I really enjoyed this book it was a kind of sliding doors going backwards.
Liv is marrying James she walks into a room in the hotel and finds herself back in the week before Kit who is James's brother and Liv's first love disappears.
She has to find out what happens and if she can change it.
I found this book fascinating if you could go back with the knowledge you have would you change things?
It was interesting seeing how Liv explained it to people and if they would believe her.
It is told from two points of view but not the ones you might think. You realise halfway through that the person you thought was one of the pov is not.
It is an interesting idea and we'll thought out.
I liked Liv also James and Ava. I also eventually liked Kit. It deals with second chances it also deals with some serious issues.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I loved this one! It was such an amazing concept and one I've thought myself in my life many times and enjoyed living it through this book. I'll be sharing this with all of my friends and family!

This book read like a Taylor Jenkins Reed book in the best possible way! It was unique and surprising and I could not put it down! I loved every minute of this book.

3.5★

Synopsis:
The book follows Liv who had lost her boyfriend Kit on a hike seven years ago, yet with the support of her family and friends she was able to overcome the heartbreak and grief of losing him and finds love again...in his brother, James. But on the day of their marriage, everything turned upside down, she found herself back in time in the apartment she used to share with Kit exactly six days before he disappeared. Interesting right? So what will she do now? Will she try to stop Kit from going to that trip and find her happily ever after with him or will she spend those six days with him relishing their memories for one last time and go back to future to marry his brother? Trust me the choice is not going to be that easy. And most importantly can she really change the course of her life?? She can’t directly confront him about her journey from future and what fate has in store for him. Like imagine telling the current love of your life that he is going to vanish and you will fall for his brother in future...eh awkward can’t even cover it.

Anyways this review isn’t going to be very much descriptive. I’m trying to be vague to avoid spoiling anything in case any of you decide to read it cuz yeah the premise is definitely a standout and exciting.

What i loved:
- time travel element, the main thing which intrigued me in the first place and i am delighted to say it was flawlessly worth it, Liv’s journey through those six days filled lies, secrets, twists and revelations with gut-wrenching emotional moments of her, Kit and James kept me flipping the pages
- easy pacing, the prose was very beautifully crafted in a way which was super easy to follow along
- thought-provoking romance with a twist, the mystery element has me invested throughout the book, i was curious to know what is going on actually and what is going to happen next. It kept me second-guessing and theorizing what life-altering decision the characters are going to make and how this will affect their future. It was hard to put this book down with how balanced in both the elements of romance and mystery aspects and engaging it was.
- the ending, on very rare occasions last chapters of a book leave me satisfied and yes, this book is one of them, the revelations left me stunned and moved. The ending gave me the closure i needed and at the same time left me hanging on some aspects

What could have been better:
- the events and switch between timelines felt disjoined and uneven to me
- at times the plot was draggggged without any major reason
- i wish the exploration of both relationship was done deeper, overuse of kit pissed was annoying
- the explanation of the reason behind this time-travel was non-existent
- there were many questions which were just brushed off without any proper decent conversation

Overall, if you are looking for a thought-provoking read of love, healing and choices holding powers to change the course of your life, mixed with perfect amount of romance, magical-realism and mystery, this book is for you. Perfect for the fans of One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers, Boldwood Books for the ARC.
#TheOneBeforetheOne #NetGalley.

This is my first read by the author but it definitely won’t be my last because it was such a different take on the time travel romance trope and I loved it. It was nothing like I expected in a very good way. This will be a pretty vague review so as not to spoil anything because it was just so much more than a romance. It deals with a couple of heavy issues that have to do with mental health both of which aren’t in literature very often and I appreciate that. If you’re looking for a heart-fluttering romance this isn’t that book. The author seamlessly wove a tale from multiple points of view and numerous timelines.

I did enjoy the character of Mac and his relationship and the time he spent bonding with his visitor, the banter was charming and humorous. I just wish there was a more in-depth backstory of Liv and James’ relationship as well as in the current timeline. I loved the descriptive prose of the countryside, the author knows her stuff. The twist really surprised me and that rarely happens. The short chapters had me flipping pages furiously and nonstop. This was a captivating story of romance, a bit of mystery and a lot of time travel was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Many thanks to my Goodreads friend Heather for bringing this book to my attention.

When I began reading, I thought I knew what was coming, but the way that Emma Cooper unfolded this story was brilliant and left me clinging to every word to decipher what happened to our wonderful heroine. I just wish there had been more love story between Liv and James, because they so delighted me!

I read this book expecting a love story wrapped up in some time travel but what I wasn't expecting was a mystery along the way.

On Liv's wedding day, a day she is set to marry her ex-boyfriend's brother, Liv finds herself 7 years in the past - still very much with said ex-boyfriend(Kit) on the week leading up to his disappearance. There is a dual timeline once we enter the time travel of "before he left me" and "after I left her", so from two different character's POV.

I am going to keep this spoiler free but what I will say is I was here for this mystery of trying to see if Liv could figure out what happened with Kit and why he left, and also if anything could change because of it. There were some twists in there I did not see coming and that I thought really added to the suspense.

I would most definitely recommend this one to those who like a little magic in their lives. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Groundhog Day aspect of this was fun, but it wasn’t super well executed and left me wanting. The writing was lovely however and kept me reading to the end

I love a time travel/magical realism plot! But this one did not work for me...I found the whole reason why Kit "disappears" was ultimately really silly to me. I also wish the reason HOW and WHY Liv was able to time travel. I did like how we got a glimpse of James being in love with Liv - that was so cute! Overall. I enjoyed reading this, but didn't connect with the storyline.

The title of The One Before The One really caught my attention, but the story left me wanting more, I was hoping for 'lessons in love', but it didn't quite deliver. While the time travel aspect had potential, a dual timeline could've worked better. The main plot twist? So disappointing! And the love triangle? Not my favorite trope, especially when its brothers. While it wasn't like other books I've read, it just wasn't for me.

This story was intense to say the least! I’m in awe of the way Emma Cooper has written this beautiful story of the trials and uncertainty of love. There were so many times I was confident that I knew what was going to happen only to find out I couldn’t have been more wrong! (I’m talking about the chapter switches here)

I’d recommend this for fans of romances with HUGE plot twists (and I mean HUGE)

This book had so much potential, and while I enjoyed parts of it, it didn’t entirely work for me. The premise is intriguing: a second chance to relive a week that could change everything, but as the story unfolded, it started to feel like there was just too much going on. The mix of romance, grief, and time bending drama was compelling at first, but it became overwhelming, and the story didn’t go the way I thought it would (or hoped it would).

Liv’s emotional journey is heartfelt, and I appreciated the exploration of love, loss, and what it means to move forward. However, some of the plot choices felt a bit overdone or unnecessary, and that detracted from the overall impact for me. I was left wanting something more cohesive and less scattered.

That said, Emma Cooper’s writing is engaging, and I can see this book resonating with readers who love emotional stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC.

ARC review - wow this was definitely not what I expected. I don’t even know what i expected to be honest. But I really enjoyed the book. I loved the time travel elements and how there were so many twists I was not expecting and I was really hooked. Each chapter ended and I wanted more.

On her wedding day, Liv unexpectedly goes back in time, 7 years ago. 6 days before her boyfriend goes missing. Trying to find out what had happened to Kit and try to stop him in the past.

I really enjoyed this book and it’s something I’ll think about regularly.

(There were a few spelling mistakes)

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Liv and Kit had a seemingly perfect and adventurous relationship, up until Kit's disappearance when he went on a solo hike. Devastated and heartbroken, Liv spends the next three years grieving, with the help of Kit's older brother James. James and Liv develop feelings for each other and find themselves in love and engaged, seven years after Kit's disappearance. On the morning of their wedding, Liv finds herself in the flat she shared with Kit, seven years in the past and six days before he went missing. Liv relives the next six days, trying to uncover what Kit was hiding and why he disappeared.

This book is similar to The Seven Year Slip, but not a copy and has a lot of differences. The concept of going back seven years to try and solve the mystery of her boyfriend's disappearance is very intriguing. I was glad she was quickly able to realize which brother she wanted to spend her life with and that James reconnected with his long lost family. James and Kit's mother is the worst character in the book, so the fact she doesn't get a lot of time in it is well appreciated.

This book includes LGBTQ+ representation, grief, little spice, mystery, addiction, and found family.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars.

Binge worthy read...for fans of Sophie Cousens, Josie Silver. This has romance, British setting, time travel, love triangle, good supporting cast; lots of my fave things. I really enjoyed it and wanted more time with some of the supporting characters (Mom, Ava, Mac). I liked how this one did the different POVs. I did guess part of the twist but not in a predictable way but in a 'wait could it be...' kind of way. Wanted to escape in a book this weekend and this delivered.

In The One Before the One, Olivia is transported back seven years, just before her boyfriend Kit’s disappearance, on the day she’s set to marry James. With knowledge of the future, Olivia must navigate her lingering feelings for Kit, uncover the truth behind his disappearance, and decide whether to alter the past or embrace her present happiness. A heartfelt and intriguing story about love, loss, and second chances.

I prefer to write my reviews right after finishing a book while the emotions and thoughts are still fresh in my mind. The One Before the One by Emma Cooper was not at all what I expected when I read the blurb. I thought it would be a lighthearted romcom, but it turned out to be a much deeper, more introspective novel that explores themes of love, family, the past, and confronting our true feelings. The way it intertwined these emotions kept me hooked, and the surprises along the way were incredibly well-done. Halfway through, I thought I had it figured out, only to be surprised by the plot halfway through.

The story follows Liv, whose boyfriend Kit disappeared seven years ago, presumed to be dead. On the day of her wedding to James, his brother, she is taken back in time to the week before Kit went missing. Liv gets to live through the days before Kit goes missing, learning more about herself in the process. Emma Cooper’s writing style is engaging and well paced, and she making it hard to put the book down. The journey through the protagonists' emotions and choices was more poignant than I anticipated.

Overall, The One Before the One is an emotional rollercoaster that blends humor, romance, and deep introspection in a way that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. A huge thank you to Emma Cooper, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy! #TheOneBeforetheOne #NetGalley

Yes!! I am ending the year with this gorgeous 5-star read packed full of swoonworthy romance, depth of character, tension and even time travel (but not in a frustrating "The Lake House" kind of way).

Revisiting the week before her boyfriend disappeared on the morning of her wedding to another man (who just so happens to be his brother) might sound a bit confusing but honestly give it a go as soon as you can!! There are answers to be found in the past to help steer the future. Oh, it's adorable. Could even bring a tear to your eye...

Excuse me while I retrieve my jaw off the floor. This was a twist like no other I’ve read before! Loved this, only deducted 1 star because I felt like some parts were dragged out a little too long. Would absolutely read more from this author!

✨ARC Review✨

To be honest, the cover is what drew me to this book. I had zero idea what it was actually about. What a freakin’ great surprise! It has all the vibes I want: yearning, drama, mystery, and a love story. Two, actually.

If you don’t want to jump in blind like I did, here’s a brief rundown: Liv’s boyfriend, Kit, went for a hike seven years ago and has been missing, presumed dead ever since. On the morning of her wedding to her new boyfriend, she travels back in time to the week before Kit went missing. Can she stop him from going? And if she does, who will she choose?

I don’t want give too much away, but the book is told in dual POVs and it’s a real page turner. I read the whole thing in one sitting.

#booksbooksbooks #contemporaryromance #contemporaryfiction #romancebooks #theonebeforetheone #emmacooper #bookreview #bookrecs #bookstagram