glad to say it lived up to my expectations. I love the character of Isabella a little more with each book and it’s great to escape for a few hours from my world into the world of Issy Smugge.