Shopaholic & Sister

　　我一直幻想我和失聯的姐姐第一次的會面。我們會展開雙臂緊緊擁抱對方，然後她會對我微笑，擦乾眼淚。我們會處得很好，就像早已認識對方，比世上任何人都了解彼此。也許我們會有姐妹第六感。或是我們會像《失聯的姐妹》書裡的那對雙胞胎，雖然在出生時就分離，可是後來找到同樣工作，還嫁給相同名字的男人。沒錯，也許我會發現姐姐潔西卡也是擔任私人購物顧問的工作，也嫁給一個叫盧克的人！她會穿著跟我一樣的Marc Jacobs的衣服，我們會一起上晨間電視節目，每個人都會說……喔，我突然想起來。她正在讀博士，準備要成為地質學博士。可是……我也曾想過要當博士啊，這不可能只是湊巧吧？時候到了，就是現在。我趕忙調整外套，撫平頭髮，配上我最最開朗、可愛的微笑。就在那裡，她來了。我的新姐姐。我新的心靈摯友！「如果妳了解配上鑽石亮片的高跟鞋有多迷人，這本書就是為妳而寫的。」－《時人雜誌》

作者簡介

蘇菲．金索拉Sophie Kinsella

　　原本在雜誌社擔任財經記者，卻對於撰寫嚴肅的財經新聞一點興趣也沒有，反而鍾情於小說創作。或許正因為當她需要激勵或靈感時，就會去逛街買禮物犒賞自己，因而洞悉女性的購物慾望，果然《購物狂系列》出版後大受歡迎，全球總銷售逾三百萬冊，並擁有超過二十二國語言的翻譯本。金索拉擅長將幽默的元素融入筆調之中，深刻描繪都會女性真實又爆笑的生活經驗。用幽默詼諧的文字傾吐內心的正面感受不僅是她一貫的風格，也是她最令讀者傾倒的創作特質。《購物狂姐妹花》是購物狂系列的第四集，爆笑的場景依舊讓人捧腹。「Sister Sledge（雪橇姐妹）的『We Are Family』（79年的經典作品）是一首輕快樂觀的歌曲，」金索拉說，「這首歌很能代表我和家庭的親密關係，尤其是與我的兩個姊妹的感情。」

　　Sophie Kinsella has conquered the hearts of millions with her New York Times bestselling Shopaholic novels, which feature the irresistible one-woman shopping phenomenon Becky Bloomwood. Now Becky's back in a hilarious, heartwarming tale of married life, best friends, and long-lost sisters (and the perils of simply having to own an Angel handbag!).

　　What's a round-the-world honeymoon if you can't buy the odd souvenir to ship back home? Like the Chinese urns and twenty silk dressing gowns Becky found in Hong Kong…the five kilim rugs from Turkey…the splendid hand-carved dining table (and ten chairs) from Sri Lanka…the, um, huge wooden giraffes from Malawi (that her husband Luke expressly forbade her to buy)…

　　Only now Becky and Luke have returned home to London and Luke is furious. Two truckloads of those souvenirs have cluttered up their usually immaculate loft, and the bills for them are outrageous. Becky's even maxed out on her second secret credit card, and she doesn't have a new job yet!

　　Luke insists she go on a budget. And worse: her beloved best friend Suze has found a new best friend while Becky was away. Becky's feeling rather blue-when her parents deliver some incredible news. She has a long-lost sister! Becky is thrilled! She's convinced her sister will be a true soulmate. They'll go shopping together, drink cappuccinos together, have manicures together, and watch their favorite videos together.

　　Until she meets Jessica for the first time and gets the shock of her life. Surely Becky Bloomwood's sister can't…hate shopping?

購物狂姐妹花

　　＊ 紐約時報暢銷書《購物狂系列》最新作品，紐約郵報評選為必讀小說！

　　＊ 蘇菲．金索拉的購物狂系列及另一部作品－《我的A級秘密》均是亞馬遜網路書店Top 100 Bestsellers in 2003

　　「如果妳了解配上鑽石亮片的高跟鞋有多迷人－這本書就是為妳而寫的。」－《People》雜誌麗貝卡和她親愛的老公盧克渡過十個月的環球蜜月，終於重回倫敦，可是，一切卻變得很不一樣。

　　首先，麗貝卡在蜜月時偷偷買了兩大卡車的東西，剛送回倫敦的家，盧克就大發雷霆，因為這些紀念品佔滿原本寬大的寓所，帳單上面的數字更是不可思議。麗貝卡為了擁有限量天使包，甚至把第二張祕密信用卡也刷爆了，現在卻連工作都沒找到！

　　麗貝卡又發現她最要好的朋友蘇西在這段時間裡交了新朋友，而且爸媽也有令人難以置信的秘密……她有一位長期失聯的姊姊潔西！

　　當麗貝卡知道自己有個同父異母的姊姊時，簡直興奮極了，她深信自己和姊姊一定會成為知心朋友，她們會一起逛街、喝卡布奇諾、修指甲、出去狂歡……直到她第一次遇見潔西，嚐到這輩子最大的驚嚇－購物狂麗貝卡的姊姊該不會……討厭買東西吧？

作者簡介

蘇菲．金索拉（Sophie Kinsella）

　　蘇菲原為財經記者，自從《購物狂的異想世界》熱賣之後，女主角麗貝卡不但成為「都會、時尚」的女孩代名詞，蘇菲更是一躍成為文壇的閃亮新星，「購物狂」的時髦話題也讓讀者視她為流行感十足的都會作家。

　　迄今購物狂三部曲在全球總銷售已逾1,700,000冊，長期位居《紐約時報》及《出版家週刊》的暢銷書排行榜。蘇菲的另一本小說－《我的A級秘密》已改編為電影，女主角艾瑪將由新一代的美國甜心凱特．哈德森飾演。

　　《購物狂，我們結婚吧》原本是這系列的最後一本，然而當蘇菲寫到麗貝卡跟盧克的最後一幕時，她居然感動得哭了！當然，跟麗貝卡分開一段時間之後，由於太 想念她了，所以蘇菲又把她帶回來，也讓讀者們再次體會麗貝卡讓人捧腹大笑、觸碰人心的婚姻生活、好朋友與失聯的姊姊（當然，還有搶購天使包的危機！）。

　　蘇菲的生日是12月12號，星座是射手座，或許是因為這樣，她的書都很樂觀、誠實又不受拘束。她現在住在英國，最新作品《The Undomestic Goddess》中文版即將發行。

　　蘇菲的官方網站：www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/kinsella/

SHOPAHOLIC & SISTER
One

OK. I CAN do this. No problem.

Its simply a matter of letting my higher self take over, achieving enlightenment, and becoming a radiant being of white light.

Easy-peasy.

Surreptitiously I adjust myself on my yoga mat so Im facing the sun directly, and push down the spaghetti straps of my top. I dont see why you cant
reach ultimate-bliss consciousness and get an even tan at the same time.

Im sitting on a hillside in the middle of Sri Lanka at the Blue Hills Resort and Spiritual Retreat, and the view is spectacular. Hills and tea plantations stretch ahead, then merge into a deep blue sky. I can see the bright colors of tea pickers in the fields, and if I swivel my head a little, I can glimpse a distant elephant padding slowly along between the bushes.

And when I turn my head still further, I can see Luke. My husband. Hes the one on the blue yoga mat, in the cutoff linen trousers and tatty old top, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

I know. Its just unbelievable. After ten months of honeymoon, Luke has turned into a totally different person from the man I married. The old corporate Luke has vanished. The suits have disappeared. Hes tanned and lean, his hair is long and sun-bleached, and hes still got a few of the little plaits he had put in on Bondi Beach. Round his wrist is a beaded bracelet he got in Tanzania, and in his ear is a tiny silver hoop.

Luke Brandon with an earring! Luke Brandon sitting cross-legged!

As though he can feel my gaze, he opens his eyes and smiles, and I beam back happily. Ten months married. And not a single row.

Well. You know. Only the odd little one.

＂Siddhasana,＂ says our yoga teacher, Chandra. Hes a tall, thin man in baggy white yoga trousers, and he always speaks in a soft, patient voice. ＂Clear your minds of all extraneous thought.＂

Around me Im aware of the eight or nine others in the group moving into position on their mats. Obediently I place my right foot on my left thigh.
OK. Clear my mind. Concentrate.

I dont want to boast, but I find clearing my mind pretty easy. I dont quite get why anyone would find it difficult! I mean, not thinking has to be a lot easier than thinking, doesnt it?

In fact, the truth is, Im a bit of a natural at yoga. Weve only been on this retreat for five days but already I can do the Lotus and everything! I was even thinking I might set up as a yoga teacher when we go back home.

Maybe I could set up a partnership with Trudie Styler, I think in sudden excitement. God, yes! And we could launch a range of yoga wear, too, all soft grays and whites, with a little logo-

＂Focus on your breathing,＂ Chandra is saying.

Oh, right. Yes. Breathing.

Breathe in . . . breathe out. Breathe in . . . breathe out. Breathe-

God, my nails look fab. I had them done at the spa-little pink butterflies on a white background. And the antennae are little diamonds. They are so sweet. Except one seems to have fallen off. I must get that fixed-

＂Becky.＂ Chandras voice makes me jump. Hes standing right there, gazing at me with this look he has. Kind of gentle and all-knowing, like he can see right inside your mind.

＂You do very well, Becky,＂ he says. ＂You have a beautiful spirit.＂

I feel a sparkle of delight all over. I, Rebecca Brandon, nee Bloomwood, have a beautiful spirit! I knew it!

＂You have an unworldly soul,＂ he adds in his soft voice, and I stare back, totally mesmerized.

＂Material possessions arent important to me,＂ I say breathlessly. ＂All that matters to me is yoga.＂

＂You have found your path.＂ Chandra smiles.

Theres an odd kind of snorting sound coming from Lukes direction, and I look round to see him looking over at us in amusement.

I knew Luke wasnt taking this seriously.

＂This is a private conversation between me and my guru, thank you very much,＂ I say crossly.

Although, actually, I shouldnt be surprised. We were warned about this on the first day of the yoga course. Apparently, when one partner finds higher spiritual enlightenment, the other partner can react with skepticism and even jealousy.

＂Soon you will be walking on the hot coals.＂ Chandra gestures with a smile to the nearby pit of smoldering ashy coals, and a nervous laugh goes round the group. This evening Chandra and some of his top yoga students are going to demonstrate walking on the coals for the rest of us. This is what were all supposed to be aiming for. Apparently, you attain a state of bliss so great, you cant actually feel the coals burning your feet. Youre totally pain free!