Reviews with content warning for Car accident - 10 Things That Never Happened

Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall

24 reviews

wilybooklover's review

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

3.75

My main issue with this book was that I felt like I didn't really get to know either hero very well — even the POV MC, Sam, was a bit of a mystery since he's lying and misdirecting for most of the book. Because of that the romance aspect fell a tiny bit flat for me. I loved the softer moments where the characters connected (like when they were appalled over the price of Fortnum's decorations) and when they would show they cared in small ways, but they weren't enough to carry a whole romance on their back, especially given how much conflict these two characters had. I also found the ending a bit rushed; if there was another chapter or two after

the graveyard scene

I think it would've gone a long way in fleshing out the romance more.

While I enjoyed the antics and craziness from the side characters, there were just a few too many of them to keep straight. And Jonathan's Granddad Del was clearly a carbon copy of Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses, right down to the name and dodgy deals. My favourite character was actually Gollum, Sam's ugly cat who was hilariously adorable and kind of stole the show from the main characters. His scenes with Jonathan were so cute.

There were a couple of inaccuracies about the steel industry in South Yorkshire, although I appreciate that it's a bit of a niche subject. But I can look past that part because it it was so nice to read a queer, working-class northern MC in a romance novel set in the UK. I loved that it was a romcom that was actually funny and lighthearted for once, while still being touching and grounded in real life and somehow pulling off a fake amnesia plot. And I cannot stress enough how good the humour is. Overall a very charming and enjoyable Christmassy romcom!

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bookcheshirecat's review

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

“Jonathan recoils slightly. "That is..." Being nice doesn't come easy to Jonathan Forest, but being nice about Gollum doesn't come easy to anybody. "an interesting-looking pet," he finishes.”

➽ 10 Things That Never Happened is another hilarious Alexis Hall Romance! I have been intrigued by this book ever since I read the premise. The story is about Sam, who manages the branch of a bath and body retailer but isn't really good at taking charge. The numbers of their branch aren't looking good. When his boss threatens to drastically change the branch and let go of some of its employees, Sam pretends to have fake amnesia. It's a stupid, desperate idea as Sam doesn't want his team to face eviction, but it ends up making Jonathan more sympathetic towards him. Instead of coming clean, Sam decides to play along and show Jonathan that his branch can still do some good! The premise was hilarious and chaotic and I loved the ensuing shenanigans! The writing style is upbeat and funny, so I was fully invested in Sam's efforts to get out of this situation with the best possible outcome.

➽ The hate-to-love, opposites-attract romance was also swoonworthy! Jonathan is a strict, disciplined person who takes the management of his bath and body company very seriously. He's not one for emotions, but can't help but feel guilty for Sam's (apparent) amnesia, as he was present for the accident. He urges Sam to move in with him, as he's got no one else to look out for any complications. Beneath his stubborn, gruff facade, Jonathan is much more and has a good heart. Sam's good at getting him to show a softer side, as he's chaotic, enthusiastic and much more open!

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fuzzywilson's review

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emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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just_one_more_paige's review

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

And so continues my read everything by Alexis Hall quest. This is his most recent publication, and one that I received an ALC of from Libro.fm, though I ended reading this one with my eyes, as it was (as Hall's books have consistently proven to be) fast and fun and sweet and funny and a great choice for travel reading (which are, in fact, the circumstances under which I picked it up).

Sam Becker isn't living a dream life, sure, but he has settled comfortably into his role managing quirky and mildly inept staff at a branch of a bed and bath retailer. The only real problem is that the owner is a git. Said owner, Jonathan Forest, is an unsentimental workaholic, not good with people in the way that Sam is, and definitely doesn't have time for anything other than keeping his businesses running at highest quality. Since Sam's store is underperforming, Jonathan invites him to London to have a tough discussion about next steps, but during the conversation, Sam trips, hitting his head. When Jonathan misinterprets his fuzziness due to concussion as amnesia, Sam takes advantage to try and save his bumbling staff from being fired. But while faking amnesia originally seemed like a great idea, the more time Sam spends with Jonathan (and Jonathan's family...and sees how much his grumpy cat likes Jonathan), the more Sam realizes there is a softer side to him that he keeps deeply hidden away. And maybe Sam is falling for that softer side? So, this "second shot at a first impression" has backed Sam into an uncomfortable corner that he now has to figure out how to get out of without ruining what's turning out to be an actually really great relationship.

As I said in my little intro, this was fast and fun and sweet and funny. Like, for real, I have never come across a writer whose consistency in style reaches this level before. There is something quintessentially Hall that is present in each of his books I've read. It's that writing that is laugh-snort out loud hilarity of the dialogue and narration (he does not miss on that), mixed with a sort of softness of an impending HEA that you know you'll get because that's what Hall does. It's a perfect balance for entertainment and heartwarming-ness, and really no one does it like he does.

Now, that being said, the amnesia situation is not a favorite of mine, as tropes go, so this just was never going to be a favorite of his books, for me. And I knew that going in, so I adjusted expectations accordingly. And after reading, I remember why. There's just a suspension of disbelief that you have to have, in order to buy into a story where a character can remember some things and not others, and yes, I know the brain is complex, but it's just a lot to ask of this reader. Now, some of that (like why Sam's family, or anyone in his life, doesn't reach out about his well-being for weeks, even in Holiday times) does get more well explained in the end. And when it does, it is heartbreaking and it does fit. But that doesn't change the fact that, for the majority of my time reading this book, it was a question sitting in my mind that affected my overall reading experience.

On the other hand, I am not usually a Holiday romance lover either, and in that case...this book was giving. Like, the absolutely adorable hamster ornament interaction/theme had my heart straight up melting. And the giant Christmas tree through all the floors of Jonathan's house was, honestly, spirit-restoring. Related to this, a bit, but also standing on its own, if you have a big loud nosy family, this book will feel familiar in all the good and annoying ways. Those vibes were on point and hit the spot.

Tbh, all in all, I'm coming out of this book with the feeling of vibes that were on point and hit the spot. And, though this isn't a new favorite Alexis Hall for me (of note, I'm hard pressed to believe that anything will ever beat A Lady for a Duke), it delivered what I was hoping for and left me quite satisfied.

“You’ve come into my life like a beam of very annoying sunshine. You talk so much that I miss it when you’re not. You try to fix things I didn’t even realize were broken. You have a dreadful sense of humor to which I’ve somehow become habituated. You care about people so effortlessly it makes me able to put up with them. And then you kissed me and now I…” He lets his head slip further down into his hands. “…I don’t know how I’m supposed to go the rest of my life without being kissed by you again.”

“So I kiss him again. I kiss him the way he’s maybe scared to be kissed and the way I think he deserves to be kissed.”

“And that’s—well it’s jobs, at the end of the day. They’re bigger than you and that’s nice when you’re there. But every connection you make is based on cash and convenience. It’s not a substitute for— For anything.”

“It’s kind of the worst thing someone can say to you. Because you can’t hurt someone unless they care. And you shouldn’t if they do.”

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skudiklier's review

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funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Honestly I'm not sure what to say about this book. In general there were a lot of things I liked about it, but there was a huge roadblock for me in the fact that Jonathan just....is actually a horrible boss? Like I know a lot of this was supposed to be showing that he has "hidden depths" and isn't really a terrible person, but he's still a terrible boss? I don't know how Sam can separate that from how he is *towards* Sam. It feels really shitty, like, the moral is that terrible people also have emotions and aren't *always* horrible to *everyone* around them? Like. Duh.

Idk. There were so many things Jonathan did in the very beginning of the book that had me thinking "yeesh they're going to have to do a really good job of convincing me to like this guy for this to work." And....they didn't. It didn't work. Yes I felt for him in a lot of moments, yes I could see what Sam saw in him in some moments. Part of me *was* rooting for the relationship to work. But that same part of me was also desperately hoping for there to be even unconvincing proof that Jonathan was changing as a boss and wouldn't be so controlling and terrible towards his employees. And that just didn't happen.

So while I liked some things about this book, and was engaged, it was far more frustrating than satisfying for me.

One thing I will say for the book's credit is that I appreciated it debunked Stockholm Syndrome (briefly). It infuriates me when people act as if that's a real thing and so I was glad to see pushback on that in the book.

If you're fine with romances where the love interest is genuinely a terrible person to people he has power over, then I'd recommend this to you (genuinely--that's not even sarcastic. I know that wouldn't be a dealbreaker for some people). Otherwise, you might just be frustrated and wish this could have been as good as you wanted it to be.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

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kal517's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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aishoka's review

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dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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caseythereader's review

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the free copy of this book.

- 10 THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED is an expansion on the world of the BOYFRIEND MATERIAL books, and basically, if you loved those books, you're gonna love this one too.
- The premise is bananas (fake amnesia??!) and I was very into it. Hall is so good at writing bumbling characters, whether that be physical or emotional bumbling. And, as silly as this book is, it also deals with some very real feelings and relationship dynamics.
- The supporting cast of this book is great as well, and I hope we get some of their stories in future books.

Content Warnings

bookishmillennial's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial

Alexis Hall does it again! I absolutely adored this book - here's a reminder of how these books are connected to BM & HM from Alexis' Instagram post on 4/15/2023 (https://www.instagram.com/p/CrEcGcgrQFl/) for those who are unfamiliar:
💙 Material World is a London Calling spin-off series. 5 books are planned (3 for London Calling & 2 for Material World) & all are set in the same universe.
❤️ London Calling is exclusively about Luc & Oliver (their final book will be called Father Material. Release date: tbc). Material World will feature 2 standalone stories about different couples. 10 Things That Never Happened (Jonathan & Sam) is book 1. Book 2 belongs to Tyler & has the unofficial title of Himbo de Bergerac. (Release date: tbc.)

Anyway, you will find the following in this book:

a cat named Gollum (this felt extremely important and is why I noted it first hahah)
first-person POV of main character named Samwise, who runs a bed & bath retailer
grumpy owner Jonathan (who made an appearance in Husband Material at the wedding setting)
opposites attract and grumpy x sunshine
forced proximity - Sam & Gollum live with Jonathan while he "recovers" from his amnesia hahaha
a family Christmas party with sweet traditions!
planning for a company-wide Christmas party with a budget of 150 pounds a head!
the silliest but also most serious (yet unserious) banter between our love interests
workaholic learns to unwind and take life less seriously
found family!

I really enjoyed that most of this book took place inside Jonathan's home, and was filled with conversations between Jonathan and Sam. I liked that each conversation led them to unpacking and unraveling something that one of them (usually Jonathan) was struggling with. Jonathan is your typical workaholic who could be compared to Ebenezer Scrooge because of his penny pinching and lack of empathy or desire to build a genuine connection with his employees. Sam, on the other hand, cares deeply about others, especially his quirky group of colleagues, and he is desperately trying to get Jonathan to see them as people, not just workers.

Sam doesn't want this only for his friends, but also for Jonathan's sake! Jonathan seemingly lives a lonely life on purpose, constantly pushing his family away, even though they seem keen to spend time with him. He seems to feel unworthy of being loved or desired unless he is financially providing and ensuring his family avoids poverty. I thought both of these characters were deeply authentic, and I definitely had people from my real life pop into my mind as I read this. I think this is the perfect holiday romcom to read this holiday season, as it will make you giggle, kick your feet into the air when the grumpiness finally falls away a bit, and then make you upset when things inevitably go wrong. It has all the inner workings of a cozy and delightful holiday romcom!

steam rating: closed-door/fade-to-black

cw: cursing, bullying, toxic relationships (familial, work, friends), injury (concussion after falling), medical content (main character goes to hospital for fall/concussion and follow up appointment), car accident is mentioned, grief

Content Warnings

savvyrosereads's review

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Out Oct. 17 [Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC for review!]

Rating: 4/5 stars

When Sam hits his head moments after being fired from his job, he winds up part of a plot to keep his job—involving fake amnesia and living with his grump but attractive boss.

I love Alexis Hall, and in particular I find the London Calling books to be absolutely *hilarious.* This one is a spin off set in the same world, and it is every bit as funny as I expected and wanted it to be. I laughed multiple times and thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience.

I did think that this one tended to the slightly long side and I wanted a few more hijinks to really round out the plot. It also felt less focused on the romance and more focused on the individual character arcs in parts, which made it take longer to get invested in Sam-and-Jonathan as a couple (though I did eventually get there). But all of that said, these books are just so fun, and I am always excited for a chance to revisit this world Alexis has created.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: fake amnesia; forced proximity; cats

CW: Death of loved ones; injury; mentions of car accident (off page)

Content Warnings

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