Spotlight and Giveaway: Love Your Life

Today we are celebrating the publication of Sophie Kinsella's latest novel, Love Your Life. Check out Melissa's review. Thanks to The Dial Press, we have one copy to give away!

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--stretches of beaches, architectural wonders, aromas of olive groves and lemon trees, signature orecchiette pasta, and rainbow-colored houses that line the shore. 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?

Photo by John Swannell

Sophie Kinsella is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series, as well as the novels Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I've Got Your Number, Wedding Night, My Not So Perfect Life, Surprise Me, and I Owe You One. She lives in London.
 

Visit Sophie online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends November 2nd at midnight EST.

Book Review and Giveaway: I Owe You One

By Melissa Amster

Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” And since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will?

It’s simply not in Fixie’s nature to say no to people. So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, she not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, the computer’s owner, Sebastian, an investment manager, scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?

But then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life, and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. As always, she wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. No sooner has Seb agreed than the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

As much as I adore Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series, I also love her stand-alone novels. There are always new characters to meet and some interesting situations that she puts them in. This time around, I enjoyed meeting Fixie and her family.

I Owe You One is a delightful story from start to finish. I had such a great time reading it. There were some great laugh-out-loud moments. Fixie had a huge problem to solve and I wasn't sure of the direction the situation would go. However, I was pleased with the end result. I learned a lot about running a family business and the parts about helping the store boost their sales were interesting. I could see myself shopping at Farr's if I lived in the UK. I could easily picture people, places, and things throughout the story.

This novel is another winner from Sophie Kinsella and I'm excited for whatever she comes up with next!

Movie casting ideas:
Fixie: Daisy Ridley
Nicole: Candice King
Jake: Jason Ralph
Ryan: Billy Magnussen
Seb: Tom Cullen
Briony: Serinda Swan
Hannah: Eleanor Tomlinson

Thanks to The Dial Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one copy to give away!

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends February 4th at midnight EST.

More by Sophie Kinsella:

It's no surprise that we love Sophie Kinsella...plus a book giveaway

We're excited to have Sophie Kinsella here to celebrate the publication of her latest novel, Surprise Me (reviewed here). For a fun Q&A twist, we asked her questions about surprises. We enjoyed reading her answers and we hope you will too. Thanks to Random House, we have one copy for a lucky reader!

Sophie Kinsella is a writer and former financial journalist. She is the number one bestselling author of Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number, Wedding Night and My Not So Perfect Life, the hugely popular Shopaholic novels, the Young Adult novel Finding Audrey, and the children's novel Fairy Mom and Me. She lives in London with her husband and family. She is also the author of several bestselling novels under the name of Madeleine Wickham. Visit Sophie at her website and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Synopsis:
After ten years together, Sylvie and Dan have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, and beautiful twin girls, and they communicate so seamlessly they finish each other’s sentences. They have a happy marriage and believe they know everything there is to know about each other. Until it’s casually mentioned to them that they could be together for another sixty-eight years . . . and panic sets in.

They decide to bring surprises into their marriage to keep it fresh and fun. But in their pursuit of Project Surprise Me—from unexpected gifts to restaurant dates to sexy photo shoots—mishaps arise, with disastrous and comical results. Gradually, surprises turn to shocking truths. And when a scandal from the past is uncovered, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other at all.

With a colorful cast of eccentric characters, razor-sharp observations, and her signature wit and charm, Sophie Kinsella presents a humorous yet moving portrait of a marriage—its intricacies, comforts, and complications. Surprise Me reveals that hidden layers in a close relationship are often yet to be discovered. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

Tell us about a time someone surprised you.
My husband once surprised me by buying me a ring that had belonged to Agatha Christie. I am a massive Agatha Christie fan, so to own something that was once hers is incredibly special. He went off secretly to an auction and bid for it, then presented it to me. I was absolutely blown away.

Tell us about a time you surprised someone.
I once threw my husband a surprise party. I gathered a whole load of friends and we had a private screening of Brief Encounter which is one of his favourite films. I’m pretty sure he knew I was planning something - but he certainly didn’t expect that!

Which movie surprised you the most (without mentioning spoilers)?
Anyone who loves surprises has to watch The Usual Suspects. I won’t say any more than that! I was recently really surprised by the Lego Batman Movie. I went along with my children, thinking it was very much a film for them - but I loved it myself!

What is something you'd like to be surprised with?
I’d love to wake up with a fully formed book plot in my brain. Still waiting for that one…!

Have you ever experienced/received a surprise you didn't want?
The worst example I know of a surprise going wrong was actually a friend of mine whose husband organised her a surprise baby shower. She arrived home with no contact lenses in and her hair scraped back anyhow - to discover all her friends waiting. She really wished she’d been given at least a little warning!

Thanks to Sophie for chatting with us and to Random House for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends February 19th at midnight EST.

Sophie Kinsella's perfect novel...plus a book giveaway

Toward the end of 2015, I received a very exciting e-mail from Twitter, that Sophie Kinsella was following me! It totally made my entire day and week! If it isn't already obvious, Sophie is one of my all-time favorite chick lit novelists. She always knows how to make me laugh and her stories are creative and clever. We're excited to share her latest novel, My Not So Perfect Life, which publishes on Tuesday. I read it and loved it! Check out my review. Thanks to The Dial Press, we have one copy to give away! 

In addition to the Shopaholic series, Sophie Kinsella is the author of the stand-alones I've Got Your Number, Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, and Wedding Night. She lives in England with her family, where she is working on her next stand-alone novel. (This news made my day!)

Connect with Sophie Kinsella:
Website
Facebook 
Twitter
Instagram 
Book Instagram

Synopsis:
Everywhere Katie Brenner looks, someone else is living the life she longs for—particularly her boss Demeter Farlowe. Demeter is brilliant and creative, lives with her perfect family in a posh London townhouse, and wears the coolest clothes. Katie’s life, meanwhile, is a daily struggle—from her dismal rental to her oddball flatmates to the tense office politics she tries to negotiate. No wonder Katie takes refuge in her not-quite-true Instagram posts, especially as she firmly believes that one day, she will have that real life if she just works hard enough.

But when Demeter suddenly fires Katie, she must put those dreams on hold and moves back home to her family’s farm, where she helps them set up a luxe “glamour camping” business. Worlds collide when Demeter and her family unexpectedly turn up as a guests and as the stakes for Katie’s future get higher, she must question her own assumptions about what makes for a truly meaningful life.


Did My Not So Perfect Life go in the direction you were originally planning, or did it take on a life of its own?
I knew where I wanted Katie to end up, but I didn’t quite predict all the twists and turns. I found I loved all the subsidiary characters far more than I was expecting, and the romance definitely got more intense.

Were there any scenes that didn't make it into the book, but you would have liked to keep?
I wrote a couple more ‘revenge’ scenes at the farm, but my editors said, enough!

Who did you relate to more: Katie or Demeter?
Oh, Katie, for sure, maybe because I wrote the whole book through her eyes. But I did also relate to Demeter and I loved revealing more and more of her character as the story went along.

What was the last not-so-perfect thing that happened to you?
I was watching The Girl On The Train on my computer and it kept cutting out at all the most tense moments!

Which TV series are you currently binge-watching?
I’ve just started watching Fortitude. There’s something very cosy about watching other people trudging through snow and ice while you’re snuggled up on the sofa, although I do sometimes have to look away because it gets too gory!

What is something you had a good laugh about recently?
It was another not-so-perfect moment. I was sitting in a car trying to make a video conference call, with iPads, phones, everything on the go, but just couldn’t make it happen.

Thanks to Sophie for visiting with us and to Dial Press for sharing her book with our readers!

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends February 6th at midnight EST.

Spotlight and Giveaway: Shopaholic to the Rescue

We're excited to share that Sophie Kinsella's latest novel from her "Shopaholic" series is hitting shelves tomorrow! Shopaholic to the Rescue takes place in Las Vegas, so we're betting it will be fabulous!

Thanks to Penguin Random House, we have TWO copies for some lucky US readers!

To Las Vegas . . . and beyond!

Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is on a major rescue mission! Hollywood was full of surprises, and now she's on a road trip to Las Vegas to help her friends and family.

She's determined to get to the bottom of why her dad has mysteriously disappeared, help her best friend Suze and even bond with long-time enemy Alicia Bitch Long-legs (maybe...).


As Becky discovers just how much her friends and family need help, she comes up with her biggest, boldest, most brilliant plan yet! So can she save the day just when they need her most? (Synopsis courtesy of Sophie Kinsella's website.)

About the author:
Aside from the "Shopaholic" series (which starts with Confessions of a Shopaholic), Sophie Kinsella has also written six standalone novels which have all been bestsellers in the UK, USA and other countries around the world. Some of these are The Undomestic Goddess, Twenties Girl, and Wedding Night.

Sophie wrote her first novel under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, at the tender age of 24, whilst she was working as a financial journalist. The Tennis Party (40 Love) was immediately hailed as a success by critics and the public alike and became a top ten bestseller. Some other novels she has written as Madeleine Wickham include A Desirable Residence, The Wedding Girl, and Cocktails for Three.

She submitted her first ‘Sophie Kinsella’ novel anonymously to her existing publishers and it was snapped up without her editors knowing that she was already one of their authors. It wasn’t until the appropriately titled Can You Keep a Secret? was published that Sophie revealed her true identity for the first time.

Sophie was born in London. She studied music at New College, Oxford, but after a year switched to Politics, Philosophy and Economics. She now lives in London, UK, with her husband and family. Visit Sophie at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

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US only. Giveaway ends November 1st at midnight EST.

A star-studded shopping trip with Sophie Kinsella...plus a book giveaway

I can't decide if it's a good thing or not that Sophie Kinsella is in New Jersey today and I live four hours away. The not-so-good thing is that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet one of my all-time favorite chick lit authors. On the other hand, if we were to be in the same room, I probably would be all star-struck and not have a single witty thing to say to an author whom I consider as more of a celebrity.

If only I were like Becky Brandon and could easily schmooze with my favorite celebrities (or authors, in my case) the way she does in Shopaholic to the Stars, Sophie's latest novel in the popular series. I read it recently (review coming soon) and it's hilarious, as always. Thanks to Penguin Random House, we have TWO copies for some lucky US readers!

Sophie is here today to talk about shopping (what else?!?)....and to get us psyched up for next month's theme, which is CELEBRITIES!

Tell us about a memorable purchase or shopping trip.
I remember once I had told my whole family to leave me in peace to write. I decided to pop out for coffee... saw an amazing evening dress in a shop window... and found myself edging in to try it on, even though I had no idea where I'd ever wear it. Then my husband phoned: 'How's the writing going? Can I do anything to help?' I couldn't tell him I was in a changing room with one foot in a sequinned evening dress! (But I did buy the dress. And I did wear it!)

If you were to take Becky on a shopping spree, what three stores would you HAVE to visit?
Ooh, very tough! Anthropologie for sure, it's such a feelgood place. Liberty because it's a wonderful old store with a great atmosphere. And Jimmy Choo, because Becky loves her shoes!

Which celebrity would YOU like to style?
I love Lupita N'yongo, she's absolutely gorgeous, and I would be very happy dressing her up.

What is the best deal you ever received on a purchase?
I was once in a charity shop and found a Moschino skirt for ten pounds. It was the most beautiful red pure wool skirt, with a heart shaped button - for a mere ten quid! I couldn't believe my luck and I wore it to death.

What is your favorite thing to buy when you go shopping?
I used to say shoes, but I have noticed that my new tendency is coats. I think it's because I can just swing them over whatever I'm wearing.

If you could go shopping in any city in the world, where would you go and why?
I'd go to Melbourne, as I've never been to Australia, and I've heard Melbourne is a fabulous shopping mecca, so I'd be killing two birds with one stone!

Thanks to Sophie for a fun chat and to Penguin Random House for sharing her book with our readers.

~Introduction and interview by Melissa Amster

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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US only. Giveaway ends October 26th at midnight EST.

A "night" to remember with Sophie Kinsella...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Blake Little

Introduction and interview by Melissa Amster

**Giveaway is now closed**

If you don't already know this by now, I am a huge Sophie Kinsella fan. I even wrote a tribute to her last year, during International Chick Lit Month. Her books are so clever, funny and endearing (as are the characters in each book). And from doing this interview with her, I like her even more as a person, as she seems so sweet, genuine and down-to-earth. I could totally see myself hanging out with her if she ever came to my town for a visit. (A girl can dream, right?!?)

Sophie has earned her notoriety in the chick lit universe, with her Shopaholic series AND her stand-alone novels. She also writes chick lit novels under her real name, Madeleine Wickham. They have a different feel to them, but still worth checking out.

I am thrilled and honored to be able to share this interview with Sophie Kinsella, as it is her first time visiting Chick Lit Central. (I hope it won't be her last!) I wouldn't mind an in-person visit one of these days, but again, that's just wishful thinking on my part. I'd probably end up all star struck anyway! You can find Sophie at her website and Facebook.

UK cover

I want to thank Transworld Publishers for coordinating this interview. Also, thanks to Random House, we have TWO copies of her latest novel, Wedding Night to share with lucky readers in the US and/or Canada. In addition, I'd like to personally share some of her previous stand alone novels with our readers anywhere in the world. (Even if you've read them before, you're still welcome to enter and share the prize with someone else who hasn't experienced the joy of a Sophie Kinsella novel before.) It's a surprise as to which books I've chosen to share!


In regards to the topic of your latest novel, Wedding Night, what is your favorite memory from your own wedding?
I will always remember walking up the aisle on my father's arm, while a choir made up of all our friends belted out Vivaldi. It was quite overwhelming.

Out of all your characters from any of your novels, who do you relate to most? Least?
I relate to all my heroines - they all have a piece of me in them. I'm a fantasist like Becky Bloomwood, and I'm a a bit of a klutz like Emma Corrigan and I'm a real romantic like Lottie. I suppose the girl I relate to least is Becky's sister Jess - she is so practical and unromantic. But that's not to say I don't understand and respect her.

Any plans for future Shopaholic novels or another way to keep us updated on the whereabouts of Becky?
Yes, I am planning another Shopaholic book. I am missing Becky myself!

Of your stand-alone books, which do you think would make a great movie and who would you cast in the lead roles?
I think The Undomestic Goddess would make a great movie but I've no idea who I would cast. I just know that Nathaniel would have to be someone gorgeous!

Since your name is an alias, how did you come up with it in the first place?
Sophie is my middle name and Kinsella is my mother's maiden name. Growing up, I always loved the name Kinsella so I was very happy to have a way to use it!

Special thanks to Sophie for visiting with us, Transworld for coordinating the interview and Random House for sharing Wedding Night with our readers!

US cover

How to win Wedding Night OR a previous Sophie Kinsella novel:
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your Facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

If you live in the US or Canada, please indicate that, as well. (Otherwise, your entry will NOT also count toward Wedding Night.)



Bonus entries:
1. Please tell us: What is your favorite Sophie Kinsella novel? (If you haven't read her novels yet, tell us which one you'd want to read first.)
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only for Wedding Night.
Worldwide for previous novels.
Giveaway ends April 30th at midnight EST.