How We Met

by Katy Regan

A contemporary story of love, friendship and grief, told with Katy's inimitable laugh-out-loud humour, poignancy and heart.

There are some people you can’t imagine life without.

Liv Jenkins had been meticulously planning her ultimate to-do list – from the outrageous to sensible – of everything she longed to do before her dreaded thirtieth birthday, but when tragedy struck she never got the chance…

Two years later, Liv’s five closest friends have come together on the anniversary of her death and have made a pact: they will complete Liv’s to-do list in tribute to her memory.

Over the next year, before what would’ve been Liv’s thirtieth birthday, her friends set out to complete the tasks. But along the way deeply buried secrets, silent guilt, unrequited love and years of lies, rise to the surface rocking their friendships.

When they reach the end of Liv’s list the final task shakes the group to their core and they realise that they must face their futures and the consequences of their pasts, and with Liv’s help, live the lives they have always dreamed of.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Adult, Book Club, Novels

449 pages, Paperback

First published December 13, 2012

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never read a book by Katy Regan before, though I have heard positive things about her books, so I was quite looking forward to starting How We Met. I must say, the description really intrigued me, I wondered how a group of friends would cope with the loss of one of their team, so to speak. How would they each deal with their grief? Would some be hit by the loss harder than others? How would they cope and move on?

In How We Met, a group of friends are enjoying life, freedom, and dreaming of their future. But suddenly and unexpectedly Liv dies, and with one vital member of the group missing, everything stops as they all struggle to deal with the loss of their friend. As they try to cope with their grief in different ways, they stumble upon Liv’s List, and decide to fulfil every item on it in a tribute to her.

How We Met was a brilliantly written book which I thoroughly enjoyed. I found there was a lot of raw emotion in the book, and as I read the story I went through a range of emotions with the characters. I felt sad as I read about their grief and heartache, cheered on the characters when they pulled together to support each other, and smiled at the humour in the book.

The friendships between each of the characters were very well written. What I liked most was that they were real friendships, there was a lot of emotion in the relationships they had with each other and there were not only ups but also downs in the friendships, which made it authentic and very true to life. It was so very interesting to read about the development of the friendships between the characters, how they evolved and how friendships change over time. I think most readers will relate to this, as friendships do change, and sadly sometimes friendships are lost, but more positively, sometimes they are strengthened too.

This book reminded me about just how precious life is. I liked that How We Met had an important underlying message, to cherish the time you have, to live your life whilst you still can and to love others.

How We Met is an emotional book, with very relateable characters. It has the right mix of humour and moving moments, and will leave you thinking about your friendships long after you have turned the last page. Very thought-provoking.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I admit to be a bit embarrassed that I am enjoying what is often labelled as "chick literature", although I clearly do not belong to the target audience... But some of these books are really funny, an easy read and thus excellent entertainment. So I tend to read them in between more "heavy" books. "How We Met" was such a case. The best from this genre that I have read in a while. Katy Regan's story telling reminded me of Mhairi McFarlane and I look forward to discovering more of her writing.

[Romanticamente Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo è uno di quei bei libri che ti sorprendono man mano che li leggi! Leggendo il titolo, ero convinta che fosse una classica storia d’amore e, dopo aver letto la trama, l’ho iniziato con un po’ di timore, visto l’argomento: la morte di una giovane donna, che non era riuscita a fare tutto ciò che si era prefissata di fare prima dei trent’anni. Pensavo al rimpianto e alla tristezza di chi rimane e deve fare i conti con il dolore per la perdita di una persona amata, perciò ho messo una confezione gigante di fazzolettini accanto a me…e ho cominciato la lettura. Il libro è scritto bene, con molta ironia e positività che servono a superare momenti un po’ tristi. L’inizio è poetico: una donna racconta le sensazioni che prova mentre si abbandona, felice e serena, nel mare di Ibiza, nuda, all’alba. Sì, perché Liv, la vera protagonista del libro, la grande assente, una cosa della sua lista l’aveva fatta! E questa, vi assicuro, è una cosa che mi ha aiutato molto per continuare la lettura che tratta un argomento così delicato. Gli altri protagonisti del libro sono questi cinque ragazzi, alla soglia dei trent’anni anche loro, che decidono di compiere tutte le cose che Liv non ha potuto fare, cose innocue come: “Depilarmi le sopracciglia ad ala di gabbiano” o “Studiare una lingua straniera”, ma anche “Girare un porno amatoriale”, cosa decisamente più complicata delle altre!! La voce che preferisco tra tutte quelle della lista dice: “Andare all’aeroporto, chiudere gli occhi e scegliere una destinazione a caso, e poi partire! Anche nel caso uscisse Stoccarda o Birmingham” ( la storia è ambientata a Londra) e questa è una cosa che piacerebbe fare anche a me (comunque anche la voce su Javier Bardem non è male!!!). I ragazzi decidono che quella sarà l’ultima cosa che faranno della lista, e la faranno tutti insieme. A dire la verità, la grande protagonista del libro, è l’amicizia, quella con la A maiuscola: perché quella che sembra iniziare come una terapia di gruppo contro il dolore, per la mancanza di Liv, si rivela essere una grande dimostrazione di amicizia, non solo nei confronti dell’amica che non c’è più, ma anche di coloro che sono rimasti, una terapia che fa affiorare vecchi rancori, segreti e bugie, ma che riesce a rinsaldare legami che sembravano ormai distrutti. E, alla fine, l’amore trionfa… perché è anche questo che è l’amicizia… quella vera! Libro consigliatissimo!

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blog Link: http://missbookworm23.blogspot.co.uk/...
Title: How We Met
Author: Katy Regan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 31st January 2013

There are some people you can't imagine life without.

Liv Jenkins had been meticulously planning her ultimate to-do-list - from the outrageous to sensible - of everything she longed to do before her dreaded thirtieth birthday, but when tragedy struck she never got the chance. . .

Two years later, Liv's five closest friends have come together on the anniversary of her death and have made a pact: they will complete Liv's to-do list in tribute to her memory.

Over the next year, before what would've been Liv's thirtieth birthday, her friends set out to complete the tasks. But along the way deeply buried secrets, silent guilt, unrequited love and years of lies, rise to the surface rocking their friendships.

When they reach the end of Liv's list the final task shakes the group to their core and they realise that they must face their futures and the consequences of their pasts, and with Liv's help, live the lives they have always dreamed of.




Firstly I want to apologize for this review being so late and far behind. I want to say Thank you to Katy Regan for sending me a copy of her book, I loved it!
When I got this book, I just loved the cover so much, the colour themes of Red, white and blue was shouting out how British it looked which was great! It is definitely a British story so any reader who is from the UK can relate to it at any time.

So we have Liv Jenkins writing a ultimate to-do-list just before her 30th birthday when tragedy strikes and she leaves her friends suddenly and no chance to complete her tasks. Her friends Fraser, Mia, Anna, Norm and Melody come together on the 2nd year of Liv's death anniversary they make a pact to complete Liv's list together in tribute to her memory...

This story was certainly one I felt I needed tissues with me just incase, Such a bittersweet and lovely story of friendships and love. I did kind of know I was able to relate to this story very much which I suppose you could say It hit me quite hard when was reading but I enjoyed it so much.

I loved all the characters in this book so much, they all seem stuck and struggling to move on with each of their lives after Liv died, each one of them having their own secrets. Mia was Liv's best friend, a single mother but living with her own dark secret, blaming herself & hidden feelings for a certain someone.
Fraser was Liv's boyfriend and you can clearly tell when reading this book how much he did miss Liv but also having feelings for Liv's best friend wasn't something very good that was going to come out of this book...

The rest of the characters all Jelled well together and just knew this List was going to cause problems and thrifts with each one of them. Melody definitely had her own issues with the rest of the group but the one person who shocked me the most was Anna, she shocked me with her deep down problems she actually had and had kept them so quiet from the group.

Katy definitely knew how to write these characters so well and was so raw emotion. I do recommend everyone should read this, It is a tale about five friends, 1 death and 1 list that is going to connect them forever.

This story is definitely a emotional roller coaster book with plenty of dramas, loves, loss, friendships and life. One lesson that everyone should learn: Live Life Like There Is No Tomorrow Because You Never Know What Is Round The Corner...
I Highly recommend you read this!!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went through a brief period of chick-lit gluttony, and during that time, mutually decided with a close friend who joined me on the bender that all non-UK chick-lit is rubbish. She has always held that conviction, and I didn't need much to be convinced of it. It's just not the same when the characters don't call each other "mates" instead of "friends", or "pop round to my flat" instead of "come back to my place", or say things like "Pampered bloody Chef" and "Wanker, that one is", or scream "MUUUUUUM!" up the stairwell. Together, we've devoured Kinsella, Costello, Robinson, McFarlane... all the truly great craftswomen, true pioneers of this genre and of this age. I'm serious when I say that, because the truth is most of their books follow a formula, which is fine for this particular genre. What makes them truly outstanding is that they know just the right places to put their jokes: just the right amount of obscenities to make the characters hilariously funny without coming off downright foul-mouthed; just the right amount of lovey-dovey eyes and outraged arguments in the rain and tipsy kisses over red wine, and just the right amount of will they, won't they before they give us the ultimate happy ending.

With that said, this one fell just a teensy bit short for me. There were still parts when I smiled and giggled, prompting suspicious glances from people who sat next to me on the train. I loved the ending, and I think overall it was fairly well-written. But some of Regan's jokes feel half-formed, like they could have gone the extra mile but decided to stop short and fade halfway. I also feel she could have done a better job of pacing herself: too many loose ends were resolved in the last twenty pages of the book for my comfort, and about 85 percent through I found myself almost urging her to get on with it. It's a very good premise, with lots of potential: dead friend with a List of Things To Do Before I'm Thirty, a gang that misses her beyond belief and is determined to finish it in honour of her memory. Rip members of the gang apart, stick them together, let them find love, let them feel pain. The potential is all there: It's just the execution didn't quite live up to the mark I'd drawn for it in my head, which I suppose might be my own fault!

Overall, not a faultless effort, but still decently better than some of the other writers on the market at the moment. Keep writing, Ms. Regan! I'm excited to see what you come up with next.

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

HOW WE MET was an extremely average book to me. Very cliche and predictable. It took me a very long time to read because I was never hooked on it. Throughout the whole thing I had to force myself to read it. Only when I got towards the very end of the book did I start to actually WANT to read it. I also thought it dragged on quite a bit and didn't really go anywhere.
(I also saw a few grammatical and punctuation errors which greatly annoyed me)

[ReginLaRadiosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recensione presente sul sito www.reginlaradiosa.it:

Immagino che le stelle siano capocchie di spillo: finestre aperte su un altro universo, un mondo in cui le persone ballano e sorridono, e non sanno, perché non gli importa, dove finisce un giorno e ne comincia un altro. E poi qualcosa mi crepita dentro, bollicine di luce che si fanno strada nella gola ed escono dalla bocca, e mi riprometto di ricordare che questo, QUESTO, è il sapore. Finalmente l’ho trovato. [..] Non c’è più la musica, ci siamo solo io e il suono delle onde, e tutto sembra perfetto. Tutto è come dev’essere. Sopra di me le stelle si stanno spegnendo, una a una. La notte lascia il posto all’alba. Da un momento all’altro sarà un nuovo giorno, e io non vedo l’ora. Non vedo l’ora. (Liv)



Dopo la prematura perdita dell’amica Liv, i suoi migliori amici sono distrutti. Sono persone alla deriva che dopo due anni si ritrovano il giorno del ventinovesimo compleanno della loro amica a ricordarla attorno a un tavolo, riuniti ma distanti, pieni di dolore e amarezza.

Liv ha lasciato un fidanzato, Fraser, che si trascina per la vita per istinto di sopravvivenza; Mia, giovane ragazza madre disoccupata che si fa coinvolgere in un continuo tira e molla passionale e senza senso con il padre del suo giovane bambino; la coppia Melody e Norm, insieme dall’adolescenza, intrappolati in un arido matrimonio e Anna, che passa da un lavoro e da un uomo all’altro senza obbiettivi reali nella sua vita.

Liv è morta ma il mondo non si è fermato, è andato avanti senza aspettarli.

Quando si ritrovano, Norm si presenta con un foglio che ha trovato tra le cose dell’amica: è una lista che comprende le “Cose da fare prima di compiere trent’anni”:

1. Andare a letto con un misterioso straniero (se possibile, Javier Bardem). 2. Diventare la regina del mambo. 3. Studiare una lingua straniera. 4. Cambiare carta da parati in soggiorno. 5. Cucinare l’apple crumble perfetto. 6. Leggere tutte le poesie di William Wordsworth e imparare dei versi a memoria (“Vagavo solitario come una nuvola” non vale). 7. Usare tutte e otto le lettere dello Scarabeo in una sola parola! «Zizzania», per esempio, sarebbe eccellente. 8. Andare a Venezia e bere un Bellini all’Harry’s Bar. 9. Baciare uno sconosciuto a Central Park. 10. Salire sulla Grande Muraglia e imparare il cinese. 11. Vegas, baby! 12. Abitare a Parigi 13. Depilarmi le sopracciglia ad “ala di gabbiano”. 14. Nuotare nuda nel mare all’alba. 15. Buttar giù la pancetta e tonificare gli addominali. 16. Meditare, afferrare il presente. 17. Organizzare una festa spettacolare per i miei fantastici amici. 18. Imparare a usare le bacchette. 19. Andare all’aeroporto, chiudere gli occhi e scegliere una destinazione a caso, e poi partire! 20. Girare un porno amatoriale. Non riesco a credere di averlo scritto. No, davvero, non ci posso credere.

Gli amici di Liv decidono così di dividersi i punti della lista e portarli a termine in suo onore.



Superata l’introduzione della lista dei desideri della compianta Liv, l’attenzione si focalizza su Fraser e Mia. I flashback alternati alla narrazione nel presente, permettono al lettore di scoprire che i due erano innamorati l’uno dell’altra, ma la timidezza e l’orgoglio hanno avuto la meglio e Fraser si fidanza con Liv, la migliore amica di Mia.

Mia lo ossessionava. Per la prima volta in vita sua capiva cos’era l’amore, o almeno credeva di capirlo. Ma non era corrisposto, e se non sei riamato puoi amare solo per un lasso di tempo limitato, immaginava. Quindi alla fine si era arreso. Vaffanculo, aveva pensato. Ho trovato la donna della mia via, ma lei non mi vuole. Alla fine il dolore si era attenuato, il desiderio era scemato e Fraser aveva imparato una lezione preziosa: nessun sentimento, per quanto intenso, dura per sempre. Poi era arrivata Liv: la deliziosa, pragmatica, sarcastica Liv. [..] Non era Mia, ma era una persona splendida, gentile, divertente, con un tocco di concretezza a compensare il lato iperemotivo e malinconico di lui. E aveva imparato un’altra lezione preziosa: che i cuori spezzati guariscono, e puoi amare di nuovo.



Grazie alla lista, Mia e Fraser si tengono ancora più in contatto del solito e tra liti, bugie, rimpianti e sensi di colpa capiranno che forse il loro destino è proprio quello di stare insieme e di vivere la vita giorno per giorno, amando e vivendo in tutto e per tutto, finché non arriverà la parola fine anche per loro.

Poteva dire a Mia che, al di là della lettera e delle buone intenzioni, si sentiva in colpa per quasi tutto, nella sua vita, ma stava iniziando a capire che in quel momento era seduto accanto alla persona giusta, e che non gli piaceva stare in macchina con nessun altro se non con lei, e che appena lei gli si era seduta accanto il suo umore era migliorato di colpo. Ma aveva troppa paura per buttarsi, e se fosse stato per lui avrebbe continuato a fare il codardo per sempre.



Questo romanzo ha uno stile molto scorrevole e coinvolgente. La narrazione è in terza persona, per lo più incentrata sui due personaggi principali Fraser e Mia.

Fraser è un uomo insoddisfatto, immaturo, che non riesce a porsi degli obbiettivi e raggiungerli. La lista di Liv lo aiuta a portarne a termine qualcuno, a pensare di più al passato, a quel bacio che c’è stato tra lui e Mia prima che il mondo crollasse loro addosso.

.. “Ma ciò era stato prima che il lutto lo smantellasse, lo squarciasse e poi gli passasse attraverso come un treno merci, rendendolo furibondo, autodistruttivo e incline all’autocommiserazione. Quella era la cosa peggiore.”



Mia è una donna sola con un bambino piccolo che tenta di tenere in piedi una relazione instabile con il padre di suo figlio, un tipico amore estivo. Conosce da sempre i suoi sentimenti per Fraser ma è abituata da anni a sopprimerli e nasconderli agli occhi del mondo.

Due anime che si cercano, ma non si parlano, non riescono ad aprirsi l’un l’altra come dovrebbero e questo porterà loro molto sofferenza fino alle ultime pagine, quando riusciranno a mettere da parte i sensi di colpa e vivere quell’amore tanto tormentato.

Nonostante la scrittura sia di medio livello e la storia coinvolgente, non ho per niente amato i personaggi di questo libro e non è affatto da me. L’autrice ha creato delle figure deboli, piene di autocommiserazione, capaci solo di ubriacarsi senza affrontare i problemi che la vita pone di fronte a loro.

Non mi è piaciuto come l’autrice ha usato “l’alcool”: come un rimedio a ogni dispiacere, come fattore primario di ogni serata che si rispetti, di ogni momento di svago! Addirittura Fraser e Norm in una serata goliardica in discoteca vanno in bagno a sniffare: una scena che l’autrice ha piazzato nel mezzo della storia, uomini di trent’anni ubriachi e fatti che tentano di tornare giovani e di godersi la vita per una sera, sapendo che al mattino tutto sarà di nuovo come prima, immutato. Una scelta che personalmente non comprendo e disapprovo, soprattutto perché non ne viene più fatta parola, lasciando sottintesa la possibilità che sia un fattore quotidiano come l’alcool.

“Baciare uno sconosciuto a Central Park” è un romanzo che parla di una perdita e di come cinque amici la affrontino nel corso degli anni, anzi, di come NON l’affrontino. E’ un romanzo dedicato a due persone che si sono arrese, non hanno combattuto per ciò in cui credevano e hanno perso anni dietro a sofferenze e sensi di colpa che logorano l’anima.

E’ dedicato al processo di lutto che percorrono cinque persone: lungo, difficile e pieno di ostacoli. Persone che credono di poter superare i loro problemi attraverso l’alcool e l’indifferenza, chiudendosi dietro muri di silenzi.

Alla fine del libro c’è una luce in fondo al tunnel: la speranza di una nuova vita per tutti, di nuove gioie e meno dolori.

Non mi sento di consigliare questo romanzo a tutti: una copertina che attrae, un messaggio che ispira una lettura profonda e romantica ma che in realtà personalmente mi ha lasciato solo tanta amarezza.



“D’altronde non si può mai sapere quando arriva la fine.” Si voltò verso di lei. “Ma non è ancora arrivata, vero?” “No, Fraser.”
“Ti senti mai come se lo fosse, però?” Si guardavano negli occhi, erano a pochi centimetri di distanza. “Si, a volte si. Ma poi mi ricordo qual è il senso di tutto.” “Divertirsi e basta” fece lui. “Si, esatto. Divertirsi e basta.” “E fare le cose che sono importanti per noi, finchè possiamo.”

[Nunzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quando ho scorso la mia lista di libri da leggere e mi sono ritrovata questo titolo tra le mani, il mio primo pensiero è stato: che diavolo mi sono fumata quando ho scelto un libro con un titolo del genere? Poi, facendo mente locale, mi sono finalmente ricordata: How we met mi aveva attirato per la trama. Per ricordare Liv, la loro amica scomparsa a soli ventotto anni, i suoi cinque migliori amici decidono di realizzare i venti desideri che lei aveva scritto su una lista di cose da fare prima dei trent'anni, poi persa chissà dove e ritrovata da Norm. Si tratta di attività di tutti i tipi dall'imparare una lingua straniera, all'iscriversi a un corso di mambo a, appunto, baciare uno sconosciuto a Central Park.
Donde il titolo italiano del libro.

Ora, una piccola parentesi. Io vorrei capire esattamente che problemi hanno a coloro che decidono di scegliere di stravolgere i titoli originali, regalandoci sempre delle perle. Per colpa di questa gente ho letto le migliori schifezze e, sono sicura, mi sono persa un sacco di buoni titoli (e le quarte di copertina non è che aiutino molto). Qualcuno potrebbe pensare che il famigerato bacio a Central Park potrebbe essere un punto importante della lista, che determina il futuro dei personaggi, ma no, signori: non solo è un punto anonimissimo della famosa lista, ma vi spoilero volentieri che non c'è nessuna scena in cui uno dei personaggi si reca a Central Park per baciare chicchessia. L'unica cosa che questo titolo lascia intuire è che si tratta di una storia d'amore. E ci sta, in fondo, ma non del tutto: questa, come ci ha tenuto a spiegare l'autrice nei ringraziamenti, nel caso non l'avessimo intuito dalla dedica, è una storia di amicizia - con rivolti romantici, ne convengo.

Ma torniamo alla storia. Non è stata una brutta lettura, devo ammetterlo, ma non è stato neanche chissà che capolavoro. Dei cinque amici sopravvissuti, l'azione si concentra per lo più su Fraser e Mia e sulle loro vite parecchio incasinate (non che quelle degli altri siano da meno, comunque); ognuno sta cercando di elaborare il lutto a modo proprio e, al contempo, di vivere la propria vita, con scarsi, scarsissimi risultati. Se questo punto gioca molto a favore di questo libro, dall'altro è il modo in cui tutto ciò viene vissuto che mi disturba alquanto.
Ciò che più mi ha infastidito, infatti, è il ruolo che l'alcol gioca in questa storia. Ok, so perfettamente che gli inglesi bevono molto più di noi, ma io non credo che i quasi trentenni di Sua Maestà si comportino davvero tutti come questi qui: non c'è una pagina in cui i cinque non siano ubriachi o brilli; se contassimo le volte in cui "alcol", "ubriaco" et similia vengono usati, probabilmente, scopriremmo che queste parole ricoprono oltre il 50% dei termini che compongono questo libro. Ora, ripeto, fossero ragazzini lo capirei pure, ma il fatto che a trent'anni questi continuino a ubriacarsi come se non ci fosse un domani e pensino così di risolvere i propri problemi, mi urta profondamente. Tra l'altro, la loro amica è morta precipitando da una terrazza perché era ubriaca fradicia: come minimo, se succedesse ad una persona a me così cara, non toccherei più una goccia di alcol in vita mia per lo shock. E va bene che ognuno reagisce al dolore in modo diverso, ma... cavolo, mi sentivo brilla anche solo leggendo! Ma poi, con tutto l'alcol (e le droghe, in alcuni casi) che hanno ingerito per anni (nella storia ci sono capitoli dedicati al passato dei personaggi e a come si sono evoluti i loro rapporti, e anche allora non facevano che bere), io non riesco a capacitarmi che siano davvero arrivati a trent'anni con il fegato integro.

A parte questo, il libro non è stato bruttissimo: ci sono state anche scene molto divertenti e in alcuni momenti è risultato anche commovente (soprattutto quando ricordano l'amica morta); anche lo stile è leggero e scorrevole, nonostante non capisca perché si passi senza soluzione di continuità da una narrazione al presente ad una al passato nei capitoli ambientati ai giorni nostri: bisognerebbe leggere l'edizione originale per scoprire se si tratta di un errore di traduzione o di una precisa scelta dell'autrice, ma, sinceramente, non mi interessa neanche approfondire la questione.
In conclusione, dunque, niente di troppo complicato, ma da cui mi aspettavo molto di più.

[Qudsiyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rating – a book that i didnt know i needed to read before turning 27. fun fact: this book was gifted to me on my 16th birthday but only picked it up 11 years later after cleaning out my bookshelves from my teenage days.

a predictable ending (yet i was left feeling all giddy ofc - a true chic-contemporary-romance reader here) and some bits were dragged out, but i cant help to resonate to how the author expressed the raw emotions and rollercoaster of uncertainties life has in store for you; although i’ve never experienced grieving over a best friend before, my perspective on the grief aspects from the writing was that we evolve as we grow and we can grief over how we were when we younger. it really was a story where friendship takes precedence then comes love.

[Bea AF · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book - nothing groundbreaking but I really liked the writing style and the how relatable the characters were. I didn't expect to get as attached to them as I did! The story was about friendship, grief and how people deal with it - ending was a bit too cut and dried for my liking but I appreciated that it wasn't the traditional "happy ending" for all of the group. The plot was decently paced and I would recommend it for a low maintenance read! However, I'm realising that this kind of light contemporary (which it was despite being about the ramifications of a death) isn't really my thing...

[Tania Paxia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un buon libro sull'amicizia e sul futuro incerto. Titolo a dir poco fuorviante (è uno dei punti della lista di Liv che però viene solo citato) e crea delle aspettative differenti in chi legge. Durante la lettura mi sono chiesta varie volte quando ci sarebbe stato questo famigerato bacio con uno sconosciuto a Central Park. Nonostante tutto la trama è carina, contenuto a tratti divertente in altri noioso. Non so, mi aspettavo qualcosa di diverso, anche nella caratterizzazione dei personaggi.
3 stelline.

[Marta · Rating 2 out of 5]

How we met (2014)

Il titolo italiano è insensato e fuorviante (tra l'altro è una delle voci della lista che non viene realizzata), perché fa pensare a qualcosa di spensierato e leggero, e direi che non è proprio questo il caso. Poi sul finale si scopre che le basi su cui si fondano il gruppo di amici e le loro relazioni sono false, quindi perde tutto di senso. Parliamo anche dell'incendio: se è talmente ampio da vedersi fumo da lontano, di certo non li fanno dormire lì la notte. Mi aspettavo qualcosa di diverso, perlomeno più toccante - delusione.

[Danielle Dent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the Story of You so decided to read Katy’s back catalogue and found this a bit lacking in comparison. I found Fraser self indulgent to the point of sheer annoyance and I didn’t feel a connection with any of the other characters either. And after so many false starts between Fraser and Mia i would have liked to see more of how their relationship panned our. It was definitely over long and dragged a bit for me.

[Alyce Hunt]

Finally decided to read How We Met after owning it for almost five years, and it was a struggle to get through the first chapter. Very clunky writing style (lots of exposition in the form of Mia updating Liv on their friends’ lives, a few fragmented sentences with commas in weird, places) and I found myself not caring for the jumps between Mia and Fraser. Such a shame, but definitely not the book for me.

[Amirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

what, at the end of this all, is really important?

a story about a group of friends who lost one of their friend and how everything changed. minus 1🌟 because nobody in this book is being honest with theirselves. about who they truly love. about how they really feel.

btw i love the ending (even though it is predictable xD)

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ticked a lot of boxes and I thought I was going to like it more, but it was too long and a bit too grey. However, that is grief, in a way. I did like that the characters had quite normal jobs and we didn't spend too much on their backgrounds, but on the other hand, I would have liked to get to know some of them a bit more.

[Cath Hughes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh i just could not stand this book and only survived a few chapters.
29 year olds all drinking and sleeping around.
All still heartbroken at the death of a friend 2 years ago.
Just could not care about any of them.

[Stefennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. Loved all the characters and how they all interacted. I like how the story followed how the sudden death of a friend affected them as individuals and as a group

[Charly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable

[Keanes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nobody here to really like. Dragged on a lot.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would Give this 3,5 stars! I absolutely loved Fraser’s character, he seemed so real; the typical douche bag as well as the lost young man just trying to make his way through life!!

[Miriam Elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this book and my feelings changed back and forth throughout but on the whole a decent read

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too slow and had such a predictable ending oml

[Julie Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A page turner of a book with romance, comedy, amazing humour, good times and bad times, real life, tragedy of loss - so moving all the way through.

[Carolina De · Rating 4 out of 5]

Total unerwartet ein super schönes Buch, hat viel Spaß gemacht zu lesen und ist eine tolle Geschichte über Freundschaft!

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katy Regan is an author I’ve both enjoyed (One Thing Led To Another) and really did not enjoy (The One That Got Away). So when I heard of her third novel I was a bit concerned I wouldn’t like it. But I had to buy it because I really, really liked the sound of it. I love books about groups of friends. They are so rare, as most Chick Lit novels are consumed by other things. How We Met sounded like it would be a brilliant book because how exactly can a group of friends continue to be the exact same group of friends when they’ve lost a vital member, when they’re grieving their loss. I was mighty impressed with the novel. I really, really loved it.

How We Met does what it says on the tin. It’s about a group of 6 friends – Mia, Fraser, Norman, Melody, Anna, and the linchpin, Liv. A group of 6 friends who become 5 when Liv dies on holiday in Ibiza, appearing to fall into the sea to her death. We open with Mia talking to Liv in a garden, and although we never actually meet Liv bar a few pages at the beginning, she’s the novel in a nutshell. Everything that Mia, Fraser, Melody, Norm and Anna do is, in some way or another, related to Liv. So when Norm finds a list of things Liv wanted to accomplish before she turned 30, the friends see it as something they must complete, something that will keep Liv alive in their minds. As the weeks and months pass, and things come to light the friends never expected, the list seems to be the only thing keeping them together, as without Liv, it just isn’t the same any more.

How We Met absolutely and utterly blew me away. From the first page I was captivated by the storyline, by the characters, by the writing. The writing, perhaps, was what surprised me most. Third-person present tense and rather than follow all 5 friends, we followed Mia and Fraser, perhaps the two most important people in the group and the ones who could perhaps be construed as to have the most guilt over Liv’s death. Normally I don’t get on with third-person writing, but Katy Regan nailed it and I was captivated by the book. It absorbed me, and even when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it and wondering what was going to happen next. It was that kind of novel. Regan’s writing seems to have matured so, so much since her last novel and this novel was spot-on.

I thought the characters and plot were superb. The friends and the friendships and the way they acted toward each other rang so ridiculously true it was unreal. They felt like proper character, proper friends. Because so much focus was on Mia and Fraser these were the two characters I cared about most. Mia was so sweet, and lovely, and I just wanted the best for her and her little boy, Billy. I adored Fraser from the start, even when he was being a bit of an idiot (a regular occurrence, sadly, but I still adored him which says it all). I just kept hoping he would wake up and smell the coffee and realise what was in front of him and that nothing, absolutely nothing, could bring Liv back. Melody, Norm and Anna add some nice balance to the novel and even though they weren’t always front and center, I did find them to be fascinating characters.

I think How We Met was an utter triumph. It was everything I wanted in a novel and I was so impressed. It made me laugh, it made me well up with tears, it made me frustrated (in a good way), and despite the fact it’s not the happiest of novels, it never felt depressing. Regan’s writing is sublime, and although the novel took me nearly two weeks to finish, I never forgot a bit of it. I actually was so sad to finish the novel, and you know it’s been a good book when you don’t actually want to finish it! I thoroughly recommend How We Met. It’s the best novel about friendship I think I’ve ever read and I have never, ever known a dead person to be so, so important and so prevalent in a book, and that isn’t even a bad thing, as Liv seemed so cool, and it would have been nice to know her a bit better than just through friends. I loved the book. It blew me away and I can’t wait for Katy Regan’s next book because this one was off the scale fantastic.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a little confusing because the blurb on the back and the synopsis on goodreads are different and given that I order books in bulk and then slowly get around to reading them, I didn't know that it was the same book until I started it. The version on goodreads explained that Liv Jenkins was on a mission to complete her daring, adventurous bucket list before turning 30 and then dies suddenly. Two years later her friends meet up and decide to complete it for her, with shocking secrets being spilled along the way and the final item on the list changing their lives forever. The version on the back of the book describes Liv as the glue that holds a friendship group of 6 together and when she dies, the remaining 5 are left flailing without her. As they attempt (and fail) to live their lives to the fullest and struggle with secrets along the way, they have to ask themselves when it's time to unfreeze the version of reality that Liv left behind and get on with the business of actually living. So as you can see, they paint a slightly different picture. In truth, the book was somewhere inbetween. It begins when Liv has already died, 18 months after the fact, on what would have been her 29th birthday. The five friends she met at university and left behind when she died, all meet to toast her - Mia and Anna (her two best friends), Fraser (her death-did-they-part boyfriend) and Melody and Norm (the power couple of the group). While doing so, it's revealed that Norm has found a bucket list left behind by her, and the five of them agree to split the tasks and complete them in her honour. But living life to the full isn't a tick box exercise, especially when Mia now has a baby with a dead-beat dad, Fraser is burdened by guilt and unable to be alone, Anna is struggling to come to terms with what's happened and what she knows about it, and Melody and Norm are, behind closed doors, dealing with not being quite as golden as everyone thinks they are. You also learn quite early on that Mia and Fraser have been in love with each other ever since they met at uni but something (be it a mix-up over moussaka or him then getting together with her best friend) always seems to get in the way of them being together. So over the course of the year that the book takes place in, you see the two of them struggling to know what to do about their feelings for each other, especially when paired with the guilt they feel for Liv and the fact that they can't ask her opinion or permission. I would say that overall, I enjoyed the book and to sum it up in one word, the story is about healing. It's about the way that life, death, ageing and events affect us and the course in which our life goes, and how we subsequently deal with that. I really enjoyed the way the book was written, from both Mia and Fraser's perspectives but not in a rigid pattern (it wasn't like one alternate chapter each, it was all mixed in). I also really did like the love story between Mia and Fraser but my problem with it was that it cheapened Liv's life and her role in the story; it almost made her into just another obstacle for the two of them to overcome. I think this was worsened by the fact we never get any chapters with her alive and so, as a reader, you don't really get to know who Liv was - you only get to see the hole she left behind. I did like the character development from the other five though and I thought that a lot of the anecdotes about unexpected motherhood, childhood sweethearts and growing up were very poignant and well-written. The blurb on goodreads was right about one thing though; the last item on Liv's list was life-changing (and something I predicted) but more than creating shock factor, it just made me sad. Sad for the life that Liv didn't have and actually could have done, if she had lived to see how life would've played out regardless. But I suppose that was the point of the whole book; you must live the life that you want now, as you never know when your tomorrow's will run out.

[Rea Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some people you can’t imagine life without. What, at the end of it all, is really important? Liv and her friends can’t imagine a life different from now: freedom, lifelong friendships, and dreams that are still within their reach. Then, Liv dies.

For those left behind – Mia, Fraser, Anna, Norm and Melody – everything stops. Their lives and dreams are frozen in time. In the years that follow, they decide to meet on Liv’s birthday to raise a toast and celebrate her life, even though none of them are living their own – not really. Time marches inexorably on, and yet without Liv, the lynchpin of the group, they are all flailing. Mia and Fraser are quietly falling apart because of the secret they share and, as truths are unearthed and their friendships are tested to the limit, they have to ask themselves – is it time to get on with the business of actually living?


How we Met by Katy Regan is an enjoyable, emotional read. After Liv dies her circle of close friends are all struggling to come to terms with her death and are all grieving in their own ways. When they come across Liv’s to do list they decide to try to fulfill her list in her memory so we see each of her friends deal with their grief whilst carrying out various tasks on the list.

Although I found early on in the book I could easily predict the outcome it was great to watch the journey to the final outcome. The story covers all the emotions of grief from guilt to blame, from heartache to loss, the feeling you can not let go and yet the book didn't feel morbid at all. I think this was helped by the nice touch of unexpected humour which popped up throughout the book. The pace was on the slow side but I think this was right for the subject matter of the book and I still found I was hooked by the story line.

I found Anna’s character a little off and distant so I didn't warm to her like the others but all becomes clear later in the book as to why her character was the way she was. Other than Anna I loved all of the characters in the book Mia being my favourite she had a slight edge on the other characters and she felt very realistic as if you were reading about someone you know, it helps how well developed her character was.

I enjoyed this book I found it heartwarming and touching. It gets you thinking life is to short you only get one life so live it and enjoy it. I would recommend this book and I will be picking up the authors future releases.

[Siobhan Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never read a book by Katy Regan before though I have heard positive things about her books so I was quite looking forward to starting How We Met. I must say the description really intrigued me I wondered how a group of friends would cope with the loss of one of their team so to speak. How would they each deal with their grief? Would some be hit by the loss harder than others? How would they cope and move on?

In How We Met a group of friends are enjoying life freedom and dreaming of their future. But suddenly and unexpectedly Liv dies and with one vital member of the group missing everything stops as they all struggle to deal with the loss of their friend. As they try to cope with their grief in different ways they stumble upon Liv’s List and decide to fulfil every item on it in a tribute to her.

How We Met was a brilliantly written book which I thoroughly enjoyed. I found there was a lot of raw emotion in the book and as I read the story I went through a range of emotions with the characters. I felt sad as I read about their grief and heartache cheered on the characters when they pulled together to support each other and smiled at the humour in the book.

The friendships between each of the characters were very well written. What I liked most was that they were real friendships there was a lot of emotion in the relationships they had with each other and there were not only ups but also downs in the friendships which made it authentic and very true to life. It was so very interesting to read about the development of the friendships between the characters how they evolved and how friendships change over time. I think most readers will relate to this as friendships do change and sadly sometimes friendships are lost but more positively sometimes they are strengthened too.

This book reminded me about just how precious life is. I liked that How We Met had an important underlying message to cherish the time you have to live your life whilst you still can and to love others.

How We Met is an emotional book with very relateable characters. It has the right mix of humour and moving moments and will leave you thinking about your friendships long after you have turned the last page. Very thought-provoking.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This book is about a group of five friends who go through a terrible time together, and come out the other end with more of an idea about what’s really important”. So reads the quote from Katy Regan on the cover of this advance reading copy, and it just about sums up the story about this group of friends approaching their thirties and needing to get on with their lives. There were six – Liv is dead, and the six friends are now five.

So, first we have Mia – mother to Billy, still in an on/off relationship with his father Eduardo, living on benefits in Lancaster having had to give up a media career. Then there’s Fraser – Liv’s ex-partner – trying desperately to move on (I found him the most engaging of the five). There’s Melody and Norm, who have always been love’s young dream. And there’s the enigmatic Anna (also known as Spanner), a little on the edge of the group. The story is built around a list Liv left of things she wanted to do before she was thirty – which included things like learning a language, learning to dance, make a roman blind, make a homemade porn video – and the friends decide to complete the list for her. This book is touching and emotional, but also laugh-out-loud funny in parts, and is well constructed to reach a satisfying conclusion as the characters get to a point where they can move on with their lives.

Overall, I really enjoyed it, but I did have a slight barrier – I’m in my fifties, and I found it difficult to identify with the characters, but it would be grossly unfair to criticise it for that (I had the same problem with “One Day”). It’s a really good story, well written, with good strong main characters, and will be enjoyed by anyone going through that second coming-of-age that the book portrays so well.