This storyline surprised me in the best ways. I feel like I can’t even adequately review this one because it’d all be one big spoiler. This book is best to go into blind; I hadn’t even read the synopsis when I started. I picked it up because it was by O’Leary and I knew I’d like it no matter what it was about!

This book made me laugh and it made me cry. I liked the relationships and the friendships and the secrets and the lies and the heartaches and the hopefulness. O’Leary really captured the range of human emotions with this one. She writes characters and their feelings so well and I always get invested in them.

This is a great book to sink into and enjoy the ride, without overthinking the plot as the story unwinds itself.

THIS BOOK. It had me on a rollercoaster. Enough feels where I couldn’t tell if I was loving it or hating it. I was up and down on Carter. BUT THAT ENDING.

I was brainstorming SO MANY scenarios and I was still MINDBLOWN. Worth the read. Definitely.

Beth O'Leary proves she writes a comfort read like no other with The No-Show. Her books offer a combination of the sad and the sweet and The No Show is no exception.

There's a twist some readers may find manipulative but I thought was earned.

Eager to see what Beth does next.

The No-Show by Beth O’Leary is a skilled author and I’ve very much enjoyed some of her previous books. She has a keen sense of wit and can create original characters with unique qualities. This one has such a good “jilt me on Valentine’s Day” premise and I was ready to dig in and get sucked into the story.

Unfortunately, instead of being sucked into the story, I got lost with too many characters and timelines. I spent more time flipping back pages on my kindle, not an easy task, to recall who was who and what was happening when that I ended up reading along with mild interest.

I had a good inkling of the twist that led to this Valentine’s Day debacle, so I didn’t have that big “wow” moment. O’Leary is still an author I enjoy, yet for me, this one didn’t do it for me.

This is one where I needed to read the spoilers for my own peace of mind. . The story was not what I was expecting and it had a bit of a mystery. The tone was more serious than expected and that worked well. Overall I really enjoyed it and was moved by the story (and am glad I read the spoilers!). I thought the character development was great and I loved how the story came together.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Jane, Miranda, and Siobhan don't know each other, and their lives are very different, but there is one thing about each of them that is the same. They are all dating the same man. They also have all been stood up on Valentine's Day. Each woman reacts to being stood up differently, yet as they begin to forgive the man who flaked on them on what should have been the most romantic day of the year, a new problem arises. If one, or two, or all of them fall in love with him, who gets to keep him, and who sees their heart broken? What's more, the real question here is, why is this individual dating so many women at the same time?

Who wants to be stood up on Valentine's Day? That's right, nobody! What sort of person would then have the gall to stand up three separate women on that day? Well, as it turns out, mysterious man Joseph Carter. I did not like him at all from the opening pages, after which the story focuses more on the women and their feelings and fallout from that day. I'd started to make up my mind about Joseph, and then, slowly, new revelations began coming to light. Let's just say that the ending is far different from the beginning, and there is a reason for everything. The No-Show is a contemporary novel with heavy character moments, some romantic moments, and a solid, surprising ending. Recommended for readers who enjoy mysteries that center on romance, stories with disparate female characters, and mystery men who aren't what they seem.

🙅‍♂️The No-Show by Beth O’Leary @betholearyauthor

•I was pleasantly surprised by this book! After not loving Flat Share (don’t come for me), I was hoping trying another O’Leary book would do the trick and I’m so glad I got an arc for this one!

•I knew just a bit about this book before diving in:
Three different women all stood up on Valentines Day. And by the SAME MAN?? Sounds super dramatic, sign me up!

•This book explores three different women and each of either journeys with TBR same man, Joseph. I don’t want to say too much because this one really is amazing going in “blind”, it’ll definitely surprise you!

•This one is out now, so if you pick it up, you’re in for a treat! Thank you to @berkleypub for the gifted e-arc 💛

How did a book about a man standing up 3 women on valentines day make me cry?! For sure my favorite Beth O'Leary novel. Obsessed. In love.

The No-Show by Beth O'Leary is her best book yet. Three women are all stood up for dates on Valentine's Day and unfortunately, they've all been stood up by the same guy. The three women couldn't be more different except for Joseph. We learn more about these women through each of their perspectives and find out how they all ended up tangled together in this situation.
I cannot remember the last time that a book made me feel so many feelings. This was such a beautiful story that absolutely wrecked me.

I'm a Beth O'Leary fan but The No Show isn't my fave by this author. I did figure out the plot twist by the end.

I wish I would've known this wasn't a rom-com book (though it was marketed as such) when I started I think I would've liked it a lot more had I known that.

When Joseph Carter stands three women up on Valentine's Day they're left to figure out just who Joseph really is. I think the three women: Siobhan, the morning date & on again off again hookup, Miranda his constant lunch appointment and the one who might be his girlfriend; and Jane, the one dinner date and friend whom Joseph promised he'd be her fake boyfriend for. Over the course of the year, each of his dates unpacks who Joseph Carter really is, as they try to make the decision if Joseph is the one for them.

I love Beth O'Leary - her books are always amazing and this one is no exception. The No Show is a bit of a tone shift for her though - it's a romance with a mystery baked into it. I don't want to spoil the twist, but this one is really worth the read! Three women get stood up on Valentines Day - all by the same man. All three of the women were strong and fascinating characters in their own right - you can't help but root for them to each get their own happy ending.

I requested this book without reading the blurb because I know what an amazing writer O'Leary is, but then I hesitated because I was afraid this was going to be a heart-wrenching tale of a man having to choose between multiple women and I just wasn't sure I was ready for that. But then I allowed someone to gently spoil it for me and I'm so glad that they did because I was able to go into this book trusting that O'Leary would deliver her usual fare of brilliance. And she did.

Just a beautifully, and creatively written story of a man making mistakes but finally finding his way. I think this would make an excellent movie one day!

This book was absolutely captivating! I cannot write too much without this review being super spoilery, but I was so invested in the different point of views of these three very different woman. This book was like putting together a puzzle and I loved it. It felt like a mystery and a romance and a memoir all wrapped up in one. It was just so clever. I read this book on a plane and felt like it was the perfect travel read. I can definitely see this flying off the airport bookshelves, pun totally intended. Can't wait to O'Leary's latest out in the world! She has truly written such a creative and captivating novel that brings many, many questions to the reader's mind and then answers them so slowly it is painful.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I went into The No-Show completely blind and spent the majority of the book wondering what the heck was going on because Joesph was a tool and I had no idea how this could possibly end with a semi-happy ending. When the big reveal happens at around 85-90% I just didn't care, I liked Miranda, Jane and Siobhan but despised Joseph.

That twist just didn't work for me but I will admit that the writing was superb throughout and I never would have guessed the twist on my own. If the reveal had come sooner and built up the relationship between the two characters more I would have found the ending more satisfying.

Siobhan Kelly, Miranda Rosso, and Jane Miller all become involved with a seemingly great guy, but it turns out that all three are involved with the same guy. Joseph Carter is a no-show for Valentine’s dates (at different times of the day) with all three of them, and it appears he’s not the kind of man they thought he was. His behavior is sometimes erratic and none of them feel like they really know him. But then again, he is just the kind of man they’ve each been searching for. How is it possible that all his lovable qualities can co-exist with such caddish behavior? The answer to that question is gradually and cleverly revealed by O’Leary, and I was delighted with the twists the story took.

“The No-Show” is one of the best rom-coms I’ve read in a long time. The believability of the plot is a big factor in whether I like a rom-com or not, and that is something O’Leary excels at. And what reader can resist a story when the characters reveal that books are their happy place! Highly recommended.

My review was posted on Goodreads on 5/31/22

This is a surprising book. It's tone is more similar to The Flatshare (still my favourite) and I was glad for it. Joseph is such an enigma ( Is he dating all three? Which one is really his girlfriend? Why is he always so out of it?) until you get to the part where the true connection between the three women becomes clear. Jane's secrets and fears are so visceral. Then there's additional connections between Siobhan and Jane. I loved Miranda and AJ. It was frustrating at times to not have the missing pieces of the puzzle. You really do need to stick with this one right until the end. This was a return of the blend of humour, tenderness and drama that I loved about The Flatshare. I can't wait for more.

Having loved O'Leary's first two books, The Flatshare and The Switch, I was so excited to read The No-Show. However, after reading 50% of the book, I cannot compel myself to continue. This book just isn't pulling me in and I am not finding the characters compelling enough to stay with. :( I do plan to try again in the future, but for now, this is just bringing me down.

This was not my favorite from Beth O'Leary. I have really enjoyed her books in the past, but I felt the pacing/payoff with this one just wasn't there.

Wow. This was not at all what I was expecting.

I was hesitant to read this one because I am just not a fan of cheating. The description of this story made me think I wouldn't like it.

However, Beth O'Leary has never disappointed me so I persevered.

I am oh so glad I did! This was a delight. The story was unique, and so thoughtfully planned. You can really tell that the author took her time weaving this word magic!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the egalley of this one! I consumed it!