This book was beautiful, from the way it was written to the story and the characters. The story was so moving, and I just loved it!

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


Alice Gunnersley and Alfie Mack have both been horribly injured and are long term residents of St. Francis’s Hospital. They are extremely near yet separated by a curtain. Alice does not want to be bothered but Alfie is social and a big talker, eventually he wears her down and the two begin talking. There are there for each other (really, where else can they be, they are in beds next to each other), They confide in each other, provide encouragement, and even share some laughs.

A friendship blooms...and keeps blooming. But will they continue their friendship outside of the hospital?????

This is a charming book but deals with real issues such as grief, loss of friends, survivors’ guilt, embarrassment, pain, healing, fear of leaving the hospital, and looking at the beauty within someone. I thought it was touching how they held hands to support each other with dealing with painful issues as well as physical pain. I loved that the liked each other without even seeing each other. This is beneficial to both as both have a lot of healing to do both physically and emotionally.

"So you want to pretend to be happy for other people? To get friends? Popularity? At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what other people think of you if you're cut up and bleeding on the inside."

The book is told through Alice and Alfie's alternating POV chapters. Both were likeable characters. Alice was guarded and distant in the beginning but who could blame her? Not me. Alfie is instantly likeable with is wit and personality. I enjoyed watching both interact and often had a smile on my face while reading. When not smiling, I felt them as the struggled with recovering, moving on and leaving the hospital where they felt safe.

This book was a nice and refreshing change of pace. It drew me in, and I enjoyed spending time with these two characters. This was an enjoyable debut novel by Houghton. I thought she did a tremendous job showing what each character was going through. I found this book to be thought provoking, charming and hopeful.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is s tory about two people who are patients in the same rehabilitation ward in an English hospital. Alfie was in a horrible auto accident that killed his two best friends and caused him to lose his leg.
Alice was in a fire where she was severely burned down the left side or her body, including the left side of her face. Alfie has already dealt with most of his emotional and physical problems when Alice is moved in the ward next to him. She does not speak to anyone for quite a while, until she speaks to Alfie because she's sick of him always speaking to her.
The relationship with these two develops over time without them ever seeing each other.
This is a book that you need to buy a box of tissues for =BEFORE you start to read it. Trust me==You will need them all.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for and ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is not a book I would normally pick up; I am not one for angst. I prefer my romances to be sweet. The sweeter, the better. However, this book. This BOOK. It was such the perfect mix of sweet budding romance and harsh realities of life and unfortunate circumstances. It’s so raw and hopeful and painful. I absolutely fell in love with Alfie and the layers of his personality and back story that were revealed slowly throughout. It showed just how much love is not about seeing with the eyes but feeling with the heart.

And the ending was just the perfect way to end the novel on hopeful note. Some might feel let down but I think it was the best way to wrap it up. I just loved it so much more than I thought that I would. This is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year.

This was such a sweet story. I love a good love story. This was everything I needed in the moment. I think people are gonna
Love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Publishing for the free advanced copy of this novel.

This took me off guard. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it till the end. That really sold me.

It’s not your silly predictable romance for sure. It’s emotional and heartbreaking at points, but you are drawn to these two characters and their unique bond. 💕💕💕

TW: fire, loss of limb, depression, suicidal thoughts.

I think this story shows that even if you think you are at your darkest—there is still hope ☀️

Watch out for it May 4!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

This was such a sweet, very slow burn, romance between two patients after life-altering accidents. It was lovely seeing Alice come out of herself and warm up to Alfie, the nurses, and the others in the ward. The two main characters fall in love before they even lay eyes on each other, while Alice is too scared to let anyone see her, but also already emotionally scarred and afraid to get too close to people. I devoured this in one rainy day, and it was perfect to escape into.

This storyline sounded so very intriguing that I thought why not. I love romance. I love new to me authors. While this is not romance in the traditional sense (at least not to me), it kept me captivated - chapter after chapter. Living in a world where each has their own trauma to deal with, their own journeys to embark on, these two find lifelines that neither knew they needed...or wanted. Alfie is the life of the party-his only goal to make the lives of everyone else around him a bit happier despite where they are at the moment. Alice just wants to be left alone. Little by little she lets him in but in the end, he never sees her face. Neither can imagine a life where they leave the hospital and both have fears they need to accept and work through in order to get back to a meaningful life. This is most definitely a love story though. My only wish would have been -- more. The ending was satisfying to an extent but I wanted more which is not necessarily a bad thing.

3.5-4 learning to live again stars

I enjoyed this one. The journey of two people learning to live again after devastating and tragic accidents. Definitely had a Me Before You or Five Feet Apart vibe to it but strangely enough read a little like YA even though it was not. Great message with emphasizing it's not the packaging that matters but what's inside.

It was heartwarming and emotional but could have been even more so with a little more inner character development as far as their inner thoughts and feelings went. As it was, everything was kind of surface level but still got the point across. The conclusion was rushed but I think it was meant to be that way, the journey of the characters to accepting themselves and their circumstances was more important than the outcome of their relationship.

3 1/2 stars. This book was really sweet but it was hard for me to get into for some reason. It definitely felt a bit repetitive at times and the ending was very abrupt. I loved the concept though and while the execution could’ve been better it was still an enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Loving someone means loving them for who they are, not what they look like. And this novel embodies that in the absolute best way possible.

Alice and Alfie are two souls who would not have met except for the terrible circumstances life dealt them. By chance, after a terrible fire at Alice’s office leads to her recovering from burns on one side of her body, she ends up laying in bed next to peppy and positive Alfie who has lost his leg after a car accident.

I give this story 5 stars so I’ll give you 5 reasons why:

1. A beautifully written angsty romance

2. It’s a romance novel, but it depicts gradually falling in love with someone as their personality is displayed through conversations and interactions before seeing what they look like in any capacity.

3. The healing process after suffering a terrible trauma is multidimensional and touches upon the different perspectives, depression, and thoughts that one may encounter rather than just writing it as a positive healing journey.

4. The supporting characters are so lovable. From Alice’s best friend to Alfie’s favorite nurse and his fellow patient, as a reader you also grow attached to them and how they help the protagonists.

5. Finally: the protagonists are SO CUTE! They are the epitome of the grouchy one loving the peppy one and being perfect for each other.

I hope we get a sequel soon because I need more of their dynamics and what happens after they see each other!!

Before I Saw You is out in the US on May 4, so make sure to get your copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with the eARC and the opportunity to read this work of art and for letting me meet an amazing author.

This is such a beautiful book. Told in alternating viewpoints between Alfie and Alice, it’s set in the recovery ward of a London hospital. Both have been through crazy traumatic experiences, and both deal with their recovery in different ways. Both are exactly what the other person needs at that moment. But Alfie is EVERYTHING. He’s 100% my new book boyfriend. I wouldn’t mind a sequel to learn what happens next!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Galley Books for this free ARC.
It was okay. I liked the ending, but I won't lie, I skimmed a lot, especially the last half. It was too slow for me. It was like a gender swap Me Before You with their personalities. Alfie was a bit childish, so I didn't really like that. I think it's a book for certain people, that like literary fiction and personal things/self-growth/inner healing. A clean romance but light on the romance.

An emotionally deep romance about two lost individuals find love in each other.

Trigger warnings: burn victim, loss of parent(s), car accident, death of friends

The POV bounced between Alice and Alfie and the two meshed well with each other. This was a very deep and emotional read.
Allie and Alfie meet in a hospital while both are healing from traumatic and life threatening injuries. The two start with very different outlooks on life; Alfie considers himself lucky and Alice is pessimistic. Alice’s character being so down and unhopeful was very understandable. I’m glad that her attitude started to change throughout the book. Alfie was so amazing! He was making the best out of his bad situation while also trying to improve the life’s of others in the recovery ward. I loved his playfulness, rants, and personality. I also enjoyed the bits added in the book about the hospitals social circle. Everyone was in the recovery ward for different reasons, but they came together like a family and supported each other. I typically don’t full on cry over books, but this one had me and I cried more than once. They were happy and sad tears! A romance with a setting in the hospital is bound to have sad tears involved. Yes, there IS a happy ending. I would definitely read the sequel if one came out! This was a beautiful story and so well written!

Alice’s life consists of only work, no social life. She’s happy with her job and being alone. After a freak accident, Alice is caught in a fire while working late at night. Almost half of her body was badly burned, but Alice doesn’t feel lucky to be alive. She can’t endure the thought of looking at her new reflection. Alice agrees to stay in the recovery ward if she can stay hidden with her curtain from the rest of her roommates, but refuses to speak.

Alfie is a PE teacher full of life and positivity. After a tragic car accident takes one of his legs, Alfie is left with PTSD and weeks to relearn how to walk. The hospital has become a home to him and the patients sharing the room are his family. Despite the accident, Alfie continues to be optimistic and a friend to everyone in the hospital ward. A mystery woman moves to the bed next to him and rumors say she hasn’t spoken a word since she arrived. Alfie takes the challenge upon himself to befriend his new neighbor.

Thank you NetGalley, author Emily Houghton, and Gallery Books for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 stars
What an amazingly emotional ride! This book follows the journey of two patients, Alice and Alfie, that are recovering from traumatic injuries in adjoining hospital beds. This book is told from the two main characters povs. Each character was well developed and had me invested in their journey. I loved Alfie's interactions with the other patients, but especially with Mr. P. Their banter was the best! Alice and Alfie had realistic reactions to their situations that had me wanting to reach out to them and give them a hug. The pacing and the writing had me flying through this book. The author's use of language and character development allowed the reader to really step into the moods and emotions of the characters. This book was set up with light hearted banter at the beginning and the heavier content within the middle and towards the end. I would have liked to see the book balanced out a little more. I loved how supportive Alfie's family was throughout the entire book with all the baking and hospital visits. I also liked Alice's friend Sarah. She was more like a sister than a best friend towards Alice and really pushed her friend out of her loneness. The romance was more about making an connection with someone beyond the physical appearances than the angst and chemistry. Overall, this was a great debut novel. I would highly recommend this book to those who need an unique romance story without all the hearts and flowers. I am really looking forward to the next book by this author!

Wow this was such an unexpected love story between two people who never saw each other. Alice and Alfie spent weeks side by side in a hospital with a curtain between where they each had traumatic injuries to recover from. Alice refused to see anyone so she and Alfile build a sweet romance through words and hand holding but the curtain remains firmly in place. They experience joy and sadness and listen to each other's worst fears.

I was really moved by the story and only wish I could have a follow up that tells the story of how their romance might look outside in the real world. This book was heavy with emotion and agony but the love between the residents of the hospital ward, the staff, and the romance were such bright spots.

"Before I Saw You" by Emily Houghton
A MUST READ Journey of HEALING
I was offered an ARC of this story by the publisher. I read the description and I was not really sure I would want to read this story. But I thought I would give it a try, and I am ever so glad I did. If you like stories that fully engage your emotions, this story just might be a perfect fit for you. For me it was a very emotion filled read, so I suggest you have tissues handy, and, I had to take breaks, every once in a while, to let my emotions calm down. If you like tremendously romantic stories with a message, this is a must read. Lest we forget, we are not our bodies, but our body is just the home we live within. A Worthy Read for sure. Happy Reading !!
NOTE: I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley. This review is my opinion.

Could you fall in love with someone you've never seen before? The main two characters in this book are Alfie and Alice. Alfie and Alice are on the same rehabilitation floor, recovering from injuries. Alfie is recovering from a car crash that left his an amputee; Alice is recovering from an office fire that left forty percent of her body badly burned. When Alice comes to the floor, there are pretty strict restrictions put in place so that no one will see her, per Alice's request. This doesn't stop Alfie from talking to Alice, so he strikes up a conversation with Alice through her curtain. They begin a friendship that eventually turns into something more, all without ever seeing each other. Sometimes they hold hands through the curtain, but that is about it. We get to follow both of the characters on their journeys back to the real world, and they are supported by a wonderful cast of characters, from Alfie's mother to Alice's best friend, to the other patients and nurses and doctors on the floor. For the most part, I liked the story. I liked Alfie's character. I also thought the author did a good job of portraying the emotional ups and downs of suffering a life-altering physical injury. I have two main complaints about this book. My first complaint is about Alice's character. While I feel like most of the other characters grew and changed throughout the book, I'm not sure that Alice really ever did. I feel like she didn't grow at all. Her attitude was very "Woe is me," and although I cannot speak from personal experience of having been burned in a fire, I would have liked to see the main "heroine" of the story have a little more gumption than Alice did. At first, I empathized with her, but after awhile, her complaints and attitude were extremely annoying. My other complaint about this book was the ending. Although I know the premise of this book is that Alfie and Alice never see each other, I thought at some point in the story, they would finally see each other. The reader spends so much time getting invested in their friendship and relationship, yet never gets the satisfaction of seeing them have an in-person relationship. The story literally ends with them seeing each other for the first time, and then cuts off, leaving it feeling abrupt and unsatisfying. I would have liked to have them see each other about 3/4 in, and then spend the last 1/4 seeing the interactions between them having an actual face-to-face relationship. Because of these two reasons, I am giving this book 3/5 stars. Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early copy of this book.

An amputee and a burn victim meet in a hospital through a hospital curtain. No eyes on each other just getting to know each other through snarky comments, conversation, and confessions. Be prepared for a love story beyond all others. It’s one of my favs of 2021.

Alice has been holding her guilt for twenty years, and as result, pushed others away to become a lonely workaholic. She hasn’t even been in love. Then the accident that burned 40% of her body including her face places her in a rehabilitation ward with people she didn’t want to see her. She’s a coward. But the patient next to her, Alfie, sees her. Not her face, but he sees her anguish and loneliness. He sees her courage and strength. If only she could see that, too.

Alfie is a bit of a superhero in my eyes. The man can cheer up the most miserable and grumpy character. His humor and way with words give me warm fuzzies. Take Alice for instance. She was not speaking at first until Alfie annoyed her to the point of pretty much telling him to bugger off. And what a wonderful teacher he would be. His positive attitude and crusade to make people happy are a plus in my book. But Alfie has nightmares that take him back to his accident and he opens up for the first time with Alice. You see, Alice sees through Alfie’s bullshit mask of happiness and cheer. She sees the vulnerable man beneath who just needs to let go of his guilt and live again.

Hurricane Sarah, Alice’s relentless best friend is a force to be reckoned with and I absolutely adore her. After giving Alfie her immediate approval, she assigns him the task of keeping Alice “well-fed, entertained, and completely and utterly adored”. And being a man who takes his jobs seriously, he is up for the task.

The patients in the ward who became family and the kind and awesome Nurse Angles (Mother A) are such an important addition to this story with their humor and heartfelt advice.

I love, love, love this story. The characters are fantastic and the uniqueness of the plot not only has dark humor and friendship, but it reflects the seriousness of moving on with a life-changing injury. I laughed, I cried, and I rooted for these two wonderful people to realize their worth and their love for each other.

I had a lot of favorite quotes in this book, but by far this one was the best for me:

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

I recommend this beautifully written love story for those hopeless romantics who can’t do without broken scarred heroines and kind and honorable heroes. For me, I find these books insightful and emotionally draining, but they all work out in the end. And the ending? It may frustrate others, but I believe it’s fitting since Alice and Alfie have a whole new story in the making.

Thank you to Ms. Houghton and Gallery Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

What an absolutely entrancing and poignant book! Before I Saw You is a love story with an incredibly moving twist—Alice and Alfie meet in a hospital ward, and have never seen each other. Both of them are facing uncertain futures, having suffered life-changing accidents, and yet somehow, behind a curtain, they share their most intimate thoughts, growing closer against all odds. This story is a roller coaster of emotions, and I deeply felt them all.