Surprise Me was a good read from Sophie Kensella. It was a little different than her other books but still a good book. When Sylvie & Dan realize how long they can be married for they start coming up with ways to surprise each other. They start to learn a lot more about each other but it's not always good. Then comes a shock to them when they didn't expect it. This was a good story & I would recommend it to others. I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

This novel was unexpected for me because it featured a married couple rather than 2 single people. This caught my attention right away and I was excited to see how Kinsella would put her funny and cute spin on things. Unfortunately, it wasn't as great as I had hoped.

So the story is about how Sylvie and Dan find out that they are going to live to be very old and that they will be enjoying 68 years of marriage. And for some reason, this freaks them out. Maybe this is because I've never been married, but if you love your partner and have been happily married to them, wouldn't this be good news? Why would finding out that you will be married for longer be a bad thing? This really confused me. Now, I get the whole "Surprise Me project" aspect; every relationship needs some excitement now and then. But the "funny" mishaps failed to make me laugh because they just didn't have any context. For example, Dan buying Sylvie a snake would have been funny ... if I had known that they joked about getting a snake all the time. Which I literally did not know about until that point in time. 

The novel also takes a surprising turn into a more serious path. I felt like the segue was a little awkward but the actual concept was quite good. It made me like Sylvie's character a lot more; she stopped being whiny and started showing some grit and resilience. It also helped me develop a liking to Dan, because until that point, I had no opinion of him whatsoever. 

Do I think this was Kinsella's finest book? No. And I wouldn't recommend this to someone who has never read any of her books before, because she has definitely had better novels. But I liked that this novel became a little more serious and was uplifting near the end. I'm giving this a 3/5 stars.

Sylvie and Dan, have been together for ten years, and learn that they will have another sixty-eight years together. They each have a breakdown thinking about how they will fill all of that time together.

They come up with a solution: surprise each other every day to keep the magic alive. Which will not be easy since they are parents to twin five year old girls, and have busy careers. They start the surprises off with lingerie and having sex in some unlikely locations. Ultimately with the help of the surprises they discover that there is more to learn bout each other and themselves.

This novel starts out to be about keeping the spark alive then it becomes a story about taking a deeper look at the relationships you have between family, work, and finally yourself.

I got a copy of this book from Netgalley and Dial Press.

As a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella I was super excited to read this book. But unlike her other books, I had a bit more difficulty connecting with the characters and the storyline. However, once she caught me, I couldn't put the book down. Light-hearted and funny I laughed out loud many times.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

For the first half of this book, I seriously thought I would not finish. I took a break at 18% and read another book, then came back to this one and read some more. At about 40% into it I finally saw what everyone else was talking about and finished it. This is a little deeper than I'm used to, I like my romance with hearths and flowers, not the deeper issues Sophie Kinsella has in this one. It should be a must read for every 30 something woman.

"Surprise Me" starts with a bunch of first person, babbling, narcissistic, contemporary crap. A couple of thirty year old snowflakes find out their genetics will probably allow them to live to be 100. They freak, I mean really freak, at the thought of being married for 68 years to each other. As a 60 something married for 44 years, I just can't fathom the narcissistic attitude of the main characters. This book is soooo not meant for my demographic. It strongly reminded me of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train and that is: I really didn't care what happened to those characters. After the 50% mark, I began to really care what happened to Dan and Sylvie.

Dan has had to live with the overwhelming hero worship that Sylvie has for her father, who died in an auto accident. His death hit Sylvie really hard and her grief was deep. Sylvie always compared Dan to her father and Dan came up short in a lot of ways. She loved Dan, that wasn't the problem, it was just that her father was golden and Dan ... wasn't. Dan was solid and dependable.

After getting the news that they would likely live long lives, Sylvie decides that they should surprise each other in order to keep their relationship from getting stale. Some of those "surprises" backfired big time.

Surprise Me

by Sophie Kinsella

I have really enjoyed books by Sophie Kinsella and was looking forward to reading her newest book Surprise Me. At first I felt like I was the one “surprised” in a disappointed kind of way. The characters in Surprise Me are two-dimensional, the premise is bland, and the attempts at humor are not very effective—for the first half of the book. The novel was good enough for me to plug on, however, and I’m glad I did. The pace and interest pick up dramatically in the second half. The characters grow and develop and become people you can actually care about. The original proposition seems silly: how do you live with and love the same person for over sixty years? I know the world is changing a lot in terms of longevity of marriages, but there are many examples that demonstrate the success of long marriages and the happiness of people in such marriages.

There are many surprises for the reader and the main character Sylvie as she discovers that she does not really know the people close to her as well as she thought she did. In encountering difficulties, she discovers a strength she never knew she had. There are a lot of negative feelings associated with this book and a lot less fun fluff than initially appears to be the case or is usually associated with Kinsella’s books such as the Shopaholic series. Although I came away with mixed feelings, I also took away some serious musings about the ability of testing in life to help build character.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Random House (Dial Press) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult), Romance

Publication: February 13, 2018 — Random House (Dial Press)

Memorable Lines:

Living with five-year-old twins is like living in a Communist state. I don’t quite count out the Shreddies into the bowls every morning to make sure things are equal, but… Actually, I did once count out the Shreddies into the bowls. It was quicker.

“Oh, marriage.” She makes a snorting sound. “Did you not read the disclaimers? ‘May cause headache, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbance, or general feelings of wanting to stab something.’ ”

“If we don’t stick up for the ones we love, then what are we good for?”

A disappointing read given how much i have enjoyed Kinsella’s books in the past. Lacked humor and insight with a predictable storyline.

I have loved Sophie Kinsella since I read Confessions of a Shopaholic (which I did way back when it was a standalone). She is one of the longest literary relationships of my life. Her books are always must-buys, and this is my favorite in a while.

I absolutely love Sylvie, even though she has a tendency to jump to the worst possible conclusion. (It is highly possible that I overidentify with Sylvie.) She's funny and good at her job and she adores her family. And yet, there are secrets. Because of course there are. Who knows absolutely everything about another person? 

Except obviously sometimes secrets are horrible, even if there's a very, very good reason for them.

Anyway. This is incredibly fun but also a solid read. It's probably a perfect antidote for whatever's going on in your life right now.

After reading the blurb, I was excited to read this book. I was looking forward to a story about a married couple, unfortunately, I could not connect with the characters or get into the story. I have enjoyed other stories by Sophie Kinsella and would pick up her work again, unfortunately, this one I just could not finish.

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Every Sophie Kinsella book is a must read for me. This one reminds me how much I love her kind of writing. Absolutely amazing. I needed to read this in this right moment. :)

After reading my first Sophie Kinsella book, My Not So Perfect Life, last year I was giddy with joy when the publisher emailed me an invitation to read her newest book Surprise Me. Soon after beginning this book I realized it wasn’t the same caliber of a story as My Not So Perfect Life. In fact, this book was quite a letdown for me.

The book has a pretty good premise of a married couple who wonder how to keep their marriage from becoming boring. The wife decides they should surprise each other to keep things lively. Well, as you can imagine things go wrong (horribly wrong at times, but these are the funniest parts) and soon their marriage is far from stale but quite tumultuous. As surprises go wrong Sophie unravels and wonders if her marriage will survive. In addition to the marriage issues, Sophie is also borderline obsessed with her deceased father and it is clear that this is driving a wedge between her and her husband.

Now, my issue with the book is that the author took a good premise and turned it into page after page of repetition. At the beginning, it seemed like the story was going nowhere fast and I swear I was going to scream if I had to read one more time that their marriage was going to last another sixty-eight years. It was like this was on every single page and I was tired of reading it over and over. Also, there was too much unnecessary details thrown in and bogged down the story. I lost count of the times that I wished the story would get moving. I wasn’t really sure where the story was going and then once the surprises started the book picked up little steam. This was the book the tried but just fell flat.

The book isn’t all bad though. There are a few scenes that made me chuckle and provided a reason to keep on reading. All in all, this book could have been 100 pages shorter and been just as good. If you are new to this author I would skip this book and pick up My Not So Perfect Life. It was a much better read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

Surprise Me is a tale of two parts for me. The first part (about 70%) was slightly annoying as it got cutesy with Sylvie and Dan’s over-the-top misadventures in coming up with surprises for each, the Daddy hero-worship, the cluelessness at work, the vague mother, the quirky best friend, and the lack of meaningful communication. It seemed to me that Ms. Kinsella has used all of these devices in her previous books to much better effect, especially in the Shopaholic series.

I had a better appreciation for the book when things came to a head, when Sylvie started to take action instead of just being paranoid with her suspicions and insecurities. I like the series of events that followed her confrontation with Mary. I started to relate with Sylvie and cheer for her, for her and Dan. Credit to Sophie Kinsella and her writing skills for being able to do that.

Overall, an entertaining read.

After having read no less than twenty of the novels penned by Sophie Kinsella (she also writes under the name Madeleine Wickham), I assume that I know what to expect: a female-centric story involving a somewhat quirky, laugh-inducing protagonist and an equally entertaining supporting cast; lots of British colloquialisms; a feel-good message.

"“Oh, marriage.” She makes a snorting sound. “Did you not read the disclaimers? ‘May cause headache, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbance, or general feelings of wanting to stab something.’”

One of the great things about following an author's work, over several years, is the ability to observe the evolution of their writing and storytelling. In Surprise Me, Kinsella presents Sylvie and Dan, a married couple with twin daughters, who begin to contemplate what "'til death do us part" might entail after a recent physical for an insurance policy reveals their potential to live for another 68 years.

"Why is it that everything in life is just a bit harder than you think it’ll be? Icing cakes, having children, keeping marriages together, saving museums, building websites. All hard. The only thing that’s ever turned out easier than I expected was my Italian final exam. (Oh, and lasering my legs - that was a doddle.)"

This issue brings up all sorts of possibilities and certainly makes for lively discussion: how do we not only maintain, but also strengthen and enliven, long term relationships? Through her delightful characters, Kinsella lends levity to the subject; Sylvie proposes the "Surprise Me" project to Dan, which sounds fun and exciting; true to form, the real surprise comes in the form of the meaning and significance that Kinsella sneaks in when we are least suspecting it.

"‘Love is finding one person infinitely fascinating.’ John seems lost in thought again - then comes to. ‘And so...not an achievement, my dear.’ He gives me a mild, kind smile. ‘Rather, a privilege.’"

In the midst of heavier literary fiction, and plenty of heaviness in the world we inhabit, Kinsella provides respite through humor and a reminder that there is so much beauty and love to be found if we are willing to pause and acknowledge those people and things around us for which we are most grateful to experience every day.

I thoroughly enjoyed this this book!😄 Surprisinly, this is the first time I have read Sophie Kinsella’s work and I was well pleased with it! It was fun and had quirky characters that I grew to love. This story goes deeper than that and it faces what is deep behind face value and trust issues one faces. This novel was full of unexpected surprises and was truly heartfelt. I am glad that I picked up this book and finished it within a few sittings!😁📚💙💯

Not my favorite Kinsella book. I liked the shopaholic series a lot better.

Have you ever wondered what happens after the happily ever after? Does the happy couple that we just invested in for 300 pages really make it? I am so happy that Surprise Me the latest rom com from Sophie Kinsella looks at romance on the other side - after real life sets in.

Dan and Sylvie have been together for 10 years, happily married they can finish each other's thoughts and are comfortable in the silence. Raising 2 twin girls they are what every couple strives for. Then during their yearly routine physical reality sets in even more when they are told they could live for another 68 years - this sends both Dan and Sylvie in a downward spiral trying to keep their marriage fresh. This leads them to try to surprise one another with new and different things they haven't tried in the past, of course amid the comedy of errors that happens in this crazy scenario secrets start to emerge leading them to believe that their marriage may not be as idyllic as they once thought and maybe they really don't know each other.

I love Sophie Kinsella's writing style - told completely from Sylvie's POV we get to deep dive into her insecurities and secret thoughts that were witty, sad and in some cases heartbreaking. Ms Kinsella takes her readers on a grand adventure that truly shows what real life and love really looks like - and what could happen to a marriage if the parties aren't really talking and most of all listening. The writing is fast paced and kept me giggling all the way through, but there were also points that had me sad for Sophie and Dan. I was rooting for this couple to realize the mistakes they were making and rooting for them in the end. An ending by the way I was certainly not expecting at all.

All in all if you are looking for a romance that dives into what happens after - then don't look any further then Surprise Me.

I have read other books by Sophie Kinsella and this is the first book that I have had trouble getting into. I didn't feel a connection with the characters at all, and was unable to finish the book.

Surprise Me was a well written, witty book that was filled with laughs. There were several parts in the book that I could have done without, but overall it was an entertaining story.

I think maybe my taste in books have changed in the past few years because seem like lately I have not been enjoying Sophie Kinsella's books as much as I used to or maybe I am just getting too old.

I found the story to be ok. I found the main characters are dumb and they just frustrated me so much because of it.

I am so disappointed that I haven't liked this one.

I am sad to say that I am giving this 2 out of 5.

I have read all of Sophie Kinsella's books. I enjoy a light, fun chick-lit book and was expecting the same. It started out that way, but took a bit of a serious turn in the middle. This is a standalone book about Sylvie and Dan Winter. They are thirty-two and have to go for a physical for their health insurance. When they are told they will live to be over 100, they realize that means at least 68 more years together. This is a bit nerve wracking for them. How will they keep things interesting for that long. This is when Sylvie comes up with a great idea, Project Surprise Me. They both start planning surprises for one another and in typical Kinsella fashion, things go wrong. Sometimes it is humorous, sometimes embarrassing, but always surprising. That is, until things start to go wrong and Sylvie realizes Dan is keeping secrets that appear to be stressing him out. When she begins to snoop and eavesdrop, she comes to the conclusion that she does not know Dan as well as she thought. Is he having an affair? Is he gambling? Are they in debt? Is he borrowing money from her mother? What is the secret that seems to be pulling them apart.

Sylvie tells this story in first person so we never get to see what Dan is thinking or doing. As the story progresses, we see "Princess Sylvie" become responsible in her job and family life. She sees a side to Dan and her parents that she did not know was there. This was not the light and airy story I was expecting, but it was a satisfying read. If you are a Sophie Kinsella reader, you will see the somewhat scattered ditzy female you are used to, and in this case, she really grows and gets it right at the end. A good novel for a lover of chick-lit.