I love Beth O'Leary's writings and her books are some of my favourites. Just as I did with the others, I absolutely enjoyed this one and I loved the characters so much.

Wow! Beth O'Leary had done it again. I absolutely loved this one. I experienced a full range of emotions while reading it, and the ending was so satisfying.

While I have loved previous books by this author this one just let me down entirely. I went in expecting a romance but that isn't really what I was given with the no-show. I wish that this had been a true romance, but I refuse to call it that. It was an interesting enough contemporary book though - it just feels mislabeled.

"The No-Show" by Beth O'Leary is described as a rom com about three women with nothing in common except they are all stood up on Valentines Day by the same man. Now when I first read that description I thought, yes! This sounds like a perfect premise for a rom com. I mean the cover of the book itself even has strong rom com vibes. Sadly, after reading this book, I can wholeheartedly say this book is not a rom com. Not even close.

The story is told in alternating POVs amongst our three women: Miranda, Jane and Siobhan. Personally, I found it a bit difficult to follow because there were so many characters within each woman's individual story, it was hard to keep everyone straight. Miranda and Jane's storylines were alright, but I gravitated towards Siobhan's character and found her extremely fascinating. Truthfully, I wish the book was entirely about her storyline only. She is a woman who has experienced extreme heartbreak due to the loss of a relationship and child early in her life, that she has completely shut off any romantic or meaningful relationships besides her long time friend Fiona. A woman who is so damaged and refuses to deal with her trauma, yet is a successful life coach and social media influencer. I really enjoyed the chapters that were dedicated to her story. I found them insightful, humorous, engaging and heart wrenching. She truly is the best part of this book, and I would read whatever spinoff O'Leary does with this character.

As strong of a character as I thought Siobhan was, Miranda and Jane were okay, but I was extremely disappointed by their shared main man, Joseph Carter. It felt like he was barely present in the lives of these women, and when he was he didn't add much in way of personality. Everyone described him as a good guy, but I really found him to be quite boring, and couldn't understand exactly what it was that made three women fall head over heels in love with him. I also think it was a mistake on O'Leary's part to not include his POV in the alternating chapters. I know I said it was difficult to follow with the three, so adding another would've been too much. But, I feel like this story needed his POV as well. There were things in his life that seemed to be huge, like him being the caretaker for his mother who has dementia, that felt glossed over because we didn't get to experience it through his eyes. I could've probably understood why these women loved him so much if we got to know him a bit more.

Lastly, I had an issue with the big "twist." I love a good twist in a story, especially one that makes me see everything I just read in a different light. Unfortunately this twist made me think: "well what was the point of this entire story then?" That's not a good thought or feeling to have while reading a novel.

Overall, I think this book wasn't for me. And you know that's okay. I didn't read "The Flatshare", O'Leary's previous book that has been recommended to me by friends and fellow readers. I will for sure be giving it a try, because I do like O'Leary's writing style. It was engaging and flowed really well. This story may not have been for me, but I will for sure keep an eye out for her future and past works.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for the advance copy!

3/5 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

I'm going o admit I'm being generous with this three star rating. I'm only giving it because the writing was great, however the same cannot be given to the overall story. I was not the biggest fan of how this book was done. This is personal preference because at some point I was just over it. That being said I did enjoy the three female perspectives we got. I feel like they were pretty well written. Another reason why I didn't enjoy this book is because it bring up the topic of dementia. For personal reasons I don't typically pick up any books that have anything to do with this condition or similar condition so that absolutely played a role in my enjoyment. Overall not my favorite Beth O'Leary book, But I will still continue to read from this author because their writing is still enjoyable.

Review will be posted on 5/19/22
It's Valentine's Day and Siobhan is waiting for her date, Joseph Carter, at a restaurant. He never shows up. Things were just starting to transition from a simple hookup to something more, that is until he left her alone on Valentine's Day. Then there's Miranda who also has a lunch date with Joseph. He also doesn't show up. See a connection here? Lastly, there's Jane, a bookish girl, who has told her coworkers that Joseph Carter is her boyfriend so they would stop trying to set her up. Joseph agrees to help Jane out, but then he doesn't show up to a escort Jane to her event. All three ladies, seemingly different in every way have one thing in common: they have all been stood up by Joseph Carter. As the story unfolds O'Leary gives us a glimpse into each relationship and has readers questioning how these three unrelated women might have a connection to one another. More importantly, should any of them waste their time on Joseph and what's his deal? Beth O'Leary's rom-com, The No-Show, will tug on your heartstrings while keeping readers guessing.

O'Leary did a good job developing all three women in The No-Show. Siobhan is a life coach, but she is being played by Joseph, so that's a bit awkward. She is the most confident of the three women though and the most successful. Then there's Miranda, who is an arborist, and finds herself in a male dominated industry in which the men often treat her as one of the guys. Lastly, there's Jane, who I enjoyed the most, but that should come as no surprise as she is a bookworm, volunteers at a charity shop, and is quiet sort of person. But don't underestimate Jane! She is hiding some major secrets. All three women were stood up by Joseph and O'Leary slowly unravels the story for us and also takes us through how their relationships play out. I kept wondering how all three women's stories would blend together, but without a doubt, O'Leary does a good job of piecing it all together.

At first The No-Show read like my favorite type of rom-com. It made me laugh out loud, but then it took a quick turn. Surprisingly, it turned into a mystery of some sorts and even included some suspense. I wasn't expecting this! The story did tug on my heartstrings as well. O'Leary somehow made me feel for Joseph, too. I think that illustrates how good of a writer she is as I really didn't like him in the beginning, but once his backstory is fleshed out a bit more I found him to be surprisingly likeable.

I alternated between the audio book and the e-galley of The No-Show and I have to say that I preferred the audio version. The audio book narrators did a great job bringing each woman to life as there was an excellent cast of narrators that captured each character perfectly. It was truly well done. So, if you are looking for a heartwarming story that does tackle some deeper issues, check out The No-Show this summer. At the heart of the story, The No-Show is about second chances.

So, are you a fan of Beth O'Leary? Have you read any of her other novels? Is The No-Show on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

Siobhan, Jane, and Miranda have nothing in common except for one thing: All three have been stood up by the same man, and on Valentine's Day, no less!

This book surprised me in the best way! From the synopsis, I had no idea what was coming. Were the ladies going to find out about each other? Were they going to bond over this guy and become great friends? Where was this story going?!?

I don't want to give more away because as so many Bookstagrammers have said, this one is best when you go in blindly. I will also say that despite the slow start in the first half of the book, please, please push through the hump and persevere because the last 30-40 percent is so worth it! Additionally, though this is categorized as a romcom, I definitely think it's more of a women's fiction/romance/mystery. There are some heavier topics broached in this one too, so brace yourself going in.

Thank you so much to @netgalley @berkleyromance @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks and @dg_reads for the opportunity to read and review this one, as well as participate in this buddy read! This is my second Beth O'Leary book (I really loved The Flatshare!), and I'm eager to go back and read some of her other titles! This book ended up being such a gem - don't judge a book by its synopsis!

Just when I thought I knew where The No-Show was going...it went and twisted it ALL up in the most perfect way. Beth O'Leary hasn't disappointed yet and I think The No-Show may be my favorite of hers so far. Romantic, thoughtful, sweet, unexpected, and smart, it was everything I wanted and needed. She does such a great job fleshing out realistic characters, and each of the women we meet are someone I would want to be friends with or reminded me of someone I knew. For anyone who's loved her previous books, or is looking for a way into the 'romance/romcom' category, The No-Show is the perfect jumping off point.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy in exchange for a review.

This one had an interesting premise- a few different women being stood up by the same guy on the same day. You’re left wondering what is going on?

I enjoyed the stories of the three women and the different issues addressed like harassment. I found this to be a bit confusing though and after finishing still wasn’t sure how it all went together chronologically

"[She] has tried to see Joseph as a friend again, but it's as if she's turned on a light and now can't find the off switch. There's no dimming it. Her feelings for him are brightening with every week that passes, and she feels sometimes that he must be able to see it glowing in her chest, the great fierce ball of love that's growing there."

Three girls, all stood up by the same guy on valentine's day. Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane are all dating Joseph Carter and are all stood up by him on valentine's day. The book follows the perspective of all three women as they learn to trust him, and let Joseph Carter back into their lives. With small bits and pieces of him through each book, not only do the women have to decide if they want him in their lives, but we're trying to puzzle together what the mystery is behind the man.

I will happily say that I am a forever Beth O'Leary fan, but this book unfortunately didn't catch my interest the way her other books have. I was a fan of the Siobhan and Miranda, but Jane felt just okay for me. I would have loved just to read Siobhan as their own book and Miranda as their own.

There is a pretty big plot twist, but I feel like it's one that you can kind of piece together early into the book. The pacing of the book was so slow, which is rough considering we had three different perspectives and story lines. The big saving grace of the book was the last 15% where the story comes together and we see all the pieces. Not a book I will be picking up again, but I'm glad I read it and will continue to grab any book Beth O'Leary puts out.

If you're a fan of plot twists, multiple POV's, strong character stories, and stories that keep you guessing then this may be your cup of tea! Highly recommend going in blind.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Beth O'Leary for the copy of this book!

↠ 3.5 stars

I don't want to say too much about this one, becuase I truly think this one is best to go in blind.

All I will say, is that I absolutely loved the way this story was told. I was drawn in from the beginning and thought it was such a creative and unique writing style.

Thank you so much to @netgalley for my copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. Another auto-buy author for me! I’m sorry this one sat on my shelf so long. I started it a couple of times and almost DNF’d it, but came back to it when I was ready.

This book does not start in a flattering way. You’ll hate the male MC who seems to be blowing off and leading on three separate women. It was a little confusing in the beginning to figure out who was who, who worked where, etc. That’s why I almost gave in; I was mad at this man and didn’t know if I wanted to read anymore about him.

I am very glad, however, that I stuck it out. This story is woven together very intricately, and it takes quite a while before you’ll learn why. I thought it was very creative and really ended up enjoying this one!

This was a pretty good read. It took me a while to get into and fit the pieces together though. It seemed a bit slow though and I didn't have a hard time putting it down. I did finish it though and I'm glad I did. I liked the ending and I still think it was a good read, maybe just not the right time for me to read it.

This wasn’t the John Tucker Must Die vibes I expected thanks to the blurb. It wasn’t even entirely a romance first and foremost. The blurb is deceptive…YET…yet, I enjoyed it a lot and I know this book will stick with me.

I cannot give too much away or else the twists in the plot will be spoiled pretty quickly (however I love spoilers and it was impossible to find them on this one, so if you want them, let me know and I can add them in a tag), but there is much more to this book than the “cheating” we anticipate as we read through the story.

It’s told through three women’s pov as they all date the same man…each has a different relationship with him and we spend most of the book trying to advocate for these women and solve why they are with him and JUST WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING.

You do get a happily for now/happily ever after for two of the women, so there is romance, but at its heart, this story is one of growth, self healing, and learning to trust and advocate for your needs.

I enjoyed this one and think so many other readers will if they can get past (or prep for) the misleading blurb.

What a sweet story. Do not do like I normally do and read the ending first. You can wait. It's worth it. Repeat. Don't do it.

Booksource: netgalley in exchange for review. Sorry my reviews suck right now but real life sucks..

Three women are stood up on Valentine's Day. All by the same man...is Joseph Carter that charming? Are these women that gullible? Are they all dating the same man????

These are the questions going through my head as I'm reading The No-Show by Beth O'Leary. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, but friends urged me to stick with the book. I won't be saying much in this review - because I don't want to spoil it, but I loved this book.

The No-Show follows Siobhan, Jane and Miranda on their whirlwind relationship with John Carter and I enjoyed all three of their stories. I ended up listening to the audiobook for The No-Show and it was fantastic. The narration was so fun and I really liked that each character was narrated by a different narrator - it made it easier to keep track of the various characters!

I highly recommend going into The No-Show blind. And while I would consider it more leaning towards women's fiction, I loved the romance and non-romance parts of this book. Overall, I would give The No-Show 4.5 stars.

4.5⭐️ for The No Show from @betholearyauthor

Thank you so much to @letstalkbooksreaderteam, @letstalkbookspromo, @berkleypub, @netgalley, & @betholearyauthor for the opportunity to be a part of this tour & for allowing me to read The No Show.

Blurb: Three women who seemingly have nothing in common find that they’re involved with the same man. Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane is a soft-spoken volunteer for the local charity shop with zero sense of self-worth. These three women are strangers who have only one thing in common: they’ve all been stood up on the same day, the very worst day to be stood up—Valentine’s Day. And, unbeknownst to them, they’ve all been stood up by the same man. Once they’ve each forgiven him for standing them up, they are all in serious danger of falling in love with a man who may have not just one or two but three women on the go…. (From Penguin)

This book ended up not being what I expected. I will say, at times it felt slow, but by the last third of the book, I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t want it to end. I guessed one of the twists in the book, but not all of them & there are definitely multiple twists. O’Leary has such a unique way of writing her characters & her stories that you can’t help just falling in love with her stories. This one definitely kept me guessing throughout the story & kept me on my toes.

Thank you again to the above mentioned for allowing me to read this one!

I love Beth O'Leary and will read anything she writes, but the No-Show had all my favorite elements of O'Leary's writing and honestly I enjoyed it so much it might rival the Flatshare as my new favorite O'Leary novel. I enjoyed all the different perspectives and was shook by how they came together.

Wow, wow, wow. I am so thankful I dove into this one headfirst. The cover and synopsis had me gearing up for what I thought would be a novel filled with hilarious hijinks in which the women all gang up together to take down the cheating man a la the Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz, and Kate Upton 2014 film "The Other Woman." This was NOT that at ALL and thank goodness for it! What Beth O'Leary crafted was a well written, beautifully orchestrated novel filled with romance, suspense, heartbreak, and vulnerability. Each of the characters had my full heart at different times throughout the novel and I was impressed with how distinct each character's chapters/lives were. With about 100 pages left I had no idea how this would end or how O'Leary would manage to tie this up without someone having their heart absolutely broken, but somehow she did it! I was able to pick up one some of the foreshadowing and hints to twists and turns but was never fully sure of what would happen (my absolute favorite!). The No-Show is the epitome of a page turner that keeps you guessing, devouring each chapter until you're left feeling absolutely all of the feels. I believe this is Beth O'Leary's best work yet and one of my favorites of 2022 for sure!

While I did enjoy this book, I didn't love it. I ended up giving it three stars after debating it for some time in my head because...I just didn't know how I felt about it. I think it's a little misleading to say this is a romance. Although it has an HEA, it didn't give a romance feel more just general fiction with plots of romance in it. It was a little hard to root for Joseph while it was made to seem like he was dating other women, but I still liked him when we got to the end. And the ending hit me so hard! I was not expecting it! I think this is well written and super fun, just ultimately not for me.