Short synopsis: When Hannah receives a wrong number call from Davey who lives in Texas, their friendship sparks. Their calls quickly become intentional when Davey is taking a job and relocating to England.

My thoughts: This was such a cute romance with a sweet unique meet-cute. I loved how the author created believable chemistry between two strangers on opposite sides of the globe.

Halfway through this book I was ready to throw it, but ended up really loving the ending. I do wish we would have gotten more page time with Davey and Hannah, and less with the rebound romances.

Read if you love:
* Long distance relationships
* Wedding season
* Fate bringing you together
* Great side characters
* Emotional romances

Thank you so much @netgalley and @randomhoise for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Pub date is Nov 22, 2022!

4.5
Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book to read and review. This book was so good. I'm not sure I can fully express my feelings for it, actually. It was so beautifully written and it was such a non-traditional take on a love story. I loved the reflectiveness of it all and how Hannah and Davey were so intertwined with each other throughout the book. I was almost crying at points and genuinely laughing at others. The friendships were so sweet and I loved the little traditions involved in each one. It really is crazy because you never know how or why certain people will come into your life and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. This book was a great look into different types of relationships and what love can look like for people. I had chills by the end honestly and there was so much to anticipate and the build up was done beautifully. I thought Hannah and Davey were such interesting characters and I enjoyed the journey they went on. This is definitely a new favorite of mine and I can't say enough good things.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Okay, this book wasn’t for me. I don’t enjoy books where one or both of the MCs are with other people for a large portion of the book. I also don’t like when the main plot focuses on something that could have been quickly resolved by one honest conversation and communication of feelings. The ending was lackluster. After all the build up of Hannah and Davy’s relationship, all the things they’d gone through, I just expected more than a few pages of them finally communicating with each other and then getting together? I don’t know, it just didn’t work for me.

Is it possible to love someone you’ve never met? What begins as a misdial between strangers, turns into so much more.

This was not at all what I was expecting but in a good way! I expected swoony light-hearted romance, instead it’s quite the emotional roller coaster, and I enjoyed all the ups and downs.

The story was unique, entertaining, and well written. I loved watching the relationship between Hanna and Davey evolve over texts, phone calls and eventually video calls. The connection and chemistry between them was undeniable. Most of the story is told from Hanna, but I enjoyed how the author shifts mid way through to dual POV. It was different, and fun to get Davey’s perspective. I was fully invested and couldn’t wait to find out.. will-they or won’t-they!?

I loved all that the side characters added to the story. Except maybe George. HA I know he’s necessary to the story, but that doesn’t mean I had to like him. 😂 I all loved the friendships, especially Hanna & Joan’s.

If you’re in the mood for a little serendipity love story about never giving up, this one is for you. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end.

Pub Date: 11/22/2022

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Elle Cook for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

I would like to say I enjoyed this book but I didn't. It's sad because it had so much potential but the miscommunication was killer. At first I understood why Davey pushed Hannah away, but then it became exhausting to read. I would've enjoyed it if the ending gave us more, it was so rushed and didn't even give an epilogue after the constant back and forth. I felt like most of the book fixated on their inability to communicate rather than the actual relationship and it didn't feel believable anymore. I wish I felt better about it.

Brit romance lovers, gather around! I have a rec for you. 

Davey and Hannah met on the phone by accident. Davey, an American, misdials and gets Hannah on the phone. Then they start messaging, messages turn into video calls. Davey is about to relocate to London, where Hannah lives. They are falling for each other and cannot wait to meet in person. Then something happens and they paths go different ways. 

This book put a stupid grin on my face early on, then it broke my heart. I loved these characters. And I felt sad for what they had to go through. I am being vague for a reason because I wouldn't want to reveal any spoilers. 

I'll say this much: the author wrote from experience. She was able to tell both Davey's and Hannah's POVs without taking sides. This book is about Davey's journey just as much as Hannah's.

The side characters especially Hannah's neighbor Joan and Davey's bestie Grant sort of stole the show. 

While it is not quite a holiday read, parts of this book set during Christmas time so it could make a nice seasonal read. 

I recommend this book to the readers of Emily Stone, Josie Silver and Sophie Cousens.  It is charming, full of heart and a little sad. I've buddyread this book with @aotmbookclub and some new friends. Most of us liked it.

The storyline and writing style of the book is cute and definitely evokes emotion. I also really think a lot of the characters actions/decisions were believable based on the situations they found themselves in. A main overarching storyline deals with a really tragic topic and reading the author's note at the end really gave a lot more context with her personal experience coming through in the story.

I did feel like I spent way more of the book as a reader watching a relationship that I knew wasn't going to last instead of watching the two MCs grow and develop as characters (both individually, as well as together). The first 20% of the book is so easy and smooth in character development that it lulls you into a sense of security in this relationship that doesn't get addressed again until the last 10% of the book. I found myself getting a bit frustrated with the drawn out focus on the 'rebound' relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book to read and review.

Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of The Man I Never Met!

Going into this book I was expecting a light-hearted rom-com, but it was actually much darker than I was expecting.

Missed connections, missed chances, and big (scary) life changes keep this will-they-or-won't-they couple apart (for a time? Read to find out!). This book definitely has it's sad and dark moments, but a couple of swoon-worthy parts kept me reading.

Overall this book is heartfelt with well-developed characters, and I'm a sucker for a dual POV!

The Man I Never Met was a very pleasant surprise. We have Hannah, who has her life in London and who one day receives a call from an unknown number. What starts as a clear mistake ends up becoming a friendship between Hannah and Davey, the American guy who called her. But just when they are about to meet, and when they have realized what they feel is something more than just a friendship, Davey does not appear. And there it begins a whole journey between them.
I honestly this book would be more light and fund. And it was at certain moments. Then everything change and it began to feel deeper and more heartbreaking. However, that doesn’t mean it was bad. On the contrary, it is a lovely story about fate, love and about taking chances and risks.
I really liked Hannah and his friends (I loved Joan), and I liked Davey most of the times (there were moments who I wasn’t OK with what he was doing, but I get it is part of the story). I never liked George, though.
Overall, it is a very nice story not only about love but also about friendship, life and dreams and I quite enjoyed reading it. However, for me, there was something missing, I cannot pinpoint what but I was just expecting something more. I do recommend it anyway and I am now curious about the author’s previous work.

This book was a cute little fun read. I devoured it in 2 days. Loved the writing and especially loved the ending.

A cute but heartwrenching story of two strangers who become acquainted due to a misdialled phone call.
Hannah is a twenty-something woman living in London, drifting through her life.
Until she answers a call from an unknown international number.
Davey. A twenty-something Texan who is making some change in his life.
The title should have given away that it was going to break my heart, but I got lulled into a false sense of security, loving reading the story, watching a relationship develop. Then BAM.
However my heart was rebuilt again and I scrolled faster and faster as I got to the end.

This book was heartbreaking at times, but also gave me the warm fuzzies of a good romance. I really enjoyed reading it and did not want to put it down at times.

Very much enjoyed this novel, although I could tell it was the author's first foray into contemporary romance. Some things needed to be fleshed out a bit more (George's "one" ask of Hannah was only mentioned one time early on, but was the source of his frustration in their relationship). The ending seemed a bit rushed, and I would have loved to have had Davey's POV earlier on so we could see how his thoughts and feelings progressed before he got his diagnosis. I will happily read the next romance Cook writes.

Wow! I really loved this one! Even more so after I read the Author’s Note. Thank you for putting this book out there…not only to entertain, but to raise awareness!

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘦𝘵 is a heartfelt and poignant story about an accidental phone call across oceans following two very different lives which nonetheless seem to merge.

- ~ -

Honestly I went into this absolutely dreading the ending, British books don't exactly uphold a reputation for giving happy endings.

I, however, thoroughly enjoyed myself.

It started off on a great note with the main characters getting to know each and other classic English humor was at play and it was fun while it lasted.

The story took a turn at the thirty-ish percent mark and well, while it morphed into a tragic and life changing experience, it was dealt with in a very genuine manner.
The characters - Hannah and Davey tried to move on with other people and at no point did they mourn each other even though they were always on the other's mind.
So yeah, genuine. The author gave them space to move on and live freely but at the end they chose to go back to each other (I've somehow simplified it to grade 1 level because in reality it was a lot more dramatic and messier) and I respect that.

Lastly, I'm just glad the author didn't pull the usual move most British stories tend to have: girl meet boy, they connect but it doesn't work out for some reason, they disconnect. One of them realises they made a mistake and goes back to grovel only to find that other has moved on. The other in question later goes back to grovel only to find that the now they've moved on. This keeps repeating endlessly but somehow they manage to win each other back. Exhausting. Yeah, I'm so glad this was not the case here.

- ~ -

3.87 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

***This review has spoilers!!!!!***

I’m kind of writing my review/thoughts while I’m reading, so it’s still fresh in my mind vs. the “I forgot everything, but I loved it” review.

Hannah, 27 and lives in London, England. When she receives a call from an unknown international number. This is where it starts. She meets Davey, 29 from Austin, Texas on the other end.

Throughout the winter months they keep texting, talking and then video chatting with each other. They like each other and can’t wait for Davey to move to London on January 10th. Hannah promises she will pick him up from the airport…

I think my heart started breaking around the 28% mark.
No, I take that back. At 33% my heart broke.
Hannah is in a daze and seems depressed at what is happening with Davey. And when he ends things, she completely shuts down inside.
When her booked vacation to Thailand with George (a friend who works as a personal trainer at her gym) is close, she doesn’t want to go. But leave it to George to take her with him, kicking and screaming.
Things change during these next 10 days.

We follow Hannah (and Davey too in some months) throughout the year by reading monthly updates.

Hannah was just going with the flow. She and George were dating, but it seemed lackluster, she was trying to make it work, but Davey always stayed in the back of her mind.

The breakup could be seen a mile ahead. To be honest George didn’t try to make an effort and blaming her was wrong.

Reading about Davey struggling with his chemo, also going with the flow, made me realize that that spark both he and Hannah had with each other was missing.

I am glad that Hannah and Davey, even after the surprise “seeing” went on their own path for a while. Trying to figure out their own personalities and having a blast while single seemed to fit both of them.

Gah!! The last 10% I was sitting on the edge of my seat!! To quote Hannah “I love it when love finds love.”

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sometimes it’s nice to read a feel good book that also has a great message in it. Elle Cook did just that. In this wonderful story Hannah is perfectly content with her life. She has a job she’s good at, best friends she can rely on, and a flat that she adores. One night she receives two phone calls from an American who dials her number mistakenly and it starts a relationship that neither one of them anticipated. When it finally comes time for Davey to come to London so they can finally meet in person he’s not on the plane. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I’ll just say that what happens next is both heartbreaking for the characters, being kept apart due to circumstances out of their control and the fear of being a burden.

Cook did a wonderful job with showing what someone goes through with a serious illness and I can would hope the readers uses the information to help raise aware to hopefully save someone’s life. This is Cooks first time writing in this genre and I look forward to reading many more by her.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

The Man I Never Met by Elle Cook is an emotional and lovely romance between two people who meet because of a wrong number. It’s not a light romance, but a deeply emotional story about the power of love.

Story Recap:
Hannah is happy, living in London when she takes a phone call from a stranger, who accidentally dialed her phone. Davey, an American who lives in Austin, Texas was calling for a job interview in London, and accidentally calls Hannah. This chance encounter turns into a few texts between Hannah and Davey, and in the next few weeks, the texts eventually turn into phone calls and video calls.

When Davey finally flies to London for his new job, Hannah is very excited to finally meet him in person. They have fallen for each other over texts, and phone calls and they have plans for Hannah to show him around London. When Davey’s plane lands, and he doesn’t get off the plane, Hannah is confused and devastated. What caused Davey to stay in Austin? Will he ever move to England? Will Hannah and Davey ever get a chance to meet in person?

My Thoughts:
The first part of this book is swoony and fun. I loved watching Hannah and Davey fall in love over texts, emails, and phone calls. They were so different, and yet they found so many things in common, and they share a delightful sense of humor too. They seem to be meant for each other.

Then came the middle of the book and it was so emotional and downright sad. I was still rooting for Davey and Hannah but it seems impossible that they can ever get together. The author wrote such a heartbreaking story, and yet I never gave up hope. It’s a true emotional roller coaster of a book. I was happy, smiling, laughing, sad, crying, and surprised. I loved these characters and their story.


Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Man I Never Met to anyone who enjoys fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Synopsis: When Hannah takes a call from an unknown number, it turns out to be Texas resident Davey who misdialed her when trying to get in touch with a UK company. The two form a long distance friendship and after a month of texts and FaceTimes, finally have plans to meet in person. However, as Hannah waits for Davey at the airport, she notices he never got off the plane he was expected to be on.

Thoughts: Like all British romances, this book does not only make you feel but also makes you think about how a random moment can change the course of your entire life. Hannah was a lovable and relatable main character while Davey brought a lot of hope to the story. I would have loved a bit more of the two at the end and a little less time with one unlikeable character but it’s still a beautiful read. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narration.

Read if you like:
-Love at first text
-Long distance relationships
-Stories about fate and timing
-Emotional romances
-Amazing best friends

Thank you Random House for the ARC!

4 stars! Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is such a good story! I really enjoyed the characters. It was really nice to see the friendship and relationship form between Hannah and Davey. Nothing felt forced or contrived and it was very refreshing.

Hannah has such great character growth and it’s nice to see her actually doing something for herself instead of doing things for others. You can tell how much she truly cares for her neighbor and her friends!

I even enjoyed the parts that’s ere related to her vacation. I just wish we didn’t see as much of George and saw more of Hannah and Davey together. I understand Hannah and George getting together was a part of the plot and showing that Hannah can move on but I feel like those chapters could have been shortened.

Every scene with Hannah and Davey was so sweet! My heart hurt reading about Davey’s news but I liked how supportive and encouraging Hannah was❤️ she was really strong showing how she could be happy without Davey.

The storyline did feel a little repetitive at times but still this was a cute story!