Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Kinsella’s "What Does It Feel Like?" is a profoundly moving exploration of life’s fragility and the power of resilience. In this semi-autobiographical novella, Kinsella delves into her personal experience with brain cancer through the character of Eve, a celebrated novelist who awakens to find herself battling a severe diagnosis. The narrative deftly navigates Eve’s journey through recovery, revealing the intimate struggles and triumphs of regaining normalcy and redefining what truly matters.

Told through a series of poignant anecdotes, the novella juxtaposes heart-wrenching moments with uplifting reflections. Eve’s interactions with her family and the small joys of life such as walks with her husband and family game nights are depicted with warmth and humor, offering a testament to the beauty of everyday experiences even in the face of adversity. This book is not just a recount of illness but a celebration of life’s simple pleasures and the strength found in love and perseverance.

Kinsella’s departure from her usual comedic fiction to this raw and introspective work is both brave and inspiring. "What Does It Feel Like?" is a testament to her ability to translate personal pain into a narrative that resonates deeply with readers, providing both comfort and insight. This novella, though brief, leaves a lasting impression, affirming Kinsella’s skill in capturing the essence of human experience with compassion and honesty.

This book was different from the typical Sophie Kinsella novel. While it had some familiar elements, it ventured into new territory for her. The story gave insight into the emotions someone might experience, but the plot felt disjointed at times, with some abrupt storylines.

Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, this book was written in the style I’ve always loved from Sophie Kinsella, but with a deeper more tragic story at its core. Knowing that the story is based off the authors own makes it even better!

Brilliant, heartbreaking, hilarious, and honestly so many other things. I didn't expect anything less than absolute perfection from Sophie but this story really took ahold of me. I read it easily in one sitting and the emotional rollercoaster it sent me on was like nothing I've experience from a book before. I cannot recommend this story enough and plan to shout it from the rooftops that everyone read this book ASAP

What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella is a tender and deeply personal novel that delves into the fragility of life and the power of love and memory. Through the eyes of Eve, a successful novelist recovering from brain surgery, Kinsella offers a poignant exploration of what truly matters when everything else fades away.

The novel is structured around brief, vivid anecdotes, each one a gem that reflects the warmth, humor, and heartbreak of Eve’s journey. As she relearns how to navigate the world—physically, emotionally, and creatively—Eve’s reflections on life’s simple pleasures and deep connections resonate with anyone who has ever faced a profound challenge.

Kinsella’s writing is as engaging as ever, but there’s a depth here that feels new, rooted in her own experiences and emotions. This book is not just a story; it’s a celebration of life’s small, beautiful moments, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.

What Does It Feel Like? will make you laugh, cry, and perhaps most importantly, reflect on your own life and the memories that matter most. It’s a beautifully crafted novel that will break your heart and then gently piece it back together, reminding you of the resilience of the human spirit.

I finished this book in a day. Sophie Kinsella has always been dependable for a fun read with an emotional gut punch at the end, and irritatingly inept but lovable heroines. This book is nothing like her usual fare - but so much more - more poignant, more innovative in its structure, and at it's heart probably her most optimistic book. Reading about a life-changing illness is never fun, but Sophie threads the needle in this almost entirely autobiographical story, presenting a true to life view that retains a space for humor. After reading this book you can't help but hope and pray that a miraculous cure for her cancer appears - not just in her fictional world but in this real one too.

This story is such a testament to Sophie Kinsella’s bravery and resilience. It’s heartbreaking. To be given a glimpse into her diagnosis and struggles the past few years was eye opening, and I applaud her positivity in the face of adversity. I wish there would have been more to the story, but I also understand why this was only written as a novella.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

Wow. Just wow. This story was so inspiring, I can NOT imagine going through all of that. I think it’s even more inspiring knowing that it is heavily based on Sophie Kinsella’s actual experience. As far as the writing goes I loved drawing parallels to her life that I was aware of (the parallel to her Shopaholic series). I also really enjoyed the format of this story, I tore through it and didn’t even realize how fast I was reading it until I had finished the story altogether.

When I heard that Sophie Kinsella had written a new book that was her most autobiographical work to date, I knew I had to read it. In What Does It Feel Like?, she is honest and vulnerable as she shares the deeply personal and moving journey of a bestselling author whose glioblastoma diagnosis, surgery, treatment and prognosis mirror her own. Kinsella’s books have always been there for me when I’ve needed a feel-good book to make me laugh, and while obviously this one is much different in tone and subject than her previous novels, she delivers it with humour and grace. While it was a shorter read than I had anticipated, this book was an emotional but beautifully hopeful journey, and I’m grateful to her for sharing it. I hope she and her family continue to feel the huge outpouring of support and love from her fans. My thanks to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love a Sophie Kinsella book and haven't met one I didn't like. I loved this one though - you could really tell that the author put a lot of herself into this book.

Sophie Kinsella’s What Does it Feel Like? was the most devastating and authentic and honest portrayal of life before and during cancer that I’ve read. Kinsella’s portrait of the helplessness cancer evokes and the going through the motions, and drowning while living is hauntingly precise. I worry that any further review I would give would cheapen Kinsella’s narrative. Recommended to everyone. Thank you to The Dial Press and Random House for the DRC. All opinions are my own.
5 stars.

I can trace my love of Sophie Kinsella all the way back to my high school days. I remember loving her Confessions of a Shopaholic series and her other previous works. I have always found her books uplifting, hilarious, and a good time. So when I saw what this was about, I was intrigued. Not her usual type of book but why not? This is a short read but man does it pack an emotional gut punch. I found myself tearing up towards then end of the short novel. I found it so moving, so real, so terrifying. Then the author’s note at the end truly wrecked me. 5⭐️

This book broke my heart. For so long, Sophie Kinsella has been one of my favorite authors. Several times, I ended up in tears and needed to take a break. What an awful experience.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was so surprising. I did not know it was autobiographical when I first requested, but this story took my breath away. Reading about healing from a brain tumor in the first person was unique and completely eye-opening. My only complaint was that it was too short. I think this book would be so helpful to someone going through something similar!

Thank you again for the ARC!

An open and honest journey through a life with cancer. What does it feel like? isn't your normal Sophia Kinsella novel. But you will find Kinsella's genuine voice in her autobiography-turned-fiction story.

Imagine waking up in the hospital without knowing how you got there - only to find your world turned upside down. A seemingly ideal life, flipped around and now just taking things day by day, breathe by breathe.

Inspirational and at times hard to read, but worth every word.

When Sophie Kinsella sent out a newsletter about her cancer journey, I was devastated for her. Being a cancer survivor myself, I know how hard the entire process can be. When I saw that she had written a novella about her story, I requested an ARC right away.

What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella is about Eve and her diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor. This short novella follows a format different from Sophie’s usual books and is written in short vignettes.

I very much enjoyed this quick read and sincerely wish it was longer. I am happy to see Sophie Kinsella is doing well after her cancer journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC. And a huge thank you to Sophie Kinsella for sharing your very personal story with us.

This short book is a stunner. Grab a box of tissues and pick up a copy! While Sophie Kinsella is known for her Confessions of a Shopaholic series and other romcoms with happily ever afters, this book is a beautiful and tragic deviation. She has promo’ed this as largely autobiographical (and even details that in the afterward author’s note), which makes it even more powerful and stinging. In this book author Eve finds a great dress, has a loving family and attends a premiere before her world comes crashing down and she wakes up in the hospital with essentially no short term memory and a bandage on her head. Her loving husband Nick tells her anew everyday that she just had a glioblastoma resected, and she goes through the grief of this diagnosis while physically recovering in anticipation of returning home to her five children. While this sobering book brought me to tears, it also gave me hope. The love story between husband and wife is so pure and true- I just loved it. I read this ebook as an ARC from NetGalley and may also revisit it when the audiobook is released. I’ve already talked about the impact of this book with others and it will stay with me for a long time.

Verrrrrry different from all the other books I have read. The others were all Rom-Com, cute beach reads. This starts off like that, but then... what?

Picture a mom of five who is an author. Hubby actually takes them all out for the day so she can write. I know, we are all thinking right....... like that would happen to us in similar situations. sound of snorting laughter here. Of course the silence is too much and she decides to go to the coffee shop, but on the way a dress calls to her from a store window. Once she sees it, she knows she has to have it and she will figure out where to wear it later.

Everything after this is spoiler alert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Newsflash! The story she had been carrying around in her head flew out and a brand new idea flew in! It worked! Sold millions and made into a movie and she gets to wear the dress!

Next thing we know, she is waking up in a hospital bed with no clue as to why she is there. She feels her head wrapped in gauze and learns she had a brain tumor removed. She has intermittent memory issues during the recovery from the surgery and then from the radiation and chemo treatments. Does it work? Read it and see.

Given the heavy subject matter, I still say thank you NetGalley for and advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given..

I was attracted by this book because it was from Sophie Kinsella. I had no idea what she has been through this last two years... It's very well written. I know a little bit about waking up in a hospital and it resonated deeply with me. It resonates also because more and more people are living with stage 4 cancer not knowing when it will kill them and wondering if they are gonna be above or under the average prognostic. So it's a sad book but a beautiful testimonial and reminder that we only have the present moment.

I adored this book/novella. It felt so honest and raw, and as a fellow cancer survivor/fighter I really identified with a lot of this book. It was so brave of Sophie Kinsella to write something so autobiographical and I think anyone who reads this book is a better human being for it. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.