A light-hearted read of the friendships of three friends, Cher, Sarah and Deb. They are all at different stages within their dating. Some wanting marriage and some wanting what they can't have.

Do they get what they want or are they left searching for more?

Wow wow Wow this book! Is there anything this incredibly versatile author cannot do? Her crime novels rank as my absolute favourite number 1 series and her women's fiction books made me cry. And this one, wow. It ma're me laugh and cry and root for each if the beautiful, lovely, real, wonderful protagonists. A beautiful, emotional, heart warming tale to impress and transport anyone. Do read this one. Just wow.

This is a stand-along novel from Angela Marsons, usually well known for her Crime Fiction! This was a careful balance of humour, ordinary life and poignant moments finish this book off to be a wonderful read and a great introduction to Angela Marsons step into another genre!

The story unfolds through the third person narration of three main characters, Deb, Sarah and Cher. The dilemmas that they face are unravelled as the story progresses. The characters are constructed well – so well in fact, that you won’t like them all! There is a real mix of personalities and behaviours – and the characters grow on the reader as the book progresses.

This is the first time I read a book by this author, and I have to say that I will definitely be reading others. This book was enjoyable and entertaining to read. I really like that the three main characters experienced growth by the end of the story, and the story itself has lessons. The downside of this book was that the plot was too predictable, and the first few chapters were a little boring. In summary, this book is worth reading if you are looking for a well-written lighthearted reading, and you do not mind the plot's predictability.

I had the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for an honest review, thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture.

I am sure there’s not a woman in the world that has not been on the unfortunate end of unrequited love stick. This is the story of one such woman who resort to a spell to make her future boss fall in love with her. A totally spellbinding read (no pun intended)!

A light hearted look at love and life for three friends. Cher would like her boss to fall in love with her, Sarah is dating a married man who promises to leave his wife, and Deb is planning her wedding while trying to outwit her prospective mother-in-law. Follow along as they make wishes from a “spell book” during an evening that included alcohol. See how their wishes come true, or do they? I enjoyed the lively and often sarcastic dialog between the three friends as they encourage each other while at the same time moving ahead with their lives. I read mostly mysteries and have read and enjoyed the entire Detective Kim Stone series. While I do prefer her mysteries, Ms. Marsons’ has shown us her delightful sense of humor with this entertaining read. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

I have read all of the Kim Stone series and Angela has become one of my favourite authors. I also like the odd rom com or chick lit in between crime novels, so I started this with great anticipation. Sadly I didn’t enjoy it as much as expected. Well written as always, and with humour, it still took me half the book to engage with the three women central to the story. From there I enjoyed it more as it built to the end but too little, too late. Just not for me this time - but I look forward to the next Kim Stone!
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC and the opinions are very much my own.

I enjoyed this book, especially on audiobook! I loved the multiple perspectives and all the characters. The storyline wasn’t anything mind blowing but I was engaged throughout. It was a fun read, great for summer. I recommend checking it out!

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of #AngelaMarsons. I really enjoy her crime writing and have read the #KimStone series. #IfOnly is the first of her other books I have read. This is described as humour, I would be more inclined to say romcom. There was nothing inherently wrong with the story nor the writing, in fact the author flips into this genre easily. Although I was ready to scream when one character decides to try and become pregnant in order to have her boyfriend leave his wife. 🤦‍♀‍ This is an easy summer read that I am sure will do well, for me it was simply middle of the road.
Thanks to #Netgalley for gifting me this audiobook and ebook (my favourite reading combo) in exchange for an honest review.
#NetgalleyUK #bookouture #booknerd #bookstagramuk #bookish #booksta #readersofinstagram #ARC #goodreadschallenge2021 #riereads #oneadventureafteranother

Here's a thing--if the cover is nice, you tend to get attracted to the cover and then you get the book. But unfortunately, the story didn't work out for me. However, this is the first time I have read from this author and I heard she is a crime fiction writer but this romcom book didn't do well for me.

Cher, Deb and Sarah are three friends--Cher is determined to fall in love with her boss, Michael Hunter but her friend, Dan warns her against it, Deb is trying to get along with her fiance's mother-in-law and Sarah is having an affair with a married man named David, who doesn't really want to have a committed relationship. So basically this story is trying to tell how these women overcame with their problems.

I have read fair number of romcom books but unfortunately, this book is not for me. The story started out too slow and a little bland to me that I almost DNF the book. However, during the middle part of the book, it got a teeny weeny bit interesting and with a little difficulty I managed to finish the book. The writing was however good and there was a sense of funny parts in the book.

Overall, I give this book as 2.5 stars! Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

This is a story of three friends and their search for fulfillment. I was initially worried that the route to happiness seemed to be dependent purely on men, but although this is a romance it is also about their friendship and finding out what ia really important to them.

The author has a great writing style and this is a lovely, lightheaded, uplifting read.

This is a change in writing style for Angela Marsons and I loved it just as much as the Kim Stone books.
It’s not crime so don’t pick it up and expect a crime thriller. Instead it’s a fun, lighthearted feel good read that will have you laughing and maybe even shed a few tears.
Sarah, Deb and Cher are very good friends and each of them wants something more from life.
One night after a few drinks they find a spell book and make a half hearted attempt at casting a spell to get each of them what they want.
They think no more about it as it was just a drunken joke, however, their lives do start to change.
They each experience things that could be linked to the spell or would they have happened anyway?
The women seem to have forgotten what they wished for but as the reader it’s obviously at the front of our minds and I loved the way the story ended for all three of the women.
This book is the perfect escape and ideal for a holiday read or for a wet weekend in my case!
This has definitely cheered me up and I’d highly recommend it as a feel good read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the first book by Angela that wasn’t a Kim Stone thriller, I did wonder if the change in pace would work …… it does, I flicked between book and audio book and really liked and enjoyed the characters and their stories …… highly recommended

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘If Only’ written by Angela Marsons in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Three friends, Cher, Sarah and Deb, are fed-up with aspects of their lives, Cher wants her new boss Michael Hunter to fall madly in love with her, Sarah’s been seeing her married lover for years and wants to lure him away from his wife by getting pregnant, and Deb wants her future mother-in-law Margie to stop organise her and Mark’s wedding for them. One evening they discover one of Cher’s old books and with the help of herbs and spices they traipse into the garden and cast a magic spell. They’ve all had too much to drink and think it’s hilarious, but what if it should come true?

I’m not a big fan of romcom but after seeing the name of the author I couldn’t not read it. I admit that while I still prefer Angela Marsons’ crime thrillers of which I’m a massive fan, in ‘If Only’ she’s given us a light-hearted and contemporary romantic novel that has fun and humour, but also the warning to be careful what you wish for! I didn’t much like the characters at the beginning although they did grow on me so by the time I was half-way through the book I had an empathy with them. I did wonder why Deb didn’t put her foot down with Margie, and why Cher allowed her nephews to run riot and go through her drawers pulling out her personal possessions, but I loved the way she deliberately irritated her sister-in-law by calling her Pat. This is a great book to read between dark thrillers but please, Angela, don’t give up what to my mind you do best with DI Kim Stone.

I truly wanted to enjoy this book but unfortunately it was a DNF for me at 30%. I really tried to enjoy it as I’m a huge fan of this author but sadly this didn’t do it for me.

This book was a light-hearted, fun read. It delivered exactly what I was looking for when needing a break from some heavy crime thrillers.

The spell casting was amusing and you could just tell how it was going to work out.

I enjoyed the three storylines, however, I did feel that perhaps the main characters made the women seem a bit like they needed the men in their lives to validate them. That did fit in with how the story progressed though, and the ending tied everything up nicely.

All in all, an enjoyable read.

I am sure most girls and young women wished that a certain person might find them attractive, or ask them out, or fall in love with them, but these three women go one step further. Cher has been mooning over her new boss. Even after Dan, another person she works with, warns her off, she still wants him to fall in love with her. Sarah has been having an affair with a married man. She is sure that if she gets pregnant, he will commit to her. The final friend is Deb. Deb is living with the man she loves and trying to plan a wedding. The small affair they want has been hijacked by her future mother-in-law and she is driving Deb crazy. So one summer evening, after several glasses of wine, they find an old book and decide to cast a wishing spell. It’s just three friends having a laugh and throwing some herbs around the garden. They are just having fun, but, be careful what you wish for.

This was a fun story, but had some serious themes. I did not like all of the women, specifically Sarah. I thought she was selfish and was only thinking about what she wanted. She was hard to like and I didn't change my opinion of her. I really liked Deb. She was happy with her life and didn't want a big shindig. She didn't like getting manipulated by her future MIL and I kept yelling at her to stand up for herself. She was willing to put up with her for the sake of her relationship. Cher was in between. She was infuriating and wanted a man based on his looks, not his personality. She did come around eventually. I did enjoy seeing their wishes come true, albeit not the way they wanted them to. Overall this was a fun romcom.

If Only is a stand-alone romantic, whimsical novel by crime writer Angela Marsons as a lover of her crime books I wasn’t intrigued to give this a go. Whilst it wasn’t her usual style it was a light hearted, humorous novel
Featuring 3 friends Sarah, Deb and Cher. They want more from their lives. Sarah is due to marry her fiancé Mark but has a very interfering MiL to be who has already caused the wedding to be postponed twice as she wants her own way. Sarah must wants to get married and is trying to keep everyone happy and struggling. Cher is in love with her boss Micheal who doesn’t seem to know she’s there and Deb is having an affair with a married man and just wants him to be with her and to have his baby.
One night after a few drinks they experiment with a spell book. You know the old saying be careful what you wish for!

This book follows the 3 friends as they finally get what they wanted from their lives.
I found it light hearted fun and enjoyable

I so wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. I couldn't even finish it to be honest. The characters were not likeable, the plot was a bit cringy and the attempted humour in the book just put me off. I've heard this authors crime books are great - but this rom-com was just not a hit for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this book. All opinions remain my own as always.

Could not get into this at all. The premise sounded interesting enough but I did not like any of the main characters enough to get fully immersed in the story. (2⭐️)