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Here Comes the Ex
Love is in the air…?
Luca is used to being the ‘single one’ at weddings – it happens, when all your other friends are engaged, married or taken. But when she bumps into Tom, her friend from university who broke her heart into a million pieces, she finds herself wondering what could have been.
It’s ten years later, surely she should be over that Tom by now? So why is he looking even more gorgeous than ever – and why doesn’t he seem to be able to keep his eyes off her either?
And as the champagne flows and old secrets resurface, Luca realises that perhaps the time to take a chance on love and life is…now?
The laugh-out-loud new novel from bestseller Portia Macintosh!
Luca is used to being the ‘single one’ at weddings – it happens, when all your other friends are engaged, married or taken. But when she bumps into Tom, her friend from university who broke her heart into a million pieces, she finds herself wondering what could have been.
It’s ten years later, surely she should be over that Tom by now? So why is he looking even more gorgeous than ever – and why doesn’t he seem to be able to keep his eyes off her either?
And as the champagne flows and old secrets resurface, Luca realises that perhaps the time to take a chance on love and life is…now?
The laugh-out-loud new novel from bestseller Portia Macintosh!
Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2025
588 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Portia MacIntosh
48 books2,053 followersPortia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 30 romantic comedy novels.
From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.
Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.
Find out more at www.portiamacintosh.com
From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.
Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.
Find out more at www.portiamacintosh.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
April 15, 2019
I have a weakness for Second chance stories and while I should know better by now to even attempt to read them because 99% of the time I am often disappointed, the curiosity-seeking devil in me wanted to know what “Tom” did to leave her heartbroken….
First of, this needs to be said. The book is a MESS! What the blurb said and what I just read are two different things! I was expecting a romance between the heroine (Luca) and the Hero (Tom). What I got is a bunch of college friends and their own drama, 3 guys pursuing heroine, a bunch of back & forth nonsense of past & present that had nothing at all to do with the plot, a non-romance with Hero (or anyone else for that matter), an absolute lame excuse for the “breakup”, an even less stupid excuse for accepting his lame excuse and an even more disappointing ending that I couldn’t even say was even a HFN! So why the heck did I waste my time on this???? 😱🤦
Just in case anyone is considering reading it like the dope in me, Luca is attending a wedding of her college friends. It has been 10 years since they graduated college (they are all 31 yr olds) and 5 since they last seen each other (though I’m not clear if it was 5 or 10 since she last seen hero). While in college, Luca met “Tom” who was her friend’s Mark best friend. They were attracted to each other, became good friends and on NYE, they had planned to meet up and go forward in their relationship (i.e. date, etc) only Luca got slightly delayed and when she arrived, she found Tom kissing some other woman and was heartbroken!
Tom apparently first mistook the OW for Luca because his friend Mark had unbeknownst to him given Luca’s NYE costume to the OW to wear, however, heroine was tall and the OW was short so he knew he was not kissing Luca! He also began dating the OW after that for YEARS and heroine had to witness their “togetherness” every day!
“And then there’s Tom. Tom is responsible for my biggest problem at all … I can’t trust a man not to hurt me, and it’s affected every single one of my short-lived relationships since.
I know, it was ten years ago, but we had a slow and meaningful build up. He saved me, he didn’t take advantage of me, he was nothing but an incredible guy. He told me he had feelings for me and I let myself fall for him. I was crazy about him. I stopped telling myself it was just wishful thinking. I knew we were going to be together and then Cleo came along … Tiny, squeaky, pretty little Cleo, with her whimsical ways, her lust for traveling the word, her easy confidence, her undeniable sex appeal. Next to her I felt like this giant, damaged weirdo. He might not have known who she was when he kissed her, but he did after, and he chose her over me. That’s the bottom line. He chose a girl he had just met, who kissed him without even knowing him, over me, and then, just to stick the knife in a little deeper, he stayed with her, no matter how much they argued, or how controlling she would be over his life.
That’s why I have trust issues, because the men in my life have always been so untrustworthy”.
So yeah, heroine has trust issues from this experience and she spends the entire story trying to avoid Tom and the OW who is attending the wedding as well, even though they are no longer together and she is pregnant (the kid is not his but heroine doesn’t know this until close to the end). Add in another guy, Pete, whom she meets the night before the wedding and is attracted to and wants to get to know him (he is married with kids but she doesn’t learn this until the end ) and another guy (an actual ex from college), Alan, who wants to rekindle things.
“I can’t seem to help myself, painting this picture of Tom as the big, bad wolf in my head. Without really thinking about it, I naturally assume the worst of him – but it’s his fault.
I hate that I can feel myself softening towards him. I hate that I get upset when I think badly of him. I hate that I feel even more upset when I realise that the good guy I fell for at uni is still in there. I hate that I’m beginning to thaw out and then I find something else that makes me mad at him again. I hate that he’s getting back with Cleo. I hate that I think he’s flirting with me – I hate that I can’t tell for sure if he is or he isn’t. I hate that I care that he’s getting back with Cleo. Most of all, I hate how much hate is in me right now. All this goes to show that Tom bloody Hoult is still under my skin, still stuck in my head, and I have no idea how to get him out. I feel like a stupid, deluded teenager again, and I’m a 31-year-old woman. This is ridiculous.”
Hero is also a pansy/weak asshole. The story goes from past to present in really no specific timeframe and I found it confusing at times. We learn that back in college, heroine was roommates with mark (his BFF and he was constantly bringing the OW and canoodling with her in front of heroine. He & the OW constantly had fights and in one instance, they had been on the “outs” and he is whining to heroine how they are not compatible. This leaves heroine to think that he broke up with OW and that she has another chance with him, only to find out that he patched things up with the OW. So in my eyes, he chose the OW over heroine twice!
Then in the present, she doesn’t seem to be keen to start anything with him since she thinks clearly the OW is still a part of his life, so she tries to avoid him and push him away:
‘Tom.’ I look him in the eye and muster up as much faux confidence as I can. ‘Whatever you’re feeling between us – it’s entirely one-sided. After the way you treated me when we were younger, I’ll never, ever trust you again. OK?’
‘Thank you,’ I tell him. ‘Now go find the girlfriend you chose over me all those years ago, and make things right with her. You made your bed, Tom. It’s too late now, you’ve got to sleep in it.’ 👏👏👏
I was getting ready to DNF when I came across these lines and thought that we FINALLY had a strong heroine with a backbone! So I kept reading hoping she would stick to her guns and get together with one of the other guys….
But then we finally towards the end get his very lame explanation and if you are wondering like me what it was (and for the sole reason that I even read this thing), here it is:
Wait for it……
‘Why on earth would you think so little of me?’ he asks.
‘Why wouldn’t I?’ I reply. ‘You spent all Christmas telling me we were going to be together and then you kissed a girl half my height “thinking it was me” and wound up with her instead.’
‘Luca, I was young, I was an idiot. If I’m being completely honest, I was scared too. I was so protective of you, I was terrified of someone hurting you. I spent all Christmas thinking about you, looking forward to seeing you, but worrying it was going to destroy our friendship if we got together. I did kiss Cleo thinking she was you, but when I realised my mistake … I was so embarrassed, and I didn’t want to tell her that I thought she was someone else. As we chatted, I realise that not only was I scared of someone hurting you, but I was terrified of it being me. Cleo gave me an easy out, and I did like her … I loved you, but—’ ⁉🤔
And in case you are still under the assumption that this is a romance you picked up, let me just say that this was the only real conversation/interaction that the MCs have in the entire book and of course she forgives him after this and The End.
SAFETY: No sex scenes with OP though heroine was planning to have sex with Peter after she told Hero off (before his lame explanation) and would have gone through with it if not for someone mentioning that he was married! Hero was also with the OW in the past and in the present, she kept coming on to him and he never pushed her away while in front of heroine. It was never mentioned how long they were together or when they broke up, but they were together for many years which his lame excuse didn't jive with what he told heroine.
First of, this needs to be said. The book is a MESS! What the blurb said and what I just read are two different things! I was expecting a romance between the heroine (Luca) and the Hero (Tom). What I got is a bunch of college friends and their own drama, 3 guys pursuing heroine, a bunch of back & forth nonsense of past & present that had nothing at all to do with the plot, a non-romance with Hero (or anyone else for that matter), an absolute lame excuse for the “breakup”, an even less stupid excuse for accepting his lame excuse and an even more disappointing ending that I couldn’t even say was even a HFN! So why the heck did I waste my time on this???? 😱🤦
Just in case anyone is considering reading it like the dope in me, Luca is attending a wedding of her college friends. It has been 10 years since they graduated college (they are all 31 yr olds) and 5 since they last seen each other (though I’m not clear if it was 5 or 10 since she last seen hero). While in college, Luca met “Tom” who was her friend’s Mark best friend. They were attracted to each other, became good friends and on NYE, they had planned to meet up and go forward in their relationship (i.e. date, etc) only Luca got slightly delayed and when she arrived, she found Tom kissing some other woman and was heartbroken!
Tom apparently first mistook the OW for Luca because his friend Mark had unbeknownst to him given Luca’s NYE costume to the OW to wear, however, heroine was tall and the OW was short so he knew he was not kissing Luca! He also began dating the OW after that for YEARS and heroine had to witness their “togetherness” every day!
“And then there’s Tom. Tom is responsible for my biggest problem at all … I can’t trust a man not to hurt me, and it’s affected every single one of my short-lived relationships since.
I know, it was ten years ago, but we had a slow and meaningful build up. He saved me, he didn’t take advantage of me, he was nothing but an incredible guy. He told me he had feelings for me and I let myself fall for him. I was crazy about him. I stopped telling myself it was just wishful thinking. I knew we were going to be together and then Cleo came along … Tiny, squeaky, pretty little Cleo, with her whimsical ways, her lust for traveling the word, her easy confidence, her undeniable sex appeal. Next to her I felt like this giant, damaged weirdo. He might not have known who she was when he kissed her, but he did after, and he chose her over me. That’s the bottom line. He chose a girl he had just met, who kissed him without even knowing him, over me, and then, just to stick the knife in a little deeper, he stayed with her, no matter how much they argued, or how controlling she would be over his life.
That’s why I have trust issues, because the men in my life have always been so untrustworthy”.
So yeah, heroine has trust issues from this experience and she spends the entire story trying to avoid Tom and the OW who is attending the wedding as well, even though they are no longer together and she is pregnant (the kid is not his but heroine doesn’t know this until close to the end). Add in another guy, Pete, whom she meets the night before the wedding and is attracted to and wants to get to know him (he is married with kids but she doesn’t learn this until the end ) and another guy (an actual ex from college), Alan, who wants to rekindle things.
“I can’t seem to help myself, painting this picture of Tom as the big, bad wolf in my head. Without really thinking about it, I naturally assume the worst of him – but it’s his fault.
I hate that I can feel myself softening towards him. I hate that I get upset when I think badly of him. I hate that I feel even more upset when I realise that the good guy I fell for at uni is still in there. I hate that I’m beginning to thaw out and then I find something else that makes me mad at him again. I hate that he’s getting back with Cleo. I hate that I think he’s flirting with me – I hate that I can’t tell for sure if he is or he isn’t. I hate that I care that he’s getting back with Cleo. Most of all, I hate how much hate is in me right now. All this goes to show that Tom bloody Hoult is still under my skin, still stuck in my head, and I have no idea how to get him out. I feel like a stupid, deluded teenager again, and I’m a 31-year-old woman. This is ridiculous.”
Hero is also a pansy/weak asshole. The story goes from past to present in really no specific timeframe and I found it confusing at times. We learn that back in college, heroine was roommates with mark (his BFF and he was constantly bringing the OW and canoodling with her in front of heroine. He & the OW constantly had fights and in one instance, they had been on the “outs” and he is whining to heroine how they are not compatible. This leaves heroine to think that he broke up with OW and that she has another chance with him, only to find out that he patched things up with the OW. So in my eyes, he chose the OW over heroine twice!
Then in the present, she doesn’t seem to be keen to start anything with him since she thinks clearly the OW is still a part of his life, so she tries to avoid him and push him away:
‘Tom.’ I look him in the eye and muster up as much faux confidence as I can. ‘Whatever you’re feeling between us – it’s entirely one-sided. After the way you treated me when we were younger, I’ll never, ever trust you again. OK?’
‘Thank you,’ I tell him. ‘Now go find the girlfriend you chose over me all those years ago, and make things right with her. You made your bed, Tom. It’s too late now, you’ve got to sleep in it.’ 👏👏👏
I was getting ready to DNF when I came across these lines and thought that we FINALLY had a strong heroine with a backbone! So I kept reading hoping she would stick to her guns and get together with one of the other guys….
But then we finally towards the end get his very lame explanation and if you are wondering like me what it was (and for the sole reason that I even read this thing), here it is:
Wait for it……
‘Why on earth would you think so little of me?’ he asks.
‘Why wouldn’t I?’ I reply. ‘You spent all Christmas telling me we were going to be together and then you kissed a girl half my height “thinking it was me” and wound up with her instead.’
‘Luca, I was young, I was an idiot. If I’m being completely honest, I was scared too. I was so protective of you, I was terrified of someone hurting you. I spent all Christmas thinking about you, looking forward to seeing you, but worrying it was going to destroy our friendship if we got together. I did kiss Cleo thinking she was you, but when I realised my mistake … I was so embarrassed, and I didn’t want to tell her that I thought she was someone else. As we chatted, I realise that not only was I scared of someone hurting you, but I was terrified of it being me. Cleo gave me an easy out, and I did like her … I loved you, but—’ ⁉🤔
And in case you are still under the assumption that this is a romance you picked up, let me just say that this was the only real conversation/interaction that the MCs have in the entire book and of course she forgives him after this and The End.
SAFETY: No sex scenes with OP though heroine was planning to have sex with Peter after she told Hero off (before his lame explanation) and would have gone through with it if not for someone mentioning that he was married! Hero was also with the OW in the past and in the present, she kept coming on to him and he never pushed her away while in front of heroine. It was never mentioned how long they were together or when they broke up, but they were together for many years which his lame excuse didn't jive with what he told heroine.
April 23, 2021
It was the title that lured me to read this book, Because friends are forever The Time of Our Lives. I love stories about friends' reunion and that too at weddings and there was also a second chance love story thrown in there.
Luca is a thirty-one year old woman who is attending her roommate from uni's wedding. She also gets to see her other friends from uni who she hasn't seen for the last five years. She somehow ends up being the last minute bridesmaid and with that all of the bridesmaid duties. She is surprised to see the guy at the wedding who she had the feelings for back in the day.
This book was hilarious in the beginning. I laughed out loud so many times especially when Clarky would say something. Luca was also very witty. She along with her friends from uni - Matt (the one getting married), Fifi and Zach who are both a couple since the uni days, Ed (married with kids now), Clarky (goofball and not very responsible) end up talking about old days and some secrets long buried come to light and they all start fighting and blaming one another. Tom, who is the best man at the wedding is the guy Luca had feelings for back in the day and we are told how he broke her heart all those years ago but now he's wanting to catch up. We also have Al, who is Luca's ex at the wedding trying to get back with her. We also have Pete, the third man who is trying to get to know Luca. We have one mishap after the other and mostly it is funny but only up until the middle of the book. After that the laughs weren't that many and a lot of the things didn't make sense towards the end.
The main problem I have had was the reason Tom broke Luca's heart ten years ago. It was a silly reason that was not worth all this hype IMO. So Tom kisses a girl wearing a Catwoman's dress on NYE 2008's costume party and he doesn't realise that it is not Luca which is fair enough because they had never kissed prior to this. But what I want to know is that if Luca's height is 5'8 and Cleo's height is 5'2, also there is a body size difference between the two then how did the costume fit her when it was supposed to fit the taller girl Luca. Honestly that doesn't make sense. Okay, even if I buy the whole size fitting thing but when Tom realised that it was not Luca why didn't he just say so to Cleo. We are given the reasoning that he liked Cleo but he loved Luca so why would he go ahead and date her anyway? If Tom really realised that Cleo wasn't the right person for him why did it take him ten years to make his case to Luca? Why didn't he try to contact Luca well I don't know anytime within the ten years. Ten years is a long time and if you really love that person and have been keeping an eye on them, why not just talk to them?
Then comes the second problem which is that Luca takes this reasoning just like that without even thinking or considering anything. I mean come on. Also, one minute Al is trying to get back together with Luca the next minute he says to Tom and Luca that he knew that they would always end up together. Seriously?
Also, the book was in past and present which is not an issue but the dates in the past were inconsistent. One minute we get May 2009 then we get April 2009 and so on.
The ending was really rushed and I mean really rushed. I didn't mind Luca and Tom getting together even though I didn't really like Tom and I definitely didn't like his reasoning as mentioned above but the whole thing happened so quickly that I couldn't believe that the book had finished. I had to go back and check the page numbers to make sure that I hadn't skipped on any pages. I hadn't. Also, the copy that I got had lots and lots of grammatical errors. I am not sure if it's consistent with other copies or it was just mine but a lot of the time things didn't make sense.
What happened to the third guy Pete wanting to know Luca, well he turns out to be married with kids and he didn't tell this to Luca but she finds out anyway so there's that.
If not for these few reasons this would have been a 5 star read for me as I really enjoyed the book.
3 stars
Luca is a thirty-one year old woman who is attending her roommate from uni's wedding. She also gets to see her other friends from uni who she hasn't seen for the last five years. She somehow ends up being the last minute bridesmaid and with that all of the bridesmaid duties. She is surprised to see the guy at the wedding who she had the feelings for back in the day.
This book was hilarious in the beginning. I laughed out loud so many times especially when Clarky would say something. Luca was also very witty. She along with her friends from uni - Matt (the one getting married), Fifi and Zach who are both a couple since the uni days, Ed (married with kids now), Clarky (goofball and not very responsible) end up talking about old days and some secrets long buried come to light and they all start fighting and blaming one another. Tom, who is the best man at the wedding is the guy Luca had feelings for back in the day and we are told how he broke her heart all those years ago but now he's wanting to catch up. We also have Al, who is Luca's ex at the wedding trying to get back with her. We also have Pete, the third man who is trying to get to know Luca. We have one mishap after the other and mostly it is funny but only up until the middle of the book. After that the laughs weren't that many and a lot of the things didn't make sense towards the end.
The main problem I have had was the reason Tom broke Luca's heart ten years ago. It was a silly reason that was not worth all this hype IMO. So Tom kisses a girl wearing a Catwoman's dress on NYE 2008's costume party and he doesn't realise that it is not Luca which is fair enough because they had never kissed prior to this. But what I want to know is that if Luca's height is 5'8 and Cleo's height is 5'2, also there is a body size difference between the two then how did the costume fit her when it was supposed to fit the taller girl Luca. Honestly that doesn't make sense. Okay, even if I buy the whole size fitting thing but when Tom realised that it was not Luca why didn't he just say so to Cleo. We are given the reasoning that he liked Cleo but he loved Luca so why would he go ahead and date her anyway? If Tom really realised that Cleo wasn't the right person for him why did it take him ten years to make his case to Luca? Why didn't he try to contact Luca well I don't know anytime within the ten years. Ten years is a long time and if you really love that person and have been keeping an eye on them, why not just talk to them?
Then comes the second problem which is that Luca takes this reasoning just like that without even thinking or considering anything. I mean come on. Also, one minute Al is trying to get back together with Luca the next minute he says to Tom and Luca that he knew that they would always end up together. Seriously?
Also, the book was in past and present which is not an issue but the dates in the past were inconsistent. One minute we get May 2009 then we get April 2009 and so on.
The ending was really rushed and I mean really rushed. I didn't mind Luca and Tom getting together even though I didn't really like Tom and I definitely didn't like his reasoning as mentioned above but the whole thing happened so quickly that I couldn't believe that the book had finished. I had to go back and check the page numbers to make sure that I hadn't skipped on any pages. I hadn't. Also, the copy that I got had lots and lots of grammatical errors. I am not sure if it's consistent with other copies or it was just mine but a lot of the time things didn't make sense.
What happened to the third guy Pete wanting to know Luca, well he turns out to be married with kids and he didn't tell this to Luca but she finds out anyway so there's that.
If not for these few reasons this would have been a 5 star read for me as I really enjoyed the book.
3 stars
April 6, 2019
Luca is fine attending the wedding of another college pal. Sure, she’s had to get used to being the only one in their clique not married, engaged, or otherwise romantically occupied, but really, that’s okay. However, when she sees Tom, a former almost-boyfriend, she’s forced to examine where she’s at in terms of life and love.
Author Portia MacIntosh has done it again.
MacIntosh knows how to pack a book full of heart, and the core of this one is Luca. Feeling lost at 31, wanting to change careers, with no love life, Luca manages to have a clear understanding of who she is but not necessarily what she wants. Deftly, MacIntosh drops her into a wedding where she’s forced into seeing college friends. It allows for a deep level of introspection that runs throughout the book as it dips between the present and a series of events that took place during 2008-09 while they were in school. This rich sense of her history makes it easy to root for her to grab her happy ending.
That doesn’t mean happiness comes easy. After arriving at the wedding venue, Luca meets Pete and develops an instant connection. However, Tom, the former almost-boyfriend, drops in and soon she’s caught in a whirlwind, bouncing between the two as the wedding and reception progresses. And that’s before her actual former boyfriend jumps back into the picture. A lesser author might have balked at the bucking and weaving Luca’s romantic story manages, but MacIntosh tackled it head-on, and the result is both complex and satisfying.
But all of this is not to suggest this book is without fun. Far from it. It is a wedding, after all, and there’s plenty of food mishaps, bridesmaid crises, and ribbing between old friends. Even in the most serious of scenes, MacIntosh manages to find the humor and the humanity. As secrets fly and friends begin questioning their relationships with each other, tensions flare. And yet what follows is one of the funniest and most surprising scenes possible. MacIntosh can throw out a one-liner with the best of them, but she’s an expert at making chaos comic.
Caught between romance and friends, new and old, Luca fights for what she wants: happiness. In the end, a happy ending ultimately drives this heartwarming story.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
Author Portia MacIntosh has done it again.
MacIntosh knows how to pack a book full of heart, and the core of this one is Luca. Feeling lost at 31, wanting to change careers, with no love life, Luca manages to have a clear understanding of who she is but not necessarily what she wants. Deftly, MacIntosh drops her into a wedding where she’s forced into seeing college friends. It allows for a deep level of introspection that runs throughout the book as it dips between the present and a series of events that took place during 2008-09 while they were in school. This rich sense of her history makes it easy to root for her to grab her happy ending.
That doesn’t mean happiness comes easy. After arriving at the wedding venue, Luca meets Pete and develops an instant connection. However, Tom, the former almost-boyfriend, drops in and soon she’s caught in a whirlwind, bouncing between the two as the wedding and reception progresses. And that’s before her actual former boyfriend jumps back into the picture. A lesser author might have balked at the bucking and weaving Luca’s romantic story manages, but MacIntosh tackled it head-on, and the result is both complex and satisfying.
But all of this is not to suggest this book is without fun. Far from it. It is a wedding, after all, and there’s plenty of food mishaps, bridesmaid crises, and ribbing between old friends. Even in the most serious of scenes, MacIntosh manages to find the humor and the humanity. As secrets fly and friends begin questioning their relationships with each other, tensions flare. And yet what follows is one of the funniest and most surprising scenes possible. MacIntosh can throw out a one-liner with the best of them, but she’s an expert at making chaos comic.
Caught between romance and friends, new and old, Luca fights for what she wants: happiness. In the end, a happy ending ultimately drives this heartwarming story.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
April 6, 2019
Have you ever felt that strong emotional pull towards a book after reading the first page? The feeling that you are meant to read this or the book is calling to you? Well, that is exactly what I felt when I randomly clicked open this on my kindle. I was putting it for another day but just thought it better to have quick look. I stopped only at the end and even now, I could feel the story as if I have lived through them all.
A romance with the structure of a crime thriller is hard to find nowadays and that is what drew me into it from the start. Luca driving alone in the night will have anyone on the edge. What a stunning start to an unputdownable novel! Whoa! don't get me wrong, this is not crime fiction. Well, there is a small crime involved when you think about it, but still, it won't qualify for the genre.
The entire story unfolds on a wedding day which also gives way to a reunion of six friends who stayed together (I loved the premise. Who could have known so many things can happen on a single day!). Some flashbacks are also there giving us a preview of the group's life together. They are weird, funny and constantly reminded me of my hostel mates. As always, secrets and misunderstandings play their parts and there ensues a cacophony. Ha!
Don't want to be a spoilsport by giving out the storyline but I hugely recommend you to pick this book. Luca is the perfect narrator; she is our ordinary girl with no serious moral flaws or past regrets. Life just didn't work out for her, but not anymore. I loved the way she resisted Tom's advances instead of swooning over visibly. Every time they come together, I mentally urged her to stick with their decisions and speak up and she did. You go, girl!
On the whole, 'The Time of Our Lives' is an emotionally charged, well-crafted novel that will remind you that some friendships last forever.
A romance with the structure of a crime thriller is hard to find nowadays and that is what drew me into it from the start. Luca driving alone in the night will have anyone on the edge. What a stunning start to an unputdownable novel! Whoa! don't get me wrong, this is not crime fiction. Well, there is a small crime involved when you think about it, but still, it won't qualify for the genre.
The entire story unfolds on a wedding day which also gives way to a reunion of six friends who stayed together (I loved the premise. Who could have known so many things can happen on a single day!). Some flashbacks are also there giving us a preview of the group's life together. They are weird, funny and constantly reminded me of my hostel mates. As always, secrets and misunderstandings play their parts and there ensues a cacophony. Ha!
Don't want to be a spoilsport by giving out the storyline but I hugely recommend you to pick this book. Luca is the perfect narrator; she is our ordinary girl with no serious moral flaws or past regrets. Life just didn't work out for her, but not anymore. I loved the way she resisted Tom's advances instead of swooning over visibly. Every time they come together, I mentally urged her to stick with their decisions and speak up and she did. You go, girl!
On the whole, 'The Time of Our Lives' is an emotionally charged, well-crafted novel that will remind you that some friendships last forever.
April 25, 2019
Witty, addictive, and undeniably romantic!
The Time of Our Lives is a lighthearted, comical read that takes you into the life of the ordinary, but content Luca as she dreadingly travels to the wedding of her old flatmates and embarks on a weekend that includes reminiscing with old friends, a blossoming new love interest, and being reunited with the one that got away.
The writing is sentimental and whimsical. The characters are multi-layered, gregarious, and endearing. And the plot, using flashbacks to the past is an enticingly nostalgic tale full of secrets, friendship, chemistry, humorous moments, romantic drama, self-reflection, and hilarious mishaps.
Overall, The Time of Our Lives is another uplifting, humorous, addictively entertaining tale by MacIntosh that is perfect for anyone who loves a will-they-or-won’t-they romance that’s not only heartwarming but laugh-out-loud funny.
Thank you to Portia MacIntosh and HQ Digital for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Time of Our Lives is a lighthearted, comical read that takes you into the life of the ordinary, but content Luca as she dreadingly travels to the wedding of her old flatmates and embarks on a weekend that includes reminiscing with old friends, a blossoming new love interest, and being reunited with the one that got away.
The writing is sentimental and whimsical. The characters are multi-layered, gregarious, and endearing. And the plot, using flashbacks to the past is an enticingly nostalgic tale full of secrets, friendship, chemistry, humorous moments, romantic drama, self-reflection, and hilarious mishaps.
Overall, The Time of Our Lives is another uplifting, humorous, addictively entertaining tale by MacIntosh that is perfect for anyone who loves a will-they-or-won’t-they romance that’s not only heartwarming but laugh-out-loud funny.
Thank you to Portia MacIntosh and HQ Digital for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2019
#Netgalley
Entre 3'5-4
Me ha gustado, he pasado un rato muy bueno, es una lectura divertida y bastante fluida a pesar de que el presente comparta protagonismo con el pasado.
Es un chick-lit puro, trata sobre el reencuentro de Luca con Tom "el que pudo ser y no fue" y sus amigos de la universidad en la boda de uno de ellos.
No es una gran historia de amor ya que la mayor parte del libro se desarrolla durante el día de la boda de uno de los amigos de Luca.
Una historia sencilla y bonita sobre la amistad, los reencuentros y las segundas oportunidades.
Me he divertido mucho, aunque hay momentos un poco tristes por lo mal que le sale a Luca todo, en general es una lectura divertida y ligera.
Entre 3'5-4
Me ha gustado, he pasado un rato muy bueno, es una lectura divertida y bastante fluida a pesar de que el presente comparta protagonismo con el pasado.
Es un chick-lit puro, trata sobre el reencuentro de Luca con Tom "el que pudo ser y no fue" y sus amigos de la universidad en la boda de uno de ellos.
No es una gran historia de amor ya que la mayor parte del libro se desarrolla durante el día de la boda de uno de los amigos de Luca.
Una historia sencilla y bonita sobre la amistad, los reencuentros y las segundas oportunidades.
Me he divertido mucho, aunque hay momentos un poco tristes por lo mal que le sale a Luca todo, en general es una lectura divertida y ligera.
May 28, 2019
Gracias a Netgalley por la copia para reseñarla
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Esta es otra de esas peticiones de libros que hago basadas en los colorinchis de la portada 😂. Es un libro entretenido que tiene un punto de partida interesante pero con una ejecución más bien mñe. Es chick lit, o sea, que de folleteo y tal, poco, aunque sí que hay una historia de amor de fondo que es precisamente lo que peor contado está.
La novela nos narra el reencuentro en una boda de un grupo de amigos que hace unos diez años que no se ven y va intercalando todo lo que ocurre en esa boda con lo que pasó diez años atrás y que marcó la vida sentimental de la protagonista. Entiendo que la escritora, al dar constantes saltos temporales, quiere ir creando tensión y expectativas, ya que no te da todos los datos desde el principio y vas viendo poco a poco qué fue lo que pasó hace diez años que marcó la relación de Luca y Tom. El problema es que lo interesante es justo eso, la relación entre Luca y Tom, y la parte del presente es bastante aburrida si te sales de la parte sentimental (que es muy poca), y la parte del pasado, si bien es más interesante, se cuenta de un modo desordenado y acaba perdiendo interés. Además, se ve a la legua que el poco conflicto sentimental que puede haber lo tiene Luca en su cabeza, ya que Tom esconde bien poco sus intenciones. Y, por si no ha quedado claro, os digo que la parte central no es la historia de amor (aunque casi todos los pensamientos de Luca giren en torno a Tom).
Es un libro para pasar el rato sin pedirle demasiado. Yo le doy las tres estrellas porque justo quería un nadismo de consumo muy rápido y es lo que me ha dado, pero me ha dejado tanta tanta huella que lo terminé anoche y, al comenzar a escribir esto, no era capaz de recordar el nombre de la protagonista 😂.
----------------
Esta es otra de esas peticiones de libros que hago basadas en los colorinchis de la portada 😂. Es un libro entretenido que tiene un punto de partida interesante pero con una ejecución más bien mñe. Es chick lit, o sea, que de folleteo y tal, poco, aunque sí que hay una historia de amor de fondo que es precisamente lo que peor contado está.
La novela nos narra el reencuentro en una boda de un grupo de amigos que hace unos diez años que no se ven y va intercalando todo lo que ocurre en esa boda con lo que pasó diez años atrás y que marcó la vida sentimental de la protagonista. Entiendo que la escritora, al dar constantes saltos temporales, quiere ir creando tensión y expectativas, ya que no te da todos los datos desde el principio y vas viendo poco a poco qué fue lo que pasó hace diez años que marcó la relación de Luca y Tom. El problema es que lo interesante es justo eso, la relación entre Luca y Tom, y la parte del presente es bastante aburrida si te sales de la parte sentimental (que es muy poca), y la parte del pasado, si bien es más interesante, se cuenta de un modo desordenado y acaba perdiendo interés. Además, se ve a la legua que el poco conflicto sentimental que puede haber lo tiene Luca en su cabeza, ya que Tom esconde bien poco sus intenciones. Y, por si no ha quedado claro, os digo que la parte central no es la historia de amor (aunque casi todos los pensamientos de Luca giren en torno a Tom).
Es un libro para pasar el rato sin pedirle demasiado. Yo le doy las tres estrellas porque justo quería un nadismo de consumo muy rápido y es lo que me ha dado, pero me ha dejado tanta tanta huella que lo terminé anoche y, al comenzar a escribir esto, no era capaz de recordar el nombre de la protagonista 😂.
March 20, 2019
THE TIME OF OUR LIFE. is sweet and funny chick lit book perfect to bring smile to your face and deliver lovely happy ending.
Our main protagonist Luca is going to a wedding of her collage roommate. That fact that she is single and overall very unhappy in her career and how her life turned out is more reason for her to feel reluctant to go and see all the people from her past. 10 years ago there were six of them living together. In a then and now storytelling we see how not just Luca's but life of people around her was and how consequence of their choices set their future for better or worse.
In a perfect countryside wedding between vows and dancing secrets are spilled, ex boyfriends emerge, lots of unexpected mishaps happen.
Can you save a friendship?
Will you finally catch the one who got away?
Is it a matter of happenstance or fate?
I felt ending was a bit to rushed and sudden as Luca switched her tune pretty out of nowhere.
Still solid read...
Filled with lots of funny and sweet moments this is very fast paced book that I easily got lost in it.
Read in one sitting!
Perfect vacation/ beach read..
*Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
Our main protagonist Luca is going to a wedding of her collage roommate. That fact that she is single and overall very unhappy in her career and how her life turned out is more reason for her to feel reluctant to go and see all the people from her past. 10 years ago there were six of them living together. In a then and now storytelling we see how not just Luca's but life of people around her was and how consequence of their choices set their future for better or worse.
In a perfect countryside wedding between vows and dancing secrets are spilled, ex boyfriends emerge, lots of unexpected mishaps happen.
Can you save a friendship?
Will you finally catch the one who got away?
Is it a matter of happenstance or fate?
I felt ending was a bit to rushed and sudden as Luca switched her tune pretty out of nowhere.
Still solid read...
Filled with lots of funny and sweet moments this is very fast paced book that I easily got lost in it.
Read in one sitting!
Perfect vacation/ beach read..
*Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
April 15, 2019
Luca is fine. Or isn't she? Attending another wedding of her uni's friend she realises that she's always the single one, another are engaged/married/otherwise romantically occupied. She starts to feel that time moves on while she stays in place. When she also meets Tom at the wedding, her ex/not ex - boyfriend, she starts to think and evaluate her life.
The story actually unfold on a wedding day, and it was incredibly how much can happen in a day - well, especially when you are as accident - prone as Luca, that is. The present intertwines with flashbacks to the past and we slowly get to know the characters and their lives as a group. Also, it turns out of course that there are, and were, many secrets, misunderstatements and plays. So as much as Luca is our main character, the others play as important role in the book as she is, because they helped to shape her. However, maybe because of the relatively huge number of characters, I had a feeling that they were not good enough developed. They were there, but there was not enough depth to them and to be honest, I haven't felt connection with them. I think Luca tried to be über - cool and nonchalant in her life. She was your normal, everyday girl, sharp - mouthed and generally happy with herself but I couldn't warm completely to her, to be honest, not sure why.
The humour this time was also not so Portia MacIntosh - it felt too flat and there were moments that probably were supposed to be funny, like with Luca suddenly being a bridesmaid and the bride's wishes and requests but it only felt too overdone. I also think she tried to make it a sitcom - like rom - com, with flashbacks and hilarious situations but, unfortunately it didn't work.
From the author like Portia MacIntosh I was simply expecting something better, ambitious. I was left with a feeling that she herself didn't connect with the story at all, it scratched below the surface, was without a depth. There were some moments that saved the book for me though on the whole I was really hoping for something deeper, with the MacIntosh's hallmark humour and sharp observations. Altogether, "The Time of Our Lives" was a light - hearted, easy and fairly straight - forward and predictable read but nevertheless a read that will keep you reading. The pacing was right, the dialogues dynamic and it dealt with the fact that you should fight for things that you feel will make you happy.
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
April 25, 2019
So does fate really exist when it comes to your love life? That is the question that I am left pondering after reading The Time of Our Lives, where you learn about a series of events, which if they hadn't occurred in the order they did may have led to a vastly different outcome.
Luca is dreading going to wedding of one of her old uni flatmates, as she is the only one from their group that is still single. So imagine her surprise when there is an ex boyfriend at the wedding too, the man she almost got together with one New Years Eve, 10 years ago, and a seemingly too good to be true man all vying for her attention.
Add in being roped in as a last minute extra bridesmaid, and you still haven't scratched the surface of what happens at this wedding.
In addition to the wedding, we are treated to flashbacks of the year or so that the group all lived together, not always in chronological order, but in a way designed to drip feed their pasts, and understand fully just how they have arrived at the situations they are now in.
Expect lies and secrets to be uncovered, definitely some romance, plenty of comedy, and just a massively gripping story, as everything is untangled.
This is a cleverly crafted tale that is incredibly enjoyable, and it will certainly entertain you.
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
Luca is dreading going to wedding of one of her old uni flatmates, as she is the only one from their group that is still single. So imagine her surprise when there is an ex boyfriend at the wedding too, the man she almost got together with one New Years Eve, 10 years ago, and a seemingly too good to be true man all vying for her attention.
Add in being roped in as a last minute extra bridesmaid, and you still haven't scratched the surface of what happens at this wedding.
In addition to the wedding, we are treated to flashbacks of the year or so that the group all lived together, not always in chronological order, but in a way designed to drip feed their pasts, and understand fully just how they have arrived at the situations they are now in.
Expect lies and secrets to be uncovered, definitely some romance, plenty of comedy, and just a massively gripping story, as everything is untangled.
This is a cleverly crafted tale that is incredibly enjoyable, and it will certainly entertain you.
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
April 5, 2019
The story flicks between present day as well as the past. Present day is mainly set over the course of one day at the wedding of Matt and Kat. In the past we get to see more of the relationship between the uni friends as well as a bit more about Luca and her failed romances.
Luca is your everyday girl. She doesn’t have the perfect figure and she knows she could do with probably losing a few pounds but otherwise she is actually happy with herself. Thank you author! It’s great to read of a protagonist who isn’t hung up about their weight and is happy with how they are. Usually they tend either be so hung up or perfect in every way, so this was a pleasant change.
I enjoyed getting to know Luca and her uni friends better. Not many people who were friends at school or uni would still be in touch but this bunch still have a great connection with each other. By the end I felt like I was one of them having read of all the ins and outs of their relationships and friendships.
The Time Of Our Lives will have you reminiscing about your younger years and as to probably what your friends from uni or school are doing now. There is also a very much of a will they, won’t they between Luca and Tom who she has always held a torch up to. The author certainly kept me guessing as to which direction their relationship would take and definitely kept me turning the pages to see what the outcome would be. A light hearted and entertaining read which will put a smile on your face and warm your heart.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Luca is your everyday girl. She doesn’t have the perfect figure and she knows she could do with probably losing a few pounds but otherwise she is actually happy with herself. Thank you author! It’s great to read of a protagonist who isn’t hung up about their weight and is happy with how they are. Usually they tend either be so hung up or perfect in every way, so this was a pleasant change.
I enjoyed getting to know Luca and her uni friends better. Not many people who were friends at school or uni would still be in touch but this bunch still have a great connection with each other. By the end I felt like I was one of them having read of all the ins and outs of their relationships and friendships.
The Time Of Our Lives will have you reminiscing about your younger years and as to probably what your friends from uni or school are doing now. There is also a very much of a will they, won’t they between Luca and Tom who she has always held a torch up to. The author certainly kept me guessing as to which direction their relationship would take and definitely kept me turning the pages to see what the outcome would be. A light hearted and entertaining read which will put a smile on your face and warm your heart.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
April 4, 2019
***ARC received for an honest review***
Well. I didn’t want to DNF.
A slightly messy and disorganized chick lit - complete with flashbacks and attempts at comedy. I do have more tolerance for chick lit than romance. And I wanted to see how things turned out for Luca. But the characters were flat. The pacing messy. And some storylines had holes big enough for a bus.
10 years after college graduation Luca and her friends reunite at a wedding. They all act like idiots. It’s over the top. Luca’s ex is there. As well as her former crush. And a new crush. She spends a lot of time running around avoiding conversations that would clear up about 70% of her life problems. But she’s likable enough - if a touch oblivious.
If you want a short easy read good for a few eye rolls this is your book.
Well. I didn’t want to DNF.
A slightly messy and disorganized chick lit - complete with flashbacks and attempts at comedy. I do have more tolerance for chick lit than romance. And I wanted to see how things turned out for Luca. But the characters were flat. The pacing messy. And some storylines had holes big enough for a bus.
10 years after college graduation Luca and her friends reunite at a wedding. They all act like idiots. It’s over the top. Luca’s ex is there. As well as her former crush. And a new crush. She spends a lot of time running around avoiding conversations that would clear up about 70% of her life problems. But she’s likable enough - if a touch oblivious.
If you want a short easy read good for a few eye rolls this is your book.
May 8, 2019
this the perfect summer read, a page turner with a deep yet not complicated plot.. this is a book about friendship first, love overall, and finding who you really are among all the cheos in life. i love it so very much.. it warmed my feelings enough to start believing again.. that ture and honest love can always finds it's home even in a broken heart like mine.
An ARC received by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
An ARC received by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2025
This is the most unhinged Portia MacIntosh book I've read. The overarching story is on brand, but the friend group is more over the top and messy than her other stories, and unlike her other books, I wasn't sure who the FMC would end up with until much later in the book.
August 29, 2019
4,5 StarsI've read many books featuring weddings, as well as many books on giving love a second chance. And both things are done very well by Portia MacIntosh. There are some slapstick-moments, and the inevitable misunderstandings that lead to more confusion. All very cliché, but they are somehow done in such a cute way and with a very likeable protagonist that I had really fun being Luca's plus One to this wedding. The supporting characters (Luca's circle of friends) stayed a bit in the shadows, but that was ok for me because their stories shouldn't distract from the main story-line.
This book could be easily made into a screenplay by Richard Curtis. It's the perfect story for a sweet rom-com, with a confined setting: a wedding. All of the "Now"-chapters take place on the weekend of the wedding, with a couple of "Then"-flashbacks to 10 years before. And the dramaturgy of the scenes is more than suitable. Only the title should be different. More catchy and more telling than the very general "The time of our lives".
February 17, 2023
Book 36 - audiobook - finished: 11th April
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
The Time of Our Lives by Portia MacIntosh
Novels where the basis is miscommunication stress me the hell out. The whole thing could have been solved 10 years prior to the year the novel takes place.
It’s about Luca who has to go to her friends wedding and she meets up with all of her old university friends. It is there that she bumps into Tom, an old ‘will they won’t they’ partner before they went their separate ways. The whole wedding is the unravelling of this final year of university and actually what happened compared with what they all thought happened.
It was a cute read and an easy listen but I grew increasingly frustrated that no one just stopped and listened to one another or just told the truth which I guess is similar to real life but still!
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
The Time of Our Lives by Portia MacIntosh
Novels where the basis is miscommunication stress me the hell out. The whole thing could have been solved 10 years prior to the year the novel takes place.
It’s about Luca who has to go to her friends wedding and she meets up with all of her old university friends. It is there that she bumps into Tom, an old ‘will they won’t they’ partner before they went their separate ways. The whole wedding is the unravelling of this final year of university and actually what happened compared with what they all thought happened.
It was a cute read and an easy listen but I grew increasingly frustrated that no one just stopped and listened to one another or just told the truth which I guess is similar to real life but still!
June 16, 2019
This was very sweet, witty and sharp, though a little predictable. Everyone had their individual personalities and there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The writing style was simple and straightforward and "The Time of Our Lives" was the perfect book to pick up for a quick weekend read. This was my first read of anything by Portia MacIntosh and it definitely won't be my last.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 2, 2019
The Time Of Our Lives by Portia MacIntosh is a feel-good contemporary novel that shows the bond between a group of friends.
The action alternates between a present day wedding and 2008. It shows the impact that choices in the past have on present day life. Different choices would have revealed very different results.
There is a wonderful eclectic mix of friends who met at uni, paired up and are now living adult lives. There is good natured teasing and bonds that the reader feels will last a lifetime. There are some highly amusing situations including a rescue from a pond. The reader can ‘feel’ a force of attraction that the characters are trying to deny. There is good natured banter.
Within the group of couples, the reader senses the awkwardness of being single. Singleness is not always welcomed. It can be a state of mind as we see some singles having fun.
This novel is about friendship. There are great lengths that some will go to, to protect their friends. Friendship is to be celebrated.
I love Portia MacIntosh’s books. The characters are quirky but realistic and likable. The Time Of Our Lives is a delightful fun read, just perfect for long summer evenings… or cold winter nights.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
The action alternates between a present day wedding and 2008. It shows the impact that choices in the past have on present day life. Different choices would have revealed very different results.
There is a wonderful eclectic mix of friends who met at uni, paired up and are now living adult lives. There is good natured teasing and bonds that the reader feels will last a lifetime. There are some highly amusing situations including a rescue from a pond. The reader can ‘feel’ a force of attraction that the characters are trying to deny. There is good natured banter.
Within the group of couples, the reader senses the awkwardness of being single. Singleness is not always welcomed. It can be a state of mind as we see some singles having fun.
This novel is about friendship. There are great lengths that some will go to, to protect their friends. Friendship is to be celebrated.
I love Portia MacIntosh’s books. The characters are quirky but realistic and likable. The Time Of Our Lives is a delightful fun read, just perfect for long summer evenings… or cold winter nights.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
February 9, 2025
Luca is used to being ‘the single one’ – which is partly why she dreaded going to the wedding of an old university friend. Surrounded by faces she hasn’t seen in 10 years, Luca can feel herself being sucked back into the immature, decade-old gossip that no one seems to have forgotten.
But when Tom walks in, Luca’s heart stops. He was her ‘almost boyfriend’, and she had been completely swept off her feet by him… but he’s currently standing next to the girl he broke her heart with at a party all those years ago.
As the evening draws on and the champagne continues to flow, it’s clear that Tom can’t take his eyes off her. Will Luca’s luck in love finally take a turn?
I loved this story. It’s set between the past and present and two intertwine beautifully to tell the story. It was fast paced and kept my engagement. I read it all in one day I was invested. There was lots happening and lots of revelations between the friends.
This was humorous, addictive and entertaining. Portias books are always a delight to read and this second chance
Romance at a wedding was the perfect setting to show Portia can write about anything.
But when Tom walks in, Luca’s heart stops. He was her ‘almost boyfriend’, and she had been completely swept off her feet by him… but he’s currently standing next to the girl he broke her heart with at a party all those years ago.
As the evening draws on and the champagne continues to flow, it’s clear that Tom can’t take his eyes off her. Will Luca’s luck in love finally take a turn?
I loved this story. It’s set between the past and present and two intertwine beautifully to tell the story. It was fast paced and kept my engagement. I read it all in one day I was invested. There was lots happening and lots of revelations between the friends.
This was humorous, addictive and entertaining. Portias books are always a delight to read and this second chance
Romance at a wedding was the perfect setting to show Portia can write about anything.
August 27, 2019
The Time of Our Lives is basically a reunion between university friends at one of their weddings. (It reminded me a little bit of the movie 10 Years.)
It was a little bit slow to start but I did enjoy the humour and the crazy dynamic between house mates. They all had a specific quirk which made them all fit together, like weird shaped puzzle pieces that do eventually make a nice picture.
It was a little predictable and I found it dragged on a bit, but it was also entertaining at times. The group together was hilarious and their antics were the highlight. It didn’t excite me in any way, but I was curious about certain outcomes and the conclusion.
Thank you to NEtGalley and HQ Digital for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It was a little bit slow to start but I did enjoy the humour and the crazy dynamic between house mates. They all had a specific quirk which made them all fit together, like weird shaped puzzle pieces that do eventually make a nice picture.
It was a little predictable and I found it dragged on a bit, but it was also entertaining at times. The group together was hilarious and their antics were the highlight. It didn’t excite me in any way, but I was curious about certain outcomes and the conclusion.
Thank you to NEtGalley and HQ Digital for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2019
A funny, witty tale of old uni friends coming together again at a wedding and rehashing things from their past whilst trying to move on with their lives.
It may be fairly straight forward - maybe a bit predictable - but it is an enjoyable read. Well written, with a whole host of characters that will make you laugh and cringe at times. It all takes place over the course of one wedding, with flashbacks to their uni days.
Tales of ill-timed kisses and wrong decisions with a romantic story at it's heart. I like the main character of Luca, she seemed to have her head screwed on and endures a series of "disasters" during the day.
She'e very likable as a main character and I found myself hoping things turned out in her favour.
My first experience of this author and I read it in one sitting. Simple and enjoyable, a nice binge read.
It may be fairly straight forward - maybe a bit predictable - but it is an enjoyable read. Well written, with a whole host of characters that will make you laugh and cringe at times. It all takes place over the course of one wedding, with flashbacks to their uni days.
Tales of ill-timed kisses and wrong decisions with a romantic story at it's heart. I like the main character of Luca, she seemed to have her head screwed on and endures a series of "disasters" during the day.
She'e very likable as a main character and I found myself hoping things turned out in her favour.
My first experience of this author and I read it in one sitting. Simple and enjoyable, a nice binge read.
April 19, 2019
Ok yes this book was utterly predictable. But do you know what. I don’t mind. Sometimes it’s nice to read a book that you don’t have to think ablut. It’s nice to just read a book that you know is going to make you smile. You know will be romantic and you know will put a smile on your face and that’s what this book did.
April 27, 2019
A lovely story, funny, warm, full of great characters you can relate to, a great light summer read. A few unnecessary scenes and a bit mad at times, but that’s half the fun sometimes
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
January 9, 2023
fun to read. predictable, CRINGE at times
November 28, 2025
I love this author so much. Always a fun, happy time with LOL and sore cheeks from smiling. The very best romcom in book format.
3.75 rounded up
3.75 rounded up
March 28, 2019
Thanks to HQ Digital for the ARC!
When I requested this title, I was expecting something different. The cover is so adorable and it kinda reminds me of other similar books I read in the past. I was looking for that feeling. I wanted to love these characters just as much as I loved others before.
Sadly, I just couldn't.... because everyone around Luca is extremely boring.
She has a great sense of humor, but jeez, her friends are so annoying! For many times I caught myself thinking, "why is she friends with these people?! They haven't seen each other in such a long time, whyyyyy is she attending this wedding?? And whyyyyyyy does she care so much about what they think of her?"
At first I was actually rooting for Pete, cause I wanted her to live a new experience and enjoy herself, without worrying about Tom or anyone else. But well... I didn't write this book.
The message at the end is something that I truly believe in - you have to fight for the things you want. Things aren't just gonna happen to you. In that sense, I really liked the story and I can see what the author wanted to show. But unfortunately, this isn't a book I would like to read again.
When I requested this title, I was expecting something different. The cover is so adorable and it kinda reminds me of other similar books I read in the past. I was looking for that feeling. I wanted to love these characters just as much as I loved others before.
Sadly, I just couldn't.... because everyone around Luca is extremely boring.
She has a great sense of humor, but jeez, her friends are so annoying! For many times I caught myself thinking, "why is she friends with these people?! They haven't seen each other in such a long time, whyyyyy is she attending this wedding?? And whyyyyyyy does she care so much about what they think of her?"
At first I was actually rooting for Pete, cause I wanted her to live a new experience and enjoy herself, without worrying about Tom or anyone else. But well... I didn't write this book.
The message at the end is something that I truly believe in - you have to fight for the things you want. Things aren't just gonna happen to you. In that sense, I really liked the story and I can see what the author wanted to show. But unfortunately, this isn't a book I would like to read again.
July 21, 2020
This is the story of 5 roommates from university who come together after a few years for a roommates wedding. The book, which takes place over the course of the wedding takes Luca, the main character, through flashbacks from university, to discoveries of things she never knew happened. I loved the way this book intertwined the stories and constantly kept you interested in what was going to happen next! This book was a quick read and you wanted to find out what ultimately was going to happen for Luca -- would she be able to finally hit it off with an old crush? Or would she be yet again the one leaving the wedding solo?
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2022
I was drawn to this book and I had high hopes unfortunately they weren’t met.
My main issue was the reason Tom broke Luca's heart ten years ago, it’s a silly reason that was not worth all this hype. So Tom kisses a girl wearing a Catwoman's dress on NYE 2008's costume party and he doesn't realise that it is not Luca, but what I want to know is that if Luca's height is 5'8 and Cleo's height is 5'2 how could you not notice that it wasn’t Luca. Also along with the height different there is also a body size difference between the two SO how did the costume fit her when it was supposed to fit the taller girl Luca. Honestly that doesn't make sense!
Right so say I buy the whole size fitting thing but when Tom realised that it was not Luca why didn't he just say so to Cleo. We are given the reasoning that he liked Cleo but he loved Luca so why would he go ahead and choose Luca anyway? If Tom really realised that Cleo wasn't the right person for him why did it take him TEN YEARS to make his case to Luca? Why didn't he try to contact Luca well I don't know anytime before the wedding. Ten years is a LONGtime!
Then my next issue comes when Luca takes this reasoning just like that without even thinking or considering anything. I mean come on.
The ending felt rushed, give that Luca originally had 3 suitors 2 are dropped, 1 in about a page and the other without much reasoning. Don’t get me wrong I’m glad that Luca worked everything out and got her happy ending. I’m actually kinda disappointed that her relationship doesn’t develop at the end (despite the rush).
My main issue was the reason Tom broke Luca's heart ten years ago, it’s a silly reason that was not worth all this hype. So Tom kisses a girl wearing a Catwoman's dress on NYE 2008's costume party and he doesn't realise that it is not Luca, but what I want to know is that if Luca's height is 5'8 and Cleo's height is 5'2 how could you not notice that it wasn’t Luca. Also along with the height different there is also a body size difference between the two SO how did the costume fit her when it was supposed to fit the taller girl Luca. Honestly that doesn't make sense!
Right so say I buy the whole size fitting thing but when Tom realised that it was not Luca why didn't he just say so to Cleo. We are given the reasoning that he liked Cleo but he loved Luca so why would he go ahead and choose Luca anyway? If Tom really realised that Cleo wasn't the right person for him why did it take him TEN YEARS to make his case to Luca? Why didn't he try to contact Luca well I don't know anytime before the wedding. Ten years is a LONGtime!
Then my next issue comes when Luca takes this reasoning just like that without even thinking or considering anything. I mean come on.
The ending felt rushed, give that Luca originally had 3 suitors 2 are dropped, 1 in about a page and the other without much reasoning. Don’t get me wrong I’m glad that Luca worked everything out and got her happy ending. I’m actually kinda disappointed that her relationship doesn’t develop at the end (despite the rush).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2019
This is the second book I read from Portia MacIntosh and I am so happy that I chose this one to read because I absolutely loved that « the time of our lives » - it’s so fun to read! So entertaining! And not boring at all! There is always something fun happening in this wedding! And what I loved also about that book is how the chapters are divided. Every two chapters you go back to Luca’s and her friends past lives when they were students and living all together and every two chapters you come back to the present times at the wedding of one of Luca’s friend. I can only recommend this book to you and I will make sure to read the next book of Portia!!!!!
April 30, 2019
This was a fun mix of past and present. The present is a wedding weekend that Luca attends for one of her past roommates from University. With her old roommates in attendance along with friends of the house that Luca knew or dated, Luca was bound to bring up memories of her time at University with her friends. Two of those friends are guys that Luca dated; Alan and Tom. The past parts of the book dealt with flashbacks at all of the things that went wrong with either Alan or Tom, mostly Tom, and what would have been if misunderstandings were dealt with in the past. Ten years have passed and a lot of what would have happened if things had turned out differently between Tom and Luca resurface during the course of the weekend through the flashbacks.
I cringed a lot while reading because this reminded me of some of the stupid things I did while in college, so I could relate a bit to Luca. I have never met a Pete type at a wedding, but I've heard stories of stuff like that happening. I will now know not to go onto a wooden bridge with more than one other person. That scene made me laugh!!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
I cringed a lot while reading because this reminded me of some of the stupid things I did while in college, so I could relate a bit to Luca. I have never met a Pete type at a wedding, but I've heard stories of stuff like that happening. I will now know not to go onto a wooden bridge with more than one other person. That scene made me laugh!!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
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