I am always drawn to Sophie Kinsella books. The minute I see she has a new arrival I am giddy with joy. I admit this had a slow start for me, but once it picked up I could not put it down. Ava and Matt meet on a writing retreat, and while they do know a thing about each other, they soon do once they return to normalcy. They both learn to give and take as any relationship, but can it withstand? Read to find out. 

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

I was drawn to this book by the fact that the main character was to attend a writing workshop in Italy, but the setting shifts back to the UK faster than I anticipated. I had also never read a Sophie Kinsella book before, and I obviously know how beloved they can be. It had the same vibe as Bridget Jones's Diary and other British romcom-esque books I've read, so in the beginning I was chuckling along and flying through. After a while though, I felt less like I was laughing with Ava about the ridiculousness of her life, and more like I was laughing *at* Ava about the RIDICULOUSness of her life. There was never a believable reason to understand the foundation of Ava and Matt's relationship beyond lust. They were soo comically different from each other, which of course is the point, but this was taken to a wild extreme. My favorite part of the book was Matt's flatmates, who seemed like the only people I would want to meet in real life.

What an interesting and different premise for a book. I was instantly drawn into the plot and the cast of characters. I did find Ava a little hard to relate to as we have very little in common but I was able to get over it. I liked how it felt as if the readers got a sneak peek as to what happens after the final kiss and I was left feeling very satisfied. Overall a satisfying and heart warming read.

Date reviewed: July 30														
														
When life for the entire universe and planet turns on its end and like everyone else you "have nothing to do" while your place of work is closed and you are continuing to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation,  superspeed readers like me can read 250+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today. And it is way too hot to go outside, so why not sit in from of the blasting a/c and read and review books??  BTW - stay home and save lives!!!!!!!! No tan is worth dying for.														
														
I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  														
														
From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.														

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of I Owe You One, 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

Call Ava romantic, but she thinks love should be found in the real world, not on apps that filter men by height, job, or astrological sign. She believes in feelings, not algorithms. So after a recent breakup and dating app debacle, she decides to put love on hold and escapes to a remote writers’ retreat in coastal Italy. She’s determined to finish writing the novel she’s been fantasizing about, even though it means leaving her close-knit group of friends and her precious dog, Harold, behind.

At the retreat, she’s not allowed to use her real name or reveal any personal information. When the neighbouring martial arts retreat is cancelled and a few of its attendees join their small writing community, Ava, now going by “Aria,” meets “Dutch,” a man who seems too good to be true. The two embark on a baggage-free, whirlwind love affair, cliff-jumping into gem-coloured Mediterranean waters and exploring the splendour of the Italian coast. Things seem to be perfect for Aria and Dutch.

But then their real identities—Ava and Matt—must return to London. As their fantasy starts to fade, they discover just how different their personal worlds are. From food choices to annoying habits to sauna etiquette . . . are they compatible in anything? And then there’s the prickly situation with Matt’s ex-girlfriend, who isn’t too eager to let him go. As one mishap follows another, it seems while they love each other, they just can’t love each other’s lives. Can they reconcile their differences to find one life together?

Given all the #COVID19 crap going on, I was more than happy (excited? ecstatic?|)  to receive a book from my beloved Sophie Kinsella. An what a breath of fresh air this novel was. Her writing has not faded - it is a fresh and inviting as it was in her first Shopaholic book (ditto her Madeline Wickham writing). The story is cute and enjoyable --- it was as refreshing as a much-needed prosecco on this very hot, very humid day that I am reviewing it on.

Love Sophie? Read this book.  New to Sophie? Read this book. Looking for a great read? Choose this book!!
(sense a theme???)

As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I love emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube  Millionaires/etc. " on Instagram and Twitter... Get a real job, people!) so let's give it some prosecco 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

Sophie Kinsella has done it again! Love Your Life follows a complicated relationship between Ava and Matt, and it is filled with endearing characters and a few that you just want to slap. I particularly loved how Kinsella wove the character of Harold, Ava's dog, throughout the book. He was endearing and a key character. Overall, a fun read!

I've been reading Sophie Kinsella's writing for over 15 years: and I have yet to be disappointed! In Love Your Life, we meet Ava, a sweet, scattered woman who attends a writing retreat so she can stop distracting herself with terrible dates and get "that novel" done... and, of course, she meets a handsome man, Dutch, and falls in love. Determined to make it work, they stay together upon their return to London... and realize that they have conflicting lifestyles. I grew attached to Ava--- she was similar to Shopaholic's Becky, except with free items--- and, more importantly, Ava's terribly behaved beagle. Anyone who loves Shopaholic will love this book, or if you're just a fan of lighthearted romances. Thank you so much to netgalley and Random House for the ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review!

A new Sophie Kinsella book is always exciting! I realized recently that it has been 20 years since her first Shopaholic book and in those 20 years I have read every book she has written. I even recently re=read my favourite of hers, The Undomestic Goddess. More recently however her books have become a bit hit or miss for me. Some have gone on to become absolute favourites, some more middle of the road reads for me.

This book was more of the latter for me.. I took me quite a few chapters to really become engaged with the story and I think the only reason why I didn't absolutely love this book was because it felt rushed. I think it needed a bit more time invested in who the characters are so we understand why they are behaving the way they do. It wasn't enough to just find them in their situation, I couldn't understand what it was about them that was driving them to be so invested in their relationship which left me uninvested in them.

However, like all Sophie Kinsella books, I wouldn't dissuade someone from reading this book. Especially if they are a fan. I would offer a "it's not my favourite, but it's still a good read." Maybe that's a problem of reading an author who writes so many books, you are always comparing the book to their previous works rather than considering it just on its own. But if someone were looking to start reading Kinsella's books, I wouldn't start them with this one. I would rate this book a 3.5 to reflect how I feel about the book but I would round that up to 4 because even when a book isn't what I would consider her best, a book by Sophie Kinsella is always a good read.

Another fun Sophie Kinsella book!  I love how the author always finds a way into the readers heart with her writing and funny exchanges.  If you are a Sophie Kinsella fan, this is a must read.

Aria and Dutch end up at a writers retreat under assumed names where the focus is on writing, and real names and personal details are not to be a topic of conversation during that time.  The two hit it off and a romance begins.  They don't reveal anything about their true identities until they land home in London.  Promises to be together forever are thrown on end when their true personalities, quirks, and circles of friends/families are revealed.  This book was a light-hearted read that felt a little cutesy and awkward at times, but enjoyable overall.

If you love Sophie Kinsella, you will love this book -- and it is also a good introduction to this author for those of you who haven't read any of her books yet. Ava is a little scattered -- she can't seem to launch her career or her love life. She goes away for a week to a writer's conference in Italy, determined to write a novel. She meets "Dutch," and falls instantly in love with this man of mystery. Can their love survive real life back in London? It's a rough road, with lots of twists and turns, and lots of fun in this lighthearted romance.

Fans of Sophie Kinsella will certainly enjoy reading her newest book, Love Your Life.  The main character, Ava (who is very reminiscent of Becky from the Shopaholic series in her tone and attitude), meets the perfect man and falls in love at an anonymous writing retreat.  However, when they return to their real life, things aren't quite as rosy as they seemed at first.  While ultimately predictable, this book did a great job of delving into the ups and downs of a relationship as well as examining the question of 'how much compromise is too much?'.  Overall, a great read!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Although absolutely operating in different interpretations of "land", Ava and Matt believed in their love and were committed to each other. Ava certainly is scatty and had a hard time finishing anything unless it pertained to Harold. However, no one can argue about her optimism and the size of her heart. She opened Matt's eyes to new perspective as to how you can view life and that he can strike his own path. I was glad that Ava went back to Italy and achieved her goal. In achieving their separate dreams, they became stronger as a couple. A truly happy novel.

This is my first time reading anything by Sophie Kinsella. I know, I am very behind. I recently got into the romance genre and she comes highly recommended. I can totally see why! 

From the second I started this book, I was hooked! Dutch and Aria are away at a writer's retreat in Italy and they perfect couple from day 1. The catch? They use aliases while on the retreat, so they don't know each others real names. They decide to jump head first into the fantasy and agree not to share personal details while on the trip. I had butterflies in my stomach from the moment they connect. They go on a dreamy first date, that is very Mamma Mia meets Sisterhood of the Traveling pants vibe. Dutch is such a big strong lovable teddy bear, and Aria is a marvelous author-to-be, who loves to live in a fantasy world. It is everything you could ever want from a romance novel. 

This is where the book gets a little crazy, and the reason for the so-so review. 
Aria, who is actually named Ava, and Dutch, who is actually Matt leave their dreamland of Italy and head back into the real world. From the moment they land, you know they are in trouble. Ava's crazy best friends show up and cause absolute chaos and the airport, no thanks to Harold, her crazy dog. Matt also immediately runs into a work situation and they are pulled in separate directions. 

Ava, who once came off as whimsical, became really annoying and unlikeable to me. She lived in such a dream world, I felt myself getting secondhand embarrassment from her actions. She was easily the most arrogant person in the book, and called everyone else arrogant. She could never see her own faults, only others, and refused to live in the real world. She constantly was whining and acting like a child. It drove me nuts. 

Matt on the other hand, had an entire personality change once they got home. He was stiff as a rock, couldn't relax, and got so mad about EVERYTHING. I understand that Italy was a vacation, but I am not THAT different on vacation. It was almost unbelievable. 

The story lost a bit of it's spark with both characters being so unlikeable. The side characters, like Matt's roommates were more interesting than listening to these people fight. 

SPOILER: The story turned around when they finally talked through their issues. It became much more realistic to me, and I was back aboard, shipping Ava and Matt yet again. The ending actually made me shed a tear.


OVERALL: If you are a fan of Sophie's already, you will love this book. It was a wonderfully original romance novel that made me laugh out loud multiple times. Although the characters were maddening at times, it made me get immersed in the story more because I needed to see how it would turn out between them! 

Thank you Sophie, Netgalley, and Dial Press for lending me an early copy! I am honored!!

The first part of Love Your Life is like a bachelor dream date love story set in one of the most picturesque parts of Italy, Puglia, with its warm sunshine and Mediterranean cliffs and mouth watering gelato…but then real life sets in. When free-spirited Ava and the more serious Matt return to London, they continue to get to know each other, and realize that their lives are a lot different outside of the perfect vacation bubble they created back in Italy. Filled with funny and awkward moments, quirky characters, and the perfect ending - Love Your Life has all the things I’ve come to expect and love from Sophie Kinsella novels!

DNF at 35%. I've always loved Sophie Kinsella. Undomestic Goddess and Can You Keep a Secret were frequent re-reads of mine, and the Shopaholic series has always been a fun romp! But her books have been declining and this newest offering is nothing short of abysmal. Kinsella gives me no reason to be invested in these characters or their cringey insta-love romance. It reads like she had a vacation in Italy that she wanted to write off as a business expense. Ava, the main character, is completely unlikable with no real problems. By the time I stopped reading this book I had just been skimming the pages, hoping for something to catch my interest and reel me back in. But no.

Typical Sophie Kinsella fluff with romance and light hearted read.  Fans of a good beach read will appreciate this title.

Ava is a starter—she started an aromatherapy course, she’s going to sell her Batik prints on Etsy, she’s writing a book—but not much of a finisher.  Love Your Life begins with Ava leaving for a writing retreat in Italy, where she meets the dishy Dutch, who ended up in the course when his martial arts retreat was cancelled.  They fall for each other on vacation, with rules about not talking about their lives at home.  Uhh, recipe for disaster.  The rest of the book is them getting to know each other and deciding if this is really going to work or not (spoiler:  they don’t have much in common).  
Typical of Sophie’s books (I have a hard time calling her by her last name, I feel like we're friends), she introduces us to quirky lovable characters.  Ava is erratic and a rescuer (she rescues dogs, books, furniture), a militant vegetarian who thinks everyone else should be, too, but she has a big heart and is a loyal friend.  The scene where she’s reading to Dutch from this relationship book that she found, that isn’t a relationship book at all but is really a travel guide entitled, In a Strange Land: How to Acclimate to a New Country, is really the epitome of her worldview, and so funny.  Her friends don’t get nearly as many pages as she does, but we still get a great sense of who they are—Maud the asker-of-favors, Sarika the controller (her dating algorithm kind of takes your breath away), and Nell who speaks her mind yet doesn’t scare anyone away.  Then there is Dutch, whose real name, well, I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s not Jean-Luc, and his friends.  We see even less of them in the book, yet still by the end we see how well they fit in with Ava’s friends.  Then there are villains—Dutch’s family and ex-girlfriend—who turn out to be not quite so bad, or at least comical in their badness.  While this isn’t my favorite of Sophie Kinsella’s books (head for Can you Keep a Secret? if you want her best, and sorry, but stay away from the Shopaholic series), and I think the title isn’t quite right, I still devoured the book and come away wishing I knew these people in real life.

Typical Sophie Ronald.  Ava meets a Matt at a writers' retreat and they fall in love.  They are determined to make it work, but in the real world, they see that they do not mesh at all.  Ava is a romantic who loves her dog and lives in a apartment that consists of thrift store finds.  Matt lives in a modern apartment with scary artwork and is astonished to learn that she is a vegetarian.  Their families, friends and lives do not seem to mesh, but they are determined to make it work.

Sophie Kinsella has created another must read story. Ava is a free spirit who starts many things but never quite gets around to finishing them. Matt is more of a Type A personality, down to only wearing blue shirts. They meet at a writers workshop in Italy, where everything is magical. They are happy to find out that they both live in London and can easily continue the relationship. But reality gets in the way as both Ava and Matt discover things that they don’t like about the other. Will they be able to get past those issues or will they even be willing to try? You’ll enjoy the journey!

Love your Life by Sophie Kinsella brings forth all the good things about the genre, humor, relatable characters, and a wonderful storyline. The story is about Ava and Matt, two people who are drawn to each other despite their different personalities, backgrounds, and differences of opinion in just about anything. They are supported by a cast of characters who are equally interesting and well- developed.
Ava and Matt meet at a writer's retreat in Italy, and sparks fly instantly. But when they come back to London (and reality), cracks begin to appear in the relationship. What follows is a journey of self-discovery and what it means to love someone unconditionally. Ava and Matt's characters are beautifully developed and well-rounded. The pacing and storyline flow naturally. But one of the best things about this book is the humor, and once again, the author does not disappoint. The incidents with the chair in Ava's house or sauna at Matt's home are hilarious. The book is alternately funny and poignant in the best possible way. I am a librarian, and we have many patrons who love Sophie Kinsella. Then, there are those patrons who ask for reader's advisory about books that are women's fiction or books with lots of humor.  I will recommend this book to them.