I absolutely loved the narrator of this book! Will Watt drew me right in to the story of Sam and Jonathan and voiced Sam as a glorious smart-ass throughout. The story itself is cute, though at times I wasn't sure how these two characters would ever fall in love in the first place. The side characters kept me invested in the story through the rough patches, from Sam's coworkers to Jonathan's family (especially two lovely parts with his parents) and even Gollum the cat. Will definitely recommend this book to my patrons who enjoy a little amnesiac love story and will wholeheartedly recommend the audio version. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5-4 stars.

Classic Alexis Hall. This was funny and I had a great time reading it. Definitely a good silly plot that you can’t take too seriously. Loved the audiobook, the narrator was excellent.

When store manager Sam is summoned to London by infuriating owner Jonathan, he fears he'll be fired. After hitting his head, Sam fakes amnesia. What begins as a ruse to keep his job soon uncovers Jonathan's softer side as they grow close. But their future rests on one impulsive lie. Does Sam dare to reveal the truth?

This uplifting rom com is so much fun, with quirky characters and a well-paced enemies-to-lovers storyline. The characters are well-developed and feel real despite the over-the-top premise. The audiobook narration is delightful.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is my third read-through, and the book was already 5 stars when I just read it with my eyeballs, but now I’m wishing I could give even more! Will Watt’s performance was phenomenal, and every character came to life in distinct and delightful ways—from Jonathan’s chaos family, to Gollum’s weird cat noises, to Sam and Jonathan bickering over how to stuff a chicken. This was such a fun audiobook.

(Spoilers included) I struggled with the premise of this book to the point that it was difficult for me to stay engaged in the story. I didn't find the whole pretend-to-have-amnesia-to-deceive-someone-then-fall-in-love-but-don't-come-clean-and-continue-betraying-trust-until-you're-busted-but-still-end-up-together schtick believable or compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this. So. Much.

I received this as an audiobook advanced reader copy and I will be reading it again in the future.

This is for those who LIVE FOR sloooooooow burns. There's not much of anything until about 50%... and then we get to see them get to know each other and let down guards. Tho, the truth is, Jonathan lets his guard down and grows the most. For most of the book, Sam holds onto his secrets so tightly. We know one of them (he doesn't have amnesia), but there are others where we get hints, but don't learn the truth until the very end.

This is enemies to lovers with two people who truly do not understand each other. Jonathan, especially, is a prick of the highest degree. Sam is a happy-go-lucky sunshiney next to Jonathan's grumpy grump. And seeing them interact is just wonderful.

I love how clever the author's writing is... at one point, Sam is gesticulating and then realizes he needs to use his "mouth words" and I totally relate.

I wish I could do justice to this book... because I loved it. And the audiobook narrator did an amazing job with a bunch of different accents. It's a fun read and I will read it again someday!

Safety deets
- No OM. They both have had other relationships, but it's been a while.
- Fade to black.
- HEA in the epilogue with them happy and together a year later.

I usually enjoy Alexis Hall's books but this one left me with mixed feelings. Where I enjoyed the story there were some things with this story that I did not enjoy.

So to start, I enjoyed Sam and Jonathan's story. It was a slow burn with lots of build up in this forced proximity, holiday themed with opposites attract main characters. I also enjoyed the collection of supporting characters. Their story revolves around Sam 'having' amnesia - that he is faking in what starts as a means to save his as well as his coworkers jobs but turns in to him staying with Jonathan where he ends up planning a holiday party for both his coworkers and Jonathan's diverse family. Jonathan on the other hand is busy running his business where he feels that he needs to be driven as he has taken on the responsibility of supporting his family while trying to be a success and avoiding relationships.

So I liked the diversity of the characters. I also enjoyed the chemistry between Sam and Jonathan as well as Sam's need to take care of Jonathan and the ones that he has deemed important in his life. Where I wasn't exactly expecting a holiday read it made the story enjoyable and made me want to see how things turned out.

On to what I did not enjoy - ugh! I thought that it was a bit predictable in some of the events that occurred in this story. I also thought that the dialog at times was a bit lengthy and could be cut down in places. At times, I thought that Jonathan was a bit cold even when interacting with his family .

Overall this was just an okay read for me.

4.5 Stars. So funny but with a lot of heart. The book starts off as lighthearted and fun, with a bit of a silly premise, but ends up touching on some heavy emotional topics.

The reader learns throughout the book that people deal with their emotional traumas in different ways, none better or worse than others. Some get absorbed in their work and wealth and fail to emotionally connect with anyone and others check out and float through life, not being negative, but not really contributing either.

The humor is amazing and Sam’s reactions to Jonathan’s behavior leads to the best banter. Jonathan’s family is full of some fantastic characters - who also bring more depth to the story than first meets the eye.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall a really fun listen (the narrator was great, brought a lot of life and personality to each character) that I had a hard time stopping when my real life interrupted. Makes me want to explore Alexis Hall’s backlist.

A (perceived) enemies-to-lovers storyline set at Christmas that, despite the cliche, is so very enjoyable and delightful that I was listening so much of the time with a goofy grin on my face! Despite Alexis Hall's popularity, and especially within the queer community, this was my first read of the author's--but definitely not my last. I *may* have also told my man-child that I need them to find a frenemy and accidentally bring them home for Christmas. :) Loved the narration by Will Watt as well. Overall a charming, solid storyline and performance to get lost in this season.

My thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a cute story by itself, but I think the narrator Will Watt made it even better! It is an easy read/listen and I found myself smiling throughout most of it. If you need a quick pick me up then I suggest this book.

I am not usually a fan of the misunderstanding trope, but Sam was a fun character so I was invested. My only issue is I don’t think Sam gave Gollum enough credit in thawing Jonathan’s prickly exterior.

I can’t wait to read other books by Alexis Hall.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC.

Rating: 4.5
Sam enjoys managing a bed and bath retail store with his unique group of employees. Jonathan isn’t too fond of how Sam manages one of the few stores he owns and is determined to make Sam aware of how the store should be managed. However, when Jonathan orders Sam to visit London for a talk, a panicked Sam trips and bumps his head on a display shower, causing him to suffer a concussion… maybe even amnesia?
Fearing he’s going to get fired, Sam doesn’t correct Jonathan when he thinks Sam has amnesia. Feeling guilty about the accident, Jonathan has Sam stay to keep an eye on him. With so much time spent together, Sam finds it harder to tell Jonathan the truth before it’s too late.

I know I say I really enjoy the books I’ve read a lot, however I had so much FUN listening to the audiobook for this! The narrator, Will Watt, did an incredible job capturing the characters’ emotions and personality. The banter between the main characters is so well done, and loved how it’s more than the romance story. You also get to see more of the main character’s backstories and how their family dynamics have impacted their lives. I also loved how despite their flaws, they still loved each other and complimented one another. This is the first book I’ve read by Alexis Hall and I cannot wait to read more.

***DNF at 40%***

Overall,
I generally really enjoy Alexis Hall's books and it is possible that a lot of this had to do with the audiobook. The main character is from Sheffield England and the accent the narrator used was very strong and difficult to take in. I may still pick up a physical copy and keep reading but I just could not go on with the audiobook. The story itself is ok, classic enemy to lovers, however by the 40% mark I could see no way that these two people could fall in love and be happy. There was really no chemistry, and I am not sure how I feel with the entire premise being about lying.

I have no idea how Alexis Hall manages to throw out these art pieces of comedic genius every few months, but he must have some kind of magical abilities.
I was a little afraid after not being the biggest fan of Husband Material, but this book has the exact same vibes as Boyfriend Material which I absolutely loved!
This is the kind of Bridget Jones 90s romcom story, with a total mess of a protagonist, hilariously funny situation and complete set of weird colleagues and family members I adore.

Being ordered to a face to face meeting at headquarters by your prick of a boss never means a good time, but said boss threatening to fire you and your whole staff is clearly the worst outcome. So faking amnesia is definitely the only thing Sam can do. Obviously. Logical, right?
Being moved into his bosses house complete with his rescue cat, so he can take care of him wasn’t part of the plan though. Falling for him also wasn’t.

This book made me have feeeelings! A lot of them! I understood Jonathan on a deep level, which is probably not the best advertisement for myself, but I just got him. He’s being a total grump because he has so much responsibility weighing him down, he’s trying to protect himself from any hurt while completely forgetting to live.
Sam and his cat were hilarious and I very nearly ended up highlighting the whole book. When he’s trying to look behind Jonathan’s facade and they begin to have fun together I couldn’t stop smiling like an idiot. I just love a good grumpy x sunshine (with hidden trauma) lovestory okay? Also it’s kind of a found family situation as well, so what can I say but I absolutely loved it and preordered the paperback when I was only half way through.

Also go look at the character cards Alexis did for them, and if that doesn’t make you want to read the book then I don’t know.

If you grew up watching british romcoms, you can't not love the wildness of this story, the main characters, the over the top situations, the loud family and friends, and the totally movie-like scenario. Faking amnesia to make the evil boss change his mind about firing his friends and himself, Sam really doesn't know what he got himself into. He wings it, and he wings it well. Well enough that Jonathan makes him live with him to look after him, and the forced proximity places its fateful hand in getting them to show parts of themselves they don't show often.
But we know that lies don't say secret for long but everytime the time seemed right to come clean, something was in the way. I loved the comedy in this book. Sam's cat choosing Jonathan and Jonathan getting a new bff. The gigantic Christmas tree! The overpriced tree decorations. The NSFW cooking that's not what you imagine. Everything made this book funny, sweet, and a page turner. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was excellent, he really brought this wonderfully funny story to life!

10 Things That Never Happened is a laugh out loud audiobook narrated by Will Watt, written by Alexis Hall.

Sam Becker finds peace in his job as manager for a bed and bath superstore. He loves his employees and finds their quirks to be charming. Sadly, the owner of the superstore, Jonathan Forest, cannot be the same sort of charming person. Sam, ordered to travel to London to chat about the store from Jonathan couldn't imagine anything worse. Yet he travels down and accidentally trips into the head honcho, bumping his head and "losing his memory", or so Jonathan thinks.

Faking amensia should be a walk in the park. What Sam doesn't expect is Jonathan's guilt and need to keep a consistent eye on him. As Sam and Jonathan get closer, will he be able to tell the truth once he discovers who Jonathan truly is under the grumpy exterior?

I enjoyed listening to 10 Things that Never Happened, especially the side characters featured throughout. I pictured the workers to be from my favorite television show, Superstore and enjoyed Will Watt's different voices for everyone involved in this story! While I wish this story was dual point of view and had the climax of the novel a little earlier, I found the end satisfying and am curious what will be next for this series.

Such a great book. While I did love this book. Boyfriend Material is still my top book by this author and I’m not sure anything will be able to top it. This was a solid read so definitely pick it up.

'Well, Samwise Eoin Becker, you’ve made some terrible choices.”

It's no secret that I adore Alexis Hall. I have truly enjoyed all of his books I’ve read and this one was no different. It had the humor and heart that I’ve come to love, and expect, from all of Hall’s books.

Sam is so endearing, even when he fakes amnesia in order to save the employees at the bed and bath retailer he manages. The owner, Jonathan, is prickly and secretly called the Prick of Pricksylvania. After a freak accident for which Jonathan feels responsible, he takes care of Sam and they start to see different sides of each other. They have this subtle, underlying tension that really loved. It isn't quite in your face, but their banter is enough to pull the reader right in.

Throughout, we know that Sam feels awful about lying about the amnesia, but as with most lies he’s in too deep to turn it around. Jonathan’s family provide this outstanding supporting cast that I come to love in Hall’s books. They’re hilarious and continuously see through Sam and Jonathan. I'm always in awe of the way Hall manages all of these characters with such clear personalities that add such great layers to the overall story.I love the journey that Sam goes on particular, as he realizes he doesn’t want to continue on as the manager and wants more. He has this self-reflection that really puts his life into perspective.

“You think there’s a lesson here about making up absurdly convoluted lies?”

The audiobook is done so well, and the narrator really nails the dry humor and the emotion from Sam’s perspective. This book was so fun and I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait for the next book by Alexis Hall.

Alexis Hall will forever be an auto buy author for me and <i>10 Things That Never Happened</i> was another delightful read.

Taking the fake amnesia trope alllllll the way home, it was hilarious (although yes, very very very unrealistic) seeing how long Samwise kept those ruse going just to continue trying to get his boss not to fire him and his entire team. The subterfuge hijinks and spiraling inner thoughts were charming and made my own anxiety and run on thoughts and catastrophizing feel oh so relatable.

Hall’s books typically feature prickly MCs that take time to become palatable and endearing, though I found here that it took much too long to come around with Jonathan. Jonathan was truly a pill for well into 50% of the book which I felt was much too long. Even at the end, I couldnt really find too much sympathy for Jonathan and his motivations, especially seeing him treat all of those around him very poorly time and again. I feel that the ‘grumpy’ trope was taken a bit too far here.

As for Sam, I feel like there wasn’t as much character growth as I expected. Sam is a genial sunshine puppy character which while nice, felt like he lacked depth. There are moments where the lengths he goes to for others are touched on as being part of something weightier within him, but it didn’t feel like we came around to that in the story. And as hilarious as the amnesia trope was, this is not a short book, so the longer and longer the scheme continued, the more it got a bit bedraggled. Of course, it does finally blow up spectacularly for the third act dramatic row, but it felt a bit surprising it took so long for the nickel to drop on Jonathan.

Overall, this was fun, but didn’t feel like it brought the weighty character growth and depth I expected, thus from a purely entertainment perspective— the trope, while cute at first, quickly became tired and dragged out. The writing didn't feel as sharp and purposeful as I come to expect from the author and felt it could have done with a big chunk of it being cut off or trimmed down, especially with Sam’s constant narration of every little thing. Overall the writing felt a bit too indulgent instead of being economical to retain the pace, reader’s attention, and overall story tension.

While I recommend this, I sadly didn’t come away with a new favorite.

All things considered, this was a pretty good book, though not one of my favourite romances. I think Alexis Hall is very comfortable in contemporary romance and is able to write a story that while it’s not necessarily realistic, is at least somewhat naturalistic. While I was never able to fully immerse myself in this book due to some weird pacing of plotlines, I think that the big moments were well-done even if the build-up was a little off. Overall the book was very readable and I found myself really endeared to all of the side characters, Gollum the cat especially, of course. The audiobook itself was really well done and Will Watt did a very good job at differentiating between all the different characters and the various accents that came into play with that (at least to my American ears). I think if you’re a fan of Alexis Hall’s books then I would definitely recommend this book, and I would definitely recommend the audiobook to read it!

4 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

“10 Things That Never Happened” by Alexis Hall

📕 Edition: ARC Audiobook via @netgalley

Hall weaves humor, chemistry, and a touch of amnesia into a compelling narrative in this slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance that is delightful and heartwarming (even though Jonathan was kind of a pain in the rear), taking a unique spin on the boss-employee relationship.

Sam Becker's charm, filled with wit and vulnerability, makes this story an engaging read. The tension between Sam and his infuriating boss, Jonathan Forest, is palpable, and their journey from misunderstanding to genuine connection is both entertaining and emotionally resonant.

Will Watt @willmwatt does an amazing job on the narration of this audiobook. I will be seeking out other books he has narrated for sure!

Thank you @NetGalley, Alexis Hall, and @Sourcebookscasa for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.