Cover Image: My Not So Perfect Life

My Not So Perfect Life

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I've read every book that Sophie Kinsella has written and love them all. Every character that she creates is relatable, likable and endearing.

Anything that Ms. Kinsella writes has a place on my bookshelf.

Thank you net galley for the ARC

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! It was cute, and I liked the twist with the "perfect" Demeter, but the main flaw of the book was that it dragged at times.

Was this review helpful?

I received an e-copy of this story for my honest review.
This story is the perfect example of the cliché “Never judge a book by its cover.” It shows how we should never assume another person’s life is perfect. Just because we hear the gossip of how another person’s life is going doesn’t mean that is how it actually is.

Was this review helpful?

Sophie Kinsella is one of the authors who I will purchase without ever having read the synopsis. I read a lot of dark psychological thrillers and horror books and many times after I finish with one I will look for something light and funny to bring me out of that dark place thrillers and horrors always takes me. Sophie Kinsella’s books always cheer me up or just make things much lighter. I have loved each and every one of her books that I have read and this was no different.

While it is not at the top of my Sophie books, it was a very enjoyable and hilarious book. In true Sophie Kinsella fashion, there were some of the crazy antics and hilarious situations that will have you doubled over with laughter. If you happen to listen to the audiobook while driving, the other drivers around you will surely think you’ve gone mad because you will be laying over the steering wheel in hysterics.

The characters of My Not So Perfect Life the characters were well developed and Cat/Kate made me really wonder about those Instagram influencers I follow. Now I am really wondering whose life is really as great as they portray it to be. All-in-all this was a wonderful breath of fresh air and I highly recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

Love this. I just read it in one sitting, just didn’t want to stop for any reason.
I love all of the author’s books. There isn’t a bad one among them. And I’m not quite sure why, but as I closed the book, I had one thought in my head: “wow, this has got to be my favourite Kinsella of all time.”
Everything was just right. None of the characters were super cliche and overblown, none of the plot was too much like the author using a sledgehammer to make sure a point comes across. It’s hard to describe, but everything about the book was just right, nothing was too much

Was this review helpful?

Who doesn't enjoy a Sophie Kinsella book? I've read most of her work, so I figured that I'd enjoy this one. Though her stories are always a little "out there" and hard to believe, they're just fun and a mindless change from some of the heavier novels that I read. My Not So Perfect Life was no exception and didn't let me down, though it was a little long-winded and could have ended a bit sooner without taking anything away from the story. Kat has what I like to call, an "Instagram perfect" life. Meaning she's one of those people who makes it look like she has the perfect life on social media when the truth is far from it. She's actually kind of miserable.

Kat thinks Demeter, her boss, has the perfect life. Things aren't always how they seem though. I dont' want to give too much away in this review, but I'll say that Kat does a lot of personal growth throughout this book in typical Kinsella fashion-with tons of humor and humility. Between work, losing her job, Alex (her current crush), and more, Kinsella has created a world and characters that you'll thoroughly enjoy.

Was this review helpful?

You can never go wrong with Sophie Kinsella and she's done it again with this title. It lightly deals with serious issues. If you are one for cheesy women's fiction, pick this up immediately.

Was this review helpful?

Who doesn’t smile when they see a title by Sophie Kinsella! In this we have a tale which will be evergreen I believe for many years, and that is one of comparing lives via social media. Who on social media hasn’t done that on occasion but for Katie Bremer she becomes a little lost in portraying only the best and imagining it as well. It’s a hugely satisfying read, (did we doubt that given Sophie Kinsella) which takes the masks off the characters and allows them to get to the heart of what matters the most is what is true.

Was this review helpful?

This was a very fun and entertaining read, very in line with what Kinsella normally writes. I loved the inside view of how branding/marketing works and Katie was a really fun character to get to know. I liked the twists and turns of the story, though in the end Katie's lies to try and fake the perfect life even got tiring for me. I did love the bit where Katie tried to get some revenge on Demeter when she and her family show up for a glamping holiday at the business run by Katie's dad and stepmom, though what I liked most is how it opened Katie's eyes to the reality that nobody's life is perfect no matter how it may look to outsiders, and in the end it helped Katie develop a better relationship with Demeter. The romance was good for the most part, though not as memorable as some of the other plot points going on in the book. Overall this was a lot of fun and made me nostalgic for Kinsella's other books

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

Was this review helpful?

My Not So Perfect Life is so very Sophie Kinsella because of the unique personality or the heroine, and the zaniness of the plot. The zany factor is upped a notch here, at times was grating. Also I felt the story went on far too long in order to give the heroine her HEA, which isn’t concentrated on her being with the man of her dreams. It’s about her independence and making her dreams a reality. That’s the most important thing here. The zany factor is upped a notch here, at times was grating. Also I felt the story went on far too long in order to give the heroine her HEA, which isn’t concentrated on her being with the man of her dreams. It’s about her independence and making her dreams a reality that is the most important thing here. This is more of a Chick-Lit type book set in England, so the Bridget Jones atmosphere is strong here. But it is a feel good book, which will have you smiling until the very last page.

Katie loves living in London, mainly because of the lifestyle, although she hates the commute to work, her roommates, and her evil boss Demeter. She comes from the outskirts in a farming community. She hides her upbringing because she wants to be cosmopolitan. But her job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, mainly because of Demeter who takes all the credit and treats her subordinates like crap. She’s also clueless and relies on others to help her keep track of things. The office hates her. But Demeter has a big support system on her side because she’s very close with the owners of the company. Katie ends up meeting Alex, one of the co-owners, and they hit it off. He’s open to new ideas and is very welcoming. Katie is also attracted to him, but there are rumors Demeter and Alex are having an affair, even though Demeter is married with two children.

One day everything comes crashing down on Katie’s head. Because of a big mistake, which may or may not have been Demeter’s fault, Katie is fired. She ends up back home with her father, and lies that she’s on a work sabbatical in order to look for another job. Katie’s father and his girlfriend have investing in a rustic resort type of place that has taken off. Katie helps with the PR and advertising end, just until she finds a new job in London. But then Demeter and her family arrive as guests, and Katie is now out to get her revenge against Demeter. But as Katie observes Demeter with her husband and her two spoiled children- a remote son and daughter, Katie sees another side to Demeter, a human side that she sympathizes with. And then Alex arrives, not to ask Katie back but to throw Demeter’s entire life for a loop. Katie has to decide if she will side to Demeter to figure out who wants to sabotage her, and confront Alex who left her out in the cold even after they had a special night together that led her to believe he might be the one for her.

My Not So Perfect Life has many moments of craziness, much like a comedy. You sympathize with Katie who tries to have a positive outlook on life. The best parts of the novel is when she returns home to help her father, including those scenes with Demeter who ends up with major egg on her face, but is “saved” by Katie. When these two women join forces, it changes everything for Katie. Because she gives Demeter another chance, she is one step closer to achieving her dreams. The last few chapters are a real hoot and will leave you with many feels for Katie.

If you need some sunshine and rainbows in your life, do try My Not So Perfect Life.

Was this review helpful?

Ever feel like you just want to live someone else's life? One who has everything seemingly...perfect. You will identify greatly with Katie Brenner, who just wants to step into someone else's life. Who? None other than her boss, Demeter. To make herself feel better, Katie indulges herself in not-complete-the-truth Instagram posts. No harm done? Or is it?

When she's balancing everything pretty well, she's hit out of nowhere! Not literally, but she's fired. Katie hides herself away, yes, literally, at her family's farm. Secrets are revealed and old flames rekindled as Katie finds out just how perfect her life really is.

Was this review helpful?

I always enjoy Kinsella’s books.. They always give me several laugh out loud moments and that has immense worth to me.

I loved Katie. Even though I’ve never wanted to be a city girl or high power career woman I related to her and especially to her feeling regarding family relationships and chasing that “instagram dream”-like life.

But mostly, I enjoyed the humor and how I could see this as a hit rom-com in the theater at any time. Light, fluffy, funny, and enjoyable.

Was this review helpful?

Not gonna lie - Kat/Katie got on my nerves a bit, but I realize now that she got on my nerves the same way that Bex gets on my nerves in the Shopaholic series. Plus, she grew up quite a bit as the story progressed and I’m all about that. I loved the office politics and the way that perception vs reality and aspirational living is explored through the lens of social media. I think it was masterful how Sophie Kinsella presented a villain in the first half of the book but managed to totally turn the narrative on that character around midway through the book. The love interest and that whole plot line fell a little flat for me, but my big takeaway from My Not So Perfect Life is more about the Katie’s growth and the non romantic relationships she developed and nurtured. After reading two Sophie Kinsella books back to back, I’m committed to catching up on her backlist and staying current. She has a way of engrossing me into her character’s lives and it’s such a cozy place to be. 3.5 out of 5 wine glasses.

Was this review helpful?

Katie is supposedly living the perfect life in London at least according to her Instagram feed. In reality though she is living in a flat share with roommates and she is the low man on the totem pole in her job. After she loses her job she moves back to her family's farm in Somerset and helps her father and his girlfriend set up a glamping site. She runs into her old boss where she finds out the truth about her so called perfect life. She starts to see that not everything is what is seems of other people's lives. She is naive enough to think that if she fakes the perfect life on Instagram that no one else does. This is a book for the age of social media.

Was this review helpful?

Let me say upfront that I either love a Sophie Kinsella book or I don't. Fortunately, this is one that I love. When I started reading My Not So Perfect Life, I was completely expecting the typical Kinsella set-up: hapless, quirky girl wants a life that she probably/definitely can't afford and has crazy hijinks while finding out what life is really about- and it is....to a point. I was pleasantly surprised in how this one actually ended up with a character, Katie, who isn't afraid to speak up for herself (well, she is, but does it anyway) and becomes a better person through facing her challenges. The story was fresh and completely unputdownable (I think I just invented that word). I highly recommend this book!

Was this review helpful?

Have you ever read one of those books were you couldn't like or connect to any of the characters? That was this book for me. Unfortunately because of my disconnect and discontent with the characters, I just couldn't get on board with this book.

Was this review helpful?

Typical Sophie Kinsella with brilliant female characters in sticky, interesting situations. Loved it!

Was this review helpful?

I read this book sitting on a beach in Jamaica. This is a good beach book. It's about a not so believable coming of age work place drama along with a not so believable love story. There is much more to say in this review.

But when you read Sophia Kinsella you know exactly the type of book you are going to get. I usually read one of her books after I've read a book with a particularly difficult subject matter.

Was this review helpful?

I cannot love this book enough!!! The whole story is so sweet and I love the way Katie got Demeter back for the rotten way she was treated. I also thought the way they both had a breakthrough and came to understand one another was phenomenally written. This is such an amazing book I highly recommend it!

Was this review helpful?

I love Sophie Kinsella. She writes in such a tender, humorous, lighthearted way that is a relief from the heavy, difficult world we live in.

I really liked My Not So Perfect Life. I laughed out loud while reading a scene about Katie and a sandwich. I enjoyed how many topics were touched upon in the book - aging parents, starting out in ones career, love (of course), dealing with a past you tried to leave behind. Great read.

Was this review helpful?