I feel like the main character could have just taken an Ancestry.com or 23andme DNA test to find her family. I did not like her and did not find her funny

i requested this purely for the cover, and i ended up being a bit disappointed. i didnt like the talk about american politics. i didnt disagree with paulie’s opinions, but i found the way she talked about politics annoying. i just found her annoying and unlikable in general. i couldnt tell if she was supposed to be unlikable or not. i was glad the end was happy, though, even if it wasnt quite what i expected

After discovering Sally Franson’s first book “A Lady’s Guide To Selling Out”, I instantly knew that I found my perfect “cup of tea”! In this latest release, the main character, Paulie, (after consuming a few glasses of wine with her bestie) enters a Swedish reality TV contest. She gets flown to Sweden for filming along with a group of fellow American misfits also seeking to rediscover their origin.

For Paulie this trip was both a journey to discover her roots and to figure out her own self. The filming of the show, the “manufacturing of drama” was not an easy feat. Strung high on emotions, Paulie was often angry and, as a result, was lashing out at the others. But she came a long way, and I loved watching her relationship with her fellow contestants grow.

Favorite scenes?? Paulie’s romance! ABBA museum shenanigans!!! (Adding to my bucket list of places to visit ASAP). Clash of cultures was described in such epic way, the author nailed it! The diverse characters were so well written and so imperfect in such a perfect way.

I just have to say that the author has such an amazing talent for writing that I constantly marveled at it as I read. And did I mention the humour?! I mean, I read so many fun and funny novels, but this is next level! I don’t think I’ve ever laughed this hard in my entire life while reading a book!

What a great feel-good read! I hope you go into this book with an open mind and an open heart, and embrace the multitude of emotion in it. Really, a must-read novel this summer!

Big in Sweden by Sally Franson was such a charming story.
I enjoyed everything about this one.
The writing was fun, the characters are engaging and the storytelling was entertaining.

Thank You NetGalley and Mariner Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

On a drunken whim, Paulie Johansson applies to be on Swedish reality show Sverige och Mig featuring Americans of Swedish origin competing to learn about their roots.

This book is an entertaining look at American society, finding family and not letting life happen to you but taking action to create the life you want. Paulie is floundering. While she has long-term and steady partner Declan after a chaotic childhood, she hates her tutoring job and has given up pursuing photography.

However, I found this book dense and slow going that it took me a long time to get through this book. While the reality show was a great way to heighten the drama but I found myself bored by the ridiculous challenges and wanted to see more character development for Paulie, who I just couldn't grasp. I am all for complicated female characters but I'd liked to have seen start to have a few 'aha' moments earlier. I felt really sorry for Declan, but would've loved to have seen more of him. I'm pleasantly surprised and enjoyed that resolution, though I wish there was more of a pay off for it.

Overall an enjoyable but slow read.

Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I must preface this review by saying that I don't read fiction that often, so I didn't have a lot of expectations going in. At first, I was pulled in by the premise of the book, but as I read on, I became appalled by Paulie and her desire to wait for things to happen TO her vs her being an active participant in the planning of her life. However, as I continued to read and learned more about the other contestants, I realized that it wasn't fair of me to judge Paulie so harshly because she is just a human and even characters can be human, which is a hard concept for me to grasp when I read vs watch. I felt neither disappointed nor fully satisfied with the ending, instead, I would say that I felt content that the story ended on the right note.

Just a quick summary: On a whim, Paulie submits her application to audition for a reality tv show in Sweden called "Crying Americans", where Americans of Swedish descent learn about Swedish culture through a series of high stakes games, cultural immersion, and being pushed to their limits. In the end, they get to meet their Swedish family. Every episode, someone gets sent back to America after their elimination, no staying around to watch or sabotage the remaining contestants. What happens in between every episode is where the real story unfolds.

I wanted to like this book but it fell short. For me Paulie just wasn’t a character with many redeeming qualities. I know this was supposed to be a book about self discovery but I didn’t feel like Paulie really did any of that. I struggled with the book as a result. Thank you Net Galley and Mariner Books for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The writing style of this one is very....confusing...to say the least. I had no idea what was happening within the first 10% of the book because the narration is all over the place.

This was laugh out loud funny, which is so rare these days. It was witty, biting but also charming. Honest in a way few books feel these days . . . I adored this one! This will make you want to travel but also to realize that no one has it all figured out. Definitely add to your TBR!!

Big in Sweden comes out next week on July 2, 2024, and you can purchase HERE!

The thing is, unless you get married, buy a house, build an important career, and/or have children, the narrative arc for a thirtysomething woman sort of sputters and stalls. I had recently turned thirty-five, had no career to speak of, and found myself more or less unfit for marriage, property, and procreation, either despite or because of biweekly rummagings through the subconscious in group therapy. I often waxed nostalgic to Jemma about our twenties and the acute sense of purpose that had defined them-the quests for new jobs, new lovers, new dresses and apartments! The delicious suspicion that one's real life was lurking around every corner! I even missed my particleboard bookshelf, which had listed so badly-for years!-it finally collapsed on a guy we called Crotchgrabber while he offered me an unsolicited explanation of cryptocurrency. How he had screamed! It was more emotion than I'd ever seen from him, including the grunt of his orgasm.

I enjoyed this story about a Swedish reality show. I was really rooting for Lars and Paulie. Loved the other annoying contestants. Some interesting facts about Sweden. Story about self discovery but not sure I bought her choice at the end.

Geez, the writing just did not grab me. I've actually heard of the swedish gameshow and was intrigued to try the book out. I've known a couple of people who've been on the show. But the writing I just couldn't find love in the words or the characters. It seemed a bit all over the place. The book cover is what drew me in.

This had such promise- I love a tv show book but this one just really wasn't hitting for me so I DNF'ed it about 50 pages in. I hope to maybe go back at some point when it might better suit my tastes because it's a cool premise and a gorgous cover! Sadly just not for me.

I went in thinking I would enjoy this book. I've really been loving all the women who find themselves through an odd journey in their life. This was a little bit of a disappointment.
Paulie wins a chance to be on a reality show based in Sweden, where she'll learn of her family history and if she wins, meet her family. The book is all about the journey. And none of it really made any sense to me. She was contradictory at best, flipping from hating someone to being their friend in the flip of a page. Her main partner relationship didn't jive and she never really learned much about herself along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for allowing me to review this book.

Based on the cover art, classification (romance), and blurb, I was expecting a lighthearted Bridget-Jonesesque storyline. It’s definitely more women’s lit, finding yourself later in life. An Eat, Pray, Love moment, if you will. Paulie, our FMC has a lot on her plate. RELATABLE. She’s plucky, sarcastic, sharp-witted and liberal. (Thus the many other dumb reviews of people saying the author hates America or that it’s a political book. It’s characterization. It’s fiction.)
So when an opportunity pops up for her to star in a Swedish tv competition, and get to know her heritage, she makes a knee-jerk decision and dives right in. She has a lot bubbling below the surface, and a lot to work through. What’s nice is that there’s a lot of comedy and antics mixed in, so the (inadvertent) soul-searching/internal growth storyline is well balanced. Having said all that, I wasn’t looking for this type of plot line, so I found myself putting it aside for a true romance, and at times feeling bored. I think it’s really well written, and a quite lovely read, but if you’re a mood reader like me, it’s best to know what you’re going in for. This would make a fantastic movie. 3 ⭐️

Thank you so much NetGalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy!

This was an odd book that was all over the place for me. It would have been a DNF if I weren't reading an ARC, but then the ending somewhat redeemed it for me. I'm going to settle on 2.5 stars, rounded up. The biggest problem with the book was that the protagonist, Paulie Johansson, was aggressively unlikable for the majority of the story. In a novel about personal growth, that's far too much time for me to spend with someone I can't stand. The learning curve/redemption arc at the end was just too little, too late for me overall. Here's the plot: Paulie has landed herself a spot on a Swedish reality TV show that connects the winner with their Swedish family (through the modern miracle of DNA tracing). There are some very funny scenes, lots of excellent Pippi Longstocking references, and a general sense of chaos. Solid themes of redemption and hope. I will probably give future books by Franson a try. Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for a digital review copy.

3.4 (because I just can’t round up to 4 stars on this one)

I really don’t know how to describe “Big in Sweden” or my feelings about it. I was skeptical at first, but then got really into the set up and how one drunken Christmas Eve night with her best friend could lead to the best thing Paulie has ever had happen and a way forward to better things.

However, we soon realize that Paulie drinks a lot particularly when it’s a bad idea, like she has something really important to do first thing in the morning and it’s already late or drinking alone with someone she is trying to avoid because she is attracted to him but also in a relationship. This is one of those where you you’re not sure which love interest is better or if either of them are a good idea. The latter was my leaning.

The book is chock-full of detailed, fascinating, and intimate history and imagery of Sweden from top to bottom which is unique for a book like this (American vs. a Swedish book translated). Unfortunately, Paulie is such a mess and it’s kind of amazing that anyone likes her because she is selfish and it’s hard to like her a lot of the time. She walked in totally blind to what could be a life-changing situation and was her own worst enemy. I wanted to like this much more than I did. The settings and cast of characters along the way are fantastic however and that made it enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

I wanted to like it - I kinda did? - but I feel like ultimately I didn't connect with the writing. I tried to read it a few times, and every time realized I wasn't having fun so I moved on to something else. Maybe one day I will finish it. I love the premise though. And the cover is great.

3.5 stars! I really enjoyed Sally Franson's debut A LADY'S GUIDE TO SELLING OUT, and love books set in the realm of reality TV, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of BIG IN SWEDEN. The premise sounded so unique and fun—Paulie Johansson accepts the opportunity of a lifetime and boards a plane to Sweden to star in a reality competition show there...and possibly meet the family she never knew. Forced to take on outrageous challenges and bond with her fellow contestants, Paulie's about to learn so much more about family, friendship, love, and maybe even herself along the way.

The writing style of BIG IN SWEDEN was a definite highlight for me—Sally Franson's writing is so sharp and witty, and compulsively readable! I thought she did a fantastic job of developing the setting, too. I loved reading the descriptions of all of the different sights Paulie and her castmates saw, and the things they did (the chapter where they went to the ABBA Museum was an especially fun one!). While the story is generally lighthearted, I also appreciated the focus on deeper themes, like self-discovery, found family, identity, and belonging. BIG IN SWEDEN will make you laugh, but it will also make you think, and Franson establishes a good balance of humorous and heartfelt moments throughout. Additionally, I thought the character development was well-done overall, particularly Paulie's—BIG IN SWEDEN shows that reality TV contestants are more than the archetypes they might be assigned by production and/or the audience, and they each have their own struggles, flaws, and complexities.

In terms of things that didn't work for me as much, I felt like the pacing of the story felt a little off sometimes. The beginning had me hooked, the middle felt a little slower and more difficult to get into, but by the end, I was fully along for the ride again. However, that could have just been my personal experience, and maybe other readers will feel differently! Some other reviewers have mentioned that this is the kind of book everyone will have different takeaways from, and even one person might discover something new each time they read it. I definitely agree with those points—so give it a try, and see what you find. Overall, I thought BIG IN SWEDEN was a really fun and creative read, and am excited to see what Sally Franson has in store next! Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC.

First of all… what?

I got a little over 30% done with this ARC and I’m bamboozled. Our main character, Paulie, is not as complex as I think she thinks she is? She feels like she has to justify her every move (to herself!!) because I guess she doesn’t think she’s doing what she should do… but then she does it anyways? Idk man. Nothing makes sense.

Paulie won entry onto a game show in Sweden, apparently where her family is originally from, to… learn about her family….? I’m sorry, what? If you’re that invested in learning about your family history and culture, please just get a 23 & me kit and read a book. The other characters I kept getting confused about who was who because none of them were memorable at all. Most of them were just as annoying as Paulie. The first (and only) “challenge” I read about… they were acting like… Vikings…….? Again.. what?

Paulie is also completely over her long-term boyfriend but I guess won’t leave the relationships because of the security it offers. However, she’s lusting over multiple other men and I only got a few chapters in.. but she’s feeling guilty for not being in love with her boyfriend but also fully aware that she doesn’t even want to be….?

Idk man. This is another NetGalley book I got and had high hopes for but was SUPER let down

From the description, I was expecting a light, quirky character, fun Scandinavian novel. I was disappointed. The characters were not well developed. The main character was messy and without direction- Is she a drunk? Is she just an angry, selfish person? Is she even capable of making good decisions? Also hidden in this "feel-good" book was a lot of commentary on social and political issues of the day, both here and in Sweden, which kind of weighed the story down. It felt like the author was trying to cover too many issues all in one go, which gave it a frenetic, rudderless feel. I really wanted to love this book, as I did the Fredrik Backman quirky books, but it just didn't meet the mark for me. I wouldn't discourage anyone from giving this a try. It's a nice, light, summer read, that others may find enjoyable.

Thanks to Net Galley for this ARC opportunity!