An emotional tale about a man searching for answers about his missing wife and thinking about his future. Brian and Lily started off so well but then one day she simply wasn't there when he woke up. Now, seven years later, he thinks he's found her, or at least that he's identified her as the woman writing reviews of various places in the UK on TripAdvisor. And then Jeff, the one consistent customer of his pub dies and he takes off to find her. This moves back and forth in time to tell the story of Brian and Lily and then of his quest as he tracks her. He meets Tess, a Kiwi, in Edinburgh and the two of them form a bond as she joins him. There are no easy answers here and this very much rides on how much you like Brian. Fans of Roper know that there's always a bit of a twist in his novels and while I wasn't a fan of the ending (not the epilogue but the ending), I was surprised. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read that had me turning the pages and rooting for Brian.

Richard Roper's "This Disaster Loves You" offers a nuanced exploration of a romance, ranging throgh a spectrum of emotions from joy to grief. The narrative's alternating timeline, shifting between past and contemporary moments, enhances the plot's intricacy and character arcs.

The unexpected ending, (by me, anyway), and the portrayal of the protagonists, underscore Roper's skillful narrative craft. The compelling and poignant narrative has me looking forward to my next read by Mr. Roper.

Thank you, Net Galley.

I really enjoyed this book -- it was both sad and heartwarming, funny and poignant.

Brian owns a pub and has been wondering for nearly 7 years where his wife Lily is. He woke up one morning and she was gone -- he received a postcard from her soon after which gave him hope that she would soon be back. On a whim one day, he sees an online review that he thinks is written by her, and decides to track her down based on the reviews she is writing.

Some of my favorite parts of this book were when Brian was traveling and trying to find Lily. I loved the adventures he gets in to and of course the people he meets.

Told in alternating timelines, we see Brian looking for Lily while also learning about the beginning and middle parts of their relationship. I loved both Brian and Lily, both such good characters -- despite wanting to shake some sense in to Brian a few times.

I loved the writing and especially the descriptions of locations -- I could picture all the settings and especially the pub. I would love to go and chat with Brian and Jeff!

The ending was one of my favorite parts -- I think this is a book that the less you know about it going in to it, the better. I loved everything about it! This was my second book by Richard Roper and I will definitely read his other backlist one, and anything he writes in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

First thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Synopsis: Brian is an awkward guy who meets Lily one day at a party. They get married and buy a pub. One day lily disappears and Brian struggles to keep up. Seven years later a reviewer on trip advisor seems to be Lily so Brian takes off to find her. While on this quest, Brian discovers a himself among other things.

What I liked: this was my first book by this author and I very much enjoyed it. His characters are very likable and relatable. The story is told in a way that you feel you are living it alongside them. I felt so much during this book from loneliness to love, pain, fear, grief, joy basically the whole set of feelings. Brian and Lily stories both were everyday occurrences but written in such a way that you really felt it. There is a cast of side characters that provide support to the story. Jeff was a regular at the pub but ever through they talk everyday, there was a lot more to his story. This will not be my last book by this author and started looking for his backlist books.

I absolutely loved Richard Roper's first book and this one was equally fabulous! Brian is in his late 40s, owns a struggling pub in the country, and has been devastated by his wife's disappearance seven years prior. Brian is a sweet character, but stuck in his life. He's been unable to move on from his grief at not knowing what happened to Lily. He has always held onto hope that she simply left him to pursue a different life, but has never understood why she left. He can't come to terms with the possibility that she has died by suicide.

One day, he sees reviews on TripAdvisor that he thinks must written by her. He embarks on a journey to find her and get answers to the questions he's had for years. He begins trailing her by her reviews and meets Tess, who's coming to terms with the end of her marriage. Brian and Tess are such wonderful, quirky, and awkward characters. Roper has such a beautiful way of depicting relationships, sorrow, and humorous situations. I felt such a kinship with them and their vividly depicted lives. Though the themes can be heavy, they're written with such a light touch, giving hope to the reader, in spite of hard circumstances.

I listened to the audiobook, which was perfectly narrated by Christian Coulson. I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy books by Rachel Joyce or Frederik Backman. This will likely be one of my top reads of 2024!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This book has a lot of heart! This was my first Richard Roper but definitely interested in reading more- this book has humor but also is definitely heartbreaking at times. The confusion, devastation, and love the protagonist has is palpable and the cast of side characters make this a really lovely, easy to read story. I loved the jumps in time and watching multiple stories unfold.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

I was not familiar with this author prior to reading this book, but wow, I’m adding the rest of his books to my TBR list!

The mystery of the main plot line kicks off immediately within the first few chapters, and the dual timelines let the story unroll at a pace that keeps the suspense building. The story alternates between “now” and “then”, which gives glimpses into various points in Brian and Lily’s relationship. This book does deal with some pretty heavy topics, but it is also really, really funny. I’d give it another star if I could for providing closure!

Overall, I thought this was an intricate telling of the complications of a love story and what happens after the meet cute. The grief and confusion after loss is palpable.

It’s hard for me to say more because there was a suprise miscarriage and as someone who just had one, it made it a lot harder to enjoy overall.

Richard Roper is one of my automatic read authors. He could copy the phone book and I would read it.
In This Disaster Loves You, we meet Brian and Lilly. It's a nice typical love story, except that Brian never feels as though he deserves Lily and battles not only that insecurity, but also the disapproval of her father. However, love reigns and they marry. What follows are the ups and downs in marriage, but then one horribly sad thing occurs and neither one are equipped mentally to lean on each other for support, resulting in hidden resentment and grief that is shouldered alone.

We know in the beginning that Lily is gone but we don't know why or where she has gone. The reader is left wanting to turn pages to find out what has happened to her but also for me, to cheer Brian on in both learning where she has gone and maybe also in moving on, if need be.

For me, Lily wasn't good enough for Brian. She never seemed capable of showing him a fraction of the love he had for her all through the story. This isn't to say I didn't enjoy the story, I absolutely did. I was totally vested in finding out what happened and the author did not disappoint. I am so glad I got a chance to read this ahead of it's release in February 2024. Thank you to NetGalley for this opportunity.

I cry every time I read a book by Richard Roper, and this was certainly no exception. A heartfelt, moving, gripping look into love, grief, and coming of age. Roper writes brilliantly complex and dynamic characters that you can't help but root for.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam.

Brian's wife, Lily, disappeared 7 years ago. He's never lost hope. He sees a review posted by someone named Pinkmoonlily1972 on TripAdvisor and is convinced that it is her. He sets off on a journey to find her.
This book alternates between the past and the present.

This book is a devastating stab to the heart. There is so much love for someone written on these pages. It shows how hope is sometimes the only thing that we have to keep going. This was such a beautifully written story about Brian and Lily, and Brian's hope for the one person he loves.

I was captivated by This Disaster Loves You by Richard Roper. The retrospective look at a poignant love story is entertaining and sweet. At times sad, happy and surprising, this book moves quickly with the interwoven past and current perspectives.

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was such a sad story but also one full of love and hope. Brian’s wife disappeared almost seven years ago. When he happens upon a TripAdvisor reviewer with a name that sounds just like one Lily would be using, he decides to figure out where she is by going to the locations she is posting about. During his quest, he meets a charming woman from New Zealand who decides to tag along and help Brian with his search.

The story alternates from the present to the past as we learn more about Brian’s and Lily’s relationship. Overall, this was an emotional read.

Thank you very much to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

I love Richard Roper's writing style This book was absolutely amazing and heartwarming. I did not see the end coming until relativity close to it. The characters were flushed out and alternating between flashbacks and the present made this book work in so many ways. I cannot wait to see what Richard Roper does next.

I was lucky enough to win an eARC of THIS DISASTER LOVES YOU by Richard Roper through a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe and happy holiday season!

Heartfelt, engaging, and immersive. A recommended purchase for collections where WF and romantic fiction is popular.

Well done, creative and enjoyable to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I liked the story and the setting a lot. I found myself invested in the outcome of the character's relationship with the main people in his life. Four stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read This Disaster Loves You by Richard Roper which I found to be quite lovely.

Brian's wife Lily vanishes one day out of thin air, leaving behind her grandmother's watch and a postcard with a note. Seven years later, with no answers, he still hasn't given up hope; he finds a sudden lead and goes off to try to find her - finally ready for answers, one way or another. This Disaster Loves You follows the story of a young couple falling in love, and then growing older together, winding their way through the trials and tribulations of life. Richard Roper did a fantastic job painting a picture - you really feel like you're there with the characters, whether it be in an old dingy pup, a cheap hotel bar or at Stonehenge. There's dry humor that had me laughing out loud, in addition to parts that made me cry. All of these details are what drove me to give this book 4 stars. That, and, I don't feel like I can give any book 5 stars unless I'm totally floored!

I felt this story to be a little bit slow to start and I wasn't sure if I could pull through. I honestly thought, from the basic description, that it would lean more towards suspense, but this is a love story through and through (without all the cheesiness). It picked up almost half way through, and when I finished it I had an almost haunted, bittersweet, happy yet sad feeling that (obviously) I can't put my finger on.

I feel lucky to have gotten to read this book on pre-release, thanks netgalley!

Thank you for the advanced copy NetGalley. I enjoyed the story and kept the pages turning to find out if Brian has found his Lily after seven years missing.