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booksthatburn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
10 THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED follows Sam, a manager of a bed-and-bath retailer whose boss, Jonathan, is a dick. His royal dickishness. Generally a frustrating person to work for, someone who is currently determined to fire a number of people proportional to how much Sam has managed to irritate him during Sam's visit to the main branch. Except, right after Jonathan fires everyone in Sam's branch, Sam trips, hits his head, and accidentally lets Jonathan think he has amnesia. Then he purposefully lets him think he has amnesia. What he definitely has is a head injury/concussion, so Sam needs to spend a few weeks at Jonathan's place so someone is looking after him. Jonathan has an enormous, empty house that he refuses to let be filled with his (loud, often annoying) family for Christmas.
They key to the success of 10 THINGS as a(n enemies to lovers) romance is that Jonathan has reasons, very understandable ones, for all the frustrating things he does. Sometimes he's probably right, sometimes he's just very wrong and hasn't had anyone willing to endure his ire long enough to show him a different (gentler) way to do things. He lives for his work, barely uses his enormous house, and only contacts his housekeeper via text message. Even when he is right, he doesn't seem willing to take the time to explain his reasons, which makes him look like a petty tyrant. Sam can't live like that, not even for a couple of weeks. As Sam tries to make a good impression so that Jonathan won't fire everyone for real at the end of this, he starts to understand Jonathan and genuinely like him as a person.
This is the start of a new series, but a few details midway through establish this as occurring in the same universe as BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, some time after the events of HUSBAND MATERIAL. It's not enough to spoil either of those books in any way, but specific enough to be an obvious reference.
This has a lot of genuine sweetness in it, with a melancholy thread which pays off towards the end. The main plot resolves in a way which doesn't specifically indicate what might happen next, I could easily see this series continuing to follow Sam and Jonathan, or following a new couple where at least one person was present in this first book.
Things I love, in no particular order: Sam's cat, everyone listing exact models of the bed/bath furnishings, Jonathan's family, the way the fake amnesia is handled.
They key to the success of 10 THINGS as a(n enemies to lovers) romance is that Jonathan has reasons, very understandable ones, for all the frustrating things he does. Sometimes he's probably right, sometimes he's just very wrong and hasn't had anyone willing to endure his ire long enough to show him a different (gentler) way to do things. He lives for his work, barely uses his enormous house, and only contacts his housekeeper via text message. Even when he is right, he doesn't seem willing to take the time to explain his reasons, which makes him look like a petty tyrant. Sam can't live like that, not even for a couple of weeks. As Sam tries to make a good impression so that Jonathan won't fire everyone for real at the end of this, he starts to understand Jonathan and genuinely like him as a person.
This is the start of a new series, but a few details midway through establish this as occurring in the same universe as BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, some time after the events of HUSBAND MATERIAL. It's not enough to spoil either of those books in any way, but specific enough to be an obvious reference.
This has a lot of genuine sweetness in it, with a melancholy thread which pays off towards the end. The main plot resolves in a way which doesn't specifically indicate what might happen next, I could easily see this series continuing to follow Sam and Jonathan, or following a new couple where at least one person was present in this first book.
Things I love, in no particular order: Sam's cat, everyone listing exact models of the bed/bath furnishings, Jonathan's family, the way the fake amnesia is handled.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Cursing
Moderate: Excrement, Death of parent, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Car accident
kathis_wonderland's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall is the first book in the Material World series. Sam is getting fired by his boss Jonathan, when he trips, hits his head and decides to fake amnesia to get out of the firing. Now Jonathan has to take care of Sam until the concussion and fake amnesia go away. During this time, both grow closer and start to change for the better. But the fake amnesia is still in the room...
After loving the books from the London Calling series, I had to buy his newest publication. Right at the beginning of this review I have to say that I did not love this book as much as I loved Boyfriend Material. However, it was quite a pleasant read. Jonathan is a grumpy boss (and general a*hole) and Sam is quite a sunshine. Jonathan really changed for the better throughout the book and became less a*holey. His family is quite overwhelming, but in a loving way. They radiate love and support. The chemistry between Sam and Jonathan was slow, but I rooted for them. They really needed each other.
This book was a lovely read, but nothing breathtaking. I definitely need to check out Alexis Hall's other books!
After loving the books from the London Calling series, I had to buy his newest publication. Right at the beginning of this review I have to say that I did not love this book as much as I loved Boyfriend Material. However, it was quite a pleasant read. Jonathan is a grumpy boss (and general a*hole) and Sam is quite a sunshine. Jonathan really changed for the better throughout the book and became less a*holey. His family is quite overwhelming, but in a loving way. They radiate love and support. The chemistry between Sam and Jonathan was slow, but I rooted for them. They really needed each other.
This book was a lovely read, but nothing breathtaking. I definitely need to check out Alexis Hall's other books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Minor: Death, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Sexual content
pey333's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Medical content
Minor: Car accident and Sexual content
panbread's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Car accident, Grief, and Sexual content
fuzzywilson's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Classism, Cursing, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Minor: Car accident and Blood
just_one_more_paige's review against another edition
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.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Cursing
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Medical content, and Sexual content
skudiklier's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Cursing, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Death, and Grief
Minor: Car accident, Homophobia, and Bullying
redheadorganist's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Cursing
Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
what_karla_reads's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
4.5/5 stars
1/5 spice (fade to black)
Workplace romance with the grumpy boss? Oh yes... this one was a treat.
Tropes:
Boss/Employee
Grumpy/sunshine
Forced proximity
Family dynamics
Holiday shenanigans
Faked amnesia
Single POV
Jonathan really was that boss you love to hate because they are just so logical about everything. But oh my goodness, seeing him thaw out for Sam was swoon worthy. I listened to the audiobook and was laughing on more than one occasion because of their banter. Jonathan really did care in his own grumpy way, and I loved seeing Sam figure out all his quirks and mannerisms. The whole amnesia plot wasn't a huge conflict, and I was glad to see that it didn't create a long, drawn-out 3rd act break up. But you see it coming, and you know that hair brained scheme is going to coming crashing down on Sam eventually. But by that time, the feelings are involved.
Overall, this was a cute rom com with a diverse cast of characters. I could totally see this being turned into a holiday movie. The spice is very low and fades to black after some heavy kissing scenes. I only wish there was a bit more tension leading up to those moments. Otherwise, it was all nicely done.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.
1/5 spice (fade to black)
Workplace romance with the grumpy boss? Oh yes... this one was a treat.
Tropes:
Boss/Employee
Grumpy/sunshine
Forced proximity
Family dynamics
Holiday shenanigans
Faked amnesia
Single POV
Jonathan really was that boss you love to hate because they are just so logical about everything. But oh my goodness, seeing him thaw out for Sam was swoon worthy. I listened to the audiobook and was laughing on more than one occasion because of their banter. Jonathan really did care in his own grumpy way, and I loved seeing Sam figure out all his quirks and mannerisms. The whole amnesia plot wasn't a huge conflict, and I was glad to see that it didn't create a long, drawn-out 3rd act break up. But you see it coming, and you know that hair brained scheme is going to coming crashing down on Sam eventually. But by that time, the feelings are involved.
Overall, this was a cute rom com with a diverse cast of characters. I could totally see this being turned into a holiday movie. The spice is very low and fades to black after some heavy kissing scenes. I only wish there was a bit more tension leading up to those moments. Otherwise, it was all nicely done.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Sexual content