Sometimes a special book comes into your life when you need a good cry. Sometimes you need a story that is full of lessons that you've already learned the hard way in your own life, but have forgotten and need a good reminding.

THE MAN I NEVER MET was that book for me. I don't want to give out spoilers, but I will say the main theme of the book is a tough one: not giving up. Whether that's not giving up on love and LIVING life, the story has a lot more to offer than a romantic accidental meeting.

Through dialing a wrong number, Texas resident Davey meets British Hanna. The two begin a long-distance friendship that is surely destined for more. Just when fate makes it possible for the two to meet and begin a real relationship, life gets in the way.

The story takes us through the next two years of each characters highs and lows - separately.

Again, not wanting to say too much, but having gone through a similar experience as one of the characters, I found this book incredibly relatable and realistic. The emotions, frustrations and hopes one of the character's dealt with is so real to life that I shed tears remembering what I, myself, went through as well.

This is a slow-burn. I loved the fact that the two characters lived in separate countries, but knew they had a connection that couldn't be ignored. I also loved Hannah's British culture and Davey's want to fit into it.

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

I rate THE MAN I NEVER MET five out of five stars.

"Do you remember where you were and what you were doing the moment your life changed forever? I do...But of course I didn't know it at the time. That's always how it is, though, isn't it? You never realize the true significance of a moment until later."

You know a book is going to be good when that's the opening paragraph to it.

Hannah's life changes forever when she decides to answer the incoming call from the American phone number she doesn't recognize. On the other end is Davey, who is trying to call through for an interview he has with a company in London. After saying goodbye to Davey, Hannah surely didn't expect to get a message from him later on letting her know he got that job. Leading up to Davey's big move from Texas to the UK, the two form a connection through texts, calls, and facetime.

After about a month, they're both ready to dive in and start a relationship as soon as Davey is close to her. Welcome sign and all, Hannah is at the airport waiting for Davey, but he never makes it. The reason to explain why he stood her up is something neither of them could ever had anticipated. With no idea of what the future will hold, and no move for Davey in sight, the two have no choice but to try and move on from each other.

This book takes us through the months that follow Hannah and Davey's "breakup" and how Hannah is moving on. Nothing about the time that follows is easy for either of them, but breaking that connection proves to be harder than they anticipated.

There was so much that I loved about this book. I loved the writing style, that you could feel what Hannah was feeling through every step. I absolutely LOVED Joan. Weekend coffee ratings and good friends talking was the cozy feeling you appreciate in the midst of the turmoil in Hannah's life. And I genuinely loved the connection between Hannah and Davey right from the start.

The things I didn't love? George. He was easy and convenient to have around while Hannah's heart was broken. His time in the book lasted A LOT longer than I wish it would have. The time between Davey and Hannah's breakup to their reunion felt so far between that the book felt less like a romance, more like fiction. I really wish their reunion would have happened sooner and that we would have gotten more from it. I think the book could also have really benefited from more in Davey's perspective.

Overall, a really good story about two people who were meant to find their way back to each other.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Elle Cook for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

↠ 4 stars

I enjoyed this one. It wasn’t too fluffy as most romances can be. The characters were mostly likable and I appreciated the personal growth aspect of Hannah. I loved the TransAtlantic part as my husband and I are similar. (He’s the Brit) Well written and enjoyable.

Summary: There may such a thing as love at first accidental phone call for Hannah. But, when unforeseen circumstances prevent her from meeting Davey in person it seems as though this love is impossible-if you can even love someone you’ve never met.

This was a book I wished for on NetGalley and was thrilled when my wish was granted and I received the eARC. I absolutely loved the characters and thought their journey was equal parts sweet and heartbreaking. While this may be Elle Cook’s first romance novel, I hope it is not her last! My favorite aspect about this story was actually the fact that the characters grew into themselves and you were able to cheer for their personal growth as well as cheer for the happy ending they each deserved!

Where do I begin with how much I enjoyed this book?! I went into this book thinking it was going to be an easy, typical lighthearted read; man was I wrong and I am so glad I was wrong. This is a book I will read multiple times. I LOVED it!!

This book had me in all of my feels! It was heartbreaking and romantic. I couldn’t put it down and ended up reading it in one day. I just had to know if Hannah and Davey were ever going to meet. Elle Cook did a wonderful job at making these characters so lovable and relatable. I was completely invested in their love story. Although, there were times when I wanted to scream at both Hannah and Davey for not taking charge and going after what they wanted, but that’s what made this book such an amazing read.
I would HIGHLY recommend this book.

Thank you so much #netgalley and #randomhousepublishing for providing me an ARC.

Hannah receives a misdialed call from a man named, Davey, who she discovers lives thousands of miles away in Texas, USA, while trying to reach the number for a job interview that would bring him to London, where Hannah lives.

This misdial flips their lives upside down as they spend countless hours talking, watching movies, and falling asleep next to each other... all over the phone.

While Hannah is counting down the days for Davey's relocation, the unthinkable happens, driving them apart.

I really loved the concept of two strangers accidentally connecting but then falling in love. The first part of this book was fun and light and easily sucked me in. What I didn't expect was the heavy weight of the turn of events and the wedge that we'd follow for the majority of the book after.

Going in to this, I expected a fun romance, and in a lot of ways, it was. But it was also heavy, full of emotion, some toxicity and unhealthy body expectations, and an eagerness to bring Davey and Hannah back together again.

I enjoyed the author's writing, as it sucked me in and kept me flipping virtual pages. But the ending did leave me wanting more. Less time passing in between or more time with Hannah & Davey. But overall, I enjoyed this book and would gladly pick up more work by Elle Cook.

Thank you, NetGalley & PRH for my e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the arc, all opinions are my own.

One of my most anticipated books of this year, I'm so damn lucky to have received an arc. This book was so emotional, raw and breathtaking.

This definitely has got romance but not the way one would've thought of. I love relationships that start from texting or calls. Hannah & Davey's relationship was a rollercoaster ride. When their lives should've collided, it's shattered.

For almost the entire book these 2 lead completely different lives & make some wrong choices. This is character driven book that felt very real. And the ending was satisfying after so much anticipation.

If I were to come up with a phrase to describe _The Man I Never Met_, it would be "quietly charming." As one could guess from the title (and the publisher's blurb), the main problem initially is the distance between Hannah (London) and Davey (Austin, TX). For readers who fondly remember _Sleepless in Seattle_, the distance dilemma here is similar; they have a "meet cute" virtually but circumstances interfere with their meeting in person. I won't give a spoiler about why they can't meet as intended, but I will say that the reader is lured into rooting for them both. It's refreshing to read a book where the couple doesn't have to overcome initial dislike or some bad character flaws.. Maybe it's old-fashioned of me, but kudos to Elle Cook for writing a romance where the main couple is likable and their friends are witty, kind, and down-to-earth. This was a pleasure!

I would give it 4-1/2 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an ARC.

3.75/5

When Hannah answers a call from an American man, Davey, who’s got the wrong number for a job interview, she wishes him luck and assumes she’ll never hear from him again. When he messages her to let her know that not only he got the job, but that he’ll be moving to London in a month, the two begin to explore friendship and possibility of more when he gets there. The day comes and Hannah is left waiting at the arrivals gate alone- what does this mean for them now? Was it love? Can you really be in love with someone you never met!


Spoilers?!

Things I didn’t like:
Not enough from the ending. I think I realize now that this is not a romance so maybe I should’ve gone in more open minded. I just really needed more from the end. I felt like there was this huge build up and then only a small amount of actual happiness for them. If there was a book 2 that explored their relationship, I would read it in a heartbeat.
I also didn’t like that we never confronted the fact that George encouraged Hannah’s body image issues- she hid her snacks, and every time she ate something “bad” she made the conscience thought not to tell him. He made her feel bad about herself and it was just brushed off, which I didn’t love.

Things I liked:
I loved the writing and the side characters (I want to judge coffee with Joan on Saturday mornings and meet Miranda and Paul at the pub in the evenings).
I loved the genuine friendship that sparked between Davey and Hannah and the way you could instantly feel their connection leap off the page.
I loved the personal growth that Davey and Hannah were both able to have through their own separate journeys.


Thank you to Elle Cook, NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

So I appreciate getting my wish granted and being able to read this book. I loved the concept of how answering a wrong number could lead to love. To me, it felt like there could’ve been more talking between Davey and Hannah before the diagnosis changed everything for them. I loved how they found their way back to each other and how it wasn’t a quick thing. All in all, it was a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this E-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Ah, contemporary romances. I've been reading a lot of them lately. It's been hit or miss and this one was more of a hit than a miss. I went in thinking it'd be a cutesy romance, but alas, it was not. It dealt with heavy topics and the romance while is part of the main story, it is not what a contemporary romance is. It was a sweet read with a HEA.

3.5/5 ⭐

Hannah and Davey's story begins with a long distance meet-cute, when Davey has a phone interview for a job in London but dials the wrong number and gets Hannah instead. They form a friendship over texts and phone calls that quickly grows into more-than-friendship as they plan to meet face to face when Davey moves overseas for his new job... and then suddenly tragedy strikes, and Davey isn't able to come. The reason why is what drives the rest of the story, and makes the eventual happy ending so very sweet.

holy smokes this book had my full attention! It had me in a rollercoaster of emotions wanting to know what was going to happen between Hannah and Davey.
I started off feeling happy from their encounters to anxious and concerned and cried tears at the end with how the story left off. I need more Hannah and Davey!
This was one of the best romance novels i've read. I loved every minuet of it!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

What a fun story. A mix of reality tv and cheesy romance. More like this please.

I loved this book! It was part romance part just heartbreaking fiction and I’m here for it. I loved the thought and detail put into each part of the novel, and felt myself rooting for Hannah and Davey, while also being annoyed with Davey throughout a lot of the novel. Also we hate George. He was perfectly set up to be an alright person, then a good person, then the worst character! I appreciated feeling invested in the side characters as well, and that it wasn’t merely focused on Hannah and Davey the whole time. Definitely a new fave!

Thank you to netgalley and the author for the arc of this novel.

I was surprised by how much I liked this book - I read it in about 24 hours. Not necessarily a romance but with romantic aspects. Good for anyone who’s feeling “stuck” in their life

I loved how the book just jumped in and introduced the main characters and we were able to see both of them develop through the book. It took a classic romance a little further to be more relatable with the generation of online dating and getting to know someone you have never met. This book gives so much hope! I would definitely recommend this book and hopefully we can get more books from this author in this genre. I do wish we got see more of the main character romance between Hannah and Davey but still thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley!

Hannah gets a call from a wrong number and is suddenly connected to this person named Davey who lives across the pond and is planning to move to London. She feels a deep connection as the two continue to call and video chat before his planned move. She shows up to the airport to meet him, and he doesn't show. She's heartbroken.

I won't give it away, but this was a touching story about hope, resilience, and holding on. I really liked this book! I want to read more from the author!

I love the premise of The Man I Never Met. A wrong phone call turns into an opportunity for a romantic relationship. But then something life altering happens to derail everything Hannah and Davey were hoping for.

The Man I Never Met reminded me of Helen Hoang’s The Heart Principle. In both novels there is one main character (the love interest) dealing with major health problems. The difference though is, for me, I felt so much more emotionally connected to Hoang’s characters than with Cook’s. Though, there were moments in The Man I Never Met where I was glued to my Kindle, feverishly swiping each page to figure out what happens next (i.e. the train!!! Italy!!!).

Even though the pacing is somewhat sluggish, portions that were too heavy on exposition or internal thoughts, The Man I Never Met is a roller coaster of a ride in finding unexpected happiness while also taking risks on second chances.

Happy Reading ~ Cece

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for granting my wish to read this book and give an honest review. At first, I thought this book was going to be about catfishing. Davey sounded too good to be true. And Hannah fell so fast and so hard for this charming man. A horrible twist of befalls Davey and what ensues is a great love story. I can't put in words how much I love this book!