By Sophie Kinsella

I swear, Sophie Kinsella just keeps getting better. This book, which I listened to on audiobook, started off to be very dull. Matt and Ava meet on a writer’s retreat in Italy and fall in love. They were both perfectly likable but pretty nondescript. Their romance went smoothly and sweetly. Yawn.

But boy, when they returned to the real world from the vacuum of paradise, all hell broke loose! And it was delightful! It turns out Ava is a lovable flake (not unlike most of SK’s heroines)with a squad of crazy friends. And Matt is a closed-off uncommunicative CEO of his family’s global corporation with a cold and manipulative family. They not only have nothing in common, but they are total opposites in every aspect of their lives and tastes. It was hilarious. I couldn’t decide who I was more in sympathy with (or felt more sympathy for). But remarkably, as much as they are horrified by what they learn as they get to know each other, they stay in love. And just when I had had it up to here with their personalities, each would do something lovable or we would learn something about them that helped to make me understand and (almost) forgive their behavior.

When it all comes to a head late in the book, and they inevitably part ways, you know that it will be the making of them. But will Matt-land and Ava-land be able to negotiate an accord, become allies, and once again and fall back into their “special friendship?” Well, may I remind you of who the author is? **5 stars out of 5**

January 26, 2021