4.5 laugh out loud stars😂 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

Sophie Kinsella is one of my absolute favorite authors.... i’ve read every book in the Shopaholic Series and absolutely adored Becky throughout.... what I love so much about her books are her fabulous female MC’s and Sylvie was no exception.... strong, relatable, fun, self-deprecating, and a little out of touch with reality.... i’ve read so many twisty thrillers as of late and this was just the perfect pallet cleanser!

After Sylvie and Dan are told by their doctor that they will probably live to be 100.... they both start to panic, how can we keep our marriage fresh and fabulous for another 68 years? Sylvie and Dan decide to try to “surprise“ each other in order to keep their marriage on track.... soMe of Sylvie and her BFF Tilda‘s antics in trying to come up with “surprises“ left me laughing so hard I had tears coming down my face(I think my kids thought I had gone mad).....

Along with fabulous female main characters and tear inducing laughter....Miss Kinsella always has wonderful female relationships and almost too good to be true men in her books....Tilda was a truly fabulous BFF and Dan really had the patience of a saint....

The only “surprising“ part of this book is it had a bit of a more serious tone to it in parts... Sylvie, relationship with her mother, and her deceased father took on a very serious tone.... and admittedly I found it a little disturbing that Silvie still called her parents mommy and daddy.... in the end I thought this part of the book was done well and tied all the other pieces in the book together....

Absolutely recommend for a fun, fluffy, laugh out loud read... with some depth....

*** thank you to the publisher and Net Galley or copy of this book**

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Sophie Kinsella for the ARC review. I really love this author, she has such inventive storylines. As I started reading, Surprise Me, I thought, how many of us while planning our weddings, ever thought, How long will we be married. I thought this was a great storyline. I also thought the story would be all about our couple exploits on surprising each other. However, the plot changed and a surprise was added, and I never saw it coming. That is why I like Sophie Kinsella's books. You think you have the story or plot figured out and she changes it up. It was great to see that Sylvie could accept who her father was, how he affected her and her husband, and that they could work thru it. Especially Sylvie, it had to be hard to realize she had been manipulated by her father, from her imaginary friend to how she wore her hair. That her new outlook on things could even spill over into her work. That she realizes she should have spoken up before about improving their patronage, and that she could leave her job, to tackle something new and different. Sophie Kinsella writes about very strong women and it so encouraging to see that right now. I highly recommend this book and check out some of her other books.

If you'd like to read more of my reviews, visit https://mommyreadsbooks.blogspot.com/ .
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I have enjoyed many of Sophie Kinsella's books every the years. Every now and then, though, she writes one that just doesn't work for me. Unfortunately, this book falls in the latter category.

Sylvie & Dan have been together for ten years. They feel they know all there is to know about each other. It's comfortable. Easy. Until their doctor predicts they are in such good health they will have another 68 years of life together. Then comfortable starts seeming a bit stodgy. And easy is no longer a good thing. Operation Surprise Me commences.

This book was just ho-hum for me. I generally love Kinsella's quirky main characters, but Sylvie just didn't inspire any sort of interest or investment from me. I wasn't itching to get back to her story when real life interfered. I can't pinpoint exactly why this was. Maybe I found her a bit whiny with mentality that kept her from really taking control of her life until later in the book.

I probably like Dan slightly better but still not enough to keep me engaged.

There was a lot of language and mention of sex in this book. And one pretty described scene. All of that turned me off a bit too.

For me, it was a disappointing read. But I'll still anxiously await her next book. Another gem is coming.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed Kinsella’s early Shopaholic books but quickly became fed up with their ditzy protagonist. Kinsella’s standalone books, which usually feature more appealing main characters, have been much more to my taste. It was with some disappointment, then, that Sylvie struck me as the kind of fluff character that I find mildly amusing but not relatable. Fortunately, this did not last through the whole book.

Sylvie and Dan’s freakout at the thought of spending another 68 years together and Sylvie’s subsequent plan to use surprises to spice up their lives was a bit silly but fun, even if some of the early attempts verged on stupid. It wasn’t until Sylvie had an unwelcome discovery that had her questioning herself and her relationship with Dan that she started to seem like more of a real character to me. While she made some missteps in that journey, she became more of a sympathetic and real character to me and I enjoyed the story much more.

So while the beginning tone of the book was light and a bit silly, it does evolve into more a story of self-examination and growth that I found more engaging and satisfying. I’m glad I stuck with it.

I was honored to get to review this book as Sophie Kinsella is indirectly the only reason I fell in love with the song, Calling You by Kat Deluna, as she is the name behind the best-selling shopaholic series which resulted in a major motion picture staring Isla Fischer.

Yet, this book did not make me feel as invigorated as the song.

It follows a married couple who find out that their life expectancy is quite a stretch more than they originally thought when they promised "till death do us part." Right away, you find yourself rooting for the main character, Sylvie. She's the typical mother of two girls looking to spice things up in her life and marriage by coming up with this idea that her and her husband Dan should surprise each other with things, ideas, or creative endeavors to keep things "lively" since they have about 68 more years of healthy, happy married life.

Yet, although I finished the entire novel, I found myself skimming through entire chapters because they seemed almost superflous in nature to the overall story. Maybe I read this book all wrong but after just finishing a 60 chapter not yet published novel in an entire day, I can say that what was abundant in that book was missing in this one: 

There was a lack of tension or an overall obstacle for the main character or characters to overcome. 

True. This is a married couple we are talking about so the climax will not be as romantic as two arch-enemies that fall in love with one another BUT I guess I still felt something was missing.

Ultimately, that was the most surprising of all. That this book left me feeling like I just read one of those books I read in grade school ONLY BECAUSE I was obligated and not at all because I wanted to.

This book was my modern day post-academic life The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

Surprise Me is the latest novel by Sophia Kinsella.
Sylvie and Dan have been together for ten years, now married with twin daughters and a nice house. Things change when a doctor predicts their life expectancy is at least 100 and they realize they may be married for another 68 years. How will they keep it interesting and fun? They decide that surprises will be what keeps it exciting and new. That goes horribly wrong and they must rethink their methods and relationship as a whole. Can they learn to share their innermost thoughts, dreams and disappointments with each other?
I did not care for this book and put it down several times before finishing it. I never felt that I got to know the characters deeply enough to care if they stayed together or split up. I have read other works by Sophia Kinsella that I loved but this one seemed to move along too slowly and I got bored with the story line. The other characters give advice along the way but some is not very helpful or encouraging. There is an underlying story that we do not learn until near the end; things are definitely not what they seem and it did not endear me to the main characters. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. While it did not appeal to me, I’m sure there is an audience for this book.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I've been a fan of Sophie Kinsella since wayy before these books were "appropriate" for me. I read some of the SHOPAHOLIC series back before high school. I read a few more in 2014 and loved her latest release before this one, so clearly I was jazzed up for SURPRISE ME.

I liked Sylvie and Dan as a couple, with them finishing each other's sentences and managing to have a really solid relationship. When the whole "you have 65 years left together because you're super healthy and will live LONG lives" thing comes up, they're both thrown. How are they going to survive THAT many years together? It's a reality check for them and even though there's really not much wrong with their relationship necessarily, they second-guess everything. Sylvie develops this plan where they surprise each other with little things to keep everything interesting. Naturally, the surprises go awry and Sylvie learns that surprises aren't the only key to a long and healthy marriage.

The whole situation about Sylvie's father that died and her weird mother was... interesting. She had the opposite of the traditional "daddy issues" thing - she was obsessed with her dad and thought he was a perfect hero. She had a very odd personality with how she kind of went along with everything in her life? Her boss, an owner of a VERY old school museum, didn't even use email and had an antiquated way of doing business. She told herself she was very happy in this role as long as you got used to everything, but I can't imagine how that's possible. I expected a looooot of blowing up at the end of the book. What secret would she uncover from Dan and how would it impact their lives? I was very anxious to see what was going to happen.

My feelings overall are kind of mixed, but the strong finish (and second half) really made it all worth it. It was like a switch was flipped once I hit the 50% mark. The Kinsella LOL-humor was there, the editing/writing improved, and the story picked up so much. It wasn't all fun and fluff like her previous book, so I want to warn everyone not to expect that. The ending was so worth it though.

3.5ish stars, generously rounded up because I just love Sophie Kinsella's books so much.
Where this book didn't work for me was that I just found it so unbelievable that Sophie and Dan were so gobsmacked by the potential of living to 100ish and how long that meant they would be married. I'm around the same age as the characters, have been married for just a tiny bit longer, and felt like the reaction was so out of proportion for people who profess to be happily married. Their intentions in creating surprises for each other were sweet, and they learned a lot about each other, which redeemed this book for me. Even though I can see that she might grate some people, I found Sophie and her fight to be taken seriously after a lifetime of being considered a "princess" to be a character I really enjoyed. This is not my new favorite Sophie Kinsella book, but I think there is enough of her familiar writing style to make this enjoyable.

Last year I read another book by Sophie Kinsella - My Not So Perfect Life -- and was thrilled to find the perfect “palate cleanser”. This year’s offering was also a palate cleanser but this one ended up being just a bit too fluffy and disjointed for me. There were things I liked, but it I didn’t take to the protagonist in the same way I have with some of Kinsella’s other books.

Sylvie is happily married to Dan. They have 5 year old twin girls. And everything seems perfect when both Dan and Sylvie are told by their doctor that they are healthy enough to live past 100, which they calculate as meaning that they have 67 more years together. Then they look at each other and wonder how they’ll fill those 67 years… And then their happiness seems to unravel. And course, things work out in the end – which can’t possibly be viewed as a spoiler given the author and genre.

The premise isn’t bad, but the book quickly becomes somewhat disjointed – less focused on the original premise and more on an odd dynamic between Sylvie, Dan and Sylvie’s deceased father. I always like the voice Kinsella gives her characters. They are funny, smart, self-deprecating and always a bit self-deluded. Sylvie has this recognizable voice but I found her self-delusions a bit too evident.

I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it. And I certainly won’t be giving up on Sophie Kinsella as a generally reliable palate cleanser.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to an advance copy.

Sylvie and Dan have been together 10 years to the day. They have a joint medical appointment and find out the doctor expects them to have another 68 years together! This sounds great, but then, does it? That's a long time to keep a marriage fresh. After some awkward days, Sylvie suggests they adopt a plan of surprising each other. This doesn't go quite the way they had in mind! Sophie Kinsella knows how to make the most of the concept of "Hilarity Ensues." You won't want to miss this read, it's got some real verve!

Sophie Kinsella surprised me with this wonderful story! Love her books, and this one did not disappoint. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I have yet to read a Sophie Kinsella novel I didn't like and this title is no exception. Full of Kinsella's signature heartwarming wit and characters you can't help but love, Surprise Me is a wonderful read about the powers of love, relationships, and a life of fulfillment.

I don't think I've read a Sophie Kinsella book yet that I don't enjoy and Surprise Me is no different. It's full of her signature heartwarming wit and humor. It follows Sylvie as she tries to spice up her marriage but things don't go exactly as planned. There are plenty of moments of laughter, but there's more to this story as secrets are uncovered and Sylvie learns things aren't exactly how she's always assumed. A wonderful story for any chick lit fans!

Wow, this book brought so many emotions out in me. Being a married woman, I felt I could relate so much. Much more than I thought, when I first decided to read it. Sophie never fails to disappoint with her books, and this was no exception. Even though it was fiction, I felt like there was so much that married folks can relate to and understand. What a great read -- cute, funny, witty, heart felt, moving...

Sylvie and Dan are that couple. They finish each other's’ sentences. Parenting is a breeze with their perfectly adorable yet not overly intrusive twin daughters. All the gears and widgets of their marriage are in place and running smoothly.

At a routine checkup, they learn that with today’s technology, they have approximately 65 remaining years together. Instead of basking in the warmth and security of long-term love, they freak out. Suddenly, they’re not sure if their up-to-now perfect marriage can make it quite that long.

Can the flame burn hot and bright for 65 long years?

“Surprise me,” Sylvie says. They try to outdo each other in a series of increasingly outlandish and desperate surprise dates and events. After several wrong turns, they realize that maybe they don’t know each other quite as well as they thought. Now the question isn’t whether the marriage can last 65 years. It’s whether the marriage can list this year.

Sophie Kinsella is a bit of a hit and miss author for me. Some of her books are frustrating to the point of stressing me out. Case in point: the Shopaholic series. Why doesn’t she get help for her addiction? Why doesn’t she just tell the truth?

Many of the calamities the more hapless characters face could be easily rectified with an honest conversation. Instead, they dig themselves into these crazy situations in which I can practically hear the slide whistle and “doop de doop” soundtrack.

But other times, Kinsella hits it right on. Can You Keep a Secret, for example, made me laugh out loud. When I come to Kinsella, I expect at least some escapism and fluffiness. But stressy fluff = not fun.

Surprise Me is a refreshing change of pace and shows growth for the author. We get to visit a couple who has already fallen in love. It’s nice to see what happens after happily ever after. Even with the pratfalls of dates gone wrong, Surprise Me still manages to hit on some real issues couples face.

It’s surprisingly delightful. A lovely and recommended read.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Sylvie and Dan have been together for ten years, married for seven of them. They've got twin girls, a nice life, and they know each other so well that they can predict what the other is thinking or about to say. They're comfortable in their relationship, safe. When they receive physicals their health is good and their doctor reveals they could expect to live for another seventy years. This gives each of them pause as the reality of how many years together they may have starts to set in.

Fans of Sophie Kinsella are going to enjoy this one. Sylvie is a new character but is like the female leads that Kinsella creates. Sylvie is like Lucille Ball - funny, bighearted, well meaning, and often in silly situations. She intends to add some surprise to her marriage, but she gets unexpected surprises and not all of them are good.

This is the chick lit you're looking for! This is a lighthearted read that has a few surprises along the way. The characters are likable and relatable.

I'll give it a 3+ stars, this was unnecessarily and dramatic, but Kinsella still has a very funny way of telling stories. Thanks to it, I had a good time from beginning to end.

The things is that this book is actually about a young couple together for ten years when they realize they still have more than sixty until death finally takes them apart. Even though Kinsella is as funny as she can be, it still didn't make me want to strangle the two main characters the entire read. How can that be The Conflict? I wonder if even in a parody that would work, but we're talking about a serious book, as humorous as it can be, it's still a down-to-earth story.

But the plot, luckily, doesn't end there. The thing is that when Sylvie decides their marriages needed more surprises, the plan turns against her and she notices there were things about her husband she had no idea about. What with a college ex-girlfriend he's forgotten to mention, his long lost hobby with botany and veiled conversations with her mother about something she mustn't know.

I have to say this mystery was what I loved the most in this book. I don't remember feeling this curious about any of Kinsella's endings as I was for this one, and this was my forth time reading her. Now that I mentioned it, I also noticed some elements in this book different from what I've come to understand as her usual, for example, this being about a married couple trying to find happiness together, and not some girl with a worthless boyfriend.

Unfortunately, the reactions here were too much for me to relate. Sylvie is indeed a little too sheltered but she seems quite in control of her life to be seen as a proper adult. And yet, her train of thoughts reminded me of a YA's main character's. A lot of the characters would act like it's the end of the world when something bad happened.

Another problem was that the book could have benefited from some editing. There are so many pages, and so many scenes didn't even have to be there. Even the ending felt a little long.

So this isn't a book I recommend. I'll say that, if you have low expectations as I had, then you could enjoy it. And a Kinsella bad book is still better than an average book by Who Was It. But we all know she can do better.

I usually like Sophie Kinsella books, but I have to say this one was not a favorite. I felt like I was reading two different books - one about a couple trying to add Surprise to their marriage (so the title works) and one about a secret between another couple. The two just did not mesh. The Surprise Me part got lost along the way. And WHAT COUPLE goes into marriage not thinking FOREVER?? and one minute they're crazy in love and in a split second hes brooding and mean and terrible to her?!! It just doesn't work. Sorry. Granted though - it got 3 stars because I was dying to know why the hell the switch flipped and Dan became psycho. I couldn't put it down cause I wanted to know what the secret was. It was so annoyingly crazy that I just wanted to get it over with and find out WTF was going on. The job thing almost felt like a third story and the neighbor and her son a 4th story! Things were just not meshed together very well and I felt like I was all over the place, with no real ties.

Surprise Me by Sophia Kinsella falls flat compared to her other works. The premise of the book is interesting but the characters are not ones that you can get invested in. They use the typical tropes of fiction and it really adds nothing to the story. Overall I would not recommend this book but would sell it in the store for fans of her other books.

Dan and Sylvie are THAT couple, with a great marriage, beautiful twin girls, and successful jobs. Forever doesn't seem long enough for such a perfect couple .... until a doctor tells them that forever might be 68 more years. Dan and Sylvie each begin to wonder about the monotony of spending decades more with a partner who has become so predictable that the two of them often talk in shorthand, completing each other's sentences. But when Sylvie decides to spice up their marriage with project "Surprise Me," she gets more than she bargained for. What if she doesn't know her husband as well as she thought?

Fans of Sophie Kinsella will love this new novel, and may be surprised by Sophie Kinsella's creative plot twist.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy of this interesting novel.