This is a slow burning romance, spread over fifteen years, with so many wrong turns, obstacles, missed chances and misunderstandings keeping Izzy and Sam apart that at times I could have banged their heads together. Perhaps a little over-long but it got there in the end. If you believe in love at first sight, destiny, and love conquering all, this book is for you.

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

This book was a great way to get away from the world for a little while. It's a story of missed connections, right place and wrong time.

When we first meet Izzy, she's working in a greasy spoon diner trying to make ends meet while she's pursuing her dream of being a speech therapist. She's serving breakfast one morning, when she meets "The One", Sam. The chat, they flirt, and he goes on his way. She runs after him to ask him out, only to learn that it's the morning of his wedding.

There are a few other connections between the 2 over the years, but it's never the right time for them to get together (for various reasons). Then, after years of not seeing him, Izzy gets an email asking for help with Sam's son's stutter. This reconnection is just what they both need at that point in their lives, and it's interesting to see how it all unfolds.

Thanks to Bookouture & NetGalley for this Advanced Reader's Copy.

I received this book "The First Time We Met" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. Sounds like an interesting book but I didn't like the way it jumped the years. The book started off good but then a few years went by and then even more years went by. The book was an easy read. I also had a hard time with the connection of these two. Not sure how they fell madly in love in the little bit of time when they first met. I think they needed more interaction to get "that loving feeling".

This story had a wonderful premise, meeting your soul mate on the day of their wedding to someone else. I loved the female lead! She was smart and cute and so likable. She was also kind and warm.

The male lead had nothing very likable about him. The sum total of his character is busy workaholic plagued by self doubt and guilt. We get nothing more and it's a shame. He is also supposed to be American, but it's clear that the author is British because his voice is completely UN-American. His choice of words snd phrases are wholly British. An American would never speak the way he does. Even the structure of his sentences reads British.

This book takes place over the course of 15 years and I really wish it had been condensed. When the story is this spread out and when the main source of communication between the leads is fairly formal emails, it's hard to feel their emotional connection.

This book was far to slowly paced for me and lacked emotional connection.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions are my own and this did not affect my review in any way.

I requested this book from Netgalley because I was instantly hooked by the idea of what would happen is you met The One on his wedding day?.

In The First Time We Met we follow Izzy who after meeting Sam at her work she instantly knew he was the one. Too bad Sam was getting married that day.

The beginning was hard to get through, especially because you follow one scene where they meet 14 years ago for 10 minutes and then you are expected to ship them throughout the rest of the book. However, once we got to see more interaction between the two main characters the book picks up and you end up wanting them to be together above everything.

The book includes many of the classic rom-com tropes, and I do believe you have to suspend your disbelief a little to find this realistic. However, enjoyment level wise I loved this, I was hooked and I didn’t want to stop reading until I knew Sam and Izzy would get their happily ever after.

The characters are very well developed, you get to connect with both of the main characters and understand their motivations and actions. I did want to slap some sense into them from time to time but that just proved how well written they are. They are definitely flawed characters, but very realistic.

My only complaint with this book was its length. I though some parts could be edited out and it took a very long time to get where we finally wanted to be and once we got there it was over very quickly. I agree that the time jumps made it very difficult to connect with some parts of the book. It was hard to get a hang of what was going on when the time between chapters was long.

However, one of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the humor. I laugh out laugh in so many scenes and it truly increased by reading experience. I will definitely check out other works this author publishes.

Overall, this is an enjoyable book which I recommend if you are a rom-com fan, the story will definitely keep you intrigued and on the edge of your seat. There will come a point where you just want to scream to the universe to let them be together. Such and enjoyable and highly recommend read.

Thanks so much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me read and review this book.

really loved. this book Reading this was like watching Sleepless in Seattle a comfortable read that leaves you feeling good. I didn't want to leave these characters and would have loved the story to continue on!!

The most beautiful book! This story kept me on my toes in a will They or Won’t they?
This would make the most perfect movie. Highly recommend.

I feel bad giving it one star, but... it was so boring. I picked it up hoping to really enjoy it, so it is really sad that I did not like this.

The timeline and the pacing were so random and poorly developed. The thing I dislike about characters that reconnect after years is exactly the lack of dive we have in each of these characters, so it ends up feeling so forced, if not done right. Both Izzy and Sam were supposed to be in love after meeting for five minutes? That made absolutely no sense.

I couldn't really tell what their personalities were like apart, what really frustated me. I didn't connect with any of them. A positive point though was that I enjoyed the family dinamics, I guess?

To sum it up, the writing wasn't so good. But I can understand it, it is a debut novel afterall. So I will encourage people to pick up maybe this author's next novels.

PS: it reminded me a lot of One Day in December and all of the part I hated about the book Love, Rosie

One look and Izzy knew she found her Hearts desire, but Sam was getting married that day!
Years later he comes back into your life, but your married and pregnant!
What if you could be together, but an ocean separates you and other issues arise!

The author takes Sam & Izzy on a journey of life and choices that real people deal with everyday and the characters become real to you. You laugh with them and cry with them. The author does a remarkable job at keeping the storyline fresh and interesting so that you want to turn the pages!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

I received an ARC of this book via Bookouture and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Description

What if you met The One on his wedding day?

Izzy doesn’t believe in love at first sight, but when Sam walks into the cafe where she works one winter’s morning, she knows without a doubt that he’s the one. Too bad Sam’s getting married. Today.

Nearly a year later, Izzy still can’t stop thinking about Sam, the one that got away, but she knows it’s time to move on: he’s a married man and probably wouldn’t recognise her if he passed her on the street.

But Sam has never forgotten Izzy, the funny, gorgeous woman who asked him out on his wedding day. If the timing had only been better, he knows they could have had something wonderful.

When Izzy and Sam’s paths finally cross again, everything has changed. But with the Atlantic Ocean and decades of baggage between them, they are about to find out whether some obstacles are too big for even true love to overcome.

My Thoughts

Based off the description, I conjured up books like Where Rainbows End (which I loved!) and other decade-spanning slow burner romances. This First Time We Met is just another one of these books, except with a slight twist. The two central characters, Izzy and Sam, meet on Sam’s wedding day.

I’m not necessarily a believer in love at first sight but I do love reading about it and I did enjoy the sweet, fluffy romance unfolding page by page. I liked that Izzy and Sam’s meeting isn’t spectacular, or over the top, it just happens.

The fact that this truly was a chase appealed to me greatly. It wasn’t one of those romances that just happened, it took effort and distance and I really felt like Lovett was writing about a real couple as opposed to characters.

There were a few things I wasn’t so keen on where this book was concerned. Obviously the characters endure distance, so it’s not a case of them seeing each other physically for a large number of chapters, but I just think the choice of them emailing each other just fell flat for me – I had to remind myself sometimes that they fancied each other, and weren’t just best mates!

Another thing I wasn’t that keen on was the time jump. I know it made it more realistic, and it shows it’s a slow burn romance, but it meant I lost track a lot. Plus, there were bits of the plot I think Lovett brushed over that I would’ve liked her to explore more.

Saying that, The First Day We Met was an easy, fluffy read that I think would be perfect for the colder, darker nights we’ve been subjected to.

Thank you Bookouture for a chance to read an eARC of The First Time We Met by Jo Lovett!

This slow burn romance was oh so good!!

Izzy doesn't believe in love at first sight. That is until Sam walks into the cafe where she works and there is an instant connection. Did she just meet the love of her life? The only problem is Sam is getting married... today!

As time passes Izzy still cannot get Sam out of her mind and he will forever be the one that go away. But little does she know that Sam has never forgotten about her either. And when their paths finally cross again, the world shifts. It has been decades since they first met in the cafe though and with both of them having baggage of their own, does love even stand a chance?

Izzy and Sam are such loveable main characters and you find yourself rooting for them from the instant they meet!! This story truly felt like a fairytale set in modern time. If you are a fan of slow burn romances with cute characters and a few British accents, this one is for you!!

This book hits the shelves on 11/10!

What happens when you meet someone new and have such an instant connection that you know they are the one for you, but the timing is not right? Do you wait for them or move on and live your life accepting life with “the runner up”? This is the dilemma faced by Izzy and Sam. I enjoyed this love story and pulled for the two of them to find their ways back to each other.

What a sweet, slow burn romance! When Izzy met Sam she knew he was The One. Only tiny problem was... Sam was getting married that very same day. Many years later, they get in touch again.

I loved both main characters, Sam and Izzy. What I enjoyed the most was reading their emails and how they got to know each other properly.

Perfect for fans of slow romance and cute characters.

** Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. **

I loved the idea of this book as it sounded such a great story.
Sam and Izzy met on his wedding day and both felt an instant spark and connection. The book spans 14 or so years of their missed moments and Miscommunications. A good read

I really enjoyed this story, which centers around the idea of meeting The One, but on his wedding day. This is a lovely story for readers who are longing for a fairytale within contemporary real-life situations. If you enjoy romantic comedies with heart between an American and a Brit, get it on your TBR pile!

I don't really know what to think of this book! The blurb sounded really interesting and made me want to read this book asap, but I didn't connect to the story or the characters. I didn't feel any chemistry between Sam and Izzy and their relationship didn't seem realistic, especially with these big time jumps. And the fact that they mostly exchanged via email and only saw each other in person a few times didn't help either. This was an insta-love and slow-paced romance, but Sam and Izzy's relationship wasn't very developed.

'The First Time We Met' is a sweet second chance love story. We met Izzy and Sam and they knew each other was The One the day of Sam wedding :( After that day Izzy couldn't stop thinking about Sam and how unlucky it was. However, she overcame of it since she believes forever love isn't real.
Through the book we catch glimpses of each other lives at different epochs and how they re-encountered each other but always it seemed wrong. After more of decade of their first encounter is when the story start to developed their relationship and the issues they have to battle to be together!!

This book was so easy to read and from the beginning you really root for Sam and Izzy!! It remained me of 'Love, Rosie' of Cecilia Ahern too if you enjoyed it this book is for you!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book an ARC of this book. All though and opinions are my own. Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture.

The First Time We Met is a story about finding the right person at the wrong time and how the universe sometimes fights for souls to be together. In a Hallmark movie kind of way.

It’s December in the UK and Izzy, a twenty-something speech therapist, is working her Saturday shift at a café dressed in a Christmas elf costume when Sam shows up to order breakfast and it’s love at first sight. She knows he’s The One. So when he leaves the café, she follows him and asks him out, because that’s what you do when you find The One. The catch? Turns out it’s Sam’s wedding day. Yikes.

Fast forward 11 months. Izzy has been comparing every man to Sam since she met him and fantasizing with running into him. Until she does. And he seems to recognize her when their eyes meet from across the street, but then he turns around. That’s when Izzy decides to forget about him and become a new woman.

Fast forward another 6 years. Izzy is now 8 months pregnant when she runs into Sam. Turns out he remembers her and agrees to join her for a coffee. They talk for hours and she learns that Sam is widowed with twins.

Fast forward another 7 years. Izzy is now separated and still living in the UK when she receives an email from Sam, telling her that he’s now living in New York and has hunted down her email address because he needs a speech therapist’s help for one of his kids and has run out of options. And it’s all kinda slow and predictable from then on.

The characters were fine, but mostly one-dimensional and cookie-cutter. I appreciated the fact that the kids were included in the whole story, I actually really liked Ruby and Barney, but I couldn’t stand Liv. She’s portrayed as an overly entitled, self-absorbed teenage girl, when she could’ve been a much more interesting character if given more depth.

Basically, I loved the concept for this but the execution was too Hallmark movie for me. It was cute but forgettable.

The cover of this book reminded me of One Day in December by Josie Silver, which I absolutely loved. So that's how I clicked the request button NetGalley!
This is such a quick, heartfelt read. It was written very well, which made that I flew through the book. The story is also told through the POV's of both Sam and Izzy, which gives an extra insight into the story. I think the book also consists of some sensitive topics, which are handled pretty well, in my opinion.
I think the characters in this book were all likeable and recognizeable.
The book consists of some major time jumps, but it didn't really bother me. I was really invested in the life stories of all the characters and couldn't stop reading.
Overall, you can see that I really loved this book!

A song I associate with this book is Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an advanced reader copy.

I was not familiar with Jo Lovett or any of her previous books but was excited when I read the summary for The First Time We Met. This is a great fun book that didn't take too long to read and was a great distraction from current events.

I am not sure I have ever read a book that made me feel like I was watching a movie. I am not quite sure how to even explain this sensation. The entire time I was reading, I kept thinking this is like one of the love stories that were especially popular in the 90's. This isn't a bad thing at all so I don't want that to be assumed. It reminded me of Sleepless in Seattle or You've Got Mail.

This is a story about a woman who meets Her One on his wedding day. He wasn't marrying her and that is where the problem is. It was a great story that was very enjoyable. The only big issue that I had with the story is that Sam's teenage daughter who was so against her dad and Izzy being interested in each other so suddenly and quickly was all for her dad pursuing Izzy. This is the reason that I gave the story 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.