Ava is a hopeless romantic. She believes in true love, taking lifeβs whims as they come, and looking at the bright side of every situation. After a breakup and another dating app fiasco, she needs a break. She has been toying around with writing a book, in between being a dog mom to cantankerous Harold, her aromatherapy classes and rescuing, wellβ¦everything, so she signs herself up for a writing retreat in beautiful Italy. One of the best things about this retreat is everyone remains anonymous. No real names, no real careers, not even where they live can be discussed. It is the perfect place to focus on her novel.
That is until handsome, athletic Dutch shows up. His martial arts class has been canceled, so he decides to give writing a try. What ensues is a weeklong, whirlwind romance between βDutchβ and βAriaβ that couldnβt be more perfect. They are organically falling in love. No apps, no internet, no past holding them back. It is absolute perfection as their souls connect. As their week comes to an end, they soon realize they are both living in London. Itβs kismet. But once Matt and Ava return to London, they soon realize their two worlds are about as far apart as they can be. Heβs modern art, sheβs rescued furniture. Heβs in a high-profile family with the family business a high priority, sheβs writing leaflets and drifting where the wind takes her. Can they overcome their differences and just be Dutch and Aria again? Or is her best friend right and in this day and age, the only way to find true love and compatibility is through algorithms?
Sophie Kinsella is the queen of romantic comedies, and she hilariously does it again with LOVE YOUR LIFE. Iβm going to age myself here, but it was hilarious to think back to meeting my husband, before social media, before we could Google anything and everything and get instant answers and how the times have changed since then. This book will make us old-timers reminisce with a good laugh. There are subplots within their relationship, their pasts, Harold the dog and his hilarious antics, and fundamentally different friend groups, which makes this book even more hilarious. As with every one of her books, there is never a dull moment and readers will be gripped from page one with Kinsella\'s amazing storytelling style, mostly in laughter and maybe a few tears. I devoured this book in a day, and now Iβm having Kinsella withdrawals. Grab LOVE YOUR LIFE and get ready to read one of the best romantic comedies of the year!
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?
© 2003-2026