Reviews tagging 'Death'

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

14 reviews

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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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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bookmarkedbyjosephine's review against another edition

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

4.0


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ekern1991's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted relaxing medium-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

4.5


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lujisa's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

4.5


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kelseyjameson's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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


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bpwagoner's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring 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

3.5

Really solid. Enjoyed greatly. I find myself really appreciating books with a self-(re)discovery story and this one delivers. I also love a romance featuring characters over 30!

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em97's review against another edition

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emotional funny slow-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

3.5


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elatedbooks's review against another edition

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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

4.0

“Laurie thought this was only a surprising turn of events if you’d never met a man with lots of options and nothing at stake before.”

I absolutely loved this book. It was genuinely hilarious & gave you that indulgent fluffy romance without having to leave your feminist morals at the door.

The only think that gave me kinda mixed feelings was the very beginning + end (not great for first or last impressions lmao). It’s a little slow to start (get ready for a whole load of sad backstory) which I totally understand the reason for but it’s still a little heavy going (for example there are some emotional moments throughout but by then you’re swept up in the characters & the world so it doesn’t drag at all).
And then the end. It’s one of those moments. Let’s just say it kinda deflated my happiness balloon a bit.

For overall enjoyment though, this book is so beautifully written and a million times worth it - excited to read some of her other books :) 

“Comedy was tragedy plus time”

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peachani's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0


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