This was a story with a good conclusion to take from it, 'no one's life is perfect, so just be yourself'. I feel I got Kinsella's point but I hope I missed something that will spice up this book above average.

Katie struggles everyday to keep her dream life in London but it's too expensive and she can't even afford to breathe, much less have one of those expensive coffees she pretends to have on her Instagram account. She had no idea her boss-from-hell could make her life even less perfect than it already was.

This book started well, it's so easy to relate to Katie, trying to simply live while pretending it's all fine. But the story never really got me. It was a slow development, so I feel anything I say here will be a reveal.

In any case, the focus was ultimately to realize her boss's life was just not-so-perfect as her own. And this fell flat for me because for one the boss is far from charismatic or relatable—and this was on purpose. So any of her problems sounded like first-world problems to me. Especially because they were supposed to balance with Katie's, which, as I have mentioned, sounded like my very own. I won't say I hated the boss, I really didn't. I've had bosses like her before, so it was easy to find something to appreciate in her. It doesn't mean I found it in me to cheer for her well being, and this killed the book for me.

I find it commendable that Kinsella manages to write stories featuring romances and still not bet it all in the romance. However, the only way I see that I would have enjoyed this was if Katie and her boss were the main couple. Only blind love could really make you actively help such person.

Back to Katie, I liked her at first, as I said, but she didn't develop well. I mean, a part of her development was basically a cliché that if you are yourself you can win the world. She is hardworking so she deserves the best but this wasn't so believable to me. On the other hand, I do forgive it, it's good to get away to a world where this actually happens. But Katie was also just too immature at times, and that's the point that killed my love for her.

I'm glad to announce to those who like me enjoy romances that we do have a romantic interest. He doesn't appear much during the first half, so you'll have to hang in there. And he's not really bad. But he is definitely missing that swooning effect Kinsella's men have on me.

As you can see, this is a not-so-perfect story but it is a solid three-star. You won't hear me recommending it to anyone but I won't really tell anyone against reading it. It was a nice story with a nice flow. Except for the second third, I found it to be a fast read. It was actually good to read some nice chick-lit, I love those.

Couldn't really get into this book - Don't know if it was the story itself, or just not the right time. I do like Sophie's writing though, so I will definitely be on the lookout for another title.

I'm a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella. Okay, so I might have fallen out of love with the Shopaholic series after the last couple of books, but Sophie's standalone novels have always been brilliant reads. In fact, Twenties Girl is one of my all-time favourite chick-lit reads. Aside from the bestselling Shopaholic series, Sophie's books include The Undomestic Goddess, Can You Keep a Secret?, YA novel Finding Audrey and now, My Not So Perfect Life.

Katie Brenner is living the London life. She's given herself a new, chic nickname (Cat) and bagged herself a fab office job in marketing. She's stylish, eats out at great places and has a bunch of equally glam city friends. Basically, she's living the dream.

Except she's not. Despite the photos she's always sharing on Instagram, Katie is poor, is undermined by her boss who's impossible to please, lives in a flatshare, and doesn't have that many friends. In fact, Katie is totally faking it. Having always dreamed of moving to London from her rural home in Somerset, Katie is finally in the city she loves and is determined to stay there. Even if it DOES mean hiding her country-girl roots from her posh colleagues.

Though things begin to look up when she meets handsome, fun Alex. Not even a humiliating encounter with bitchy boss Demeter can burst her happy bubble. Or can it?

Just after finding out who Alex really is, Katie is fired from her job without warning, effective immediately. With no job and little cash, Katie makes a decision she really doesn't want to make...to head back to Ansters Farm in Somerset to assist her dad in setting up his latest money-making idea - a trendy new 'glamping' site. Katie's plan is to help until she lands herself a new job, then return to the big city to resume normal life.

That is, until Demeter turns up at Ansters Farm for a family holiday.

When Demeter doesn't even recognise Katie as the junior she recently fired, Katie's angry - and she's not about to pass up the opportunity to get her own back on her awful former boss, with some hilarious results. However, it soon becomes apparent that Katie's not the only one guilty of faking a perfect life in London.

My Not So Perfect Life is a wonderful read. As expected, Sophie Kinsella delivered her perfect combination for a great romantic comedy: witty writing, fun characters and amusing scenarios. Even though Katie is particularly silly at times, she's fun, relatable and easy to warm to. I loved her family too (her dad especially!) and admired Katie's determination throughout the book. Over the years there have been plenty of novels with the 'country girl moves to the big city' theme (it was highly popular at one time), and even though I expected this book to be similar, the ending surprised me.

I guess a lot of us can be guilty of wanting more out of life, or coveting a lifestyle we think is better or more glamorous. Social media, Instagram especially, allows people to display the life they want to the world, if they choose to. This was something I enjoyed about this book; the role that social media plays in Katie's life, as she tries to 'design' what she thinks that she needs to have.

Yet again Sophie Kinsella has penned another wonderful read. If you're looking for something funny, romantic, a little bit silly and heartwarming, then My Not So Perfect Life is...well, perfect.

Rating: 5/5

There is just something about Sophie Kinsella. There is a level of predictableness to her books but that is not at all a bad thing. I know I am going to laugh. I might cry. I will swoon. I will hug the book to my chest, smiling, at least once. Mainly, I know I am going to enjoy it.

My Not So Perfect Life had all of that and more.

I really loved the message in this book because I think everyone feels at some point that their life is in tatters. Especially in this day of social media envy. I know I see all the pictures, posts, Tweets, etc showing how my "friends" have got their lives together. And I've got cat hair in my food. So, yeah. I can relate to not feeling like I've got it together.

This book shows a "perfect" and "together" life then allows us behind the curtain to see the truth. And its comforting. Just as in the pages of this book, its nice to not feel alone in our daily struggles.

The characters were so much fun! Sophie Kinsella just has a way of making them feel like someone you already know.

The story itself had laugh out loud moments and scenes where I wanted to cover my eyes to hide from embarrassment on Katie's behalf. This was such a wonderful read and I will be recommending to everyone who needs a fun, entertaining hug from a book.

I have read Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series, and just loved them. I was very pleased that this book was as enjoyable as I thought it would be. It was a real page turner. I found it refreshing that the book took on the country girl trying to make it in the big city and just how difficult it is out. It was about the relationship of a daughter with her father, not wanting to be a disappointment. The story of a young woman finding that a things are not always as they seem and finding the goodness to help. Lastly, it was not your usual love story but it was a love story all the same. I would highly recommend.

**Review will be published to blog on 06 Feb 2017 at 10:00AM EST**

I chose this book because:

I used to read Sophie Kinsella all the time. I think I probably stopped after I thought I was reading too much chick lit, but after I finish this book, I’m gonna catch up with her books by reading all her novels published after 2010 (because I’ve already read all her novels published before then). You know I’m intrigued by any book to do with social media and/or finding "a truly meaningful life.” We’re all too familiar with what we’re leaving outside the crop. I wonder why Katie got fired and I wonder what was not-so-perfect about Demeter’s life (I don’t doubt that it was not-so-perfect, but what about it specifically?? dramaaaa).

Upon reading this book: //spoilers will be covered & revealed when highlighted by reader//

The book was very fast-paced, which makes sense as it took place in the modern world and the tech industry (design and marketing definitely fall into that category), and almost verged on rant-y, which suited my mood at the time I was reading the book. I could imagine myself occasionally feeling the urge to blog this sort of content, except that I try my best to keep my composure on here—probably safer for me to just rant to my friends haha… which I do… occasionally…

Katie’s social media platform of choice is Instagram. You can tell that it’s always on her mind and she’s always on the look out for what would make great content, whether its a snapshot of her experience or of someone else’s. One of my favourite scenes was when Katie went over to take pictures of someone else’s hot chocolate for Instagram. This was one of a few scenes where she actually described the lengths she went for her Instagram photos, rather than just flippantly mentioning that something would make great content. I would have loved to read more of these funny little anecdotes!

The glamping and the buzzwords… Totally on trend and I could completely imagine designers and marketers creating this and consumers eating it up. I’ve definitely watched a vlog or blog or two about glamping hehe.

"A beautiful, talented girl like you. Beautiful."

I’d like to think that if I heard that line, “beautiful” wouldn’t be the word I’d latch onto. I’m talented! I’m smart! I’m strong! I’m a feminist! Although tbh, if I heard that line, irl I’d probably fall for “beautiful,” as much as I’d hate to.

From the get-go, I knew that Katie and Alex would be a thing. For me, there was no suspense there; it was just a matter of time. //begin spoiler// (Also, you always know that when Person A breaks it off first because they think Person B is going to break it off, it’s always the case that Person B wasn’t going to break it off, but then Person A breaks it off because they don’t realise it and want to save themselves dignity and pain, and then Person B thinks it’s what Person A wants, so they keep quiet about it, and nobody gets what they want and it’s tragic sob sob until the end of the book when it’s happily ever after.)

"Look at the email address. It should be Demeter-dot-Farlowe at Cooper Clemmow.com. But this has been sent to Demeter-underscore-Farlowe at Cooper Clemmow.com. It’s a totally different email account."

Another thing. The faked emails. The possibility of that scheme working was highly improbable unless the victim was very technologically incompetent, which is unlikely for someone working in the tech industry. I mean, c’mon. It was down to mixing up a hyphen and a period in the email address? Who would mix that up?? Hardly a revelation. But in the midst of this, I did enjoy the moment when Demeter shared her vulnerable side and all the not-so-perfect parts of her life that Katie wanted. //end spoiler//

Overall, this was a solid, fun, feel-good read about an insecure modern day lady who blossomed into a boss lady. Even though many of us realise that we leave the not-so-perfect parts of lives outside the crop, away from our social media profiles, for some reason we sometimes forget that other people do that too.

#MyNotSoPerfectLife looks like me freezing in the corner of a ridiculously air conditioned cafe with a beautiful flat lay at my table. How about yours?

If you are looking for a funny and witty book then My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella is perfect.

Katie Brenner has wanted to leave Somerset for London her entire life. Growing up on a farm is not what she wants her life to be and she has been craving a life in the big city of London - she knows it will be the perfect life. When she finally gets there, life in London is not as perfect as she would like. Living in a cramped apartment with crazy flatmates and at a job where she is at the bottom of the totem pole is not what she has envisioned, but not one to give up she can pretend it's a perfect life. Then when she thinks it's going to get better it all ends when she is let go from her job by a boss who is crazy. Returning home to Somerset to help her family open a glampsite/B&B, she doesn't want to disappoint her dad so she doesn't tell the whole truth about being let go - that is until her former boss Demeter and Alex the guy she likes (and Demeter's boss) show up. Now Katie needs to figure out what's more important to pretend she has a perfect life - or admit that life isn't perfect but could be a whole lot better.

I have never read Sophie Kinsella's books before and I was really intrigued by the description of this one. Its funny, charming, smart and so well written that I am sure it wont be my last one. It is over 400 pages long but once I got started I just couldnt put it down. The dialog between all the characters was perfect along with the descriptions of both London and Somerset - I felt like I was there. There is a fun romance between Katie and Alex that was a lot of fun and the payoffs at the end were really well done.

All in all, I do recommend this to anyone who wants an escape this winter.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I find Kinsella's characters relatable and true to their hearts. These "every girls" always find their way, even if it takes a few funny tries. I always cheer for them and stay up way too late reading. Katie, the heroine of this novel, is another character to root on as she finds her place in the world.

I loved this book. Set in London & Somerset this is a funny, yet thoughtful novel that reminds me of early Jane Green. I couldn't put the book down; it was so readable and i think many will find it so. Enjoyable, very perceptive, witty & timely regarding peoples obsessions with their Instagram personas.

Funny and delightful as Kinsella's books always are, but with some added depth. Katie-Cat is a charming heroine.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I've never read this author before but her style of writing is amazing. The plot twists and turns made me want to keep turning pages. Would highly recommend reading this book.

Another winner from Sophie Kinsella! I loved Katie and the cast of characters in this book. The story had some great twists and turns that weren't anticipated, and I loved how the story ended. Five stars!

It’s been quite a while since I read a Sophie Kinsella novel, but I had fun with it. On the surface, it seems like a story you’ve read before—a country girl struggling to make it in the big city (London) with a diabolical boss. In the country, she went by Katie, but in her new job at the lowest level on a branding team, she wears nonprescription glasses and calls herself Cat (except when she slips and calls herself Katie). Her boss, Demeter, can’t remember anyone’s name, and calls her Cath.

The staff can’t stand Demeter. Neither can Cat/Katie, but she admires her talent and how she always looks and acts perfect, with the perfect huge house and perfect husband and two kids.

Cat/Katie gets laid off in a spectacularly dismissive manner, but she doesn’t want to admit to her father that her dreams of making it in London failed. She tries desperately to get a new job, but has no luck. Instead, she tells her Dad and stepmom that she is on a sabbatical so she can help them set up a new-agey “glamping” trip on the farm, in which wealthy folks can pretend to rough it in yurts without actually ever going without Wifi.

Over the course of the novel, Katie begins to see different sides of Demeter, sometimes wanting revenge and alternately seeing the dark side of “success.” Basically, that no one is exactly as they seem because we present what we want people to see us as (like pnlly posting happy my-life-is-so-perfect-and-great photos on social media). Katie comes to these same conclusions about herself, her friend, and her on-again-off again lover.

The humor and good writing make this a fun a read.

4 stars
Sophie Kinsella has a way... she has once again tapped into the temperature of society and women... their strength and vulnerably Never more has image and snippets of information have had such weight in the impression of who we are.... We have experienced the benefits of Social Media with oppressed people having an outlet to reach those in the world to assist them...But we also experienced another side effect of this access to this personal show of lives... a type of completion and hidden envy...
This is a focus of this smart book and it is done well.

Katie Brenner grew up in the English countryside and has always dreamed of living in the big city. At 26-years-old, she’s finally working her dream job at an ad agency, has a place of her own, and an Instagram account that showcases a life that anyone would envy. Despite her perfect outward appearance, everything is far from perfect. She’s not doing anything terribly creative at her job and is barely making ends meet, she has her own place but she has roommates and her room is tragically small so she keeps all her clothes piled in a hammock, and all those pictures she posts on Instagram is more how she wishes her life was vs. how it really is. When her life is abruptly upended and she finds herself living once again with her dad in the English countryside, she doesn’t think she’ll ever find her way back to London. A new family “glamping” business keeps her busy and her creative side honed, but some unexpected glampers from London have Katie realizing that London isn’t quite done with her.

Katie is an incredible character for many reasons but first and foremost: she’s so realistic. Don’t get me wrong, 95% of the time I love a good story to escape into so I can leave the real world behind but that straggler 5% loves a character that I can feel in tune with, a character that I can truly understand. This story gave me major Devil Wears Prada vibes but instead of the invisible girl that gets a haircut, loses some weight, and is bestowed a gorgeous wardrobe only to live happily ever after we get Katie. Katie didn’t get a haircut, lose weight, or get a new wardrobe. Nope. Katie loses her job, has to move back home with dad, and is often found in wellies because it’s just sensible in the countryside.

My Not So Perfect Life centers around Katie’s personal development and the realization that much like her own Instagram account, people hide beyond a persona that is not always the person they truly are. This is a laugh out loud adventure that despite its slightly unnecessary page length and unexpected lack of focus on the romance, this delightful story will no doubt charm new and old fans alike.

Oh, happy day! Sophie Kinsella is back and she still has her fingers on the pulse of the twenty-something woman (and the older women who often like reading about them). To anyone who knows me, Kinsella leads off my chick-lit, make-it-all-go-away reading. And lately, that’s about all I can seem to manage. In My (Not So) Perfect Life it is Katie Brenner (or Cat as she likes to be known because it sounds more hip) who’s trying to make it at a London, cutting-edge, marketing firm. Her only aspiration is to be as glamorous and powerful as her boss, who has a legit fabulous life—high powered job, handsome loving husband, and tons of money, parties and friends.

Cat does a reasonable job of faking it with an enviable Instagram life even if the truth is her apartment is the size of a shoebox and she’s lucky to afford ramen for dinner. That is until she’s let go from her job and has to move home to Somerset. At which point desperation sets in enough that she helps her father and his wife turn their quaint (OK, shabby) farm into a glamping experience for pampered Londoners. With her ideas and marketing skills, Ansters Farms becomes a success and life is good, until her former boss shows up.

If the plucky, suburban English girl theme sounds familiar, yes, it is a mainstay of Kinsella’s books. The thing is—it doesn’t get tiresome. My (Not So) Perfect Life is still filled with all the trendy details that make for great fluffy reading, but Kinsella tweaks the theme away from some of the more common chick-lit tropes in a way that feels fresh and timely. In playing to the cultural zeitgeist without being boring or insulting she remains in the starting position of authors I read for pure fun.

Perfect read for gloomy weather - Sophie Kinsella's characters brighten your day. She had me from Katie's frantic commute at the beginning of the book ...

Oh, I loved this book so much. I'm a huge fan of Kinsella (and Wickham - I've read everything she's published as both), but this was one of the first books where I really really related to the main character, as opposed to sitting back and watching her heroines get in and out of ridiculous situations. I get Katie. I understand her. I know where she lives. Because we're all just swimming along, pretending to be our best selves all the time.

Katie's very human. She's struggling along, trying to live the dream, but it's not quite working. Everyone else's life seems to be perfect, but hers is falling apart. And she does it with Kinsella's trademark wit and charm. I found myself laughing so hard on an airplane that other passengers were giving me funny looks. I don't even care. An excellent read.

I was hooked from the first page. I laughed and cried along with Katie's highjinks and heartbreaks. A story for anyone who has tried and failed to reinvent themselves. You might have to go home again, but you will never be the same country girl. An insightful tale of what happens when you dish out revenge and then realize it isn't the sweet dish you thought it was. A story where bullies get their just desserts, and underdogs get their happily ever afters. My Not So Perfect Life is truly perfect.

This was such a fun book! I was in the mood for something lighthearted and this fit the bill perfectly. I cringed for Katie and was rooting for her the whole time, and Demeter was a great character. I really enjoyed the glamping storyline and of course the love story! This would be a great beach read but it definitely kept me warm on a cold January weekend! Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book.