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The Best Thing that Never Happened to Me
Everyone remembers their first love.
Holly certainly remembers Alex. But she decided ten years ago that love wasn't about mix tapes and seizing the moment - though she's not exactly sure it's about secret dates with your boss, either.
But what if the feelings never really went away?
Alex wants to make every moment of his new job count. It's a fresh start in a big city, and he's almost certain that moving to London has nothing to do with Holly. Almost.
How do you know if it was meant to be... Or never meant to happen at all?
Holly certainly remembers Alex. But she decided ten years ago that love wasn't about mix tapes and seizing the moment - though she's not exactly sure it's about secret dates with your boss, either.
But what if the feelings never really went away?
Alex wants to make every moment of his new job count. It's a fresh start in a big city, and he's almost certain that moving to London has nothing to do with Holly. Almost.
How do you know if it was meant to be... Or never meant to happen at all?
357 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2014
137 people are currently reading
2529 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
May 22, 2017
Written by two authors, this book gives two different perspectives of a same (love) story; it's like the two sides of a same coin.
We follow Alex and Holly, jumping through time (a literary device that allows the reader to better see the connections between the past and the present, so that we can easily understand their respective expectations and fears!).
Through their school days, Alex and Holly were best friends (first loves), but they went their separate ways. Holly came to London and ended up not travelling the world as she had planned but settled into a PA job and fell in love with her boss. Ten years later, it's Alex's turn to settle in London; but when they meet up again, they hedge round each other like strangers. Follows a series of misunderstandings and unspoken truths between them. Can they ever get back to where they were or are they now just too different? in other word: is love eternal? (Yes! It is!!!).
We follow Alex and Holly, jumping through time (a literary device that allows the reader to better see the connections between the past and the present, so that we can easily understand their respective expectations and fears!).
Through their school days, Alex and Holly were best friends (first loves), but they went their separate ways. Holly came to London and ended up not travelling the world as she had planned but settled into a PA job and fell in love with her boss. Ten years later, it's Alex's turn to settle in London; but when they meet up again, they hedge round each other like strangers. Follows a series of misunderstandings and unspoken truths between them. Can they ever get back to where they were or are they now just too different? in other word: is love eternal? (Yes! It is!!!).
July 6, 2017
It was alright. We never really saw the couple together and I'm not a fan of that. I want to see them together, why is that so hard?
April 15, 2014
I spent most of my time holding my breath during this book, even to the very end I was on tender hooks to find out what would happen next to leading lady Holly, and leading man Alex! I adored how the book was written, two authors, two characters, one heart-stirring novel! Laura Tait & Jimmy Rice brought us a realistic love story that was simply fabulous
Holly and Alex were best friends, they shared the ups and downs of high school till one day, when it came to the day Holly was leaving for university she decided it was time to admit her true feelings, but it all didn't go as planned. Bad advice, and fear got the best of them and the two friends were torn apart by their pride, flash forward eleven years and the story really gets going!
The trials and tribulations of the love game are rife throughout the book, you have got ex's, weddings, secret office relations and much more, I loved the the way the whole story unfolded things built up, tears overflowed! I just wanted to take Holly and shake her, slap her around the face, and tell her to wake up and see what was right in front of her and Alex well he needed the same and a bloody swift kick up the backside (I do realise that these are fictional characters and I can't actually do theses things, but I get quite involved when reading a book)
What I will say is that the ending wasn't enough for me, it was one of those "NOOOOOOO THAT CAN'T BE THE END" moments I just wanted more and I really can't decide if thats a good thing or a bad thing, i'm going to say its a good thing it leaves you wanting more! It leaves you asking questions like, is there going to be another book? I really do hope so because if not I may have to just invent what happens to Holly and Alex!
Holly and Alex were best friends, they shared the ups and downs of high school till one day, when it came to the day Holly was leaving for university she decided it was time to admit her true feelings, but it all didn't go as planned. Bad advice, and fear got the best of them and the two friends were torn apart by their pride, flash forward eleven years and the story really gets going!
The trials and tribulations of the love game are rife throughout the book, you have got ex's, weddings, secret office relations and much more, I loved the the way the whole story unfolded things built up, tears overflowed! I just wanted to take Holly and shake her, slap her around the face, and tell her to wake up and see what was right in front of her and Alex well he needed the same and a bloody swift kick up the backside (I do realise that these are fictional characters and I can't actually do theses things, but I get quite involved when reading a book)
What I will say is that the ending wasn't enough for me, it was one of those "NOOOOOOO THAT CAN'T BE THE END" moments I just wanted more and I really can't decide if thats a good thing or a bad thing, i'm going to say its a good thing it leaves you wanting more! It leaves you asking questions like, is there going to be another book? I really do hope so because if not I may have to just invent what happens to Holly and Alex!
March 12, 2016
All in all it's quite nice. I liked that there were some ways and turns that didn't go in an obvious and cliché way. The amount of "I love him/ her but it's not mutual so I won't tell him/ her" was a bit tiring, though.
April 14, 2014
I have first heard about The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me on Twitter and was immediately smitten by it, and when it arrived on my doorstep I was more than excited. And believe me, the book was worth the waiting and the whole buzz.
AND it always amazes me how two people can write one book. I am always wondering how they do this, is one of them writing one chapter and then the second the other? Thanks God, Laura and Jimmy explain this in the Q&A at the end of the book and my curiosity is now satisfied. But still, I can't stop wondering how did they do that the chapters are so seamless, intertwine with each other and there is not a single gap or forgotten plot. Brilliant!
Holly was dreaming of travelling around the world but she let go of those dreams and is now working as a PA and has an affair with her boss, Richard. Nobody knows about their relationship of course, although Richard is not married and doesn't have any children, he just thinks that it's better. And what he thinks, Holly does.
Alex wanted to be a teacher and he is a teacher, although he has pictured his job a little different, for example directing young, innocent souls towards the best authors and showing them the beautiful world of literature. But reality bites and he must struggle with arrogant teenagers who are totally not interested in learning and big ideals.
Holly and Alex haven't seen each other for 11 years and they didn't part their ways as best friends that they were. Actually, Holly was in love with Alex and Alex was in love with Holly but either they didn't realize it then or they did, but they did nothing about this. And now, after Alex moving to London, they meet again.
As I have already mentioned, the book is told from both characters' point of views and it was the next big thing in the book. It was great to see how both of them perceive the same situations and how wrong they often are about what the other is thinking. They were both brilliantly portrayed in their teenage years and also eleven years later, they were the same but not the same people, they have changed and the differences were perfectly spotted and emphasized by the authors.
I warmed to both Holly and Alex immediately. They were very realistic characters, very livid, they popped out of the pages. They had very realistic problems, they lived normal life, and they felt like real people. The chapters told from the point of view of Holly I liked better, they were cooler, funnier and actually, her story was more interesting for me. Holly was also more carefree, more expressive than Alex, who was a little too considerable and too serious, but nevertheless, he had his funny moments as well. I loved the interaction between them, their banter, I had a feeling that they are real friends, that there is nothing forced between them and it was great to see how their friendship took again after all the years.
Other characters, like Holly and Alex's best friends Jemma and Kev were fantastic. Jemma with the way she was talking and her carelessness, Kev I have never thought I'm going to like at the beginning but then I have actually felt like he was my best friend.
The other cast of characters are also beautifully drawn, they are very expressive and each of them has his/her own voice and they add spice to the plot.
I was hooked to the story from the beginning. It was so intriguing and written in engaging way and I just couldn't put the book down. There are some retrospections to the past and we can see how the feelings were developing already eleven years ago, and I have enjoyed those moments exactly as much as I have enjoyed the storyline about the present. Every chapter ended leaving me yearning for more, for explanation, curious what's going to happen next and the read was full of twists and turns, it was better than a rollercoaster ride, intriguing, with a great dose of drama, romance, love, tears and fun.
Both authors have a way with words, reading this book is like flying and I haven't noticed the passing of time. The pace is just right, the action wonderful, the storyline engaging.
There is actually not a single bad word that I could tell about the book. Nope. And that's fantastic, isn't it? So please go and get your copy, you will not regret it, I am absolutely sure!
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
AND it always amazes me how two people can write one book. I am always wondering how they do this, is one of them writing one chapter and then the second the other? Thanks God, Laura and Jimmy explain this in the Q&A at the end of the book and my curiosity is now satisfied. But still, I can't stop wondering how did they do that the chapters are so seamless, intertwine with each other and there is not a single gap or forgotten plot. Brilliant!
Holly was dreaming of travelling around the world but she let go of those dreams and is now working as a PA and has an affair with her boss, Richard. Nobody knows about their relationship of course, although Richard is not married and doesn't have any children, he just thinks that it's better. And what he thinks, Holly does.
Alex wanted to be a teacher and he is a teacher, although he has pictured his job a little different, for example directing young, innocent souls towards the best authors and showing them the beautiful world of literature. But reality bites and he must struggle with arrogant teenagers who are totally not interested in learning and big ideals.
Holly and Alex haven't seen each other for 11 years and they didn't part their ways as best friends that they were. Actually, Holly was in love with Alex and Alex was in love with Holly but either they didn't realize it then or they did, but they did nothing about this. And now, after Alex moving to London, they meet again.
As I have already mentioned, the book is told from both characters' point of views and it was the next big thing in the book. It was great to see how both of them perceive the same situations and how wrong they often are about what the other is thinking. They were both brilliantly portrayed in their teenage years and also eleven years later, they were the same but not the same people, they have changed and the differences were perfectly spotted and emphasized by the authors.
I warmed to both Holly and Alex immediately. They were very realistic characters, very livid, they popped out of the pages. They had very realistic problems, they lived normal life, and they felt like real people. The chapters told from the point of view of Holly I liked better, they were cooler, funnier and actually, her story was more interesting for me. Holly was also more carefree, more expressive than Alex, who was a little too considerable and too serious, but nevertheless, he had his funny moments as well. I loved the interaction between them, their banter, I had a feeling that they are real friends, that there is nothing forced between them and it was great to see how their friendship took again after all the years.
Other characters, like Holly and Alex's best friends Jemma and Kev were fantastic. Jemma with the way she was talking and her carelessness, Kev I have never thought I'm going to like at the beginning but then I have actually felt like he was my best friend.
The other cast of characters are also beautifully drawn, they are very expressive and each of them has his/her own voice and they add spice to the plot.
I was hooked to the story from the beginning. It was so intriguing and written in engaging way and I just couldn't put the book down. There are some retrospections to the past and we can see how the feelings were developing already eleven years ago, and I have enjoyed those moments exactly as much as I have enjoyed the storyline about the present. Every chapter ended leaving me yearning for more, for explanation, curious what's going to happen next and the read was full of twists and turns, it was better than a rollercoaster ride, intriguing, with a great dose of drama, romance, love, tears and fun.
Both authors have a way with words, reading this book is like flying and I haven't noticed the passing of time. The pace is just right, the action wonderful, the storyline engaging.
There is actually not a single bad word that I could tell about the book. Nope. And that's fantastic, isn't it? So please go and get your copy, you will not regret it, I am absolutely sure!
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
February 11, 2016
Everyone in their 20s really should read this book.
January 8, 2024
I didn't have good expectations for this book to be honest, with its naff title but it was one of the better light romance that I've read. Of course, they are always a bit predictable but the storyline wasn't bad.
May 12, 2016
Přesně něco takového jsem potřebovala, po všech dystopiích, detektivkách, thrillerech, chtěla jsem se přiblble usmívat, smát se, fandit někomu v lásce, být dojatá, zažívat infarkty - a přesně toho se mi dostalo.
Nejlepší věc, která se mi nikdy nestala vypráví o Alexovi a Holly, nejlepších kamarádech a jejich cestě životem. Přiznám se, nemohla jsem si pomoct a Alexe jsem si prostě spojila vzhledově s Alexem z knížky S láskou, Rosie a celou dobu v něm viděla tím pádem Sama, a nezlobím se na sebe za to, prostě ho žeru!
Obě hlavní postavy žijí své životy, Holly upouští od svých dětských snů, Alex se za nimi snaží jít až moc horlivě a bohužel mu to moc nevychází.
Knížka je hlavně o tom, že si snaží vzájemně vyznat lásku, potlačit city, vyznat lásku a tak podobně. Někdy bych je nejradši propleskla, jak si něco vyložili, zanalyzovali to a zase nic! Ale na druhou stranu to úplně chápu, dělám to stejné, fakt jsem se v tom úplně viděla a tady bylo krásně ukázané, jak to nikdy nemůžeme rozšifrovat sami, jen ve své hlavě, vždycky k tomu potřebujeme i názory a myšlenky toho druhého, ne jen úvahy a předpoklady.
Jediné, co mi přišlo trochu přehnané, byl důvod toho, proč spolu ukončili kontakt, když před tím téměř nedokázali být bez sebe, ale těžko říct.
Knížka má momenty vtipné, zaláskované, vážné i infarktové. Užila jsem si to naprosto. A Melissu taky nesnáším!
Nejlepší věc, která se mi nikdy nestala vypráví o Alexovi a Holly, nejlepších kamarádech a jejich cestě životem. Přiznám se, nemohla jsem si pomoct a Alexe jsem si prostě spojila vzhledově s Alexem z knížky S láskou, Rosie a celou dobu v něm viděla tím pádem Sama, a nezlobím se na sebe za to, prostě ho žeru!
Obě hlavní postavy žijí své životy, Holly upouští od svých dětských snů, Alex se za nimi snaží jít až moc horlivě a bohužel mu to moc nevychází.
Knížka je hlavně o tom, že si snaží vzájemně vyznat lásku, potlačit city, vyznat lásku a tak podobně. Někdy bych je nejradši propleskla, jak si něco vyložili, zanalyzovali to a zase nic! Ale na druhou stranu to úplně chápu, dělám to stejné, fakt jsem se v tom úplně viděla a tady bylo krásně ukázané, jak to nikdy nemůžeme rozšifrovat sami, jen ve své hlavě, vždycky k tomu potřebujeme i názory a myšlenky toho druhého, ne jen úvahy a předpoklady.
Jediné, co mi přišlo trochu přehnané, byl důvod toho, proč spolu ukončili kontakt, když před tím téměř nedokázali být bez sebe, ale těžko říct.
Knížka má momenty vtipné, zaláskované, vážné i infarktové. Užila jsem si to naprosto. A Melissu taky nesnáším!
June 27, 2019
An easy read from two viewpoints of Holly and Alex. I love both of them as narrators and it's a nice change from a book to have the two viewpoints. The story is split between 1999 and 2010 between London and Yorkshire. It's a story of best friends to lovers and if they will ever be more than friends? Can the pair just be friends?
Alex is a teacher and he seems quite nice from the start. I'd like him as a teacher. It was quite frustrating when he was with Melissa and couldn't seem to see how Holly felt. He is also quite OCD and over thinks but is a nice person.
Holly it takes me a while to like but once I knew more of her past I loved her too. Her friends from the past were no friends at all, no means no and Ellie should have that drilled into her too. Alex was her only true friend. I was cheering when she split from the sleazy boss Richard, I did not take to him at all.
The ending was perfect it reminded me of Love Actually at the arrivals of Heathrow.
Alex is a teacher and he seems quite nice from the start. I'd like him as a teacher. It was quite frustrating when he was with Melissa and couldn't seem to see how Holly felt. He is also quite OCD and over thinks but is a nice person.
Holly it takes me a while to like but once I knew more of her past I loved her too. Her friends from the past were no friends at all, no means no and Ellie should have that drilled into her too. Alex was her only true friend. I was cheering when she split from the sleazy boss Richard, I did not take to him at all.
The ending was perfect it reminded me of Love Actually at the arrivals of Heathrow.
July 4, 2014
The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me. Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I was looking forward to this book, but on reading it seemed to drag on slowly. I liked the characters of Alex and Holly, and the story is told in alternating POV, slipping back from present day to ten years previously when they were best friends, each wanting more but too nervous to take that first step and then a huge misunderstanding means they go their separate ways and lose contact.
Its well written, everything from the plot to the characters is realistic, it feels like something that could happen in real life...and maybe that's my problem, I need the dramatics and fire that rarely happens in reality, and this was a beautiful but very slow build up. I felt like I was waiting until the very end for something to actually happen. Though I enjoyed reading about their past and present problems, and seeing once again how easy it is for lovers to get separated over tiny misunderstandings, I needed more action, more highs and lows, more laughs and tears than was in this story. Thankfully not everyone does so if you're looking for a well written, gentle romance, with a few chaste kisses as the main action this is one for you. Just not for me :(
Stars:three
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I was looking forward to this book, but on reading it seemed to drag on slowly. I liked the characters of Alex and Holly, and the story is told in alternating POV, slipping back from present day to ten years previously when they were best friends, each wanting more but too nervous to take that first step and then a huge misunderstanding means they go their separate ways and lose contact.
Its well written, everything from the plot to the characters is realistic, it feels like something that could happen in real life...and maybe that's my problem, I need the dramatics and fire that rarely happens in reality, and this was a beautiful but very slow build up. I felt like I was waiting until the very end for something to actually happen. Though I enjoyed reading about their past and present problems, and seeing once again how easy it is for lovers to get separated over tiny misunderstandings, I needed more action, more highs and lows, more laughs and tears than was in this story. Thankfully not everyone does so if you're looking for a well written, gentle romance, with a few chaste kisses as the main action this is one for you. Just not for me :(
Stars:three
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
April 8, 2014
Well, what can I say about this book?! First of all, I was unsure how it was going to work, written by two authors, they would need to know each other inside out and even know what the other is thinking. I was really looking forward to reading this and also seeing how well the authors could connect together to produce a good book. This is something I feel they have got down to a tea! They do know each other extremely well and it is clear from the story they are very good friends.
This story really appealed to me, growing up in the 90's I felt I could relate to the characters brilliantly. It bought back memories from my own life. For a start Romy and Michelle's High school reunion! OMG I can't believe this is actually in the book! I thought no one had seen it except me and I loved that I could connect to it so well! Little references to this period really made me smile and I felt my enjoyment of the book was enhanced because of this. Anyway I am rambling, lets get on about the book!
So the story follows two lives, Holly and Alex, both of these characters we get to follow in depth, we see them in the present day and in the past (my favourite part!) The way it is written jumping through time, you would think would be difficult to follow and hard to grasp, it is not. It allows you to remember and when you realise the connection or the significance of something that happened in the past you understand why the present is the way it is, or how it has enhanced the present.
Holly and Alex, have known each other for most of their lives growing up, however they lost contact 10 years ago, Holly heading to London, 10 years on and Alex has the chance to relocate to London for a job opportunity. He is a teacher and feels he has more to offer to the kids there than where he is presently. But is that the real reason he is going to London? It can't be about Holly now can it??
I loved how Holly and Alex met in London, after seeing each other after such a long time apart didn't make it awkward, they slipped back into the 90's reminiscing and rekindling their relationship as it always had been, or so they thought. But things have changed, they aren't the same people as they were 10 years ago.
When Holly meets up with Alex, he seems to have achieved all he was set out to do, Holly on the other hand feels she has got lost along the way and seeing how Alex's life has panned out gets her questioning her own, is she happy?
The book takes you on a range of emotions, it is very humorous at times but also there were sad moments. I hated Holly's boss, he was really mean to her and it took her a while to work it out. I really enjoyed reading about their relationship though and I felt it gave more emotion to the book.
This is a brilliant debut novel and shows how well the authors can connect together, it had me laughing, crying and becoming hopeful. I would love to read more from both of these authors. I do hope they continue to write together as I feel they have something special.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me the book in exchange for a honest review.
This story really appealed to me, growing up in the 90's I felt I could relate to the characters brilliantly. It bought back memories from my own life. For a start Romy and Michelle's High school reunion! OMG I can't believe this is actually in the book! I thought no one had seen it except me and I loved that I could connect to it so well! Little references to this period really made me smile and I felt my enjoyment of the book was enhanced because of this. Anyway I am rambling, lets get on about the book!
So the story follows two lives, Holly and Alex, both of these characters we get to follow in depth, we see them in the present day and in the past (my favourite part!) The way it is written jumping through time, you would think would be difficult to follow and hard to grasp, it is not. It allows you to remember and when you realise the connection or the significance of something that happened in the past you understand why the present is the way it is, or how it has enhanced the present.
Holly and Alex, have known each other for most of their lives growing up, however they lost contact 10 years ago, Holly heading to London, 10 years on and Alex has the chance to relocate to London for a job opportunity. He is a teacher and feels he has more to offer to the kids there than where he is presently. But is that the real reason he is going to London? It can't be about Holly now can it??
I loved how Holly and Alex met in London, after seeing each other after such a long time apart didn't make it awkward, they slipped back into the 90's reminiscing and rekindling their relationship as it always had been, or so they thought. But things have changed, they aren't the same people as they were 10 years ago.
When Holly meets up with Alex, he seems to have achieved all he was set out to do, Holly on the other hand feels she has got lost along the way and seeing how Alex's life has panned out gets her questioning her own, is she happy?
The book takes you on a range of emotions, it is very humorous at times but also there were sad moments. I hated Holly's boss, he was really mean to her and it took her a while to work it out. I really enjoyed reading about their relationship though and I felt it gave more emotion to the book.
This is a brilliant debut novel and shows how well the authors can connect together, it had me laughing, crying and becoming hopeful. I would love to read more from both of these authors. I do hope they continue to write together as I feel they have something special.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me the book in exchange for a honest review.
April 25, 2014
Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld for providing a review copy in return for an honest review.
The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me is the fantastic story of Holly and Alex. They grew up together and we quickly establish that during these years they both harboured secret crushes on each other. The book is written both in the present, and the past, and alternates between Holly and Alex's viewpoints. The book is cleverly written by 2 authors, 1 male and 1 female. I am guessing that they took on one role each, and am intrigued to know more about how they wrote it so cleverly, and whether my assumption that they wrote in their own gender is correct.
It would be fair to say that I fell a little bit (ok, a lot) in love with Holly and Alex very quickly. If I could have waved a magic wand and teleported them back to earlier years to get them together I would have done in a heartbeat! It certainly took me back to my younger years of secret and unrequited love. This raised many smiles and happy memories.
As we alternate between 1999 and 2010 I felt able to build up a real picture of what had happened to them over the years and felt quite sad that, due to cross wires they had never admitted their true feelings for eachother.
We get to meet Richard, who is Holly's love interest, and boss. I wanted to boo and hiss him whenever he appeared, a bit like a panto baddie. We also meet Melissa, who works in the same company as Holly, who is also not very nice. The other main supporting character we meet is Kev, Alex's best mate. He is the real surprise of the book for me.
I found the style of writing both witty, moving and very heartwarming. I would never have guessed that the book was written by 2 authors which shows just how good they are. I stayed up late into the night to finish the book as it just became more and more compelling as it developed. I really want to tell you more about the storyline but it would be wrong to ruin it all for you.
I would highly recommend getting this book. It is engrossing escapism at its best. Loved it. The only downside was because I read it on Kindle I didn't get to admire the beautiful cover of the book, which is absolutely lovely.
The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me is the fantastic story of Holly and Alex. They grew up together and we quickly establish that during these years they both harboured secret crushes on each other. The book is written both in the present, and the past, and alternates between Holly and Alex's viewpoints. The book is cleverly written by 2 authors, 1 male and 1 female. I am guessing that they took on one role each, and am intrigued to know more about how they wrote it so cleverly, and whether my assumption that they wrote in their own gender is correct.
It would be fair to say that I fell a little bit (ok, a lot) in love with Holly and Alex very quickly. If I could have waved a magic wand and teleported them back to earlier years to get them together I would have done in a heartbeat! It certainly took me back to my younger years of secret and unrequited love. This raised many smiles and happy memories.
As we alternate between 1999 and 2010 I felt able to build up a real picture of what had happened to them over the years and felt quite sad that, due to cross wires they had never admitted their true feelings for eachother.
We get to meet Richard, who is Holly's love interest, and boss. I wanted to boo and hiss him whenever he appeared, a bit like a panto baddie. We also meet Melissa, who works in the same company as Holly, who is also not very nice. The other main supporting character we meet is Kev, Alex's best mate. He is the real surprise of the book for me.
I found the style of writing both witty, moving and very heartwarming. I would never have guessed that the book was written by 2 authors which shows just how good they are. I stayed up late into the night to finish the book as it just became more and more compelling as it developed. I really want to tell you more about the storyline but it would be wrong to ruin it all for you.
I would highly recommend getting this book. It is engrossing escapism at its best. Loved it. The only downside was because I read it on Kindle I didn't get to admire the beautiful cover of the book, which is absolutely lovely.
March 30, 2016
This book has been on my TBR pile for a shamefully long time. With the release of the 2nd book early this year I bumped it up to the top of the pile to be read.
This is all about two friends Holly and Alex who missed their chance for romance as teenagers.
The story flips back and forth between both characters and the present and past. During the “past” scenes the story of Holly and Alex as teenagers and best friends is built up into a classic picture of them having feelings for each other but neither feeling the right moment to reveal them, ultimately missing their chance.
The present day scenes tell the story of Alex and Holly being reunited. The two sides of the story, interwoven throughout, creates a sense of how the characters have changed but neither of them seem to really be fulfilling their dreams until they come back into each other’s lives. Alex was sweet, if a bit of a wimp a times, but generally likeable. I felt like Holly was being totally played by Richard and couldn’t marry up the teenage and adult versions of her. I thought for sure she would have more balls to call Richard out on his BS more often but she also seemed like a bit of a wimp and a pushover.
One of my favourite books ever is written by two authors and if I hadn’t previously have known it was two authors I wouldn’t have been able to tell, not sure if that was the intention or not.
A few reviews I’ve read of this book state that readers are unaware of what actually happened in this book and to a degree I actually felt the same. It was a bit like a whole book worth of scene setting before an anticlimactic ending.
This is all about two friends Holly and Alex who missed their chance for romance as teenagers.
The story flips back and forth between both characters and the present and past. During the “past” scenes the story of Holly and Alex as teenagers and best friends is built up into a classic picture of them having feelings for each other but neither feeling the right moment to reveal them, ultimately missing their chance.
The present day scenes tell the story of Alex and Holly being reunited. The two sides of the story, interwoven throughout, creates a sense of how the characters have changed but neither of them seem to really be fulfilling their dreams until they come back into each other’s lives. Alex was sweet, if a bit of a wimp a times, but generally likeable. I felt like Holly was being totally played by Richard and couldn’t marry up the teenage and adult versions of her. I thought for sure she would have more balls to call Richard out on his BS more often but she also seemed like a bit of a wimp and a pushover.
One of my favourite books ever is written by two authors and if I hadn’t previously have known it was two authors I wouldn’t have been able to tell, not sure if that was the intention or not.
A few reviews I’ve read of this book state that readers are unaware of what actually happened in this book and to a degree I actually felt the same. It was a bit like a whole book worth of scene setting before an anticlimactic ending.
July 29, 2016
I thought this was a great story with a bad ending. Well, not bad, but definitely disappointing. I expected a bit more. When you take your reader through a whole history, with flashbacks and everything, the least you can do is make sure that it pays off. It doesn't and I finished reading it feeling like there was something missing. And not in a good way, like I hope we get a sequel. No, like I had been cheated.
The problem is it is not a bad story. I liked the characters, I liked the ending in general, but it should not have ended when it did. It was like there was a missing epilogue or something. Sorry, but this was a miss for me.
The problem is it is not a bad story. I liked the characters, I liked the ending in general, but it should not have ended when it did. It was like there was a missing epilogue or something. Sorry, but this was a miss for me.
June 24, 2014
Beautifully written debut book by a clearly talented writing duo.
Lovely story of Holly and Alex who were friends at school, lost touch, and then many years later refind each other and rekindle their friendship. Needless to say other feelings may be involved!
Loved the alternating perspectives of Alex and Holly and really felt like I got to know quite a bit about both characters.
Definitely worth a read
Lovely story of Holly and Alex who were friends at school, lost touch, and then many years later refind each other and rekindle their friendship. Needless to say other feelings may be involved!
Loved the alternating perspectives of Alex and Holly and really felt like I got to know quite a bit about both characters.
Definitely worth a read
March 15, 2017
This was awful. I mean, the characters were childish (let's not forget they are 30 years old) and cowards. The whole story is pointless, and it ends just in that point when it should have started. It was boring and stupid in a bad boring way.
I hated it. DO NOT READ THIS SHIT!!!
I hated it. DO NOT READ THIS SHIT!!!
May 4, 2020
PAS DU TOUT ACCROCHÉ AUX PERSONNAGES. 😔
October 9, 2014
Originally posted on Attachments and Landline by Rainbow Rowell, I decided I wanted to read more adult romance. I used to read quite a lot when I was younger, namely Freya North's novel, but somehow developed started to dismiss the romance/chicklit genre. Nothing sounded good. But Rowell changed my mind, and though I hunted for romance that appealed, I still couldn't find much. Then I saw several adverts for The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice on Goodreads, an advert that asked a question about falling in love with your best friend. Sold! Plus with that awesome, nongeneric romance cover, I just had to read it! And it was SO good!
Holly and Alex were best friends at school, each one secretly in love with the other, but due to a misunderstanding, lost touch when they went to uni. Eleven years has now passed, and when Alex moves to London for a new teaching job, they end up getting back in touch. Holly is no longer the carefree, impulsive girl she once was, but a PA who loves organisation in a secret relationship with her boss. Alex is different too, no longer the self-concious, almost-dorky teenager, but a sophisticated seeming man who wears smart suits and is actually teaching English! Despite the differences, the two fall back into their easy friendship, and as time goes on, they quickly become best mates all over again. They remind each other of who they used to be, and with the easy, comfortable familiarity, they're also reminded of what they felt for each other at 18. But things are so different now, there's no way they could ever be more than friends, right?
This book is so good! It's not just a romance, but a romcom, and I was smiling away to myself more times than I can count. I recently read YA novel Lobsters by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison (review to come), and The Best Thing feels a lot like Lobsters' big sister. Not only is The Best Thing told in alternating view points for each chapter, although the stories are completely different, there's a similarity with the destinct voices, the crossed wires and lack of communication. And the humour of The Best Thing is also a grown up version of that in Lobsters. And with the few odd flashback chapters to when Holly and Alex were 18, the characters from both books could have known each other. If you like either book, you'll probably enjoy the other.
I was rooting for Holly and Alex the whole way through. They're both such likable, humourous characters! There was a lot of me wanting to slap my forehead in exasperation as you see what each person's perspective was of an evening hanging out together and how they both misjudged where the other was coming from. I know some people dislike books where the characters just aren't honest about what they're feeling and won't talk to each other, but I find with this book, it really adds to the will they/won't they tension. With the flashbacks, you see what happened before, and although Holly and Alex may be 11 years older, some things just don't change, and you're devastated to find that old mistakes might be repeated. The last line of the blurb, "How do you know if it was meant to be... or never meant to happen at all?", really works for the book, because I was never really sure how the book was going to end. Will they fall in love again? And if they do, will they say anything? Or will they realise that what they feel is just nostalgia for the past, not something that means anything now? I had no idea! Obviously, I knew what I wanted to happen, but couldn't guess at how the cards would fall.
Although the romcom side of things is the main focus of the book, The Best Thing is also about second chances. At different stages in the book, both Alex and Holly realise they're not fulling the dreams they had when they were 18. Working at the school in the quiet town of Mothston, Yorkshire, Alex doesn't feel like he's making a difference to anyone's lives, and feels that going to work at a bigger school in London will help him achieve that. But it seems teenagers don't really care about falling in love with Shakespeare, or having a teacher who's their for the troubled kids. He's a fish out of water, and feels he's failing as a teacher. But this is his chance to make an affect on his students, and he'll keep trying. Holly used tobe freespirited with dreams of travelling the world and having an array of experiences, but finds herself in a 9-5 office job every day. Alex reminds her of what her dreams once were, and she slowly finds the desire to do those things once again.
Ignoring the fact that feelings are involved (especially as I didn't know how it would end!), The Best Thing is an awesome reminder of how wonderful friendship is, how extraordinary it is to have those friends you can completely be yourself with, who love you faults and all. It's a book that reminds you of your own amazing friendships, and has you feeling grateful you have those people in your life.
The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me is a really great romcom, and I'm so eager to read more by both Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice!
Thank you to Transworld Publishers for the review copy.
Holly and Alex were best friends at school, each one secretly in love with the other, but due to a misunderstanding, lost touch when they went to uni. Eleven years has now passed, and when Alex moves to London for a new teaching job, they end up getting back in touch. Holly is no longer the carefree, impulsive girl she once was, but a PA who loves organisation in a secret relationship with her boss. Alex is different too, no longer the self-concious, almost-dorky teenager, but a sophisticated seeming man who wears smart suits and is actually teaching English! Despite the differences, the two fall back into their easy friendship, and as time goes on, they quickly become best mates all over again. They remind each other of who they used to be, and with the easy, comfortable familiarity, they're also reminded of what they felt for each other at 18. But things are so different now, there's no way they could ever be more than friends, right?
This book is so good! It's not just a romance, but a romcom, and I was smiling away to myself more times than I can count. I recently read YA novel Lobsters by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison (review to come), and The Best Thing feels a lot like Lobsters' big sister. Not only is The Best Thing told in alternating view points for each chapter, although the stories are completely different, there's a similarity with the destinct voices, the crossed wires and lack of communication. And the humour of The Best Thing is also a grown up version of that in Lobsters. And with the few odd flashback chapters to when Holly and Alex were 18, the characters from both books could have known each other. If you like either book, you'll probably enjoy the other.
I was rooting for Holly and Alex the whole way through. They're both such likable, humourous characters! There was a lot of me wanting to slap my forehead in exasperation as you see what each person's perspective was of an evening hanging out together and how they both misjudged where the other was coming from. I know some people dislike books where the characters just aren't honest about what they're feeling and won't talk to each other, but I find with this book, it really adds to the will they/won't they tension. With the flashbacks, you see what happened before, and although Holly and Alex may be 11 years older, some things just don't change, and you're devastated to find that old mistakes might be repeated. The last line of the blurb, "How do you know if it was meant to be... or never meant to happen at all?", really works for the book, because I was never really sure how the book was going to end. Will they fall in love again? And if they do, will they say anything? Or will they realise that what they feel is just nostalgia for the past, not something that means anything now? I had no idea! Obviously, I knew what I wanted to happen, but couldn't guess at how the cards would fall.
Although the romcom side of things is the main focus of the book, The Best Thing is also about second chances. At different stages in the book, both Alex and Holly realise they're not fulling the dreams they had when they were 18. Working at the school in the quiet town of Mothston, Yorkshire, Alex doesn't feel like he's making a difference to anyone's lives, and feels that going to work at a bigger school in London will help him achieve that. But it seems teenagers don't really care about falling in love with Shakespeare, or having a teacher who's their for the troubled kids. He's a fish out of water, and feels he's failing as a teacher. But this is his chance to make an affect on his students, and he'll keep trying. Holly used tobe freespirited with dreams of travelling the world and having an array of experiences, but finds herself in a 9-5 office job every day. Alex reminds her of what her dreams once were, and she slowly finds the desire to do those things once again.
Ignoring the fact that feelings are involved (especially as I didn't know how it would end!), The Best Thing is an awesome reminder of how wonderful friendship is, how extraordinary it is to have those friends you can completely be yourself with, who love you faults and all. It's a book that reminds you of your own amazing friendships, and has you feeling grateful you have those people in your life.
The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me is a really great romcom, and I'm so eager to read more by both Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice!
Thank you to Transworld Publishers for the review copy.
November 23, 2021
Esperava "Simplesmente Acontece", recebeu duas paredes sem sal
Eu poderia ficar aqui reclamando de todos os problemas desse livro (como os autores acharem de boas colocar o fato da personagem principal ter sido estuprada como uma grande revelação pra história sendo que nem precisava estar lá), mas o que importa é que finalmente eu li todos os livros que comprei na bienal de 2015 e nunca mais vou cometer o erro de comprar livros na impulsividade sem nunca ter ouvido falar sobre.
Eu poderia ficar aqui reclamando de todos os problemas desse livro (como os autores acharem de boas colocar o fato da personagem principal ter sido estuprada como uma grande revelação pra história sendo que nem precisava estar lá), mas o que importa é que finalmente eu li todos os livros que comprei na bienal de 2015 e nunca mais vou cometer o erro de comprar livros na impulsividade sem nunca ter ouvido falar sobre.
September 11, 2016
As soon as I heard about Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice’s debut novel The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me, I thought it sounded brilliant! I really like novels that are about friendships and not just current friendships, but ones that have been going for years and years, and especially when it’s friendships between girls and boys. I know, girls and boys can’t be friends yada, yada, yada, but I sometimes feel that they can and I was very, very interested in Holly and Alex’s story. There’s seemed different to most girl/boy friendships, and I was very pleased to receive an early review copy. I couldn’t wait to get stuck in, because if I love any kind of books more than girl/boy friendships I also love dual narratives. So I was really only ever going to love this book, because it just ticked ALL of the boxes for me.
The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me is, as I’ve already said, about Holly and Alex. Holly and Alex haven’t seen each other for eleven years, after Holly decided to go and confess her love and found Alex not entirely interested in what she had to say, so she left their home town for University having not said a word. Now, eleven years later, Holly’s working as a PA, sleeping with her boss (though it’s not that kind of deal, he isn’t married, it’s an actual relationship – though it’s also a secret relationship) and she’s happy. Until Alex comes barrelling back into her world, having just got a job at a school in London, and reminds Holly of just how easy their friendship used to be. Until it becomes something more than friendship, but is Holly willing to put her feelings on the line again, and are they actual, new feelings or just residual ones from eleven years ago, and how does Alex feel in all of this?
I really, really loved The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me, I knew pretty much from the first page that I was going to enjoy it. Sometimes you just know, and I just knew. Holly and Alex’s friendship bursts from the page, and the Prologue just reinforces that feeling inside you. The narrative then skips back and forth between Holly and Alex, in their new lives eleven years since their last meeting, but it also introduces us to key moments from back when it all went pear-shaped, and I loved those little tid-bits. It felt like I was spying on their teenage selves, and I just wanted to bash their heads together (something I felt quite frequently whilst reading). That’s the thing with a dual narrative – if YOU the reader knows how the characters are feeling but the characters are oblivious (because they’re always oblivious, bless their little heads) it does lead to a sense of frustration, but I never felt frustrated while reading because as much as I wanted Holly and Alex to admit their feelings for each other, I sort of enjoyed seeing them dance around the matter, it made it worth for when (if?) it eventually happened.
The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me is such a special, enjoyable book. I literally raced my way through the pages desperate to see how it concluded and if, indeed, the title would still be true come the final page. There was a really worrying moment towards the end where I thought it was all going to go pear-shaped (AGAIN) but the ending was absoutely satisfying, and it sort of suited the book perfectly. The whole book was just so brilliant! I loved the see-sawing narrative, going from Alex to Holly to Alex to Holly, it’s always great to be able to see into the thoughts of your two main characters, and the two people you sincerely hope will end up together come the final page and these were two real, wonderful characters that you truly come to care about. The whole book was so warm, so witty and so wise, about second chance love and it’s a lovely tale of how friendship can survive almost anything – even an eleven-year separation, that’s the mark of a true friendship and Holly and Alex’s tale will stick with you long after you’ve finished. Laura and Jimmy are fantastic writers, and I could barely tell that it was written by two different authors and it’s written so well, and I just loved every single page
The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me is, as I’ve already said, about Holly and Alex. Holly and Alex haven’t seen each other for eleven years, after Holly decided to go and confess her love and found Alex not entirely interested in what she had to say, so she left their home town for University having not said a word. Now, eleven years later, Holly’s working as a PA, sleeping with her boss (though it’s not that kind of deal, he isn’t married, it’s an actual relationship – though it’s also a secret relationship) and she’s happy. Until Alex comes barrelling back into her world, having just got a job at a school in London, and reminds Holly of just how easy their friendship used to be. Until it becomes something more than friendship, but is Holly willing to put her feelings on the line again, and are they actual, new feelings or just residual ones from eleven years ago, and how does Alex feel in all of this?
I really, really loved The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me, I knew pretty much from the first page that I was going to enjoy it. Sometimes you just know, and I just knew. Holly and Alex’s friendship bursts from the page, and the Prologue just reinforces that feeling inside you. The narrative then skips back and forth between Holly and Alex, in their new lives eleven years since their last meeting, but it also introduces us to key moments from back when it all went pear-shaped, and I loved those little tid-bits. It felt like I was spying on their teenage selves, and I just wanted to bash their heads together (something I felt quite frequently whilst reading). That’s the thing with a dual narrative – if YOU the reader knows how the characters are feeling but the characters are oblivious (because they’re always oblivious, bless their little heads) it does lead to a sense of frustration, but I never felt frustrated while reading because as much as I wanted Holly and Alex to admit their feelings for each other, I sort of enjoyed seeing them dance around the matter, it made it worth for when (if?) it eventually happened.
The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me is such a special, enjoyable book. I literally raced my way through the pages desperate to see how it concluded and if, indeed, the title would still be true come the final page. There was a really worrying moment towards the end where I thought it was all going to go pear-shaped (AGAIN) but the ending was absoutely satisfying, and it sort of suited the book perfectly. The whole book was just so brilliant! I loved the see-sawing narrative, going from Alex to Holly to Alex to Holly, it’s always great to be able to see into the thoughts of your two main characters, and the two people you sincerely hope will end up together come the final page and these were two real, wonderful characters that you truly come to care about. The whole book was so warm, so witty and so wise, about second chance love and it’s a lovely tale of how friendship can survive almost anything – even an eleven-year separation, that’s the mark of a true friendship and Holly and Alex’s tale will stick with you long after you’ve finished. Laura and Jimmy are fantastic writers, and I could barely tell that it was written by two different authors and it’s written so well, and I just loved every single page
March 6, 2015
Sono 2 stelle e mezzo!
http://labibliotecadieliza.blogspot.i...
Alex e Holly si conoscono da sempre, sono migliori amici. Finito il liceo però perdono i contatti e devono aspettare 10 anni per rivedersi di nuovo, non nella piccola e sperduta Mothston dove passano l'adolescenza, ma nella grande e lucente Londra, dove entrambi si ritrovano a vivere. Tra i due riprende in fretta il rapporto che avevano lasciato, anche se i sentimenti che i due provano sono ben diversi dalla semplice amicizia. Holly però ha una relazione segreta con il suo capo e Alex ne ha iniziata da poco una con l'antipatica Melissa. Insomma per i due non è mai il momento giusto! Hanno un'occasione mancata dopo l'altra, e anche i rispettivi caratteri non aiutano a risolvere la situazione. Fino a quando...
Mi sono scordata di fidanzarmi con te è una commedia romantica, dolce e carina, ma niente di più. Purtroppo la storia non decolla e a tratti è piuttosto piatta. Ci sono diversi elementi interessanti che potevano aiutare a creare un bel romanzo divertente e leggero, ma il racconto e troppo piatto e anche i suoi protagonisti non convincono. Ho trovato qualche battuta simpatica e dei momenti all'altezza delle mie aspettative sul finale, troppo tardi purtroppo per risollevare il libro.
Il continuo alternarsi dei punti di vista credevo sarebbe stato un problema, temevo, dopo aver letto le prime pagine, di trovare quasi due storie separate, raccontate dal punto di vista di Holly e da quello di Alex. In realtà la scrittura a quattro mani aiuta e fa si che, sebbene non spumeggiate, la storia sia ben narrata, con i due punti di vista che danno un quadro a 360° di quello che succede. Peccato però che non ci siano degli episodi così indimenticabili che catturino l'attenzione del lettore.
Il finale è invece molto più interessante. Le ultime 80 pagine mi hanno divertita e catturata, anche perché essenzialmente succede tutto lì. Qui ci sono le battute più divertenti, qui i personaggi hanno una marcia in più.
Passiamo proprio ai personaggi. I due protagonisti, Holly e Alex, hanno pro e contro. Pro: sono due ragazzi normali, nessuno è bellissimo, stupendissimo, sexy, e via dicendo. Finalmente un po' di normalità! Hanno dei bei caratteri, sono ben descritti. Contro: sono poco propositivi, come la storia non è frizzante e accattivante, così loro si lasciano molto condurre dagli eventi. Non so, non mi hanno molto convinta, a tratti li ho trovati noiosi, e nei momenti in cui potevano dare di più non lo fanno. Ad esempio, Alex si fa mille problemi con i ragazzi della scuola ma alla fine poco fa. Holly almeno sul finale decide di dare una bella svolta alla sua vita, prende una vera decisione, fa qualcosa! Quindi un punto in più per Holly!
I personaggi "di contorno" sono un po' più interessanti, pur rimanendo nella loro parte marginale. Mi è piaciuta soprattutto Jemma, collega di Holly, che non vuole, non sa e non è una segretaria; le sue battute sono le più divertenti e, anche se è un personaggio volutamente un po' sopra le righe, è quello che più rallegra la storia.
In conclusione, non mi sono molto appassionata alla storia, se non sul finale. In generale l'ho trovata un po' piatta, non difficile da leggere o particolarmente lenta, ma con pochi momenti interessanti o molto divertenti, come invece mi aspetto da questo genere di romanzo. Peccato!
http://labibliotecadieliza.blogspot.i...
Alex e Holly si conoscono da sempre, sono migliori amici. Finito il liceo però perdono i contatti e devono aspettare 10 anni per rivedersi di nuovo, non nella piccola e sperduta Mothston dove passano l'adolescenza, ma nella grande e lucente Londra, dove entrambi si ritrovano a vivere. Tra i due riprende in fretta il rapporto che avevano lasciato, anche se i sentimenti che i due provano sono ben diversi dalla semplice amicizia. Holly però ha una relazione segreta con il suo capo e Alex ne ha iniziata da poco una con l'antipatica Melissa. Insomma per i due non è mai il momento giusto! Hanno un'occasione mancata dopo l'altra, e anche i rispettivi caratteri non aiutano a risolvere la situazione. Fino a quando...
Mi sono scordata di fidanzarmi con te è una commedia romantica, dolce e carina, ma niente di più. Purtroppo la storia non decolla e a tratti è piuttosto piatta. Ci sono diversi elementi interessanti che potevano aiutare a creare un bel romanzo divertente e leggero, ma il racconto e troppo piatto e anche i suoi protagonisti non convincono. Ho trovato qualche battuta simpatica e dei momenti all'altezza delle mie aspettative sul finale, troppo tardi purtroppo per risollevare il libro.
Il continuo alternarsi dei punti di vista credevo sarebbe stato un problema, temevo, dopo aver letto le prime pagine, di trovare quasi due storie separate, raccontate dal punto di vista di Holly e da quello di Alex. In realtà la scrittura a quattro mani aiuta e fa si che, sebbene non spumeggiate, la storia sia ben narrata, con i due punti di vista che danno un quadro a 360° di quello che succede. Peccato però che non ci siano degli episodi così indimenticabili che catturino l'attenzione del lettore.
Il finale è invece molto più interessante. Le ultime 80 pagine mi hanno divertita e catturata, anche perché essenzialmente succede tutto lì. Qui ci sono le battute più divertenti, qui i personaggi hanno una marcia in più.
Passiamo proprio ai personaggi. I due protagonisti, Holly e Alex, hanno pro e contro. Pro: sono due ragazzi normali, nessuno è bellissimo, stupendissimo, sexy, e via dicendo. Finalmente un po' di normalità! Hanno dei bei caratteri, sono ben descritti. Contro: sono poco propositivi, come la storia non è frizzante e accattivante, così loro si lasciano molto condurre dagli eventi. Non so, non mi hanno molto convinta, a tratti li ho trovati noiosi, e nei momenti in cui potevano dare di più non lo fanno. Ad esempio, Alex si fa mille problemi con i ragazzi della scuola ma alla fine poco fa. Holly almeno sul finale decide di dare una bella svolta alla sua vita, prende una vera decisione, fa qualcosa! Quindi un punto in più per Holly!
I personaggi "di contorno" sono un po' più interessanti, pur rimanendo nella loro parte marginale. Mi è piaciuta soprattutto Jemma, collega di Holly, che non vuole, non sa e non è una segretaria; le sue battute sono le più divertenti e, anche se è un personaggio volutamente un po' sopra le righe, è quello che più rallegra la storia.
In conclusione, non mi sono molto appassionata alla storia, se non sul finale. In generale l'ho trovata un po' piatta, non difficile da leggere o particolarmente lenta, ma con pochi momenti interessanti o molto divertenti, come invece mi aspetto da questo genere di romanzo. Peccato!
April 16, 2014
Ok this is a book you just need to read. Yes, need.
1990’s: Holly and Alex are basically BFF’s – they do everything together, know everything about each other and, of course, are madly in love with each other but neither of them are prepared to admit it.
2010’s: Holly is a PA, in a relationship with her boss and sings songs from musicals when she runs. (Legend.) Alex is a teacher, doesn’t quite get the dating game and still lives at home. But, when Alex and Holly end up walking back into each other’s lives, they are given the chance to start again. It’s been years since they’ve spoken…can they rekindle their friendship and tell each other the things they were once too scared to?
Laura and Jimmy have pretty much perfected writing a book together. I am often hesitant when it comes to reading a book written by two authors, it just doesn’t often feel ‘natural’ but this book felt perfect. In my head I had the idea that Jimmy had written Alex’s chapters and Laura, Holly’s. I don’t know whether I read this in an interview with them somewhere or whether I completely made it up but whatevs, I mean, it totally worked in my head.
The book was split into dual narration with chapters from Holly’s point of view and then others from Alex’s which lent itself nicely to being able to see things from both perspectives. I have to say, this technique did leave me reeling with frustration, I was shouting at the book ‘JUST TELL EACH OTHER ALREADY’ but in a good way…I think. I certainly enjoyed being able to witness things from a male and female point of view – it was also nice to see that men do actually have some kind of feelings.
The pacing of this novel was perfect throughout; it invited me to keep turning page after page to see what would happen next, even though I already knew how it would end. I think that’s the thing with this book. As soon as you start reading it you know where the characters will end up – it’s a given in a book of this genre that the ending is predictable but it’s the journey that the characters take to their ending – that is the interesting part. And by golly did these characters go on an interesting journey! The addition of a few other characters, namely Kev and Richard, made for compelling reading and it was characters like this, who bought humour to the plot, who kept the story moving nicely.
I loved the writing style of this book. It didn’t feel as though two people had written it, the words flowed as though they had come from the same pen which was impressive. The humour, as mentioned so many times before, was spot on and really well crafted, as were the situations the characters find themselves in too.
My only tiny gripe was the ending. It was too rushed; too quickly resolved. Perhaps a slightly more detailed ending with fewer clichés would have worked but, do you know what, I don’t really care about that because I flippin’ loved this book and not even a rushed ending can put me off.
I cannot wait to read something else from this duo. They are ones to watch out for and I can tell you now that this is going to be one of the biggest debuts of the year. I can sense it!
A fabulously witty romantic comedy that will have you smiling and laughing in equal measure.
1990’s: Holly and Alex are basically BFF’s – they do everything together, know everything about each other and, of course, are madly in love with each other but neither of them are prepared to admit it.
2010’s: Holly is a PA, in a relationship with her boss and sings songs from musicals when she runs. (Legend.) Alex is a teacher, doesn’t quite get the dating game and still lives at home. But, when Alex and Holly end up walking back into each other’s lives, they are given the chance to start again. It’s been years since they’ve spoken…can they rekindle their friendship and tell each other the things they were once too scared to?
Laura and Jimmy have pretty much perfected writing a book together. I am often hesitant when it comes to reading a book written by two authors, it just doesn’t often feel ‘natural’ but this book felt perfect. In my head I had the idea that Jimmy had written Alex’s chapters and Laura, Holly’s. I don’t know whether I read this in an interview with them somewhere or whether I completely made it up but whatevs, I mean, it totally worked in my head.
The book was split into dual narration with chapters from Holly’s point of view and then others from Alex’s which lent itself nicely to being able to see things from both perspectives. I have to say, this technique did leave me reeling with frustration, I was shouting at the book ‘JUST TELL EACH OTHER ALREADY’ but in a good way…I think. I certainly enjoyed being able to witness things from a male and female point of view – it was also nice to see that men do actually have some kind of feelings.
The pacing of this novel was perfect throughout; it invited me to keep turning page after page to see what would happen next, even though I already knew how it would end. I think that’s the thing with this book. As soon as you start reading it you know where the characters will end up – it’s a given in a book of this genre that the ending is predictable but it’s the journey that the characters take to their ending – that is the interesting part. And by golly did these characters go on an interesting journey! The addition of a few other characters, namely Kev and Richard, made for compelling reading and it was characters like this, who bought humour to the plot, who kept the story moving nicely.
I loved the writing style of this book. It didn’t feel as though two people had written it, the words flowed as though they had come from the same pen which was impressive. The humour, as mentioned so many times before, was spot on and really well crafted, as were the situations the characters find themselves in too.
My only tiny gripe was the ending. It was too rushed; too quickly resolved. Perhaps a slightly more detailed ending with fewer clichés would have worked but, do you know what, I don’t really care about that because I flippin’ loved this book and not even a rushed ending can put me off.
I cannot wait to read something else from this duo. They are ones to watch out for and I can tell you now that this is going to be one of the biggest debuts of the year. I can sense it!
A fabulously witty romantic comedy that will have you smiling and laughing in equal measure.
April 11, 2014
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First of all, let us all have a moment of silence to drink in (devour) the gorgeous cover of this fantastic debut novel by the dynamic duo, Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice. OK? Done? Wait. I need to go for seconds. OK, now I'm done, my eyes are satisfied. Right, down to business, The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me is one of my most anticipated books of the year and clearly, I couldn't resist myself when a proof copy arrived a few days ago. The verdict is? Richard Curtis, call up for film rights right now.
The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me follows the story of two childhood best friends, Holly and Alex, who are inseparable mates. But little do they know, both of them fancy each other but they are too afraid of risking their friendship to confesses their feelings for each other. Set in 1999 and 2010, the book is a tender, moving love story about the one who got away and unrequited love. Or at least that's what they thought..
What I really liked about the book is that, it's written from both hero and heroine's perspective. I'll take a wild guess and say that Jimmy Rice writes from Alex's POV whereas Laura Tait writes from Holly's. Let's just say that it worked out perfectly. I really liked both Alex and Holly and they such wonderful leading characters, I was rooting for them to end up together! They had such amazing chemistry and the further I progressed through the novel, the more I fell in love with them.
Do you know what The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me reminds me of? One Day. Yes, maybe One Day meets When Harry Met Sally. Nevertheless, the novel was brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed every page of it. Need evidence? I finished it in one day. The plot is split between Alex and Holly's lives before going to Uni (1999) and their adult lives in 2010, where they discover that 11 years is a lifetime but when they meet again, it feels like yesterday. I'll guarantee you, you'll definitely get the warm, gooey feeling in your tummy after reading this, just like the ones you get after watching a really touching albeit cheesy romantic comedy. You know the feeling you get when your heart swells with love and emotion when the hero tells the heroine that's she's beautiful and all you want to do is hug someone and cry happily? Yes, I nearly did that. With a pillow.
The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me really riveted me because as far as romantic comedies go, it's got the sublime plot, wonderful characters, inevitable and frustrating near-misses and clever, amusing dialogue. It will definitely brighten your day and plaster a smile on your face after reading it. One of the most anticipated books for me this year, The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me did not disappoint me the slightest! I loved every page of it and I will definitely station myself in bookstores to tell people to get it! Highly recommended!
Rating: 10/10
First of all, let us all have a moment of silence to drink in (devour) the gorgeous cover of this fantastic debut novel by the dynamic duo, Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice. OK? Done? Wait. I need to go for seconds. OK, now I'm done, my eyes are satisfied. Right, down to business, The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me is one of my most anticipated books of the year and clearly, I couldn't resist myself when a proof copy arrived a few days ago. The verdict is? Richard Curtis, call up for film rights right now.
The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me follows the story of two childhood best friends, Holly and Alex, who are inseparable mates. But little do they know, both of them fancy each other but they are too afraid of risking their friendship to confesses their feelings for each other. Set in 1999 and 2010, the book is a tender, moving love story about the one who got away and unrequited love. Or at least that's what they thought..
What I really liked about the book is that, it's written from both hero and heroine's perspective. I'll take a wild guess and say that Jimmy Rice writes from Alex's POV whereas Laura Tait writes from Holly's. Let's just say that it worked out perfectly. I really liked both Alex and Holly and they such wonderful leading characters, I was rooting for them to end up together! They had such amazing chemistry and the further I progressed through the novel, the more I fell in love with them.
Do you know what The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me reminds me of? One Day. Yes, maybe One Day meets When Harry Met Sally. Nevertheless, the novel was brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed every page of it. Need evidence? I finished it in one day. The plot is split between Alex and Holly's lives before going to Uni (1999) and their adult lives in 2010, where they discover that 11 years is a lifetime but when they meet again, it feels like yesterday. I'll guarantee you, you'll definitely get the warm, gooey feeling in your tummy after reading this, just like the ones you get after watching a really touching albeit cheesy romantic comedy. You know the feeling you get when your heart swells with love and emotion when the hero tells the heroine that's she's beautiful and all you want to do is hug someone and cry happily? Yes, I nearly did that. With a pillow.
The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me really riveted me because as far as romantic comedies go, it's got the sublime plot, wonderful characters, inevitable and frustrating near-misses and clever, amusing dialogue. It will definitely brighten your day and plaster a smile on your face after reading it. One of the most anticipated books for me this year, The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me did not disappoint me the slightest! I loved every page of it and I will definitely station myself in bookstores to tell people to get it! Highly recommended!
Rating: 10/10
June 11, 2016
Review: how did it take me so long to read this book? I totally read Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice's books in the wrong order but if you end up doing that I can now confirm it doesn't matter. It was my love for The Night That Changed Everything (read it now) that gave me the shove to read this one. I actually downloaded the audiobook which mean that Holly and Alex's voices were distinct from each other and I'm really glad I shelled out for this one because that aspect made it and even more fun read. I found myself reading this is any opportunity I got, sitting in the car when I got home from work so that I could hear the end of the chapter!
I think out of the two main characters, I preferred Alexk over Holly, I know you shouldn't pick favourites and before you say anything, it's not just because he is a fellow teacher who went from teaching up north to teaching in a challenging London school (is he actually me?!) but I really liked the way he handled his life. He went for things and really made the most of what he had, whether that was a challenging class or a challenging room mate. He is a little naive when it comes to certain aspects of his life, including he friendship with Holly but I loved that about him. Best freind Kevin provides some pure comedy moments and I had some laugh out loud times in my car when he was involved. I really liked Holly too, I just felt frustrated by the choices that she made in life, as I'm sure I was meant to as a reader, she evoked real emotion in me which means she was incredible well-written as a character!
I loved the dual narrative of this book and also that fact that we have flashbacks so we get to hear from both characters and find out what has gone before in their friendship as well as where it stands now. It was a total Ross and Rachel type of relationship where you are willing things to happen between them and then Italians and Stray cats get involved (that was in Freinds not in the book but the thing they are hit with are essentially the same thing!) and you actually feel yourself getting more and more tense with each moment that passes. If you are a real romantic, you will love every moment of this love story not love story and if you are more of a cynic then you will love the missed opportunities too. Definitely definitely pick up both of these books now and read them in any order you like, I guarantee you'll have fun!
I think out of the two main characters, I preferred Alexk over Holly, I know you shouldn't pick favourites and before you say anything, it's not just because he is a fellow teacher who went from teaching up north to teaching in a challenging London school (is he actually me?!) but I really liked the way he handled his life. He went for things and really made the most of what he had, whether that was a challenging class or a challenging room mate. He is a little naive when it comes to certain aspects of his life, including he friendship with Holly but I loved that about him. Best freind Kevin provides some pure comedy moments and I had some laugh out loud times in my car when he was involved. I really liked Holly too, I just felt frustrated by the choices that she made in life, as I'm sure I was meant to as a reader, she evoked real emotion in me which means she was incredible well-written as a character!
I loved the dual narrative of this book and also that fact that we have flashbacks so we get to hear from both characters and find out what has gone before in their friendship as well as where it stands now. It was a total Ross and Rachel type of relationship where you are willing things to happen between them and then Italians and Stray cats get involved (that was in Freinds not in the book but the thing they are hit with are essentially the same thing!) and you actually feel yourself getting more and more tense with each moment that passes. If you are a real romantic, you will love every moment of this love story not love story and if you are more of a cynic then you will love the missed opportunities too. Definitely definitely pick up both of these books now and read them in any order you like, I guarantee you'll have fun!
June 7, 2019
This book has been on my bookshelf for years, and I was so excited to finally get around to it. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it at all.
This truthfully felt like the slowest book I've read in a long time - the story didn't seem to advance much throughout the entirety of it, and I found it incredibly impersonal and difficult to connect with as a whole. It didn't fit with me at all, even though the premise convinced me that this would be exactly my kind of book. But alas, it wasn't! The characters were flat, uninteresting and the romance was impossible to root for because they were very rarely written together. It was rare wherein the characters interacted and that was a contributing factor to my difficulty in enjoying it.
I also didn't enjoy how plain this romance was either. When it was written about it was incredibly flat - there wasn't any real chemistry there. They did mere chaste kisses on the rare occasion they had actual physical contact, and nothing actually occurred in their lives of interest. I really wanted more highs and lows throughout this story which was what the synopsis convinced me it was going to be. I expected a really tense, dramatic situation occurring but unfortunately that wasn't the case. The reuniting of these characters was also inherently dull too. It just wasn't an enjoyable story for me and definitely wasn't for me, but don't allow my negative review to put you off!
However, if the synopsis intrigues you, give it a go! This definitely has the potential, it just needs to be found by the right person.
This truthfully felt like the slowest book I've read in a long time - the story didn't seem to advance much throughout the entirety of it, and I found it incredibly impersonal and difficult to connect with as a whole. It didn't fit with me at all, even though the premise convinced me that this would be exactly my kind of book. But alas, it wasn't! The characters were flat, uninteresting and the romance was impossible to root for because they were very rarely written together. It was rare wherein the characters interacted and that was a contributing factor to my difficulty in enjoying it.
I also didn't enjoy how plain this romance was either. When it was written about it was incredibly flat - there wasn't any real chemistry there. They did mere chaste kisses on the rare occasion they had actual physical contact, and nothing actually occurred in their lives of interest. I really wanted more highs and lows throughout this story which was what the synopsis convinced me it was going to be. I expected a really tense, dramatic situation occurring but unfortunately that wasn't the case. The reuniting of these characters was also inherently dull too. It just wasn't an enjoyable story for me and definitely wasn't for me, but don't allow my negative review to put you off!
However, if the synopsis intrigues you, give it a go! This definitely has the potential, it just needs to be found by the right person.
July 24, 2014
I really needed something light and funny after reading a brilliant novel and this seemed like the perfect antidote.
It starts off really well with some excellent laugh out loud moments (sadly some of these were as I was reading in bed and nearly woke up my hubby!).
The characters of Holly and Alex - life long friends who love each other but who have never admitted it to each other - are brilliant and I really liked them both. Jem, Holly's friend and work colleague, is also a great character but my favourite had to be Kevin who came out with most of the laugh out loud lines.
I thoroughly enjoyed this for about half of the book but then it just slowly fizzled out and I felt the ending was a little flat.
I'm pleased I read it as it brought me slowly back to earth after my previous brilliant book.
It starts off really well with some excellent laugh out loud moments (sadly some of these were as I was reading in bed and nearly woke up my hubby!).
The characters of Holly and Alex - life long friends who love each other but who have never admitted it to each other - are brilliant and I really liked them both. Jem, Holly's friend and work colleague, is also a great character but my favourite had to be Kevin who came out with most of the laugh out loud lines.
I thoroughly enjoyed this for about half of the book but then it just slowly fizzled out and I felt the ending was a little flat.
I'm pleased I read it as it brought me slowly back to earth after my previous brilliant book.
August 23, 2021
Poignant, funny and definitely an ugly crier. Would read this book a hundred times over knowing what happens in the end.
Alex is the kind of boy that only lives in books and in my brain though it wouldn't hurt if he were real. He listens without interrupting or judging, feels what most boys pretend not to feel just to look cool, over-analyses and has a knack for hygiene (lol I'm a hygiene freak😋)
Whereas holly is the complete opposite, thinks about something and goes through with it. Makes lists and doesn't ponder about a situation too much.
As I was reading through this book, I felt like I grew with the characters, learnt from them, felt the emotions they were feeling and most importantly felt like I was them in one way or another. I guess that's the beauty of an excellent writer, not one but two actually!
Alex is the kind of boy that only lives in books and in my brain though it wouldn't hurt if he were real. He listens without interrupting or judging, feels what most boys pretend not to feel just to look cool, over-analyses and has a knack for hygiene (lol I'm a hygiene freak😋)
Whereas holly is the complete opposite, thinks about something and goes through with it. Makes lists and doesn't ponder about a situation too much.
As I was reading through this book, I felt like I grew with the characters, learnt from them, felt the emotions they were feeling and most importantly felt like I was them in one way or another. I guess that's the beauty of an excellent writer, not one but two actually!
June 19, 2015
A lovely story about Alex and Holly, who were best friendsthroughout their younger years. They have a break when Holly moves to London. But when Alex also moves there- they get back in touch. Can they rekindle their romantic relationship- do they want to? A really amusing book with chapters told by each character. You get to know and care about them- really well drawn.
A great writing partnership and I can’t wait to read more from them. This book really took me back in time and along a great journey through the book.
With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book.
A great writing partnership and I can’t wait to read more from them. This book really took me back in time and along a great journey through the book.
With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book.
January 8, 2016
První novoroční recenze na poslední přečtenou knížku loňského roku. Nejlepší věc, která se mi nikdy nestala je zároveň možná nejroztomilejší romantikou za hodně dlouhou dobu (o první místo se s ní pere S láskou Rosie). Aneb jak málo stačí k tomu, aby se život začal ubírat úplně jiným směrem, než jste si naplánovali? :)
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July 10, 2014I'm afraid that the will they/won't they situation has currently maxed out my patience and I require more than that to keep my interest. So unfortunately I'm setting this aside for now and possibly even forever.
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