I received an E-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of my thoughts and opinions are my own. This book was about a woman named Laurie, who is left reeling after her partner of almost twenty years decides to break off their relationship. Not only does she feel broken and upset by having to work at the same law firm as her ex, Dan, but also with the news of Dan's new girlfriend pregnant. With the gossip flowing around the office, Laurie decides she wants to change the story and maybe the change encounter with the office playboy is the way to go. While Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, he also knows he wants to make partner and what better way to get that promotion than to "date" the office golden girl, Laurie. So they both agree to the terms of their fake relationship. Throughout the fake social media posting and dinners, the line begin to blur. Can what starts out fake ever become the real thing?
Overall, I really enjoyed the premise of this book. This book is unique the way the story did not just focus on the romantic relationships of the main characters, but also addressed relationships, such as between family and friends, as a whole throughout the book. This book had very witty and laugh-out-loud dialogue that made the characters more believable and realistic. I liked the author's writing style. There was a good use of language and enough details to understand the character's actions and motivations throughout the story. The author did a great job, at the beginning of book, introducing the Dan and Laurie as well as their relationship. I really enjoyed reading about a strong female character and the huge support system she had around her. I did not like the law firm work environment. The men were, mostly terrible human beings, and I did not understand why Laurie was still working at such a place. I felt most of the men were not fair to the women in the book and treated them like crap. I liked the chemistry between Jamie and Laurie. I found their easy banter and support that they gave each other made their relationship that much stronger. Jamie was a well written character and found I liked softer side of him that was brought out because of Laurie. Both of them were able to confront their past and move forward, which allowed them to reevaluate who they were as individuals. The story moved at a great pace. I did not like Laurie's motives for wanting to fake a relationship just to get back at her ex, but I could understand her feelings. I just kept asking myself "Why are you doing this? It is not like you would take him back due to the fact he will be a father soon and how is that fair?" Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would love to read more by this author. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fake dating troupe.

I loved this book, and of the three Mhairi McFarlane titles I've read so far, this one was the best from the storyline to the character development and the prose. McFarlane really upped the ante with her writing, which had so many clever references (some I didn't quite get because they're very British pop culture) and lots of British wit (my favorite).

This book is told in the third person from the perspective of Laurie, a mid-30s lawyer, who gets dumped out of the blue by her boyfriend of 18 years, Dan. Ugh, Dan. The long-time pair have been everyone's quintessential comfortable and slightly boringly settled couple, plus they work in the same gossipy law office, so things are about to get even worse for the blindsighted Laurie. McFarlane really let Laurie wallow in a believeable way. I felt gutted for her.

But then one day, Laurie gets stuck in an elevator with Jamie Carter, the gorgeous, on-the-rise playboy at the firm. He's charming, yes, but his lothario status is a turnoff for Laurie, so she thinks it'll be totally fine for the two of them have a fake relationship that will 1) help Jamie professionally and 2) give Dan his comeuppance. Guess what, it doesn't exactly work out that way.

Jamie isn't just a suave pretty face and Laurie finds that she has lost some of herself in her relationship with Dan and begins to find herself again.... oh and did I mention that Jamie isn't just a pretty face with wonderfully curly dark hair?

Both Laurie and Jamie's characters really develop over the course of the novel, and I particularly loved how Jamie encouraged Laurie when she was frequently unsure of herself and also how he stood up for her with the nonsense she faced. Additionally, I really appreciate that McFarlane created a biracial character in Laurie, who is beautiful, smart, and has to deal with absolutely ridiculous sexism in the workplace as well as exoticism and racism almost everywhere. Well done, Ms. McFarlane.

I hope more U.S. readers pick up this author. She's one to watch.

The high-concept/tropetastic hook: After her boyfriend-since-college unceremoniously dumps her, thirty-six year old biracial (or "dual heritage") Nice Girl Laurie Watkinson tries to make him jealous by dating the playboy at the Manchester (England) law firm where all three work.

The far more nuanced details:

I'm not usually all that drawn by high-concept romances, but I found If I Never Met You a real pleasure. McFarlane doesn't just play the trope for easy laughs; she digs deep into the feelings of Laurie and her boyfriend/ex Dan, and shows how a good relationship can gradually slip away without you even recognizing it (and how the relationship you thought was so great really had its downsides, downsides that because you were in the midst of it, you had trouble even seeing). She also shows, rather than just tells, why white playboy Jamie feels the way he does about romantic attachments (Chapter 13, where Jamie talks about why "I'm kind of a communist when it comes to relationships" is especially amusing), and why he urges Laurie to buy into his plan for them to fake date (the law firm wants him to "show my conventional settledness" before they give him a promotion).

What was most striking to me, though, was Laurie's gradual understanding of the gendered dynamics at work at her law firm, dynamics that shape both how she and Jamie are perceived by their co-workers. Jamie, a self-confident overachiever, refuses to conform to what his male colleagues want of him, and so he is turned into the office villain and ostracized ("Laurie saw how the trick was worked: the alleged villainy was entirely subjective, a matter of taste not substance: waltzing and swaggering. She increasingly suspected Jamie's offense was his refusal to play the popularity game"). But Laurie is valued by her male colleagues more for who she is dating than for the quality of her own work, even by the men who insist they are her friends, are looking out for her interests in warning her away from Jamie. As Laurie recognizes, "she had always been aware Salter & Rowson was a toxically sexist environment." But "she had been protected" as long as she was dating Dan. Now, though, "as a single woman, she was fair game for the rough-and-tumble of such politics. She was—apparently—daring to have carnal relations with a male the testosterone club didn't like, and that had to be punished."

Laurie also gradually realizes that Jamie's reputation as a heartless playboy is who he is ("You're an actual womanizer, snaring the unwary by doing a comic parody of a womanizer"), but it is only one side of a far more complicated, and more interesting, person than she, or anyone else at the law firm, ever thought.

McFarlane is a strong writer on all fronts: character, plot, theme, and voice. I especially enjoyed the cast of interesting secondary characters (especially both characters' parents, and Laurie's friend Nadia, an odd duck but a damned articulate feminist), and McFarlane's way with words.

A few favorite lines:

"Her mother and father were opposite poles, Laurie realized; her dad said the right things and didn't mean them, and her mum might feel them, but she never said so."

"No one is going to think Hermione Granger here is having it off, big style, with Draco Malfoy"

"in the very unlikely event she found herself in love with anyone again, she'd assert herself. She'd say what she wanted, not endlessly accommodate his needs. If that made her a bitch at any point, so be it. There were no rewards for being a walkover."

"I'm sick of this perception of me as the greatest man slag of the northwest," he said.
"Then be less man slag. Bee the unslaggy man you want to see in the world."


McFarlane is a new-to-me author (perhaps I haven't heard of her because she's a Brit, and I'm in the States?), but I'll definitely be checking out her other books.

I dont recall reading from this author before but I must say that I did enjoy it. We meet Laurie and at times I wasn't all that crazy about her but then I started trying to put myself in her shoes and understanding what she had to go thru and I felt for her, to be betrayed like that after so many years and the humiliation she must have felt that I was rooting for her to get some time of redemption or just peace. I am glad that her and Jamie someone that was misunderstood were able to spend time and getting to know each other and being there when they needed each other the most.. g

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. Not sure what to expect when I started, I fell in love with Jamie Carter and this story. An interracial couple where that was not the main focus of the plot, just an added storyline. Will definitely be going back to read Mhairi McFarlanes other books now!

Laurie gets dumped out of the blue by her partner of a decade, and meets Jessie. Enter fake dating trope and cute, sweet romance.

This book has a great interracial couple, feminism, and amazing wit. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that at least half the book is dedicated to the breakup and aftermath, and the romance feels rushed.

I was graciously provided an ARC of this book through NetGalley and the publisher. My opinions are my own.

Mhairi McFarlane is the British rom-com queen as far as I’m concerned. She is an immediate read for me, and ‘If I Never Met You’ is a humorous, and at times, crushing addition to her catalogue. I loved all the references to current events, trends, tech, etc. Feels reminiscent of Bridget Jones in a way and would make a cute film on Netflix.

Laurie is dependable, reliable, and stable. I loved her drive and wit. She has had to cope with a lot in her life but has a supportive cast of friends that help her navigate her doubts and fears. She put up with A LOT from Dan. Jamie is one of the most realistic male characters and romantic partners I’ve read in a while. He’s unapologetic about his goals and ambitions, but not in a brutish, annoying Alpha male sort of way. Finally! His overall attitude is just so refreshing and is something I’d definitely like to see more in male characters of romance in general.

This is a fake dating rom-com, but it takes about 35% of the book to get there. Understandably, a breakup after 18 years together wouldn’t be something one could write off quickly, or immediately get over, so the pace worked for me. Though, the ending seemed bizarre and rushed, to be honest. The scenario just felt unbelievable for both of them.

The dialogue and internal monologue were easier to follow compared to ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’, which I struggled with due to lack of punctuation and some rambling run-on sentences. This text comes across as more polished. However, Goodreads reviewers tend to be mostly Americans, so I will say this book is Very British, and those who are unfamiliar with their colloquialisms and references to surrounding areas may struggle. Luckily, a lifetime of Anglophilia has paid off!

I loved this book! The cast of characters are well-rounded and the dialogue is hilarious. I’d recommend ‘If I Never Met You’ to anyone who enjoys contemporary British stories.

Is it possible for me to give this 5 stars over and over? Like wanting to 'heart' a social media post more than once?
This was my first book by this author, but it won't be my last. I'll go hit up her entire backlist after this. Lordy, I loved this story.
Criticism: The first few pages were slow. (Don't let that deter you.) The pacing is very 'chick lit' versus contemporary romance. All sex is off page.
Positives: the banter is stellar. The characters are fabulous, diverse, and have such distinct, clear voices. I read it through in one sitting and now it's about 1am, leaving me with 5hrs to sleep. Ack! But no regrets. This was a wonderful read and I've just found a new author!

Finally, a book set in England that doesn’t confuse me or lose me with its cultural references. I liked how this reads more like a story rather than a first person narrative. This was a well told story enhanced by a writing style garnished with dry humor and sarcasm.

Laurie, I connected so much with her. I’ve been through what she has been through and felt the things she has felt. She had reached the point in her life where she knew a life with Dan more than she didn’t. It’s a tough scenario for one who gets stuck in the comfortable, the mundane, the predictable motions of life with someone else who you closely tie your identity too. Instead of actually living your life, you go along with it all instead of breaking free to realize life’s potential. Laurie is sarcastic and funny. Her inner monologue was so entertaining and helped to keep the heavy stuff from being too much.

Jamie was sweet and a bit cocky, but underneath all that lies a boy of innocence and charm. I love that his character was the polar opposite of what Dan was. He didn’t try to manipulate or deceive. He was upfront and honest and really cared and wanted to see Laurie shine. I don’t like how the author made the age gap feel more than what it was between Jamie and Laurie at times. They are both in their 30s and Jamie sometimes felt like he was still in college at the beginning. But then there are times where Jamie just steals your heart. His naive insight to what love is, and slowing opening up to the possibility of love, made him incredibly endearing.

The side characters were pretty great too. It was wonderful to see the support system Laurie had after everything that she has been through. I love Emily the most and her sarcastic light she brought into Laurie’s life. She’s the one person everyone needs in their life. And I’m pretty sure we can all agree with out a doubt that Dan is a huge arse.

I love a good fake romance. The messy bits, trying to convince themselves that nothing is happening, but others can see it as clear as day that they have actually fallen. I freaking loved Laurie’s confrontation with those in her life that were there to support her and how unforgiving and truthful she was. She didn’t let anyone steamroll her. You felt the anger she went through bc I was right there along with her yelling at him lol.

I still got lost at times with the language differences, but the writing was done well and the story was captivating enough for me to really enjoy myself. I really liked this book and a big thank you to HarperCollins and Netgally for this ARC.

I really liked the novel. There was a lot of cursing but I believe that is normal I tend to read historical novels more but otherwise I felt this was such a cute and fun book!

Wow, this book was fantastic. I truly felt for Laurie and wanted her to succeed at everything she ever accomplishes in life. Jamie is utterly swoon-worthy. I loved watching the two of them fall for each other.

My only complaint is that this book being marketed as a rom-com, and it's not. The book is a truly excellent romance, but it doesn't have the things I'd look for in a rom-com: namely humor, to be honest. It's not a funny book. The basic premise is sad. There's a lot of important, hard-hitting topics discussed. I loved this book. I didn't laugh while reading it.

This book was fun! The pacing was perfect. The setting was real and inviting and the characters were deliciously real and flawed. I am eagerly anticipating more from McFarlane!

This is the second book I've read by Mhairi McFarlane and I've become a big fan of her work. She centers women's feelings and experiences, and her main characters are well-rounded, full people. I also love that she puts a huge importance on women's friendships. In If I Never Met You, Laurie is blindsided by the dissolution of her long term relationship. (The breakup, by the way, was devastating - I felt so awful for Laurie.) To make matters worst, she works with her ex - they are both lawyers - and so there is no escaping him. Enter Jamie Carter, the office playboy who is in need of a serious relationship in order to get promoted. (McFarlane points out how retrograde and sexist the law firm is.) Anyway, so they decide to embark on a fake relationship (which is my favorite!) in order to help Jamie's career and to make Laurie's ex jealous. I loved this book. Jamie was not close to being perfect, but he was kind and good and you could tell how much he cared about Laurie, which I think is the reader's main concern. And I really liked how Laurie came into her own, dealing with parental and work relationships. Now that I'm thinking about it there was kind of a plot hole (which I won't detail because it comes super late in the book), and I thought the book wrapped up way too quickly in the end. But this was a super enjoyable read and I raced through it.

I love the fake relationship trope and Mhairi McFarlane does not disappoint! This is a quirky, fun novel with a slew of amazing characters and a witty story line. I have just become acquainted with the authors novels through her previous release and have a feeling I will continue reading her past and future novels! She writes so well it feels like I am involved in the characters lives!

There’s not enough love stories out there about older women rediscovering themselves. Excellent and snappy writing, great characters and phenomenal friendships.

When I saw the cover for If I Never Met You on NetGalley, I fell in love. Interracial romance? Beautiful people illustrated on a beautiful cover? Count me in! Then I read the description, and was sold even more, if possible--British interracial romance? working class/ professional characters, with no millionaires in sight? Yes, please! I'd never read anything else by Mhairi McFarlane, and social media focused romances aren't my favorite, but fake relationships are a fun trope, and I loved the cover and the character diversity. So I was extremely excited to be approved for an advanced copy.

If I Never Met You did not disappoint. Yes, there did turn out to be a filthy rich character, but Laurie's dad is both reprehensible and mercifully not in the story too much. Everyone else are normal people, with normal ranges in income. I did get a little frustrated at how long the introductory section, involving Laurie's breakup (not a spoiler), carried on--there's honestly little relationship established between Laurie and Jamie before the 25-30% mark of the story. But the story kept moving along, and those early sections set the tone for how Laurie handled life and what she'd had to face so far. All of the information included helped to make complex, real characters--from Laurie and Jamie to their respective friends and family and exes and coworkers.

I don't think I've ever read a romance where I've highlighted so many lines (Don't worry; I had an electronic copy--I wasn't defacing a physical copy!). Laurie, despite having a life that was so dramatically different from my own in almost all external markers, was just incredibly relatable. Her insights were clever and often deep. Her resilience was inspiring. Her struggles were relatable. The amount of alcohol she and every other character in this story seemed to drink was alarming, but even that wasn't necessarily abnormal or unhealthy. I just don't relate to consuming copious amounts of alcohol on the regular. I chalked it up to cultural differences and moved on. Otherwise, I related to and rooted for her in so many ways.

And the relationship between Laurie and Jamie? Absolutely wonderful. A slow burn build up, from indifference and irritation, to camaraderie and collaboration, to friendship, to so much more than friendship, full of misunderstandings and miscommunications, but also sweetness and generosity and tentative attraction and then sizzling sexual tension. Their relationship felt real, full of shared experiences, not only fun and sexy ones, but grief and trauma and insecurity and all the shared emotions and experiences that make real relationships what they are. They were adorable and swoon-worthy.

The diversity of this book feels effortless and real, from Laurie's biracial heritage, to Laurie's sassy gay Sikh work friend. Jamie has non-romantic close friendships with women, which is a refreshing change from common depictions of romantic heroes, and in general, despite his obvious physical beauty, is not caught up on projecting toxic images of masculinity. Those who do, including so many of her unpleasant coworkers, are definitely not the heroes in this story. Even the setting, in Manchester, was a charming change of pace for a British novel's locale, instead of a more stereotypical London setting. Manchester's cold winter rain felt real, as did everything else in this story.

The book is also full of commentary, both direct and indirect, on being oneself in a world that doesn't fancy that. Of being a woman in a male-dominated workplace, of being a black woman in a white-dominated professional world. Of being the "nice one" and the "reliable one" and "supportive" and hard-working, and how feeling the obligation to maintain those titles can affect our ability to be authentically ourselves, and how others react if we cease to fill those roles. There were so many universal themes here, not only in Laurie's experiences, but also in Jamie's unapologetic, ambitious, non-conforming (and yet female-affirming) character, and how that affected his relationships with the males around him. In Laurie's mom's boldness and strength, despite the struggles she faced as a black woman, a musical performer, and a single mom. There's reflections on parenting and healthy boundaries and forgiveness and unhealthy relationships and toxic workplace cultures, on grief and anger and gossip and petty jealousy and true enduring friendship and tight family bonds and unfit parents, on how our pasts affect our ability to built relationships in the future, and on how to determine when those relationships are healthy for us or not.

Those comments might have made another book seem heavy handed or preachy, but instead in this one they flow organically through the experiences of Jamie and Laurie and those around them. And they're balanced out by the fun and the banter and the flirting and the uncertainty and the discoveries of the tentative relationship that Laurie and Jamie slowly build throughout the course of their story. I laughed, I nodded along, I swooned, I was angry, and I just overall loved this book.

I rarely, if ever, reread books, and yet I find myself longing to reread this story already, to absorb any details I missed the first time around, and appreciate the relationships and the insights all over again. I will probably buy a physical copy of this when it is released, and I will certainly recommend it to my friends and fellow readers. I am very grateful to #NetGalley for giving me a free copy of #IfINeverMetYou in exchange for an honest review, and I highly recommend this #HarperCollins title.

You can find this and all my other reviews, plus extra content, at my blog at https://onceaweekormore.wordpress.com

All the stars! I LOVED this book.

I loved Laurie and really enjoyed her journey to reclaim herself.

I do wish that there had been more interaction between Jamie and Laurie. There needed to be just a little bit more romance.

My vindictive side was so happy Dan got what he deserved!

Mhairi McFarlane is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I will be recommending her in reader's advisory.

What a wonderful take on the fake relationship romance trope. Mhairi McFarlane writes beautifully about love, loss, and emotional growth. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy modern romance with realistic situations and a focus on character growth.

What an unbelievably cute novel! I was hanging on every word and never wanted to put it down. I love the inclusion and multi cultural tones as well.

I will admit that I wanted to read this book at first just because of the cover. I don't think authors touch on the subject of interracial relationships enough and the cover and synopsis sold me on this story.
This is my first book by author Mhairi McFarlane, but it won't be my last. This book was touching, cute, sexy, and funny.

I look forward to more from this author!