Sam Becker is okay at his job but when a run in with corporate lead Jonathan Forest leaves him with a concussion, Sam thinks he can save his and his co-worker’s jobs: fake amnesia, only the more he knows Jonathan, the more he sees there’s more to his boss than his strictness. I really liked Boyfriend and Husband Material, and 10 Things I That Never Happened stayed true to Alexis Hall’s wit and banter. The enemies-to-lovers plot did feel kind of similar to Boyfriend Material but it’s still charming. I adored the audiobook narrator, it really made the experience for this one all the better in this slow burn romance. I would’ve loved some of Jonathan’s POV, he is so sweet and uptight and I wanted just more of him. This felt like a little slice of life story and was just really endearing. Sam is a flawed character and I loved his honesty. I didn’t love the fake amenesia story, but I liked the effort Sam put in to try and make it up to Jonathan. This story is charming and heartwarming and witty and I’d definitely recommend the audiobook.

If you and your coworkers were on the precipice of being fired, the clear solution to avoid said firing would be to get a concussion, fake amnesia, and move in with your boss during the lead-up to Christmas, right? Right?

Well, that’s the solution Sam (short for Samwise) comes up with in 10 Things That Never Happened. And Alexis Hall’s pairing of the muppet and the miser—both of whom are a bit adrift in their own ways—had me grinning, warmed my heart, and tugged at my heartstrings. It’s a grumpy-sunshine pairing wrapped up in a boss-employee pairing tied up in a forced proximity/roommates-style bow. And it is fantastic.

Jonathan Forest is “all tall and dark and grumpy” and I adored watching him warm up to Gollum, the disfigured cat, and to Sam. As per usual, Hall weaves in heavier themes along with his sense of humor, so you find yourself in turn chuckling and feeling for Sam and Jonathan. And the supporting cast of characters—from the bed and bath store employees to Jonathan’s gregarious family members—are sure to keep you entertained.

I highly recommend it.

Will Watt’s audiobook narration is fantastic. The accents, the emotion, and the different voices for Sam, Jonathan, the family members and coworkers all enhance the experience. I will be listening to this one again.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

Loving the start of this book but had to abandon and order the "hard copy" instead. I just couldn't understand the narrator super well.

I tried getting excited about this book in numerous formats: digital, audiobook, etc. But every time I sat down to read or listen to 10 Things That Never Happened, it felt like a chore.

While I loved watching the relationship between Jonathan and Sam grow, it was an extremely slow burn that felt more like a side point to the amnesia and family plots. There is also a LOT of UK colloquialisms, which made it harder for me to understand, since I live in North America. I found myself going back and re-listening/rereading moments to try to figure out what was going on.

All this to say, Will Watt did bring some entertainment to the audiobook! They give such a lively performance throughout, though I could not listen to it faster than 1.25x due to the dialects.

While it wasn’t for me, I would recommend this to any UK reader that loves this universe by Alexis Hall!

Another wonderful book from Alexis Hall. It's a new series, but has an minor character from his other Husband Material book. Although I didn't remember Jonathan from that book, I am glad I got to know about this grumpy character. Alexis writes good books and I hope he will continue writing books for this series.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to this book early.

5⭐ The narrator, Will Watt, totally blew this out of the water! I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and it takes a lot to impress me. I'm usually happy if a narrator can tell the story without getting in the way of it, but Will Watt brings so much character and personality to this story. Amazing!!

3.5⭐ The story was fun and entertaining, definitely improved by the narrator for the audiobook. The relationship between Sam and Jonathan was well done, but I felt like the romance itself just didn't work for me. I definitely enjoyed this more as an audiobook (which has been the case for me with all the Alexis Hall books I've read).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced audiobook copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Alexis Hall rarely misses for me, and this one knocked it out of the park. There's something about a cast of characters who are all snarky a**holes that are somehow also endearing, and Alexis Hall is excellent at creating such casts of characters. The situation is frankly ridiculous, but I was so busy laughing and falling in love with all of them that I didn't mind at all.

I listened to the audio, which was truly fantastic. The voices were perfection and overall it was one of the best audiobooks I've listened to in a while. I listened to a good portion of it in bed when I was having trouble sleeping, and I struggled so much to hold in the laughter and not wake my husband. I'm not entirely certain I succeeded.

Just when I'd gotten used to dissolving in fits of giggles, I found myself actually crying as the plot reached the 'I never deserved you and now I've lost you' section. A book that moves me to actual laughter *and* actual tears is definitely going on my reread shelf. I desperately hope we get more of these characters.

Absolutely perfection. 11/10 and I've already preordered the audiobook.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an early copy for review.

Book 1 in a series, which is a spinoff of the Boyfriend Material series. You do not need to read the other series.
Lots of tropes- grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, etc...

This one is not without fault, but it is still enjoyable.

Sam is OK at his job, managing a retail store. He really advocates for his employees, even if they are not the best. The owner, Jonathan, tells him things have to get better or everyone is fired. During an argument, Sam ends up with a head injury. In the confusing aftermath, Jonathan thinks Sam has amnesia- and Sam decides to go with it to save his store.

The deceitfulness of Sam's lie is not great and it goes on way too long. But, other than the lie, I liked Sam. And the audiobook narrator did a perfect job narrating his personality! Jonathan, while grumpy, you just want to hug.

I am not sure why, but I was so amused by them repeatedly using exact model names for their products. Like it'd be in every sentence in a whole conversation. It cracked me up.

Will Watt narrates the audiobook, and as I already mention, did a great job.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Very much the vibes of Boyfriend Material, something that feels very cozy after reading many of Hall's books. This novel is very Christmas themed so I think that's missing from the marketing.

I got this as an audio book. What a great listen. The narrator really brought the characters to life.
Sam works at a bed-and-bath store. The store is not turning enough profit. The owner wants Sam to come to London for a day. Come to find out, Jonathan, the owner, plans to fire Sam. In the middle of them talking, Sam trips, falls, and hits his head. He gets a concussion. Jonathan mistakes something Sam says and thinks he has amnesia. This is when the story gets interesting. Since nobody can “look after” Sam, he ends up staying with Jonathan, all the while pretending to have amnesia. There are a bunch of funny side characters, especially Jonathan’s extended family. This is a fun book about enemies turned into lovers.
I really enjoyed fact that Sam’s full name was Samwise and he had a cat named Gollum.
All in all, this is a great book with lots of love and Christmas spirit.

Happy to report that I really enjoyed this one. It had a lot of the things I love most from Alexis Hall, including a large and loveable cast of characters and plenty of laugh out loud humor. I liked both of the MCs, even when one was being dickish and the other was inspiring the urge to shake him because of his ongoing bad choices.

I had a great time listening to it, though there were some aspects that didn't completely work for me. The pacing felt a bit off, there was too much middle, though I did find the ending satisfying. While I understand why Sam feels so strongly about how Jonathan treats his family, there was a point when it felt weird. Like I did want Sam to just mind his own business because it's odd to lecture someone about how they should be viewing and interacting with their family if you aren't their therapist.

Secrets and lies in romance generally stress me out, and while this book did a really good job of making it so that I wasn't squirming with discomfort for the majority of the book, there were some points when it got really stressful. I would have skipped ahead to reassure myself if I'd had the print rather than the audiobook. Partly that's because I've read Glitterland by this author so I know he doesn't pull punches when it comes to characters unintentionally hurting one another. There were some agonizing parts of this, though for me it was more than anticipatory OH NOOOOOOOO that really stressed me out.

I also wish there had been more time for the romance. The two MCs genuinely do not like one another for a good portion of the story, and while I think their relationship gradually changing was well done, it is a romance, and I do want some squishy adorable bits. There absolutely were some of those, but I wanted more. I did like the MCs as a couple and liked their character complexity and flaws, but I would have liked a little more chemistry. I mean, to be honest, it's really hard not to compare this book to Boyfriend Material, because the pacing and many other things are similar. And I didn't find the same level of scream worthy "PLEASE JUST ADMIT YOU ARE MADE FOR ONE ANOTHER!!!" in this book. But I suppose it isn't really fair to compare them. And in its own right this book has a lot to love.

So, I definitely recommend this one. If you're a fan of the author, if you want a great holiday romance or if you're just looking for something funny and engaging, this book delivers. Also, it's so hard to find great closed door romance, and this is all fade to black. I highly super recommend the audiobook if audiobooks are your jam. The narration was some of the best I've heard! Just really a joy to experience. I have... ahem... sort of a "thing" for Scouse accents, so I was a very happy listener indeed. But the whole cast (including the cat) just come to life so vividly with this narrator. Will Watt did amazing work here. So, yeah, give this one a try and I think you'll have a great time getting to know all the characters, and definitely give the audiobook a go because it's outstanding.

a true enemy to lover romcom that I enjoyed! I love the banters between Sam and Jonathan. While the employer x boss trope got me worried for a bit, I appreciated how Hall handles this topic! Such a cute little story & the audiobook is very high quality as well!

Trigger Warnings: cursing, medical content, injury, blood, alcohol, past death of parents, grief, deceased grandparents, sex, cemetery

Representation: Gay

10 Things That Never Happened is a contemporary romance about fake amnesia and real feelings. Sam Becker loves―or, okay, likes―his job. Sure, managing a bed and bath retailer isn't exactly glamorous, but it's good work and he gets on well with the band of misfits who keep the store running. He could see himself being content here for the long haul. Too bad, then, that the owner is an infuriating git.

Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam. It was a sentimental decision, and Jonathan didn't get where he is by following his heart. Determined to set things right, Jonathan orders Sam down to London for a difficult talk…only for a panicking Sam to trip, bump his head, and maybe accidentally imply he doesn't remember anything?

Faking amnesia seemed like a good idea when Sam was afraid he was getting sacked, but now he has to deal with the reality of Jonathan's guilt―as well as the unsettling fact that his surly boss might have a softer side to him. There's an unexpected freedom in getting a second shot at a first impression…but as Sam and Jonathan grow closer, can Sam really bring himself to tell the truth, or will their future be built entirely on one impulsive lie?

This author has quickly become one of my auto reads! I really love this universe especially! This book is a total cornball fest and so much fun. The story line contains a lot of family drama but it comes from a very realistic and loving place. I do wish the last chapter was a bit more informative though. I love an epilogue that flashes forward but the resolution to the main plot line seems a bit brief and skipped over. Overall, this is a book about how two very lonely people who find each other due to a set of rather absurd circumstances. It’s also technically a holiday book, but it didn’t really feel like it.

Straight off, what really makes this audiobook so good is the fantastic narration.

Sam is the manager of a bed and bath store branch. He’s frankly too kind to manage well and as such the store isn’t performing well. When his killjoy boss Jonathan calls him all the way down to London for a telling off a weird tangent begins after an accidental head injury leads to Sam playing up a tiny smidge of memory loss into amnesia.

Jonathan feels guilty (and is a bit afraid of being sued) so he takes Sam in to care for until he’s medically cleared. And of course there unfolds a funny, sweet romance that gets a bit mucked up when the truth comes out.

I absolutely adored this audiobook.

One of my favorite authors in this genre

This sweet enemies to lovers romance was everything!!

The narration was enjoyable as well.

Definitely recommend

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio ARC. I have loved this author's previous books, but this one really fell flat for me. I found the main character extremely immature and the whole "amnesia" aspect was disrespectful of all those that suffer from this horrifying illness. This is lock mocking someone with a disability.

Hard pass.

Story: 4.5 ⭐️
Steam: 2 🔥 closed door
Audio: 5 🎧

I absolutely love the fast paced humor this author delivers. These characters were all so lovable and had amazing banter. The story was a perfect mix of plot and romance with SO many of my favorite tropes. It was overall a great time.

What an audiobook! Loved the narration and the range of distinct voices the narrator possessed in telling this story. Whilst it was a single POV book the depiction of the characters was distinct and consistent throughout.

As for the story... Samwise is not really living his dreams as a bed and bathroom store manager but he doesn't hate it either. He likes his team of underperforming misfits. Jonathon is the owner of the said bed and bathroom store who thinks Sam can do better. In a funny turn of events Sam is injured by Jonathon and winds up in hospital, feigning amnesia in the hopes of saving his team members from being fired. It just means living with Jonathon for a fortnight until Sam is on the mend. What Sam doesn't count on is getting to know Jonathon that little bit better, so he gets to know the man behind the gruff exterior.

10 Things That Never Happened is sublime Alexis Hall. It was a change from multiple points of view that I have been reading lately - the story being told solely from Sam's point of view. He's a slightly eccentric, slightly frustrating, and other than the lying about having amnesia thing, he's quite well intentioned. Jonathon is pretty inflexible, and avoidant of his family who welcome Sam into the fold. There's a hilarious cast of characters and you can sense Jonathon's frustration at times with Sam (and everyone else)! This is a slow burn, workplace, forced proximity romance. It's low on the steam but high on the angst. There's a strong sense of what it means to be family and belonging.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the opportunity for me to listen to this. I churned through it as an audio and would recommend it in this format.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a great take on the amnesia trope, and even though it is Christmas-y it wasn't to the point where it was annoying or obnoxious. I'm so glad I had the audiobook because the narrator really added something to the story, and I truly think I would've rated lower had I eyeball read it.

Our main character, Sam, was hilarious and usually I'm annoyed at too much inner-monologuing, but Sam was so hilarious and relatable. Jonathon, the love interest, is unlikeable at first, but of course we get to know him and begin to understand why he is the way he is.

One thing I really appreciated about this book is that Jonathon didn't have a complete personality transplant, and his growth was really believable. Unfortunately this also means, that because Jonathon is actually kind of awful at the beginning, I'm not sure if I buy that he deserves Sam by the end of the book.

The writing was so clever and funny, and overall I really enjoyed this book! I'd definitely recommend this book based solely on how funny it was.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this ARC!

I've really enjoyed a majority of Alexis Hall's books, but I will say some of his more recent works (Husband Material and Mortal Follies) got lower stared reviews from me. That being said, 10 Things That Never Happened was a delight. You have proper (workplace setting) enemies to lovers, faking amnesia, the special kind of chaos that is expected in any Alexis Hall book, a wonderfully sweet slow burn, and some very specific names of bed and bath units/decor. The thing I enjoyed about this book is when all was revealed and the cards were all on the table, the reactions were kind of reasonable. Considering the situation and how each of the characters are presented I would have been surprised if it became very dramatic to try to get back together, all-in-all I'm happy with the resolution of the story. The narrator of this book also did a lovely job.

thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Dreamscape Media for the eARC and audiobook ARC!