The Meet Cute

by Isobel Mahon

'I loved this book, once I started reading I couldn't put the book down! Great for the holidays, really engaging characters, highly recommend!!' Reader review, 5 stars

Dumped, jobless, and now the last of her friends to have kids, Cassie is learning that there's no time like the present to start again . . .

Everyone knows you don't end a relationship over text. Well, except Gavin the man-child, it seems. When his message arrives out of the blue, Cassie knows there's only one place she wants to be . . . back home in Dublin, with her Mam bringing her endless cups of tea.

But on the first day of her new dog-walking gig, she's flattened by the Hound of the Baskervilles himself. Flat on her back in the mud, and thinking she's not capable of further mortification, Cass knows she's truly hit rock bottom.

But maybe this is the miracle she's been waiting for. Because, from where she's standing (okay, lying in the mud), the owner of this giant mutt looks absolutely gorgeous.

And it turns out, not only is Finn gorgeous, but he's charming and sweet and, over apology coffee, they click in a way that Cass has never clicked before.

It could be a great story to tell the grandkids one day, but Finn has all kinds of baggage, including three kids and an ex-wife that he neglected to mention . . .

She's just met the perfect man, but the timing couldn't be worse. They say true love is worth fighting for, but is it meant to be such an uphill battle?

A heartwarming, laugh-out-loud Irish romantic comedy, perfect for anyone who loves Bridget Jones, or books by Catherine Walsh, Mhairi McFarlane, Beth Moran, and Maxine Morrey.

Readers are falling head over heels for The Meet Cute!

'Adorable, witty, and full of charm, The Meet Cute is a feel-good rom-com brimming with laugh-out-loud moments, lovable characters, and undeniable chemistry . . . Perfect for fans of swoony, uplifting romance.' Reader review, 5 stars

'A humorous, lighthearted, feel good read . . . Perfect for escaping into for an afternoons reading . . . Romance, adventures and all the feels, what more could you ask for!' Reader review, 5 stars

'I flew right through this one! . . . I also am a sucker for any type of romance featuring a dog so that just added to the magic of this book!' Reader review, 5 stars

'I couldn't put the book down!, so instead of painting our back wall this weekend I've been tucked up in the sunny corner and read all 401 pages!!' Reader review, 5 stars

'I loved this book . . . Great for the holidays, really engaging characters, highly recommend!!' Reader review, 5 stars

'A perfect marriage of romance and comedy.' Reader review, 5 stars

'Felt like a warm hug in a book. It had me smiling like a big goof!' Reader review, 5 stars

Genres: Romance

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 22, 2025

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had to use one word to describe this book it would be “meh.” It was just slow and generally uninteresting - like watching the day in the life of typical everyday happenings. Blah. It was so dull I have very little to say about it. It made me feel nothing but a bit flabbergasted.

The title and description had potential but ultimately it fell really flat. There really was no chemistry, Finn was kind of awful imo (why do girls do this?!) - I found myself annoyed by him and his weakness. The story lines of any character just didn’t make me want to read more. And, despite the publishers blurb, it did not one time make me laugh out loud.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to advance read a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

🌶️ a little spice but basically closed door
Lots of f* bombs
Divorce
Pregnancy
Drag

[Katie Lavoie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book’s description felt off from the book itself. It’s not really a romcom (the romance was a small part and there wasn’t much that was comedic or funny). It’s really more of women’s fiction or contemporary fiction (which is how I’m reviewing it).

The majority of the book is short looks into the day-to-day life of Cassie, who is in her late 30s and trying to change her life. After being broken up with, she leaves London to return home to Dublin in need of a job, place to live, and to mend her broken heart. All of which happens over time but in a slightly chaotic fashion. There is also a surprising focus on pregnancy and children - several of her friends are pregnant, the rest of her friends have kids, and the guy she starts seeing has three children. All of the above is fine, just not what I was expecting when I read the summary.

Unfortunately, I didn’t like Cassie which made the book challenging to enjoy. For the first third of the book, her character felt inconsistent, fluctuating between decisive & confident, go with the flow, and overthinking & indecisive. For all of the book she came across self absorbed (e.g., doesn’t consider what Josie might need and only focuses on her issues, wanting an apology from her sister for their past issue when Cassie was who dramatically messed up). And for all Cassie said she needed to learn from losing herself in her previous relationship, it felt like she never really established herself (both in her relationship with Finn and in general).

Thank you to Isobel Mahon, Embla Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[SelkieReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book from this author, and as much as I absolutely loved the blurb, I felt that the book didn’t live up to it at all.
I kept waiting for it to be cute.
I kept waiting for it to be funny and to be honest it didn’t even read that romantic.
This felt like more like female nonfiction than a fiction romance… But the female main character is kind of terrible, so you didn’t even really want to read a story about her.
I kept hoping that the romance would pick up, that the MMC would knock it out of the park and change her tune, that it would become funnier and it just never did

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, you just need a book that feels like a warm hug, and this romcom delivers exactly that. With equal parts humour, heart, and a dash of chaos, this Irish romance is a delightful escape into love, self-discovery, and the power of a well-timed cup of tea. Cassie, our lovable and slightly down-on-her-luck FMC, is having a rough couple months, dumped over text, struggling with her acting career, and now back home in Dublin, trying to piece things together. Enter Finn: handsome, kind, and the owner of the giant dog that literally knocks her off her feet. Their meet-cute is the romcom dream, but the journey to happily ever after isn’t as simple as it seems. The book shines with humour and genuine emotion, and while some moments of miscommunication might test your patience, they only add to the charm. If you love a fast-paced, witty, heartwarming romance with a strong sense of place, this one’s for you. Thank you NetGalley for this wonderful arc!

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a childless 37 year old, I found myself instantly empathizing with our FMC, Cassie. My inner monologue runs a bit similar to hers, so I was pretty much hooked from the beginning. I too, find myself spouting random nonsense during a conversation.. and then wonder in my head wtf I am saying with my mouth. There were also several references sprinkled in for elder millennials, which I greatly enjoyed.

I don't often find myself highlighting profound quotes and adages in rom-coms, but there were so many here! Our FMCs Da especially (and other supporting characters) shared so many memorable tidbits, like "When you're explaining, you're losing," and "When in doubt, just be nice, Ye can't go wrong." And her Mam was an absolute hot mess and a delight. Heartwarming scenes abound with friends and family.

One of my favorite quotes from the book: "It's not always the obvious people, is it? I think love turns up in random spots and they're not always where you expect." I don't think this only applies to romantic relationships, but friendships as well - and Cassie experiences so many interesting connections throughout the course of this novel. I couldn't wait to find out who I'd meet in the next chapter.

A couple of the scenes were a little chaotic, and not fleshed out as well as I feel like they could/should have been. Most of them were in relation to our MMC though, which I think may have been intentional because of the general chaos that is his life. It was a bit of a rocky journey, and not quite the smooth rom-com I was expecting. Overall, it was a cute story, and my jaw literally dropped while reading (in public) several times toward the end. I still have some mixed feelings.

"It's my theory that we don't always know why we do something. Sometimes we start things for one reason and end up doing them for another."

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla for an e-arc of this book!

[☆Laura☆]

Cassie, a sus 37 años, es la única de su grupo de amigas que sigue estancada en su sueño de ser actriz, mientras sus amigas tienen trabajos estables, familias y vidas consolidadas. Ella, por su parte, se conforma con trabajos temporales y acaba viviendo con su madre. En medio de su crisis personal, conoce a Finn, un hombre recién divorciado con hijos, con quien comienza a salir. Sin embargo, Cassie se siente insegura de su relación, ya que no le gusta la idea de compartir a Finn con su familia, y su inmadurez la hace celosa de los hijos de él.

A pesar de todo, Cassie comienza a madurar y a encontrar sentido a su vida, mientras que Finn, aunque encantador y dulce, parece no cambiar. Ella se da cuenta de que el amor verdadero no es un camino fácil y que el destino tiene mucho más preparado para ella.



La verdad no me gusto.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mini Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐
The premise of this book was very interesting to me. I think that some parts were really fast and some parts were slow. I feel like I was waiting for the other foot to drop when it came to the ex wife but for some reason it didn't happen, even though I felt like that's what her character would do. I feel like there was a lag in the middle then it ended abruptly. There didn't feel like a resolution with the kids and we didn't find out how the kids felt about their mothers relationship and addition or how they felt about our FMC in the end and what she added to the family at the end of the book. I felt like even though the book description never mentioned anything about pregnancy, it seemed to be the main theme in this book. Everyone was pregnant, had kids or both. I loved our side characters though!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Mandy Webb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't bad. There were parts of Cassie and Finn's story that I got that warm cozy vibe.
However, the book felt very slow. I had a bit of a hard time staying engaged due to the pace. I will admit this almost made me DNF. Thankfully the redeeming pieces of the book were okay enough that I pushed through. I did feel the amount of F words used in the writing was a bit excessive. I am not one to say to censor language, but it got annoying.
Miscommunication is also hard to read if done well and I just feel it was done well in the case of this plot.
I didn't find much humor, or if there was, clearly I didn't catch it. However, when something is so written so slowly, I have a hard time regardless.
It may be great for some, just not my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Tanmeet Samra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I’m giving this a 2.5, 3 stars rounded up. It was just okay for me and was excited with how the story began - a meet cute story at the dog park!? I’m listening! But it just was okay and some parts I really struggled to get through. I thought the MMC was also a bit annoying and was not a fan of him at all! I did enjoy the other characters in the story though.

I also did not think this was a “laugh out loud” rom com as the description noted. I actually think the description painted a picture of a story completely different. There should also be a trigger warning on pregnancy talk and sexual assault/violence (it’s touched on very briefly but a warning might be helpful for some).

Was pleased to see it have a happy ending but just an okay book.

[Sara Oxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dogged four-star read. I found this one a little challenging, I enjoyed huge swathes of the story, but there were bits that did drag on a little and just grated. I loved the premise, and the character’s, even when they were annoying, they were still loveable. There are some real challenging moments, as we all know how difficult teenagers can be, and sometimes Cassie felt like a teenager, but it also gave the story a freshness. Overall this was a good story, and one I enjoyed.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

After reading almost 50% I just couldn’t go on. It was so slow & pretty pointless. I didn’t want to waste another minute on it. Not funny, no substance, didn’t make me want to read on to see what happened next, lots of *F-Bombs.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tia · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ Chapter 2. Unfortunately this book was not for me, I was struggling massively to get into the writing and the FMC was so unlikeable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Sirius Slytherin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was nice, but didn't read as a rom-com. Honestly, I didn't really like the male love interest at all. I felt that he was kind of bland, and had no personality. However, I did really like some of the side characters. I also felt as though this book highlights the pressure for women to have children. I'm not sure if this was the intention, but it did feel as though the women with children excluded the women without children, and this reflects some aspects of society. Overall, I think this book was good outside of the romance, just wish the romance was better.

[Ainsley Mckenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

super cute read, alot of good laughs 🩷

[Heidi Lengenfelder · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for a sweet, easy romance that delivers exactly what it promises—a meet cute—then Isobel Mahan’s *The Meet Cute* might just hit the spot. The premise is immediately charming: two strangers collide (literally) and what follows is a cascade of quirky encounters, witty dialogue, and romantic tension. Mahan’s writing style is engaging and approachable, making this a quick and cozy read for romance fans.

The chemistry between the main characters feels genuine, and there are plenty of “aww” moments to satisfy those looking for feel-good fiction. One particularly charming line that stood out:
“He smiled like I was the answer to a question he hadn’t realized he’d been asking.”
It’s moments like these that showcase the potential for emotional resonance in Mahan’s work.

That said, the novel stays firmly in the realm of light entertainment. The character development felt a bit surface-level, and while the story moved at a good pace, it sometimes glossed over opportunities to explore deeper emotional beats or conflict. The stakes were low, and some plot points wrapped up a little too neatly for my taste.

Final Thought:
*The Meet Cute* is the literary equivalent of a rom-com movie you throw on for comfort—fun, fluffy, and sweet, even if it doesn't leave a lasting impression. If you're looking for something heartwarming but low-commitment, this one fits the bill.

Thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this was a hard read! I DID NOT LIKE THE FMC AT ALL. At all!She was like hugging a cactus with a sunburn approachable. My heart hurt for the MMC for awhile and then I just was shouting at him to leave. I struggled to read this book and soft DNF’d the book a couple month’s ago, almost done, because I needed a break. When I came back I couldn’t tell you the story, but my feelings for the characters were still very strong. Needless to say, this book was not for me. I think the MMC is a good guy, but just looks weak next to this unkind woman, and I don’t believe he is. I wish he could have a second chance with a better woman.

I received an eARC of #TheMeetCute from #NetGalley in lieu of my honest opinion of the book.

[Ashby · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating: ⭐️⭐️.5

While this contemporary romance had a charming premise and sweet meet-cute over a dog, it didn't quite work for me personally. The supporting characters (especially Cassie's roommate and Finn's son) were definite highlights, but I struggled with the pacing and found Finn's lack of honesty with Cassie frustrating—miscommunication tropes aren't my favorite, and it made it hard for me to connect with their relationship. This may resonate well with readers who enjoy character-driven stories and don't mind communication-based conflict, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lau]

I unfortunately had to DNF the book at 50%. I had a good time at the beginning of the book but around the 40% mark I wasn't really interested in anything else than the romance and, even then, I didn't really feel the chemistry between the two characters. I also didn't really enjoy the main character, and the cringy moments didn't help my reading experience. Overall, this isn't a bad book, I just believe that it was not for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Helen Wium · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn’t get into it, didn’t finish it

[Trudy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.

Had a giggle through it.

Worth the read.


Thank you to Embla Books at Net Galley for the ARC.