I loved, loved, loved this book. Katie "Cat" Brenner is the perfect example of anyone who grew up in a small town longing to move to the"big city". I laughed several times throughout the book. I was able to relate to Katie as the main character on so many levels it was a little crazy. I was rooting for her from beginning to end. The story takes place between London and Someset so there are just a few slang words that I wasn't familiar with. Katie is working in branding and loves the company she works for but just wants a chance to contribute and really feel like part of the team. Her boss Demeter is a bit of a bully and has issues communicating with others. She also takes her staff for granted. Katie meets an unexpected love interest just as her hopes for her career seemingly go up in smoke. Her ability to try to piece her life back together is what makes this an amazing story.....and of course there is a HEA.

If you are already a fan of Sophie Kinsella (The Shopaholic Series, Remember Me?, Can You Keep A Secret?), you probably know what to expect: a fantastically flawed, yet brilliant, female protagonist with a snarky sense of humor who is tied up with a few other lovely characters as she makes her way through the ups and downs (emphasis on the downs) of life...and Kinsella sneaks in a few thought-provoking lessons as an added bonus.

"London flat life hasn’t been what I’d expected. I thought it would be all riotous laughter and quirky friends and hilarious stories involving pubs and iconic London landmarks and costume parties or traffic cones. But it hasn’t panned out like that."

While My Not So Perfect Life is no exception, all of the most wonderful parts are included, Kinsella addresses a topic known to most of us - the "ideal" persona that is portrayed by some (many?) via social media - by illuminating it from multiple perspectives. And, instead of simply throwing her hands up in the air and giving up, Katie, the aforementioned protagonist, begins to see the value in using this oft-despised tactic to her advantage.

As usual, this was a delightful read; Kinsella never disappoints and I put the finished book down feeling as though I was just a little lighter, a little less troubled, and little more compassionate with myself and others. If you're looking for a little break from the dim and dismal, please be sure to sit with this one for a while (it's a quick read); you'll be glad you did!

I loved this. The story was full of humor and fun. I loved the characters and the character development from the beginning to end. Forgiveness. honest, and growth are big themes in this one. A great read for a funny story and some easy laughs.

Sophie Kinsella wrote another romantic comedy that is what I have come to expect from her books. Katie/Cat Brennan is the young woman from the country who has moved to London for her dream job. She has not had the most wonderful life and is not really living it now. She lives in a tiny flat that she shares with two roommates, she has a horrendous commute to work, is a low level researcher who does not make a lot of money and she feels guilty about leaving her father on the farm. She does not want anyone to know about her life, so her instagram feed is full of other people's photos, events and even food to make her life look wonderful. When her life changes, she has to change with it.

This book was a fun read, yet it was great to see how Katie grew. She learns to be herself, accept her life the way it is and to be thankful for everything. Of course there is a man that she wants who is just a bit out of reach, or is he? I enjoyed Katie's story. Getting to know her father and step-mother and where she grew up was a wonderful part of the story. Her boss Demeter is a hilarious character. She goes from bitchy, inconsiderate boss to someone who is in danger of losing her boss. As she and Katie begin to develop a bond, the comraderie is wonderful, but the antics they go through are guaranteed to make you laugh. Another winner for Kinsella. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

I have really liked Kinsella in the past, but I had truble getting into this book. Maybe its because I'm not 20 any more? I'll still handsell this book to my "new adult" customers.

I really enjoyed this, but I would have liked the romance part to be more fleshed out.

As soon as I saw Sophia Kinsella's new book was available for review, I jumped on it. I am a big fan of Kinsella, who is probably most famous for her Shopaholic series, but who also writes some amazing standalones.

While some classify her as "chick lit," she really is the master of creating hilarious, slapstick-style books which also add in a touch of drama. Just enough, in my opinion.

I'm so happy to say that "My Not So Perfect Life" is yet another winner for Kinsella.

The story centers on Katie Brenner who is trying to make a successful career in London. However her boss is a bit of a nightmare, with her Instagram perfect life, compared to Katies' efforts to make it look like she has everything together. When Katie gets fired she has to move back home and help her father and stepmother with a new vacation venue on the family farm - "glamping." When her old boss shows up as a guest, Katie discovers that everything she sees online may not be exactly as it seems.

It's a fairly simple premise - someone trying to live up to the social-media filtered perfection they think their friends are experiencing- but Kinsella adds in her traditional humor and wacky characters which round out the plot into a great story. I laughed out loud at some points, I cringed at some of Katie's awkwardness at others - you really feel so engrossed in the book.

I did get frustrated with Katie a little bit when she seems so focused on one thing that she really "couldn't see the forest for the trees," but I think that was really part of the overall concept which is that sometimes we get so focused on our online lives that we don't end up living our actual "real world" lives.

I guessed the major "twist" fairly early on, but I didn't really hold that against the book - I did, however wonder why it wasn't revealed sooner, since it was hinted at so strongly. Maybe taking away some of that foreshadowing or somehow revealing things sooner would bump it up to 5 stars.

Overall, I really liked this book. Fans of Kinsella's other works will love it, as will new fans! Highly recommended.

I've read many of Sophie Kinsella's books in the past and have enjoyed them all. This one was no exception. I enjoyed it so much that I stayed up late reading it all in one sitting. It's THAT engaging for a book.

The gist of this novel is the idea of how none of us have the 'perfect life'. In a time when social media is rampant and people stage photos to make their life look perfect, it is easy to start believing that everyone else does have a much better life than you.

Katie Brenner is in her 20s and finally living in London like she dreamed. Yet, life isn't all roses like she dreamed. Instead, she's a serious case of envy over her boss, Demeter Farlowe. From the outside, Demeter seems to have it all. A great job where she is brilliant, a gorgeous home, and a family that takes awesome vacations. She's even rumored to be engaged in an affair with a gorgeous man Katie is drawn towards.

The envy is bad enough. But, then, she ends up losing her job. Without fessing up to what is really happening, she quickly accepts an offer from her step-mom to come help get their family's new glamping establishment up and running. Katie's early legwork on it for the marketing already has the yurts booked and helping her dad and stepmom with no more worries about how to afford London life is appealing. She'll just keep looking for permanent employment while pretending that she's on a sabbatical from her important job in London.

Without going into tons of detail, Katie eventually learns that what she thought was so perfect of a life isn't. And, that some of her assumptions about people are wrong.

In the end, she finds out about herself and ends up forging relationships that will really help her grow and move forward. And this realization has her launching a new Instagram page titled My Not So Perfect Life where photos are the reality of life.

Would I recommend reading this title? Absolutely! Unless you completely hate anything that is considered chick lit, because that's where I'd categorize this book.

Let me just start out by saying that I love Sophie Kinsella and have read all of her books and will probably continue to read all of her books in the future. I honestly thought that this book was going to follow the typical Sophie Kinsella formula and thought that I knew all of the different players, but it definitely didn't turn out how I expected it to!

I loved the fact that Katie was a strong and smart woman that went after what she wanted and what she thought was right. Sometimes Sophie's characters aren't the brightest of girls, so reading about Katie was quite refreshing. I also liked that the love story wasn't as central of a subject of the book which sometimes happens in Sophie Kinsella books.

I also loved that Sophie showed how social media can have a negative effect on our lives. Social media gives us the option to put a glamorous filter on ourselves and our lives, which most of the time isn't true.

Overall, I rate this book up there with Can You Keep A Secret and I've Got Your Number which are my two favorite Sophie Kinsella books. Definitely pick this one up if you're looking for a light and easy read!

Sophie is one of the reasons I’m such a huge reader. She’s one of the first authors I started reading many years ago. I’m a big fan of chick lit and it got me into reading. I have inhaled every one of her books. They are so witty, so fun, and so cute. I will read anything she writes. So when I saw she had a book on NetGalley I requested it and was so happy when I was approved.

This one is a little different from Sophie’s other books- the story itself is a little different. But it has everything I love about her books- romance, great characters, it’s fun, it’s set in England. Katie is fab!! She doesn’t have the perfect life but it’s her life and it makes for a great story. The whole aspect of using social media to make your life seem better than it is is so

I do feel the book was a little long but overall, I really enjoyed it. Sophie can do no wrong!

My not so perfect life is funny, warm and wise.

Cat lives in London with her straightened hair and miserable existence, Katie is Somerset is outwardly very different a similar difference exists with most people, but Katie doesn't realise that.

She believes the hype surrounding Demeter, her boss, and this leads to the firs tof many misunderstandings,e

Possibly Katie's lowest ebb is seeing her home made sandwich cast into a rubbish bin, when she knows she cannot afford to replace it. Equally sad is her belief that she needs to pretend her life is wonderful and snaps photos of others' drinks on tables so she can claim them as her own on Instagram.

This is a really enjoyable tale of how one girl amongst many grows up - in often hilarious ways. From cupcakes to colouring -in every fad is encompassed and given a hilarious spin

The grass is not always greener and everyone else’s life is not always so perfect… as Katie Brenner discovers in this latest book by Sophie Kinsella.

Katie works for a branding agency and her boss, Demeter, has the perfect life.. or so it seems. The charming husband and beautiful children, the magnificent home and the glamorous wardrobe all make Demeter’s life appear idyllic to Katie and her co-workers. Katie’s shared flat, long commute and farm/country upbringing pale in comparison. The more she tries to cover up her country ways by changing her accent and changing her name to Cat (which seems more cosmopolitan and “London-like” than Katie), the more frustrated she becomes with her not so perfect life. .

Her unhappiness with her life is even more evident when she moves back to the country to help her dad and step-mom run a bed and breakfast / retreat center. Her boss’s “perfect life”: and Katie’s “not so perfect life collide” in an unexpected way and she realizes things are not always what they seem to be. Her plans for revenge over a lost job go awry and she learns a lesson in honesty ( to herself and to others) and to seeking the best in others in spite of appearances.

As I read the book, I could almost picture it as a Hallmark movie as it had a bit of a fairy tale quality to it. The characters are a bit quirky at times, which made them all the more enjoyable (and not so perfect!). I found it to be an enjoyable read and would definitely recommend it.

I really enjoyed Twenties Girl and Something Borrowed, so I was excited to read Sophie Kinsella's latest, My Not So Perfect Life.

The opening really nails metropolitan loneliness. I quite like Boston, and I really loved New York and Beijing, but there is a strange feeling of cramming in with dozens of strangers on public transit, while trying to find way to meet up with friends who also have long public transit commutes to jobs with last-minute overtime. My (Not So) Perfect Life hits aspirational city life exactly the way Shopaholic nailed aspirational fashion. In both novels, the plot was fine but almost secondary to the feeling that a great glossy life was just around the corner.

I liked so much of this novel... but ending was jarring and awkward. I mean, I know that a chicklit novel has to wrap up with a great career and a great love, but it felt slightly forced to both have the heroine embrace imperfections and accept today, but also land a great creative role and a handsome, rich boyfriend.

While Sophie Kinsella is probably best know for her Shopaholic book series, she has a number of other books that are even better. For years she has been releasing great book after even better book, and her latest release is no exception. My Not So Perfect Life is a fun read about a woman in her 20s trying to find her place in the world. Katie, who grew up on a farm in rural England, wants to so badly be a London girl. As soon as she has a chance, she moves to a closet-sized room with horrible roommates, cuts some bangs and decides to go by the name of Cat, all while enduring a miserable and very long commute to her low-paying job in London. Ever the optimist, life seems to be looking up for Cat until her job as a research associate at a branding company forces her to re-examine and reboot her life. Like with most Kinsella books, I didn't want to put this one down and read it in about two days. She once again is able to create lovable--and hate-able--characters with depth that you'll fall in love with by the end of the story.

Sophie Kinsella never fails to deliver a fun, charming, and romantic story exactly when you need it. This book centers around Cat/Cath/Katie, a country girl trying to make it in the big city. You truly root for her the entire time through her odd roommates, her crazy boss and coworkers, and her lovable yet embarrassing Dad. This could easily have been longer or even a series because not nearly enough time was given to exploring the crazy people of London.

Read it and enjoy it!

I’ve been a huge Sophie Kinsella fan since her Shopaholic series and Becky Bloomwood is one of my favorite chick lit characters of all time, so naturally I’m always excited when she releases a new book. Though this wasn’t her best book, I still enjoyed it as it provided a much needed escape from reality.

Katie is a fairly typical character that I’ve come to expect in a Kinsella book, she’s an average woman with plenty of quirks who manages to get herself into awkward situations that are always good for a laugh. She’s got a charm about her that makes her endearing even when she’s behaving inappropriately. She’s trying to live the life she’s always dreamed of but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Her boss Demeter is a nightmare, think shades of the Devil Wears Prada and her flat in London is nowhere near as glam as she had hoped it would be.

I admire Kinsella’s characterization, I can usually connect with her protagonists and Katie was no exception. This was a bit formulaic and predictable as far as plot, but that didn’t keep me from being pretty engaged in Katie’s life. It was a light read and sometimes I need a break from all the thinking that comes from reading so many thrillers. The constant guessing and trying to work out the plot twists can be really fun but also tiring, so it was nice to be able to just lose myself in a book and relax.

Confession #1: I love Sophie Kinsella. Especially her standalones. Confession #2: I didn't love Wedding Night. :(
Confession #3: I was apprehensive to review this one after that. I was so hoping that she would return to the Kinsella I know and love...but at the same time, I was afraid to hope.
But there was nothing to fear!! MNSPL was delightful and enjoyable. Felt more back in line with all her others I love. And while not exactly like her others, (romance took a back seat in this one, and while funny, it wasn't all laugh out loud...some more inner-struggle issues), it was a great, fun read!!

My (Not So) Perfect Life sheds light on the ironic reality of how a person's online portrayal of their life is anything but reality (I for one am so glad I didn't have to live my adolescent or even early professional stage of life in the age of social media. Because even now as a mom in her mid 30's, I can see the pull for portraying one's life as better than it is...or at the very least can see how showing only the Instagram-worthy moments portrays ones life as more perfect than it is). But MNSPL goes into much more than that... how a person you know, a person you love or a person you work with, can be completely different than you think they are. Also, it helped remind me that we never know why a person may be acting the way they do. Circumstances that are unknown to us, things someone is dealing with, any number of reasons can contribute and we can't simply judge someone based on the highlight reel we get to see.

As for the characters...I loved Katie. :) Like most of Kinsella's main characters, she has an endearing, almost quirky, likable personality. And I loved seeing her grow and develop. Also, the others were so well written. Kinsella's characters are always fun and these did not disappoint. I loved my time with Katie, Demeter, Alex, Biddy, Mick...everyone! I want to visit Ansters Farm and have scones and coffee with all of them. <3

I don't like conflict that wraps up too fast and neatly with a nice, little bow...but the conflict in this one didn't feel like that, even though it may have seemed to "turn" quickly. I don't want to say more than necessary...I'll just say I think it all made sense and didn't feel *too* rushed.

Normally, I read stories where the love story is the main storyline...and while the romance in this one definitely wasn't the main storyline, the moments sprinkled throughout and when it fully developed, it was sweet, fun, and worth the wait. Besides, the rest of the story kept me reading and smiling in the meantime.

All in all, this was a delightful read. And since "Well done, you!" has to be one of my favorite British phrases, I'll say to Ms. Kinsella, "Well done, you!" :)