4.5 stars
A new to me author and a great read to start with.
Sometimes in life when you expect less, someone will come into your life like a whirlwind and turn it upside down. A once in a lifetime encounter with a mysterious but very gentleman British man, makes the lovely teacher to reconsider her life options and a romantic love story begins.
I loved the writing and the fast-paced action with a few reliable moments of a couple that is trying to have a relationship while Philip is travelling around the word and Charley is feeling lonely and insecure at times. That until she meets Ben and his son.
There are some twists and turns that I honestly didn't see it coming but left me speechless. There are also many life lessons and phrases that I've liked and saved because the author has created a beautiful story about love, illness, loss and how one should overcome the obstacles in their path to find the happiness that everyone deserves in life.
I gave 4.5 stars because there is a twist that I personally can't agree with but I totally understand why was happening.
''Happiness wasn't overrated. It was a gift meant to be cherished and held tight.''
I am looking forward to more stories by the author as I am intrigued to see what great books she will bring towards us.

Arc received in exchange of an honest review from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing-very grateful

Having an unexpected evening of no kids to chauffeur and ready for this next week of school, I actually sat down and read a book (that I had started over a week ago). What a beautiful story! While slightly predictable, I still found it very enjoyable and I stayed up way too late finishing it! Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC! This is the first book I’ve read by @rochwein and not my last! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where do I begin, this book has it all. Love, hate, mystery, redemption and hope. I wish I had more time to read this initially, when I started it I just returned to work from vacation and life got in the way. When I finally made time to sit down and read I couldn't put the book down and finished it in 3 hours. A relatable book, with twists and turns throughout. Having travelled to the Keys I loved knowing various places mentioned in the book. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, and it should be placed on everyone's #TBR list come October!

NO SPOILERS.... only a few teasers....

This is the fifth book I’ve read by Rochelle B Weinstein.
Her books - [contemporary/poignant/ heartfelt] - speak to us. None of her books are overly depressive or overly fluffy. She writes smart emotionally - thought-provoking novels that challenge us to look at our relationships with ruthless honesty- displaying an innate understanding of human emotions.
Her characters are so real....it’s hard to let them go.

“This Is Not How It Ends” begins July 2018, *Present Day*...Islamorada, Florida.
The ‘very’ beginning - Chapter 1 - opens - with an expert worth reading more than once.....allowing us to ponder deliberate choices we’ve made in life - and those we haven’t.
“I’ve heard it said that life is about choices. Paths stretch out ahead of us— sometimes, we make conscious decisions and other times, fate intervenes and chooses for us. Had I known my life was about to take a sharp turn in those early hours of morning, I might have walked Sunny in a different direction”.
What follows - is a gripping opening scene - when Charlotte Myers sees a young boy named Jimmy, about 9 years old - ( his dad, Ben’s back was turned shopping for groceries). Jimmy appeared to be gasping - clutching his neck - then fell to the ground. Charlotte, a complete stranger at the time, shared a life & death moment with Jimmy and Ben Hearst.

Chapter 2 ...May 2016, *Back Then*,.....
takes us on a fun flirty flight on United Airlines, Miami Florida, to Kansas City, Missouri , Fight 517, when Charlotte Myers, 30 years of age, and Philip Stafford, 40 years of age, meet in row 13 - seats C and D
The dialogue was playful and fascinating between Charlotte and Philip....and we begin to know them both.
Philip: British - wealthy - handsome - ( looks like the men on Game of Thrones with dangerous sexy eyes), arrogant, cocky, and acted entitled ‘at first’, when he lost his first class seating due to a plane change - but soon redeemed himself by buying the entire flight of passengers drinks to make up for his prior shameless- rude behavior.
He was also definitely interested - flirting with Charlotte.

Charlotte: taught High School Honors English.....Kansas City girl.....was flying back home after attending a seminar in Miami. She was watching a remake of the movie *Endless Love*. Her students were reading the book.
Charlotte tells Philip that one of her students brilliantly exposed the theory of “wanting what you can’t have”.

“There was an allure to meeting someone on a plane, sharing a brief moment in time, knowing your paths may never cross again”.....
Ha....but the intriguing conversation that Philip and Charlotte shared about “Forbidden fruit”, their love-talk-about a ‘happily- ever- after- hypothesis was too good —- that we knew this couple would meet again.

We also know .... all the above characters will intertwine: Charlotte, Philip, Ben, ( sometimes called Goose), Jimmy, and Sunny, ( Charlottes Dog) ......
There are other wonderful minor characters, too....the type of minor characters who contribute major wisdom: Mom, ( Momism’s), dad, ( life lessons) , Liberty, ( a committed friend who’s dedicated to supporting health and wellness)...
OTHER MINOR characters include environmental elements —sweltering hot humid days in “The Keys” - the homes - (with names)- in Islamorada - a love shack - a Hurricane: Hurricane Kelsie.
Brett playing music by favorite artists: James Taylor, The Eagles, and Don Henley.
Delicious foods, natural beauty and styles,....

Serious topics are explored - pancreatic cancer, severe allergies, abandonment, ......
along with the big themes: love, loss, dying & death, friendships, boundaries, morality, choices we make or not, hurt, regret, betrayal, fears, sadness, risks, mistakes we make, courage, assumptions, our vulnerability, our worthiness, forgiveness, and healing.

“This is Not How it Ends”, weaves a heartfelt exploration of love and the choices we make - told in alternating timelines: Present Day, and back then ( as examples in Chapter 1 and 2).
SO MUCH TO ENJOY in this packed-filled novel.....every sentence is an experience.....dealing with issues of the heart.
But the 3 dominate characters - 2 strong successful men and 1 passionate exceptional woman ....plucks the raw nerves of love and the forbidden with rewarding psychological depth.....
with storytelling skill!!!

Radiant and pristine....a book to read, absorbed, and discuss!!!!
Highly recommended!!!!

Thank you Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Rochelle B. Weinstein. ( I love love love her novels)... the author is a gem of a human being, too....which certainly shows up in writing!!!

Loved this book about love and loss and redemption. It will give you all the feels and bring you to tears.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

My husband just asked me how I liked this book I was reading while I had tears rolling down my cheeks.
I replied, "OH I love it!" This is just that kind of a book!
This story will truly suck you into the pages, break your heart and yet have you thinking about love, life, friendship and forgiveness,
"We only have moments. Strung on a string that can break at any minute."
Don't waste a minute! Put this beautiful book on your list to read!

This is Not How it Ends will definitely be one of the best books of 2019! Such a wonderful story about love and loss. Highly recommend!!

This is the first time I have read anything by Rochelle Weinstein. Boy, have I been missing out! I was instantly drawn into the book and immediately engaged in the plot and finding out what was going to happen with Charley and Philip. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I was constantly wondering what would happen. Can't wait to read her next book. Would highly recommend this!

This book will bring you all the feelings are then some! I stayed up until 2am because I just couldn’t stop reading, I had to see how the lives of Ben, Philip and Charley were going play out. They were three of my favorite characters that I felt so invested into their lives. This was a top read of 2019 for me and I don’t want to say too much of the story so everyone can go into it and enjoy every word as much as I did without spoilers. This is a must read so preorder this and see how it all ends.
I received an advanced readers copy, all opinions are my own.

This is Not How it Ends, Rochelle B. Weinstein

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: General Fiction, Women's Fiction.

And my usual moan, why do we have women's fiction as a category? Men read romance, men write romance. We call out for equality and then slap in this outdated and ludicrous category :-(

Anyway, my first read by this author so I didn't know what to expect, but I really liked the sound of the description. It proved to be a book that was way above what I anticipated, a thoughtful and moving read.
There were times I found myself irritated with Phillip, when he was away so much even though he knew Charley was upset by it, when he never offered to take her. I didn't feel he was the sort for an affair – he adored Charley and I couldn't see him ever wanting anyone else, but why wouldn't he suggest she come with him? Why did he keep going away for work when financially he didn't need to, and it ought to have been clear his absence was causing issues between them. As I got further into the book all became clear and made me love him even more.
Then there's Ben, and what a wonderful guy he was too, and he'd been through such heartbreak. Circumstances put him and Charley together so much, and I was torn for what might happen, and in tears when I got towards the end. Its not a conventional love triangle, though there is such a lot of love in the book, its tempered with incredible sacrifice too. Its does have a HEA among all those tears.

Stars: Five. It was incredibly moving, a story I really didn't anticipate enjoying as much as I did. Those characters, Phillip, Charley, Ben and the secondary ones with stay with me for a while.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

OHHH YES!! Such a fantastic novel... wow. Rochelle B. Weinstein absolutely did a marvelous job with this story. The characters came to life on the pages and that made this read even more enjoyable. I really loved the main character and her story through it all. Go read it!

thus was amazing read!!! My first by this author and it won’t be my last!!! This is a story of love loss and heartache! I just loved all these characters.....

Could not put this book down. The chance encounter that this book circles around makes the story line addicting. The characters are well thought out.

This book is so so so good!!! It is so well written it pulls you in immediately and never lets you go. It is a story of much love and much loss. It is about a love triangle but not the typical one we usually read about. Lots of friendship, love, and loss and love again after loss. Best book I can remember reading in a very long time. I am so looking forward to reading the next book written by this amazing author! Five stars for me!

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC.

Thee people, whose lives are all intertwined, all emotionally charged. Charlotte met both men quite by chance. Phillip on an airplane came into her life on a United flight quite by accident when his flight plans were changed. For the two of them, it was as if they were meant to be together. Yet, time and travel with Phillip's work seemed to be a problem, as if they were drifting apart. Ben also came into Charlotte's life accidentally, when his son Jimmy had an allergic reaction to peanuts and she was there to save the child's life.

This book has woven a story of love, confusion and self-doubt. How does one balance what they want out of life, what they want out of relationships? How do you handle the conflicted feelings swimming around your head? There was a sadness to this novel, well written, it gets to you.

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow! I absolutely loved this book! Weinstein did a beautiful job weaving together a story that I could not put down!
Charley is an attractive and pensive teacher who by chance meets her new beau in aisle 13 of her flight! Her and Philip really strike up an interesting conversation and they’re incredibly drawn to each other. I found myself enjoying Philip’s character.... that is until I “met” Ben! How could I not root for him? What a unique friendship the three of them end up cultivating. Weinstein truly makes you love both men as partners for Charley and it’s quite hard to choose one over the other.
Philip and Charley must weather some difficult times in their relationship and Ben is always right there for her to lean on.
I found myself so sad when this book ended! What a beautiful story of love and loss and then love again ❤️ I will definitely be reading more of Rochelle B Weinstein’s books after this one :)
5 stars!!
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

Three lives intersect and the meaning of friendship, loyalty and sacrifice are explored. A compelling read with a satisfying conclusion.

This is Not How it Ends by author Rochelle B. Weinstein is a truly deep and moving story of love and confusion.. What is right and what is wrong, and how to let go or hold on. This book has an amazing storyline with characters that are well developed and really stick with you. I cannot recommend this book enough and I’m patiently waiting until the October 2019 release so I can add this book to my library!

Thank you Netgalley and Union Lake Publishing for an ARC copy of This is Not How it Ends in exchange for an honest review.