Nick and Wren are meant to be.

Fate steps in multiple times to force them meeting but the timing is just never right. Through all these mishaps and missed connections, the reader is left waiting for the one time when it’s just right.

I loved all the random connections they had- Nick (MMC) was the worker at the Wren’s (FMC) friend’s shop. Wren was writing a story on the owner of the soup kitchen who turns out to be Nick’s grandma. Nick meets Wren’s dad on the beach. But even through all these connections they don’t meet until halfway.

I liked that it wasn’t instant but also it did feel like it dragged. Since the book was written in third person it was difficult to connect to the characters. Overall it was an easy read with a cute concept but there are some difficult topics that are covered within the book.


Thanks Netgalley for providing the ARC!

Nick and wren are meant to be. But Nick and Wren have never met. And now, fate is about to change everything. Could true love be just a catastrophe away?

While restoring the old bookshop, nick drops a sheet glass from a window. And it ALMOST lands on wren… luckily enough it only shattered by her feet. Later on in the book they met by fate. But they never realized. Until… both of them head to italy at the same time. And they have no idea. So what if they met by fate there to?

Okay so… i wanted to read this because of the cover lol. But it did not disappoint. It’s in third person though, which made me kinda disconnect from the story sadly. I do think the fact that they met by fate is so cute! It’s a pretty short and easy read. The writing style is very easy to understand. And it kept me hooked. Don’t really know how i feel about the characters… since i didn’t really feel like i could connect with them since it’s in third person. There was one thing that annoyed me sm… istg they got called pet in almost every chapter… but other than that i don't have much else against it!

The book includes a bit of grief. Which is a good thing to know before reading. It’s not the main plot but it is a part of the story. Just to make people aware of that because I sure wasn’t. Especially because I read this while going through the same thing… so fitting lol. But I LOVE this specific thing. It shows that people can meet many times through life but never speak or know who the other is. That is pretty cool actually.

I would recommend this book for anyone that’s looking for an easy read romance with a bit of grief on the side. And if you like meeting my fate… you will love this!

Also thank you to net galley and bookouture publishing for a chance to read this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for Lily Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

I started the book feeling really optimistic and that it was going to be a great read however the excitement did dwindle off a few chapters in. I did love the rom-com vibes and adored the characters however the plot for me just fell and little short! I’m not one to give up on a book though so I did continue on with reading to give the book a full chance, and whilst it was a cute and easy read I just didn’t fall in love with it and the ending felt a little too rushed which made it harder to connect with the characters.

I do want to however add that I did read the first copy and not after any adjustments were made and sent out by NetGalley so I can’t comment on adjustments made.

But I will say that for a debut novel Lily should be so proud of herself for writing a truly cosy and heartwarming romcom and I will look out for any books she releases in the future!

My rating was 2.5 stars! And although it didn’t fully be a book I loved, I know so many others will and still recommend to those who love a near-miss, fate love story ☺️💗

This book explores the concept of an invisible string theory, suggesting a destined connection between individuals. Nick and Wren's lives are intricately intertwined through a series of near-misses, building anticipation for their eventual meeting. While the slow-burn romance and individual character arcs are engaging, some aspects, like the chemistry between the main characters and occasional cringy writing, detract from the overall experience. However, the intertwined storylines and likable characters make for a heartwarming read once the pace picks up in the second half. Despite initial challenges, it's a charming summer read that rewards perseverance. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A lovely little romance novel about 2 people who were always meant to cross paths. (Even if they are both extremely clumsy!)
I enjoyed the intertwined storylines, it really made me think and gave me a few “ah yes” moments when I realised how things were linked, which I thought was rather clever!
I thought the 2 main characters were really likeable and I instantly felt I could connect to them, maybe because they are “normal” people with “normal” lives?

I can’t lie, I did struggle through the first 50% of this book as I found it very slow.
But it did do a good job of building the backgrounds of the characters during this time, I just felt it could have been done much quicker.

This book is released on 10th July and I’d say it would be a lovely little summer read, in the sunshine ❤️
Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC

i unfortunately could not connect to the near miss. the fmc was a bit frustrating and the use of twat by the mmc just kept throwing me. also the amount of coincidences? cmon. i don’t know. this also may be right book wrong time so do with that information what you will.

3/5 stars. I loved the concept of this and I thought it was cute. I didn’t feel super attached to the characters which is why I rated it a little lower but all in all an enjoyable read

🎶All along there was some invisible string tying me to you 🎶

Firstly thank you to netgalley for the arc
I love the idea of the invisible string theory and that you are always tied to the people you’re meant to meet so I was immediately interested when I saw this was the concept of this book.

Nick & Wrens lives are constantly intertwined through a series of very unfortunate events meaning they are so close to meeting on so many occasions before they actually do. It is definitely a book for slow burn lovers (which is me) and I love that we got to see so much of Nick and Wren as individuals and they both had their own character arcs separate the them as a couple. I also thought the side characters were all amazing, especially Lydia and I hope she gets her own book in the future.

I sadly didn’t feel the characters had much chemistry when they did get together which was a shame, I also found some of the writing to be quite cringy (did Edie really need to say pardon my French so many times?)

It was a nice read. The whole 'If it's meant to be, it will happen' thing is one of my favs! although, a lot of 'accident' were repetitive and after SO MANY of them i was slowly getting annoyed at this book. Incidents happen, but that many? BUT it was still a good book, so i would recommend it anyway.

I was rooting for Wren and Nick from the start. I am so glad it got sorted out at the end!



I would give this book 4 of 5 stars, because although it was doing too much sometimes, it was still fun to read it.

This book was one of two halves. I found the first halve pretty tough going. Although the characters introduced were likeable enough (special mention goes to Edie - definitely my favourite) all the “near misses” bordered on frustrating and seemed pretty unrealistic. I was desperately willing Wren and Nick to meet!

Although the first half was very slow burn, once Wren and Nick actually met (about halfway through) Lily Joseph turned it around. The pace quickened and although there were also near misses in the second half, I found it much more endearing. Wren and Nick are very sweet and the backdrop of the Community Kitchen throughout made for a warm story.

If you can persevere through the first half, you shouldn’t be disappointed.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The Near Miss is a light-hearted romance about the invisible string theory.

This book is definitely a slow burn, especially considering the main characters spend the better part of the book trying to “kill” each other. And while slow burns might not be for everyone; I think the author was able to make it very worthwhile through all their incidents and near-misses.

I really liked both Wren and Nick - I was rooting for them since the beginning. My favourite character though had to be Edie, she really made a lot of the book for me.

The only place where I feel this did lack was the actual romance aspect, simply because we did not get to read enough of it. There is just such a big build-up to them finally meeting, that it was almost disappointing that their romance was rushed.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s style of writing, humour and plot - will definitely be reading future books in a heartbeat.

Nick and Wren have chaotic lives that have intersected without them knowing. Will they keep living parallel lives or will they meet and test the hands of fate?

A cute romance with a dual POV! I liked this read a lot. Loved the idea of interviewing Edie and how small their little world was. Really enjoyed Nick and Wren. Couldn’t stand Alex lol. Overall a cute fluffy feel good read!

An entertaining and fun "star-crossed lovers" styled romance that blends loveable characters with quirky "sliding doors"mishaps and some heartfelt messages about family and belonging.
I really enjoyed reading Wren and Nick's perspectives, their personalities and challenges made an interesting angle. The whole premise made me think about people who we have connections with that we never often realise and how these micro interactions can shape our futures in significant ways.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (Honestly, I’m not just throwing stars around, but this one’s a keeper!)

📚 If “Book Lovers” had you swooning, prepare to fall head over heels for “The Near Miss.”

🏖️ This is the perfect beach read for anyone who loves a good romantic comedy. It has everything a charming summer read should have; serendipity, second chances, travel, vino, true love and a whole list of lovable characters.

👫 Captivating journey of near misses of love and death. When they FINALLY do meet the story goes further back than you ever expected.

💕 Lily Joseph strikes the perfect balance between laughter and tears (seriously I almost cried). This is a dual POV book and I loved the cross over between the characters and their side of the story.

📖 Why You Need This Book: For me any book that combines humour, destiny, love and Italy is a must read but the plot and setting isn’t the reason you should read this book. The characters in this book all come together to make it the incredible story it is. The characters really hit home for me, I loved the father daughter holiday & really made me think what it would be like to take my dad to Italy and Nick’s Grandma is a inspirational woman regardless of whether she’s fictional or not.

I thoroughly enjoyed the twists, turns and, at times, the bumps of Wren and Nick's story! Chaos follows them as they navigate their way through the latest challenges life throws at them, pushing the two ever-closer.
I spent most of the novel desperate for their paths to cross, impatiently wishing fate would hurry up and work it's magic.
The warm, friendly characters and the gorgeous settings of Northumberland and Italy made me smile, and make this the perfect book to curl up and get lost in. A unique will-they-won't they rom-com.

I look forward to seeing what Lily Joseph writes next!


Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this novel.

First book I’ve ever read of this author and I will definitely read more, I really enjoyed it. Lily clearly has a way of writing that really transports you. From the beginning of the story I could imagine the street with the glass incident and all the other locations from that point.

I like the pace of this book. It was fast pace in a sense, and energy of the writing style but it also slowed down at times when needing to linger on something.

I usually don’t get as a good of a feel for characters when I cannot read their POV but I got a great concept of who Wren really is.

I really enjoyed this play on invisible string theory. I was worried that I might be longing too much for them to properly interact but the way this was done was really enjoyable.

My only critique, and the reason for not giving the final star, as that there was a lot going on. There were a lot of additional characters to keep up with and additional storylines. This worked for me in the sense that it kept the pace fast and I kept reading but I did feel lost for short periods of times.

I read this quickly and would happily recommend it to others.

Thank you to Lily Joseph and Bookouture for allowing me to read an advance copy of this!!

Cute debut novel from Lily Joseph! Lighthearted, easy to read romance🫶🏼

Started this in a reading slump so took me a little while to get into but enjoyed it in the end.

I enjoyed her writing describing the settings in the story, I could imagine myself in Italy, Edie’s home and the bookshop which helped to immerse myself more in the story.

The premise of the story is all about fate and how the universe allows people meet when they are supposed to. I like the concept of this book and did enjoy the two main characters Wren and Nick’s story playing out and how their story comes full circle in the end. I did however feel that there were too many little incidents that did end up getting a bit repetitive towards the end.

I still do recommend giving this a read, will be looking forward to what Lily Joseph writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early copy

I was really excited for this book, but unfortunately I just didn't love it. I think the premise was unique and really cute - but I think there was just too much build-up to the actual romance part. By the time the couple meets, it's already almost halfway through the book and there was just so much that happened already; the excitement just wasn't there anymore. Then the couple meets each other and almost immediately (within a day) start hooking up. It was a little strange, and the chemistry just wasn't there. I would consider reading the final version of the book once published!

“It was electric, and the fireworks on the harbour were nothing compared to the sparks that flew between them”

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for a review! This book was really cute and very “invisible string” by Taylor swift coded.

Plot: 3.5/5
Spice: 0.5

✨ “Nick had felt like he was written in her stars” ✨

Wren and Nick kept missing each other and also almost dying a lot. Like how did they not die lol. It was an absolute wild ride to get to their HEA. The idea of “fate” tying them into these wild circumstances was so fun though, and once they’d met, I loved seeing what these two would do to save each other too. And that they acknowledge how fate is either trying to kill them or show them how important they are to each other.

The good:
The Capri scenes were so vivid!!! Felt like I was there. The boat and the blue grotto scene will live in my mind forever. Also wren jumping off a boat twice? Wild girl.
Single dad 🥵
Wren’s relationship with her dad 🥹
I LOVE how they figure out how they’ve been tied together for so long. Cute cute cute.


The not so great:
The side characters were a honestly little annoying 🫣
Wren’s (ex) boyfriend suuuucks
Why was Nick’s dad such a dick? And his brother was so selfish??? Nick had no one looking out for him. (Enter Wren I guess)
Also why was everyone hiding so much?

Overall though very very cute, and I love that it was British so I could read it in a British accent LOL.

Would recommend if you’re into the idea of fate, wild circumstances and a happily ever after 💕

I was quite excited by the premise of the book and hoped for a cute romcom book. Unfortunately the whole book was just a big lead up to romance which felt kinda rushed at the end.
I really wish that the lead up to the romance starting would have gotten to faster, when they finally met it was 50% into the book and as lovely it was to read all of the things that connect their lives, i wanted to read this book for romance more.
same goes for some storylines, it was nice story but felt unneccessary and at the end it just took time away from the main characters. Also, how the book was set up i really expected it to be written from 1st person POV and it being switched between Wren&Nick but even though it switched between them it all was written in 3rd person which bothered me a lot.
Overall, the story was promising but the things that i noted just didnt make it to be a good fit for me