The Journey Ends
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.
JULIA WILSON