A review by writtenontheflyleaves
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

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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