I completely understand why Sophie Kinsella books get turned into movies. I just picture the whole book on the big screen. This has the sarcastic charm and wit that we love about this author. It’s the rom/com and chick-lit vibe that she is so famous for. If you are looking for a quirky fun read, definitely pick this one up.

Love Your Life
By: Sophie Kinsella
Random House Publishing
The Dial Press

I’m a big fan of author Sophie Kinsella and Love Your Life is another winner!

If you’ve read any of my reviews, it’s no secret that I love a quirky character! And boy is Ava delightfully quirky! Ava is a freelancer and dabbles in aromatherapy, writing, and furniture restoration. She starts a lot of projects, but doesn’t finish them. She likes to rescue books that no one wants and garbage furniture. She is an obsessed dog mom to her precious rescue beagle, Harold. She decides she wants to write a historical fiction novel and goes on a retreat in Italy that helps writers. The retreat has some kooky rule where you use a made up name instead of your own to help with the creative process. There she becomes “Aria” and meets “Dutch”. They have a steamy week of romance and when they find out they both live in London, decide to reveal themselves and continue the relationship.

But the perfect week for “Aria” and “Dutch” does not equal the perfect relationship for Ava and Matt. These two begin to see just how different they are! From food choices (Ava is a vegetarian and tries to covert Matt) to mattress types (firm vs. soft), apartments (modern with robots vs. shabby chic), dog training (dogs in bed or not) . . . Are they compatible in anything? They seem to love each other, but not each other’s lifestyles.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I adored this one. Ava and Matt were great characters and as a bonus their friends/roomates Nell, Maud, Topher and Nihal were great secondary characters. I could honestly see future books with those characters. Pretty, please!? 🤞🏻

Thanks to @netgalley and @thedialpress for honoring my request to read and review this eARC. This one is out today - 10/27!

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella is a delightful woman’s fiction book that I would also consider to be a romance. When Ava (no last name) and Matt Warwick meet at a writing retreat in rural Italy, it’s love at first sight and but can their holiday fling survive the real world when they are no longer Aria and Dutch, the names they assumed in one of the exercises for the course? They try to have a baggage-free relationship, which seems doomed to failure because even if you set them down temporarily, that luggage is still sitting there waiting for you to trip over it when you least expect it. I loved this story, delightful protagonists, a strong supporting cast of friends and family and a beagle who will steal your heart with his antics. A nice balance of humour and angst made this book one that kept me up reading way past my bedtime because I didn’t want to put it down till I knew how it ended. Steam Level: Medium. Content Warning: Gratuitous breaking of the don’t hurt the dog rule… don’t worry, he survives, but yes, this is something bothers me, especially when I can’t see why it was necessary. Publishing Date: October 27, 2020 #LoveYourLife #SophieKinsella #RandomHousePublishingGroup #RandomHouse #TheDialPress #WomansFiction #RomanticFiction #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #ContemporaryRomance

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella is a smart, charming, and witty read. Although I was a little annoyed with the main character, in the end, I loved this book so much. There was character growth and the story proves that although true love isn't perfect, it can work when two people learn to compromise. I loved that Ava pushed the boundaries and did not settle for less, Also, Matt found his true happiness in life. The harsh realities of "real life" caused them to look within and figure out what they really wanted. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the electronic advanced readers copy of Love Your Life.

When optimistic and whimsical Ava signs up for a writing retreat at an Italian monastery she plans to finally focus on writing her novel, her passion of the moment. The retreat has strict rules to keep writers focused: kurta pajama dress code, restriction on personal details shared, and all participants must use aliases. But Ava- turned Aria- quickly loses her focus when a martial arts retreat gets canceled, and a dreamy man going by "Dutch" joins the group. The two hit it off in a whirlwind holiday romance, choosing to keep their pasts and real life at a distance and focus on each other in the present moment. But when the retreat ends, can Ava and Matt have the same sort of connection that Aria and Dutch had? Or will adjusting to each other's real-life selves prove too challenging.

As always, Kinsella delivers a hilarious rom-com with a dynamite cast of characters. I found the dynamic between Ava, Matt, and their friends to be the most compelling aspect, and in fact it was the friendship demonstrated in this novel that had me going a bit misty rather than the romance. I'm not going to lie, there were moments even I thought Matt and Ava should call it quits, but as usual, Kinsella won me over at the end. This is the first time I have read a Sophie Kinsella novel rather than listen to them on audio (which I highly recommend!). Her humor and upbeat narratives are perfect listening. I love a good, flawed main character, but Ava veered a bit too on the obnoxious side. I think I probably would have been less frustrated with Ava's obliviousness and often cringe-worthy behavior and just enjoyed the ride a bit more had I listened to this rather than read. Still a creative premise and a delightful adventure.

I love Sophie books and this was definitely one of my favorites! If you want a book to keep you up all night and enjoy every word than this is the book for you!!! Highly recommend all her books but this might be my new favorite!

i really could not get into this book, and I only stuck with it because there are few things worse to me than giving up on a book. it felt more unrealistic than romance novels usually do, and you just wanted to scream that they should find someone else the whole time. it honestly just felt a bit ridiculous and unhealthy.

Love Your Life is everything you would expect from a Sophie Kinsella novel: short, sweet, and swoony! Love Your Life centers around a unique concept: Ava meets the love of her life at a writer's retreat. Matt is a great guy (he could even be *the one*) but, when they get home from their unplanned romantic getaway they discover that they might not be so compatible after all. While their romantic chemistry is still there, their lives are so incompatible, it is hilarious. Ava and Matt want to make things work… but at what cost? Be sure to pick up this book if you are looking for a light and fun(ny) read! Added bonus: absolutely adorable dogs and killer BFFs!!

DNF @ 20% I just can’t buy in to the main protagonist. She seems stupid and vapid. I like her friends WAY more than her. I like her DOG more than her. And my dislike of her yields my dislike of Dutch - she seems like an “any guy will do” type person and so I can’t buy into him either. I used to LOVE Sophie Kinsella but I think there’s just better and smarter romance out there these days that the same old tricks don’t cut it anymore. Thank you for the advanced copy - I just couldn’t get into it.

This was a cute, fun rom-com of a book that I enjoyed reading. I found parts to be laugh out loud funny and generally enjoyed this lighthearted book. While I found certain aspects of the characters and their incompatible lives to be a bit exaggerated at times, it didn't significantly detract from the book for me. My one criticism is that the ending wrapped up SO quickly - there was so much action and I wanted a little more depth to that last part of the story! Otherwise, I think fans of Sophie Kinsella (or anyone looking for something light and breezy to read right now) will definitely enjoy this next release!

Sophie Kinsella’s stories are a hit or miss for me and unfortunately this is another miss. The insta-love between the two characters happens very quickly but then all the drama and differences between the characters were enough that I lost interest in the story and wondered why they even kept trying. Ava was pretty immature and one of my pet peeves is when people don’t finish what they start and maybe that was part of my issue with the story so maybe others will enjoy it but I did not.

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

There is something so splendid about picking up a Sophie Kinsella book. You know that it will be the perfect mix of laugh out loud funny and realistic yet endearing romance. When I start reading, I know I'm in for a treat. Love Your Life was just the book I needed during this stressful time in our lives.

Ava has recently booked a stay at a writers retreat in Italy in hopes of finally taking time to finish her novel. The attendees aren't allowed to give their real names or any personal information to the other attendees so that they may only focus on their work. While not on the lookout for romance, Ava does meet "Dutch". Their romance blossoms in this unique bubble of the writers retreat, but doesn't give them much opportunity to learn about what their lives are like back home. When they return home, Ava and Matt a/k/a "Dutch" have a lot to learn about each other. As you might imagine, that is just the beginning of all the fun in store for you when reading Love Your Life.

I truly enjoyed this novel so much and appreciated the break from reality to just dive into Ava's world. It isn't often enough that I read a book that is laugh out loud funny and I love Sophie Kinsella for providing me those moments. Love Your Life is a really fun and rewarding read.

I received this book courtesy of Dial Press Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite authors, and I love how every single one of her stories are wonderful and unique in their own ways, AND they are absolutely keeping up with the times! Love Your Life is the story of Ava and her modern struggle with.. you guessed it.. dating, and dating apps? What?

An all too familiar world we live in, especially now. During these uncertain times of quarantine and social distancing, how is anyone supposed to me the one? It’s a super funny, relatable, adorable novel. I didn’t want it to end, and now who knows how long I’ll have to wait for Sophie Kinsella’s next book! They’re always a wonderful treat to look forward to.

Love Your Life has the humor we like, the smiles we want out of a story, and the romance we are always looking for! Both in real life and in our favorite books lol!

Love Your Life might come at just the right time for a lot of readers. It’s filled with hope, a beautiful story of inner strength and self love.

A feel-good, breezy romcom, Sophie Kinsella’s Love Your Life stars Ava and Matt, who meet at a writers’ retreat in an idyllic Italian coastal monastery. The rules of the retreat demand anonymity from one’s fellow writers and separation from one’s everyday life, and that plus the holiday atmosphere mean the pair fall in love without even having learned one another’s real names. They’re so in love, surely this is the real thing, right? But when they return to London, certain they’ll find a way to make the relationship continue into their real lives, they realize that maybe a romantic meet-cute is only the beginning.

This is the first of Kinsella’s books I’ve read, and I get the hype now. This book was just plain fun. It’s easy, it’s readable (for 432 pages, it sped by), it clips along hitting all the satisfying points with just enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. The characters are a bit over the top, in a good way. This is most clearly with the leads, flighty, optimistic Ava and stolid, logical Matt, but there’s a fun ensemble of side characters helping them out. You can’t ever really fault Love Your Life as slow or dragging; in fact, the opposite is more true, since the ending comes crashing through like a roller coaster taking a sudden nosedive (so much time passing and events happening in so few pages!). Still, it’s a fun read with engaging characters and genuine conflict, perfect for reading on holiday or by the beach, ideally a summery Italian beach with the love of your life.

(Content warning for animal injury late in the book.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for the advance review copy!

At a writing retreat the students are urged to use a fake name and share no details of their life. Ava 'Aria' meets 'Dutch' and it's attraction at first sight. When she finds out the attraction is mutual and they start a relationship, Ava finds it hard to continue writing her novel without adding details of her new relationship.
After the retreat ends, things become more complicated. 'Dutch' aka Matt is the wealthy heir to the family business and constantly in communication with his father about work...sometimes at inopportune moments. Ava is addicted to her Whatsapp account, keeping constant contact with her close group of friends, even during sex. They seem to have absolutely nothing in common and their idyllic romance in Italy seems farther and farther apart from their real lives. Can they work out their differences or was it not meant to be?
Ava's super flighty always optimistic attitude was a little annoying. The fact that she expected him to give up his apartment and become vegetarian made me mad. But I love how attached she is to her dog, Harold. The humorous bits about the trouble he gets into were the best parts of the story.
Thank you to The Dial Press and Sophie Kinsella for the copy of this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

When I want to read a fun, upbeat romance, Sophie Kinsella has become one of my go-to authors. Love Your Life, her latest novel, is about what it takes to make a relationship work. After a whirlwind holiday romance, Ava and Matt must figure out how to continue their relationship. This book has romance, hilarious situations, and an endearing group of characters. It would be a wonderful read while you're cooped up in your home.


What I Liked:

Romance:

At first, I didn't quite buy how quickly Ava and Matt hook up during a writing retreat in Italy. While the romance was idyllic, I was put off a bit by how quickly the couple declared their undying love for each other. But, this is the set up for the rest of the book. How can they really be in love when they hardly know each other?

But, as they learn to navigate each other like they were visiting exotic countries, they find out if they can really love each other. I think this is a major thing for most couples to figure out. Can sexual chemistry be the only thing to sustain a couple? How much do you need to have in common?


Hilarious Situations:

As Ava tries to learn more about Matt, she must entered the mine-field that is his family, his unusual roommates, and an array of exes. This leads to many really fun situations. Ever the optimist, Ava tries to find the best in each situation. This can't be easy as his mother is still enamored with perfect Genevieve, the Instagram-ready ex who has ingratiated herself into Matt's family. I really loved the Harriet's House convention where Ava finally comes to understand just how much Matt's family business has become a cultural phenomenon. And Ava's meet up with Matt's aunt (in a sauna) has got to be one of the funniest things I've read in a while.


Friends:

Both Ava and Matt have friends that are a big part of their lives. Ava's friends are supportive and fill the gap where Ava's parents should be. There's Maud, who is always asking for a favor, Sarika, who is addicted to dating apps, and Nell, who is strong, but does need help with managing her chronic illness. They are loud, funny, and opinionated. Matt's friends seem to be exact opposites of Ava's besties. Topher is a tech guru who is obsessed with robots, and the internet, and Nahil, who, besides being very kind, doesn't like people. Matt and his roommate's flat is a total man-cave, complete with strange art and a color scheme that could best be described as modern gothic. I loved how Ava and Matt learns to appreciate each group, and each group interacts with the other.

Thank you to Random House, Dial Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 Stars!

Sophie Kinsella does it again (were you expecting anything different?)! Ava decides that an Italian retreat is exactly what she needs to get her life back on track. Leaving behind her adorable dog she packs up and heads to a writers retreat where you're required to live under a pseudonym throughout the duration of the program. Ava quickly develops feelings for Matt and they decide to give the relationship a go once they leave the retreat. What makes this story great is that it breaks the trope of a fantasy vacation affair and shows what it's like once you return back to your normal life. Sometimes relationships aren't easy, and when they leave the comfort of the writers retreat, reality shines a new life on Ava and Matt.

Cute, fun and sweet. I really enjoyed following along on Ava’s journey of self discovery. I loved the landscape and food she described in the beginning of the book. I was a little underwhelmed smack dab in the middle of the book. But it picked back up and I finished it with a flurry of reading. I think I’ll pick up another one of her books. Thanks #netgalley for the advanced copy.

I am a big Sophie Kinsella fan, so naturally I was very excited to read an ARC of "Love Your Life". The story stars Ava and Matt, two people who have an instant connection at a writer's retreat, where they use fake names. Once they're reunited back in their "normal" lives in London, readers are taken on a journey of hilarious ups and downs, and heartfelt conversations. If it weren't 40* where I live right now, I would definitely recommend this as a classic beach read due to its' funny, light subject matter.

This was very cute and exactly what fans of Sophie Kinsella have come to expect from the author. Main character Ava reminds me a lot of Becky from the Shopaholic series- she's perilously idealistic and kind, and trusts others to her detriment. The ending takes a bit of a turn and there's a plot element I didn't really care for, but this was generally a fun and sweet story.