I was honored to get to review this book as Sophie Kinsella is indirectly the only reason I fell in love with the song, Calling You by Kat Deluna, as she is the name behind the best-selling shopaholic series which resulted in a major motion picture staring Isla Fischer.

Yet, this book did not make me feel as invigorated as the song.

It follows a married couple who find out that their life expectancy is quite a stretch more than they originally thought when they promised “till death do us part.” Right away, you find yourself rooting for the main character, Sylvie. She’s the typical mother of two girls looking to spice things up in her life and marriage by coming up with this idea that her and her husband Dan should surprise each other with things, ideas, or creative endeavors to keep things “lively” since they have about 68 more years of healthy, happy married life.

Yet, although I finished the entire novel, I found myself skimming through entire chapters because they seemed almost superflous in nature to the overall story. Maybe I read this book all wrong but after just finishing a 60 chapter not yet published novel in an entire day, I can say that what was abundant in that book was missing in this one:

There was a lack of tension or an overall obstacle for the main character or characters to overcome.

True. This is a married couple we are talking about so the climax will not be as romantic as two arch-enemies that fall in love with one another BUT I guess I still felt something was missing.

Ultimately, that was the most surprising of all. That this book left me feeling like I just read one of those books I read in grade school ONLY BECAUSE I was obligated and not at all because I wanted to.

This book was my modern day post-academic life The Crucible by Arthur Miller.