by Sophie Kinsella
Publication Date October 27, 2020
Published by Random House Publishing Group
Goodreads
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Humorous, Romance, Women
Pages: 432
Format: 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
“As close to perfect as romantic comedies get.”—Jenny Colgan, New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner
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?
My Review:
I love anything and everything by Sophie Kinsella, I am a big fan of her Shopaholic series and in my opinion, her books just get better and better, and her newest book, Love Your Life, does not disappoint.
I sure enjoyed this book. Ava and Matt are away from home, with time on their hands, and romance blossoms. Then, comes the reality of back home, and life falls apart. The entire book is just delightful to read.
These characters are fun! And not only Matt and Ava, but Ava’s and Matt’s friends are hilarious, quirky, and charming too.
I liked the plot. Matt and Ava meet in Italy at a writers retreat, but since the retreat has everyone using pseudonyms, they don’t know each other’s real names until after they fall in love. Aria (Ava) and Dutch (Matt) are positively delightful as they meet and fall in love in Italy at the retreat. Love comes to them fast, but that’s the way it is when you’re on vacation and having the time of your life. And when they return to London, that’s when we see the really fun interactions with all the friends and family of Ava and Matt.
I can’t recommend this book enough, it’s just so much fun, you won’t regret reading this.
I enjoyed this book as well as many others from Sophie Kinsella over the years! Thanks for sharing your review.
Thank you, Jodie, yes, Sophie Kinsella is an auto-buy for me.