Paulie Johansson is in a long-term relationship with Declan. It's comfortable, but hardly exciting. On a lark, Paulie auditions to be on a Swedish reality television show, Sverige och Mig (Sweden and Me) in which contestants participate in a number of contests, someone gets eliminated and the ultimate winner gets to connect with Swedish ancestral relatives.

Paulie is accepted to the program and leaves her boyfriend and best friend to spend a couple of months in Sweden filming the new season of Sverige och Mig. She gets highly emotional, crying a lot - which the Swedes love (their nickname for the show is "Crying Americans"), though she manages to make it through most of the challenges.

There isn't a lot of personal time, but Paulie does manage to talk to Declan on occasion, though the conversations seem tepid at best. She then has an emotional affair with a crew member from the Swedish production team.

When Paulie returns home, having both pushed Sverige och Mig to new places and been pushed to learn more about herself. She has a new appreciation for Declan and admits to him her affair, which he completely understands (and expected) and is happy to have her back.

I am really not sure what to make of this book. As a Swedish-American with a strong interest in ancestry, the appeal for me is obvious, but the book defies classification. "Chick-lit"? I hate the term, but that's probably what it most closely fits as Paulie is on a journey, not just to meet previously un-met family in Sweden, but to understand what 'family' and 'friendship' and 'romance' means to her.

The problem lies in that the self-journey feels like a tag on the end of the book, rather than the journey of the book. The journey is being put through the paces of a reality show and learning about her inner strength and resolve.

I'd get through a chapter or two and really enjoy what was happening, and then I'd hit another chapter or two and wonder what that was all about, then repeat.

If the roles were reverse and it was Declan's journey and infidelity to Paulie, there'd be an uproar over the misogynistic treatment of poor Paulie. But with this story, we're expected to think more highly of Declan for standing by and proving the "if you love something, let if free" philosophy.

I thought it was interesting to note that author Sally Franson actually was a cast member of a Swedish reality show (Allt för Sverige) - which makes one wonder how autobiographical this might be.

This was, at times, an enjoyable read and at other times, a frustrating read. Ultimately I'm left wondering if it was worth the time (and I'm still not sure).

Looking for a good book? Chick-Lit readers (but not Romance readers) might enjoy the foreign reality game show plot in Big in Sweden by Sally Franson, but the takeaways from the book are ultimately more challenging to identify than they need to be.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun read. As someone who lives in Sweden and is from Minnesota, I related a lot to different things talked about in the book. It makes readers think about if this is what actual reality TV is like behind the scenes with a proper storyline, which kept me interested the entire time. Sally is a great writer and I look forward to reading more of her books!

This was a very genuine novel about a woman who was adopted and never felt that close to her adopted parents. She applies on a whim to a Swedish tv show that competes for a chance for Americans to meet their Swedish relatives.

They have to compete in a series of games to move on and get them closer to meeting their families. The book was an interesting look at the differences between Swedish and American cultures and their opinions of America. The show title is even nicknamed in English to “crying Americans”.

I liked Paulie a lot, but she seemed quite lost in life. She goes on this show against the wishes of her long term partner without even really discussing with him.

Thank you @marinerbooks for my gifted ebook.

The main character is chosen for a reality TV show and the winner gets to meet their Swedish family. This book caught my attention because I have recently made a trip to Sweden and I love the country. The book mentioned places I had been and that drew me into the story right from the beginning.

The cast of characters in this story are entertaining, lovable, and all have their own personality adding to the entertainment of the story. The author did a wonderful job showing the growing bond with the show's participants even when they are not the most supportive of one another.

I don't know what to think about the relationship between the main character and her boyfriend. He doesn't come off as the most supportive throughout the story, at least from her POV. I see a little how things changed once she returned, but I don't feel like they are forever.

Each challenge was to immerse the contestants into their Swedish heritage a little more and they pushed to their limits (some more than others) in the competitions. You can see how each situation was created to make the contestant face a fear or come to grips with something in their personal life.

Overall I enjoyed this story. It is a fun, sweet story about finding who you are and accepting life as it is.

There is a chapter that does give perspectives about gun control and abort*** in comparison to the US vs Sweden. The contestants are all American and the author does give each of them a different POV on these topics. It isn't an in depth discussion, but still gives the overall views of Americans.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a fun read! I enjoyed the main character and the pacing of the book. The contest aspect made sense and Franson did a good job explaining the challenges.

I'll be honest: I requested this book because of the beautiful cover and the aspect of travel. While I did enjoy that aspect of traveling to Sweden and visiting different areas of the country, the rest of the story fell flat for me. It moved very quickly and many things just didn't make sense. Paulie is just all over the place an hard to make sense of. It was also just too political in a way that was off-putting to me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Mariner Books and Sally Franson for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! It checked so many boxes and was the perfect summer read. Even if I hadn’t just been to Stockholm, I would have loved it and recommended widely. So fun, moving, observant, and smart.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I actually saw this author on a local talk show, and I am very glad I gave the book a try! Paulie loves Pippi Longstocking because of her grandma. Slightly drunk, Paulie, at the behest of her bff/sis Jemma decdies to film an entry for a Swedish reality show about finding your family roots. She wins and heads to Sweden to meet the other contestants. Everyone is flawed in some way--probably how they get chosen. The challenges and eliminations begin as we get to know the contestants and watch as the behind-the-scenes activities merge with actual reality. This wasn't all flippant, as I thought it may be, but deep subjects and relationships occur. Also, Pippi continues to be an influence throughout Paulie's stay in Sweden.

After hearing some rave reviews and reading interviews with the author, Sally Franson, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of BIG IN SWEDEN in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher Mariner Books.

BIG IN SWEDEN is one of the most original books I've read in a long time! Based on the author's personal experiences, it follows Minnesota native Paulie as she embarks on a reality show filmed in Sweden about connecting to your roots and your family. The premise sold me and I was so excited to read this book, but unfortunately the story and writing fell flat for me. I really enjoyed elements of the story - learning about Sweden, the interesting set of supporting characters - but other elements were tougher for me to get behind. Some of the core romantic elements weren't appealing to me, and the plot at times felt really odd and absurd. As this was based on the author's experience, it's possible these things really happened to her! But some of them felt out of place for some reason.

I think others would love this book - particularly fans of Pippy Longstocking, readers with Swedish heritage for whom this story may ring particularly relevant and true, and fans of Franson's writing. It just wasn't the book for me, I'm afraid.

I enjoyed this! It's a sweet read, felt very spring/summery and definitely a good palette cleanser from heavier material.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i requested this book because of the title and cover art, it's such nice artwork and a good title. BUT WHY IS IT SO POLITICAL?! also, what was the reason for her to travel to another country to learn about her family when she already knew everything? bummer.

I thought that the plot of this book sounded interesting, but I was not prepared for the truly wild ride Paulie would go on throughout this novel. The descriptions of the Swedish setting were a positive part of this novel, but the pacing was off and Paulie's character development was all over the place imo. The secondary characters ranged from a little funny to downright despicable, and it didn't feel like this was in a way that was intentional.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a wonderful book!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and give an honest review.

The title first drew me in. My heritage is Swedish and I actually am only 2nd generation American. The references to things Scandinavian and Swedish were familiar to me and I like that. Also the main character as well as the author were from Minneapolis, which is also familiar to me..

The story is that Paulie,trapped in a boring job of getting entitled kids into colleges/universities of their choice, wins a trip to Sweden to be in a reality show featuring Americans trying to find their roots. Paulie’s family of origin is so dysfunctional that she is trying to discover extended family that is normal, loving, and supportive.

She actually makes friends with fellow contestants, discovers much about herself and her relationship with boyfriend, Declan, as well as her American family, in the process of filming for the TV show.

There is humor in the story as well as sad times. This is an enjoyable book.
It is popular in the state of Minnesota and there is a long waiting list for it at our public library.

Big in Sweden by Sally Franson is a 2.5 star read for me.

It is a unique story that dives into the journey of self-discovery through an unexpected adventure in Sweden. Paulie, the main character, takes on a Swedish TV competition that brings out her witty and sharp side, making her journey relatable and engaging. While this wasn't entirely what I was expecting, it still had its moments of charm and humor. If you're into stories about personal growth with a twist, this might be for you.

I walked into reading this book not knowing anything about it. While I felt like the beginning was slow, it soon picked up its pace until I couldn't put it down! The characters are really well-written. Lots of emotions and thoughts about family throughout. Excellent read.

Big in Sweden was such a delightful read! I loved the fish out of water tale and the Swedish setting was to die for!

Paulie definitely isn't the most likeable protagonist ever, but I had so much fun rooting for her to continue to be extremely messy, in both her journey of self-discovery, and the reality competition. Does she make awful decisions? Absolutely-- I cringed for my life at least once in the book. But, man, it's remarkable that I still just wanted to see her have a win.
Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for this eARC!