An interesting read, enjoyable and fun but fell a little flat drama wise. Not your typical chick-lit story but an enjoyable read nevertheless

Marketed as a romantic comedy, this novel fell flat for a few reasons. When I read the synopsis I was really excited to read about a woman who just got her heart broken because of her adulterous husband and she was on the path to finding herself and being a strong woman. I love the title "No, We Can't Be Friends" I hate it when a guy wants to break up but remain friends...no thank you! Instead I did not get romance, comedy or this major growth. MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

1. So the big climatic event didn't even happen till about half way through the novel. I think it would have been so much better if this event occurred before the novel started or at least happened within the first couple chapters. I don't need to know Myles or his mistress at all and would have rather not gotten to know them. From about the second chapter on I knew who the mistress was and I kept thinking okay when will she figure it out, why did it take so long? I wanted to see more Sloane growing as a woman and finding her strong, independent side instead of being introduced to a whole cast of characters I didn't need to know very well to be on Sloane's side.
This was definitely my main issue. I did not get enough character growth, the disloyalty was discovered too late and it just made the story quite slow and annoying to get through.

2. This is more of a nitpicky sort of remark that I noticed and it kept bothering me. I am Canadian and the main character is, supposed to be, Canadian as well. However this author clearly has never met a Canadian and has no idea that we are not British. Why is Sloane speaking like she was born and raised in Britain? I get that she moved there, as a Canadian who also lived in London for a time, I can tell you that we do not automatically adopt every British saying right away. The comments she made were so odd because Canadians don't talk like that! It was very strange to read.

This one was not for me.

I really liked the character of Sloane in the end. A fun, compulsive read reminds me of chick-lit.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

An interesting book that tells the tale of a very sexy ,sassy head strong lady.- Sloane is a character that you can’t help but love,
Well written, great plot
Thank you to both NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this book

Chick lit drama without any real drama. Described as a laugh out loud comedy but I don’t think I even found it laugh quietly funny.
The story was ok, boy meets girl, boy marries girl, boy let’s girl down and betrays her, girl realises she can deal. It’s not groundbreaking and it’s not memorable but it’s was an ok easy read

This was an interesting book that went beyond the usual romance novel. It was sad in places, and the main character, Sloane, was funny and charming.

I really enjoyed it and highly recommend.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgally and the author for the free review copy.

The main character is so sassy and a bit sarcastic, I fell in love with her right away. My heart pained for her through out the story. Definitely relatable. Great read.

This book follows the life of Sloane Cassidy, a married woman, working for a start up, wanting to have a child. Unfortunately, hints were dropped, questioning began, and changes were made. Things didn't go as planned for Sloane, but ultimately happen for a reason. Following the life of Sloane proves how strong she is and how people come into your life for a reason.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This had solid writing and interesting characters but it is not a laugh a minute by any means.

That’s not to say it wasn’t a good story. It was. It just isn’t being marketed correctly and that may end up frustrating those that are looking for something lighter (and funny).

There are some excellent side characters and stories that really add some depth to this story. The conclusion was satisfying. Again, I enjoyed this and would read more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.

This book was provided to me from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
When I read the description of this book I was anxious to start it and looking forward to a "rom-com hilarious book" as other readers have described.

I think it was just me, but I read an entirely different book than everyone else. I was frustrated with Sloane and her lack of strength and intuition on what was going on in her marriage. I am not a big reader of books on infidelity, especially ones that play such a significant role in the entire book.
I had such dislike for Myles the entire book, that it was hard to read on. I was happy with the way the story played out, but I definitely didn't get rom-com or funny from this book. It was more discouraging and depressing.

I truly loved the idea of this book. However, I didn't find the story as humorous as I anticipated. Sloane and Myles have been married for five years and the next step logically would be adding to their family. Although that is Sloane's desire, is it Myles'? I expected a light hearted story, but this one was rather depressing and I just couldn't connect with the characters. The best part was the conclusion, which was sweet and satisfying.

Sloan and Myles are the "perfect" couple and have the best relationship. Sloan is happy with her life, and decides it's time for them to start a family after she realizes her biological clock is ticking. However, it isn't long before she realizes her perfect life isn't really that perfect...and....I won't spoil the rest.

I found this book to be a fun, pretty funny, quick read. Sloan, however, made me SO frustrated. I found her whiny and desperate at times, and I couldn't really connect to her friends and co-workers. I enjoyed the interaction with washed-up star and Sloan's client,, Vivienne, but I totally saw through Myles, and predicted the ending altogether.

Don't get me wrong, this was a fun read, but I just finished it wanting more...and wanting Sloan to have more of a backbone. Nonetheless, if you want drama and some funny moments, this is a fun one.

3 out of 5 stars for No, We Can't Be Friends by Sophie Ranald, which was published on January 10, 2020.

I used to read a lot of chic-lit but veered away from it over the years, and was reaching out for more serious novels. Recently I found that I was seeking a light read, one that I could breeze through easily, one that would break up the more emotional reads I had been reading for quite some time, and when I read the summary of No, We Can't Be Friends, I knew that this would be the book to break me out of the predictable pattern I had been in with choosing the same types of novels over and over again.

I jumped right in to the novel and felt connected to Sloane and her life. She is a very relatable character, as is her every day life of being a wife and mother trying to keep everything afloat and be as near-perfect as she could. Many of the issues she faced are true real-life issues, as is how she dealt with them, though some leaned a little more towards the fiction world, but it worked. It made the story and characters more entertaining and likable.

I really enjoyed this book and would absolutely pick another book written by this author!

I hate to do that, but I have to - this book is not a laugh-out-loud book. I had laughed maybe once or twice, smirk I had more times, but this is not what I was looking for. Don't get me the wrong book was well written and it was really good, but not when I wanted to cry with a laugh. This is a realistic fiction that is described as a romantic and comedy book.
Sloane was a good character that I liked from the start. She wanted to be strong, but not always had it worked. One event made her doubt her marriage of five years and this had started an avalanche of events that had to follow each other. I liked how she was growing stronger in the book from almost cry to staying on her feet woman, but the one that still had some anxiety in her.
If you want a good book from a REALISTIC point that was really good at making some important points read it but don't expect comedy here - which is really unfortunate as it would change my rating

I breezed through the new offering from Sophie Ranald ‘No we can’t be friends’. This is a feel good romcom of a read, perfect escapism, yet with hidden depths and some wonderful characters. It’s lighthearted with many laugh out loud moments and enjoyable to read.
The main character, Sloane, is having a bit of a life crisis. Failing to fall pregnant with husband Myles and living in a bombsite of a house that’s undergoing renovation, she’s suddenly aware that her husband is having an affair, possibly with her friend Bianca. You can’t help but like Sloane as she’s portrayed as a strong, independent woman who as the storyline develops you realise she’d be a great friend to have by your side. I particularly liked the sections that went back in time to Sloane’s childhood which was far from idyllic, with an alcoholic mother who eventually abandoned her daughter and husband. Sent away to boarding school Sloane learns to be self sufficient so it’s easy to guess that this young lady isn’t going to fall apart at the first hurdle;resilient and determined to make the best of her life she makes a fantastic role model. I think this is why her blossoming relationship with another brilliant character, Vivienne is so relevant as it gives Sloane an insight into the problems her own mother faced. Vivienne, an ageing, glamorous, once acclaimed actress is one of Sloane’s clients at the media agency she co runs and I absolutely loved her!! She too has had her fair share of heartache. Can these two unlikely allies help each other through this difficult phase of their lives???
Full of warmth and humour, this is an uplifting read about love,break ups and friendship and coping with all that life may throw your way. Delve a bit deeper and there’s an important message about how appearances can be deceptive and that image isn’t everything.
This is a delightful, albeit fairly predictable read with some great laugh out loud moments(builders witnessing Sloane’s state of undress comes to kind!) and perfect for those who love a happy ending.
My thanks as always to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

This book came at such a good time! I needed a break from all the heavy reading I was doing and this was just the ticket.

Ok so yes, it deals with cheating husbands, but Sloane's way of recovering is fun and light!

Thank you so much NetGalley

Thank you Net Galley and Bookouture for the eARC of No, We Can’t Be Friends by Sophie Ranald. This was my first time reading a book by the author and I enjoyed her writing style.

This is the story of Sloane Cassidy. She is a partner in a talent agency, lives in London with her husband, has a beautiful house that is being renovated. She is desperately trying to have a baby....until she finds out her handsome husband, Myles, who she had met online in New York, is a cheater. When she confronts him, he tries to gaslight her. As she is struggling to come to terms with this discovery, she realizes that Myles has not been a very good husband because he doesn’t pull the weight in their relationship and she has to do everything including all the chores around the house. Will Sloane stay with Miles and work things out? Or will she leave him and be able to move on? Will she ever find a better life partner? Will her wish to have a baby ever come true?

I admired the female protagonist - a very well-developed character indeed. She was a strong, independent woman, despite having a troubled childhood with her mom being a depressed alcoholic who left her and her father when she was young because she couldn’t cope with them moving to a different city for her father’s job. The novel goes into flashbacks to reveal this aspect of the story. Does she reunite with her mom? Does her mom overcome her mental health issues?

The author also covered her work life well and how she continued to work hard despite this big bump in the road that she is currently facing. It was interesting to read how a talent agency works and how invested Sloane was in making sure her clients were taken care of in the best way possible.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and the main themes of a troubled childhood, cheating husband, gaslighting, moving on from toxic relationships and rediscovering yourself. Though sometimes, the issues that Sloane faced seemed to resolve a little too conveniently, which seemed a bit unrealistic. However, that seems to be a common trope in the chick-lit genre.

If you are a fan of romance novels and are looking for a light read, I recommend this novel.

I felt the blurb was a bit misleading. I still enjoyed the book but being a mood reader I would have enjoyed it more if I knew going in it was on the sad side rather than funny as advertised in the blurb. Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

It's the second book I read by Sophie Ranald and this one was not my cup of tea.
I expected a funny rom-com but unfortunately I found this story quite depressing.
It's well written but I found it hard to read as it seems a weird mix of different elements.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I felt that the blurb I read and the actual story was VERY different. None the less I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read and I enjoyed the story and the characters a lot. I just expected this book to be funnier than it was.

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.