![]() ![]() As it stands, the novel is fairly one-sided, but, if it contained back-and-forth points-of-view, this might not be the case. Part of the problem might be that we only ever see Ava’s perspective. It’s fun for a little bit, it’s fun for a book or two, but after a while, it gets quite old. They’re too quirky and not relatable enough, and I need to be able to relate to characters to properly connect with them. However, this is a problem I have found with the last couple Sophie Kinsella books I’ve read. When just about every main character feels like a caricature, having one straight man feels necessary to even things out. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – it definitely adds to the humor of the novel – but at times, it just felt like a lot. Most of them are over-the-top, too outlandish. The characters, Ava especially, are a bit…much. Love Your Life is not without flaws, of course. Hide your shirts and your steak because neither will be the same if Harold is around. Harold refuses to sleep anywhere but in bed with Ava, and he absolutely loves stealing people’s food. Nell, Sarika, and Maude, Ava’s pals, even warm themselves to Topher and Nihal, Matt’s roommates.Īnd of course, there’s Harold, Ava’s bad-mannered dog. Despite their differences, the group absolutely adores each other, and Ava even manages to appeal to Matt’s more gruff set of friends. Ava’s group of friends is tight-knit and even features representation for those with serious (but sometimes invisible) health conditions (her friend, Nell, has lupus). The side characters certainly help with that, as they are the complete opposite of the heroine. ![]() Will you date someone who eats meat? Is that a deal-breaker? Will you try to convert them? What if they aren’t receptive (but are great when it comes to everything else)? “I’ll convert him! The vegetarian gods have sent him to me for this very purpose!”Īs a vegan, I found this part to be very funny, and it brings up a lot of questions for vegans and vegetarians. “I can see that I’ve overreacted in fact, it’s all very clear to me,” she thinks. His answer? Well, it starts with a “no” before he backtracks into a “never say never,” bringing Ava around to his side again. However, she manages to find some solace when she asks Matt if he thinks he could ever be vegetarian. Ava is dismayed, disheartened, and pretty offended too. He even asks if he can try the lamb bone broth Ava is making for her dog. Matt is far from it, which shocks our heroine because the writing retreat only served vegetarian meals. Sure, injury isn’t funny, but this scene is just one showing after another of just how completely opposite and mismatched these two are.Īlso during this same scene, Ava, who claims to not believe in deal-breakers when it comes to relationships, cooks a vegetarian stew because (thank you, Ms. “Right now, I would probably take function over character,” Matt tells her. For instance, on their first date at Ava’s house, her “vintage school chairs,” which she chose because she prefers the character of old, used furniture to the function of new, collapses…and takes Matt down with it, leaving him with a terrible gash on his arm. The pair believe they have a true connection and profess their love…but then they have to head back to London and reveal who they really are.īased on their experiences at the writer’s retreat, Ava and Matt have idealized versions of each other in their heads, and when the fantasy makes way for reality, the two find themselves in some humorous situations. Sparks fly between Matt and Ava, despite keeping reality under wraps. Even more interesting? When the neighboring martial arts retreat gets cancelled, one very handsome stranger chooses to stay and learn the craft of writing. The writing retreat is special: no one is allowed to use their real names or reveal anything about themselves. So she leaves behind her dog and her friends and travels to Italy for a writer’s retreat, determined to finish writing her novel. That’s right: she wants to write a romantic novel. After a breakup and then a bad date, Ava wants nothing more than to forget about her own romantic entanglements and get lost in the fictional one she’s been fantasizing about. In the new novel, we meet Ava, a woman who “believes in feelings, not algorithms,” and, as a result, is not a fan of dating apps. Her latest, Love Your Life, is no different. ![]()
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