Extract from Sophie Kinsella's new book, What Does It Feel Like?

Extract from Sophie Kinsella’s new book, What Does It Feel Like?

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‘Write what you know’: an extract from Sophie Kinsella’s new book, What Does It Feel Like?

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Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

The Undomestic Goddess

'Funny, fast and farcical. I loved it' JOJO MOYES 
 
'I almost cried with laughter' Daily Mail 
 
The hilarious romantic comedy from NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR Sophie Kinsella, with a foreword from Daisy Buchanan 
 
Samantha thrives under pressure. A high-powered London lawyer, all she can concentrate on is taking the next step in her career; eating, sleeping, seeing friends – even taking a breath – will have to wait. 
 
But just when she’s about to get everything she has ever wanted, Samantha makes a mistake. A fifty-million-pound, career-destroying mistake. Unable to face the consequences, she does the unimaginable and runs away… 
 
Catching the first train she can, she finds herself in the countryside, outside a beautiful grand house. Mistaken for another woman, she falls into a new job as the family’s housekeeper. 
 
Disaster ensues. In a blink, her life has shifted from writing briefs to washing them – and she has no idea how to work the washing machine. Let alone the oven. A former master of the takeaway menu, she’s now expected to whip up fine cuisine. 
 
But gradually, she falls in love with her new life in a wholly unexpected way. Will her employers ever discover the truth? Will Samantha's old life ever catch up with her? And if it does...will she want it back? 
 
***** EVERYBODY LOVES SOPHIE KINSELLA: ***** 
 
'I couldn’t put it down.' LOUISE PENTLAND (SprinkleofGlitter) 
 
'Life doesn't get much better than a new Sophie Kinsella novel' RED 
 
'Hilarious . . . you'll laugh and gasp on every page' JENNY COLGAN

Sophie Kinsella is an internationally bestselling writer. She is the author of many number one bestsellers, including the hugely popular Shopaholic series. She has also written seven bestselling novels as Madeleine Wickham and several books for children. She lives in the UK with her husband and family. 
 
Visit her website at www.sophiekinsella.co.uk and find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SophieKinsellaOfficial. You can also follow her on Twitter @KinsellaSophie and Instagram @sophiekinsellawriter.

What Does it Feel Like?

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER! 
 
'Only Sophie Kinsella can make you laugh like this while she's got you crying . . . This is one of the gutsiest moves I've seen from a writer in a long time. I could not put it down.' TAYLOR JENKINS REID 
 
'A deeply funny and affecting love story.' The Guardian 
 
'I laughed. And I cried. And then I thought about the meaning of life. A jewel of a book.' JOJO MOYES 
 
'Emotional and affecting, this gave me a new appreciation for life's small joys.' Red 
 
'The bravest book you'll read all year.' JODI PICOULT 
 
------------------ 
 
From Number One bestselling author Sophie Kinsella, an unforgettable story – by turns heartbreaking and life-affirming – of a renowned novelist facing a devastating diagnosis and learning to live and love anew. 
 
‘What Does It Feel Like? is fiction, but it is my most autobiographical work to date. Eve’s story is my story.’ — SOPHIE KINSELLA 
 
Eve is a successful novelist who wakes up one day in a hospital bed with no memory of how she got there. Her husband, never far from her side, explains that she has had an operation to remove the large, malignant tumour growing in her brain. 
 
As Eve learns to walk, talk, and write again — and as she wrestles with her diagnosis, and how and when to explain it to her beloved children — she begins to recall what’s most important to her: long walks with her husband’s hand clasped firmly around her own, family game nights and always buying that dress when she sees it. 
 
Recounted in brief anecdotes, each one is an attempt to answer the type of impossible questions recognizable to anyone navigating the labyrinth of grief. This extraordinary novella is a celebration of life, shot through with warmth and humour – it will both break your heart and put it back together again. 
 
‘Why did I write such a personal book? I have always processed my life through writing. Hiding behind my fictional characters, I have always turned my own life into a narrative. It is my version of therapy, maybe. Writing is my happy place, and writing this book, although tough going at times, was immensely satisfying and therapeutic for me.’ – SOPHIE KINSELLA 
 
------------------ 
 
'I was gripped and moved and I loved every word.' LISA JEWELL 
 
'A beautiful love story and a glowing beacon of hope.' JENNY COLGAN 
 
'Heartbreaking yet hopeful, this life-affirming read encourages us all to take life by the horns.' Prima 
 
'Of all the books I have read about living with cancer this is by far the best. Beautifully written, profound and deeply moving.' HENRY MARSH 
 
 
Sophie Kinsella, Number 1 Sunday Times bestseller, June 2024 
Sophie Kinsella, Sunday Times bestseller, October 2024

As writers we are told to write what we know — but there are some things people wish they never had to learn. Such is the case for Sophie Kinsella, whose new novel follows an author whose greatest asset — a creative brain — becomes her biggest liability when it develops a cancerous tumor. Hearing from the point of view of a novelist who has crafted so many stories but doesn’t know how her own will end is raw, humbling, tender. This is the bravest book you’ll read all year.

Emotional and affecting, this gave me a new appreciation of life's small joys

A book full of honesty and solace for anyone going through a tough time.

The Burnout

The funny and uplifting No.1 Sunday Times bestselling romantic comedy from the global multi-million-copy bestselling author. 
'Hilarious, sparky and joyful - just the book you need if you're desperate for a break' BETH O'LEARY 
 
'Funny, sad, relatable, and so brilliantly done. Sophie Kinsella is the queen of romantic comedy' JOJO MOYES 
 
'Funny, feelgood, touching and full of the bittersweet, incisive wit that puts every Sophie Kinsella novel in a league of its own. I could not have loved it more.' LISA JEWELL 
 
*********** 
 
Discover the joy that awaits when you set yourself free... 
 
Sasha is well and truly over it all: work (all-consuming), friendships (on the back burner), sex-life (non-existent). 
Armed with good intentions to drink kale smoothies, try yoga and find solitude, she heads to the Devon resort she loved as a child. But it's off-season, the hotel is falling apart and she has to share the beach with a grumpy, stressed-out guy called Finn. 
 
How can she commune with nature when he's sitting on a rock, watching her suspiciously? Especially when they don't agree on burnout cures. (Sasha: manifesting, wild swimming, secret Mars bars; Finn: drinking whisky.) 
 
But when curious messages start appearing on the beach, Sasha and Finn are forced to begin talking – about everything. What's the mystery? Why are they both burned out? And what exactly is 'manifesting', anyway? 
They might discover that they have more in common than they think. . . 
********** 
Praise for The Burnout 
 
'Such a hilarious, joyous, life-affirming book; I never wanted it to end' JENNY COLGAN, bestselling author of The Christmas Bookshop 
 
'An absolute joy. . . wickedly funny and blissfully romantic' Sunday Express 
 
'A gorgeous, feelgood gem. 5 stars' The Sun 
 
'Uplifting and full of laugh-out-loud moments! Loved it!' HEIDI SWAIN, bestselling author of The Festive Feeling 
 
'[A] gorgeous, escapist read' Good Housekeeping 
 
'Exactly what I need when the world seems upside down' - 5-STAR Reader Review 
 
'This book is perfect.' - 5-STAR Reader Review 
 
'I'm still in a cloud of deliciousness.' - 5-STAR Reader Review 
 
‘A great, feel-good Sophie Kinsella knock-out.' - 5-STAR Reader Review 
 
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE? THE UNFORGETTABLE NOVELLA FROM SOPHIE KINSELLA IS OUT NOW. 
 
 
The Burnout, Instant Sunday Times bestseller, June 2024 
The Burnout, No.1 Sunday Times bestseller, July 2024 
 
[cover may vary]

'I devoured The Burnout in one greedy gulp. Funny, sad, relatable, and so brilliantly done. Sophie Kinsella is the queen of romantic comedy'

'I'll drop anything for a new Sophie Kinsella. The Burnout is hilarious, sparky and joyful - just the book you need if you're desperate for a break. I loved seeing Sasha coming back to herself on the windswept beach at Rilston!'

'Such a hilarious, joyous, life-affirming book; I never wanted it to end'

'Uplifting and full of laugh-out-loud moments! Loved it!'

An absolute joy. . . wickedly funny and blissfully romantic

The Burnout is a glorious off-season holiday love story that will sweep you off your feet. Funny, feelgood, touching and full of the bittersweet, incisive wit that puts every Sophie Kinsella novel in a league of its own. I could not have loved it more.

'Delightful. Charming, relatable, and laugh-out-loud funny, I loved getting to know Sasha, Finn and the gang. I'm sad I've finished it!'

'Joyous and surprisingly moving fun. Reading fiction like this is like watching someone make a perfect Pavlova. I'm sure Sophie's millions of fans will, like me, sigh with relief and pleasure'

'Comforting, funny, and hugely enjoyable. Kinsella remains a must-buy for me'

'Wonderfully witty, wise, romantic and uplifting'

'Such brilliant comic writing, such a sharp, yet generous, critique of contemporary mores, but always with great characters and a swooningly romantic plot. I really loved it.'

'Packed with laughs and a bucketload of heart, this is Sophie Kinsella at her very best'

Sasha is well and truly over it all: work (all-consuming), friendships (on the back burner), sex-life (non-existent). 
 
Armed with good intentions to cleanse and relax, she heads to the Devon resort she loved as a child. But it's off-season, the hotel is falling apart and she has to share the beach with a grumpy, stressed-out guy called Finn. How can she commune with nature when he's sitting on a rock, watching her suspiciously? 
 
But when curious messages start appearing on the beach, Sasha and Finn are forced to begin talking – about everything. What's the mystery? Why are they both burned out? And what exactly is 'manifesting', anyway? 
 
They might discover that they have more in common than they think. . .

The Party Crasher

The joyful, romantic Sunday Times bestseller 2022

'Joyous and funny, [with] emotional hidden depths.' JILL MANSELL 
 
What might your family say about you if you weren't in the room....? 
 
________ 
 
Escape with the new Sophie Kinsella romcom about family love, family tensions and family secrets. 
 
Effie's still not over her parents splitting up a year ago and her dad and his awful new girlfriend are posting photos everywhere (with the hashtags #viagraworks and #sexinyoursixties). Now they're selling the beloved family home and holding a 'house-cooling' party, but Effie hasn't been invited. 
 
Then she remembers her precious Russian dolls, safely tucked away up a chimney, and has no choice but to go back for them. She'll just creep in, grab the dolls and leave. No one will know she was ever there. 
 
But Effie can't find the dolls. And as she secretly clambers around dusty attics, hides under tables and tries (and fails) to avoid bumping into her ex-boyfriend, she discovers unexpected truths about her family - and even about herself. 
 
With time running out, Effie starts to wonder if the only way to find out what's really going on with her family is to simply crash the party... 
 
Expect shocking secrets, hilarious mix-ups and an unforgettable romance! 
 
________ 
 
'The best kind of escapism.' LUCY DIAMOND 
 
'Joyous and funny, but also contains emotional hidden depths. I absolutely loved it!' JILL MANSELL 
 
'The Party Crasher has all the wit, humour, warmth and wonderful characters that I love about Sophie's books.' JO THOMAS 
 
Readers are raving about The Party Crasher! 
'Addictive, moving in places and downright laugh-out-loud in others, I couldn't put this down!' &amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088; 
'I loved this book . . . authentic and relatable.' &amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088; 
'Funny, witty and thought provoking.' &amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088;&amp;#11088; 
 
 
Sophie Kinsella, Sunday Times bestseller, October 2023

Kinsella is a superb storyteller and this novel is her best yet.

Not only is it as deftly plotted as a French farce, and as funny as all Kinsella novels; it is unexpectedly moving as well, and so good on families.

There really is no one else who can write like Sophie Kinsella, and this book is yet another triumph, packed with brilliant characters and madcap situations. It's joyous and funny, but also contains emotional hidden depths. I absolutely loved it!

Funny, smart and supremely entertaining, The Party Crasher features a marriage breakdown, adult siblings in turmoil and some very uncomfortable truths - raising the question: can a family this broken ever be fixed?

The Party Crasher has all the wit, humour, warmth and wonderful characters that I love about Sophie's books. From the toe-curling embarrassments, where I can feel my cheeks burn for the character, to the deeply touching and ultimately joyous journey she takes us on. I couldn't put it down. It was a party I definitely wanted to be at and wasn't going to leave until the very end.

I just love Sophie Kinsella books: the best kind of escapism.

We love a Sophie Kinsella novel - and this is as funny as ever!

This is a force with a heart. Classic Kinsella - we loved it!

Love Your Life

Number One bestselling author Sophie Kinsella returns with the perfect summer read: an irresistible new standalone about falling in love with someone - but not necessarily with their life...

'As close to perfect as romantic comedies get' Jenny Colgan 
 
'A joyful, hilarious and heart-warming tale of the challenges we face when we sign up to be part of someone else's life' Beth O'Leary 
 
The irresistible standalone novel from No. 1 bestselling author Sophie Kinsella. 
 
I love you . . . but what if I can't love your life? 
 
Ava is sick of online dating. She's always trusted her own instincts over an algorithm, anyway, and she wants a break from it all. So when she signs up to a semi-silent, anonymous writing retreat in glorious Italy, love is the last thing on her mind. 
 
Until she meets a handsome stranger. . . All she knows is that he's funny, he's kind and - she soon learns - he's great in bed. He's equally smitten, and after a whirlwind, intoxicating affair, they pledge their love without even knowing each other's real names. 
 
But when they return home, reality hits. They're both driven mad by each other's weird quirks and annoying habits, from his eccentric, naked-sauna-loving family to her terribly behaved, shirt-shredding dog. As disaster follows disaster, it seems that while they love each other, they just can't love each other's lives. Can they overcome their differences to find one life, together? 
 
***** EVERYBODY LOVES SOPHIE KINSELLA: ***** 
 
'Left me giddy with laughter. I loved it' JOJO MOYES 
 
'Life doesn't get much better than a new Sophie Kinsella novel' RED 
 
'Fast, furious and fabulous fun' WOMAN &amp; HOME 
 
 
Sophie Kinsella, Sunday Times bestseller, October 2023

Sophie Kinsella is one of my favourite authors, and Love Your Life might just be her best book yet. It's a joyful, hilarious and heart-warming tale of the challenges we face when we sign up to be part of someone else's life. It made me laugh out loud and it made me cry happy tears - I adored it.

As close to perfect as romantic comedies get.

Kinsella is back with a relatable heroine, lots of laughs and a romance you'll be rooting for . . . A feel-good Christmas treat.

As warm as the Italian sunshine and full of fun. A fabulous Italian appetiser, like a platter of antipasti, a stunning, satisfying mix of romance and real life; with characters that you will fall in love with, that will leave you smiling with joy. Like a glorious dinner party with friends, it left me feeling happy, warm and staying up far later than I should so as not to miss a thing. I loved it! It left me wanting more!

Pre-order this one right now, you won't regret it!

Packed full of her witty humour, Kinsella's latest will leave you giggling all the way to Christmas!

Whether you're a fan of Sophie Kinsella, or just in need of a bit of escapism, her latest novel offers a whole lotta love and a little light relief, which is what we all need right now.

Classic Kinsella, this is funny and heart-warming.

[Kinsella is] on her usual sparkling form in this typically compulsive standalone...Fabulous escapism.

If you're looking for laughs to beat the virus blues, Kinsella's your gal!

This feel-good romance is a Christmas treat!

An absolute joy of a read from storytelling supremo Kinsella.

Another very funny read from the bestselling author.

Abridged Edition

Penguin Readers Level 3: The Secret Dreamworld Of A Shopaholic (ELT Graded Reader)

Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online. 
 
Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. 
 
The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary. 
 
Visit the Penguin Readers website 
Exclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys. 
 
Becky lives with her rich friend, Suze. Suze and her friends have lots of money, and they eat in expensive restaurants. Becky does not have as much money as Suze. Becky knows that she should stop spending money, but she can't stop shopping.

Sophie Kinsella is an international bestselling writer. She is the author of many number one bestsellers, including the hugely popular Shopaholic series. She has also written seven bestselling novels as Madeleine Wickham. She lives between London and the country with her husband and family.

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
The Secret Dreamworld Of A Shopaholic, a Level 3 Reader, is A2 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, introducing first conditional, past continuous and present perfect simple for general experience. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages. 
 
Becky lives with her rich friend, Suze. Suze and her friends have lots of money, and they eat in expensive restaurants. Becky does not have as much money as Suze. Becky knows that she should stop spending money, but she can't stop shopping.

Sophie Kinsella

The hilarious romantic comedy from NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR Sophie Kinsella 
 
If you suddenly had a friend that only you could see or hear, what would you do? 
 
You could worry that your stressful life has tipped you over the edge and you have lost the plot, big time . . . you could hide under your duvet, hoping that they would go away . . . 
 
Or 
 
You could have some fun . . . 
You could make your ex-boyfriend take you back . . . 
You could solve the mystery of the dragonfly necklace, make a fool of yourself many times, get your business back on its feet . . . 
You could dance with a gorgeous man who just can’t resist you . . . 
 
And you could just discover the best friend you ever had. 
 
***** EVERYBODY LOVES SOPHIE KINSELLA: ***** 
 
'Funny, fast and farcical. I loved it' JOJO MOYES 
 
'I couldn’t put it down.' LOUISE PENTLAND (SprinkleofGlitter) 
 
'I almost cried with laughter' DAILY MAIL 
 
'Life doesn't get much better than a new Sophie Kinsella novel' RED 
 
'Hilarious . . . you'll laugh and gasp on every page' JENNY COLGAN

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Need a bit of sparkle in your reading life? Then step into Sophie Kinsella's world of love, laughter and warm, wonderful characters that’ll feel like best friends after page one. Get five books for £15 on the Penguin Shop.

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Meet Rebecca Bloomwood. She's a financial journalist who spends all day writing articles on how to manage money wisely. Her own method of managing money is to hide her Visa bills under the bed and hope they'll disappear. 
Becky just can't stop shopping, whether it's stocking up on 3 for 2 offers, or buying an essential grey cardigan, or falling in lust with a pair of dreamy shoes. 
She knows she has to stop. Her bank manager is sending her sterner and sterner letters, her credit cards are being declined, her Mum and Dad have no idea . . . what is she going to do? 
Will Becky ever take control of her life, find love and regain the use of her credit card? 
The Shopaholic series begins with The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.

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Articles featuring Sophie Kinsella

‘Write what you know’: an extract from Sophie Kinsella’s new book, What Does It Feel Like?

The best Christmas romance books to fall in love with this winter

9 of the best books set in Spain

9 holiday reads set in Greece

Books guaranteed to make you laugh

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Our favourite mother-daughter relationships in fiction

Mood-lifting books with only happy endings

Test your fairy skills with Mummy Fairy and Me!

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

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