Reviews with content warning for Child death - If I Never Met You

Reviews tagging 'Child death'

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

36 reviews

sparkinspace's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.5

A really good fake dating romance. Exactly what I wanted when I searched for a good romance. Some parts made me gasp and giggle which is always a good sign when it comes to a feel good book.

No explicit sex either! :)

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imkedogger's review against another edition

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medium-paced

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

3.25

This book was really cute. I loved the relationship between the main characters and the way they both really grew and developed as characters. The first 25% of the book was kind of boring though. We just kept talking about the break-up from her previous relationship and I just did not care. I understand that the fake dating had to make sense, so we had to read some of the breakup, but it just kept going on and on. I think we the male main character was mentioned twice during the first 25% percent of te book. I would've preferred if the interactions with him had started a little earlier, but it was enjoyable none the less.

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acethirtynine's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

4.75

This charming rom-com set in Manchester, England was funny and engaging while also sometimes tackling darker and more difficult topics. Both main characters have experienced trauma that informs their current lives and that plays out throughout the novel. At first I did find some of the UK slang a little challenging to stay focused on but once I got into the real meat of the story - just a couple chapters in, it didn't bother me anymore. I felt so much righteous indignation on behalf of Laurie in so many instances during this story, and did absolutely end up rooting for Jamie.

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usingatelescope's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

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catsandmetaphors's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This was the fourth novel I read by Mhairi McFarlane and it was undoubtedly my favourite. I always turn to McFarlane's books when I need a nice, gut-wrenching palate cleanse after reading too many fluffy rom-coms in a row, and this one had the intended effect, as expected.
Fake dating with eventual real feelings, one bed trope, but add amazingly written friendships, complicated familial relationships, and the issues a biracial woman faces in modern-day Britain. The latter was admittedly somewhat underutilised.

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ablaine's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.0

This is a case of, “I’m not mad. I’m just disappointed.” I went into this reading so hopeful, and just felt let down by the book overall.

I appreciate that McFarlane attempted to diversify her leading lady oeuvre as I acknowledge that I can’t speak to how well she did at portraying a Black woman’s experience in England. What I found difficult about the character was how uneven the development felt. I understand the importance of containing multitudes etc., but McFarlane seemed to paint her as both a domineering force with ambition while also being a sheltered wallflower. Her voice in the beginning was so clear but it became murkier as the story went on.

The romance seemed to primarily revolve around swapping traumatic childhood stories, which is fine, but not for me. I also didn’t buy the journey from polar opposites to people who thought, felted and acted the same.

The themes were all over the place, including an attempt at highlighting the enduring strength of female friendships. Sadly, it felt like an afterthought.

The ending felt so rushed and out of character for all parties involved, that I was truly baffled after having spent so many hours with them.

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.5

Title: If I Never Met You
Author: Mhairi McFarlane
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 2.50
Pub Date: March 5, 2020

T H R E E • W O R D S

Slow • Predictable • Forgettable

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Together for the past 18 years, Laurie feels she and her partner Dan are ready to start trying for a baby. When one evening, she broaches the topic, Dan quickly realizes he doesn't want children and ends things. Heartbroken, Laurie's once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again horrifies her. Several months down the road, Dan announces that his new girlfriend is pregnant, Laurie feels humiliated.

That is until a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy who doesn't believe in love presents a new possibility. Jamie is looking to impress the bosses, and she wants nothing more than to make Dan jealous, so they agree to enter into a fake relationship with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind...

💭 T H O U G H T S

I picked Mhairi McFarlane as one of my twelve authors for my 'Author Taste Test' challenge for 2023. Since I owned If I Never Met You I decided that would be the book I'd go with, unfortunately it was just one of those books that didn't work for me.

Firstly, the whole book was way longer than it needed to be. It just took too long for get to the new relationship. The whole breakup felt way more developed than it needed to be. I know an in depth exploration of the breakup was warranted, but this went too far. Heck, Jamie (the love interest) didn't appear consistently throughout the first half of the book!

Additionally, the chemistry between Laurie and Jamie was lackluster (maybe that's to be expected when two people are pretending?). The dialogue felt forced and a lot of the humour fell flat. I felt zero connection to the characters. The author tried to add depth, which I appreciate, yet it just felt like she tried to put in too much with some scenes seeming highly unrealistic and implausible.

Fake dating is one of those tropes that is very hit or miss for me. This was certainly a miss, as I don't feel it was utilized to its potential. The revenge pretenses of Laurie embarking with such an arrangement also came across as very juvenile.

Lastly, the whole scene with Laurie's father's friend felt like it came out of nowhere. And because it occurred so close to the end of the book it wasn't fully addressed and resolved. I think it was an important plotline, but why the author chose to wait so late to drop it into the story puzzles me.

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought I'd enjoyed, unfortunately that was not the case. I definitely don't think it was the right book to start with from this author. If I Never Met You was highly forgettable, but I'll definitely give her another try with a different book, as I really think it was the plot and not the writing that I didn't jive with.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fake dating fans

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Those who said family mattered above all else were wrong. People you love, who love you back, matter above all. Crap people you happen to be related to: you need to stop thinking you owe them limitless number of chances to hurt you."

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