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.

Loved this book! I was in a reading slumped and this book brought me out of it. Love the emotion that I felt with this book. 10 out of 10 I recommend. It was a super cute superfast book that will make you angry for a second. Lindsey did an amazing job writing this book! I can’t wait to see what else she reads, because I can’t wait to get my hands on it. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

I am so happy this author gave us more from this world. And oh how I loved this book. It was wonderful to see how these two found their happily ever after. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Lindsay Hameroff’s second novel. Having loved her Til There was You, I also enjoyed the story of Ali and Graham. From their initial meeting to years later running into each other in line at a coffee shop, their strong connection was intense and adorable.

Ali’s family was a perfect blend to add to her character and Graham’s grandmother was just the right mix to his. Recognizing her 2 friends Chloe and Lexi from TTWY was icing on the cake.

Eight years ago, on her last night in London, Ali had an amazing evening with a guy (Graham) that she had just met. It was also a somewhat wild night, as it involved Ali and Graham getting matching thigh tattoos that were half pig, half unicorn. Ali never expects to see Graham again, so imagine her surprise when he turns up in a Baltimore coffee shop, and the sparks from eight years ago are still present. In the intervening eight years, Ali has been trying to find herself. She went to culinary school and worked as a line chef for a few years but ultimately decided it was not for her. She is now back in Baltimore, living with her parents, and interning as an event planner at the company where her sister's best friend, Asha, works. Ali has convinced her boss to let her help Asha plan the wedding for the grandson of Trudy Dyson, the owner of the Black-Eyed Susan, an iconic Baltimore hotel. Ali is excited about the possibilities, and she cannot help but like the bubbly bride-to-be Claire, a comedy writer. However, her world is turned upside down when she finally meets the groom -- who is none other than Graham. If Ali reveals her connection to Graham, she will be taken off the project and lose her big opportunity. However, keeping the connection secret becomes harder as they end up spending more time together as part of the wedding planning, especially when Claire has to head to New York City for four weeks for work, leaving Graham to handle the details. The universe also seems to be conspiring to bring Ali and Graham together in settings outside of the wedding planning.

Adding to the confusion is Ali's meddling Jewish family, as well as her insecurity about her place in the family, as she believes they view her as flighty and unserious; Graham's efforts to revitalize the Black-Eyed Susan, which holds special meaning for him; and the sense that something is not quite right about the engagement (which when revealed, changes everything but also nothing). The story is full of humorous moments, but also tender and heartfelt moments as both Ali and Graham have to figure out what they really want in life, and if there is a way their respective lives can be intertwined.

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! The main characters felt so real and relatable, and I found myself really invested in their journey. There was plenty of tension that kept me guessing right up until the end! I usually steer clear of stories with an "other woman" angle, but this one had a twist that was refreshingly different.

I was provided this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, and Lindsay Hameroff for the early access copy of Never Planned on You.

Never Planned on You tells the story of Ali and Graham. Ali is known for her spontaneity, like when she made a bet in London with a stranger that resulted in both of them getting matching tattoos. Years later, Ali is trying to get a new start in a new career in her hometown and trying to break the perception of being the family fake. Ali never expected to see her tattoo twin again, she's thought about him sure, but when she hears his voice again ordering coffee at her favorite cafe, she wonders if it is fate. That is until she realizes Graham is the groom of the wedding she is planning. Graham is planning a marriage of convivence with his best friend, but when Ali appears, everything goes sideways. Ali and Graham need to figure out if they can ignore their chemistry or give in to their growing feelings.

I devoured this book! The tension written between Ali and Graham is palpable. With the impossible situation for the two of them, it was hard not to wonder how their situation could work. As someone who is not a fan of the idea of a groom lusting after someone else, this topic was well covered. The character development and imperfections of both were beautifully written. Absolutely loved this story.

Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff would've made a bajillion dollars as a romcom movie in the 2000's. This story has all the sexiness, low agnst, and hijinks of a classic second chance romance trope. If you're currently a fan of Nobody Wants This on Netflix then you should definitely get ahold of this book. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

I love second chance romances and this one was just what I wanted! The romance was so sweet and the banter was great!

4 stars

A perfect “palate cleanser” between heavier reads. A little bit of 2nd chance romance, a little bit of opposites attract, a little bit of fake relationship.

I liked the Jewish cultural representation and oddly enough, I also want to visit Baltimore. A little bit of spice, but not overwhelmingt. Lots of fun pop culture references that will resonate with millennials as well as boomers.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the digital ARC.

This review is my opinion and my opinion only. I really enjoyed the story. It was well written and kept my attention throughout. I’m glad that I gave Lindsay Hameroff a chance. I will be reading more of her books in the future.
This story is about unintentional love. Ali is spontaneous and free spirited. She first met Graham in London on her last day of college. They are both competitive. Which leads them to do something(not saying must read the book), and having a one night stand.
Eight years later, Ali is back in Baltimore and working as a wedding planner. She unexpectedly runs into Graham at a coffee shop. They agree to have dinner to catch up.
One of Baltimore’s elite, is coming to Ali’s work to have them plan the wedding of her grandson.
What happens next? You need to read the book to find out.
It’s an enjoyable book. You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks so much to Lindsey Hameroff and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the eARC of this title. This book is very well written and definitely look forward reading more from Lindsay. This is a quick and easy weekend read, as well as such a cute rom-com.

Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff

3.5 Stars

Overview: Ali Rubin is carefree, spunky, and spontaneous. One night, forever engraved in her memory, will greet present Ali with a force she cannot resist. Enter Graham, a young, handsome British man who is a major player in Ali's night to remember. Both of them are navigating their lives while now seeing if there is a chance to rekindle their initial spark.

Our Thoughts: Fun, second chance romance that you will probably enjoy while learning a bit about Jewish culture. The two characters make for a surprising couple, which draws you in. The plot line includes some complicated twists that are not my personal preference, but the author ties the knot in the conclusion which had me smiling.
#NodsToJewishCulture

Perfect if you like ...
Different Cultural Engagement
Wedding Planner
Family Loyalty
British Accents ;)

This was a winner in my book. Well-written, great wit and humor that often mad me laugh out loud and likable MCs all made it an enjoyable fast read. It could possibly have moved along a bit more quickly, but I was never tempted to put it down. I’m definitely going to look for the author’s earlier book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for sending my an ARC of this book! I really enjoyed Lindsay Hameroff 's other book last year and I was excited to read this one! Overall, I really enjoyed it and I felt like the writing was well done and easy to get lost in. That being said there were a few things about the plot that I didn't love and I just wasn't rooting for the main character's relationship very much. I don't want to say more than that because it would be spoilers. The ending pushed it into 4 star range for me because the "The Price is Right" references were super fun and nostalgic. Others may love this book and I will definitely still pick up others by this author in the future! She is definitely an author whose style I enjoy! Thanks for the opportunity to review it!