Sophie Kinsella, you are the queen of all things. I appreciate this book so much because I know it was autobiographical. It could not have been easy to write especially since your brain needed so much retraining after surgery. You put into words something that can be completely unfathomable to comprehend. Thank you for sharing this story and for being so strong so that you could bring honesty to your writing. The fear is real. The love is real. And the hope tied everything together.
I can only imagine that recovering from surgery due to the removal of a cancerous growth on your brain is immensely scary and frustrating and what feels like an unfair turn of events. Kinsella uses her brilliant writing style to allow the reader a tiny understanding of what's it's like. I encourage everyone to pick this short story up and read it.

What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella is an autobiographical fiction about an author dealing with a brain cancer diagnosis and her journey to recovery. This book hit me so hard, yet it was so difficult to put down that I read it in one sitting (it's a short book). Sophie Kinsella is one of my all-time favourite authors and I've read all her books. It was tough reading about all she went through but I'm absolutely grateful for her survival, her husband and children. And now I feel like rereading all her books. Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for giving me the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review shared on Instagram @thereadingmom.ng. Link below

What a real, raw and honest story from the first person perspective going through memory loss. Such resilience and support from all around her, which is so reassuring during such a difficult time.

I had no clue when I requested this book that it was about Sophie's story of what's been going on in her life the past year or so. To read what she's written about her brain tumor and long road to recovery is quite sobering yet she still manages to put a smile on your face. This was a very good read/listen and I'm so glad I did!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 8 October 2024

You see the name Sophie Kinsella and you automatically think “fun” and “lighthearted,” “a good romp with a talented writer.” And you wouldn’t be wrong. But with What Does It Feel Like?, Kinsella moves into a deeply personal place. Based largely on her own experience with a brain tumor, the novel follows Eve, a successful author who wakes up in a hospital to learn that a scary diagnosis has completely overturned her life.

In true Kinsella style, even a potentially fatal diagnosis can be defused with humor and heart. Eve’s husband, who is there when she opens her eyes for the first time after brain surgery, is one of the kindest characters ever appearing on a page. He patiently helps her understand what has happened to her again and again. You are right there cheering for this loving married couple as they learn—as a determined team—what is most important in life. Their relationship is refreshing.

I’ve heard Kinsella interviewed about why she wrote a semi-autobiographical book, and she said it was because she “has always processed life through (her) writing.” Though I’ve repeatedly enjoyed her skill as an author, this personal experience of surviving a brain tumor has and will continue to add layers to her giftedness.

Much appreciation to The Dial Press and NetGalley for an advance reader copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. Sophie Kinsella takes the recent, tragic events of her real life and weaves them into a story that could be extremely depressing. Instead it is dealt with with humor and grace. This is a quick read; full of SO MUCH HEART. I hope we are able to be reading her work for many more years.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing this read. All opinions are my own.
This was such a beautiful novella, almost like a mini-memoir. I've read Sophie Kinsella over the years and while Shopaholic didn't catch my eye, some of her other books were fun and sassy chick lit reads that I really enjoyed. This story illustrates her very personal journey with brain cancer. It's raw and revealing, and doesn't shy away from the complexities of life after receiving a serious diagnosis.

Knowing how personal this story is to Sophie Kinsella, it was an emotional read. She opens up and brings us into every scary and confusing experience, while also giving voice to the people who step up in these situations to support their loved ones. I'm grateful for her bravery in sharing this with readers and wish her all the best.

A heartbreaking short story based on the author's own experience being diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. Raw and lovely, I can't imagine how hard this was to write. You also get glimpses of the funny you know and love from her.

I like to go into books blind; not really knowing what they're about ahead of time.

Imagine my surprise when this book ends up being a novella, that is somewhat based on Sophie's life! It reads as both utterly heartbreaking, honest, and yet has light parts that'll make you smile.

I encourage you to read this novella.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this novella in exchange for my honest review.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE? by Sophie Kinsella focuses on the protagonist Eve, an author who has everything going her way -- a doting husband, loving children, and a vibrant career after she writes a blockbuster. Then all fades to black and we learn she is on the other side of a brain tumor which has impacted her short term memory. She must re-acquire basic skills and struggle with the shortened outlook a stage IV diagnosis suggests.

In the author's note, Kinsella reveals that this is an autobiographical novella, as she herself was diagnosed in 2022 with brain cancer and used the writing of this to process her experience. She casts it as fiction to allow freedom to concoct scenarios when her memory has failed, but she has pulled heavily from her own life. In what must have been an excruciating and unnerving time of life, in writing this, Kinsella allows readers into the very real feelings and reactions, and her vulnerability is no small thing to readers who may face their own diagnoses and will benefit from the example of hope this provides.

(Thank you to Random House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I was also lucky enough to receive an ALC from PRH Audio.

Wow this book might be quick but it is a powerful read. Props to Ms. KInsella for being vulnerable enough to share her story and turn it into an inspiring fiction novel. This book is beautiful. You will laugh and you will cry.

I also enjoyed the audiobook version of this book, thanks to PRH Audio for granting access!

Sophie Kinsella's What Does It Feel Like? is a must-read for anyone looking for a story that'll tug at your heartstrings. It follows Eve, a novelist who wakes up in a hospital with no memory of her life. Yeah, pretty rough. But don't worry, it's not all doom and gloom. Eve's got a supportive husband and a love for life that's stronger than any tumor. Watching her navigate her new reality, learn to walk and talk again, and rediscover what truly matters is both inspiring and heartwarming.

Kinsella's writing is simple and relatable, making it easy to connect with Eve and her struggles. The short chapters keep the pace moving, and you'll find yourself laughing, crying, and cheering her on throughout the book. If you're looking for a feel-good story that'll remind you to appreciate the little things, What Does It Feel Like? is definitely worth checking out.

This was a deeply personal and moving book that explores the author’s journey through life after having surgery for the removal of a large, malignant brain tumor. The story is both heartbreaking and uplifting while Kinsella shares her experiences with such raw honesty and vulnerability.
It was a very short read and I couldn’t put it down. Despite the subject matter, there are a lot of moments of humor and wit. The writing was engaging and it touched my heart.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I was really surprised by this short and impactful story! It is both heartbreaking and uplifting and makes me want to drop everything and spend the day with my family. I was surprised to read that it’s inspired by true events and that makes it even more powerful and inspiring. I would definitely recommend to anyone that likes short fiction based on true stories!

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE
Sophie Kinsella

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE to die before your story’s end? Before you can tell your side, before your plot twist, before you can live out all the dreams you’ve saved for your future self, for when the time is right, or better, or when you have a second to take a breath.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE to be diagnosed with a terminal illness? WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE to leave your children without their parent, your partner without a hand to hold through the hard times, through the good times, through the death of the only person they have ever loved?

Sophie Kinsella knows.

She is a romance author and what is so interesting is that her life’s work will not end in happily ever after. It will end next year. If she is lucky.

We are not in control; we are not in charge. Our life is in the hands of fate, our story is something we cannot write entirely by ourselves. This book is the ultimate reminder that tomorrow is not a gift we are given. The only breath you are promised is the one you’re taking now. And now can end at any time.

The most I want to say to Kinsella is thank you, the least is I’m sorry.

It's short, it will take under an hour of your time, and it could change the way you see things, which is worth every second.

It’s a must-read if you are familiar with her work. It’s a must-read if you have put your dreams on layaway. It’s a must if your life was ever anything worth living at all.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for the opportunity to provide feedback.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a heartfelt and touching novella. It's the story of Eve, a character based on the author, who is grappling with the terrifying diagnosis of terminal cancer. The story unfolds in vignettes, and even though it is a short novella, it gives a deeply emotional view into Eve's life both before and after her diagnosis. Kinsella has long been one of my favorite rom-com authors. Her humor and hopefulness shine through in this work, even with this terribly sad and personal subject matter. I hope Kinsella can continue defying the odds for a long time to come.

A brilliant job by this amazing author of optimistic women’s fiction. Kinsella has entertained her readers for years, but in this book, she tells the real story of her cancer, glioblastoma. A life filled with five children, a husband and her writing, Eve begins to stagger and fall, resulting in brain surgery for a tumor. The story recounts how she had to relearn basic everyday life, and approach it with determination. The author is providing a service for many experiencing this heartbreak, and does so with her usual humor and humanity. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was such a great story! It was sad, heartbreaking and brought tears to my eyes at time but also deeply touched on many emotions of love and family. I loved it!

What Does It Feel Like is a novel, but also a very close parallel to Sophie Kinsella's lived experience. Eve Monroe, best-selling author, wife and mother to 5 children, wakes one day in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. Her devoted, loving husband, explains to her that she has had surgery to remove a tumor from her brain. Eve has no recollection of anything that occurred to bring her to this point, and it is a lot to swallow. While Eve learns to walk again, talk again, write again and while she goes through therapy and chemo, she also re-learns what is important to her. With a positive outlook despite the challenging medical picture, Eve shows us how it is done...how to keep living even if life might be short.

This novel is heart-wrenching and amazing. It is only 144 pages, but each page packs a punch. This is nothing like Kinsella's previous books, although her humor does come through, despite the difficult, raw and personal book she has written to help people understand this illness. She even throws in a tip or two on how to survive the challenges it brings into a person's life. Through short vignettes, we watch as she discovers and re-discovers what has happened in her life, and watch as she puts one foot in front of the next throughout her recovery.

I highly recommend this short but powerful read.

Thank you to Netgalley and The Dial Press for the opportunity to read this e-galley.