Reviews with content warning for Pregnancy - If I Never Met You

Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

22 reviews

lisa_m's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

4.75

This book was just so so cute! It is the first book I have read by the author but I definitely want to read more of them.

The plot was quite tropey but just in the way I like it. There was fake dating, sleeping in the same bed, kind of rivals to lovers.. But the characters all felt so real. Even though I know these situation would never happen in real life the way they reacted to them never took me out of the story. It was realistic and sweet.

I could really relate to the main character. She wasn't self centred or shallow like so many romance protagonists. She was exactly what so many romance try to write as a heroine but don't succeed. She is witty, beautiful and a great friend. She dealt with some bad stuff but doesn't make it an excuse. I love her journey throughout the book. She found her own self worth and it was really beautiful to read that.
She is a character I would love to be friends with in real life.

I also loved that the secondary characters all had personalities of their own that got explored. Emily was a big part of the story and I really like her. So often the beat friends are just there so the mc can vent to them or give us more info about what's happening or their past. Emily was so much more than that.

So many romance authors make the main character seem quite shallow probably in an attempt to have the reader see themself in their place. Often I just don't get why the love interest falls for her at all. It's always because she is so 'special' but we don't get to see any of that.
I had the exact opposite feeling while reading this book. I totally understand their journey and even though it is romanticised it also seemed so real. I was so mad for her when Dan left her.

I listened to the audiobook which was certainly an experience. I loved the accent but I had to listen to it slower that usual to actually understand anything. (Usually I listen on 2x speed)

The one thing I didn't like was that she told multiple people about their arrangement. She promised not to tell anyone which totally makes sense and then she does anyway. I mean he did too so I guess it's not so bad but I would be mad if that was me. She even told her ex-boyfriend who is probably jealous and could expose them both so easily.
I'm glad though that that wasn't the main conflict.

I also loved that Laurie got the promotion in the end. Since we know she always had a tendency to help her boyfriend get ahead and not herself it's good to see that even though she fell back to old routines she is now rewarded as well. It was a very cathartic ending. :)

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angelfireeast24's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

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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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wandsoflight's review against another edition

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katkinslee's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? No

5.0

This book was so great! Really easy to get into!

Content Warnings

editoryalizing's review against another edition

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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

2.75

Content Warnings

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

Content Warnings

mommarex1221's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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

4.0

I don't normally read these types of books but when I do I always think, why don't I? I clearly enjoy them despite predictability, as one enjoys a chick flick ever so often. Especially with one that offers much more depth, such as this. I'll be looking into more of McFarlane's novels in the future.

Content Warnings

laurawoods13'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

4.75

Content Warnings

writtenontheflyleaves'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? Yes

3.5

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane 💼
🌟🌟🌟✨
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🥀 The plot: When Laurie’s boyfriend of 18 years breaks up with her, it feels like her life is over, and to make matters worse, they still have to work together. But when a lift breaks down and traps her with the office lothario, Jamie, the two hatch a plan: fake a relationship to help her get her ex back and him get ahead in the firm. What could go wrong?
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Listen, I LOVE the fake dating trope. It’s a classic for a reason! The most charged moments in any rom com are always those sudden jolts of intimacy that make you question where you stand, and fake dating makes those obligatory from the get-go. However, this one didn’t quiiiite stick the landing for me.
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To start with the stuff I loved: a lot of the relationships and social scenarios in this book felt so real. The breakup in particular was painful because it was so lifelike - I was internally screaming at Laurie’s ex that he was a wanker while also understanding why he was being one. The way sexism played out in a competitive office also felt very well-observed, albeit kicked up to a melodramatic note at points. I didn’t think there was a lot of romantic tension building up as I was reading, but for most of the book I didn’t care because I identified so much with Laurie and was so invested in her life!
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However, as I got closer to the end, it started to nosedive a bit. Jamie’s love for Laurie came a little out of the blue. I couldn’t really feel them FALLING, you know? And that’s half the fun! It felt rushed, with the dialogue doing a lot of heavy lifting to move the narrative along, and the sharp 180 that Jamie does at the end of the novel didn’t make sense to me. Things fall apart so spectacularly and then just rapidly reassemble. It felt messy!
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❤️‍🩹 Read it if you’re not super bothered about a romance, but are looking for a sharp, funny story about healing from heartbreak, that’s set in the UK but not in London!! Huzzah!
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🚫 Avoid it if you’re looking for a sexy romance (whether tension or sex scenes, there’s none of the latter and imo little of the former) - Laurie’s growth is the star of this book, rather than the love story.

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