Cover Image: Love Your Life

Love Your Life

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Member Reviews

I admit I liked the author’s earlier books better, but still a good read. I love the way Sophie Kinsella writes and her stories are always engaging. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Party Crasher, an utterly delightful novel about a woman who ditches her dating app for a writer's retreat in Italy--only to find that real love comes with its own filters

Another hit title by Sophie Kinsella.

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I have been a fan of Sophie Kinsella's for quite some time and always enjoy her books. While I also enjoyed this one it was not my favorite. I give it 3 1/2 stars.

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Sophie Kinsella always has a way of weaving the most interesting questions into her romances. Instead of the real world blossoming into great romance, the great romance has to blend into the real world, and it comes with a lot of hardships that Ava and Matt handle, some better than others. A fascinating read with plenty of laughs and a great romance. The characters are well-written, the plot is perfectly paced. It's just another great Sophie Kinsella story!

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BOOK REVIEW: Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella
Publication Date: 2020

⭐️⭐️⭐️️

Pages: 419
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sub-Genre: Hidden Identity Romance
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Puglia (Italy) | London (England)

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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

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I tried…I just couldn’t get into the tone of this book. I was so annoyed by Ava, her friends, and the cadence of the writing. Maybe this would be a good fit at another time but for now, it’s not for me.

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Dutch and Aria meet at a writers retreat but then they go back to the real world where they are Matt and Ava. Can these opposites ever get along. ARC from NetGalley.

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This was an awesome, light and really fun read! I appreciate the body positivity, and it had a delightful realism to the story that felt new for Kinsella

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The last few Sophie Kinsella books have been misses for me. I don't know if I just grew out of liking her writing style or they have just been letdowns. I might give up on this author.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Ava leads a very quirky easy going life. It seems a bit chaotic at times with an array of passions and jobs, but she loves it none the less. Despite what her one of her best friends thinks, Ava believes in finding a good man the old fashioned way; with no filters, no dating apps and most importantly, no deal breakers. Having just been through a breakup recently, she has decided to put men on hold while she ventures out to Italy to a writing retreat to help give her the nudge she needs in writing her book. The retreat is very simplistic offering vegetarian meals, prohibiting all members to withhold all personal information including their given names, and even providing a simple wardrobe. There were other retreats being held simultaneously but when the martial arts retreat is canceled and the members are combined with the writing retreat, Ava finds herself meeting what seems to be the man of her dreams. The two become inseparable right off the bat and vow to remain hush about their personal lives and names until the very end of the retreat. It's truly a match made in heaven, or so they think, until reality hits and their true identities surface leaving them struggling to find out if love is really all that's needed for their relationship to survive.
Thank you Netgalley, Sophie Kinsella and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have read a few books by Sophie Kinsella and have always enjoyed them. This was no exception. It was a very cute and entertaining book yet it held a strong message that didn't become apparent to me until a little over halfway through the book. I won't spoil it for, but it was a good message. Although at times Ava's character drove me a bit crazy, I enjoyed watching her grow. This is a good rom com for those who enjoy them. I rate this ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

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Sophie Kinsella does it again. You see Sophie's name and you know that you are going to LOVE the book

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I tried to start reading this one, but couldn't get into it. I couldn't get it to hold my attention. I'm sure others will like this, but it just wasn't my thing.

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As a long-time fan of Sophie Kinsella, ‘Love Your Life’ was a total treat to read. It was an utter delight—funny, endearing, and very entertaining. This story had a lot of heart, and I fell in love. Highly recommend!

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Love your Life is filled with quirky and relatable characters. I could not even begin to pick a favorite as they are all so genuine and unapologetically themselves. As "Dutch" and "Aria" move through their love story, nothing seems to be going right until one day they realize there is no exact equation for what is right in love. I truly enjoyed this fast paced read perfect for a rainy day.

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This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions in terms of liking it one second and then disliking it another. At the beginning of the book, the 2 main characters meet during a yoga retreat and instantly fall for each other in a unrealistic and frankly sort of cheesy way. Then they return home to find they are not the same people they were on vacation (are any of us?) and their life together is drastically different than they thought it would be.
I honestly had a hard time rooting for either of the main characters throughout the novel as both seemed selfishly and unwilling to budge or compromise for what the other wanted or needed. They often felt immature and not ready to be in a relationship. Overall, this story was quick to read but I'm not that I would fully recommend this moving forward.

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Thank you to the publisher and Negalley for the free book for review.

I'm usually a fan of Sophie Kinsella's often fun, romantic comedies, however, this one is probably one of my least favorite novels by her in recent years.

Ava is putting dating on the back burner after a recent dating fiasco and breakup. Determined to finish writing the novel she's been scheming up for years, she enrolls in a writing retreat in Italy, packs her bags and plans to reset and really get to work on her book. No need to focus on dating when you're in a place that allows you to fully focus on your writing. Ava arrives at her writing retreat focused and ready to work. But when another workshop taking place at the same retreat cancels and is allowed to join the writer's workshop, Ava finds herself enamored with one of the new attendees.

Throughout the retreat the attendees are. not allowed to use their real names, Ava (going by Aria) finds herself in a whirlwind romance with "Dutch" believing that they're meant to be. The two leave the retreat to go back to real life and shockingly - things don't go as Ava had hoped.

While the premise is kind of fun and silly, I didn't feel any joy reading this book. The insta-love felt contrived and awkward (not in a good, humorous way) and by the end I was ready for Ava and Matt's story to be over.
I'll continue to read Sophie Kinsella, this was just okay for me.




I'm still a fan, but this one wasn't my favorite.

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I was alwys a big fan of sophie kinsella. She dispointed me a little bit with this book. she tends to have a way of creating characters that are likable. I loved ava but i did not particularly understand her connection to matt. I did not feel anything regarding this couple and this factor made me simply not care about the ending. I enjoyed the book in a sense that it was well written...but the story did nothing for me in terms for emotions...

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Unfortunately this story didn't grab my interest. I kno some people really like it, but I guess it wasn't for me.

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This was a nice book, I enjoyed the writing and the characters were fun to read about, would surely recommend!

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Love Your Life

by Sophie Kinsella

Ava is the latest in the line of Sophie Kinsella’s over the top lovable main characters. She rescues almost everything—from her mischievous beagle Harold to books no one else would want to buy. She is passionate about her ever-changing interests but never seems to achieve any of her goals. Her conversations with herself and others can best be described as stream of consciousness. The word “tidy” is not in her vocabulary.

Ava’s support group from university choir days is a cadre of unlike souls who nevertheless get along fabulously. Ava goes to Italy at their urging for a writer’s retreat where she meets Matt whose family business is all consuming. He has a sterile apartment, weird taste in art, and two odd roommates. Their dynamic is amusing in a male supportive kind of way.

The rules at the writer’s retreat keep everyone anonymous and focused on their writing—in theory. Ava and Matt quickly focus on each other and reveal their identities to continue their relationship when they return home. Watching Ava and Matt interact is liking the proverbial train wreck. You know disaster will happen, yet you can’t look away. Although much of the book is pleasantly predictable, there are some stunning surprises along the way. Love Your Life is a fun foray into chick lit: twenty-first century romance featuring online dating and What’s App and wacky but lovable characters. It is a humous look at the glue that hold friendships together and the ties that bind hearts in love.

I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley 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: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Notes: Some foul language

Publication: October 27, 2020—Random House (Dial)

Memorable Lines:

Maud’s basic conundrum in life is that she has three children but only two hands.

Nell doesn’t normally do hope. Not since she got ill. She describes her life philosophy as “managed pessimism.”

For a few minutes we’re both silent as rain starts to thunder down on the car roof. Hurt is crackling around the car like a lightning storm.

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