Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

A witty and emotionally charged novel that delves into the heart of a marriage, and how those we love and think we know best can sometimes surprise us the most—from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella
 
After ten years together, Sylvie and Dan have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, and beautiful twin girls, and they communicate so seamlessly they finish each other’s sentences. They have a happy marriage and believe they know everything there is to know about each other. Until it’s casually mentioned to them that they could be together for another sixty-eight years . . . and panic sets in. 
            
They decide to bring surprises into their marriage to keep it fresh and fun. But in their pursuit of Project Surprise Me—from unexpected gifts to restaurant dates to sexy photo shoots—mishaps arise, with disastrous and comical results. Gradually, surprises turn to shocking truths. And when a scandal from the past is uncovered, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other at all.
            
With a colorful cast of eccentric characters, razor-sharp observations, and her signature wit and charm, Sophie Kinsella presents a humorous yet moving portrait of a marriage—its intricacies, comforts, and complications. Surprise Me reveals that hidden layers in a close relationship are often yet to be discovered.

My thoughts-

I think anyone who has been married for some time can relate to the situation put forth in Surprise Me. I have been married to my husband for almost 12 years now and we have definitely been in a rut before. I think that obviously Sylvie and Dan take things to the extreme in their reaction to realizing they would be together for a long long time (didn't they already know this when they got married? lol), but marriage is not always easy and sometimes there needs to be something to shake things up. I didn't like that these two characters, who had been married for quite some time, didn't seem to know the other very well, as evidenced by their surprises for one another...but if they would have known each other better there wouldn't have been any drama to help elevate the book. I loved the idea of the surprises and didn't like how those went down, but I STILL want to try Project Surprise with my husband. The difference is, I probably won't tell him or ask him to do the same. What I loved about the book was the characters learning more about each other and Sylvie ending up surprised after all in the end in a way she would have never expected. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women's fiction.