I did not like this book at all. Jumped around too much and just didnt enjoy it at all. Nothing else to say.

What a gut punch. I hope readers know what this book is about before reading—nly because of triggers but just because it’s so raw and different from her other books. Thinking and praying for SK.

I loved this book!! Having lost my very best friend to stage IV breast cancer when she was only 38 years old, this book touched me to the core. Some of what she speaks about, are things that my dear friend spoke to me about while battling cancer for a short 16 months... It’s real, emotional, and poignant yet, as she always does, she adds her bit of humor and style. So witty, fun and bright, even with a very tough diagnosis. When I started reading this book, I had no idea that this was semi autobiographical. I(I don’t follow authors on social media or Know what’s happening in most celebrity lives.) But as I read it, I realized the beginning sounded like it was her as she started writing her shopaholic series.
I’m so thankful that she wrote this book and I hope people realize how true and raw this is. I am sure for those who have dealt with the similar diagnosis. Her spin on it is helpful to them in their ordeal. I hope this was cathartic for her and for her family.
She is such an amazing author, and I only hope that she will continue to bless us with her words for many years!
Thank you Net Galley for the preview.

A personalised fiction that touches your heart!

Thanks Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Synopsis -

Eve, a well known author, wakes up in the hospital with no memory of her life. When her husband explains her about the glioblastoma surgery she’s just had, Eve has to regain her life bit by bit. Told in the form of anecdotes woven around Eve’s family life, her beloved five children, her success with her latest book & that high end silver sequin dress she impulsively buys, this novella is a celebration of life for Eve in the book literally & the author @sophiekinsellawriter herself personally.

Review -

I've been huge fan of Sophie Kinsella ever since I've been a reader & was deeply saddened to hear about recent cancer diagnosis. This novella she penned, is a fictionally observed autobiography of the whole heartbreaking experience & her journey with grief.

Kinsella pours everything she went through into the story of Eve, drawing parallels & maintaining the chronology of events close to her reality as much as possible. Her writing directly reached my heart, as it broke for Eve 💔- the utter impossibility of her situation & how as a couple, Eve & Nick manage to remain optimistic about life as they discuss their bucket lists, find humour & comfort in each other’s company, share compassion & the most tender form of empathy towards each other. I especially found their open communication style & relationship with their children was heartwarming.

While Eve is fighting her battles for survival, Nick has his own challenges as a carer & has to find the strength to carry on single handedly with the outcome. I loved how the carer’s perspective is explored despite this book being a short story.

I am so glad Kinsella chose to share her own personal narrative through her happy place of writing, no matter how hard it was to reiterate at times for her. I am also relieved that she is currently doing so well & look forward to reading many more of her works in the future.

The ending leaves us with hope, positivity, gratitude for everything we have & a beautiful reminder to make the most of our lives.

This is such a hard book to give 5 stars to because of the topic it covers and just the heartbreaking story behind it but it is definitely a 5 star book. It's a quick read and while the subject matter is tough, it's still a light read?

Sophie has been a longtime favorite author of mine and while this was a departure from her norm it still had her magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This book is captivating, emotional, and beautifully told. I always love Sophie Kinsella's books and I especially loved this one.

Though not my typical go to type of book, I found this to be an important and touching read especially considering it's essentially the author's story.

How would you feel if your seemingly perfect life fell to pieces once you were diagnosed with a fatal disease? The author works through the heart break, confusion, anger and utlimaltey hope in this fairly short novel.

As per usual, Kinsella's writing is amazing and the story wonderfully told.

Wow! Rating this very personal yet captivating novella anything less than 5 stars is impossible. Sophie Kinsellas latest book, released on Tuesday. I actually had an advanced copy from @netgalley but just got around to reading it today (in one setting). I have been a big fan of Sophie Kinsella for as long as I can remember. As a teenager Inhad two favorite authors and she was one of them and I still love her to this day. I no idea what she had been battling personally up until today.

After being diagnosed with a terminal brain cancer back in 2022 and having surgery to remove the tumor Kinsella wrote “What does it feel like”, a short novella written in to mini vignettes, written very autobiographical with minor fictional changes here and there, sharing her experience of diagnosis and the year post surgery. About 1/2 through j started crying and proceed to stream tears until the very end. I think it’s safe to say this without giving away what’s already obvious, the book does have a happy ending despite the odds. So much in packed into so few pages. I found myself highlighting a lot from about the 1/2 way point on swipe to see one of those highlights.

While I’ve never had cancer I still could somewhat relate to many of the main characters feelings and also could relate to having a partner as wonderful and supportive as Nick was in the book.

In real life, unlike in books we can’t invent happy endings but sometimes they happen even when the odds are stacked against us and for that reason alone, we must always have faith and never give up hope.

Kinsella shares her story in a beautiful ways to disgest way and if you hav were chance and need something ro read with your afternoon tea, give this book a try.

Great book very heart breaking then to find out it is her story just really got to me. Great read and really let me inside her life. I would read again.

I want to thank Netgalley and the Author for gifting me the ebook. I was able to find this title via audio book from my local library.
I have been a huge fan of Mrs. Kinsella and this book I knew would be different than her other novels, but this was honestly such a beautiful read. Kinsella never disappoints and this one really hit hard for me and made me cry along due to I lost my father to cancer in May of this year. Highly recommend!

Fans of Madeline Wickham/ Sophie Kinsella will enjoy getting a peak behind the pages glimpse of a favorite author's life, but make sure those readers know this is nothing like their beloved Shopaholic series. This novella packs an emotional punch in its few pages, highlighted by its format.

Wow - what a great book.

What would you do if you were diagnosed with terminal cancer? Eve had just that happen to her. Eve has brain cancer and her story is honest and raw. She has trouble remembering what has happened to her. So her poor husband Nick has to tell her over and over about her diagnosis. This story makes you think about what matters most and what it means to be optimistic when life is really hard. Everyone needs to read this book. It is not sad but uplifting.

What Does It Feel Like is like looking through the window and catching glimpses over time of what it's like to die. The author fictionalized her own story of fighting brain cancer as an author, wife, and mom of five. There are times where this story was hard to read and will make you cry, but it also shows how she leaned on her husband during the hardest times and his unconditional love. This was a one-sit read for me. 4/5 stars, but be warned, if you are dealing with a family member suffering from cancer, this could be a hard read.

I have loved all of Sophie Kinsella's books, from the Shopaholic series to her stand-alone novels. I was so heartbroken when I heard about her cancer. I am currently dealing with a parent with cancer, and so this book is extra impactful. She tells her story is such a captivating way, and my heart breaks for her young family. It is a novella so you will read through it quickly (just make sure you have tissues with you!)

I highly recommend it!

Arc Review:
Overall Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was able to read this book in one sitting and what a beautiful and touching read this book was, I may of teared up while reading this book and especially after reading the authors notes I was tearing up even more.

Thank you NetGalley for this read.

May I start by saying that I have read every single one of Sophie Kinsella's books. Her books bring me such immense joy, and I was simply heartbroken to hear about her brain cancer diagnosis. While What Does It Feel Like? is a fiction story, it is based closely on her journey through diagnosis and treatment.

This is a beautiful, beautiful book full of so much hope. I read it in a single sitting, and I teared up several times. I'm generally not even a book crier!

Bottom line: All the stars!

What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella is a difficult book to review because it’s so personal to the author. The story is emotional, heart breaking and inspiring all in one. I liked the format of the book, it felt like I was reading her personal diary. I wish there was more back story or info on her life before her diagnosis. I felt like I didn’t really know Eve or her family so it was hard to feel very connected to her. I think I would have been more emotionally invested if I had more insight into her life.

Just about every single person has lost someone to cancer. That being said, Sophie Kinsella’s latest book will likely break your heart. However, like when I read Lisa Genova’s books, I remind myself of the importance of reading books like this.

While fictional, this book is, in many ways, autobiographical. Our protagonist, Eve, is a highly successful author who is diagnosed with an incurable cancer in the prime of her life. As a happily married woman and the mother of five, Eve is like any woman, not just mothers, who struggles with something completely out of her control.

Although short, this book effectively reminds us of our mortality. I greatly appreciate how the author draws from her own battle with cancer, which makes me even more compassionate towards her struggles. This highly emotional book will stay with me for a long time to come.

Many thanks to The Dial Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I read every book from this author. I went in blind but got hit like a tonne of bricks. I am not a novella person either. This was raw, personal and so hard to read. I don’t get emotional regarding books but for some reason this was really hard for me to get thru.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

This was sad, sort of sweet and ultimately hopeful story. It was a quick read but not a light one. Knowing that it was semi-autobiographical made it tough to read but also more meaningful.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.