I’ve read many of Sophie Kinsella’s books and was excited to be given the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this one in exchange for this review. (Thank you Penguin Random House and NetGalley)
If you are looking for a deep, thought-provoking book, then this is not the book for you. This book is a casual read, full of laughable situations, which is just perfect for when you want something light and funny. Katie Brenner is an independent young woman whose dreams of a life in London seem to have come true. Her Instagram feed suggests to family and friends that her London life is great; however, the reader knows otherwise. Although her salary supports only a very modest existence, she goes to unbelievable lengths to maintain the illusion that she is living her dream. When her job situation takes a turn, the opportunity for happiness presents itself in a way she does not expect. A lot of laughs, a few cringes, boy meets girl, girl takes on boss... this book is classic Kinsella! Chick lit at its best.

Kinsella's newest title begins like the good-girl-vs-evil-boss-lady tale "The Devil Wears Prada." Kinsella takes it a step further by exploring the boss lady's life and the main character coming to the realization that no one's life, no matter how perfect on the outside, is truly as trouble free as it seems. Katie, the main character, has readers rooting for her resilience and laughing out loud at the revenge antics she engages in when the boss visits her parents' "glamping" farm. I always look forward to Kinsella's new releases and this one did not disappoint.
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I've been a fan of Sophie Kinsella for years, but had definitely reached my limit on the Shopaholic series. When I started "My Not So Perfect Life", I was a little worried. Katie, a young woman, living in London is employed in the lowest level job at a branding agency with a not-so-nice boss. It had a bit of a "Devil Wears Prada" feel at first. I was pleasantly surprised when introduced to a host of endearing characters. This is much more of a "feel-good" story and less comedic than the Shopaholic series. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review.

Katie grew up on a farm but her dream was to work in London, have a great job and fabulous friends. She does indeed move to London and becomes "Cat", gets a low paying entry level job, shares an apartment with two odd strangers and can't afford to have a glamourous life. Just when things couldn't get any worse, her boss, Demeter, fires her. Unable to find another job, she heads back home to the farm and helps her parents start a glamping business until something else comes along.

The business is a success and and Katie is shocked to discover that Demeter and her family are vacationing at their glampground. Demeter doesn't recognize Katie so she takes this opportunity to get revenge. But Katie discovers the real Demeter and she realizes the Demeter doesn't have it all after all.

Though I've read a lot of Kinsella's books, it's been a couple years since I read one. I've been reading a lot of heavy murder mysteries lately and was looking for something light ... and this did the trick. I liked the author's writing style and found the storyline predictable but fun. Her father and stepmother were caring and humorous. It's written in first person perspective in Katie's voice. As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

Confession: I don't think I've ever read a Sophie Kinsella book. I thought I had, but I just looked through my GoodReads list and saw I've never reviewed one. After reading this book, I can see why people like to read Sophie Kinsella so much. The book started off slow (Katie doesn't get fired until 30 percent into the book. This isn't a spoiler since it says it happens in the book description), but it gets so much better. I loved Katie, Demeter, and Alex. This is a good, cozy read by the fire kind of read. If you like women's fiction, I would highly recommend it!

Pretty fun although the romance was definitely more of a sideshow. Not sure the first person point of view worked as it resulted in a lot of Debbie Downer thoughts which were rather wearing.

Kindle brings us another dependable, light read in her traditional form; an enjoyable ride with a bit more serious tone.

Though a few years have passed since I last read a Sophie Kinsella book, My Not So Perfect Life immediately reminded me why I was such a fan of the Shopaholic books. Her imperfect-yet-charming protagonist has a fun, lively voice that quickly engaged me in her plight: navigating the all-too-common gap between the trials of daily life and the picture-perfect existence portrayed on social networks. The author deftly shows us the internal struggle of Cat/Katie Brenner in identifying who she really is. It's a timely tale that reflects modern culture and the dilemma of Western Millennials trying to find their place in the real world, as they spin their own idealized versions online.

The hallmarks of Kinsella's strengths are all present and accounted for: cute, quirky, likable protagonist; interesting, handsome, mysterious love interest; complex, sympathetic antagonist; a humorous look at complicated family relationships. This all made for an entertaining read.

That said, the story was too predictable, and suspense dropped to nonexistent halfway through the book, when it became very clear what was happening and who was responsible. As a very talented author recently told me, "The reader should never get ahead of the writer." A bit more finesse in planting hints would have created a more satisfying story. Instead, I found myself frustrated that the characters could be so clueless for so long.

Still, I enjoyed the book overall, mostly because of all the things that Kinsella does well.

Katie is quirky and well-rounded. Demeter is your typical "Devil Wears Prada" boss. Alex seems sexy but his character is not well developed. I liked this book, but there was too much, non-essential information. This book is a fun read, but because of this extra information, it became a very long, fun read.

This was my first Sophie Kinsella book, and unfortunately, it was not for me. I never really got into it, and I was just bored. I could not connect with the character or the story line. From chapter one, I was dreading reading on, as I prefer not to keep reading if something does not capture my interest. For me, it just did get any better as I kept reading.

Sophie Kinsella is usually hilarious and this time, not so much. Kind of sad really. She thought that the grass was greener elsewhere, i..e. in the city but found that not to be the case. Unwilling to accept that, perhaps she made a mistake, she portrays her dream as her reality. Entertaining Read.

Wow! If I had been watching TV, I would have watched most of this book from behind my fingers. In fact, I did actually read a lot of the book that way - with my left hand partially covering my eyes, while my right hand held my Kindle (yay for one-handed reading!). I couldn't look, and yet I couldn't NOT look! I didn't know it was possible to read this way, yet it's exactly what I did for a huge portion of the book. And yes, this is a very good thing.

I should have known I was in for a rollicking good time when at *2%* of the way through, there was a situation on a train involving Katie (our main character) and a stranger's panini. I'm pretty sure that was the first time (of many!) my jaw hit the floor with laughter.

Our girl Katie manages to make a bunch of not good (ok, really bad - and by really bad, I mean horrible) decisions, yet you still fall in love with her and root for her to be happy. She's surrounded by a strangely adorable cast of characters, whether it's her roommates or her family or her colleagues. As I mentioned, the situations she finds herself in are jaw-dropping, yet they come about completely organically. I would think the plot was moving along and then, WHAM - awkward hysterical situation! And if you think about it, isn't that how it happens in real life? You're humming along, things are going great, and then - wait a minute, what just happened?? I found it very realistic (yet still cringe-worthy funny), even if it was more condensed than real life.

I love Sophie Kinsella's books, whether it's the Shopaholic series or her standalone works. I admit I didn't read Shopaholic #7 due to the ambivalent reviews. If you are uncertain whether to read this new book, I can tell you unequivocally that it is all you know and love from Sophie Kinsella. Hysterical, guffaw-out-loud, wake-up-your-significant-other funny.

This was easily the funniest book I've read in years, and it leaves me eagerly awaiting more.

I'm sad! Not because this is a horrible book but because now I have to wait for the next one.!! This was another fantastic book by Mrs. Kinsella. I love how the many ying and yangs the story line plays with. I just can't say enough about it !!

My Not So Perfect Life was delightful! I am a longtime fan of Sophie Kinsella and was thrilled to see this new title!
At first, I was afraid there were going to be too many comparisons to The Devil Wears Prada, given that the beginning took place in an office and there was an overbearing female boss. The storyline took a turn however, and I was so pleased!
The characters were realistic and the settings were masterfiully detailed - I'd like to book a stay at Anster's Farm right now!

I look forward to recommending this title! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn't read a Sophie Kinsella book in quite a while. Judging by my enjoyment of this one, it had been far too long. Our heroine Katie was very likeable. I admired her ambition. Although there was a romance in the book, I liked that the focus was much more on Katie learning about herself and that appearances aren't always what they seem. I especially loved how everything came full circle with Demeter.

can you keep a secret? and i've got your number are two of my all-time favorite comfort reads--they are laugh out loud funny, romantic, and after i read them i can't stop smiling. my (not so) perfect life hits all the right notes and joins the other two in my re-read pile for when life gets stressful or depressing.

katie brenner is finally living the london life of her dreams. except her boss, demeter, is crazy demanding. and her flat is miles away from where she works and she's got terrible roommates. her salary barely covers her rent, and so mostly she pretends to herself and the world that her london life is perfect. doing so by instagramming picture-perfect moments that don't reflect the reality--filtering out imperfections and cropping out the reminders that, actually, if she sits down and takes stock, she's pretty miserable.

so when she is unceremoniously fired, she retreats back to her family farm in somerset where her father and stepmother are setting up a glamping vacation business. still pretending that all things london are perfect and she's just on a sabbatical from the job in order to help them out things do haywire when her ex-boss ends up in a yurt with her kids. at first katie is intent on revenge, especially since demeter doesn't even recognize her.

but as demeter withstands the humiliating customized retreat that katie puts her through, and katie realizes that all is not necessarily golden in demeter's world, they begin to come to terms. when alex, katie's crush from london, and demeter's rumored boy-toy shows up, demeter recruits katie in order to help her save her job.

katie, demeter, and alex manage to untangle the very knotty web that has grouped them together, and they all grow as their relationships and understanding of one another deepen. katie is our delightful narrator, and her voice, her sense of the ridiculous, make the novel so charming while also ringing true about how we all have the moments of pretending life is perfect, when it is anything but.

This book is lots of fun. It was a great read if you are in the mood for something light. I had read heaps of deep reads before picking this one up and it was just what I wanted.

This is a fun, well-paced story populated by genuine and likable characters. I even liked Demeter! I was pretty curious how everything would turn out, especially with Alex. It didn't bother me that the story went from London to Somerset; in fact, I liked the contrast and getting to see these two sides of Cat/Katie as she struggled to make her own way. Fans of Kinsella's prior novels are sure to love this one too!

Review shared on Goodreads. Will also share on other outlets when sales go live. http://wp.me/p3AKEA-24w

Katie Brenner is a West Country gal trying to make her London dreams come true. And failing spectacularly. She's finally got a paying job as a research associate at a branding (Advertising) agency, but she's the lowest one on the books there. Her salary is so low she shares a flat with two other people, more than an hour's commute away from work. She admires her friends' Instagram accounts, and fabricates her own "fab life" with pictures she grabs on the go--because she could never afford that decadent coffee, or that divine dinner spot. Nope. But, she studies hard, making lists of all the places she's check out just as soon as she launches her way up the ladder to success.

Her boss, Demeter, is a criminally scatterbrained woman with far too many fabulous aspects to be truly human. She's always out to dinner, or at an award night, and her family is all shiny and perfect. And, if the office rumor mill can be trusted, Demeter's got a long-standing "arrangement" with Alex, the younger partner in their firm--and the man Katie'd thought had a bit of an interest in herself. Katie, who calls herself "Cat" in her fab life, studies Demeter, aspiring to learn more and impress her one day soon. It's not meant to be, however. Their branding firm is having some issues with clients and Katie's let go soon after she designed the branding on her father's newest get-rich-quick scheme: glamping on their country estate.

Having no other prospects, Katie returns home from London under the premise that she's got a 'sabbatical' to help out her family. Really, she can't admit she had a horrible life in London, because her father's totally against her living there, and she doesn't want to live int he country forever. She's making applications and chatting to headhunters whenever she isn't setting up the glamping yurts, or customizing the "totally organic experience" for each of their hoity-toity guests. It's with immediate dismay that Demeter and fam arrive--because she'll blow Katie's cover to her dad.

Then again, when Demeter doesn't recognize "Cat" in her 'West Country Katie' persona, Katie's able to get some of her own back, torturing Demeter with "one-of-a-kind," "exclusive," "holistic" treatments. That is, until Katie grows a conscience, and learns that Demeter isn't as nearly perfect as her Instagram feed would reflect.

I really dug this one. It's a more mature, and less-slapstick, type of book than I've read from Ms. Kinsella before. The careful plotting and copious breadcrumbs led me right into the conundrum: how do we cope when life isn't like we spin it? Social media facades, cyberbullying, corporate espionage were not what I expected to find in this one, but, wow! Was this a rich tapestry. Katie's a great character, not too young, despite her naivete, at points. She's fully relatable, as the plucky gal clawing her way out of a hard-scrabble life--only to have her dreams dashed. The amazing turns of situation, particularly regarding Demeter and the jobs at their branding firm, was carefully intimated, and led me along in the proper directions. Plus, I got yet another object lesson in the value of empathy, and being a stand-up person even when it's really freaking hard. Facing down her father, with his absolute love for Katie and desperate want to have her stay home forever? Appropriately heart-crushing.

I loved Katie, and how she grew up and owned her life, and her mistakes. There's a bit of cloak-and-dagger business as Katie tries to work herself back into the branding firm--on behalf of Demeter. I liked how there was so much uncertainty regarding Demeter's mental state, and if she really was the horrible/insensitive boss she'd seemed at the beginning, or if this was the product of some illness. Or, worse. Alex's role was definitely interesting, as he's not-quite a hero. He's a regular guy with work problems, too, which was rather enchanting. I love it when the characters are actual humans with everyday problems. The book is a bit long, but the read is easy and the pages turn themselves. I really hoped we'd see a bit of steam on the page, but alas, fade-to-black... *shrugs* Fans of the author won't be disappointed.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from Bantam Press and NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review.

Poor Katie Brenner is trying to live her best life, but she's broke, can't seem to get ahead in her job, and her boss is a nightmare.

This is a chick-lit, zany hijinks to the max, Sophie Kinsella book, set in London.

Girl is unhappy, girl lies, girl learns lesson, girl ends up with everything she wanted. I know I shouldn't read these type of books, but they're fun! Sometimes. And they're quick! They're entertaining! I can't keep away, but I spend the majority of my time reading it and rolling my eyes a little bit.

I mean, I did know what I was getting myself into, and it read like your typical, crazy, Rom-Com movie, but it wasn't all bad. Some parts were pretty heartwarming and at times you want to shake Katie a bit to get it together, but you also sympathize with her.

If you're looking to pick up a no-fuss, quick read, and you like quirky chick-lit books, then you should definitely pick up My Not So Perfect Life.