What a surprising charmer! I hadn't read Hameroff's first novel, in which Ali was a supporting character, but it wasn't necessary (though now I have to go read it). Love Ali and her tenacity and fearlessness. Who can resist Graham's Jude Law in The Holiday vibes? I mean she even gave him the character's name. From the initial date of tattoos to the end grand gesture (one of the more realistic ones I've read) this book charmed me. Love a strong Jewish female character. Love that she wouldn't settle for less than she wanted, even though it would cause her pain. Love Bubbe! Love how close and loving the families were. Just a great read. 4.5 stars Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Griffin for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is laugh-out-loud funny from cover to cover. Even though it's a very close rewrite of the rom com THE WEDDING PLANNER, which I have loved since it came out, it's still really cute. The FMC is hilarious and relatable and adorable. The MMC is a swoony, delicious, heart throb. They're great together. There is a believable, palpable tension between them which makes this a propulsive read.

Ali is shocked to learn that Graham, the English guy she has a matching tattoo with eight years ago is the groom at a wedding she is working at. But why is there something off about the bride and groom, and why can't Ali and Graham stop hanging out with each other?

I wanted to like this book, but I found myself disliking Ali and Graham and it all went downhill from there. Ali acted like the victim at the start, especially when she got angry after erroneously believeing they were on a date. Graham had no spine and couldn't come clean with anyone about anything! I also found him being British (but of course he had family in Baltimore yet they never discussed this the night they met?) too contrived to just play up a stereotype. The pace dragged on so much that by about 63% I skimmed through to get to the end (and I'm glad I did because every scenario was excruciating). I think this book could've cut 60 pages out and it would've made the story might tighter.

The romance also just felt like insta-lust and that we were told more than shown any real reasons for them to be together. And while I understand the author has to put her characters together, some scenarios felt too contrived. Ali had other people to call when her car broke down, and there was no reason not to just drive her to the petrol station to buy a can of petrol to get her back on the road. I also eye rolled at the freezer and cake tasting session too. The big thing for me though was Graham pretending to be Ali's boyfriend for her family and going to their functions when he was engaged. WTF?

Not a winner for me I'm afraid. But I know I'm in the minority, so take this review with a pinch of salt.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

5 stars – Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff is funny, cute and will keep you guessing about what’s next. We have our main characters, Graham and Ali, that met one night at a bar in London. They had a ton of chemistry then, hooked up and commemorated the occasion with a unique tattoo. Fast forward to today, our FMC Ali is interning in a new career path in Baltimore as a wedding planner and guess who her new clients are – bride to be Claire and Graham. The story is very good, the banter is funny, and the chemistry/spice are off the charts. I had a hard time putting this book down and read it quickly. If you like rom coms, then this one is for you!

A big Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

DNF-ed at 49%. Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Summary of the plot:

Ali and Graham met eight years ago in London at a bar, ended up drunkingly getting matching tattoos together, and hooking up for a one-night stand. Ali never expected to see him again until she spots a familiar British looking guy in line for coffee. Turns out, it's Graham! They go out for drinks to catch up. The next day, Ali and Graham bump into each other again, but oh no, it's to plan Graham's wedding. Ali is an intern wedding planner and her company got selected to plan Graham's wedding to his sweet fiance Claire. Graham's grandma wants the wedding to happen at her hotel, which hasn't been doing too hot lately. If Ali is successful at planning this wedding, the hotel will start to see more business again and she'll earn a full time position at the company. Determined to get that promotion to prove her family that she can succeed, she wrestles with her romantic feelings for Graham, and he seems to be struggling to do the same.

Thoughts on the book:

Honestly, I could not stand Ali. I felt like she was playing the victim card too much. She complains about how her family sees her as a disappointment because she switches jobs too quickly and has too many passions. But she doesn't quite take accountability for her actions. For example, she went to culinary school, which her father paid for, but then decided to drop out of the industry to become an event planner. She'll claim it's because she's searching for her true passion in life but doesn't really acknowledge the financial cost of that. Also, the fact that Graham defends her and think she's great because she's excellent at her job--like yes, two seemingly-opposing ideas can be true. She can be excellent at her job while also having a track record of switching careers on a whim (which is frustrating). (Also, Graham has only known her for a handful of days compared to how long her family has known her. I think he's a little biased.)

Another victim playing card: after Ali and Graham bump into each other and decide to get drinks, Ali assumes it's a date. I get it, I might think it's a date too. But then once she figures out he's engaged, she calls him a cheater and said he lied. Again, if I was Ali, I would be upset too. But she kind of doubles down and continue to make it seem like she's the biggest victim here even after he apologies for not clarifying anything (which he definitely should have because she asked him if he had a wife and he said "not that I know of" instead of saying he's going to have one soon). Still... Then she feels entitled enough to tell him how he shouldn't be running his grandma's hotel and doing his regular job at the same time. Again, they've only known each other for a short period of time.

I also didn't really like the romance either. I get that Ali and Graham are supposed to be end game. But literally every situation forces them together. Oh, the FT wedding planner got sick and can't attend the cake tasting AND the bride to be doesn't like cake either? Guess Ali has to be alone with Graham. Oh, Ali's car ran out of gas, but she can't call anyone else EXCEPT Graham? (It also annoyed me that Ali played the victim card here too by claiming she's a disappointment to her family yet again for not filling her gas...) Claire has to leave the state to attend her job for four weeks and the grandma decided she's micromanaging and wants to step out of the planning? Oh, guess Graham has to be with Ali ALONE, AGAIN. Oh, Ali got stuck in an industrial walk-in freezer? Must be Graham who comes to save her.

The romance just felt forced in my opinion. On top of the fact that I didn't really like Ali has a protagonist, I decided to DNF this book. Though I will say I am still curious about why Graham and Claire are getting married, but oh well. Guess I'll never know.

I absolutely fell in love with Lindsay‘s writing with her first book, it’s one I hold near dear to my heart, and I have it on my trophy shelf. I was so excited when I learned that there would be another one, and this one did not disappoint! The story, the characters, all of it just hits you right in the emotions and all the best ways. Absolutely recommend, and it’s another one that I will be adding to my shelf. When it becomes available. All the stars!

ARC REVIEW (thanks NETGALLEY!)

I’ve been on a serious historical romance kick but was offered an arc copy of this and couldn’t refuse!

I thought I was going to hate Ali but she wound up being the perfect mix of messy and relatable. I wish there was more Graham he almost seemed like a side character. I wish The blurb didnt tell you it’s a marriage of convenience because it kind of ruins the tension but at the same time people would probably not read thinking there’s cheating in book.

All in all I enjoyed Never Planned on You and would read more books by Lindsay!

A mashup of second chance/the one who got away with a dash of marriage of convenience. Ali and Graham are tied together by an unforgettable (with matching weird/unique tattoos) night 8 years ago when a chance encounter in Baltimore brings up unresolved feelings. Standouts of the book were their respective families (esp. Trudy). Ali and Graham both have something to prove to their families and wrestle their conflicting commitments to the people who count on them and to each other. Their chemistry was palpable and honestly, I was rooting for them and giddy whenever they had their secret moments together. One thing I didn't understand was their self-proclaimed commitment-phobia that suddenly went away and was never addressed again - didn't seem very believable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book - was curious to see how the author makes the "other woman" aspect work but she does. Read if you love weddings and love!

Thank you to St. Martins and NetGalley for the ARC!

5 stars for this cute and meaningful story about a one-night stand, the passage of time, and true love.
Ali is a trying to find herself. Graham is set on getting married.
These two meet, have a one-night fling, then go their separate ways.
8 years after, the are thrown back together when Ali is his wedding planner.
But things are not all as they seem... there is a spoiler in here I don't want to reveal because it is the impetus for the book, so.. having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed this tale.
5 stars.

DNF at 30%. I’m so sorry—I truly wanted to love this book and was captivated by one of the best prologues I’ve ever read. However, after a few chapters, it became increasingly clear that I was losing interest in the main characters, despite the chemistry the author portrayed. The dialogue felt overly drawn-out, and the development of the male main character took a direction that made it difficult for me to stay engaged—not the plot, which I was eager to see unfold, but rather the portrayal of his personality. This reaction is entirely personal and reflects my own preferences regarding the author’s writing style. I still appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC.

A great second chance romance! I enjoyed Graham & Ali and going on their journey. Everybody deserves a second chance and I’m glad that Graham & Ali gave each other one.

My first & will not be my last book that I read by Lindsay Hameroff. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

Ali and Graham are the sweetest. Ali and Graham met on Aii's last day studying abroad. They drink and make a bet and get matching tattoos and have one night together. Fast forward 8 years later and they find each other again. Ali starts to think he's the one that got away and he is drawn to her too, but pulls back. She is working as an event planner and he ends up being the groom in her wedding assignment. She feels crushed and lied to. Graham is hiding a secret, but can't stay away from Ali. From the beginning, they seem right for each other. There's drama, but they are both good people and find their way back.

Ali has never forgotten her one night stand with Graham and the connection is still strong when she unexpectedly
runs into him at a coffee shop. While he's told her he is back to help his grandmother, he leaves out an important.
fact. Ali is shocked when he shows up as the groom for a wedding she is helping to plan. When Claire, the bride to be
heads to New York for work, Ali and Graham are thrown together, fighting their mutaual attraction. Family and.
friends add to the story as well as Graham's secret about his upcoming marriage.
A fun read.
#NeverPlannedonYou #StMartinsPress #StMartinsGriffin #NetGalley

This was a fun second-chance romance about Ali who met Graham on her last night of study abroad in the UK. Years later, they run into each other in Baltimore and the sparks are still there. But then, things get complicated. I didn't personally relate to the main character, but it was still entertaining. The side characters were great!

Never Planned on You is a fun romance where Ali and Graham's completely different personalities aren't the hang-up to a happily ever after. The pair originally meet when Ali is spending a semester abroad in England and the two hook up after getting hideously ugly tattoos. Eight years later the pair meet again in Baltimore and once again the sparks immediately fly between the pair. On her third different career pursuit of her twenties, Ali is determined to have success as an event planner with a high profile wedding. Those plans are dealt a severe blow when Graham walks in the door after a fiancée that Ali has already decided she adores. The two are still attracted to each other but everywhere she turns, Ali sees reasons why she shouldn't tell anyone about her past or pursue something more with Graham. But is the relationship between him and Claire LESS than what it seems? And her family adores him. And they have so much in common. The pair have their flaws, but that's part of the fun of watching the two fall in love and try to find a solution that allows them to have a future together. I found myself rooting Ali on to embrace who she is without worrying about living up to her older sister Sarah, and for Graham to stop putting everyone before himself. A mix of funny and sweet moments, this romance gave me all the happy feels. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ali is the Jewish younger daughter on her 3rd career living in Baltimore who is viewed by her family as the one who bounces around. She’s really hoping to make a go as a wedding and event planner using her skills as a former hotel chef. Graham is the Jude Law via The Holiday uptight Brit helping his grandmother turn around the family business. A chance second meeting, a wedding, and demonic King Charles Cavalier make this an easy and enjoyable rom-com.

Lindsey Hameroff succeeded in writing 2 truly likable characters. I often find the FMC to be annoying, but Ali was relatable and normal. Her dry, deadpan humor made me chuckle many times. And who doesn’t love a hot, glasses wearing Englishman? I just really enjoyed this book. There was a bit of spice … 🌶️🌶️🌶️. I don’t mind spice but I don’t feel like it added anything to this book. Closed door would have worked better, IMO.

If you are a fan of 2nd chance rom-coms, I definitely recommend you reading Never Planned on You. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and martins press for the ARC!

5 ⭐️

This was and amazing read that had me laughing at times! Ali is the MC and she’s on a personal journey of forming herself! And along the way comes a one night stand from years past! And the rest is history!!! Love love love!

I never planned on enjoying this book as much as I did.
I couldn't put it down. Ali and Graham had such lovely banter and connection, and it came through on every page.
They felt like real people.

Definitely an author I will be picking up again in the future, and will definitely be recommending this book to friends!

This was such a cute second chance romance! The characters were fun and lovable. There are a lot of silly and cute moments. Ali is free-spirited, while Graham is pragmatic. Ali struggles to find her place in the world as she navigates her complicated relationship with Graham. The story was enjoyable, and exciting!

Ali meets Graham on one of her last nights in the UK, where bets are made. She then doesn't see him again until years later when she waits behind him in a Baltimore coffee shop. Is it a second chance at love? Unfortunately Graham is engaged, and Ali is employed to help plan the big day.

I almost gave up on this one, but stuck with it and was pleased with the ending.

The writing is enjoyable, if a little heavy handed with the pop culture references. I would read other stories in this universe if they were different troupes. This one just wasn't one of my favourites.