Alice and Alfie meet in a hospital rehabilitation ward. Alice has suffered 40% burns and is unwilling to speak or let anybody see her and demands the curtain around her cubicle remains closed. Alfie has lost a leg in a car accident and is the life and sole of the ward. Alfie manages to gain Alice's trust and soon they form a very strong bond, but without ever seeing each other.

A funny, heart renching and beautiful love story. Absolutely loved it.

This is a Jojo Moyes type of feel-good story but I found it to be boring, predictable and unoriginal. I did not warm to any of the characters and the hospital ward setting did not run true. I gave up half way through and read the end which was again typical of this type of book.

"Our scars are simply the mark of our stories. They show we've lived our life, and most of all that we have survived it. Don't hide your story away in the shadows."

This is the story of Alice who is recovering from severe burns and Alfie who is recovering from a leg amputation. With a curtain between them they never actually see each other but that doesn't stop a friendship forming, one that will change both of their lives.

I loved this book, it was like a warm hug. My favour part were the snippy, sarcastic interactions but I also adored all the secondary characters like Nurse Angles, Mr P and Alice's Best friend Sarah. I liked the slow build of getting to know Alice and Alfie, their histories and how they were working through the current trauma. I have read a few reviews that said they were disappointed with the ending but I thought it was just like any romance film and was happy with it.

This is definitely one for fans of The Flat Share and Me Before You.

Thank you to Transworld publishers and Netgalley for my gifted e-copy in exchange for review.

Before I Saw You is follows Alice and Alfie who have both been involved in horrific accidents and meet in hospital, although not face to face! The book had me gripped from the first few pages in a way that hasn’t happened to me with a book for a very long time. I just could not put it down. It is such a well written book and you are pulled in emotionally and are willing them to jump the hurdles they face to have the happy ending they deserve. Even the ending was perfect- it is honestly such a wonderful book, the best I’ve read in a while. I’ll be recommending to everyone and looking out for more by Emily Houghton!!

Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton a deep and darker five-star read than you think it is. I honestly went into this thinking it was a bit of a romcom set in hospital, little did I know what it actually was. But I loved it, it was so much better than I thought it would be, it is dark and challenging in places, but there is hope, warmth and strength. I am crying as I write this review as some of the moments in the story were so powerful that I was openly sobbing on the train at one point and didn’t even care. Alfie and Alice will grip you as they face the new life they have in front of them, you will be dragged along as they come to terms with one moment changing lives, pulled to the darkest depths and then lifted by each other. They aren’t the only amazing characters in this story there are some others that will pull you in and fill the story. If you are looking for something light and breezy this isn’t for you, but if you are looking for encapsulating, gripping, something to sink into and forget the world then pick this one up right now. Emily Houghton I can only imagine what you will come up with next, as this is one of the best debuts I have read in a long time.

This book is a humorous, romantic and heartbreakingly beautiful story of two strangers who help each other to mend their shattered identities, after devastating accidents which brought them together. The story is told from the perspectives of the main characters Alfie and Alice. The multiple points of view provides a deeper insight into the thoughts and feelings of both characters who are trying to learn how to accept who they are now.

At first I didn’t really like Alice because I found her to be spoilt, rude and extremely shallow. But as the story progressed my feelings for Alice changed. I started to understand that the way she acted came from a place that only a burn victim could understand. My favourite part of this book is Alfie because of his charming personality and infectious humour. The way he interacts with the other patients on the ward was very funny and entertaining.


I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it.

I received an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

What a fabulous story! I loved the characters and the developing and unfurling of the prickly, resentful lead. The relationships between the patients on the wars were warm and humorous. And the central relationship shows beautifully how the core of us is what matters. An uplifting, funny and all round wonderful read!

Romance is not a genre I particularly like but I was attracted to the unusual nature of this story. Alice and Alfie are both in hospital. Alice has been in the fire and has 40% burns. Traumatised she refuses to speak and hides behind the curtains in her cubicle. Alfie has also been an accident and has lost his leg. He is a a lovely character who does his best to cheer everyone up. This is the story of how Alfie helps Alice and how patients can help each other.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are great and the difficulties of being in hospital are very well described. I am currently incapacitated with two broken arms (I'm dictating this review) so really related to the situation of the characters. Thanks to net galley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have just looked through previous reviews which all gave the basics of the story so I won’t outline the storyline. I will tell you that this book is a treat! There admittedly are some things to nitpick about like mixed gender wards - but this is a novel not a true story!
I loved the characters on the ward, all of whom were very different but who all looked out for each other. There was a lot of humour in the awful situation, led by Alfie, who, although very traumatised by his accident on the inside, created a camaraderie between them all, even grumpy old Mr Peterson couldn’t fight Alfie’s good humoured banter.
Alfie and Alice’s injuries were horrific, and how they dealt with them was so well written, and believable.
Other reviewers have thought the ending was rushed, I thought it was perfect, and adding to it would have diminished all that went before.
I really enjoyed this book, and was sorry to leave all the characters behind. I will definitely be searching for more books by Emily Houghton.

I would like to thank the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book. This book explores two people who are in the same hospital ward and how they heal, both physically and mentally. The characters are so well developed and you find yourself rooting for them from the very start. It is a lovely read and I would recommend it to anyone.

OH MY GOD! I am blessed that I came across this book in this life. This book has become one of my favourites now.
The story is so different and powerful. The message is so clear. The characters are so full of life. The author has her way with words.
I didn't just read this book, I lived it.

I will putting up the full review soon at www.theenigmatoccreation.in

A really important reminder about not judging appearances and how people are like icebergs, we have no idea what's going on under the surface - in the form of a wonderful and heartfelt book. I cared about both characters quickly and deeply. A heartwarming and cathartic read.

Review Before I saw you by Emily Houghton

Alfie is a patient in a rehabilitation ward in St Francis who is recovering from a car accident having had his foot amputated. Suddenly a new patient arrives in the ward and is placed beside Alfie. As Alice has suffered having received severe burns in a fire she is enclosed by curtains and no one can see or hear her as she can’t/ won’t speak when she arrives. The book follows the journey of the patients in the ward and the way people adapt in adversity.

Fantastic story beautifully written I have laughed and cried at the story that covers very difficult situations.

Firstly I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. This book was absolutely brilliant it follows the story of Alice and Alfie who are both recovering from serious accidents in hospital and end up in beds next to one another. The characters were so real and I laughed and cried along with them, I read the book almost in one sitting because I couldn't bear to be separated from the story and the characters, I cannot recommend this book highly enough and it is a story that will remain with me for a long time.

Before I Saw You is an entertaining, amusing romantic novel, which covers some serious issues and evokes all emotions.
Is it possible to fall in love before seeing the other person? Yes, of course it is; as blind/ visually impaired people do it all of the time. But for sighted people it is certainly not the norm, and for Alice and Alfie it is most unusual circumstances as they are both in a rehabilitation unit in a hospital, separated by a curtain. They have yet to set eyes on each other. Could they possibly develop strong romantic feelings for each other on the basis of their conversations? Will they feel the same way once they see each other?
Before I See You is a good romantic novel, with two strong main characters, a lovely storyline and so well written. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and #NetGalley for giving me an ARC of #BeforeISawYou by #EmilyHoughton in exchange for my honest review.

3 Stars - ***

Alice is in a horrific fire at her office which leaves her with horrendous scarring. She cannot look at herself let alone let anyone else look at her. She spends her recovery in hospital hidden behind her cubicle curtains in silence.

In the bed next to Alice is Alfie who was in an accident of his own resulting in him having his leg amputated. Alfie is the life and soul of the ward and the patients very much become as close as family. Alfie makes it his mission to help Alice to initially speak and then eventually come to love herself as she is.

As Alice and Alfie get to know each other more, will their relationship develop further?

This book was a lovely read and the writing was superb. If you want an easy romance novel to get lost in then this is definitely for you. There are some wonderful characters, with one of my favorites being Mr Peterson, a 92 year old who had a wonderful sense of humor. I found it to be just a bit too predictable although I did enjoy it.

I wanted to like this book as the concept behind it is strong and the writing of a high quality. However, I couldn't cope with Alfie's relentless positivity. If I were stuck in a hospital room with him I would jump out of a window. I came back onto this site to see what others thought and broadly agree with the other reviews. If the story is not properly resolved, I will be giving the rest of it a miss.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Before I met you is a book that gave me palpitations & tachycardia and just when my heart rate started to normalize, it abruptly ended.

With 85% of this book set in a recovery ward at a hospital, two strangers whose beds were right beside each other formed a bond that had me shook. Each of them had no idea what the other person looked like but they bonded on the trauma and the will to be there for each other.

This was a beautiful story. Although, it felt dragged on a little bit and ended too abruptly for my liking. After so much buildup with the plot, that was a far too rushed ending, in my opinion.

There were so many heart fluttering moments in this book. I was pleased with how it made me feel.

I definitely look forward to reading more from this author.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but it blew me away.
When I began reading, the horror in which Alice went through made goosebumps grow up my arm, and Alfie’s pain he hid behind laughter and a good time was so beautiful to read. But it was the beauty of them connecting, of them finding something in the other no one else could ever give them.
Those late night talks had me pleading for more.
And in my opinion, the ending is more brilliant than I wished for even as I was reading it. Allowing us the chance to imagine what comes next is wonderful, as was the relationship that was built between these two people.
The characterisations, the ward and the hospital all seemed perfect. The story had brilliant pace and was an enjoyable read from start to finish. I honestly couldn’t put it down, it was one of the best books I’ve read this year and I can’t believe I have to wait AGESSS for it to come out to shove it at my friends.

I only intended to read for an hour or so but I just kept reading. I needed to find out what happened to Alfie and Alice!
They meet in hospital after they've both had accidents and get to know each other through hospital curtains.
I was rooting for both characters all the way through. They both became more complex as the story went on and it explored their lives and anxieties.
The story was sensitive but didn't shy away from difficult issues. There were some brilliant characters who helped the characters along with their kindness and support.
I'd recommend sitting down with this one.