Rounding up to a 4 star, but would give 3.5 if that was an option.

The premise of this book is SO cute. I was really expecting a lot from it, especially since it's my first Kinsella.
I was disappointed by it in some degree due to the main character Ava. She really really really irritated me for the first half of the book! The way she demanded "no baggage" in the beginning of her relationship with Matt was unrealistic and silly. She wasn't honest with Matt, her friends, or herself regarding the red-flags she was seeing in her new relationship. She pushed a lot of things under the rug just to claim that her and Matt were compatible and meant for one another.

As predicted, things came to a head and that's when the growth happened. For both Matt and Ava. It was refreshing to see the growth they found through their breakup and how that translated in other areas of their lives that the other person knew they would need/want to improve. For Matt, it was his work. He had been working for his family's company for years and absolutely hated it. He didn't see a way out and was content with being unhappy until he listened to Ava's thoughts on the matter and realized those things on his own after they'd gone their separate ways. For Ava, it was her entire outlook on life that she had to want to change for herself. She had her hand in EVERYTHING. Starting projects without finishing them and following through with her dreams and ambitions. Matt saw this and told her that she needs to stick to something, she needed to find that drive inside of her, that was inspired by Matt after they'd broken up, and it allowed her to accomplish several of her goals she'd made for herself years ago.

Ultimately, the ending made up for the issues I had at the half way point. I liked that Matt and Ava worked on themselves after they broke up. I like that Matt and his friends still spent time and cared from Ava's friends even when Matt and Ava weren't together. The dynamic they all had together was pure, sweet, and something I think everyone wants in their lives: a solid friend group that you can call family.

Ava falls madly in love at a writer's retreat in Italy. The only problem is that they know nothing about each other! The rules of the retreat forbid them from using their real names or sharing any personal information. Will the love that they share be strong enough to survive the reality of their differences? I found their struggles frustrating but in a "When Harry Met Sally" kind of way. If you enjoyed that movie, this book is perfect for you!

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

I count Sophie Kinsella as one of my favorite authors and am always so excited when she has a new release. Love Your Life was enjoyable even if I didn't find Ava to be my favorite Kinsella heroine- but she was still pretty great. Present were zany moments (naked sauna!), fantastic supporting characters (Matt and Ava's friends were quirky and unique and such a hoot, especially when all together), and some true heart-tugging moments. I especially loved how much value was placed on the close friendships featured in the book. The last section of the book was my favorite part and left me with a big smile on my face.

First and foremost, thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a lot of Sophie Kinsella books and I have tended to really enjoy her stand alone novels. While I enjoyed this book as well, it was not one of my favorites by her.

Love Your Life is filled with Kinsella’s signature laugh out loud antics of the female lead, from start to finish. I found myself cringing and giggling at the same time, wondering what other crazy shenanigans Ava would find herself in.

While there were many funny moments in this book, I would be remiss to say that one of my least favorite troupes in a book is insta-love. I can sometimes get past insta-love over a couple of weeks, but this love story started after only one week. I could not believe that two people could be head over heels in love in such a short time.

However, the hopeless romantic in me continued on and I am so glad that I did. While the beginnings of their relationship was rushed and unbelievable at times, the way they grew together through the rest of the novel did have me invested. By the end of the book, I was rooting for Ava and was fully on board with the romance.

The one thing that really pulled this entire book together, for me, was the supporting characters. All of them blended well into the story with their colorful personalities and their quirky antics.

I would recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed any of Sophie Kinsella’s other standalone novels, or anyone looking for a cute, quick and laugh out loud rom com.

Such a cute and fun read! Perfect distraction in life right now. Really enjoyable characters and story and hard to put down! Always love her books!

This book is a hard one for me to rate. I've read other Sophie Kinsella books in the past so I knew to expect a little bit of over-the-top silliness, but I guess I wasn't in the right frame of mind to enjoy this one. There's nothing really wrong with the book and plenty of others have enjoyed it, so this is probably a case of "it's not you, it's me." That being said, I did finish it and there's a lot for people to like here, so I'm giving it a lukewarm 3 stars.

When Dutch and Aria meet in Italy at an incognito retreat, they fall in love almost instantly. Everything is magical. Once they return home and back to their real worlds the magic dissappears, but there still have glimpses of the the things that made them fall in love. Will their new life survive the real world and all of the things that come along with it?

This was a cute book that makes you realize that everyone's not perfect and that you have to accept the difference in people and try to grow together from there.

I really enjoyed this book! It is the story of the rollercoaster relationship of Ava and Matt who meet at writing retreat in Italy and then continue the relationship when they return to England. New relationships are hard, getting used to how the other ones live, finding out the other ones faults and meeting each other’s family and friends. There were several parts of this story that made me laugh out loud ! There was also a part that brought tears to my eyes. This was definitely a good read and one I would recommend to others.. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for a chance to read this great book in exchange for an honest review.

Ava is passionate about many things. Like writing, and aromatherapy among other things. The problem is, she can't seem to focus long enough to successfully begin a career in any of the fields she is excited about. She also can't seem to finish the historical romance novel she has started to write. With some helpful motivation from her friends, Ava decides to attend a writers retreat in Italy. Individuals attending the retreat are discouraged from sharing any personal details about themselves, including their first names. Ava has decided to be called "Aria." When she meets the handsome and charming "Dutch" she feels an instant attraction. As the pair spends more time together they feel themselves falling deeper in love. They decide to give their relationship a shot in the real world, back among their friends, families, jobs and other responsibilities. Reality soon sets in and the pair start to wonder if their love can survive in the real world. From Dutch's overbearing and judgmental family to Ava's lack of dedication to any specific career path, they struggle to maintain the love they found in the retreat.
Sophie Kinsella is a master at crafting smart witty and multilayered characters that readers can't help but root for. While I loved the mains in this story I do think the side characters, especially Ava's dog Harold are the stars of the show. Love your Life is a unique spin on the traditional women's fiction genre, blending many elements of humor, heartwarming and surprise twists into a fascinating book you might find hard to put down. I highly recommend Love Your Life for those looking for a witty yet endearing story full of delightful characters.

Let’s start with WHAT A CUTE STORY. Oh wow! I really enjoyed this book, it was fun and adventurous. Hilarious at times, heartfelt and just quite something.

Ava is writing a book, to focus she decides to go on a writing retreat in Italy, the rules are simple: the participants must choose a fake name and reveal nothing about themselves. Between writing exercises and fun days at the beach she falls in love with “Dutch”, how can she be so lucky to have found Dutch, they are one and the same, meant to be.

That is until they get back to London, and real life catches up with awkward moments, and pesky habits. And maybe, they are not compatible AT ALL.

Somehow this book was my first Sophie Kinsella book; I'm not quite sure how that happened! This book was a ride for me. At first I thought everything seemed to be coming together too easily. Then I thought it seemed entirely unrealistic and there is NO way that these two completely opposite people should be together, but somehow they're making it work? And then finally, well I found myself tearing up as the book ended. It was a wild ride. I think I loved the Ava and Matt's friends more than I really loved either of them, but luckily there's a lot of friendship interaction in this book that kept me going! It's a great, closed door, no-steam romance that will hit you right in the feels. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Escapist fun

I have enjoyed all of Sophie Kinsella's books and this one is no exception. To be frank, it is not her very best, but who's going to be picky this year of all years!

The blurbs and other reviewers have synopsized the plot and described the characters, so I don't need to. I will tell you that you will be transported by reading the humour of other people's romantic troubles and foibles, so get ready for a light-hearted romp.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

I've had both good and bad luck with Kinsella books in recent years - she can be super hit or miss. Sometimes the characters are just quirky enough, sometimes they're over-the-top and annoying with it. This book was an interesting reading experience because it REALLY toed the line. I was tempted to DNF because good lord was Ava annoying... but I’m glad I kept going!

My biggest issue with the story is that Ava and Matt were basically in love right away on their retreat, without knowing anything about their "real lives" outside. Kinsella didn't do a good job of building up my investment in the relationship while they were in Italy so that I would CARE about them when they were home. If I didn't see all the good things up front that made them want to keep trying, why should I care if they're together?

Their relationship was truly frustrating at times and her blindness to it all was even worse. Ava was frustrating and Matt was just okay for me. It seriously took a while but I was thoroughly enjoying myself around the 70% mark lol whoops. They had so much stuff to work through - I truly didn't think this book would have a happy ending for a while!

The side characters were interesting - I enjoyed getting to know both friend groups and seeing their quirks, as well as how they'd all get along and hang out.

If you're like me and read all of her books regardless of your experience with the previous book she wrote, give this one a try. I think you'll enjoy it if you push through. All in all, it was kind of a weird one, but enjoyable by the end.

Sophie Kinsella has been a must read author for me for a long time, so I was excited to dive into this book. For the most part, it lived up to my expectations for one of her books. My big problem however, is that these characters should have never been a couple. I don't usually root for a couple to breakup, but I spent the majority of this book thinking that they just needed to end it. They both needed to get their own lives together first. That said, I liked the characters individually, and Ava's friends are hysterical. I would still recommend this, but don't go into it thinking it's a great love story.

Londoner Ava is excited to attend a writers retreat in Italy. One of the rules requires participants to use a different namE during the retreat. As Aria, she is immediately infatuated with Dutch, who joins the group after his retreat is unexpectedly canceled. Aria and Dutch spend the week exploring the area and having fantastic sex. Ava is sure they’re soulmates.

Fully prepared to embark on a long distance relationship, Ava is thrilled to learn Dutch also lives in London, though he is actually called Matt. Their return to real life does not proceed smoothly. Matt is an executive in his parents’ doll company and bears little resemblance to laidback, fun loving Dutch. Worse still, he is not an immediate fan of Ava’s beloved dog, Harold. As the couple navigates challenges, they are surprised to discover their friends get along quite well, which may save their relationship.

Sophie Kinsella reliably provides humorous escapist reading. LOVE YOUR LIFE got off to a rough start for me. I found the beginning a little cringe-y and did not immediately love either Dutch or Matt. But the importance of friends to the main characters really saved this book. #LoveYourLife #netgalley

This book is about Ava who meets "Dutch" (not his real name) at a writer's retreat in Italy and starts a whirlwind love affair. When these two both return home to London, nothing in their relationship works out as well as they think. "Dutch" is now Matt who works long hours at his toxic family business, his ex-girlfriend is mentioned by his mother constantly, and maybe hates Ava's dog Harold. Can they learn to love each other's lives?

This was cute but not great. The cast of characters, Ava's friend and Matt's friends, were actually more interesting than either of the two leads. Sign me up for Nell and Topher's book! I didn't really like Matt or Ava, together or not. Sophie Kinsella's way of writing quirky female characters can be hit or miss, and this was a miss. Ava's "over optimism" hit me as naïve and her narration annoyed me. To the point where I set the book down and didn't pick it up for a few days. I almost didn't finish it. But I'm glad I did, because I did like the ending. But I wished I had more of the ending to see how these two worked it out. Because at the end, I still don't know if I liked this couple or believed in their chemistry.

I really liked how Love Your Life was like Kinsella’s old books. The characters were likeable. The middle of the book was a bit rough but I liked how it all fell into place.

I also really liked how Ava and Matt met in Italy on a writer’s retreat and then carried on with their fling in London. Except it wasn’t a fling, they were attempting to make it be a relationship. They quickly realized they weren’t on vacation anymore when they realized how different they were and things wasn’t all sunshine and roses.

They tried to work around their differences but they kept running into trouble. Ava ended up taking Matt’s advice to finish something.

I really liked how Matt ended up being friends with Ava’s friends and how his friends became part of the group also. I thought that loyalty was refreshing to see.

Love Your Life was a four star rating. I loved how it all fell into place at the end. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read and review this. I would definitely recommend this to any Sophie Kinsella reader. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love Your Life was another great book from Sophie Kinsella.

"Aria" and "Dutch" meet on a writing retreat where they don't know anything about the other, including their real names. They fall for each other quickly, but can they make it work in the real world, especially when they don't have anything in common?

This book gave me major Shopaholic vibes! The time Ava and Matt spent in Italy flew by quickly and I wasn't sure how it was going to go from there. They were so different in real life and you could see they were quickly grating on each other. Ava was a typical quirky but loveable Kinsella lead. Dutch/Matt was a little bit harder to crack but I loved to see how they both developed. I loved their friends and the relationships they build with one another. This is only one of a few books I've ever read with a character who has a chronic illness. I really appreciate the addition of Nell and her portrayal of what life with a chronic illness can be like.

The ending was so perfect. I don't want to give anything away, but I love how Kinsella wrapped it up and the development of Ava and Matt's relationship.

I continue to be a fan of Sophie Kinsella's books and will read anything she writes.

I love Sophie Kinsella stories - the relatable protagonists with relationships and mishaps that make me smile or cringe, and Love Your Life completely feeds her fanbase! Ava and Matt don't have the perfect relationship and their ups and downs seem so authentic. Harold as a foil just makes Love Your Life that much more enjoyable. The story starts with a bang, slows down for a ways in the middle but by the end I couldn't put it down and was desperate to know what would happen to Ava, Matt and their friends. For ChickLit fans, Kinsella simply doesn't disappoint! Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #LoveYourLife by Sophie Kinsella. It was exactly the distraction I needed!

I think this was just not the book for me. The insta-love of the characters was a little too unbelievable for me, Also the blatant disregard for red flags was eye roll inducing to the point that I just didn't want to continue reading.