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    Love Your Life
    Love Your Life
    Love Your Life
    Audiobook11 hours

    Love Your Life

    Written by Sophie Kinsella

    Narrated by Fiona Hardingham

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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 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?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 27, 2020
    ISBN9781980043508
    Love Your Life
    Author

    Sophie Kinsella

    Sophie Kinsella has written a number of bestsellers, including the Shopaholic series, Twenties Girl, Remember Me?, The Undomestic Goddess, and Can You Keep a Secret? Confessions of a Shopaholic was made into a major motion picture starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy. Born in London, she studied at New College, Oxford. She lives in London with her husband and family.

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    Reviews for Love Your Life

    4/5

    199 ratings14 reviews

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    • 3/5
      There was a LOT going on in this story and I found myself more interested in a lot of the subplots than the main storyline.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I love Sophie Kinsella, but some of her lead characters can be a bit tiresome. Ava is lovely but I swear I wanted to smack her sometimes. She is a full grown adult, yet she is acting like an overgrown teenager. It was a cute story but I couldn’t invest myself in either lead. Although I truly adored the friends. Especially when they all got together.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Such a funny feel good book. I love sophie kinsella books and this was no exception.
    • 5/5
      One of Sophie Kinsella’s best. Could not stop listening to it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    • 3/5
      I usually love Sophie Kinsella books, and to be fair there were a lot of places where I laughed out loud at some incident in the story. But the first two-thirds of the book was a slough for me. I almost DNF'd it a few times, but I'd get to a funny scene and I'd remember that Ms. Kinsella has never let me down before, so I'd keep on reading.The biggest problem is Ava, the heroine and POV character. She is relentlessly giddy, determined to see life on her own terms without any sort of realism to balance her. There's a fine line between quirkiness and manic, and Ave strays over that line too much to be just a fun character. Even her love for her dog Harold is tainted by his disobedience (come on, what's wrong with a little training?). Chewing up other people's possessions is not okay, but Ava seems to feel no remorse for what her dog does, any more than her friend Maude does with her children. That stuff is not funny, but just annoying. The next problem is Matt who is just a doormat for his family and their business. I get that the plot of the story is to put two opposites who meld in a fantasy vacation but clash when back in the real world. But it's hard to root for either of them when neither seems able to communicate or acknowledge any faults. The ending does resolve their issues, but the book I really wanted to read was Nell and Topher's story. I give this 2 1/2 stars rounded up.
    • 5/5
      Perfect, as always!
    • 4/5
      It's a predictable romance of love and strife with worlds colliding in their contrasts. It's also adorable. I devoured this book in a few hours as a great means to pass these last lazy days of summer. The characters have enough depth that they are interesting, and there are enough twists and humorous scenes to keep the plot moving.There are a few exaggerations that I could have done without, especially the Genevieve character but overall I had a great time. Kinsella has found that sweet spot where she remains true to her fan base without being stale.
    • 5/5
      I hesitate to label this novel as chick-lit, since it is really so much more. Yes, there is romance, but not the causal fling type. There is sadness, but not without hope for better days. The book isn’t filled with mindless dialogue or idle chatter. The characters are quirky and somewhat flawed, but in an endearing way. Ava wants to write a book but has trouble focusing on that task. A week-long writing workshop in Italy sounds perfect. It wasn’t quite what she expected, and she certainly didn’t expect to meet her one true love there, but she did. Well, maybe she did. Matt and Ava are made for each other, at least in Italy. When they get home, reality rears its ugly head. This novel explores several topics: love, compromise, understanding, demands, deal-breakers, friendships, illness, dependability, responsibility, jealousy, patience, and more. And it does it in a thoughtful yet entertaining manner. The characters, flaws and all, are delightful, and the writing is superb. It’s a wonderful thing to have a rom-com book of this caliber when all you want to do - no, make that what you need to do - is escape from the world and its woes. At least for a while. Well done, Ms. Kinsella.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely delightful---truly, I was laughing out loud with Ava's thinking processes---of course this is how Sophie Kinsella creates her characters. Such a sweet, descriptive story of really a group of potential love stories but centered around Matt and Ava's relationship. Kinsella is just amazingly clever, again and again!
    • 3/5
      Odd start to their relationship....odd that they pursued things after the vaca, but it is a bubblegum fantasy sort of story and so you go with that mindset.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 3/5
      I am a big Sophie Kinsella fan and have read the majority of her books. I actually prefer her standalone novels over the Shopaholic series. So of course I was excited to get my hands on a copy of this book. Unfortunately I wouldn't place this one among my favorites but everything came together quite nicely by the end so at least I finished it on a positive note.Ava lives in London, and signs up for a remote writers' retreat in Italy. Attendees are encouraged to not share their real names with the other writers and to avoid giving out other personal info. So Ava goes with the flow and chooses to go by the name Aria. Pretty easy and she'll never see these people again anyway. Well... she hits it off with a guy going by the name "Dutch" and they have a nice little romance at the retreat. But now its time to pack up and go back home. While "Aria" and "Dutch" seemed like a perfect match in Italy, they also didn't know anything about each other's past. When forced back to reality in London, do these two have a legitimate shot at love?I'll admit by the end of the 1st chapter I was already getting nervous about this one. Things did start to pick up once Ava was at the writers' retreat but my first impressions about the characters were pretty spot on. As the story progressed Ava became more and more annoying, and don't come after me dog lovers, but her dog Harold got on my nerves as well. I probably share way more personality wise in common with Matt, aka Dutch, than I do with Ava so that could factor into my opinion as well. (Honestly though, I think poor character development was the main reason I struggled at times with this book)The good news is at the very end I finally "got" Ava and understood what others saw in her. And the same thing applies to her group of friends. Had they clicked sooner with me in the story, this would have been a much better read for me. Much of what I love about what this author brings to the table didn't shine through until the last few chapters. I do think a below average Sophie Kinsella novel is still better than about 80 to 90% of other books in the chick lit genre. And I got to end the book with a smile on my face which is always a good thing.I was provided an advance digital copy by Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
    • 1/5
      The premise of this book sounds interesting. It sounds like it should be an excellent relaxing pop-corn read, something that you breeze through quickly. Not for me. I was wondering why when I was reading this that my stomach was burning and in knots, I had a stress headache, and I felt depressed -now that I've finished this ARC, I know why.It is said that a person's brain reaches its adult growth stage at 25. Now I don't know if that is true or not, but with these two characters, I would have to say that information is totally false. I have never seen two so-called adults act like they were still 13 but with sex. I could not stand flaky, insipid Ava, or stick up the butt, closed off Matt.The premise ended up being preposterous and unbelievable. How could anyone fall in love in less than a week, plus do it without knowing not one thing about the other? Not even their real name?I'm sorry, I know this book is getting fantastic reviews, but I just don't buy the HEA in this book.*ARC received from the publisher.
    • 5/5
      What’s the best way to find 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.