I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Sylvie and Dan their life together – good jobs, 5-year old twin girls, a comfortable home – and are so close they can finish each other's sentences and usually know what the other is thinking. However, when they go to the doctor on their 10-year anniversary, they are shocked to hear they could live another 68 years together. Afraid of growing tired of 70 more years of the same, Sylvie comes up with a plan for them to plan surprises for each other to bring some spontaneity to their marriage. Neither are prepared for the consequences it brings.

The heroine and tone in this book are the same you can expect from any Sophie Kinsella novel – a flawed, yet lovable, heroine and a light, funny story. Her books always make good escapist reads for when you want to forget about the world's troubles for a while. This book was missing something that made it fall short of her other works, though. I found myself wondering more about the side characters in the book than cheering on the main characters.

This was a well-written, entertaining book. Sylvie and Dan have a happy marriage, until they realize how long they could live and they decide to bring surprises into their marriage to keep things fresh. The writing is sweet, witty and charming and the characters are quirky and endearing. This was another fantastic book by Sophie Kinsella and I can't wait until her next one is published.

It has been a while since I have read one of Sophie Kinsella's books and I am delighted that I had the opportunity to read this advance copy provided by NetGalley.

We first meet Dan and Sylvie Winter ten years after they first met at a friend's birthday party. Now married, they appear to be the perfect couple: married for seven years, they can complete each other's unfinished sentences, predict what the other will order from a restaurant menu, are the parents of twin girls, and both in good health. Oh, wait! It is the good health issue that creates a panic when the doctor tells them that they are both in excellent health and can expect to have another 68 years together.

Dan and Sylvie decide that they need to spice up their life with a few surprises. What are those surprises? I am not going to say, but will tell you that they add some very real flavor to the story.

As a reader, I enjoyed riding the range of emotions that the author helps us feel. There are moments where I laughed and others where I wondered if this marriage was going to survive. The relationships that Dan and Sylvie have with other characters serve to enhance the story.

I suggest that you pick up a copy of this book. I do not think you will be disappointed.

As mentioned above, I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. However, the decision to review and all opinions are strictly my own.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. I just want to say first, I love this author's books and read all the Shopaholic series. Also, several others under Madeline Wickham which I adored. The only reasons I am giving these 2 stars is again I love this author and the last 4 chapters of the book were the best part. When Sophie finally woke up from her princess fog. The first 13 chapters were about whining and complaining by the main character Sophie. She and her husband Dan were trying to spice up her marriage due to it being boring and bland. She kept whining about if Dan was cheating on her due to the dynamic in place before her father died. I don’t want to give the ending away, read it for yourself and see if I’m right.

Surprise me indeed! This lovely novel starts off as a larkish romp, as Dan and Sylvie decide they need to spice up their marriage when they learn their life expectancy could mean they'll be married 68 years! Sylvie works at a creaky barely above water museum (loved the people and the quirky ways) while Dan owns his own company. They've got twin girl. Sylvie's still mourning the death of her father (she didn't take it well). Things proved along as one might expect for a sprightly British chick-lit novel but then they become more serious. No spoilers but I was truly impressed with what Kinsella has done and how she incorporated a topical issue. This is fully realized novel with terrifically fleshed out characters and a careful plot. There are some wonderful details (see neighbor Tilda and how she describes Mary). No froth here. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Two thumbs up!

Surprise Me is a combination of chick lit and romance, which added to the charm of the story. I am a fan of Sophie Kinsella, so I thought I knew what to expect while reading this book, and in some ways I was right and in other ways it surprised me (see what I did there?)
Sylvie has been married to Dan for 10 years. They have 5 year old twin daughters and a happy, if predictable, life. It’s time for their annual physical but one of the surprises at that doctor’s exam is the news that based on their current physical conditions and lifestyles they could potentially live past 100 years. That’s becoming less uncommon in the days of better medical treatment. The catch to that is (in Sylvie and Dan’s eyes) that means they will be married for over 60 years at end of life. When they repeated their wedding vows that included, “till death do us part,” it didn’t occur to either of them to plan to be together for six or more decades. Now that has set them to thinking if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
While their reaction to this news is typical of most Sophie Kinsella characters in that they are overly melodramatic about it, their reasoning is probably more realistic than most people will admit. They have their routines. They know what they want. But that’s now, not in their old age. How will everything hold up for a long, long time?
As self-centered Sylvie and Dan over-react to the news of a long lifespan and marriage, they are surrounded by terrific secondary characters who are very funny as they respond to Sylvie and Dan’s antics. I really enjoyed reading this book and seeing how Sylvie and Dan enfold their new lifestyle information into how they live day to day. A delightful book and a quick, easy read. Enjoy, as you think about how a longer life and therefore longer relationships will affect you.

I've enjoyed Sophie Kinsella since I picked up Confessions of a Shopaholic while in my early 20s. Now in my early 30s I continue to enjoy her fun novels. I can see how her writing has evolved over the years. Sylvie is a mature but still lighthearted character. This book was a cute, quick read that fans of Kinsella will enjoy. Kinsella has a knack for writing really cute and fun story lines, but not letting her character development suffer. It's not deep literary fiction but it's worth your time.

Sophie Kinsella always delivers when I need something light & funny, and this book was no different. It was hilarious and sweet, and I loved the mystery and plot twists, which really added a little something extra. This book was also such a gem for all the personal growth involved-- I feel like it had a great overall message while still being unique. Highly recommend if you're in need for something fun!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Sale Date: February 13, 2018

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ebook ARC of Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella.

Sylvie and Dan have been married for 10 years. They have all the trimmings of a happy life and marriage. They have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, beautiful twin girls and communicate so well, they finish each others sentences.
After a trip to the doctor, he projects they will live another 68 years together and thats when panic sets in. Neither of them expected that “until death do us part” to mean seven decades.
They quickly come up with a plan to keep their relationship fresh and exciting; they create mini surprises for each other so their years together will never become boring. But in their quest to carry out Project Surprises, secrets are uncovered and they begin to threaten their bond. A scandal from the past is revealed which brings up some questions that start to wonder if they ever really knew each other at all.

I give this book a rating of 4 stars. I recommend reading it. It is a well written book. This book was a feel good and warm read. Sophie Kinsella is one of my favourite authors and I always enjoy reading her novels.

I love the Sophie Kinsella “Shopaholic” books, so I was excited to dive into this novel about a couple trying to add some excitement to the routine of marriage. However, my initial excitement wore off quickly with the first few chapters. There was nothing in the story that made me want to pick up this book at night, and it slowly moved to the bottom of my pile without being finished. Although Kinsella’s characters are frequently self-absorbed and flighty, the characters in “Surprise Me” were just too much of that. Sadly, I wouldn’t recommend d this book.

I was surprised by this book! I have loved Kinsella’s previous books filled with quirky characters and laugh out loud moments, but this book was just an OK read and is missing that “spark” that I have come to expect. Sylvie was a great character, but Dan never really came to life for me. The plot was a good idea, but it ended up being a bit too fluffy. While not her best, it certainly won’t stop me from looking forward to her next book!!

Surprises don't always work out how you expect them to. Sylvie and Dan doctor's estimates they might live for another 68 years and it freaks them out. How do you keep a marriage going for 68 years? Sylvie suggests the best way is to have surprises. Yet when that leads to secrets being uncovered shakes the core of their marriage and not necessarily the right way.
This book is about marriage, loyalty, and longevity. A very relatable story and has fun moments but also addresses some serious subject matter. I enjoyed this book and was pleasantly surprised.

Sophie Kinsella has millions of books in circulation chock full of her trademark chick-lit charm. Her familiar formula continues to work despite how often she churns out books. Her easy style and wit shine through again in this story about family and trust as Sylvia and Dan’s navigate their path to marriage longevity via Project Surprise Me. Fresh characters, an interesting predicament and a few surprises made for a good read.

*will post in additional online venues upon release.

At the start of this novel, our main character Sylvie and her husband Dan, who have been together for 10 years, go for their physicals for insurance purposes and are told that they're both so healthy, they probably have 68 years of marriage still ahead of them. This seems a little long, so they decide they need to introduce some surprises into life, and life gets interesting in ways both expected and unexpected. This book, had some laugh out loud funny moments, but poignant moments too, and some surprises for the reader as well. Definitely Sophie Kinsella's best book in my opinion (though I've only read 2 of her Shopaholic books as I didn't enjoy them the way I do her standalone novels). 4.5 stars.

I want to give this book 2.5/5 stars. The whole idea of it sounds cute, until it gets boring. Sylvie and Dan have been together for a few years now, and they even finish each other’s sentences. They go to a doctor’s appointment and realize they’re in such good health, they’ll have 68 more years together happily married! They both freak out, as they’re THAT couple. So, they incorporate some surprises into the marriage for fun. For a book that’s supposed to be full of surprises, it’s really not that interesting. Honestly, it gets quite boring. Sylvie is SO annoying. I mean, she has nice character development, but she’s a grown woman acting like a 17 year old. I tried so hard to get into this book, I really did. Hence my harsh review. I almost didn’t finish it. The book shifts focus halfway through and is completely different and has nothing to do with the actual plot. It does, but doesn’t. Honestly feels like two different books smushed together to create some drama. I forced myself to finish this one and while Dan and Sylvie are cute, their plot line seemed to be pretty boring. Maybe it’s just me with high expectations for romances, but I just wasn’t s big fan.

Surprise Me is a standalone novel written by Sophie Kinsella. I have read My Not So Perfect Life and I’ve got Your Number. I am not a Shopaholic Series fan but these seem more enjoyable to me. So, when Netgalley offered this one, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. I liked this book. It is a little more series but a good romantic comedy. There were twists I saw coming but still liked the book. There is nothing wrong in suspecting something is going to happen and then it does.
Seven more decades of togetherness can be daunting. I liked the story, the twists, and the characters. It gave me time to contemplate my own marriage and what I may or may not know about my spouse.
I considered this a great escape from the political controversy our country is in and the news media.

Sylvie knows everything about her husband, Dan, and vice versa. They can predict each other's actions, finish one another's sentences and have shorthand conversations. A dream, right? Until one doctor's visit turns their ideal marriage into a long bad dream. The doctor predicts they are both healthy and have a long life ahead. Until death do you part means another seven decades. EEK! The glossy veneer begins to dull. To keep the boringness out of their marriage, the couple concocts a plan: Project Surprise Me. Keep the marriage exciting by surprising each other with spontaneous dates and untold truths.

This has to unfortunately be the first Sophie Kinsella novel that I did not fall in like with. Surprise Me lacked the signature Kinsella charming wit and humor. It took almost the whole novel to gain interest in the main character and the superficial story line. For once, chick lit was annoying. Be happy you're living another 60+ years with the person you love; don't dread it! Usually I like light chick lit reads but this was a major eye-roll until the last chapters.

Happy Early Pub Day, Sophie Kinsella! Surprise Me will be available Tuesday, February 13, 2018.

LiteraryMarie

**3.5**(increased to 4 stars)
I have been a long time reader of Sophie Kinsella’s books and do look forward to each one but this one took me a long time to get into.
Sylvie and Dan were perfectly happy until a trip to the Doctor’s indicated that they were exceptionally healthy and may have up to another 68 years together. How can they keep their marriage alive for that long?.......well, with surprises of course!

I must admit that I struggled a little with the first half of the book. I felt there was a lot of setting up and at one stage it seemed that the ‘surprises’ were getting a bit desperate, it was actually putting me off the story. I was also frustrated that Sylvie idolized her father so much, not knowing much about their relationship except that he had died in an accident a few years earlier and he was famous.
But somehow that all changed just after the 50% mark and suddenly there was a different slant on Dan and Sylvie’s relationship and the story became a bit more substantial. In fact I flew through the second half of the story in an afternoon and was transfixed by it. I’m so glad I stuck with it, as I really enjoyed it in the end.

...I did search ‘Ottolenghi Slow Cooked Lamb’ and it sound’s fantastic.... you’ll have to read to at least 50% to know what I’m talking about.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an ARC copy to read.

The thing about reading a Sophie Kinsella book is that you know your going to have a fun reading experience . In this book, we meet married couple Dan and Sylvie. They have just been told that they're healthy and may live a long married life. So they decide that if they are going to have 68 years together , that they should have surprises for each other so their marriage doesn't get stale. The thing about surprises,though, is that you may get more than you bargained for. There were a few laugh out moments and the premise of the book was cute. I absolutely hated that 32 year old Sylvie called her parents mummy and daddy! That grated on my nerves. If you're looking for a cute fluffy book, then I recommend this. Even though I enjoyed moments of the story, I didn't love it as much as I do other Kinsella books.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 3.5/5

I was really excited for this book and honestly it fell a little flat for me. I did enjoy the characters and the whole idea of the plot but I felt as though everything was rushed and then once the 'main' plot was over it dragged on. The 'surprises' only happen for like a couple of chapters, which I was not expecting. Other than the surprises there was really no other exciting part, so once they ended I got bored. The characters were amazing and complex so I really enjoyed that aspect and that's why it got a 3.5 instead of a 2.
I would recommend this book to people who are huge fans of Sophie Kinsella or people who are big on characters and their development.