When Hannah answers an unknown phone number call, she doesn't know her life is about to change after hearing Davey's voice on the line. Hannah lives in the UK and Davey is from Texas, but with technology, a relationship starts to grow. When Davey us supposed to arrive and meet Hannah, things change because he never gets off the plane. The rest of this story is how they both deal with the change in their relationship. I was rooting for Hannah and Davey throughout the book, though their journey was a tough one. I really enjoyed the story but the end left me yearning for a little more. This book has romance, but it is more of a story of survival and growth. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

📚 The Man I Never Met by @lornacookauthor
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫/5

To be completely honest, I only requested this book because of the cover and the title. I did not even read the synopsis until I got approved to read this ARC. But… what a pleasant surprise!

The story started with Davey from Texas misdialing Hannah’s number twice in London for his job interview before Christmas. After clearing up the confusion, she ended the call by wishing him look with no expectations of hearing from him again.

So when Davey got the job, he sent a text to Hannah letting her know the good news and that he’ll be moving to London a month later. They continued chatting that turned into phone calls and progressed to video calls. Friendship turned into something else and they started planning for when they meet in person. Hannah went to the airport to pick him up, but then Davey didn’t show up.

I remember telling my husband the story of this book when I was just in the first 9 chapters – told him how light and cute the story is. It was a “meet cute” and I was just smiling all the way through. Because why not? They have this undeniable and strong connection that you do not have to force at all because it’s there. It started very cute, cozy, smooth, light, easy-going, until I was crying.

To me, this book is totally relatable, my dear friends. When I was younger, I used to be online all the time. I have met guys that I thought I really liked even before I met them in person or worst, have never met in person at all. With internet being easily accessible, having an online boyfriend is no longer an impossibility nowadays and it’s very common.

I love this book. Thought it was light, but it was deeper than I expected as it tackles some tough and delicate issues. No boring characters, only annoying George. I just wish that the author revises a little bit the ending. More elaboration rather than a summarization of what happened after. I want more of Davey and Hannah.

Thank you, @netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't get into this book. The characters seemed wooden. And then there was the description of the main character dropping a cookie into her coffee and it bumping up against her mouth as she drank it. Totally turned me off. I'm sure there are library patrons that will enjoy this, but I couldn't read the thing just to not recommend it at work.

Overall The Man I Never Met was a fun read. I would have liked it if the two main character's communications had continued on in the book, but that's nothing to do with the writer or the writing. I very much despised George and thought the parts with him in it could have been shorter.

Is it possible to love someone you've never met? A young woman finds out in this sweeping will-they-or-won't-they love story that begins with a chance wrong number dial. . . .

When Hannah picks up a call from an unknown number, she doesn't imagine it will change her life. After all, it's just an easygoing American named Davey who misdialed her while calling into a job interview. And when Hannah jokingly wishes him luck after clearing up the confusion, she never actually expects to hear from him again.

Then she gets a text saying he got the job and he'll be moving to London, and she can't help but smile. As they continue to message and their texts become phone calls that become video calls, their friendship becomes a relationship that they can't wait to start in earnest as soon as Davey lands in London in a month's time.

But when Hannah goes to the airport to meet him, she finds herself standing alone in the terminal, Davey nowhere to be found. Then comes another life-changing phone call--Davey won't be able to move to London anytime soon, if ever. And it's for a reason neither of them could ever have anticipated. With their future so uncertain, they don't know what else to do but try to move on from each other, even if nothing feels right anymore.

Even as months go by and their love seems lost forever, neither is ever far from the other's thoughts. Will fate intervene one last time to finally bring them together, or will Davey always be the man that Hannah never met?


I thought this was so cute! The ending was the only thing that got me! This was still a very enjoyable read the ending just should have given us more. I would definitely recommend this book. I did think it was very good. I really like the concept of them being so far away and using technology since that does happen nowadays.



Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an e-copy of THE MAN I NEVER MET to review.

I loved the concept of this book, but the ending just didn't do it for me, as it left so much unsaid. I did think it was cute how their reunion scene mirrored the one in her favorite book, though.

The Man I Never Met
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/22/22
Author: Elle Cook
Publisher: Dell Books
Pages: 336
Goodreads Rating: 4.26

TW ⚠️: Body image

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dell Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: When Hannah picks up a call from an unknown number, Davey who misdialed her while calling into a job interview. Turns out he is moving to London. As they continue to message and their texts become phone calls that become video calls, their friendship becomes a relationship that they can't wait to start in earnest as soon as Davey lands in London in a month's time. Hannah waits at the airport. Davey won't be able to move to London anytime soon, if ever. And it's for a reason neither of them could ever have anticipated. Even as months go by and their love seems lost forever, neither is ever far from the other's thoughts. Will fate intervene one last time to finally bring them together, or will Davey always be the man that Hannah never met?

My Thoughts: The storyline takes place over two years in two different countries between two people destined to be together. The characters, especially Hannah and Davey, were well developed, had an instant connection, had amazing chemistry, and the friendship and love continued to grow and endure over the two years. The author’s writing was complex on many levels, emotional, unique (in a good way), and even though this is more of a slow burn, it still kept me engaged from cover to cover, I had to know if Hannah and Davey lived happily ever after. Not to give too much away, I was not crazy about the ending, it just felt two rushed, it should have been expanded a few pages and not as short as it was. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and the focus was more on the relationship growing, which worked well for this novel. I would recommend picking this up later this year. I for one will to see if the ending was changed as that has been a major point of many reviewers.

Wasn't totally sure what to expect with this one going in! The main characters spent most of it apart but I still enjoyed the story and way it unfolded. Very well-written and I would recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Elle Cook!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This has such a fun premise that I was hoping I'd enjoy it. It's a good read to keep guessing.

I can't be the only one who wondered if this book was going to be a big catfish plot. I started getting a bit concerned, but kept going and was glad to see that it wasn't. While I typically don't enjoy books where the romantic leads spend most of the story apart from each other, I did think it was proper in this book since the result was Hannah learning to stand up for herself and be assertive with her desires. I also appreciate the lack of conflict. George wasn't a bad guy, he just wasn't Hannah's guy. Hannah and Davey never had a big fight due to misunderstanding, etc. I especially loved the happy ending.

This story was a very transformative read for me! I went into this book with no expectations, unsure if I would encounter a romance, a tragedy, or something in between. As Hannah and Davey’s accidental transatlantic relationship began to unfold, I was certain I was entering a cautionary tale about cat-fishing in the digital age. But this story proved to be much more genuine than my instincts had assumed and I was reminded to have a bit more hope that things in the world will work together for good.

I wish the pacing of the book had been a bit different and that there had been less time spent on some of the more problematic characters (*cough cough* George *cough cough*). But the overall cast of characters was appropriately developed and quite likable. A sweet story with real world grit and a happy ending! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.

Loved it. Was quite a journey with these two main characters and felt like went right along with them. Felt frustration, disappointment and giddiness between the two and enjoyed how it encompassed so many of my favorites tropes. . Highly recommend

It was the most impactful misdial of Hannah's life when Davey calls her twice thinking he is calling to interview for a position in England. What follows is an electronic long distance relationship that leaves both of them falling slowly in love and looking forward to connecting when he moves across the Atlantic for his new job. This novel's meet cute seems like it will be resolved in the first third of the book until Davey doesn't appear at the airport due to tragic circumstances.

Hannah is left reeling and rejected as Davey informs her that he thinks they should make a clean break and try to move on with their lives. The rest of the book is a study in coping, often poorly, friendship, and, hopefully, a MTB love.

Trigger warnings/Spoiler: If reading about serious health issues (cancer) will make a book too difficult, you may want to steer away from this one. However, as someone who is usually unable to read books with this topic, I did manage to make it through and still enjoy the novel.

From the description, I thought this book sounded lighthearted and fun so I picked it up. What a got, was a lot more than a lighthearted and fun read. This was both of those things, but it also had a surprising depth to it. In some ways, it reminded me of Jojo Moyes...whose work I really admire.
This is a thoughtful, character driven story about Hannah who 'meets' Davey by mistake when he mistakenly calls her number instead of the number for his phone interview. Twice.
Through the course of their relationship, both the ebbs and flows, Hannah and Davey both grow and change. Predominantly told from Hannah's POV, there are a few chapters narrated by Davey.
This is a smooth, perfect, read and I'm absolutely delighted by this book. It's a special treat to read and I'm very much looking forward to Elle Cook's next book!

Thank you so much, NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought this book would be more romance-heavy, but I'm glad it wasn't. It focused more on Hannah and Davey's lives individually. Later on, in the book, you get Davey's point of view which was nice to see his perspective on everything. I fell in love with Davey and Hannah and was rooting for them throughout the entire book. They seemed perfect for each other. The relationship between Hannah and her neighbor might be the cutest thing I have ever read. I want a neighbor like that. The book is set in London for the most part which I absolutely loved. It made it so enjoyable to read and transport myself to Europe. This book was so well written and I definitely recommend picking this up.

I very much enjoyed this book. However, I could not give it 5 stars as the pacing seemed a bit off. As the story progressed, it seemed as if the climax would be happening quite quickly. Some of the events that progressed the story felt gratuitous at times and a bit much. I quite liked the progression of the story after what felt to be the initial climax. I enjoyed the resolution as well. The characters were well written and quirky.

I really enjoyed this book. The book Is a romance novel with a twist. I love when a book is not what you expect. The characters are well developed and likable. One thing that really pushes a book over the level for me is caring about the characters. The author did a good job giving you a vested interest in the main characters life, but not providing unnecessary information that can make the story drawn out and boring. The storyline kept my interest throughout the book. I would definetly read other books by this author.

The Man I Never Met by Elle Cook
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Publication Date: 11/22/2022

There are some books that while reading them allow you to live inside of them, even for a moment. This is one of those books.

Hannah and Davey meet by chance when he dials the wrong number for a job interview. Neither of them could have anticipated what happens next.

Davey gets the job, ready to jet set over the pond and move to London where Hannah currently lives. But on the day Hannah is supposed to pick him up from the airport Davey doesn’t show up. The reason why will change both of their lives.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝘁 is a tale of what it means to fall in love, get your heart broken, and then have to learn to live in the aftermath. Sometimes we try out very best, but the best pieces of ourselves have been left behind, forever held by someone else. We try to move on, to live and love again, but it seems impossible.

Within these pages not only do we get to live with and fall in love with Hannah and Davey, but every other character that Elle Cook introduces. Each and every one is wonderfully fleshed out. We all know a Davey or a Hannah, or any other character so perfectly encapsulated within these pages. These characters and their emotions are so truly relatable. So much love and care went into these pages and these lives.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝘁 would be well suited for a movie or TV adaptation.

Amore! The Man I Never Met had all the feels. Some may question fate, but it is clear that Davey and Hannah are destined for each other. 5 stars! I only wish I could keep following their story.

Thank you @NetGalley and @RandomHousePuplishingGroupBallantine for the ARC The Man I Never Met.

This is the book I didn’t know I needed! Absolutely loved it, and read it in a day. Solid plot, lots of characters that are very well developed. I will say the only hiccup for me was which way to read George-was he deceitful and hiding things? I feel the reader was lead to believe certain things about him but didn’t get the full picture. Other than that, this book was phenomenal! Not tons of spice but had some spicy scenes. A solid read on fate.

Trigger warning- illness