Suddenly Single by Carol Wyer is a charming read about finding the strength to persevere through life's many challenges and, ultimately, emerging in triumph. This is a life-affirming novel that had me rooting for the all too relatable Chloe from the very start.

Chloe Piper is a romance author who suffers from a debilitating social anxiety disorder. When she catches her husband cheating, not for the first time, Chloe makes the bold decision to forge a new start at Sunny Meadow Farm, a barn to home conversion project where she is almost immediately embraced by neighbours Eleanor and Fairfax, and Alex, who is heading up the conversion, and is also living on site. Despite her reservations, and inclination to stay at home with her faithful dog Ronnie, Chloe is persuaded by the neighbours to join their singles club, where she soon finds herself opening up to new friendships. The group's various events help Chloe to confront her anxieties and, ultimately, reaffirm her grandmother's sage wisdom. Chloe is stronger than she believes.

This is a lovely rom com with the added benefit of an uplifting message. I felt as if I was almost an honourary singleton, partaking in each event vicariously. The title of Chloe's first novel, 'Spank Me Harder, Vicar', had me laughing out loud each time I read it. A fun and enjoyable read that I would not hesitate to recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for this ARC.

A funny light hearted read but also thought provoking. I loved Chloe, she is such a lovable character. Watching her blossom and fight her demons of crowds and people was actually an inspiration. I think all of us can sympathise with Chloe as we all have inner demons like this. Just some others are better at covering it up. I would definitely recommend this book.

Suddenly Single was provided to me as an eARC by Canelo via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Suddenly Single is a story about a writer in the UK who has just left her husband, published her debut romance novel under a pseudonym, earned a hefty advance and is now moving to the country to write in peace and quiet. She also has some kind of social anxiety.

I don't read a lot of romance, but what I do read has to be GOOD. Nora Roberts is my steady go-to, but recently I've also fallen in love with Jasmine Guillory (The Wedding Date and The Proposal were excellent, and I've already preordered The Wedding Party out this July).

Suddenly Single reads like Carol Wyer is writing a book report about a romance novel. The characters are one dimensional, the setting is bland and centered around barns and cow pats (which the MC's dog eats a ton of - you are treated to a lot of descriptions of her dog eating, escaping, farting, and vomiting). I made it 25% into the book and I WAS SO BORED. There is one scene where she seems to be watching porn for research on her next book (she has writer's block because of all the stress of relocating and getting over her last relationship) and the man who might be the love interest comes in to do something (he's the son of the man she bought the house from and they are doing work on the property) and catches her watching porn and he's like "sure, research" and leaves.

There is no chemistry at all in the first quarter of this book, and I don't feel like it's unreasonable to expect that there be an inkling of desire or interest or tingling or something. She just goes out and does things, takes her dog out, and sits at home trying to write. If you're going to market this as a rom com book then I should either be enjoying the Rom or laughing at the Com, but neither were happening in the first quarter of this book.

I chose this book on a whim when I was logging into NetGalley. I should have checked the publisher or the other reviews before I based my request on the cute cover and premise. You probably won't encounter this book in the wild, it appears to be ebook only or self-published, and if you are in the mood for a rom-com I would strongly suggest that you pick something else and not this.

#SuddenlySingle #NetGalley Another delightful escapade from the very talented Carol Wyer. A very easy to read rom com which I devoured in just two days with all the essentials including adorable dog Ronnie. The characters were well developed and I loved the competitive element from the Singleton club - very reminiscent of "What Happens in France" - another superb rom com from this same author. A very uplifting read, which did bring a tear or two towards the end. Carol is fast becoming one of my favourite authors -someone who, it seems, can switch effortlessly between Rom Com and Crime novels excelling at both. Will definitely look out for more by this author.

Absolutely loved this book. Couldn't wait to get back to it when I was away!

Loved the relationship between Chloe and her dog Ronnie! LOVED Alex and could totally move onto the development of homes.

It was just a thoroughly enjoyable read. Highly recommended!

I love the authors police procedural books a lot, but I also love her more light hearted, easy to read stories. This one definitely fits into the latter category.

Chloe needs a quiet place to be, she is escaping a breakup and needs to try and find herself again. However what she actually finds is somewhere she didn’t realise she needed, with neighbours she very quickly comes to love. She pushes herself past her limits and soon discovers that what she thought she wanted wasn’t, in fact, what she needed. This is a great easy read.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

I'm not sure what it was about this one, maybe the writing, or just the plot, but I didn't find myself enjoying the characters or story. I didn't get through this one.

#SuddenlySingle #NetGalley

I always assume people have already read the general story summary, so I don't include it, but real quick - as title suggests, this book is about Chloe who is separated from her husband quite abruptly and has moved to a new town and is trying to get back on track with her career and life. She meets a cast of characters who help, yadda, yadda, HEA!

The Good:

Heroine (Chloe) lady trying to regroup following her separation from her husband. She has a debilitating social anxiety, but other than drinks at the pub, doesn't keep her from doing much.

Neighbors - the old couple are cute, but seem more like a plot device to get her out of her comfort zone. Although they are eventually given more life and their own struggles to overcome.

Alex - hot, married neighbor? That felt weird for it to be 33% of the book until it's revealed that's he's not married. This is a bit of a spoiler, but it's not fun to think of a character who just left a cheating husband fancying a married man. It feels out of place.
Once we're over that, this is a nice guy. He is thoughtful and funny. For one of the main characters, I wish this was more fleshed out, but since the story is told from Chloe's perspective, we learn about him as she does.

Singleton members were a delight. They are fun, well developed people with their own lives and interests.

The not as good:

So white - at one point the builder where Chloe buys a house says he's only selling the "right" kind of people. It's not meant to be racist, but it does come over that way. All characters are straight and seemingly white, with no ethnicity or racial identity discussed. It's a little odd since the book is set in modern day England. The author is certainly capable since there is a small scene where a character discusses the war dance of the Maori tribe with some clear understanding of complexity of culture.

Ex husband - I struggle to see what ever brought our heroine to marry a man who didn't like anything about her or want any of the same things. I don't like that he's portrayed as a "bad husband" rather than what he is, an emotionally abusive bully. No one ever seems to acknowledge or understand how bad this guy is and eventually he recedes into the background.

Overall, this was a fun light read. Pacing was a little slow at the beginning, but got much better. I like that the author took a lot time to develop characters so they appear more than one dimensional. A lot of "world building" which is atypical for a light-hearted fiction.

I really enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it. It has a great story line, excellent main characters and it is a real page turner. I read this book in one sitting and the hours just flew by!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really liked the main character Chloe Piper and also most of the characters in the very enjoyable and recommended book.

This story held my interest through to the end, although I can't help thinking the ending was a little cheesy and predictable. Too many books end like this (SPOILER ALERT - the gentle swell of her stomach).

I'm pleased that the author tackled social anxiety, but I don't think her portrayal of this was quite accurate. Chloe seemed to get over her nerves very quickly. And lucky her having so many supportive friends. Would everyone really be so understanding?

It wasn't really a romance. Chloe does have a love interest, but it takes up very little space. I didn't get any strong feeling from either Chloe or her love interest for that matter. In fact, there was more chemistry between Sean and Chloe!

Loved Ronnie, and I enjoyed the writing element, as well as Chloe transforming her home and garden.

A good read, but don't think the portrayal of social anxiety quite hit the spot. Shame, but at least the issue was highlighted.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.

ah an amazing read, plot flows smoothly and won't be too predictable . characters are well written. a nice, light hearted read, gives you a good laugh and relax for a while!

Really enjoyed this book with its beautiful setting and great neighbours. Chloe is nursing a broken heart and has a secret that she’d rather keep from the locals. I particularly enjoyed the variety of events that she goes to, and the characters that she meets on the way. A fun read.

After the breakdown of her marriage Chloe is keen to move out of Appletree and find somewhere peaceful and away from it all. Appletree is the setting where she based her best-selling novel, mostly on pub gossip from her ex William. There had been a few rumours on the identity of novelist C J Knight, so a good time to move away.
She finds her new home at a new development of old farm buildings called Sunny Meadow.
The name is idyllic as the setting….countryside, reservoir, winding lanes and a dark starry sky. I want to live there too.
Chloe keeps to herself. She has a close friend, Faith, who is also her publisher.
She lost her family in an accident and since then she suffers with social anxiety disorder. This holds her back a lot, avoiding crowds and social gatherings. She’s happy to sit at home in her pyjamas, writing and shopping online.
Since her break up she’s suffering with writers block, and her submission date for her next novel is getting nearer. A bit of a panic!
Back to Sunny Meadow. It’s quite a small and exclusive development. Her nearest neighbours pop over and introduce themselves, Eleanor and Fairfax, and before she knows it she’s been invited to their house, drunk far too much, and signed up to their singles club.
She’s dreading the first activity day and makes herself ill with worry.
I won’t give any spoilers for The Singleton Club, but the activities were a lot of fun and are a big part of the story. It also pushed Chloe out of her comfort zone in terms of meeting new people.
Alex was another neighbour, son of Thomas the site developer. He was really nice.
William, the ex, reappears and he was a real creep!
Not forgetting Ronnie, her faithful dog. I loved him.
Funny, entertaining and easy to read too with a satisfying conclusion.

When bestselling romance author Chloe Piper’s marriage implodes a week before Christmas, she flies her cheating ex and the village gossips for the solitude of the newly built Sunny Meadow Farm and the company of her hapless dog, Ronnie.

But Chloe is soon pushed out of her comfort zone. Because with a lively development building crew - headed up by charming Alex - and a larger-than-life neighbour determined to make Chloe’s love life her pet project, Chloe finds herself a whole new world of chaos...

First of all can we just all agree that we know someone like William and they make our skin crawl? He was such a controlling jerk of a soon to be ex husband and I hated to see how much he hurt Chloe. Some people are just slimey. It was quite refreshing to read a romcom book that wasn't instalove and Chloe took her time recovering from her husband's infidelity. I thought the author did a great job creating relatable characters that you can easy invision as your next door neighbors. You may not like this book if you're looking for a bunch of sexy bits because they aren't there, but I thought it was a nice change of pace. Overall I liked this book and will recommend it to friends who are looking for a nice, light romcom book.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and Canelo publishing for the advance copy for an honest review :)

I'm currently still trying to set up new house after a move. I NEEDED a sweet, relaxing book to unwind to at night...that's what this is.

Right before Christmas Chloe finds out her husband is a dirtbag cheater and she needs some time. She also has social anxiety issues to contend with. Chloe, as a heroine, is likeable and relatable to a point. I know what it feels like to have anxiety issues and I'm not sure I could have moved through them with as much ease.

Overall, it was easy to follow and Ronnie a treat.

Suddenly Single by Carol Wyer was such a cute, happy read! It’s a really funny romance novel, although it’s incredible light on sex (which I personally found very refreshing), with a really well-rounded cast of characters that you grow to truly care about. I loved that Chloe’s personal growth was ultimately placed before any romance or romantic relationships, making the novel about her rather than about her as defined by men. I also loved that mental health (and therapy) were depicted as an on-going project rather than something that is suddenly fixed or triumphed over, and that relapses are normal (even if they aren’t preferred).

After separating from her husband, Chloe Piper moves to a large house in the English countryside. She’s quickly drawn into a semi-friendship with her next-door neighbors, who run a singles event company, as well as with the contractor on the newly developing neighborhood, Alex Collins. On the surface, Chloe seems cool as a cucumber. However, she is coping with a severe anxiety disorder as well as trying to hide her identity as the author of the sauciest book since 50 Shades of Grey. And oh wait! Her next book is due to the publishers soon, or she’ll lose her advance and possibly her new house, and she’s completely lost for ideas. Yet, these singles events she unwittingly signs up for might be just the inspiration she needs.

It was such an enjoyable, quick read and definitely a good palate cleanser! It’s out in April, just in time for those beach reads!

Mental health seems to be one of those issues either ignored or only briefly touched upon in the sort of novels I usually read but in Suddenly Single it’s a huge part of the book.
Writing something that's realistic but also entertaining seems like quite a balancing act - and I’m not sure Carol Wyer has it exactly right.
While I’m no expert, her main character, Chloe, does seem to overcome several situations without too much trauma - and I think many of them would have worried someone even without a social anxiety disorder.
Having said that, it was good to see her grow in confidence and triumph over the obstacles in her path.
Thanks to the range of activities Chloe’s neighbours rope her into, the plot was very lively.
There are some funny moments and I genuinely felt like I got to know the supporting cast well - and I liked them too.
Oddly, I thought Chloe actually had more chemistry with the lovely Canadian bookshop owner than the hero, Alex, who didn’t seem to feature as much in the book.
The spark between them didn’t really ignite until right at the end – although perhaps that’s the point. Both of them had been through it, maybe it’s only natural they would be cautious?
It certainly kept me guessing.
I thought Carol wrote a very clever villain in Chloe’s ex-husband, William, who had her so mixed up and dependent on him, she wasn’t sure which way to turn but, for me, the star of the show was Ronnie the dog.

When bestselling romance author Chloe Piper’s marriage implodes a week before Christmas, she flees her cheating ex and the village gossips for the solitude of the newly built Sunny Meadow Farm and the company of her hapless dog, Ronnie.

But Chloe is soon pushed out of her comfort zone. Because with a lively development building crew - headed up by charming Alex - and a larger-than-life neighbor determined to make Chloe’s love life her pet project, Chloe finds herself in a whole new world of chaos…

Quite funny and good days read. Chloe and Ronnie made me smile. When you are in the mood for a fun, smile-inducing book, grab this. It is a charmer and not full of over the top humor for the humor.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance copy for review.