I thought this cute rom com was great fun to read. I read it on vacation and it was the perfect light book I needed. I loved the characters and the dabble of Jewish culture throughout. I am definitely going to read through the author's backlist!

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC to review

Keep in mind, I don’t usually pick up rom-coms, so I may not be the target audience for this one, and I let that perspective shape my review.

Definitely a fun setup and the potential for a heartfelt rom-com, but overall it fell a bit flat for me. While there were some witty moments and sparks of chemistry, the characters didn’t fully resonate, and the emotional depth I was hoping for never quite developed. It’s a light, easy read that might work better for readers looking for a low-stakes romantic escape, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me personally.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

A very bingeable read! I much preferred Hameroff’s first novel but still had a good time while reading. She does a great job writing likeable characters and keeps the plot moving with fun banter.

This is the first book by this author and it is a nice romcom. I enjoyed the flow and the plot line as well as the realistic points of Ali's previous loves. Ali Rubin has always lived life to the fullest. When a night of drunken fun in London leads to matching tattoos with a stranger, followed by a passionate and memorable one-night stand, Ali has trouble leaving Graham behind. Now, eight years later, Ali’s joie de vivre has taken her from NYC to Baltimore, where she is one wedding away from being a successful wedding planner. Unfortunately for them both, the groom just so happens to be her one-night stand, Graham. The romance, the friends that would do anything as well as love finding a way. Overall, this was a hilarious, fateful romcom, and I’m shocked at how much I loved it; it exceeded my expectation. Definitely will be reading more by this author. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher.

🌸 Book Review: Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff 🌸

What do you get when a spontaneous chef-turned-wedding-planner reunites with a British fling from her past? A rom-com filled with laughter, love, and a dash of serendipity.💕

Ali Rubin's journey from impulsive decisions to finding her true calling is both heartwarming and humorous. When she unexpectedly reconnects with Graham Wyler, the chemistry is undeniable. But there's a twist: Graham is the groom in the high-profile wedding Ali is planning. 😱

This delightful tale explores themes of second chances, personal growth, and the unpredictable nature of love. With witty banter, relatable characters, and a setting that feels like home, it's a must-read for romance enthusiasts.

📚 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
💬 Favorite Quote: "Sometimes, the best plans are the ones you never make."

#BookReview #RomanceReads #NeverPlannedOnYou #LindsayHameroff #SecondChanceRomance #Bookstagram #RomCom #LoveUnexpected #BaltimoreCharm #MustRead

Never Planned on You explores love's unpredictability. Impulsive and witty Ali meets her friend’s mysterious roommate, Graham, during a darts competition that leads to matching tattoos and a night to remember. Fast forward eight years, and they reunite at a coffee shop, reigniting that undeniable spark, if only the timing weren’t so off.

The chemistry between Ali and Graham is electric, filled with charming banter that makes you root for them. Ali’s family, especially her grandmother, adds an extra layer of fun as do the nostalgic 90s pop culture and music references.

If you love second-chance romances with quirky characters, try this lighthearted read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the gifted copy!

This was just a great read. I was just drawn into this story so thoroughly. I just had so much fun reading this story.

Just so not for me - the main characters were so frustrating and there were far too many pop culture references for my tastes.

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Never Planned on You is a delightful romantic comedy that manages to bring together emotion, humor and moral dilemmas. Centering Ali Rubin, known for being a little bit impulsive and a whole lot spontaneous, she comes across Graham again, a complete stranger with whom Ali has matching tattoos after a drunken bet during a trip to London. But now, Ali is organizing his wedding. Where could that possibly lead?

Okay, the strongest points of the book for me were the chemistry between the protagonists (Ali and Graham have such a unique story, and moments that truly reveal a deep mutual understanding), the symbolic use of cooking (Ali’s passion for cooking evolves with her personal journey) and the fresh and engaging twists on romantic clichés.

The only true problem I had was with the pacing, I felt it slow down, especially in the middle of the book, which made me a little disinterested for a while.

Overall, the book is an engaging read combining romance, humor and true reflections on life choices. Ali and Graham’s story show that true love doesn’t plan when to show up, and that it truly takes courage to follow your heart, even when it defies conventions.

I sadly ended up DNF’ing. I enjoyed it at the beginning but it just kept going down hill every chapter. I did not enjoy the cheating aspect and hate how long it took the mmc to come forward and tell the fmc the truth.

This actually leans more into 3.5 stars for me, because I am CONFLICTED. I really did enjoy this book and the chemistry of the characters was great, but there was something that bothered me about all of the dishonesty that was happening here. While it became obvious that there was no ACTUAL cheating going on here, there was something about how these secrets were being kept from each other and how everything was happening behind people's backs that made this feel a slight bit disingenuous. Again, I picking at a small detail, but it did make me lose some of my excitement for their story.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

dnf at 30%

From the description, I was hoping for a forbidden romance, which this might’ve turned into, but I couldn’t continue reading when Graham could’ve told Ali the truth about his engagement multiple times. At that point, any relationship of theirs would’ve been cheating, and I am not a fan of that. Also, why are these two people so obsessed about a hookup that happened eight years ago?

Thank you Lindsay Hameroff and Netgalley for the e-arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

This book was funny and sweet and had perfectly imperfect people.

Unfortunately, I just don’t think this author is for me. I DNFed this one - I didn’t like the main characters, the writing wasn’t doing it for me and I just couldn’t get into this one.

Tattooed fate, surprise reunions, and a wedding neither of them expected!! A fun rom-com with heart, heat, and hilarity. Ali is the kind of heroine you want to be best friends with, and her chemistry with Graham practically jumps off the page. Add in a fake wedding, family pressure, and a once-glam hotel needing a glow-up, and you've got a second-chance romance that’s as charming as it is swoony. 💕💕💕

Never Planned On You is Lindsay’s second book, and if I may say so, is better than her first (which I also loved and also gave 5 stars too) 👀 this rom-com had me laughing on the subway and rooting that our main characters could figure it out.

Ali is spontaneous and her friends and family know her as a bit of a wild child. She’s done things like get a matching tattoo with a relative stranger. Now, she’s determined to show her family that she is committed to her career, even though she’s just quit one path for another. As she sets out to become an event planner, she moves back home in with her parents. Ali gets a big break helping plan a high profile wedding, but it turns out she knows the groom…remember that matching tattoo? Graham’s still got it and the pair might have some chemistry that they can’t avoid.

Lindsay did such a wonderful job with this one. I loved the comedy elements and the chemistry between Ali and Graham really came off the page. Ali’s family was wonderful, and I loved how Jewish they were.

Plus, there’s a great twist halfway through the story 🫢

The tropes of this book were not for me, unfortunately. It definitely felt more like cheating and less than a sweet romance. It was still sweet, but the main character definitely needed to figure some stuff out, and the love interest was just infuriating for me.

While I really loved Till There Was You, this book fell a little flat for me.

The FMC felt a bit too “pick me” with her outgoing personality and calling football “sports ball.” I mean….everyone at least knows what it’s called?

For having one night 8 years ago, the spark came off a bit too strong for me. Maybe if it had been one night two years ago, but almost 10 years is a long time to suddenly feel blinding passion again.

I also didn’t love the “he’s about to get married to someone else but they’re consistently caught alone together.” No matter the circumstances, it felt icky to me.

I will say, there were definitely cute moments, romantic moments, and moments that had me giggling, but unfortunately that wasn’t enough to make up for the rest of it. I loved her first book so I’m hoping that this book’s tropes just weren’t for me and I’ll fall in love with the next one!

The ARC has a better cover. The audiobook I got has an atrocious cover that I’m glad changed.

But all that aside, I enjoyed reading this book so much. Graham and Ali had such a fun dynamic and were such interesting characters. I enjoyed each of their backstories and how both their jobs and reputations were at stake in some capacity.

I only wish that the whole marriage of convenience part wasn’t revealed in the summary. However, if it was kept in the summary, it should’ve been mentioned earlier in the book, probably when they first connected.

A dual POV would’ve been cool as well.

Thank you, Netgalley and SMP, for the ARC!

I LOVED the depth of the characters in Never Planned on You. They both had a deep sense of self and self respect. This was SO The Wedding Planner, which is a big guilty pleasure of mine. Our MCs had great chemistry and great growth.