3.5 stars

A lot of this book will feel familiar: young white professional London woman who is a bit stuck professionally and personally, has good friends and not great relationships. She meets a guy. He’s not suitable. They stay apart for most of the book, (and she dates someone who isn’t right for her) and she makes needed changes and embraces herself before falling in love. We saw it in Bridget Jones’s Diary and multiple times since then. There’s nothing wrong with the formula, But it is a formula.
What makes this one a little more interesting than some (though Bridget Jones is still the platinum standard) is that we get more of a sense of what’s going on with the love interest. Here, we get a few chapters from his perspective. That makes him more fleshed out and not just a symbol for the progress the female main character must make in herself.
I read this four days ago. I can’t remember the main characters’ names. But I remember details of what the MMC went through and that’s stuck with me. Ultimately, I think he’s even more compelling than her.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a really pleasant surprise. It made me wish I were traveling around Europe and frolicking through poppy fields in Italy. The author took something as unbelievable as falling in love with someone in another country who misdialed you and turned it into a sweet yet heartbreaking story. Hannah and Davey’s connection was so pure and I was rooting for them so bad. Davey’s situation was very sad and I hated seeing Hannah get hurt (and I hated seeing her date a total d-bag even more). I loved how the idea of fate was used and the ending was perfectly cheesy. I would recommend this book but I will say there is quite a lot of talk about weight so you might want to avoid it if that’s a sensitive subject. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Having never read a book by Elle Cook before, I wasn't sure what to expect with "The Man I Never Met." However, just from the book's synopsis, I was hooked! When British Hannah receives a call from an unknown number, she answers. On the other end is Davey, an American who accidentally dialed the wrong number. From there, a friendship develops and finally leads into something further. They discover that they have a lot in common and sparks begin to fly. They make plans to meet, but life has other plans: a cancer diagnosis for Davey. Their emotions go on a roller coaster ride and twists and turns abound.

I enjoyed the sweet relationship between the two of them, and was rooting for them the whole way through. This was an enjoyable, romantic novel that I greatly enjoyed reading! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This story is told in first person primarily from the point of view of Hannah with a few chapters here and there from the point of view of Davey. I was expecting this to be a tearjerker for me but I’m afraid that I just didn’t emotionally connect with the main characters for the majority of the book. I usually love stories where the romantic partners don’t meet in real life for a long period of time. Unfortunately, their communications cut off about a third of the way through the book and never really picked back up, so I was left with spinning wheels while Hannah went through the motions of work and a sort of boyfriend that felt like more of a placeholder than a real person in her life. Davey meanwhile is dealing with his own issues, which was a storyline that I could relate to in my own life. However, without the context of the communications with Hannah that excited me at the beginning of the book, I again felt an emotional disconnect.

I enjoyed the supporting characters in both Hannah and Davey’s lives from the interfering and jolly Grant to Miranda and her boyfriend Paul. I especially loved Hannah’s coffee rating weekend morning confessional with neighbor/landlord Joan. I found George’s character to be a bit inconsistent. I understand people can be different on vacation where I felt George was notably caring and thoughtful while returning home to daily life and suddenly more self-involved and unobservant though I often felt that Hannah not only hid things from him but did not communicate about serious life matters. I did enjoy the way everything came together in the end. Recommended for romance lovers that don’t mind their fated lovers to be separated through the majority of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Books for the free copy provided for an honest review.

I need to emphasize that this book is not a romance, and since that’s the only genre I read, I was pretty disappointed. However, the book was beautifully written and I couldn’t put it down. I ended up really enjoying it in the end.

This book was really good. Really sad and emotional but also happy. I felt the entire spectrum of emotions well reading this book! I loved and wanted to kill the characters a lot. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

When Hannah answers a phone call from an out of country number, Davey enters stage right, she doesn't anticipate it being the start of an entirely new adventure. Texts turn into phone calls, which turn into video calls, which turn into Hannah standing in the airport waiting for Davey to arrive.


Oh my freaking gosh this book was so sweet. This is NOT a spicy romance novel but it does have romance in it, as well as a happy ending, so I don’t care at all. Hannah is such a “go with the flow” non confrontational main character, but she does so in such a charming way that I kind of envy her. Between her relationship with her friends and sweet neighbor, to the romantic ones she finds herself in, she just kind of lives life the way the road lays it out for her. Really up until Davey shows up. This sweet architect is the opposite of Hannah, very “why not, what's the worst that can happen” energy, and it works so well for him, up until it doesn’t. But their conversations and long distance start of their relationship ran so parallel to my own partner and my relationship that I squealed out loud a few times at the similarities. There are some hard parts in this story with a health issue (so TW for that as well as some body image shaming/fatphobia), but goodness I really cannot wait for you all to read this one.

I was immediately drawn into this story and wanted to know what would happen with Hannah and Davey. I would highly recommend this book.

As much as I enjoyed this book, it was a slow build towards something the reader never got to witness. The first half was so exciting and fun to read. Then once things become complicated I was just so frustrated for Hannah and Davey. SPOILERS i wanted to read about them together. I wanted them to see each other and for sparks to fly and to kiss and have fireworks. It seems that they HAD that but it was kept from the reader’s view. I would have preferred read about Hannah and Davey taking advantage of one night in Italy than the 11 times Hannah had an adult sleepover with George.

Thank you NetGalley and The author and Publisher for giving me the chance to read this book!

I truly love Davey, and Hannah. At first glance I really thoight this was a cute romcom fluffy read but apparently it’s not. It made me cry once or twice. I was really rooting for the main characters which what made me not want to put the book down. I think this book is truly, I mean truly a slow burn.

I need more Hannah and Davey fluff please

What a wonderful, touching, unique book. A romance between two people that don't get to meet is a unusual premise, but the author makes it work with characters that act very true to life. Hannah and Davey have a special connection, but life gets in the way of them finally meeting. I could relate very closely to the challenges they faced and Davey's decisions rang very true. I loved Hannah and Davey, and I felt for them. A beautiful story and I wish there been one more chapter to enjoy their hard-earned ending.

Speechless. I loved this book. This was such a cool concept, and I’ve never read anything like it! I am such a fan of Elle Cook’s writing style! 100% invest your time in this book!

I would call the over-arching trope of the author's first (British) contemporary romance (she has written historical novels under another name) thwarted romance. Hannah and Davey "meet cute." He mistakenly calls her number (twice!) when trying to connect with a prospective employer for an interview. Something in their voices connects, leading to an extended relationship that progresses from phone calls to videochats and planning sessions for architect Davey's move from the US to London for his new job. They can't wait to meet in person, but fate intervenes to prevent Davey from relocating after all. The rest of the book details what happens to both as they move forward without each other.

I feel the author demonstrates her literary talent best in the light-hearted flirtations and the deeply romantic scenes. Some sections of the book are very dark and may trigger unwelcome emotions in some readers.

I look forward to more romances from Elle Cook.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballentine for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Elle you made me fall in love with the characters in this book as if they were real people in my life. I felt a connection to all of them (except George fuck George) I saw myself in Hannah and there were so many times I wish I could give her a hug. There were so many times I wanted to scream and yell at Davey !! How could he go to London and not say anything!! I need another book where Hannah and Davey are happy together PLEASE

A man and woman connect over a wrong number call, then they fall in love! Then, life gets in the way...

I. Loved. This. Book!!!! What a fun read. Seriously tugged at my heartstrings and created some SERIOUS yearning. The conversations were so realistic between Hannah and Davey and oh goodness you get invested so quickly. I hope that later versions of the book have the text conversations formatted slightly differently to facilitate the reading experience, but overall absolutely loved!

This was such an amazing book. The characters were so relatable and well written, and it was easy to feel the love and pain that they dealt with throughout the book. The book really makes you feel as though you’re in other countries, sightseeing and relaxing, with vivid descriptions that easily play out in your head. I honestly relate to Hannah a lot in that we both have a hard time finding a good, true relationship and constantly letting other people run our lives. I’ve read some books where the characters are the same all throughout, ending with a flat plot line; but, fortunately, I’m glad to see thats not the case with The Man I Never Met. The Hannah and Davey evolve beautifully from start to finish, through work, love, and other life events. I cant wait to read the book again and again.

This book was a fun treat! I loved it! It was a good reset after I read a heavier book. It kept me flipping pages well past my bedtime!!

LOVED this book! This was such a great story! I loved the relationships the characters had with each other and couldn’t wait to see where this story went. Sometimes adorable, other times heartbreaking. A must read! I’m looking forward to reading more from Elle Cook! 5 stars ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing -Ballantine for this arc!

When I requested this book, I didn’t notice any red flag 🚩 trigger warnings for me. Since I was approved, I’ve seen reviews that mention several. I don’t want to give spoilers but for personal reasons I can’t bring myself to read this. I wish NetGalley had a an option to view content warnings, with a setting so you could choose to hide them if you don’t want spoilers or show them if you have triggers you want to watch out for. I’m sure this is a lovely book so I’ll assume the best.

Woah! What a wonderful debut novel!
The Man I Never Met by Elle Cook is wonderfully written, very entertaining, gripping from the very beginning and perfect in very way possible!
This book was so much fun to read. I devoured it in a single session, and by the time I closed it I wanted more of it!
Elle Cook you did a phenomenal job girl!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Random House|Ballantine & Dell,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.