*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

For a book with predictable in the title, I found it to be a great combo of predictable and unexpected. I wasn't expecting it to be so sad, there were times in this book where my heart was absolutely breaking. But over the course of the story, Imogen also gains hope. As readers, we get to watch Imogen grow in many ways, shedding some insecurity and general doormat-like tendencies and becoming more comfortable and confident in her own skin.

I spent a lot of the book being nervous about Imogen and Eliot's romance. I couldn't figure out how they would ever work out. And yet, the way the author did it was both effective and believable.

Overall, a lovely book. Definitely recommend!

3 Stars An absolutely adorable read and the second book I've read by Jacqueline Firkins. This was a cute second chance, friends-to-lovers romance. I appreciated that the book was as much about Imogen's journey and character growth as it was about the romance between her and Eliot. An easy and enjoyable read!

Haven't read anything by Jacqueline Firkins that I didn't love! The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch continues that pattern. It's a small town, friends to lovers, second chance love story with a dose of magic (well, prophecy anyway). I liked the departure from the typical romance in that I really questioned "will they or won't they" end up together in the end. This is one I can see myself re-reading.

3.5 STARS - This story is a second chance romance that centres around Imogen Finch, a woman who believes she has a curse that stops her from winning at anything - games, sports and her love life. The curse was predicted by her clairvoyant mother and Imogen believes it has impacted many aspects of her life.

The story is cute with a main character readers will root for, but the story didn't get going until around the halfway point and I felt the main plot got lost in the extraneous details. Much of the book is spent trying to break Imogen's curse and returning to Imogen's past, failed relationships. This gives readers insight into why she is the way she is and makes for a good coming-into-herself storyline, but the curse and the introductions to all her exes took up too a lot of page time when I wanted to focus on the current romance.

What stood out for me were the friendships between Imogen, Franny and Eliot. Friends since childhood, their bond is solid, and I enjoyed witnessing their support, banter and comfort with each other. The build up to the romance and the dialogue was delightful and I liked that the author gives Imogen a couple of romantic options. I was surprised that I wavered about who I wanted her to end up with.

Overall, this was a sweet story that allowed its characters to embrace their awkwardness and explore their trauma, within a story that has humour, heart and a side of quirkiness.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to St. Martin's Press for the complimentary digital copy of this title which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this story, it's hands down one of the best second chance romances that I have ever read.

When I initially requested “The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch”, I didn’t know what to expect - the cover was cute so I figured it would be a mindless book that I may enjoy.

This is my reminder to you to never judge a book by its cover. I adored this book. I literally loved EVERYTHING about it. I related to the emotional feels of loving a childhood friend but wondering if you were ever going to see them again. I related to the emotional feels from having emotionally absent parents growing up. And I related to Imogen in her feeling of whether she was ever going to be something besides second best & whether she would ever find love.

All of the characters are phenomenal, even the side characters (in other books, who tend to blend into the background). I cried with both Imogen & Eliot as they navigated their feelings - Imogen for feeling wanting to feel love & like she will be first to someone instead of just second & Eliot with his grief for both the loss of his dad & having emotionally absent parents. But I also cried because I just wanted them to admit their feelings to each other - to admit that they were absolutely and utterly in love with each other because Jacqueline Firkins wrote their chemistry SO FREAKING GOOD.

I have so many other feelings about this book because I don’t want to give away too many spoilers - I want everyone who reads this book to fall in love with the small town, with the brilliant characters, and root for Imogen & Eliot to find themselves & each other.

This was definitely a 10 star read for me. And one that I plan on buying just so I can read again & annotate every line that I connected with.

Huge Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It is an ungodly hour of the morning, but I could not stay away from this story or these characters. Jacqueline Firkins has outdone herself with an epic love story that contains everything I love; characters who choose themselves then choose each other, emotional vulnerability, dialogue laced with humor, and the best heart-aching tension. Quite simply, Imogen Finch is a love letter to anyone who has had to endure multiple breakups and who gives freely of themselves to their partners, even when that partner doesn’t deserve it.
As the story unfolds, we learn of Imogen’s many breakups and failures at keeping a partner. A clairvoyant of sorts, Imogen’s mother has perpetuated the belief that Imogen will never come in first. When Imogen’s high school friend Eliot reappears in her coastal Pacific Northwest town after years of living as the Unattached YouTuber, her mother has yet another prediction, causing Imogen to wonder if attempting a relationship with Eliot will end before it even begins. We never know if Imogen’s curse will be broken and if she’ll ever come in first for when it actually counts.
I fell so hard for this book. Perhaps it was right book, right time, but Imogen was so relatable. I cried with her, I laughed with her, and I got all twisted up in knots as she rediscovered her relationship with Eliot. There are BIG FEELINGS™️ in TPHOIF and what makes the story so engaging and so heartfelt is that I never knew how it would end. In a romance, we are promised a Happy Ever After, but with Imogen’s mother’s vision of Eliot leaving and Imogen staying, I just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for ultimate heartbreak to settle in. Spoiler alert: you’ll cry, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a chance at love for these two. I also ADORED Franny and hope she gets her HEA with the farmer IYKYK. Even with a little bit of fantasy, this book felt like the most realistic relationship I’ve read in awhile. I would recommend this to readers who don’t mind a little sadness with their romance and definitely love an emotional story. There’s a whole lot of yearning, great spicy scenes, and lots of humor too. Fans of Emily Henry would probably really enjoy TPHOIF for the writing style and storyline. I received this book from the publisher as an ARC, but still intend to purchase my own copy. All opinions are my own.

This is an enjoyable book. Imogen is a complicated character. Her mom has "the sight" where she makes predictions and they come true. For Imogen, this means that she will always come second. She tries everything to break this curse, from playing sports, entering contests, running for school office, etc. and wins none of them. If she's the best at something, like art, something will sabotage her and she won't be able to compete in the contest. She has been through many boyfriends and they always end with them choosing someone else. Her mom makes a prediction now that sets many things into motion. Imogen's childhood friend, Eliot, comes back to town to attend his dad's funeral. Franny, the other friend in the trio, and Imogen work on helping him get through this complicated time (not a good relationship with his parents). Highly recommend reading this book to learn more about Imogen and the people in her community.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

I LOVED THIS BOOK.

It gave me all the feels.

At the age of seven Imogen Finch was told that she would never come first. Never win a contest - never be picked first... that was her destiny. And so we begin our story as Imogen is being dumped... again. And yet again, her boyfriend has picked someone else - he's better half. And it isn't Imogen.

This is a story about a 28 year old woman who is figuring things out. She lives at home to help care for her mother, she juggles 6 part time jobs so make ends meet, she puts everyone else (especially her boyfriends) above herself and her one great love (Eliot) is back in town after ghosting her 10 years before.

This is a story about two people who have always loved one another finally admit their feelings for one another (a little friends to lovers trope here). Only - a happily ever after with the two of them together might just not be in the cards. The story might be more about them facing things/feelings they've each been ignoring for years.

We get big, messy, complex feelings. It feels true and real and ... it was just so lovely. And it isn't only about Imogen and her love life - it's about HER and how how she sees herself. How she fits into her community. What she wants out of life.

I loved the entire cast and characters - the banter between them - the love that shines off the page - you feel how much these people love Imogen and want the best for her. Also - Imogen's heartbreaks are great little snippets into her life and help us to better understand her.

Well written, well paced... I honestly wish this book hadn't ended. I want more! I loved it all. Recommended.

Dear, sweet Imogen is living the life her mother has foretold for her, always coming in second: in relationships, friendships, work, school and random competitions designed to test the strange proclamation. Now an adult, Imogen is the only one of her siblings to remain in their very small village, caring for her exceedingly odd mother and surviving by working an excessive number of part-time jobs. She has stopped testing the prediction and accepted her secondary status in life. Until the return of her childhood bestie, a rich boy, equally unhappy with his lot in life, who escaped the village and has been traveling the world. Alone. Very, very alone. THE PREDICTABLE HEARTBREAKS OF IMOGEN FINCH is the tale of two adults attempting to break free of difficult childhoods; whether they can do it together remains to be seen. Sweet and magical, the book is delightful. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The longing and tension in this book is so delicious. I ached for these characters and adored the writing in this book.

Imogen has the worst luck with dating and in life in general. Her mom predicted that she would always come in in second place, and that prediction is proving accurate. When her high school crush and best friend returns home and sparks fly between them, she hopes that things might be changing. But when he gets the urge to leave town, will Imogen once again be left behind in second place?

Ugh. This book was great. It was ripe with emotion and longing. Imogen was such a likable character who was so used to coming in second in every aspect of her life. It was heart wrenching to read about all her past relationships. Eliot was a poor tortured soul. He had a lot of things to work through. I loved them together, especially after all the angst that they had to deal with to find each other. The book ended a little more vague than I would like (HFN v HEA), but it was still such a beautiful read.

This book was not super lighthearted but it did pack a punch that is perfect for a cozy day reading. I highly recommend it and will definitely pick up future reads by Jacqueline Firkins.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced e-book in exchange for my honest review.

The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch by Jacqueline Firkins.
I adore Firkins writing and she does an incredible job bringing her characters to life!
This book was a lot of fun.
The romance is engaging, Firkin’s writing overall is really enjoyable. I highly recommend The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch. It’s a smart and truly charming romance.
Here you have a delightful romance that carefully develops two very appealing main characters.
A beautiful story of friendship, and second chances at love.
This charming second chance, friends to lovers romance was amazing!

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This is all about second chances and being comfortable with yourself. Imogen, Franny, and Eliot were inseparable until they weren't- until Eliot left their small town and his hated father behind. Imogen left too, for art school but she's back because her mother has, well, indefinable issues (she has prophecies and sort of exists in her own world) and can't really be left on her own. Franny never left because she's got her goddaughter to raise. And now they're all in their late 20s. Imogen is cobbling together jobs and bemoaning all her failed relationships (the small stories about these are a hoot) and then Eliot's father dies and he's back. Yes fans of this genre know that Eliot and Imogen will renew their relationship but it's the small parts of this that make it special- such as Imogen's kindness to the woman who was with Eliot's father when he died. And Dutch the bartender! This does get a bit spicy. There are a couple of quibbles (I'd like to meet the person who can knit a man a sweater in a few days filled with a lot of other things)but skim over those and this one that might make you smile. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Title: The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch
Author: Jacqueline Firkins
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Imogen Finch has just been through her seventeenth breakup. She saw it coming, so she's not as crushed as she might be, but with all seventeen of her exes leaving her for other partners, she's come to believe a prediction her well-intentioned and possibly clairvoyant mother made over twenty years ago: that Imogen would never come first at anything or to anyone. Is her love life failing due to a magical curse? Insufficient effort? Poor timing or personality mismatches? Everyone has opinions on the matter. Imogen's ready to give up altogether. But when Eliot Swift, her secret high school crush, returns to their small coastal town after a decade of nomadic travels, Imogen has new motivation to try again. Eliot's full of encouragement. He suggests that her curse is not only imagined, it's easily breakable. All they need is one win--any win--and she can believe in love, and in herself again.

From trivia games to swimming races to corn-shucking contests, the pair sets out to snag Imogen her first first. But when victory proves more elusive than Eliot anticipated, and when his deep-seeded wanderlust compels him to depart for far away places, Imogen fears she's destined to remain in second place forever. Fortunately for them both, sometimes magic lingers in the most unexpected places. And love is far from predictable.

I’m just going to say it: maybe if Imogen hadn’t hopped into bed with every random guy that showed her a bit of interest, she might have had more luck in the romance department. I mean, the signs are all there in her flashbacks, she just refused to see them. Which brings me to what bothered me about this book: it’s all about the guys’ issues, even Eliot’s, but there’s not a whole lot of talk about Imogen’s clear problems. It’s’ mentioned a little bit, but mostly glossed over. So, yeah, books are better when both MCs grow and learn from their mistakes.

That being said, I liked the friendship between Imogen, Eliot, and Franny a lot. Actually, Franny and Imogen’s friendship and support of one another was fantastic. Eliot almost lost me immediately with the man bun, but he ended up being a pretty good character, too. This ended up being a solid read, just don’t expect everyone to be well-adjusted and self-aware.

Jacqueline Firkins works at the University of British Columbia. The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 10/31).

Thank you NetGalley and Griffin for the ARC! Imogen Finch believes that she is cursed: destined to never be first. It was what her mother, who seems to know things, told her when she was a little girl. Imogen has fought that prediction her whole life, entering contests, working hard at school, giving it all to her romantic relationships. But everything has only worked to prove her mother right. After yet another breakup, Imogen is resigned to be second, but when her childhood crush and wandering friend, Eliot Swift returns home after a sudden loss, Imogen begins to wonder if her life can change and if she might achieve the love she once thought was hopeless. Emotionally moving with bits of steam, The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch is a contemporary romance that will inspire.

A second chance romance story for the girl who is destined to always come in second.

I truly enjoyed this romance because it didn't follow a trope too closely. The story, the characters, and the plotline were all unique and I loved every turn Firkins took me on. The characters loved and supported each other, and decisions and life happenings read realistically. A fun and heartwarming contemporary romance that will stay with you for a while.

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Unique, funny, moving, and with just the right amount of spice. Characters you can root for and characters you'd really like to accidentally trip. I appreciated the way the healing/therapy process was handled with a real=world timeline as that's not often the case (especially where HEAs are concerned).

This was equal part sweet and kind of sad. Sad because I really felt for Imogen. Her unlucky relationships and even her missed opportunity with Eliot. The sweet part? The relationship between Imogen and Eliot. They were both tortured souls who belonged together but had to many issues to work through on their own. But my sappy heart was elated when they admitted their feelings and once again, same sappy heart wanted nothing but the HEA. So I'd say that a majority of the book gave me all the feels and I loved it. And then it left a bad taste in my mouth.


⬇️SPOILERS ⬇️

Eliot leaves 🙄. For a year 🤦‍♀️. So once again she is not first choice. She decides to date and sleep with another guy (she tells this to Eliot but instead of getting his ass into gear, he does nothing ) Then she ends up dumping that guy, basically treating him exactly how others have treated her. Eliot comes back (after a YEAR!) and they decide to give this a shot........for now because he can't sit still.
Ugh. What started as a warmth in my heart and a hopeful love story ended up making me sad and jipped out of my HEA.

Up until all of that, I loved the book and the writing. I'm crusty but will definitely read more by her.

The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch has been classified as a romance. Yes, the book has romantic elements (and some steamy scenes), but there's more than that. Imogen has spent most of her life chasing the elusive first place in anything-grades, contests, romance, life! She has pursued this goal to the point that she loses herself along the way. It takes a reunion with a childhood friend to help her see that.

The book also discusses mental health, especially depression and grief. Imogen's dad passed when she was young. Fanny is raising her niece after her sister's passing. Eliot has been running since he graduated from high school. Each person is dealing with something, some may be a bit healthier than others. But it is all discussed openly, and with honesty. There are no quick fixes for anyone.

I feel like The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch is perfect for fans of Where'd You Go Bernadette and anything by Jenny Colgan and Phaedra Patrick. There's a certain cozy feeling in this book that just hits just so. If you need a reminder to love yourself, then you should give The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch a read!

This is such a beautiful and magic story, I have no words to articulate the deep emotions it made me feel, I laughed, I cried, I sighed, I devoured it in one sitting.

Imogen thinks she's cursed, she can never be first in anything including her relationships, all her boyfriends have left her, including Eliot, her first love and best friend. But when a tragedy happens and Eliot returns after ten years of being gone, old emotions resurface stronger.

Eliot is so sweet and so broody, I love the way he always cheers Imogen up. I love their friendship and the way they both support each other. Their deep connection is so special! I swooned so hard

I love the story, the plot is unique, I have never read a story like this one, it is the perfect mix of emotion, steamy, with a paranormal edge, and above all it teaches us that destiny is in our hands, that we should not listen to what others say and that we can always achieve what we set out to do.

A sweet, fun and emotional story, perfect for fans of
Friends to lovers
Mutual pining
Rom com
Grumpy sunshine
Small town
Angsty
Coming of Age
Paranormal