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.

A very cute read! Sophie Kinsella’s characters are always so relatable! Great book to read while relaxing on the beach!

I LOVE Sophie Kinsella. Some of her books I would consider my very favorite in my life of reading and she truly made me fall in love with Chick Lit. It pains me to not love her book but I'll be honest, I probably only gave this 3 stars because it was a Kinsella, I started off liking it okay, and I did finish it. If you had given me this book without an author I would have never guessed it was a Sophie Kinsella book as it had a more immature feel to it. Looking back at the past few books I'm wondering if I'm just not compatible with Kinsella's new writing style.
I have conflicting feelings as there were cute parts in the beginning/end and cute parts sprinkled throughout with some funny bits but as a whole I couldn't connect and found myself feeling meh. The biggest issue is I didn't really like any of the characters 80% of the time. Ava was a mess and I know it was suppose to be quirky but it came out annoying to me. Normally we would cheer for her on her growth but it felt a little meh. Matt became boring most the time with a few sweet moments. Ava's friends were not fun to read about. My favorites were Matt's roommates, esp Topher. But as this book had some moments that made me smile and overall I did root for Ava and Matt, I don't regret reading it.
Of course I will continue to read Kinsella's books! She's one of my favorites. I've just been disappointed in 4 of the last 5 books which breaks my heart. I just want us to get back to the earlier writing style as it was perfect!

I have always been a fan of Sophie's ever since I read my first Shopaholic book! Love Your Life did not disappoint!
Ava-Londoner, single, 30-something, dog lover, vegetarian...finds herself on a once in a lifetime writing adventure in Italy. As luck would have it at the same hotel, another workshop has just canceled, and several of their participants choose to join the writing workshop. Amongst them is super hot, super muscular "Dutch" whom Ava is immediately taken to. Ava and Dutch start a relationship while in Italy and decide to continue it once they return to London. They know little about each other as the workshop is meant to be focused on writing and not on the persons involved in it. As they return to London they Ava starts to realize that Dutch aka. Matt, is the epitome of everything she did NOT want in a boyfriend. Meat eater, golfer, and not the biggest fan of her true love, her dog Harold. What I really love about this book is how the not so perfect perfect relationship is put to the test. It is a story that really explores the boundaries of true love and two people who are meant to be together despite the odds. I barely could put this book down the whole night after I started reading. Had it not been so late I probably would have read it the whole way through in one sitting! If you believe in true love, READ THIS BOOK!

What’s the best way to find the a romantic partner? Algorithms and filters on a dating app, or an open heart and serendipity?

In Sophie Kinsella’s latest novel, “Love Your Life,” young Londoner Ava would never go with the algorithm. She’s a freewheeling, quirky, whimsical kind of gal. When she meets the "perfect man" on a writing retreat in Italy, their effortless romance proves her right, or so she thinks.

Kinsella is writing at the top of her game as she brings her relatable main characters, Ava and Matt, firmly back down to earth in London, as they find out how incompatible they are in every way. Their personalities are polar opposites. Harold, Ava’s spoiled and destructive rescue beagle, wreaks havoc. Matt’s bullying parents and the family business pose obstacles that seem insurmountable, despite Ava’s cheerful determination. A blonde ex-girlfriend of Matt’s, Genevieve, is a spokesperson for the family company, and Matt’s parents want Matt and Genevieve back together. Ava is a vegetarian, and Matt’s an unapologetic carnivore. As Kinsella did throughout her "Shopaholic" series and in other novels, she spins a web of hilarious complications and makes the reader wonder, “how will they ever get out of this?”

With warm humor and hilarious banter (including a delightful supporting cast of girlfriends and guy roommates), Matt and Ava are each forced to grow up, break old patterns, and figure out what will work for their lives and ambitions. Kinsella keeps the reader guessing until the very end, and triumphs with a surprise ending that melted my heart. Highly recommended.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley and was encouraged to submit a review.

What a wonderful book! I am a huge Sophie Kinsella fan and this book did not disappoint! I really enjoyed the main characters and was quickly brought into the story by Kinsella's phenomenal writing. The world is a scary place right now, and this is the perfect book to escape into. I ended it with a smile on my face and laughed out loud quite a few times while reading it. Kinsella really is a timeless author. I'm so happy she gave us a new book!

Even though I'm old enough to be Ava's mom and haven't had to date in 30 years, I longed this book. Ava is adorable. I was worried the plot would get schmaltzy but it didn't. There was some really good insight in to what dating is like. Really fun.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the free ARC!

This was a classic Sophie Kinsella and it was enjoyable to read! The premise of the book is a classic girl meets guy on vacation and they have a world wind romance without finding out any details about each other. And then they decide to make in work in the “real” world when they finish their vacation. Ava and Matt , our two main characters are so incredibly different in the real world that they struggle to find that common footing ! Of course all their problems could be solved with communication but Ava decides that they should not talk about baggage stuff and live in the here and now, which obviously back fires on her, sometimes it was struggle to not yell at the characters to just talk about your issues!! The story really journeys through the idea of can you be with someone without knowing their entire history or much about them which I think Sophie does a great job at describing.

Along with Ava and Matt, Sophie created this wonderful group of secondary characters who are all very unique and depth to the story and by the end of the book I just wanted to end up know more about their stories as well! One of the characters who really stole the show for me was Harold... the dog ! He is just .... a special kind of dog for sure! This book had a lot of laughed out loud moments in it and the dialogue is witty and fun to read!

This is your perfect laid back reading material and if you are already a fan of Sophie Kinsella than you are going to love this!!

Opposites attracting is an understatement for these two totally different people. In Love Your Life, Ava and Matt navigate a relationship upon their return from a magical holiday. Ava’s free spirit and Matt’s structured life collide, while Harold the dog intensifies the chaos that exists between them. Sophie Kinsella presents a hilarious take on what happens when the initial relationship bubble bursts and couples have to face reality. A quick fun read that reminds us to Live our Best Life.

Matt and Ava meet during a magical week in Italy at a writing retreat. They fall in love while frolicking on beaches, building rock towers, and staying up all night with each other all while revealing no personal details about each other. When it is time to return to their real lives they decide they are going to make it work.
Back home they launch right into the middle of a serious relationship, and yet they still barely know each other. Obviously, this causes some rocky patches in their relationship, lots of fighting over work, clutter, and exes. Can the two make it work or was their week in Italy just a magical blip between 2 incompatible people in real life.

This is not among my favorite Sohphie Kinsella books; it lacks a lot of the charm of her best work. The main characters are not that likable; at the end Ava describes herself as having been shrill toward Matt and she was. She is very optimistic and sees her own life through rose colored glasses and yet yells at and is critical of Matt for him not having all of his life together. I found in the end I didn't really care whether they ended up together or now I was much happier when 2 of the supporting characters found love.

I am not the right audience for this book. The writing just seems so simplistic and the story boring. Sorry, but I tried. I'm sure we'll buy it for the patrons who will enjoy it. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I flew through the first half of this book, thinking to myself that Kinsella has redeemed herself after some of her previous books have been let downs for me. I laughed out loud more than once and that's what I love about her quirky writing and characters.
Then Ava just started to get down right whiny, annoying and I wanted her to grow up. I adored Ava & Matt's friends and the dog Harold- they made the entire book for me.
The plot seemed a little weak and underdeveloped for me but overall it was a fun and lighthearted read and I'll always read what Sophie Kinsella writes, I just will.

Love Your Life is out in October! Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for my advanced ebook copy.

I want the publisher to know that even though this one probably won't get as many positive reviews as her other books, I will always read what Sophie Kinsella writes! This one just wasn't a hit for me. I really didn't like Ava. I didn't find her endearing at all and it really took away from the story. I also didn't laugh out loud like I usually do with a Sophie Kinsella book, and the romance just didn't work for me. The ending felt a little weird to me, but I will say that the plotting for the rest of the story was very well done.

After her unsuccessful attempts with dating, Ava decides to put aside love and focus on writing her novel. She sets out to a remote writers retreat in Italy, leaving behind her best friends and beloved beagle Harold. The rules of the retreat are simple: no cell phones and no sharing real identities or personal information. When a martial arts retreat being held at the same location gets canceled, some of the students join the writing course. Ava now called Aria meets Dutch (Matt), who appears to be her perfect mach. Their relationship quickly turns into a romantic fling with both professing their love for one another. As the retreat comes to an end, they decide to continue their relationship despite knowing very little about each other. Reality kicks in when Ava and Matt return to their normal lives and quickly realize they don't seem to be compatible at all.

Love Your Life is a charming, fun, and somewhat quirky romance novel in which two people who think they are perfect for each other soon realize they couldn't be more opposite. I don't typically read books from the romance genre, but I wanted something a little more fluffy and upbeat than my usual selections. I have read and enjoyed several of Sophie Kinsella's novels (shopaholic series) in the past. There were definitely some endearing moments and a few times I even laughed out loud but there were also a few themes that were a bit disheartening. Although there were some really loveable moments, the characters are absolutely ridiculous and their interactions after Italy are almost cringe-worthy. I found most of the friends to be quirky and more charming than Ava and Matt and the clever and witty Harold (the Beagle) ended up being my favorite character. Overall this was a fun and flirtatious novel with several laughable moments that I am sure many romance lovers will enjoy.

This was one of my favorite Kinsella novels to date! Her characters are quirky and flawed, with enough redeeming qualities to make them easy to root for. This was a light and fun romance, a bit predictable, but just what I needed.

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella was a light, fun, cute book which I needed in-between everything going on in the world and the darker novels I gravitate towards.

Ava and Matt meet at a writers workshop where they have taken on fake names and can’t speak of anything personal. Despite this, they instantly connect and have a week long romance. When its time to get back to their normal lives, they decide to make this new relationship work.

As they get to know each other, they realize that they might be way more different than they first thought. Are they truly compatible? Or was their week long fling just a vacation romance, not meant to go the distance?

Heres the official synopsis:

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 neighboring martial arts retreat is canceled 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-colored Mediterranean waters and exploring the splendor 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?

In her signature writing style, Sophie Kinsella delivers a perfectly good book that is pure entertainment. Just grab this book and relax for an afternoon of reading! You don’t have to focus on it too hard, just enjoy this sweet and humorous story!



Don’t miss this, due out on October 27!