A review by effiereads
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall

5.0

“it’s so typical of jonathan forest that, even when he’s telling me he likes me, i feel a little bit like i’m being insulted.”


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when his grumpy, rude, and not-so-nice boss, jonathan forest, is about to fire him, sam becker accidentally trips and hits his head. what else is a man to do—to save his job and the jobs of everyone he works with—but to fake amnesia and say he can’t remember anything?

but as sam is stuck recuperating at jonathan’s house, he’s faced with his boss’ guilt over the incident as well as the fact that maybe jonathan forest wasn’t as prickish as he comes off…



*takes a deep breath* I LOVE A GRUMPY/SUNSHINE STORY!

and boy do i love an unlikeable character. and it doesn’t get more unlikeable than jonathan forest. jonathan is the grumpiest of grumps—truly would’ve punched him in the dick if i ever met him fr—and yet it didn’t take me long to love him!!!

to see him unfold through sam’s eyes, to see the reasons for his prickliness, to see his walls fall brick by brick, was absolutely wonderful.

and sam! our sassy, assertive, takes-no-shit protagonist who fumbled his way into a situation so ridiculous he just has to go along with it. i also don’t think i’ve read a book with a scouse protag so trying to read it with the accent was fun! i can’t wait for the audio tbh!

but, yeah, i loved the dynamic b/n sam and jonathan, their connection felt real, their tension, even their animosity at the start throughout felt tangible. absolutely loved it!

[[i do wonder that if you’re unfamiliar with the class division and disparity in england and how it manifests itself in working class men, the angst/familial drama may not seem that deep to people, but it cut me through to my soul.]]

ALSO, IT’S CHRISTMAS THEMED?! i didn’t know that going into it so i was v pleased.

so…amnesia!plot? ✅ grumpy/sunshine? ✅ a little found family? ✅

what more are you waiting for? go pre-order!



review post-reading: reader, i loved this.

rtc.