Readers know from the start that somehow, someway, Tom and Jess will finally sort out their lives and become the couple they were destined to be; but oh, the bumps along the road are quite spectacular! Each struggles with their past and lives in the present trying to come to terms with why they are the way they are and how to change. Tom has almost crippling shyness and although he's a gifted musician and songwriter, he can never get the correct words out of his mouth at the right time when it comes to dating and so resorts to alcohol to ease his anxiety. Jess is the product of a home with an absent father and alcoholic mother and deals with this abandonment in her edgy and hurtful comedy act directing her anger at members of the audience. A few chance meetings put Tom and Jess together, but never at the "perfect time." Readers will route for the couple and follow along with their ups and downs just waiting for that moment when they both know that now is the "perfect time."

In love, as in comedy, timing is everything. Tom and Jess seemed destined to be together but bad timing, miscommunications and misunderstandings, and bad advice all conspire to keep them apart. At first, there is a bit of frustration as a reader because you just want these two to have a real conversation and get their misunderstandings cleared up but as the book went on I appreciated the personal growth and personal demons each of them had to face before they could move forward. This is a mostly light light fun read but with some relatively serious undertones and issues addressed -- more than in your standard beach book -- that only adds to the story and makes it a better book.

NOTE: Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not what I expected, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Owen Nicholls gives us a story that is representative of real life and doesn’t gloss over or not include particularly hard times in the characters lives. We see alcoholism, anxiety, grief and many other factors that are apart of Jess and Tom’s world. We root for them but also may often not agree with their choices. That’s what makes this novel an engaging read, when the reader is on the roller coaster alongside the character. I enjoyed this book and think it is a great example of multidimensional characters. The plot and the pace was also very well done and I liked seeing the story continue to build and develop while watching Jess and Tom learn and grow! By the end I was quite fond of the characters and was very satisfied with the novels conclusion!

Special Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Dell for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest review!

A charming book about right person wrong timing, this was sweet and funny, along with a quick read. You will not be disappointed in this book

I love how this was set up. It was such an interesting an engaging read. The characters were multidimensional and I was frustrated with them and rooting for them both romantically and interpersonally in equal measure. I enjoyed their growth journeys and how the story resolved.

I received an advanced copy for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Tom and Jess really hit it off in the beginning and I wanted them to work it out but it never quite works, there a lot of miscommunication and the timing is never right. That is where the plot dragged a little and the yearning was real.

Perfect Timing is a love story (not a rom-com, best set your expectations accordingly) revolving around Jess and Tom. Jess is an aspiring stand-up comedian working her way up the ranks in a predominantly male field. Tom is an anxious musician who’s band is on the rise. They meet at a talent showcase and have an instant connection, both thinking the other is the one. But an unfortunate accident leads to a misunderstanding about Tom’s fake girlfriend and Jess bolts. Despite their circumstances, they each continue to think about each other - and occasionally see each other - over the next few years. Each time one of them thinks they are ready to make their move and confess their true feelings, the timing is off (hence the title). While the missed connection, yearning love story is usually my jam, this one didn’t do it for me. Maybe because it always felt a little flat - no massive ups-and-downs, absolute heartbreak that makes that final bit where everything finally comes together worth it. Maybe Tom and Jess each felt a little one-dimensional or mildly irritating. Whatever the reason, I just didn’t feel too invested in this one. I perfectly adequate but not entirely satisfying love story in my opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dell/Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

From the moment this book began, the ending was obvious. What was not obvious was the path that the characters took to get there. The one thing I didn't like was the fact the characters were pretty unlikeable. I honestly didn't really care how they ended up!

Perfect Timing by Owen Nicholls is a well written book about missed opportunities and having hope that when the timing is right, things that are meant to be will be. It is the story of Jess, a stand-up comedian, and Tom, a member of a rock band, who meet on the streets of Edinburgh and hit it off - that is until Jess learns that Tom has a girlfriend. As their paths cross over the years, the basis for their relationship is challenged over and over again.

I thought the book is well plotted and paced. However, I didn't particularly like the characters, especially Jess. Because of this I never felt fully empathetic or connected to the text and there were several times when I considered not finishing the book. By then end, though, their characters had an arc that I found much more engaging and likeable, so there is a nice resolution to the story if you hang in there.

Content warning: alcoholism, anxiety, panic attacks, abandonment issues, grief

Tom and Jess meet at a talent competition. He's in a band and she's a comedian. They are having a great time until Tom gets injured by a drunk football fan. At the hospital, Tom's friend tells Jess about Tom's girlfriend, a girlfriend Tom made up for various reasons. A year goes by as Tom thinks he lost the chance of love at first site and Jess is furious about falling for a cheater. As time goes by, their lives interconnect but the timing is never right. One of the other is in a relationship or about to leave the country for a job. Will they ever find the perfect timing? Their relationship is messy but often that is how it is in real life. I didn't like Jess at times when she had such scathing comedy acts and Tom's nervousness around women didn't make sense because sometimes he wasn't always anxious around them.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This was a fast paced book about two people who are meant to be but keep connecting at the wrong time. A comedian finding herself and a musician with a drinking problem meet and instantly have a connection but miscommunication, misunderstandings and timing keep getting in the way. I was ready for them to get together already by the end of the book but otherwise enjoyed that story.

This is a story of missed chances between two protagonists-over and over again as the timing between them is never perfect as the title suggests. This is not a light rom-com'y read. The characters both have their issues and are not always likable. That being said, I really felt like the author had a great beta hero in Tom and also wrote the female voice Jess in a very empathetic way. Tom is a musician for a band that doesn't fit in with mainstream music. Jess is a stand-up comedian which made the story a little unusual for me in a good way. I like Nicholls' last book as well. This is definitely a writer that I will keep an eye on.
Thanks to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Jess is trying to make her way into the Comedy world. Tom is trying to make his way in the band world. Their paths cross but the timing is never right. A sweet story of friendships, life and love. Good Book!!! #perfecttiming #owennicholls #sept2021 Random House

I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from net galley in exchange for an honest review. This was a light, quick read exploring the idea of meeting the right person at the wrong time over and over. I love the wheel they won’t they get it right between Tom and Jess

I liked this, but it was quite a bit heavier than I expected it to be, and a lot less interaction between Jess and Tom. I needed more with the characters, story. The will they won’t they isn’t a new concept, you have to put something special to it. This sadly lacked that something special.

This is a story about bad moments from a relationship writ large over many years between two 20-somethings, a comic and a musician. They have anything but perfect timing, which is I guess the ultimate irony of the novel's title. They don't seem to be in sync and spend much of their creative energy in their respective fields working out their frustrations about their relationships with each other and with various partners along the way. I won't give away the ending, but there are many comic and tragic events along their separate paths. Normally I don't like the alternating narrators-as-chapters style but this book works and you appreciate the dual points-of-view as we move through the plot and their lives and creative decisions about the evolution of their respective careers and life choices. And some of the band names are just hilarious. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book! I was so excited every time Tom and Jess would meet again wondering if this would be THE time they finally got together. The characters were both extremely relatable which made the book easier to read. I especially enjoyed Tom's character development and how he grew throughout the story.

This Owen Nicholls romantic comedy left me hoping it had more to the story. I needed more with the characters, story. The will they won’t they isn’t a new concept, you have to put something special to it. This sadly lacked that something special.

I think because I've been reading more contemporary romance, my standards have increased. This was a cute novel, but didn't blow me away. I appreciated the struggles and humanity of the two main characters, but they also frustrated me. I think this one with a bit more chemistry and editing could be better.

Will they or won't they? That's the question in this tale of two people whose timing is always just a little bit off, but who keep being drawn to each other again and again. This conceit lets you see how these characters grow and evolve over time, which makes the pay off at the end even more sweet.