I have been a fan of Sophie Kinsella's work for many years. However, as someone nearing 50 years old, I was unable to relate to the main character who is much younger than me by decades. Instead, I found her behavior and actions cloying and annoying. The storyline had a few twists, but for the most part, it was fairly predictable. By the end, Katie figured out what is really important in life while also helping people figure out how to be their best selves. There is a good, shocking moment with her coworkers near the end of the book that did catch me by surprise though. Overall, I think this book is well written and captures the angst women in their 20's and 30's go through when starting out after college. That stated, I do recommend it for people 15-35, but I am not sure the older, experienced crowd will enjoy it as much.

Very relateable book! Loved every minute of this one. First Stand alone book I've read by this author. Perfect romantic comedy!

I am a big fan of the Shopaholic series and have enjoyed reading Sophie's stand alone novels, as well. Her books are perfect for cheering me up when I need it, like a cup of hot cocoa in book form. This one was no exception. It was highly entertaining. I think anyone who has had a bad boss can relate to Katie's feelings. Katie is not as ditzy as Becky and some of the other protagonists of Sophie's books. I think that made her a little more relatable. 

Sophie Kinsella never fails to surprise me with her creativity. Some of the situations in this book had me laughing for days. Definitely give this a read if you are looking for a light, fun read. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

Sophie Kinsella is a very popular author and now I see why! I totally enjoyed this book and the twists and turns of Katie Brenner's life. It reminded me a bit of my daughter's struggles living in New York City with a horrible commute and working so hard just to be able to survive living in a very small room with a variety of interesting roommates. You find yourself cheering her on in her attempts to succeed at work and in her personal life too.  pics she shares on Instagram of her "perfect" life aren't exactly the truth but isn't that what we all do -- we share things that are what we want others to see and not the things that aren't so perfect.  I don't want to give away any surprises that occur so I will just say that she has a good time back at home when co-workers turn up at her family's new glamping enterprise. You will enjoy following along her days both in the city and out and need to read to the very end because it is definitely worth the trip!

I was provided an advance copy of this book by NetGalley and am so glad I was approved for this one!

I needed My Not So perfect Life badly. After reading a dismal, uninteresting book it was time for something light, easy, and just plain old fun. I was introduced to Sophie Kinsella by reading Confessions of a Shopaholic. Come to think of it, Katie Brenner is a lot like Becky Bloomwood, the heroine of the "Shopaholic" series.

Katie Brenner is making a go of it in London after leaving behind her humble beginnings in the English countryside. She does like most of us and posts wonderfully embellished pictures to Instagram proving how cool her life is. There is no evidence of her cramped and sparse living quarters, limited disposable income, or her less than glamorous position at work. She's so good at pretending it's all good that if she weren't reminded by her boss Demeter, daily, of how the other side lives, she might believe her own hype. 



Before long that world she's so close to attaining crashes and burns. She's let go from Cooper Clemmow and has nothing else lined up. Katie is forced to come to terms with her not so perfect life.

Katie returns home to help her father with a new business venture. He and his girlfriend Biddy are in the market to begin a glamping business. Before I continue, I must disclose I had no idea what GLAMPING was/is or even what a YURT is. Thank you Sophie Kinsella for opening my eyes. I so want to go glamping.



What I like most about My Not So Perfect Life is that it's hard not to enjoy it's quirkiness. No Kinsella is not out to write some literary masterpiece or answer the meaning to life. What she is attempting is to tell an interesting story of a woman who's similar to many of us. A woman with ambition that just wants to be heard but isn't entirely in tune with her voice. Katie, like most of us, puts up a brave front just to make it through the day. 

When Katie begins to...ummm... develop into a less nice person, I understood why, but I didn't want her to be that person. I love that Kinsella is able to balance her and her actions enough to keep her likeable and relatable.

I can't say I have any gripes with this novel. Did I expect some overly developed literary traipse? Not at all. Did I expect the characters to be memorable? Not all of them at least. Was I hoping for a little bit of a coming of age along with a romantic interest? Of course! I just wanted to get lost in something that could free me of the angst I felt from my last read.

My Not So Perfect Life is the perfect read for those who love the "chick-lit" genre. Sophie Kinsella has solidified her name in this literary space and will probably always be my go to for these types of reads. Maybe what's so perfect about life is that it isn't perfect at all. 

Copy provided by Random House Publishing Group via Netgalley

I needed a really good book to bring me out of my reading funk. Nothing too harsh, nothing too hectic, nothing too serious, nothing too fluffy. Sophia Kinsella's MY NOT SO PERFECT LIFE fit the bill to a perfect "T". 

RELEASE DATE: February 2017

PUBLISHER: Bantam Press

DISCLAIMER: Novel sent via NetGallery in exchange for a honest review. 

SYNOPSIS: Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed. Ok, so the real truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers. But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they? Until her not-so perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business. Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams? Or try to get her job back? Does Demeter – the woman with everything – have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems. And what’s wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway? 

REVIEW: Sophia Kinsella can sometimes be hit or miss - either wonderfully delightful or sometimes childishly juvenile. This was the former - so amazing and fun, a delightful read. 

Katie is at her 'dream' job location, trying to work her way up into the dynamic field of branding. She's trying to make her life in London seem more glamourous than it is - through a fake Instagram account and through increasing denial to her best friend in NYC and her father back in her home town. When her super successful beautiful boss Dementer unceremoniously sacks Katie, she is shocked - her picture perfect life has collapsed in front of her and she doesn't have a leg to bounce back on. Dredging back to her hometown, she reluctantly decides to help out at her father's 'glamping' business, all while lying about her true motives - until that is, Dementer arrives at the glamping camp. Being forced to face the truth, Katie must come to terms with reality vs. illusion and why sometimes not everything is as perfect as it seems. 

My favourite thing about this novel was that it seemed to be more subdued than Kinsella's previous writing attempts, which showcases a maturity in the writer and the writing. The growth in Kinsella's narrative, form, and writing is apparent here and it is all for the better. 'Chick lit' that doesn't deserve the silly annotation that gets attached, it's a delightful read from start to finish. 

The character of Katie is particular a stand out and her progress from start to finish is wonderful. I loved watching her develop from a character who put rose coloured glasses on everything and essentially lied about her lie to someone who embraced the imperfections that life serves up by the dozen. A truly genuine growth that I can see many females who are living in the age of social media undergoing. 

What I definitely loved was the moral that the majority of the pressure we receive on the daily, we put on ourselves. The pressure to succeed, the pressure to fit in, the pressure to change to conform to what society should want - this novel hits on all of these things without getting deeply serious. I loved it all.

Happy reading.

Kinsella is a terrific storyteller- you will be swept up  into Katie's life and go along with her for the ride.  I really enjoyed this.  It's light, it's funny, and the characters are all so real.  Katie, her dad, and Binny are people I'd love to stay with.  Demeter seems like a caricature at first (although don't we all know a boss like her?) but then things get really good.  The nicest thing about Kinsella is that she's got a good heart and it shines through in this novel.  It's a fast read and a perfect way to relax.  Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.  This is a winner.

Eh. I've read better Sophie Kinsella books than this one. It's like a light version of Shopaholic.

I liked the way this story’s backstory circled around to the happy ending. Cat, formerly Katie, gets a job at an ad agency in London where she hopes to quickly climb the ladder. Her boss is amazing and Cat wants to be just like her. Until things start to go wrong. 
There’s a lot of humor and quirky characters here, so it was an engrossing read that was hard to put d

I like Sophie Kinsella's book a lot, but I don't think My Not So Perfect Life was all-that for me. I guess I'm so used to Kinsella's books being laugh-out-loud funny and also romantic, and there wasn't much of that here. I do think that if you change your expectations a little bit, this is a book you could enjoy. Katie was a likeable enough heroine. I admired how driven she was though I can't say I understood why she so desperately wanted to fit in in London and had to basically undergo a persona change to be happy. When she loses her job and moves back in with her dad, she became a bit more likeable to me. I liked seeing how hard she was willing to work, but then the weird revenge-on-the-boss story on Demeter was introduced and I wasn't a fan. The romance with Alex didn't fully work for me, mostly because we barely got to know him as a character. I would have liked to see him and Katie be more open with each other, and just generally, I would have liked more scenes between them. I did think that Katie underwent some growth and grew a better understanding of the meaning of success as the story progressed, but it was all just so cliched. Usually, Kinsella's books are so ridiculous, but also really entertaining. While I was reading My Not So Perfect Life, I didn't laugh once and I  just wanted the story to be over with. If you're new to Kinsella, pick something else as your first read. I highly recommend Can You Keep a Secret or The Undomestic Goddess.

It seems like I’ve been hearing about My Not So Perfect Life everywhere lately. Which is kind of a double-edged sword, because as much as I wanted to read the book, but I didn’t want to get my expectations too high. So, was this new novel by Sophie Kinsella of the Shopaholic series fame, worth the hype? Well, yeah, it actually kind of was. 
I can say I really enjoyed the book. But, there were some really slow parts that were a little hard to get through. During the first part of the book, I almost gave up a few times. I’m really glad I didn’t though. You see, Katie Brenner, the protagonist in My Not So Perfect Life, is pretty much every twenty-something before she finds herself and gains a strong dose of confidence and self-acceptance. The book sometimes gives an almost too honest portrait of how difficult it can be to make your life appear perfect, when you’re really just struggling to make it through the day.

The story itself chronicles small town Katie as she tries to survive and thrive in London. She's in branding and while her ideas are often amazing, she finds herself regulated to tasks that don't exactly showcase her talent. Katie is able to keep a positive attitude, even through challenging and demeaning circumstances until all of a sudden she’s let go by her absolutely perfect, if not scatterbrained boss, Demeter Farlowe. She ends up back in the small town she grew up in, but even a discouraged Katie can pull together a success glamping business on her family’s farm. Even if she isn’t ready to be honest with her family and friends about about losing her job. It isn’t until the ghost of job past, Demeter herself, shows up at the glamping retreat that Katie is forced to face the truth. And the realization that perfection is far from attainable. 

I really like the characters and their development in My Not So Perfect Life. I love Katie’s positive attitude throughout the book, but the person she is by the end of the book is truly heartwarming. I also like how the love interest is present, but not central to the story. Katie falls head over heels, quite embarrassingly so, but retains her own goals and direction. My Not So Perfect is hilarious and impactful. Other reviews have called it timely and I agree. I think all twenty-somethings will find a bit of themselves in Katie, it’s possible everyone will.

My Not So Perfect was recently released and Sophie Kinsella once again wrote a book that kept me turning the pages and loving the characters! The female characters are strong, intelligent and hilarious.

 Katie Brenner is living in London and projecting a life of glamour in her social media but things aren't exactly what they seem. Katie isn't quite living her dream and her job isn't exactly what she's striving for. Her flatmates are odd at best and office politics just aren't her thing. 

 Life picks up, she meets a potential romantic partner and then.... she is fired. Katie is struggling to put the pieces of her life together but isn't getting any job offers. She begrudgingly returned to her family farm to help her father and step-mother get their new endeavor off the ground. 

 Unexpected guests arrive at her families new business and the truth begins to unravel. 

 Expect to laugh out loud and be charmed by this little book! This has become my favorite Kinsella book, yet! Pick up your copy today.

I think this book fits perfectly in form from what I've come to expect from Sophie Kinsella. It is a light, fun read that you will not want to leave until it is done because it is that enjoyable with fun, real characters that make you giggle! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend!

I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review. 

I love Sophie Kinsella.  Her writing style is very easy to fall into.  I enjoyed this book. It was nice and fluffy and great to read on vacation.  Wasn't one of her best, was predictable  but I would definitely recommend it.

A not so predictable read about a modern woman living in the world of perfecting your image on social media.  She realizes that it's ok to have a not so perfect life and the journey from point a to point b includes interesting twists and turns.

I love Sophie Kinsella and this book was her usual humor, fun characters and entertaining. I know this book/author which is pure chic lit isn't for everyone, but it was a fun read. I love the London setting and predicaments that Katie gets herself into.  I think this would be a perfect beach read or book to read on vacation.  Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse Publishing group for the opportunity to read this book.  4.5 stars

REVIEWED BY HEATHER

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 absolutely loved this book! Katie, the main character, is one of the smartest female protagonists I've read. This is such an inspiring story about fitting in and finding yourself. 
The pacing was a bit off for me. I liked the beginning, but the middle was boring to me. After another character arrives at the glamping retreat, the book picked up and I could not put it down. 
I could have done with a little more romance, but I realize that this isn't the focus with this book. I just always love the romance part :) :) 
I LOVED the characters! They were definitely the best part of this book. It is different from Sophie Kinsella's usual work, but I loved it just as much!

This was my first introduction to Sophie Kinsella's work and she has made me a fan!
The story centers around Katie, a young woman trying to make it in big city London.  She lands a position in a firm where she encounters bosses and fellow workers of all ilks.  Obviously, there is a love interest, but what makes this book especially unique is the freshness and sensitivity  Kinsella brings to the story.
Looking forward to her next book already!