Surprise – I really enjoyed this novel! The first half of the book was a little slow and similar to others that I have read. However, the second half picked up and was surprising good and became a fun fast read. The characters were well flushed and even likeable with all of the quirks. I could relate to Sylvie and Dan, who had been married for 10 years and beginning to worry if their marriage would last. By all appearances, the couple was happy and had the perfect most cherished life. Both agreed that they needed some surprise to add spice to their relationship. We see in Sylvie and Dan that not all surprises are created equal. Will their relationship continue or end after all of the surprises?

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for supplying me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Storyline: 5
Angst: 4
Tissue: 1
Value: 5
Panty Scorching: 2
Over All Rating: 4 Stars
Kindle eArc provided by Netgalley
Reviewed by Robin

For me, the story was incredibly angsty. The couple in this story on the surface seems to have a nice and happy marriage. But then they find out from their doctor that their life expectancy will be crazy long since they have such a healthy lifestyle and family history. You would think this would be a good thing, right? This steers them both into some type of mini marriage crisis. When you get married it's till death do you part...well, apparently these two didn't quite figure out that death would take that long. I think the idea of surprising your spouse and trying to do things to keep your relationship good is a nice idea but these two...they just keep getting it slightly off. And during this time, some of their marriage issues seem to pop right to the forefront. I liked that the story was about married life and some of it was quite humorous. BUT some of it was also very stressful since they are supposed to know EVERYTHING about each other and read each other's minds...and you can see that perhaps they aren't as in tune with each other as they think. Definitely a story with ups and downs and just the truth of quirky married life. In the end, it all works out.

I've had a streak of heavy books lately so I was in need of something lighter. This is exactly what I needed- a fresh, light, and witty read. Surprise Me is a book about Sylvie and her husband Dan, who after 10 years as a couple find out at the doctor that they could possibly have 68 more years together. Panic sets in, and hilarity ensues. One of my favorite conversations has Sylvie saying she can't imagine 68 more minutes with him, let alone 68 years. 🤣Anyone with a spouse knows that feeling- I love you so much but your very existence is annoying me right now. I laughed out loud quite a few times, and let's just say there is a photo shoot that had me wiping tears from my eyes from laughing so hard. There is some disparity in this book from the first half to the second half though, it's almost as if two books joined to make one book. I was about a third of the way done with it when I realized the first half was no longer carrying through and wondered where that went. I did enjoy it but I wish there was more consistency.

Entertaining, but not my favorite Sophie Kinsella.

I really like the premise of Surprise Me--rather than the typical Kinsella premise of a single girl trying to get her life together and in doing so ultimately finds love, we have a married couple worried that their marriage has gone stale. While the premise was fun, Surprise Me didn’t quite have the magic of some of Kinsella’s other books.

After 10 years of marriage, Sylvie and Dan learn that they could potentially be married for another 68 years. Worried that they will grow bored with one another, Sylvie comes up with the not so brilliant idea that they need to add some surprises to their marriage and launches “Project Surprise Me.” Things don’t go as planned, and the surprises that Sylvie and Dan plan for one another go painfully wrong, causing Sylvie to question whether or not she really knows Dan.

While Sylvie and Dan’s marriage plays a central role, Surprise Me is more about Sylvie’s relationship with her deceased father.

Sylvie’s character wasn’t my favorite. In the first half of the book she is super whiny, which I just couldn’t move past. However her whiny tone lessens as the book progresses, which helped a lot.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Sophie Kinsella novels; they often serve as my break from reality. Surprise Me isn’t a bad read, it just didn’t have that special something I often find in Kinsella’s books. Still I would recommend for a light, fluffy and fun mindless read!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

<i>"Fifty-nine years, loving one person. It's an achievement," I say.

John is silent a moment . . . "I am an early riser," he says at last. "So I watch Owen wake up every morning. And each morning reveals something new. . .Love is finding one person infinitely fascinating." John seems lost in thought again, then, "And so . . . not an achievement. A privilege."</i>

One of the many insights in this surprising story, which begins with Sylvie snooping through her husband's desk and finding something shocking.

Yes, this is a romance novel with the heroine married at the start.

We backtrack to Sylvie and Dan going in for a medical exam, and being told by a cheerful doctor that they should live very long lives, which means they will be married for sixty eight years.

Sixty-eight years? When they count up how many nights together that is, how many lunches, and so forth, both are pretty well gobsmacked. Meanwhile they go about their days, as we meet Kinsella's patented quirky friends and relatives: Sylvie's indefatigable next door neighbor, a middle-aged woman with a 24 year old son still living at home, hoping to somehow find cash for a startup; Sylvie's fragile mother, who seems to be using her days as a wealthy widow trying out various shopping party scams; Mrs. Kendrick, Sylvie's fussy, determinedly antiquated boss at the small museum where she works; and a host of others.

Events seem almost picaresque, as Sylvie and Dan decide they need to start surprising each other to pep up their marriage, which includes some crack-up disasters, and a horrible evening at a pub quiz show. Along the way we discover that Sylvie's apparently perfect life had a major blip when her beloved, charismatic dad was killed a few years ago, in a tragic accident.

Sylvie still misses him terribly, and resents the fact that Dan can scarcely hide his impatience with Sylvie's and her mom's worship of the dead man.

Then we come to the discovery in the desk, and events speed up. All the seemingly random incidents tie together in a fast, intense climax, which brings about major changes in Sylvie's life. Her apotheosis catapults her into hyper-competence in a way that I found hard to believe, but then this is a romance, not a Slice of Life novel, so I went with it.

The result is witty, sharply realized, and fun.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley for my honest review.

I have been a big fan of Sophie Kinsella since I stumbled upon her fist Shopaholic book years ago. This book didn't disappoint.

When you meet Sylvie and Dan, they are at the doctor's get a physical. The doctor tells them they have good genes and could live to be 100+. This freaks them out. 68 more years of marriage?? How will they make it work for that long.

Sylvie comes up with the idea that they need to do small things to surprise each other and keep their marriage fresh. That starts out as a good idea but quickly turns into a mess. Throughout the first half of the book, I kept thinking that Sylvie was a bit irritating for the way she kept putting her father on a pedestal.. As the story progressed you find out things that make Sylvie (and you) change your mind.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to marriage, family and the trust you have with them.

In her author note at the end of this book, Kinsella wrote:
"While writing this book, I reflected a lot on longevity, loyalty, and partnership."

That statement really summed up the essence of this story for me.

Dan and Sylvie were at that stage in their relationship where they could finish each other's thoughts and predict what each would order at restaurants, but after being told by the doctor that they have 68 more years of marriage to look forward to, they began to worry about their future together. Thus, Project Surprise Me was born. However, in an effort to surprise each other, they may have uncovered some flaws and secrets in their marriage that they were unaware of.

Surprise Me had many of Kinsella's signature elements present. There was a lot of humor, warmth, and the everyday chaos of life. As with most of her novels, we had that "serious" part, but I will say, this one took me by surprise, because it was quite a weighty issue she included in the story, but this did not dominate the story the story for me.

My interest was won by all the wonderful characters Kinsella jammed in this book. Each was a delight in their own way, and I really enjoyed getting to know them. A stand out for me, was Sylvie's neighbor, John. He did now have a huge role in this book, but he was just dropping all sorts of beautiful truth bombs, and I wanted to wrap myself up in his words.
Love is finding one person infinitely fascinating.

This book presented a realistic look at relationships. They can be hard, and require work and sacrifice if you want them to flourish. This is true, whether it be a romantic relationship, a friendship, or a familial relationship.
Vincit qui se vincit, keeps running through my head. She conquers who conquers herself.

I also loved Sylvie's growth. It's so important for me to see that people can still grow and change even after thirty. Sylvie may have started Project Surprise Me to keep that spark in her marriage alive, but really, it injected a new spark into her life. She learned so much about herself, and the kind of woman she could be. I wanted to cheer when she became Sylvie in Charge.

And let's give Kinsella a round of applause for that ending. She always writes these wonderful endings, that leave me with a huge smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Sophie Kinsella is on a short list of authors, who I vow, if they write it I will read it, because I can count on her to deliver a humorous story with great characters, depth, and a lot of heart.

Unfortunately, I did not like this book at all. The story was very all over the place and the characters just made me angry. I have been a fan of the author in the past and will read more from her in the future, this one was just not for me.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Sylvie and Dan their life together – good jobs, 5-year old twin girls, a comfortable home – and are so close they can finish each other's sentences and usually know what the other is thinking. However, when they go to the doctor on their 10-year anniversary, they are shocked to hear they could live another 68 years together. Afraid of growing tired of 70 more years of the same, Sylvie comes up with a plan for them to plan surprises for each other to bring some spontaneity to their marriage. Neither are prepared for the consequences it brings.

The heroine and tone in this book are the same you can expect from any Sophie Kinsella novel – a flawed, yet lovable, heroine and a light, funny story. Her books always make good escapist reads for when you want to forget about the world's troubles for a while. This book was missing something that made it fall short of her other works, though. I found myself wondering more about the side characters in the book than cheering on the main characters.

This was a well-written, entertaining book. Sylvie and Dan have a happy marriage, until they realize how long they could live and they decide to bring surprises into their marriage to keep things fresh. The writing is sweet, witty and charming and the characters are quirky and endearing. This was another fantastic book by Sophie Kinsella and I can't wait until her next one is published.

It has been a while since I have read one of Sophie Kinsella's books and I am delighted that I had the opportunity to read this advance copy provided by NetGalley.

We first meet Dan and Sylvie Winter ten years after they first met at a friend's birthday party. Now married, they appear to be the perfect couple: married for seven years, they can complete each other's unfinished sentences, predict what the other will order from a restaurant menu, are the parents of twin girls, and both in good health. Oh, wait! It is the good health issue that creates a panic when the doctor tells them that they are both in excellent health and can expect to have another 68 years together.

Dan and Sylvie decide that they need to spice up their life with a few surprises. What are those surprises? I am not going to say, but will tell you that they add some very real flavor to the story.

As a reader, I enjoyed riding the range of emotions that the author helps us feel. There are moments where I laughed and others where I wondered if this marriage was going to survive. The relationships that Dan and Sylvie have with other characters serve to enhance the story.

I suggest that you pick up a copy of this book. I do not think you will be disappointed.

As mentioned above, I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. However, the decision to review and all opinions are strictly my own.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. I just want to say first, I love this author's books and read all the Shopaholic series. Also, several others under Madeline Wickham which I adored. The only reasons I am giving these 2 stars is again I love this author and the last 4 chapters of the book were the best part. When Sophie finally woke up from her princess fog. The first 13 chapters were about whining and complaining by the main character Sophie. She and her husband Dan were trying to spice up her marriage due to it being boring and bland. She kept whining about if Dan was cheating on her due to the dynamic in place before her father died. I don’t want to give the ending away, read it for yourself and see if I’m right.

Surprise me indeed! This lovely novel starts off as a larkish romp, as Dan and Sylvie decide they need to spice up their marriage when they learn their life expectancy could mean they'll be married 68 years! Sylvie works at a creaky barely above water museum (loved the people and the quirky ways) while Dan owns his own company. They've got twin girl. Sylvie's still mourning the death of her father (she didn't take it well). Things proved along as one might expect for a sprightly British chick-lit novel but then they become more serious. No spoilers but I was truly impressed with what Kinsella has done and how she incorporated a topical issue. This is fully realized novel with terrifically fleshed out characters and a careful plot. There are some wonderful details (see neighbor Tilda and how she describes Mary). No froth here. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Two thumbs up!

Surprise Me is a combination of chick lit and romance, which added to the charm of the story. I am a fan of Sophie Kinsella, so I thought I knew what to expect while reading this book, and in some ways I was right and in other ways it surprised me (see what I did there?)
Sylvie has been married to Dan for 10 years. They have 5 year old twin daughters and a happy, if predictable, life. It’s time for their annual physical but one of the surprises at that doctor’s exam is the news that based on their current physical conditions and lifestyles they could potentially live past 100 years. That’s becoming less uncommon in the days of better medical treatment. The catch to that is (in Sylvie and Dan’s eyes) that means they will be married for over 60 years at end of life. When they repeated their wedding vows that included, “till death do us part,” it didn’t occur to either of them to plan to be together for six or more decades. Now that has set them to thinking if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
While their reaction to this news is typical of most Sophie Kinsella characters in that they are overly melodramatic about it, their reasoning is probably more realistic than most people will admit. They have their routines. They know what they want. But that’s now, not in their old age. How will everything hold up for a long, long time?
As self-centered Sylvie and Dan over-react to the news of a long lifespan and marriage, they are surrounded by terrific secondary characters who are very funny as they respond to Sylvie and Dan’s antics. I really enjoyed reading this book and seeing how Sylvie and Dan enfold their new lifestyle information into how they live day to day. A delightful book and a quick, easy read. Enjoy, as you think about how a longer life and therefore longer relationships will affect you.

I've enjoyed Sophie Kinsella since I picked up Confessions of a Shopaholic while in my early 20s. Now in my early 30s I continue to enjoy her fun novels. I can see how her writing has evolved over the years. Sylvie is a mature but still lighthearted character. This book was a cute, quick read that fans of Kinsella will enjoy. Kinsella has a knack for writing really cute and fun story lines, but not letting her character development suffer. It's not deep literary fiction but it's worth your time.

Sophie Kinsella always delivers when I need something light & funny, and this book was no different. It was hilarious and sweet, and I loved the mystery and plot twists, which really added a little something extra. This book was also such a gem for all the personal growth involved-- I feel like it had a great overall message while still being unique. Highly recommend if you're in need for something fun!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Sale Date: February 13, 2018

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ebook ARC of Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella.

Sylvie and Dan have been married for 10 years. They have all the trimmings of a happy life and marriage. They have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, beautiful twin girls and communicate so well, they finish each others sentences.
After a trip to the doctor, he projects they will live another 68 years together and thats when panic sets in. Neither of them expected that “until death do us part” to mean seven decades.
They quickly come up with a plan to keep their relationship fresh and exciting; they create mini surprises for each other so their years together will never become boring. But in their quest to carry out Project Surprises, secrets are uncovered and they begin to threaten their bond. A scandal from the past is revealed which brings up some questions that start to wonder if they ever really knew each other at all.

I give this book a rating of 4 stars. I recommend reading it. It is a well written book. This book was a feel good and warm read. Sophie Kinsella is one of my favourite authors and I always enjoy reading her novels.

I love the Sophie Kinsella “Shopaholic” books, so I was excited to dive into this novel about a couple trying to add some excitement to the routine of marriage. However, my initial excitement wore off quickly with the first few chapters. There was nothing in the story that made me want to pick up this book at night, and it slowly moved to the bottom of my pile without being finished. Although Kinsella’s characters are frequently self-absorbed and flighty, the characters in “Surprise Me” were just too much of that. Sadly, I wouldn’t recommend d this book.

I was surprised by this book! I have loved Kinsella’s previous books filled with quirky characters and laugh out loud moments, but this book was just an OK read and is missing that “spark” that I have come to expect. Sylvie was a great character, but Dan never really came to life for me. The plot was a good idea, but it ended up being a bit too fluffy. While not her best, it certainly won’t stop me from looking forward to her next book!!

Surprises don't always work out how you expect them to. Sylvie and Dan doctor's estimates they might live for another 68 years and it freaks them out. How do you keep a marriage going for 68 years? Sylvie suggests the best way is to have surprises. Yet when that leads to secrets being uncovered shakes the core of their marriage and not necessarily the right way.
This book is about marriage, loyalty, and longevity. A very relatable story and has fun moments but also addresses some serious subject matter. I enjoyed this book and was pleasantly surprised.