I’m a huge fan of Alexis Hall; his writing is always smart, witty, humorous and full of both heart and a great array of representation.

This book is a continuation of the Boyfriend Material series but with completely different characters. One is VERY grumpy (bordering on unlikable) and the other is sunshine.

After an accident at work where Sam has just been fired by Jonathan, Sam fakes amnesia and ends up as a long term houseguest at Jonathan’s place (along with Sams cat, Gollum). The two slowly begin opening up to each other and peeling back layers that show who they both truly are at heart (both to the reader and each other).

I wish there would’ve been a bit more of a callback to the previous books and slightly more redeeming moments for Jonathan (or just less abrasiveness earlier).

4 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks Casablanca for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love every single one of Alexis Hall's books! Her characters are perfectly flawed and it just makes you feel good knowing there is someone out there who will love you for who you are!

This book gave me butterflies! I loved watching Sam and Jonathan fall for each other over the course of this book. This was like a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form, complete with an extended, meddling family, oddball coworkers, some Christmas party planning, and an adorable romance. The LGBTQIA+ representation was just like icing on the cake.

The plot of the book is super unique. A guy accidentally faking amnesia leading to him having to live with his rude boss is far from your average romcom. As you can imagine, hilarity ensued. Watching how bad of a liar Sam is was almost as great as watching Jonathan be so enthralled by Sam that he didn’t even notice the bad lying! I think the only thing that could have made this book better would have been seeing Jonathan’s descent into madness as he tried to keep his feelings for Sam to himself. They gave me a lot of “JUST KISS ALREADY” moments. This book was really forced proximity at its finest. My only question is, how did Sam not fall for Jonathan as soon as his cat claimed him?

Also, I rarely say this, but I loved the third act conflict. It was relatively short and their reunion was weirdly sweet in spite of its location (iykyk). My heart broke for them while it was happening, but the payoff was worth it to see them come out the other side as a stronger couple.

I also loved Jonathan’s family. They reminded me a lot of my own family, especially at the holidays. His mom made a great addition as the wisdom giver for Sam, who really could have benefitted from her wisdom during the entire book instead of just at the end. I really hope we get to see them again in another book.

Overall, this was a really fun read that I would highly recommend!

Thank you to Alexis Hall, SourceBooks Casablanca, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. 10 Things That Never Happened comes out October 17, 20223!

Sam has to find a way to not only save his job but also the jobs of his team in this workplace, enemies-to-lovers romcom. After an underwhelming fiscal year, Sam is summoned by his boss, Jonathan, to try and find a solution. While tour a sister location Sam is first fired and second falls and sustains a severe concussion. In a scheme to save his job he pretends that he had amnesia, and pretends he doesn’t know he was fired. His idea is to try and convince Jonathan that his team and store are worth saving. When deeper feelings start to develop between the two, and Sam’s guilt grows he must find a way to fix not only his store but also the big lie he is caught in. 10 Things That Never Happened is such an enjoyable holiday read. Especially people looking for a LGBTQ+ book full of humor, romance and heart. Both man characters go through emotional growth to get to their happy ending. The side characters were warm and funny. Also loved from the very beginning you know how geeky it’s going to be. I hope everyone looking for a holiday book give this one a try.

[Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]

REVIEW IN ENGLISH SOON

De Alexis Hall me leeré hasta el prospecto del paracetamol si lo escribe él porque me encanta cómo lo hace pero... Ay, no todo lo que leo de él me gusta. Este libro tenía todo para gustarme y no ha sido así. No quiero spoilear porque el libro sale el mes que viene pero, si bien se nota que es de Alexis Hall, tiene demasiado de la locura que este hombre se inventa. Me ha parecido demasiado y con demasiados personajes que robaban la atención de la pareja, creo que trama amorosa habrá sobre un 25% y tal vez esto es demasiado. Además, ya sabéis (y, si no lo sabéis, ya os lo digo yo) que la amnesia juega un papel importante en la trama y a mí estas cosas, los malentendidos y los engaños sostenidos me ponen de los nervios.
Además, no he sido capaz de congeniar con la pareja protagonista. Una mezcla estupendísima, vamos. Eso sí, es un libro bien escrito y con un lenguaje estupendo como no se espera menos de este escritor.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC! 10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall is a hilarious fake amnesia story following Sam Becker as he attempts to save his job (and the jobs of his staff) by pretending to have amnesia after a fight with his boss, Jonathan Forest, leads to a bad fall and concussion. Betting on his ability to change Jonathan by becoming closer to him, leads to deeper feelings and more guilt. Can Sam find a way to fix everything? 10 Things That Never Happened is a sweet rom com with a Christmastime setting which will make it a perfect comfy, sweet read this holiday season.

Man, was this book a blast! I found myself crying, laughing, and spilling tears of joy throughout it. I am always someone who jumps at the opportunity to read LGBTQIA+ books, and this one just sealed the deal for me. It was filled with hilarious banter, and wonderful character development. Speaking of characters, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Jonathon’s family. They were such a crazy, hectic group of lunatics that all devoured Jonathon in love. Something all families should do. This book was definitely one of my favourite reads of 2023 and it will be on our book club’s list of books to read.

"10 Things That Never Happened" fun LGBTQ+ rom-com that blends humor, heart, and genuine emotion. With its witty dialogue and endearing characters (especially Gollum the cat), it's a delightful romance that will entertain all readers. Jonathan is a true grouch, but over the course of the book finds a wonderful match in Sam, who learns to see the gooey center beneath Jonathan's crusty exterior. Both Sam and Jonathan grow together over the course of the book, and find their own unique happily ever after.

[2.5] this book was an odd one for me. given that it's marketed as a romance, i would have liked more romance in it - meaning more than a couple of scenes where the mcs were romantically (or even platonically) involved with each other, but what readers got instead was a far-fetched plotline and characters that had boring interactions. i appreciated the author's efforts to make sam appear charming through the use of his northern accent / northern-isms, but in some places it sounded 'clunky' or unnatural and ruined some of the dialogue.

thank you to netgalley and sourcebooks casablanca for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a work place romance that brought a smile to my first from the very first pages. It’s like reading a sitcom and having the prerecorded laughs in my head. The main characters are opposites and therefore their chemistry is palpable and they interactions are amazing.
I truly enjoyed reading it!

I went into this book with pretty high expectations because I absolutely adored Boyfriend Material and Husband Material but I was also pretty nervous for the same reason because that was an incredibly high bar. Despite the bar basically being in heaven with this book, this book managed to surpass it and I guess it lives with the angels now.

10 Things That Never Happened is a grumpy x sunshine romance where the grumpy owner of a chain of bath and bed stores (Johnathan) takes pity (one maybe is just worried about being sued) on one of his employees after the sunshine character (Sam) suffers a concussion and, through a series of misunderstandings, he thinks Sam has amnesia.

Right from the start, this book laid a really solid foundation for just how downright geeky this book would be but also that it was going to be really funny in a way that will kind of take you by surprise and have you bursting out loud with laughter when you least expect it. The book is told solely from the POV of Sam and it is a genuine joy to be inside of his head; Hall has also well and truly captured on the page the way that Scousers speech as well as it feeling as though you can see the influences of on his dialect living in Sheffield. It was so sweet to be able to see Sam slowly falling for Johnathan as he plan for making his boss see him as a complete person has the effect or making Sam also see Johnathan as a complete person with a lot more nuances that he first believed.

Despite being in Sam's head for the whole of the book, there is a moment at the end of insignificant emotional impact that I was not expecting because the allusions to it that Sam gives throughout the book somewhat lead the reader in a different direction than it is going. It was not until Sam was literally in that moment that I realised the truth and it really surprised me as well as making me quite weepy.

What I really loved about this book is that Alexis Hall has clearly mastered the technique of writing books that are entertaining and the characters will face challenges but the characters don't behave in an exaggerated way, not properly communicating like you would expect adults to do so. When Hall's characters have disagreements, they behave in a way that is completely organic and you could imagine anybody in your real life reacting in the same way. In addition to this mastering of characters who can communicate, in this book it was abundantly clear that Hall had managed to write characters who have a quiet comfort with one another. Whilst it may not have been written on the page as such, I could easily imagine our characters draping a leg over one another as they watch telly on the sofa because they are just so comfortable in each other's presence. There is always an understated magic to the fact that not every move and gesture between the characters needs to be detailed for the reader to completely know exactly what these characters are doing in each interaction.

I really appreciated that this book includes a really funny nod to Johnathan's brief inclusion in Husband Material in a scene that is great in its own right but adds a fun dimension to those who get the reference.

Alexis Hall is just such an incredible writer and I can't wait to read more.

5 Stars!

I never expect anything less from Alexis Hall, but this brought me back to my first book of his I read, Boyfriend Material, and how I genuinely could not put it down. Once I hit 10%, my kindle did not leave my hand and my eyes did not leave the screen.

This books was brilliant. It made me laugh, made me shed a few tears, and gave me massive anxiety because I knew something was going to happen (I mean, you can't fake amnesia and have everything just be perfectly okay, right?).

Sam is over budget and under performance marks, so his boss, Jonathan, has him come shadow. While having a stern talking to turns into a disagreement, Jonathan is ready to fire Sam and his entire branch... until Sam trips and falls and gets a concussion. Next thing he knows, he's in the hospital and after a joke gone wrong, accidentally commits to the bit that he has amnesia and doesn't remember anything, including who is boss of 2 years is...? With nowhere to go and no one to claim Sam, Jonathan is tasked with making sure he's okay after the concussion and subsequent memory loss. Sam realizes this is his time to scheme and make sure no one loses their jobs, but he hasn't thought this through.

I love grumpy x sunshine and this was the perfect dose of it! The slow burn is REAL but it's so worth it! And Gollum absolutely stole the show, because who doesn't love a cat that neglects you for your grumpy boss?

I will not stop talking about this book and I recommend it to anyone who loves romance, but especially the tropes present. This really WOWed me and I was thrilled to spend so much time with Sam & Jonathan as they navigate this mess!

Funny, charming, and over the top -- exactly what you would expect from romantic comedy where one of the main characters is faking amnesia.

Though it's not called a holiday, Christmas' story. I would say it is. From the Scrooge-like, grumpy boss, the heart of gold though slightly in the wrong narrator, and the cast of colourful many, it fits the holiday theme to a T.

It's sort of ridiculous! But in true Alexis Hall form, it's also poignant, and sweet, and lovely, and his way with words is always rich and vivid. And it's a story I think many will turn to again and again as a comfort read because it's nuts but also cuddly and soft.

A fun read! You definitely want to snuggle in your favourite blanket with a hot chocolate (or tea) with this one.

This was such a cute Christmas romcom!! I love how Alexis is always able to write such amazing banter between their characters because it makes their relationships just that much stronger in my opinion.

My only very slight issue with this book was the side characters. It took me a long time to distinguish Jonathan’s family members from one another because they were all introduced at once and were often all featured in the same scenes at the same times. Once I got to read scenes with just Les, Wendy and Barbara Jane on their own, their personalities sung and warmed my heart but unfortunately that didn’t start happening until around the 70% mark of the book. I also wish the Sheffield branch team was featured more because I loved their banter that they all had with each other and Sam.

Overall this was another great book by Alexis Hall. It was cozy, adorable and hilariously witty and I’d love to see this book get a sequel!

Alexis Hall has a way with writing voice that is just so, so masterful and filled with humor. I really enjoyed that aspect of things. That said, much like with Boyfriend Material, it felt like this story was about 100 pages longer than it needed to be. And unlike Boyfriend Material, I really struggled to see the chemistry between the two main characters. This is definitely just a me thing since I've seen other reviews say exactly the opposite, but I also struggled with the love interest's extended family--there were too many players, making it hard to really fall in love with or get very invested in any of them.

Despite this, I read this book fairly quickly and really appreciated the temporary vacation from reality.

Summary:
Sam manages a Bed, Bath, & Beyond type store. Jonathan is the CEO of the company. After Jonathan tells Sam he has to fire some of his staff, Sam accidentally runs into a shower door and gets concussed. Sam pretends to have amnesia in order to avoid having to fire his staff. Sam ends up staying at Jonathan’s home for a long period of time and Jonathan takes care of him while he is *recovering* from his fake amnesia.

Overall thoughts:
I enjoyed the grumpy sunshine aspects consistently throughout this one and the funny back and forth banter. However, this was too long, had no steam, and was unexpectedly a Christmas romance.

What worked:
Grumpy sunshine premise and characteristics throughout
Funny banter
Slow character development of the two MCs

What didn’t:
This was a Christmas book? So much of it was about planning a Christmas party
The amnesia element/title of 10 Things That Never Happened wasn’t really as big a part of the plot setup and execution as I thought
Way too long
No steam at all. I thought this was a slow burn and then we only got a few kisses

This was disappointing but still had redeeming qualities if you want a grumpy sunshine Christmas romance.

Publishes October 17, 2023. This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think all of Alexis Hall's books have been exceptional and this lives up to the hype I've felt about his books. The consistent jokes, mixed with the real emotion you can feel from the characters provides this light and lovely read. I fell in love with all of the characters, and it's amazing that all the characters were fleshed out to the point that I could have feelings on the side characters too. I absolutely loved this book and I'm so excited to see what comes next in this series!

This book was fun! I haven't read Hall's other books, but I'd say this book gave me a good first impression. I loved all the characters so much - and there's quite a large cast here, so it's impressive how Hall's able to keep everyone distinct, unique, and lovable. It was also fun and refreshing to read a romance featuring retail employees, and all the bits of humor in the dialogue were delightful (such as everyone always referring to products by their full make, model, name, and description... "Nexa by MERLYN 8mm Sliding Door Enclosure" - exactly my kind of humor).

This book features movie-version amnesia: You have to kind of suspend your disbelief that the love interest is believing any of the narrator's story, and you have to get past some frustration while you're screaming "why couldn't you say you just don't remember the last FEW moments before the accident, why did the story have to be that you forgot LITERALLY everything?!" at the narrator... I'm totally fine with suspending my disbelief, but when there's a super obvious way the lie could have gone over better, it's a bit harder. I wish there was a bit more chemistry in the beginning between the two characters and I wish I didn't start out nearly hating one of them, but it did have a satisfying ending and was overall a fun romance! (And I got over my dislike for the love interest by the end).

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the e-ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebook for this advanced copy.

This book was completely hilarous and sweet at the same time. I loved everything about this

Sam Becker works a job as a manager at a local Bed and Bath chain. The work is terrible but the people there make his job worth it. Just before Christmas, Sam is called to London to meet with his boss, Jonathan Forrest, who is definitely not in the industry to make friends. When a heated discussion between the two leads to Sam hitting his head on a show room shower, Sam pretends to have amnesia to fool his boss into saving his job and his entire store. The ruse, however, becomes hard to keep up when Sam is staying with Jonathan to recover and he discovers that the man does have a heart after all.

This was a delightful rom-com read. Alexis Hall is easily my favorite romance writer. I love how their characters make you laugh but also contain so much depth. 10 Things That Never Happened was just this; A very funny and typical trope (amnesia) that leads to deeper understanding the characters and their hopes and fears. This is what I love about Alexis Hall, every book is more than just a romance plot. The couple for this book (Sam and Jonathan) was very fun to follow and had a great "Grumpy/Sunshine" dynamic. As always, Alexis Hall gives us AMAZING and funny side characters to round out the story. This will be a great read for people around Christmas and I love the themes of family within the story to accompany the holiday cheer!