the premise and plot of this book sounds pretty good and cool. but i feel like the writing retreat is more of a cult and is just not good. and overall it was just pretty boring. and the main character was just pretty annoying and it honestly kind of pissed me off ngl

Thanks to Netgalley, Random house publishing and Sophia Kinsella for this arc. I’ve read all of this Sophia Kinsella’s books and enjoy every one. I’m more a fan of the shopaholic series then the stand alone ones. The beginning of this story was good, the middle was a bit slow, but the end was worth it all. 4 star but I’m still going to read them all no matter. Reviews of mine are on Amazon (when allowed), goodreads, twitter, all my book clubs and especially sharing with my readaholic friends

There is a certain mad cap sameness to Kinsella's heroines, but each one always seems fresh with a new set of obstacles. Ava is full of life and emotion, starting many projects, ending few. She decides to attend a writing retreat and she meets 'Dutch'. A no questions romance ensues, but the book takes off when they get back to England and try to integrate their real lives together. Lots of laughs, a very disobedient beagle and a group of very good friends round out the cast in another fun book by Kinsella.

A new and exciting character from Sophie Kinsella. Ava recently broke up with her boyfriend, she has a loyal and diverse friend group and a dog that she adores. Ava has been trying to write a novel. She decides to attend a writing retreat in Italy. The goal - to write and relax. No friends, no romance - just write! Since this is a Sophie Kinsella book, you can guess what happens... She meets Dutch and the story begins but not much writing!

If I don’t click with at least one of the MCs of a romance novel, there’s no hope of me enjoying it. With this book, I absolutely loathed one MC (Ava) and only barely tolerated the other (Matt). So to say that this was an unpleasant reading experience is putting it mildly. The only reason I finished the whole thing was because Netgalley and the publisher so kindly approved me to read an ARC (and then I didn’t read it until after it was published and listened to the audiobook instead, oops). So with that guilt weighing heavily on me, I rage scribbled notes as I endured the ridiculous, unbelievable, juvenile “love” story of Ava and Matt.

Ava is insufferable. I cannot emphasize enough how much I hated this woman. I hesitate to even call her a woman because she acted, spoke, and thought like a prepubescent girl. If there’s such thing as a YA Romance genre, this should have been classified as that. In my notes, there are repeated versions of the sentiment “this bitch is crazy” and even though I hate to call women crazy (don’t want to perpetuate the misogynistic idea that we’re all unhinged due to our lady parts), but this bitch was crazy. One week after meeting Matt on vacation, they come back and Ava essentially moves into his house (complaining about how it’s not her style the whole time), gets upset when he’s not a vegetarian like her, gets pissy when he tries to do his job rather than pay her attention, and is indignant when people get mad when she allows her untrained dog to run wild and ruin all their expensive belongings. She also calls secondhand items “rescued,” i.e. “rescued books,” “rescued furniture,” and constantly refers to her group of inane babbling friends “the squad.” I hated her so much.

There’s not much to say about Matt – he was much more carefree and fun while on vacation when they met and then became pretty boring and businesslike once he got back home (imagine that). The romance between these two was nonexistent. It was repeated throughout the book, the only thing they had in common was that they both like sex and ice cream. Okay, cool, but that doesn’t really make an inexplicable bond between people (especially when there are zero steamy romance scenes to show readers even that basest level of attraction), so why am I supposed to care about them as a couple? They were completely incompatible and just expected the other to change to suit them.

This book just wasn’t for me and I’m thinking maybe Sophie Kinsella isn’t for me either (I’ve read one other book by her, Finding Audrey, which I gave three stars and can barely remember). I think I’m going to take a break from the romance genre for a bit because boy howdy did this one turn me off it.

I love all of Sophie Kinsella's books (especially the Becky books) and this one doesn't disappoint! Yes, it wasn't like her normal books. But I loved Matt & Ava, and I am SUCH a dog lover that this was right up my alley! It is always good to read about new characters so give it a try!

What a beautiful read! I loved how Kinsella emphasizes the differences between fantasy and reality. Every person comes with baggage; no person is that perfect. I love how Matt and Ava both experience character developments throughout the novel. They learn that they both have flaws, and there is no such thing as having a perfect life. They both come from different worlds, and the way they fall in love and learn to accept each other for who they are was so fascinating to read about. Also, the emphasis on FRIENDSHIP and being there for your loved ones gave a strong message! Definitely a wonderful read!

This book felt very much like what I recall reading Ms.Kinsella’s shopaholic series felt like. Not for everyone, but some quite enjoy that type of character. This was a DNF for me, which is surprising as I enjoy all of her non-shopaholic books.

This book just didn’t do it for me. I adore Sophie kinsella’s shopaholic series, so I was so excited to pick this one up, but it felt kind of canned? The characters weren’t very special and I liked the beginning of the book at the retreat but once they left the retreat it felt like any other romance book.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

I had to give this book a lower rating then I normally would because of personal reasons. Being overly positive and never dealing with what's happening is a trigger for me. But I love her books and will continue to recommend her to people.

I skipped a third of this book. I couldn't stand the protagonist. I felt like I was screaming at them on the regular and I should have known better when I started reading and hoped the story was about her friends.

If you are a fan of contemporary romance or any of Sophie Kinsella's other books, I suggest adding this one to your list! It was a fun read about love and life.

Ava is a romantic. But she doesn't believe in finding love on the internet like her friends. After a few online dates that went wrong she decides to focus on herself and her writing. She decides to go on a writing retreat to Italy where she will focus on finishing her book. Enter a handsome man who captivates her. The two end up spending the week together and falling quickly in love. But once they are back in London, in their real lives, will their romance be able to hold up? They are so incredibly different after all.

While this book was not perfect, I did really like it and fans who like Kinsella's work will be happy with this story.

What I liked:
Ava was not afraid to be herself. She was unapologetic about who she was and didn't feel the need to change for anybody. I loved her adorable dog Harold! Any book that features a loveable dog is probably going to capture my heart. Quirky side characters added a little flavour.

What I didn't love:
The super quick insta-love wasn't always believable. Some of the side characters were mildly annoying. The pacing at times felt a bit off for me.

Overall though, this was a cute and lighthearted story that kept me entertained and which I enjoyed!

Sappy, Sweet, and Funny too!

After meeting at a writer's retreat under fake names, “Aria” and “Dutch” (Ava and Matt) fall head over heels for each other, even though they aren’t able to divulge anything about their true selves.

Their whirlwind romance sweeps both of them away, faster than a ride down a roller coaster, that is until they head back into the real world as Ava and Matt and realize they don’t actually have anything in common.

Is it even remotely possible that Ava and Matt’s love story can survive, well, reality?

A cute, rom-com, full of laughs, in which Sophie Kinsella returns to form. My favorite character here was definitely, Harold, Ava’s dog. If you’re looking for a character to steal your heart, he most certainly will. 3.5 Stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -The Dial Press for the arc.

Published on Goodreads and Twitter on 2.13.21.

I really loved the premise of this one, what happens after the fade to black, HEA moment? You know, when the newly loved up couple have to go back to their real lives and see if they’re truly compatible after a holiday romance. Does insta love really have the power to be long lasting? All super interesting to me!

Ava was what I’d call a typical SK character, slightly over the top but highly entertaining and endearing with plenty of charm. Matt was also a typical SK hero, again nothing wrong with that though, her formula is tried and true and the plot was fresh enough I wasn’t bothered. The side characters were also hugely entertaining and likable, if you’re a dog lover Ava’s pup Harold plays a large role. Overall another charming, light and fun read from one of my go to authors.

You almost have to think of this book as 2 separate ones. The beginning was almost like a rushed love story. It seemed so unrealistic and really turned me off to wanting to read it. It wasn’t like Sophie’s other books. I kept going and hoping it would take a turn and thankfully it did. This story ended up having a full cast of loveable characters. Ava and Matt are our main characters and for all their differences, which there are A LOT, come together for a super cute love story.

Sophie Kinsella has hit another one out of the park. I absolutely love her books for those times when you just need a feel good, pick me up type of book. She combines lovable characters with humorous antics that make you feel as if you know the characters. I loved the combinations of friendships between the quirky groups. We all need friends like Matt and Ava.

This was an entertaining book, though frustrating at times. The two main characters are clearly not a fit for each other past Italy. Ava was a ridiculous character and her inner dialogue was frustrating and Dash/Matt was just as irritating. I typically love Sophie Kinsella novels, but this one wasn't for me.

I have liked a lot of Sophie Kinsella's books. I wasn't a big fan of this one. Ava was such an annoying character to me and had the maturity of a teenage girl. It was so frustrating to read how she thought her life was perfect and that Matt was the problem. She also went on and on about how much she loved Matt after a week. The middle of the book felt slow and dull, but I did really enjoy the ending. I think it worked really well and I was thankful to see some growth in the characters. I did love some of the side characters, though like Nell and Topher.

LOVE YOUR LIFE
By Sophie Kinsella

This is an amazingly fun contemporary romance read about a writer and, her writing retreat, fun friends, an dog named Harold, and an every so handsome man of her dreams. This book was quintessential Sophie Kinsella in that it was fun, fabulous and a fantastic read I really loved and enjoyed. It made me long for a vacation in a beautiful location so this definitely is a great lockdown read and those longing to be immersed to exotic locations outside of their over lived - living rooms and work at home conditions. I had fun with this one and great escape read for sure.

I recommend this one for contemporary romance and Kinsella fans.