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beckyremillard's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Infidelity
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Child abuse
rebeccap's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for this advanced reader copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.
“If I Never Met You” by Mhairi McFarlane is a cute albeit predictable story of a fake romance turning into something real. But, it’s also about self-discovery and realizing your own worth. I did find it a little hard to read at times because I wasn’t familiar with some of the pop culture references and British phrasing. All in all I enjoyed the book and would give it a solid 4 stars.
“If I Never Met You” by Mhairi McFarlane is a cute albeit predictable story of a fake romance turning into something real. But, it’s also about self-discovery and realizing your own worth. I did find it a little hard to read at times because I wasn’t familiar with some of the pop culture references and British phrasing. All in all I enjoyed the book and would give it a solid 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Infidelity
Minor: Blood and Child death
hannah_mezz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, and Child death
Minor: Blood
sharebear431's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Pedophilia and Child death
rachelreadsrelentlessly's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
saeruh's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I really loved the slow burn romance in this novel! It maybe should not have that high of a score but I continually kept swooning and giggling and kicking my feet whenever Jamie something romantic so I had a lot of fun reading this.
However, I felt like the first 100ish pages should have been edited down a bit because the plot kinda dragged there and didn’t really fully begin until like past page 120. I just didn’t need that much focus on Dan when the story was supposed to be about Laurie and Jamie falling in love. It made the first quarter of the book feel like a contemporary on divorce and marriage instead of love and romance. Also, I’m not a huge fan of the way that McFarlane used SO much British slang and also text speech out loud when characters were talking, like the “lol” that they would constantly somehow say irl. Maybe this style would have worked better for an audiobook but I felt it did not translate well to written prose.
However, I felt like the first 100ish pages should have been edited down a bit because the plot kinda dragged there and didn’t really fully begin until like past page 120. I just didn’t need that much focus on Dan when the story was supposed to be about Laurie and Jamie falling in love. It made the first quarter of the book feel like a contemporary on divorce and marriage instead of love and romance. Also, I’m not a huge fan of the way that McFarlane used SO much British slang and also text speech out loud when characters were talking, like the “lol” that they would constantly somehow say irl. Maybe this style would have worked better for an audiobook but I felt it did not translate well to written prose.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Child death
Minor: Pedophilia
katrinaward's review against another edition
slow-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
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Child death, and Cancer
Minor: Eating disorder, Racism, and Injury/Injury detail
lpfoley's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Pedophilia, Death of parent, Addiction, and Child death
roget's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.25
The first 25% of this book is a brutal, ripping betrayal. The piling on of a thousand, horribly unexpected and yet completely believable developments in the end of an 18 year relationship. She’s completely thrown and the absolute breakdown of her trust is gutting to witness and experience.
(I had to process through a long, emotional talk with my partner—that’s how impactful this girl’s breakup is.)
But then, slowly, you start to see the cracks in the former relationship as she does. A breakup that seemed to come from nowhere shifts into seeming something inevitable, given the quality of the relationship, which eventually turns into relief that she got out of it.
You grow to accept and hope better things for her as she does. I cried and laughed multiple times, and the dialogue is often excellent. Superb voice, and a generally incredible read that does not shy from angst in an often-fluffy genre. Hurt-comfort is top notch. Not lighthearted, but a satisfying close.
So poignant, you’d think it was really fantastic fanfiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Infidelity, Abandonment, and Misogyny
Moderate: Cancer, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Classism, Drug use, Child death, Racism, and Sexual content
Racism is mostly depicted in brief microaggressions; adult/child relationship is tagged for a short but impactful repressed memory of a dangerous interaction the protagonist had with a predator as a child.volunteerpyromancer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
At 18 chapters in the love interest has featured in 3 of them. It feels like less of a romance story and more of an bitter breakup revenge fantasy, which I can get into if the story really leans into that going forward (otherwise all the time spent on the break up is going to feel over wrought.) The author writes it so you feel for the main character, you want to see her ex break from her scheme. Only time will tell how much I end up liking this book.
Ok finished. I liked this book. Still maintain that it's a break up revenge story with some self discovery. There was a heavy focus into friendships and family that I enjoyed. The relationship really fast tracked at the end there. Especially when the story was about breaking down the walls the main character built up more than falling in love. I liked seeing them build a solid friendship. I didn't feel sparking chemistry, but I also didn't need it. It was hard to see the changing feelings of the love interest, he gave this big speech against relationships in the beginning and I never really knew where his views started to change.
Ok finished. I liked this book. Still maintain that it's a break up revenge story with some self discovery. There was a heavy focus into friendships and family that I enjoyed. The relationship really fast tracked at the end there. Especially when the story was about breaking down the walls the main character built up more than falling in love. I liked seeing them build a solid friendship. I didn't feel sparking chemistry, but I also didn't need it. It was hard to see the changing feelings of the love interest, he gave this big speech against relationships in the beginning and I never really knew where his views started to change.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Sexism
Minor: Child death, Child abuse, and Sexual harassment