I love the cover. It's cute and makes me interested in the characters. However, that's the only things I really liked about this chick-lit. I like chick-lit and romantic comedy, but somehow many British chick-lit novels get on my nerves. Heroines are usually incapable of doing anything well. She is not even a nice person. She is miserable but instead of doing something meaningful, she goes to pubs, get drunk, and stay in a relationship with a terrible boyfriend. And, family members and co-workers are two dimensional silly people. It's too silly for me to even smile.

I apologize to the publisher for wasting an eGalley for me because I'm a bad reader for this kind of British chick-lit. But, I believe there are readers like me who would want to know.

There were some high points and low points for In Case You Missed It. I love the comedy in this story and it was lighthearted but I really struggled to have motivation to continue flipping the page. The pacing was so slow and the definition of characters were a bit murky that they weren’t memorable for me.

This was a bit of a slog for me. There were a number of glaring typos that will hopefully be fixed in the finalized edition. Some things are repeated ad nauseam (that her sister is a genius or about "every hour god sends"). Also, I'm not sure if her sister was a critique of Gen Z or a critique of the criticism older generations have of Gen Z but I hope not the former (see countless examples of Gen Z activists doing amazing things). I almost wish the story was told from John's POV. He clearly had a lot more time to develop feelings as he was being told stories of Ros for years. When told from Ros' POV the romance doesn't feel like it's given the proper attention or time.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Lindsey Kelk for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I wasn't drawn to the characters and tended to forget about them when I wasn't reading g the book. I'm not sure if I wasn't in the right mood for the book or if it was something else. I liked the idea of the story, but just had a hard time jumping in.

#InCaseYouMissedIt #NetGalley

It's really a forward-leaning 3.5 stars because it took me a long while to even figure out how I felt about leading-lady Ros.
It turned out that part of the reason I wasn't clicking with Ros was a major plot element whose resolution turned out to make the ending incredibly positive. I'm still unsure if half-disliking the main character for having such a downer attitude is justifiable when it leads to a satisfying ending, but that's pretty much how it worked out.
I will say that there are several fun and crazy bits that are straight out of rom-com 101. I say that in the most positive way possible because it definitely hits all the feelgood points you could expect from a rom-com.
Overall, there wasn't much to make it stand out from the overpopulated rom-com pack, but it definitely entertained while it lasted.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the early read!

thank you @HarperCollins & @NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

I love british books - especially thrillers/detective novels, but this romance fell flat for me. I rounded up to 3 stars. It was slow and I almost DNF, but I got through it.

I did not connect with the characters. This book just did not do it for me. I"m sorry, I wish I could give a better review. Different strokes for different folks.

As a rule, I don't post low review ratings, but I do share on goodreads.

This was my first book by Lindsey Kelk, and it definitely won't be my last! I was immediately drawn to the cover on this one, and while it started a bit slow, I was completely taken with this story. When you feel like you are missing out on life, and second chances fall at your feet, what do you choose? And how do you move forward when all you want is to live in the past?

What I liked: It's funny, a bit flirty, and REAL. I felt so SEEN while reading this book. As someone who has left everyone behind to go on their own adventure, I related to Ros so much throughout the story. I think the author did a phenomenal job on this cast - with a swoon-worthy love interest included ;)

What I didn't love: I wanted a bit more background on the side characters. I know the story wasn't about them, but I was so into Ros' life, I wanted more. And I think there was a lack of closure with her sister. But maybe that's just life - we don't always get closure at the perfect movie moment, right?

I think this book would make an AMAZING movie! I highly recommend this one for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Meg Cabot.

This book was slow to start, but picked up after a few chapters. Based on the description, and the beginning of the book, I was expecting a friends-to-lovers trope between Ros and Adrian. However, I did enjoy Jon and Ros's relationship.
This book had a lot of funny moments. Everything with Snazzlechuff was hilarious. The roller skating and dark disco were both fun, memorable scenes.
I really enjoyed the secondary story of Ros's parents rekindling their romance once they are officially empty nesters. However I felt like the character of her sister, Jo, really added nothing at all to the story and it probably would have been better if she was not it in it at all.
I loved the subtlety of the HEA in this story. However, I wish there maybe could have been a bit more chemistry between the MCs. Overall, a decent book.

Lindsey Kelk is one of my favorite authors, and In Case You Missed It is another hit! Her trademark humor is on raucous display as Roz returns home to London after spending three years working in DC. One of my favorite things about her books is that even in spite of laugh out loud hijinks (her parents, for example, are experiencing a post-retirement sexual renaissance), they also get to the heart of the issues-- a woman who feels like her friends are moving on in life without her, trying to find a job that fulfills her personally and professionally, and struggling with her own ideas of what life is "supposed" to be like. Just delectable, and I can't wait to see what she does next! (The audiobook is also a fun treat!)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

“In Case you Missed It” was my first book by Linsey Keli. Overall it was a cute romantic comedy.. The first 1/3 of the book really seemed to drag for me. The characters were well developed and once I got through the that first third it was a quick easy read.

The first thing I noticed when I started reading is that In Case You Missed It is aggressively British. I can hear the sarcastic Sherlock comments now; it's written by a Brit and set in London, what did I expect? Well, I didn't realize either of those things going in to the novel; I guess I must've missed it.

Thankfully, British humor is my favorite, so once I got over my initial shock, I was right as rain.

I can see why people liked this so much. It's clever in a "Gilmore Girls" kind of way, withliterary and pop culture references coming at you a mile a minute. It's totally my kind of humor, understated and sarcastic with a little bit of snark thrown in for good measure. There were times when it was a little too vulgar for my taste, but otherwise Kelk's dry wit and tongue-in-cheek commentary about how technology has, if not ruined, at least changed our lives drastically are what kept this book afloat for me. If I were judging this book on humor alone, I would easily give it 4/5 stars.

My main issue with the book is the actual story. It isn't so much that it's incredibly predictable, but it's incredibly slow (particularly in the first act of the story.)

Rosalind "Ros" Reynolds is the quintessential protagonist of our time; single, broke, and down on her luck, she moves back in with her parents while the rest of her friends seem to have the whole adulting thing down. Thanks to the cloud and a "send to all contacts" button, she ends up reconnecting with the One That Got Away who also happens to be the one who tore her heart to pieces. Her friends hate him, but she's not too keen on the tall, dark and angry bartender they've befriended in her absence, so it all evens out in the end.

It's not earth-shattering stuff, but it's not a terrible premise either. There are definitely some good pieces in place to make this a great book; it just never really came together for me. Maybe I'm too critical or my expectations are too high, I just felt like I wanted more. More banter, more interaction with her friends, more insight into a podcast producer's life, more of everything except for the scenes between Ros and Patrick the ex-.

I also didn't find Ros particularly compelling as a character, which made it hard to feel invested in the story. At one point she has a hard time believing the love interest loves her, and I could relate. She's a bit flat, especially for a protagonist. Really, her only notable characteristics are that she's clumsy and loves to eat. Don't get me wrong, snacks are my love language too, but I just wanted something to connect me to the character more. I can see how her millennial crisis and major nostalgia can be relatable--especially for those riding the recent wave of reboots and reunions--but it was a little too prosaic for me. The supporting cast (including a decent Veronica who isn't just the mean, rich girl--finally!) is distinct and eclectic, so the contrast of the cardboard protagonist is especially disappointing.

There's a reason so many people find this hilarious, relatable, and fun; it just wasn't for me.

A digital copy of this book was provided gratis in exchange for honest feedback.
“The only difference between a fresh start and ‘oh my god, my life is a complete failure’ is a good attitude and the right Instagram caption.”

Rosalind Reynolds has just moved back to London from spending three years abroad in Washington DC. Rather, she’s just moved home to London, as in home-home with her parents.

She insists with doth-protest-too-much vehemence that it was a planned decision, totally fine, not at all forced and everything is great, just great. She’s thrilled to be home. It was time. Ros’s parents, on the other hand, have enjoyed having the place to themselves and, to maintain all the privacy everyone’s used to, have built a small out-building: her teenaged bedroom, in shed form, complete with compostable toilet and tiny shower, hidden behind a concertina/accordion door. Oh, ignominy!

Meanwhile, Ros’s friends have all moved forward with their lives – better jobs, more stable relationships, marriage, kids – and nothing is like it used to be. They hang out at new places. They’ve added new friends to the group, friends who never knew Ros.

In an effort to update her friends and acquaintances with her new London number, Ros sends a mass message to her entire contacts list – which, let’s be real, is a Fucking Terrible Idea (TM) – and has mixed results. Ros gets a job offer from an old colleague and also a text from the guy who broke her heart three years ago.

There are some shenanigans with Ros’s job, but believe me when I say it doesn’t matter. At all. She’s given a job at her friend’s recommendation; it’s difficult and not her passion. It’s background. She meets Veronica.

Knee Jerk Reaction
This is the “I haven’t thought about this much” reaction. How do I feel about this book without serious examination? Would I read it again?
3 “day-old, no-analysis" stars. I might read this again, but probably not.

The rest of the story
Spoilers throughout, so I'm hiding this part.

The story is first-person from Ros’s point of view. (We’ll talk more about this later.) In the Other Characters bin, we’ve got:

* Sumi. Sumi is a blunt snark-fest lesbian lawyer.

* Lucy. Lucy’s main character note is that she’s pregnant with husband “Creepy” Dave’s child. Very pregnant. I can’t really tell you anything else about her.

* Adrian. The token boy from the original Fab Four, Adrian is apparently independently (if not wealthy) financially comfortable. He’s styled as a playboy with no desire to work and no burning passion except the one he has for his CrossFit instructor.

* Joanna Reynolds. Ros’s sister Jo is a Literal Genius. You cannot miss this point, as it is mentioned several many times. She is also a Classic Gen Z and you know because she says teenager-in-college things about the environment and veganism and has many “modern” relationships like being involved with both genders at the same time.

* Patrick Parker. Ros describes him as the one that got away, her missed opportunity for One True Love. Ros’s friends describe him as arrogant, self-centered, pretentious, and rude. He is universally despised by Ros’s friend group, including (after one meeting) newcomer...

* John McMahon. John owns the bar were Ros’s friend group now hangs out. He is humble, giving, down-to-earth, and kind. According to one of the employees at the bar, he’s married, but his wife is never mentioned again. (* note on this later)

You can kind of see where this is going.

Interpersonal Stuff
Ros’s rollover for Patrick is exceptionally annoying, particularly from the reader perspective. He puts forth precisely 1 ml of effort (I measured) and she was willing to forgive, forget, and fu—spend the night with him. He’s boring and pretentious and we know because he watches Fassbinder – which literally no one does willingly. People watch Fassbinder so they can say they have. It’s not, like, enjoyable.

Anyway, we (I) hate Patrick as much as her friends do, with very little exertion, tbh.

I think we’re supposed to see chemistry with John-who-is-not-Patrick. With Kcirtap. There’s... some there, I guess, but honestly, it’s not that well developed. I was interested in John, but Ros didn’t seem to be. John seemed into Ros, but she didn’t seem to notice that. For her, it was all-Patrick, all-the-time, which... why??

Writing
The dialogue was occasionally difficult to follow. If there was swearing, it was probably Sumi (if personal) or Veronica (if professional). If it was pretentious, it was Patrick. Otherwise, the characters blended together. From style alone, it wasn’t really possible to determine who was talking.

While nothing really took me out of the story, I found myself skimming quite a bit. Not in the “omg, I want to read faster” way, but in the “sigh, is this going anywhere” way.

The chemistry between Ros and Patrick is non-existent, but so is the chemistry between Ros and John. Outside of a few moments, they have a normal friend interaction/relationship.

So.
Let’s talk about first person for a minute. There are always issues with a first-person narrative. It’s hard to provide historical or background information in a way that doesn’t seem forced. The character/narrator already knows all that stuff and wouldn’t be “saying it” in his/her head. Usually, those details would be provided by a third-party narrator could be provided by a third party.
This can, admittedly, be awkward and Kelk chooses to deal with it by ignoring it. A lot.

I didn’t know Ros’s name until, like, halfway through the first chapter because I missed the one throwaway reference on page 2. We never actually learn Sumi’s last name, because Ros knows it and doesn’t need to use it. We could have learned Dave’s last name (and therefore Lucy’s) at the same time that we learned Lucy met “Creepy Dave” on an app, but we didn’t. These missed opportunities made me feel like I’d walked into the middle of a conversation – and like I was consistently missing pieces of the puzzle.

The other issue with first person narrative, however, is that it can be difficult not to tip your hand, as an author. Ros believes John is married because the bartender refers to a blonde woman as “the wife.”

However.

Because Kelk includes quote marks around that statement, readers know that likely is a sarcastic epithet. Ros doesn’t seem to pick up on that, though, and treats the statement as fact. All of our information is supposed to be coming via Ros’s filter, so now we shouldn’t know anything she doesn’t.

In some cases, this wouldn’t be a big deal, but this is a major plot point. If the quotes were excluded, we (readers) might believe that he was married, like Ros does. Because the quotes were there, we know he probably isn’t. Those two pieces of punctuation ruin a huge reveal.
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.”

I did like the exploration of coming home. It’s not new, but this setting felt familiar. Is there a difference between coming home to regroup and coming home in disgrace? Is it still home if everything is different?

I also like the examination of what we consider “life-changing” relationships. How do we get over a relationship we glamorized simply because it ended abruptly and artificially? Is there value in exploring a relationship until it ends on its own or is imagining its ending sufficient for closure? Is it possible to pick it up again or does the man-river adage apply?

Post Debrief Reaction
2.5 stars, but I’ll round up. I will not re-read this.

In Case You Missed It is a pure delight to read. It is laugh out loud funny. Linsey Kelk strikes the perfect balance— humorous and clever without being too slapstick-y to read. The assortment of supporting characters is excellent. I’d have enjoyed a bit more relationship development between Ros, podcast producer, and her challenging teenage client; also between Ros and her new love. That not withstanding, I spent all my time with this book thinking, “I can’t believe how much I’m loving this.” Very witty, a great sense of what’s observably funny in everyday life without overdoing it, wonderful friends— give me more Linsey Kelk!

Thank you Net Galley for a copy of this ARC. This was a cute rom-com, easy to read and enjoyable. Ros is the main character, she goes though some life changes, dwells in the past. The author has given her a delightful personality. This was a good one!

This is my first Kelk novel and I think I might try one more. Although I typically like chick-lits, I found this one to drag a bit in the beginning but then it started to pick up. It started to get really good and I found it hard to put down! I have a 3 star rating because of how slow it was through about 1/3 of the book. I did love most the characters too, especially Ros’ parents! They were hilarious! I do still recommend this book, especially for all those British romance lovers!

In case you missed it was a fun, romantic, weekend read! This was my first book by Lindsey Kelk and I cant wait to read more by this author. Recommend to anyone looking for a fun, easy read who likes second chance romance!

3.5 rounded up. I enjoyed the underlying themes of this and could relate pretty heavily to it, especially during a pandemic when it seems all our lives are a bit of an upheaval. I do think it was a bit too long and dragged at times, but i will say the characters were all enjoyable enough that it didn't seem like too much of an issue. I would easily read a followup about Sumi or Adrian.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hilarious and so so cute, I really enjoyed this book. As someone who is fresh of a visit home, this book resonated with me. I definitely felt Ros’s struggling with how much things had changed while she was away. It’s a mixture of being happy for them, yet sad for those years it was only you. The romance was barely out of a PG-13 rating but I enjoyed it so much that I was willing to temper my smutty side.
Let me also say that it was so damn funny! I was cackling and wiping away tears before I was even done with the first chapter. The JT picture alone was worth 1,000 lols

Thank you so much @HarperCollins & @NetGalley for giving me this physical ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 04 August 2020)

SYNOPSIS | Ros returns home after living & working in the US for 3 years to find that her old friendship group has all moved on and her parents are reigniting their sex lives and have converted a shed in the garden into her new bedroom. Ros understandably craves the nostalgia of what she once had, but when she sends a group text to all the numbers in her phone announcing she is back, she receives a response from her ex...

WHAT I LIKED:
- Ros as a character is so relatable (especially as I said goodbye to my UK life & boyfriend at the time to move to America for a job)
- I want to be a part of this friendship group. The side characters were diverse, supportive & hilarious
- slow burn romance
- the discussion around the grass isn't always greener on the other side
- the many UK & 90s references that were so nostalgic for me (like Nando's & Groovy Chick bedding)

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- Ros is traditionally a radio producer but has to develop a podcast & I would have loved more behind the scenes insights into this

This was a fun rom-com, and I really enjoyed it. This is the first book I've read by this author and I will be reading more of her books. The characters were so well-done you felt like you knew them personally, and the plot was not a typical rom-com (enemies become lovers, etc). I recommend this book, 4 stars.

I received the ARC of this book from Net Galley and Harper Collins in return for an honest review.