Not Exactly What I Had In Mind
By: Kate Brook

I had high hopes for this debate, but I'm afraid this just reinforced to me that maybe books about twenty somethings are not books for me. Miscommunication and whining are not interesting to me. I did not find Hazel engaging (found her more annoying than anything). I found myself skim reading. I also agree with other reviews that the epilogue was not needed.

This was a miss for me.

This was... this was bad. Just bad. I'm unsure what exactly the point was and to be honest, I was so bored half the time I had to flip back a few pages because I'd already forgotten was had happened a fee pages before. It jumped from one monument issue to the next it felt like they're trying to slam every trope ever into one book. It just didn't work for me.

🌟/5

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Brook, and Penguin Group Dutton. ❤️

Not Exactly What I Had in Mind = Exactly every cliche I ever read in a "chick lit" book. It was a trope-y, predictable set of circumstances. Unimaginative and boring.

I went back and forth on how I felt about this book as I read it. Overall, I appreciated the concept, but I found the "will they/won't they" back and forth of the main characters to be exhausting. I read too many romance novels and love a good happily ever after, so I think that was part of my issue.

I just got too much ick with this one. I also felt like the synopsis was not correct and the story was nothing like I imagined. There were some very serious and important issues and situations tackled in this book - but it felt like too many. And maybe that’s why a lot of this book felt disjointed.

"Not Exactly What I Had in Mind" by Kate Brook is a delightful and relatable read that is perfect for anyone seeking a heartwarming and humorous exploration of love, family, and friendship, with a strong focus on kindness, happiness, and the beauty of unexpected connections.

This book is complicated, in a good way. Each of these characters are so full and vibrant and I enjoyed watching them squirm and reckon with their desires and feelings.

After reading a review of this book from a friend, I decided that I would not care for what occurs in this book. Therefore, I feel it would be a detriment to read and review for you. I appreciate the advanced copy and apologize for any inconvenience. Please disregard the star rating as I did not read this book.

This book has so many varied elements and complex characters. A few heroes and one true villain. My favorite stories are ones in which I can picture myself being in the story, and this definitely was one where I can say that’s true.

I’m not quite sure how I feel about this one. I thought it was funny and enjoyed the four characters. I guess what I can say with certainty is that the title definitely is a great synopsis of the book. This book was definitely not exactly what I had in mind!

Thank you to netgalley for my advanced copy for review in exchange for my honest review. Sorry it took me so long to get to review.

overall 3.0 read.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

This book was...wow. and not in a good way. It was all over, tried to tackle too much, and was like a roller coaster - really boring, exciting for a few pages, and then boring again. I did finish, but it wasn't for me. Two stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book.

I tried to get into this book for awhile but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Granted, there were parts of the book that were good so I would get hooked but I quickly found that it was just part that was entertaining.

This book didn't work for me and I think it's because it was trying to do too many things -- it tried to cover assault, climate change, bullying, LGBTQ+ issues, mental health, pregnancy etc. The romance was plagued by miscommunication and I just didn't feel invested as a result. If you're into contemporary fiction with a TON of social commentary this may be for you.

As always, I’m super thankful to get free copies of books in exchange for honest feedback. In the name of honest feedback, I didn’t enjoy most of this. I struggled to see the plot, I was almost always confused, and the characters and storylines were a bit too… lackluster for my liking. The end/epilogue was ??? Maybe the book would work for others, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea!

I had a really great time reading this one! The writing was funny, I really liked most of the characters and I had fun cheering them on and being along for the ride on all of their different adventures. I enjoyed that this was more contemporary, and even though I don’t love the miscommunication trope, I thought Kate Brook did it well. This is the first book I’ve read by them, and I’d be eager to try another to see if I like it more. This book was complex and attacked important concepts in a creative way, which I really enjoyed.

Wow - alright. This book really does live up to it's name as it's definitely not what I had in mind, and I mean that in both a positive and more constructive way. I liked the themes and heavier discussion points that were brought up throughout the novel, and I agreed with the messages that the book was promoting. Feeling like a fly on the wall watching Hazel and Alfie's relationship evolve was interesting, but their communication issues left me a bit frustrated. It felt like that was largely used as a method to add some bulk to the book when it really didn't need to. The epilogue was a bit jarring and pulled me out of the story I'd just read but it didn't really impact my thoughts on the overall text.

This was a cute premise and cute story but missing the flow of other strong writing that kept the plot moving and held my attention. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

This book had it's funny and entertaining moments but overall wasn't for me. I HATE the miscommunication trope and this book is full of it - plus tons of other trigger warnings. The plot basically wouldn't exist if the characters actually talked to each other.

I liked this book. It was a little slow and the ending was a little rushed but overall it kept my attention and I had to know how it ended.