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The Way I Loved You
Ten anniversaries to relive. Ten chances to remember why they fell in love.The emotional new love story with a twist from Fiona Lucas, author of Always and Only You.
……..
On their tenth wedding anniversary, Jess and Luke should be on top of the world. But when a minor argument spirals, and a well-meant surprise goes stunningly wrong, their celebratory party ends in disaster, resulting in Luke slamming the front door behind him and Jess sleeping alone.
The next morning, Jess is shocked to find herself waking on the day she first met Luke, twelve years earlier. With each day that follows, Jess is given a chance to relive their wedding anniversaries, and to fix the mistakes that led to the breakdown of their marriage.
Amidst the push and pull of family responsibilities, financial trials and friendship tests, Jess finds herself falling for Luke even harder than she did the first time around. But as the countdown to their tenth anniversary begins, can she ensure that the love story they share has a truly happy ending?
……..
Perfect for fans of:
💔 Emotional love stories
⌛ Stories with a speculative twist
❤️🩹 Second chance romance
……..
On their tenth wedding anniversary, Jess and Luke should be on top of the world. But when a minor argument spirals, and a well-meant surprise goes stunningly wrong, their celebratory party ends in disaster, resulting in Luke slamming the front door behind him and Jess sleeping alone.
The next morning, Jess is shocked to find herself waking on the day she first met Luke, twelve years earlier. With each day that follows, Jess is given a chance to relive their wedding anniversaries, and to fix the mistakes that led to the breakdown of their marriage.
Amidst the push and pull of family responsibilities, financial trials and friendship tests, Jess finds herself falling for Luke even harder than she did the first time around. But as the countdown to their tenth anniversary begins, can she ensure that the love story they share has a truly happy ending?
……..
Perfect for fans of:
💔 Emotional love stories
⌛ Stories with a speculative twist
❤️🩹 Second chance romance
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 26, 2026
Jess and Luke have been married for ten years, but wedded bliss has slowly become hard work to maintain.
An unappreciated gift and surprise is the catalyst of a major argument after their anniversary party. With frustration, Luke walks out, leaving Jess wondering if her marriage is over.
To her complete surprise, Jess wakes up the next morning to find herself in the past- more specifically the day she met Luke. With each day that passes, Jess finds herself reliving their engagement, wedding and anniversary.
It's extremely strange, but Jess is aware that she's been given a second chance to fall in love all over again and try and change the future. All she needs to do is trust and believe in her husband.... and herself.
The Way I Loved You was a unique read, simply because of the time travel elements. You'll be rooting for both Jess and Luke ( past and present versions), hoping that they'll find a way through the issues weighing them down.
I quite liked the use of the family heirloom as a metaphor for a happy and successful marriage. It provided Jess a safety net whilst she gradually learnt to put faith in herself rather than in an inanimate object.
TW: alcoholism, accusations of infeldelity, cancer
4.75 🌟
An unappreciated gift and surprise is the catalyst of a major argument after their anniversary party. With frustration, Luke walks out, leaving Jess wondering if her marriage is over.
To her complete surprise, Jess wakes up the next morning to find herself in the past- more specifically the day she met Luke. With each day that passes, Jess finds herself reliving their engagement, wedding and anniversary.
It's extremely strange, but Jess is aware that she's been given a second chance to fall in love all over again and try and change the future. All she needs to do is trust and believe in her husband.... and herself.
The Way I Loved You was a unique read, simply because of the time travel elements. You'll be rooting for both Jess and Luke ( past and present versions), hoping that they'll find a way through the issues weighing them down.
I quite liked the use of the family heirloom as a metaphor for a happy and successful marriage. It provided Jess a safety net whilst she gradually learnt to put faith in herself rather than in an inanimate object.
TW: alcoholism, accusations of infeldelity, cancer
4.75 🌟
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love Fiona Lucas' books, however I didn't enjoy this one as much as others by her. Having said that I still inhaled it and found it extremely hard to put down.
It's a speculative romance involving time travel. I always love anything with time travel so this was a big draw for me.
The romance between Jess and Luke felt very realistic especially for a couple celebrating 10 years together. I did struggle to fully engage at times though.
Overall I enjoyed the story, loved the characters (most of the time) and felt it had a nice pace.
It's a speculative romance involving time travel. I always love anything with time travel so this was a big draw for me.
The romance between Jess and Luke felt very realistic especially for a couple celebrating 10 years together. I did struggle to fully engage at times though.
Overall I enjoyed the story, loved the characters (most of the time) and felt it had a nice pace.
March 12, 2026
The whole aspect of this storyline had me intrigued. Ten anniversaries, ten chance to fall in love again…yes I needed to read this.
After an unappreciated gift, a wrong surprise and an anniversary blow out Jess and Luke find themselves at the brink of breaking. 10 years of marriage and they’ve both been pulling away instead of talking to each other and that one final evening has them coming to a head.
Jess goes to sleep that night and wakes up 12 years in the past, back to the day she met Luke which each day that follows it’s another from the date they met. Jess gets to relive their anniversaries, fix a few things that went wrong and get the insight she very much needed.
Their story has been intriguing although sad my heart ached for them so bad I so desperately wanted them to communicate with each other because their love for each other is so clear.
I loved the little facts of the anniversary gifts for each year that the author put in, it was a fun little insight on each one.
I loved the entire story, this author did an incredible job bringing these characters and their story to life. It’s real, it’s heartbreaking and so well done.
This author is new to me and it’s been such a brilliant introduction to her books.
After an unappreciated gift, a wrong surprise and an anniversary blow out Jess and Luke find themselves at the brink of breaking. 10 years of marriage and they’ve both been pulling away instead of talking to each other and that one final evening has them coming to a head.
Jess goes to sleep that night and wakes up 12 years in the past, back to the day she met Luke which each day that follows it’s another from the date they met. Jess gets to relive their anniversaries, fix a few things that went wrong and get the insight she very much needed.
Their story has been intriguing although sad my heart ached for them so bad I so desperately wanted them to communicate with each other because their love for each other is so clear.
I loved the little facts of the anniversary gifts for each year that the author put in, it was a fun little insight on each one.
I loved the entire story, this author did an incredible job bringing these characters and their story to life. It’s real, it’s heartbreaking and so well done.
This author is new to me and it’s been such a brilliant introduction to her books.
April 29, 2026
I absolutely loved the beginning of this and the timeline jumps as it got me thinking about what I might do definitely that could have changed the course of my relationship.
For the first time ever, while reading, I was riddled with anxiety. I was in a constant state of unease feeling I knew what this was leading up to and I didn’t like it. That is the brilliance of the character that Fiona has created. I resonated with Jess to the point I was physically reacting to it.
I didn’t like Luke AT ALL! And by the end I loathed him entirely! It seemed his actions were ok or excused and Jess was the only one who had to change. Really? I’m sorry, but his behaviour was awful.
The end of this book irritated me so much that, if I had the book and not my kindle, I’d have thrown the book! lol
The writing is wonderful, I loved the beginning/middle and the dual timeline. It just didn’t quite live up to my expectations of a Fiona Lucas story.
For the first time ever, while reading, I was riddled with anxiety. I was in a constant state of unease feeling I knew what this was leading up to and I didn’t like it. That is the brilliance of the character that Fiona has created. I resonated with Jess to the point I was physically reacting to it.
I didn’t like Luke AT ALL! And by the end I loathed him entirely! It seemed his actions were ok or excused and Jess was the only one who had to change. Really? I’m sorry, but his behaviour was awful.
The end of this book irritated me so much that, if I had the book and not my kindle, I’d have thrown the book! lol
The writing is wonderful, I loved the beginning/middle and the dual timeline. It just didn’t quite live up to my expectations of a Fiona Lucas story.
April 26, 2026
A heartfelt and emotional story of second chances and longer-term love.
December 15, 2025
The Way I Loved You
When Jess and Luke’s 10th wedding anniversary party ends with them arguing and then Luke storming out of the house Jess is bereft but also very angry. The next morning she wakes up 12 years earlier on the day she first met Luke and carry’s on waking each day to find it’s skipped a year forward to their anniversary day.
Jess wants to make the most of these days to find out where it all went wrong knowing she still loves Luke deeply and wants to fix the marriage. As she navigates each new day we learn a lot about each of them and I have to say I didn’t like Jess very much, but as she learns some home truths she does her utmost to change and hopefully repair any damage.
We return to the present back to the 10th anniversary day where Jess and Luke have another argument but this times Jess is prepared and knows she has to be true to herself and Luke so they can continue their marriage.
With a good cast of different characters, so heavy and also humorous dialogue this is an enjoyable read with a satisfy finale and even better epilogue.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.
When Jess and Luke’s 10th wedding anniversary party ends with them arguing and then Luke storming out of the house Jess is bereft but also very angry. The next morning she wakes up 12 years earlier on the day she first met Luke and carry’s on waking each day to find it’s skipped a year forward to their anniversary day.
Jess wants to make the most of these days to find out where it all went wrong knowing she still loves Luke deeply and wants to fix the marriage. As she navigates each new day we learn a lot about each of them and I have to say I didn’t like Jess very much, but as she learns some home truths she does her utmost to change and hopefully repair any damage.
We return to the present back to the 10th anniversary day where Jess and Luke have another argument but this times Jess is prepared and knows she has to be true to herself and Luke so they can continue their marriage.
With a good cast of different characters, so heavy and also humorous dialogue this is an enjoyable read with a satisfy finale and even better epilogue.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.
April 9, 2026
2.5 stars
I really liked the sound of the blurb, but the reality of reading this very long novel did not stack up for me.
Positives: There are some contemporary themes that were well executed. The overall time-shift premise had promise.
Negatives for me: too many POVs and too many time shifts. The intertwined issue of the mothers in the marriage could have been novels in their own right. Ultimately, I did not connect with the characters and thus could not invest in their outcomes. The overall lhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/list... of the book was an additional issue for me.
I wish I had like this one more than I did.
I really liked the sound of the blurb, but the reality of reading this very long novel did not stack up for me.
Positives: There are some contemporary themes that were well executed. The overall time-shift premise had promise.
Negatives for me: too many POVs and too many time shifts. The intertwined issue of the mothers in the marriage could have been novels in their own right. Ultimately, I did not connect with the characters and thus could not invest in their outcomes. The overall lhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/list... of the book was an additional issue for me.
I wish I had like this one more than I did.
April 29, 2026
I liked this book, a nice and easy enjoyable read! A bit disappointed by the ending but still enjoyed!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was such a beautiful story: I loved it! This is my fourth book from Lucas and each one has been a winner. Leaving me feeling contented and a little bit sad that the story was over, I found this romantic tale equally heart-breaking and endearing.
Opening with a marriage falling apart on its tenth anniversary, readers are left questioning what exactly it was that drew Jess and Luke together. Attending their anniversary party, they are like two satellites in completely different orbits: sniping at each other, behaving sullenly and hardly communicating. It’s a recipe for disaster and no surprise when things come to a head in one final argument, seeing Luke leaving the house and Jess alone. Where has it all gone wrong?
The story follows Jess as she magically travels back in time, experiencing her wedding anniversary over the years. I thought it cute that Jess and Luke married on the day that they met; therefore, this book follows not only Jess and Luke during their wedded years, but also from when they first met. I loved seeing these younger versions of the couple because it represents a different aspect of their lives before they had fully committed to each other.
It’s difficult to warm to Jess as she finds fault with Luke, continuing her criticisms that she left behind her on her wedding anniversary night. Indeed, I was quite shocked to watch Jess actively avoid Luke – except the fates still keep bringing them back together. It takes a while for Jess to start looking inwards at her own behaviour and this is where I started to warm to her character. Realising that it takes two to make a relationship work, Jess experiences many lessons in love over the years as she encounters Luke, knowing that she cannot be honest with him and share that she is reliving these years.
However, it’s not only her relationship with Luke that needs addressing. Weaved throughout the narrative, Jess knows that her relationship with her estranged mother is one of the underpinning reasons why her marriage is crumbling. I found it interesting how Lucas presents this element of Jess’s life because each time she wakes to a new year, there is a different development with her contact with her mother. Supporting an addict that has scarred her life, Jess has to navigate the best way to protect herself, her marriage and the importance of family – something that Luke prioritises so much. It was definitely an emotive part of the novel and I was curious to see how Jess would handle her anniversary party at the end, having experienced so many alternative years.
Jess is not the only cause to the fractures in her marriage and I appreciated how the narrative switched to Luke. Over the novel, it is clear that Luke is not the perfect partner and is just as guilty at shutting Jess out, as Jess has been herself. Luke’s connection with Elena added another layer to the story and I was curious to see how this would impact his marriage. Like Jess and her mother, Luke and Elena represent another form of love and trust – it’s just how it is handled that is important.
Throughout the story, readers are treated to little facts about the traditional anniversary gifts. I loved these parts and found the facts fascinating. To be honest, I had never given it much thought why tin, leather, cotton etc. were considered traditional materials to celebrate years of marriage. Having read this book, I now know far more and loved the symbolism of it all.
This was a great read from Lucas. I find it interesting that I did not like Jess immediately but my opinion of her grew as her behaviours altered. It was a reflective love story and I think even I learn some lessons in love – like Jess, but without the time travelling!
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Opening with a marriage falling apart on its tenth anniversary, readers are left questioning what exactly it was that drew Jess and Luke together. Attending their anniversary party, they are like two satellites in completely different orbits: sniping at each other, behaving sullenly and hardly communicating. It’s a recipe for disaster and no surprise when things come to a head in one final argument, seeing Luke leaving the house and Jess alone. Where has it all gone wrong?
The story follows Jess as she magically travels back in time, experiencing her wedding anniversary over the years. I thought it cute that Jess and Luke married on the day that they met; therefore, this book follows not only Jess and Luke during their wedded years, but also from when they first met. I loved seeing these younger versions of the couple because it represents a different aspect of their lives before they had fully committed to each other.
It’s difficult to warm to Jess as she finds fault with Luke, continuing her criticisms that she left behind her on her wedding anniversary night. Indeed, I was quite shocked to watch Jess actively avoid Luke – except the fates still keep bringing them back together. It takes a while for Jess to start looking inwards at her own behaviour and this is where I started to warm to her character. Realising that it takes two to make a relationship work, Jess experiences many lessons in love over the years as she encounters Luke, knowing that she cannot be honest with him and share that she is reliving these years.
However, it’s not only her relationship with Luke that needs addressing. Weaved throughout the narrative, Jess knows that her relationship with her estranged mother is one of the underpinning reasons why her marriage is crumbling. I found it interesting how Lucas presents this element of Jess’s life because each time she wakes to a new year, there is a different development with her contact with her mother. Supporting an addict that has scarred her life, Jess has to navigate the best way to protect herself, her marriage and the importance of family – something that Luke prioritises so much. It was definitely an emotive part of the novel and I was curious to see how Jess would handle her anniversary party at the end, having experienced so many alternative years.
Jess is not the only cause to the fractures in her marriage and I appreciated how the narrative switched to Luke. Over the novel, it is clear that Luke is not the perfect partner and is just as guilty at shutting Jess out, as Jess has been herself. Luke’s connection with Elena added another layer to the story and I was curious to see how this would impact his marriage. Like Jess and her mother, Luke and Elena represent another form of love and trust – it’s just how it is handled that is important.
Throughout the story, readers are treated to little facts about the traditional anniversary gifts. I loved these parts and found the facts fascinating. To be honest, I had never given it much thought why tin, leather, cotton etc. were considered traditional materials to celebrate years of marriage. Having read this book, I now know far more and loved the symbolism of it all.
This was a great read from Lucas. I find it interesting that I did not like Jess immediately but my opinion of her grew as her behaviours altered. It was a reflective love story and I think even I learn some lessons in love – like Jess, but without the time travelling!
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2026
Happy publication week to @fionalucasauthor for The Way I Loved You You. Thank you to @hqstories for a gorgeous review copy - this is the first book I’ve read by Fiona. The book will be published on Thursday 12 March.
Synopsis: On their tenth wedding anniversary, Jess and Luke should be on top of the world. But when a minor argument spirals, and a well-meant surprise goes stunningly wrong, their celebratory party ends in disaster, resulting in Luke slamming the front door behind him and Jess sleeping alone.
The next morning, Jess is shocked to find herself waking on the day she first met Luke, twelve years earlier. With each day that follows, Jess is given a chance to relive their wedding anniversaries, and to fix the mistakes that led to the breakdown of their marriage.
Amidst the push and pull of family responsibilities, financial trials and friendship tests, Jess finds herself falling for Luke even harder than she did the first time around. But as the countdown to their tenth anniversary begins, can she ensure that the love story they share has a truly happy ending?
My thoughts: I was intrigued by the synopsis for this book, the thought of Jess travelling back in time to relive her anniversaries with Luke after a disastrous end to their tenth anniversary party.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this emotional book, staying up later than usual, desperately wanting to know whether Jess would be able to change the course of her relationship history. The story flows beautifully as both Jess and Luke share their stories with the reader. They had very different childhoods, one with an alcoholic mother who didn’t want her to have a proper relationship with her father and the other is the eldest from a large family. Could these different upbringings cause issues during their marriage? Would fear stop Jess from living her best life?
Happy to recommend this beautifully written and thoughtful story. I look forward to reading more from Fiona in the future.
Synopsis: On their tenth wedding anniversary, Jess and Luke should be on top of the world. But when a minor argument spirals, and a well-meant surprise goes stunningly wrong, their celebratory party ends in disaster, resulting in Luke slamming the front door behind him and Jess sleeping alone.
The next morning, Jess is shocked to find herself waking on the day she first met Luke, twelve years earlier. With each day that follows, Jess is given a chance to relive their wedding anniversaries, and to fix the mistakes that led to the breakdown of their marriage.
Amidst the push and pull of family responsibilities, financial trials and friendship tests, Jess finds herself falling for Luke even harder than she did the first time around. But as the countdown to their tenth anniversary begins, can she ensure that the love story they share has a truly happy ending?
My thoughts: I was intrigued by the synopsis for this book, the thought of Jess travelling back in time to relive her anniversaries with Luke after a disastrous end to their tenth anniversary party.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this emotional book, staying up later than usual, desperately wanting to know whether Jess would be able to change the course of her relationship history. The story flows beautifully as both Jess and Luke share their stories with the reader. They had very different childhoods, one with an alcoholic mother who didn’t want her to have a proper relationship with her father and the other is the eldest from a large family. Could these different upbringings cause issues during their marriage? Would fear stop Jess from living her best life?
Happy to recommend this beautifully written and thoughtful story. I look forward to reading more from Fiona in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love magical realism and this book had such an intriguing premise. The idea that you could revisit significant days in your relationship and marriage, and possibly do things slightly differently, was very clever.
I enjoyed seeing how for our FMC revisiting those days through the lens of being 10 years into marriage and more mature affected the decisions she made second time around and the way she dealt with the same conflicts and problems. And it was satisfying to watch her emotional growth as she faced her past traumas along with the resulting insecurities and struggles to connect and communicate. Seeing her go from being constantly defensive and emotionally withdrawn, to being able to communicate calmly, establish firm boundaries and fight for her marriage and her happiness was a beautiful journey.
I must also admit though, that there were occasions where I found her slightly insufferable, and in a similar way there were times that the mmc was equally infuriating . The desire to give them both a good shake and tell them to just pull together already was extremely strong at certain points, and the misunderstandings and wilful self-sabotage did slightly take away from my enjoyment of the book. As did the first person writing style which occasionally came across a little bit clunky.
But I was happy with the ending, and felt it was the right decision to return things to how they had been in the beginning meaning that Jess, rather than having an easy path, had to put into practice all the skills she had learned across her journey. I felt that was a lot more realistic and truly demonstrated her growth and improvement.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I will happily read more from this author in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this gifted eARC.
I enjoyed seeing how for our FMC revisiting those days through the lens of being 10 years into marriage and more mature affected the decisions she made second time around and the way she dealt with the same conflicts and problems. And it was satisfying to watch her emotional growth as she faced her past traumas along with the resulting insecurities and struggles to connect and communicate. Seeing her go from being constantly defensive and emotionally withdrawn, to being able to communicate calmly, establish firm boundaries and fight for her marriage and her happiness was a beautiful journey.
I must also admit though, that there were occasions where I found her slightly insufferable, and in a similar way there were times that the mmc was equally infuriating . The desire to give them both a good shake and tell them to just pull together already was extremely strong at certain points, and the misunderstandings and wilful self-sabotage did slightly take away from my enjoyment of the book. As did the first person writing style which occasionally came across a little bit clunky.
But I was happy with the ending, and felt it was the right decision to return things to how they had been in the beginning meaning that Jess, rather than having an easy path, had to put into practice all the skills she had learned across her journey. I felt that was a lot more realistic and truly demonstrated her growth and improvement.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I will happily read more from this author in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this gifted eARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Way I Loved You by Fiona Lucas is a most delightful contemporary novel that I savoured. I never wanted it to end.
This is a beautifully written novel about love. It is a unique tale, a sliding doors moment as a character gets to re-live her wedding anniversaries up to her disastrous tenth one. Along the way she learns what is really important; and how to listen and make memories that count. Instead of her marriage imploding, there is a chance to fix it.
The leading lady had a tempestuous childhood. We understand her feelings of anxiety, and her desire to withdraw rather than get hurt. “It’s easier not to hope, it’s exhausting to wait and believe.” But love is worth taking a risk because when it succeeds, it is beautiful.
We witness the importance of talking. If we clam up, how will others know what we are feeling?
We need to give others wings to fly, and not throttle the life out of them. “Maybe I need to not hold Luke so tightly because I’m scared of losing him. Maybe I need to let him fly, chase his dreams.”
We all need that one person who ‘gets’ us. “He was my safe harbour in the storm of life.” When we find that person, we need to love them and to cherish them.
All the characters were well drawn. The leading lady was easy to empathise with.
The Way I Loved You is a very unique and very beautiful love story. I adored it and never wanted it to end.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
This is a beautifully written novel about love. It is a unique tale, a sliding doors moment as a character gets to re-live her wedding anniversaries up to her disastrous tenth one. Along the way she learns what is really important; and how to listen and make memories that count. Instead of her marriage imploding, there is a chance to fix it.
The leading lady had a tempestuous childhood. We understand her feelings of anxiety, and her desire to withdraw rather than get hurt. “It’s easier not to hope, it’s exhausting to wait and believe.” But love is worth taking a risk because when it succeeds, it is beautiful.
We witness the importance of talking. If we clam up, how will others know what we are feeling?
We need to give others wings to fly, and not throttle the life out of them. “Maybe I need to not hold Luke so tightly because I’m scared of losing him. Maybe I need to let him fly, chase his dreams.”
We all need that one person who ‘gets’ us. “He was my safe harbour in the storm of life.” When we find that person, we need to love them and to cherish them.
All the characters were well drawn. The leading lady was easy to empathise with.
The Way I Loved You is a very unique and very beautiful love story. I adored it and never wanted it to end.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
March 6, 2026
Thank you to Fiona Lucas, HQ and NetGalley for this arc!
The Way I Loved You starts on Jess and Luke’s tenth wedding anniversary, which should be a happy milestone…except a small argument snowballs into a full-blown disaster of a night. Luke storms out, Jess goes to bed alone, and the next morning she wakes up on the day she first met him twelve years earlier. From there, she relives each of their anniversaries, getting the chance to see where things went wrong and maybe *just maybe* change the course of their relationship…
I love a bit of magical realism and the time travel element of this book was so interesting and something I wasn’t expecting to be done so well - I was expecting each anniversary to become a bit repetitive but as we moved on in years, I adored the development of Jess and her relationship with Luke and herself!).
At it’s heart, it’s a story about how relationships evolve over time—the good, the messy, and the everyday pressures that can slowly chip away at something that once felt effortless and I liked how this was represented not just in the romance but also in the friendships and family ties as well!
I wasn’t Jess’s biggest fan at the start—but I think that was very intentional. Watching her grow and gain perspective on all aspects of her life was part of the journey, and by the end I was fully rooting for her and for Luke which I definitely didn’t expect at the beginning.
My only criticism was the little twist involving a certain character near the end, which felt a bit unnecessary and slightly cheap compared to the rest of the story. It didn’t take away from the whole book for me, but it did feel like we could have done without it and felt a bit plonked in at the end.
Overall though, I had a fun time with this one! It was my first Fiona Lucas story and it definitely won’t be my last
The Way I Loved You starts on Jess and Luke’s tenth wedding anniversary, which should be a happy milestone…except a small argument snowballs into a full-blown disaster of a night. Luke storms out, Jess goes to bed alone, and the next morning she wakes up on the day she first met him twelve years earlier. From there, she relives each of their anniversaries, getting the chance to see where things went wrong and maybe *just maybe* change the course of their relationship…
I love a bit of magical realism and the time travel element of this book was so interesting and something I wasn’t expecting to be done so well - I was expecting each anniversary to become a bit repetitive but as we moved on in years, I adored the development of Jess and her relationship with Luke and herself!).
At it’s heart, it’s a story about how relationships evolve over time—the good, the messy, and the everyday pressures that can slowly chip away at something that once felt effortless and I liked how this was represented not just in the romance but also in the friendships and family ties as well!
I wasn’t Jess’s biggest fan at the start—but I think that was very intentional. Watching her grow and gain perspective on all aspects of her life was part of the journey, and by the end I was fully rooting for her and for Luke which I definitely didn’t expect at the beginning.
My only criticism was the little twist involving a certain character near the end, which felt a bit unnecessary and slightly cheap compared to the rest of the story. It didn’t take away from the whole book for me, but it did feel like we could have done without it and felt a bit plonked in at the end.
Overall though, I had a fun time with this one! It was my first Fiona Lucas story and it definitely won’t be my last
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25 stars for me.
Jess and Luke should celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary to the end,instead argument go out of hand,and Luke leave shutting the front door.When Jess wake up next morning,she's in shock,as this is twelve years earlier,when she first meet Luke.Now she see again their wedding anniversaries,and maybe get a chance to see what went wrong.
Going trough it again,see all this love,troubles and family strugless,will Jess get a chance to fix what is broken,or is it to late?
It was a very gripping and emotional story.This story didn't dissapoint,I could not put the book down,and I was rooting for them to get their HEA.I liked Jess and Luke,both with flaws but loving each other,yet with time getting lost and lacking honest comunication.Told from both POV,I was really not sure how it's going to end,author did a good job keeping tension high,and second guessing characters,to the end I was not sure about Luke. A marriage going through a rough patch with a complicated but likable characters, was a plot I didn't read in a long time,with a little magical realism.My first book by this author,and definitely will read more.
Thank you netgalley and HQ publisher for arc,my review is honest and my own.
Jess and Luke should celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary to the end,instead argument go out of hand,and Luke leave shutting the front door.When Jess wake up next morning,she's in shock,as this is twelve years earlier,when she first meet Luke.Now she see again their wedding anniversaries,and maybe get a chance to see what went wrong.
Going trough it again,see all this love,troubles and family strugless,will Jess get a chance to fix what is broken,or is it to late?
It was a very gripping and emotional story.This story didn't dissapoint,I could not put the book down,and I was rooting for them to get their HEA.I liked Jess and Luke,both with flaws but loving each other,yet with time getting lost and lacking honest comunication.Told from both POV,I was really not sure how it's going to end,author did a good job keeping tension high,and second guessing characters,to the end I was not sure about Luke. A marriage going through a rough patch with a complicated but likable characters, was a plot I didn't read in a long time,with a little magical realism.My first book by this author,and definitely will read more.
Thank you netgalley and HQ publisher for arc,my review is honest and my own.
May 14, 2026
I loved the premise and thought it was well written and executed. However, I struggled with Jess and Luke as characters. Jess was unutterably self obsessed and selfish for so long. Luke was stupid and thee were times I wanted to give him a slap - but my main disapproval was reserved for Jess.
The time travel premise was a clever trick but I really felt uncomfortable with the notion that Jess was playing with Luke and treating him so badly for what she believed he had done on their anniversary. He wasn’t that person whilst she still was so it was unequal. I know that seems an odd thing to worry about in what is basically a fantasy, but it bothered me.
I felt the Elena/Hannah elements were uneccessary - there was quite enough going on in the book without the added peripheral complications. The timeline with Luke getting close to Elena were so heavy handed - it was like the author was saying ‘see, he doesn’t want to cut Jess out but she’s simply not interested in him and what he does’. True, but we didn’t need that being laid on us like concrete. Over the top and unnecessary.
It was well written and I will certainly look for other books by this author, but I simply couldn’t take to the heroine until the last 10% of the book.
The time travel premise was a clever trick but I really felt uncomfortable with the notion that Jess was playing with Luke and treating him so badly for what she believed he had done on their anniversary. He wasn’t that person whilst she still was so it was unequal. I know that seems an odd thing to worry about in what is basically a fantasy, but it bothered me.
I felt the Elena/Hannah elements were uneccessary - there was quite enough going on in the book without the added peripheral complications. The timeline with Luke getting close to Elena were so heavy handed - it was like the author was saying ‘see, he doesn’t want to cut Jess out but she’s simply not interested in him and what he does’. True, but we didn’t need that being laid on us like concrete. Over the top and unnecessary.
It was well written and I will certainly look for other books by this author, but I simply couldn’t take to the heroine until the last 10% of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Way I Loved You has such an intriguing premise — Jess waking up twelve years earlier and reliving each of her 10 wedding anniversaries to try to fix her marriage. I liked the idea of watching a long-term relationship develop in “fast-forward,” and the time travel element gave it an interesting twist.
Even so, I found the pacing slow at times, and parts of the story left me feeling frustrated. Jess’s difficult relationship with her mother made the book feel heavy in places and I struggled to warm to Luke; his attitude about family, and the way he discussed Jess behind her back, made me dislike him greatly. Jess was intolerant and self absorbed, so I didn’t feel much sympathy for her either.
The book does explore some meaningful themes — communication, commitment, and the work it takes to keep a marriage strong and overall, it’s a thoughtful and heartfelt read with a memorable concept, even if the execution didn’t always land for me.
Readers who like slower, character-focused stories may still appreciate it more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Even so, I found the pacing slow at times, and parts of the story left me feeling frustrated. Jess’s difficult relationship with her mother made the book feel heavy in places and I struggled to warm to Luke; his attitude about family, and the way he discussed Jess behind her back, made me dislike him greatly. Jess was intolerant and self absorbed, so I didn’t feel much sympathy for her either.
The book does explore some meaningful themes — communication, commitment, and the work it takes to keep a marriage strong and overall, it’s a thoughtful and heartfelt read with a memorable concept, even if the execution didn’t always land for me.
Readers who like slower, character-focused stories may still appreciate it more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*eARC from NetGalley*
I love Fiona Lucas books but this one really confused me. When you finish a book and wish the couple didn't stay together, that's possibly not a sign right??👀
Written in Fiona's signature style which i absolutely love, with a smidgen of magical realism in a very real situation, it has a time travel plot that I ate up BUT this time i really didn't like the main characters.
I think they were both red flags, both didn't trust themselves enough or each other! Halfway through I kinda felt like they shouldn't be together. No matter how hard Jess tried, things kept not working out and shouldn't we be rooting for the main couple?? I also thought the whole Elena thing was a bit sus.
No lessons were learned, even though on paper, Jess did see the light by the end (sort of)
I dunno, I still think its different and not a typical love story. At the beginning i really related to it, because i understand that feeling, being married 12 years but having to put on a pretence sometimes when i just want to hash it out.
This could have been a beautiful, unforgettable love story and i do still recommend but its not my personal favourite.
I love Fiona Lucas books but this one really confused me. When you finish a book and wish the couple didn't stay together, that's possibly not a sign right??👀
Written in Fiona's signature style which i absolutely love, with a smidgen of magical realism in a very real situation, it has a time travel plot that I ate up BUT this time i really didn't like the main characters.
I think they were both red flags, both didn't trust themselves enough or each other! Halfway through I kinda felt like they shouldn't be together. No matter how hard Jess tried, things kept not working out and shouldn't we be rooting for the main couple?? I also thought the whole Elena thing was a bit sus.
No lessons were learned, even though on paper, Jess did see the light by the end (sort of)
I dunno, I still think its different and not a typical love story. At the beginning i really related to it, because i understand that feeling, being married 12 years but having to put on a pretence sometimes when i just want to hash it out.
This could have been a beautiful, unforgettable love story and i do still recommend but its not my personal favourite.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2026
2.5*
On paper this is one I should have loved. Marriage in crisis, second chance vibes are a bit of me. But unfortunately I just didn’t gel with this one. I found the fmc really hard to like which automatically made me less invested in the story. I felt she was childish if I’m honest so I didn’t really sympathise with her.
There was an element of mystery to this which I liked, and I think as the story went on, particularly in the last 35% I did find myself getting more from the book. The fmc seemed to mature and learn some lessons along her journey and this definitely helped. I think this was a great premise and the dual pov added some intrigue to the whole thing. I did guess one part of the big reveal so I’m happy about that.
I think this could be a good beginner marriage in crisis/second chance book as it’s far less emotionally intense than others I’ve read. Unfortunately because I’ve read those really intense books this one just fell a little flat. But I’m grateful I got the chance to read this early via NetGalley!
On paper this is one I should have loved. Marriage in crisis, second chance vibes are a bit of me. But unfortunately I just didn’t gel with this one. I found the fmc really hard to like which automatically made me less invested in the story. I felt she was childish if I’m honest so I didn’t really sympathise with her.
There was an element of mystery to this which I liked, and I think as the story went on, particularly in the last 35% I did find myself getting more from the book. The fmc seemed to mature and learn some lessons along her journey and this definitely helped. I think this was a great premise and the dual pov added some intrigue to the whole thing. I did guess one part of the big reveal so I’m happy about that.
I think this could be a good beginner marriage in crisis/second chance book as it’s far less emotionally intense than others I’ve read. Unfortunately because I’ve read those really intense books this one just fell a little flat. But I’m grateful I got the chance to read this early via NetGalley!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a wonderful what-if five-star read. If you had the chance to go back and relive a day, what would you change, what day would you go back to? Its not something that Jess thinks to ask, but it’s something that happens to her more than once, and for her she didn’t get the choice, she goes back to the date of her wedding anniversary, a date with special significance for her and her now husband Luke. After ten years of marriage life can be hard, as you get stuck in the drudge and reality of life, the honeymoon is well over and life gets in the way, I would love to go back, but I don’t know if I would pick my anniversary, but I would love the thought of getting to relive some of those days again, just to relive those memories to see if like Jess I see something different this time. There are so many wonderful details in this story that will suck you in, and have you wishing that Jess got more than just a day sometimes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Advanced copy received through Netgalley
The Way I Loved You is a beautiful book focused on the 12 year relationship of Luke and Jess. As many relationships do, they start to feel less connected as time goes on until they reach a turning point. Both of them are fighting to mend their relationship before its too late. The themes explored in this book are so relatable to readers that you can really identify with the characters, constantly trying to make the right choice or just get through the day unscathed. It raises the questions of what would you do if you had the chance to change certain choices you made in the past and also, what details are you missing when you're not paying enough attention?
I felt compelled to check in on these characters every day until I finished the book as I wanted to see where their story led. I'd like to see more of them in the future to wrap up the other storylines.
The Way I Loved You is a beautiful book focused on the 12 year relationship of Luke and Jess. As many relationships do, they start to feel less connected as time goes on until they reach a turning point. Both of them are fighting to mend their relationship before its too late. The themes explored in this book are so relatable to readers that you can really identify with the characters, constantly trying to make the right choice or just get through the day unscathed. It raises the questions of what would you do if you had the chance to change certain choices you made in the past and also, what details are you missing when you're not paying enough attention?
I felt compelled to check in on these characters every day until I finished the book as I wanted to see where their story led. I'd like to see more of them in the future to wrap up the other storylines.
March 28, 2026
Loved this book which has a heartfelt story of a couple who are celebrating their 10 year anniversary. Told by alternate characters, husband Luke and wife Jess, the story starts at their anniversary party where a huge row sees them torn apart. When Jess wakes up the next day and time has gone backwards into a happier past, she looks at how they could both do things differently.
I loved the characters and the story. Both Jess and Luke had their flaws and how the people in their lives inadvertently make their lives more complicated. I enjoyed the plot and how it winds back and forth in time, with Jess rediscovering how she reacts and what makes her the way she is. I was surprised at the ending but pleased that I was, as some books of this genre follow a certain pattern and the twist here gives the story another dimension.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.
I loved the characters and the story. Both Jess and Luke had their flaws and how the people in their lives inadvertently make their lives more complicated. I enjoyed the plot and how it winds back and forth in time, with Jess rediscovering how she reacts and what makes her the way she is. I was surprised at the ending but pleased that I was, as some books of this genre follow a certain pattern and the twist here gives the story another dimension.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.
December 22, 2025
This story follows Jess, who wakes up on the day she first met her husband after their tenth anniversary goes badly. But instead of reliving just one day, she keeps landing on different anniversaries, giving her a chance to revisit, and sometimes rethink, the moments that shaped their relationship.
Jess is relatable and frustrating in equal measure she jumps to conclusions, avoids hard conversations, and thinks she’s being selfless when she’s really acting out of fear. Luke isn’t perfect either, and their quiet resentments make their relationship feel painfully real.
The pacing is gentle, and the story is quietly emotional. It’s less about big betrayals and more about the little misunderstandings that accumulate over time and how love grows, stumbles, and sometimes surprises you along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the ARC
Jess is relatable and frustrating in equal measure she jumps to conclusions, avoids hard conversations, and thinks she’s being selfless when she’s really acting out of fear. Luke isn’t perfect either, and their quiet resentments make their relationship feel painfully real.
The pacing is gentle, and the story is quietly emotional. It’s less about big betrayals and more about the little misunderstandings that accumulate over time and how love grows, stumbles, and sometimes surprises you along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the ARC
January 20, 2026
4.5⭐️
This is such a heartwarming book about love, trust and appreciating your loved ones each and every day.
The story was so well pieced together, with snippets from the past woven into present day as well as dual-POV. I flew through the chapters, constantly wanting to see what was going to happen next.
I liked seeing the relationship between our FMC and MMC grow and evolve. Both POVs were really entertaining to read, and it was nice to see how they changed as individuals throughout the story as well as how they changed as a couple.
I think there’s some really lovely and important messages throughout this book surrounding love and family, and I’d definitely recommend giving this one a go if the synopsis is calling to you.
Thank you to HQ for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is such a heartwarming book about love, trust and appreciating your loved ones each and every day.
The story was so well pieced together, with snippets from the past woven into present day as well as dual-POV. I flew through the chapters, constantly wanting to see what was going to happen next.
I liked seeing the relationship between our FMC and MMC grow and evolve. Both POVs were really entertaining to read, and it was nice to see how they changed as individuals throughout the story as well as how they changed as a couple.
I think there’s some really lovely and important messages throughout this book surrounding love and family, and I’d definitely recommend giving this one a go if the synopsis is calling to you.
Thank you to HQ for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2026
Wow! What a book, Fiona Lucas has gone and done it again.
I absolutely adored this book. It’s unique, thought provoking and heartfelt with twists I didn’t see coming. I was completely hooked & captivated from the first chapter and loved each of the main characters.
While a cleverly thought out storyline, with the perfect pace, it was still easy to read and follow the story as it developed. It’s a realistic & emotional story following Jess & Luke’s life across their ten years of marriage, highlighting the highs and the lows that I think everyone would be able to relate to, possibly even take some things away from too. Fiona is brilliant at putting words to feeling’s some may not be able to express themselves. It’s definitely an emotional roller coaster but worth it for such a great ending.
If you liked Love of My Afterlife or the Seven Year Slip this one is for you!
I absolutely adored this book. It’s unique, thought provoking and heartfelt with twists I didn’t see coming. I was completely hooked & captivated from the first chapter and loved each of the main characters.
While a cleverly thought out storyline, with the perfect pace, it was still easy to read and follow the story as it developed. It’s a realistic & emotional story following Jess & Luke’s life across their ten years of marriage, highlighting the highs and the lows that I think everyone would be able to relate to, possibly even take some things away from too. Fiona is brilliant at putting words to feeling’s some may not be able to express themselves. It’s definitely an emotional roller coaster but worth it for such a great ending.
If you liked Love of My Afterlife or the Seven Year Slip this one is for you!
March 14, 2026
I loved this book!
A kind of time travel, speculative romance that I really got my teeth into.
Jess and Luke are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary, and somehow end up in a row that has Luke walking out. Unsure what happened, Jess falls asleep and wakes up on the same day, twelve years earlier. And again, and again, until she has relived the same date for each year that has passed up to the present.
With the opportunity to learn from her mistakes and better understand Luke, she takes it, hoping that when she returns to the present, she can avoid the heartache she caused.
I love a bit of reflection for romantic relationships, and Jess has to reflect on her own life, reactions, and behaviours to really understand where fractures appeared in her and Luke's marriage.
An often emotional page turner of a book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC.
A kind of time travel, speculative romance that I really got my teeth into.
Jess and Luke are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary, and somehow end up in a row that has Luke walking out. Unsure what happened, Jess falls asleep and wakes up on the same day, twelve years earlier. And again, and again, until she has relived the same date for each year that has passed up to the present.
With the opportunity to learn from her mistakes and better understand Luke, she takes it, hoping that when she returns to the present, she can avoid the heartache she caused.
I love a bit of reflection for romantic relationships, and Jess has to reflect on her own life, reactions, and behaviours to really understand where fractures appeared in her and Luke's marriage.
An often emotional page turner of a book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC.
March 13, 2026
This was a lovely story of the trials and tribulations of a marriage.
When Jess and Luke celebrate their 10th Wedding Anniversary with a big party it ends in the worst way, a big fall out. Jess then, through the power of time travel, goes back in time to a particular day each year. In doing this she learns so much about herself, the way she behaves, the way she treats Luke and others.
Jess tries to learn on each of these anniversaries in an attempt to change the outcome of her 10th Anniversary party.
This is definitely a book that makes you think about the way you behave and react to people around you
All through the book is a “will they won’t they survive” however I will not give that spoiler!
When Jess and Luke celebrate their 10th Wedding Anniversary with a big party it ends in the worst way, a big fall out. Jess then, through the power of time travel, goes back in time to a particular day each year. In doing this she learns so much about herself, the way she behaves, the way she treats Luke and others.
Jess tries to learn on each of these anniversaries in an attempt to change the outcome of her 10th Anniversary party.
This is definitely a book that makes you think about the way you behave and react to people around you
All through the book is a “will they won’t they survive” however I will not give that spoiler!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The tenth anniversary party turns into disaster and the end of the marriage.
But Jess goes back to their first date 12 years earlier. Going back in time to the same date, the one they choose for their wedding day,every year to try and change the outcome.
Will these changes make a difference to the outcome in the end? By changing reactions and responses will the marriage be stronger and resilient?
The love never died but got lost in the dynamic of two very different childhood experiences and how family relate to eachother.
A book that will make you keep your fingers crossed for Jess and Luke and look at your own methods of communication
But Jess goes back to their first date 12 years earlier. Going back in time to the same date, the one they choose for their wedding day,every year to try and change the outcome.
Will these changes make a difference to the outcome in the end? By changing reactions and responses will the marriage be stronger and resilient?
The love never died but got lost in the dynamic of two very different childhood experiences and how family relate to eachother.
A book that will make you keep your fingers crossed for Jess and Luke and look at your own methods of communication
March 31, 2026
I think that was the first book I’ve read from this author and while I enjoyed the writing the back and forth in times and the changes from 1st to 3rd pov was really weird to me. Like, we already have her traveling back to time.. why add also the 1 year countdown until the anniversary party. That’s a LOT of past.
Plot had a lot of potential. Yet, I can’t say that it was a success when in reality I didn’t want the couple to end up together. I couldn’t see or feel any respect, desire, love and understanding between them. They were bad for each other from the start to the end. Won’t even comment about the emotional cheating that took place.
Plot had a lot of potential. Yet, I can’t say that it was a success when in reality I didn’t want the couple to end up together. I couldn’t see or feel any respect, desire, love and understanding between them. They were bad for each other from the start to the end. Won’t even comment about the emotional cheating that took place.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It's Jess and Luke's 10th wedding anniversary party and on the surface they seem like the perfect couple. By the end of the night, Luke has walked out saying that he's done with their marriage. Jess is devastated but how can she rescue her marriage.
The next day seems strange. Jess has gone back to the day she met Luke. Each day is 1 year on and Jess reflects on their life trying to mend their previous mistakes. But will it be enough.
Interesting story that kept me captivated to find out if Jess succeeds.
The next day seems strange. Jess has gone back to the day she met Luke. Each day is 1 year on and Jess reflects on their life trying to mend their previous mistakes. But will it be enough.
Interesting story that kept me captivated to find out if Jess succeeds.
March 12, 2026
'The Way I Loved You' was a gorgeous, charming read. We follow Jess on her journey to try and fix her relationship with Luke, we follow Luke too but to a lesser extent. I liked the premise but the execution lacked something for me. I found this uncomfortable at times to see how Jess and Luke were behaving and Jess seemed to be willing to shoulder all the blame which would not be the case. As a result there were parts of this that were incredibly frustrating.
On the whole this was a charming read and I enjoyed it for what it was.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for an advance copy.
On the whole this was a charming read and I enjoyed it for what it was.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for an advance copy.
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