Beautiful Things

by Emma L. McGeown

How many chances do you get at a love that lasts forever?

In the summer of 2010, Niamh is pouring drinks at a Greek bar, trying to savor her last taste of freedom before college. Harriet is enduring a family holiday from hell. Their worlds collide one magical night sparking a whirlwind summer romance of discovery, only to be torn apart by family and circumstance.

Years later, in the heart of London, their paths cross again. They’re older and wiser but neither has forgotten what could have been, and their connection is undeniable. But life has moved on, things are complicated, and the timing still isn’t right. Or is it?

A warmhearted romance of missed chances, undeniable chemistry, and a stubborn love that maybe, just maybe, can find its way back.

312 pages, Paperback

Published December 16, 2025

About the author

Emma L McGeown is an Irish writer. By day, Emma works for a global market research company, but she has spent most of her twenties reading and writing queer romantic novels that offer three-dimensional characters full of depth and complexity, with a touch of humor.

Reviews

[Rosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story that jumps back and forth in time, mostly inside the minds of the two main characters. Niamh is a girl from a humble Scottish background who, by chance, meets Harriet, who comes from a wealthy English family. They meet when they’re about eighteen, in Crete, where Harriet is vacationing with her parents and Niamh is working to pay for her stay there.

They’re instantly drawn to each other and have a brief fling—fake names and all—that ends disastrously when Harriet’s parents catch them in bed. Then, eight years later, they run into each other again. They’re older, they try to reconnect, but the timing just isn’t right, and they end up parting ways again, though this time they’ve learned a bit more about who the other really is.

Finally, another eight years go by, and they cross paths once more—now genuinely mature, with life experience behind them. And maybe those two earlier encounters, short as they were, shaped a lot of who they’ve become. This third time feels like the right moment to start something real, something with a future.

An emotional and quite romantic journey.


Bold Strokes Books was kind enough to send me a copy via Netgalley for an honest review

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5 Stars) Niamh is from Belfast and is spending a summer as a bar tender at a touristy Greek island bar. She meets and has a magical vacation fling with Harriet. Harriet is English, wealthy and visiting the island on a family holiday. Both were 18 and getting ready to begin college. The story follows them when their paths cross again. First at 26 when they are both at a crossroads in their lives and careers. And they meet again when they are 34.

Both Niamh and Harriet's brief time together in Greece impact their lives. Harriett is a people pleaser and wants her parents approval. They want the life for her that they planned out. Hiamh’s sexuality was warmly accepted in her home by her family and she has lived a more adventurous life. But they both have thought of the other but of course the timing wasn’t right

I’ve enjoyed McGeown’s previous books and like this one as well. I didn’t feel I knew either character really well. Every time jump takes you to a new spot in their life. And they are products of their experiences which they share with one another but that isn’t the same as going through it with them. I felt I knew and related to Harriet more. Niamh talks about a prior relationship that doesn’t work out but Harriet’s experience is part of the story.

This is a slow burn, mostly closed door romance, where you’re waiting for them to get on the same page. I did like there was growth for side characters like Pipa, Harriet mother. It all wraps up a little too quickly and neatly but that isn’t a big complaint. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.

[Rach · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s my first time reading a novel by Emma McGeown but she had been on my radar for a while, beautiful things follows Niamh a cheeky out Belfast girl working in Greece for the summer and Harriet the English closeted girl trying to escape her summer vacation with her family. Both on a break before university and real life begins for them, they meet and start an adventure that sparks something in both of them, but as all good love stories go once a door was ‘accidentally’ opened they were pulled apart with no way of reconnecting.

The story jumps from teenagers in Greece to an kismet meeting in London many years later, both have started to live their lives now at 26 but the feelings of torn love is still there from when they were 18. We understand how they have both moved forward and a very uncomfortable dinner shows just how much Harriet is a product of her upbringing.

I did feel that both characters as interesting as they are and we do have updates into how life has changed for both of them at times it does feel a bit stereotypical, Harriet the rich Cambridge educated femme and Niamh the now more masculine presenting tattooed working class girl. There is nothing wrong with this but at times it is quite a heavy focus. They do have chemistry with a pinch of jealousy mixed in but the spark is most definitely alive however this is a classic right person but wrong time, echo to each of them.

There is a further time jump to a serendipitous meeting that brings them both back together again, now 34 and both are a newer version that life has shaped. What I did enjoy here was after all this time they are each others ‘one that got away’ and now neither of them is prepared to let the other walk away.

Once more a final move forward in time and we understand where they both are at to round this to a close. I would have liked to not have flashed so far forward and seen more of them establishing their relationship outside of really a teenage one night stand whilst abroad. It did feel quickly wrapped up after the longing of waiting it just felt like a missed opportunity to show some real insight into their grown lives away from spending 2-3 days together at each interaction and how their love grew.

However I really enjoyed this and would recommend, the pull of fate and the missed opportunities of being together. A sliding doors effect that once aligned was perfect to see them finally accept right person, right time.

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books inc for giving me the opportunity to read, read from the 16th December.

[Aleana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


This was such a beautiful story set in different time periods. Niamh aka Levi and Harriet aka Jaq meet at a bar where Niamh is working with her best friend Jenny as Harriet is traveling with her family. They are both eighteen and is instantly attractive to each other but something happens that prevent them from getting together. They meet again years later when both are having a midst in careers there still attraction but Harriett is engaged to Beth of five years who isn’t that happy about Harriet career change they both apart without exchanging information. In funny turns of events years later they meet again and this time will they finally get a chance to be together. I enjoy the journey of both characters and the supporting characters.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the eARC.

Beautiful Things follows Niamh and Harriet from their brief summer romance in Greece to an unexpected reunion years later in London, and another in Italy. I liked the way the book plays with timing—how two people can feel right for each other even when life keeps pulling them in opposite directions. The prose leans sparse, which works for the story, but it sometimes kept me at a distance and left a few emotional moments thinner than I wanted.

A few character arcs wrap up quickly toward the end, which made some of the conflict resolution feel a bit anticlimactic, but overall it’s an easy read about finding your way back to someone who mattered.

[Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books and author Emma L. McGeown for this ARC opportunity and I am happy to leave my honest review.

This is my first book by this author and I was definitely pleased. The blurb captured my interest as I really enjoy stories that take place over a longer period of time. I just feel like we get to know characters and their lives so well in this style of writing. This book was a unique and really enjoyable slow burn romance that followed two women over the course of their adult lives. This story was clearly written with passion and that jumps off the pages. I feel like this was one of those stories that will remain with me for a long time.

In Beautiful Things we meet Niamh and Harriet who come from totally different socioeconomic worlds and social circles. They meet as Niaamh is working in Greece while Harriet is on an awful family vacation. They are both 18 and their meeting full of attraction, chemistry and a sort of magic that one seldom finds. They enjoy a pretty steamy interlude that is quickly ruined by Harriet's family and just like that they are pulled apart by timing and happenstance. This initial meeting sets the tone for them because it is clear that they develop intense feelings quickly. The story follows Harriet and Niamh through life and has them meet again and again but timing is everything. Despite never really forgetting each other and lingering feelings things don't really work out until they are supposed to.

I found the chemistry between Niamh and Harriet to be undeniable and almost tangible. At its heart, this is a second chance romance between two women who could never quite let go of each other. I enjoyed the authenticity of this story and how McGeown seems to embrace the messiness and craziness of life. The missed opportunities and bad timing just kind of reinforced the lingering feelings between Niamh and Harriet. I felt like every time they reunited it was charged with emotion, attraction and connection. Every separation only made the longing for one another more realistic. I appreciated that this author didn't shy away from topics like overwhelming family expectations, self identity and the very real fears of making the wrong decisions for our lives. These themes were ever present and influenced the choices and lives of Niamh and Harriet. I found this to be particularly powerful because it resonated with me personally. The book jumps time and uses multiple time periods to revisit our main character's lives and their relationship. For me, this was really unique and added a lot of emotion and depth to the story.

McGeown uses a slow burn pace to really drive this book home but I think it works well and serves the main love story. The writing is intentional and precise but not without nuance and emotion. I really like the dual pov because it allows me to better understand and know each of the women. I found both Niamh and Harriet to be dynamic and complex characters who experience wonderful growth. The long time jumps allowed me to really learn so much about these girls and their lives. THey grow up on the pages and it's a real treat to read. I felt like this may have veered away from a typical romance but was a wonderful love story in the end.

I very much enjoyed this book and will certainly look for more from this author. I felt that Beautiful Things was such a beautiful sapphic love story that was so much more than just a second chance romance. I very much recommend this book to all lovers of sapphic romance with depth, heart and a multi-layered story. This story is not about instant love or quick resolution but rather chasing love over a lifetime with no guarantee of a happy ending…but fear not because there is a happy ever after for our girls in the end!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautifully crafted story set over four different time periods highlighting the lives of Niamh Donnelly (aka Levi) from Northern Belfast, Ireland, and Harriet Whitaker (aka Jaq) who was raised in Sussex, England. They meet in 2010 in Stalis, Greece, where Niamh is working at Salt Bar with her best friend, Jenny, for a unique summer job prior to university. Harriet is traveling with her family through Italy and Greece when she manages to get a little time to herself. She meets Levi at Salt Bar. They are both eighteen at the time. They are instantly attracted to one another, but unfortunately something happens that forces their separation before they can exchange phone numbers or their surnames. But Levi and Jaq never seem to forget about each other as life marches on.

Eight years later Niamh and Harriet run into each other unexpectedly when both women are in the midst of possible career changes. Niamh has come to London for training to transition from a paramedic to become a general practitioner (GP). Although Harriet hasn't made her final decision, she wants to transition from corporate law to non-profit immigration law. Her fiancé of five years, Beth, is quite upset with how this will reflect upon her since she is also a corporate solicitor. Niamh and Harriet meet randomly at the hotel where their training sessions are being held. The attraction is still there, but Niamh realizes that Harriet isn't the same person with an intense Beth by her side. However, she doesn't want to disrupt their relationship. So once again they part without exchanging any contact information.

Niamh and Harriet meet in a funny turn of events once again eight years later near Cinque Terre, Italy. Niamh has just finished a multi-day group hiking trip in honor of her Dad and Harriet is there to attend her cousin's wedding. Both are finally free of other relationship entanglements and are still highly drawn to each other. Harriet's plus one has cancelled, so Niamh is invited to attend all of the pre-wedding activities as well as the wedding. This third meeting feels like the right time for both women once they have a chance to talk. The book wraps up with one chapter devoted to the future.

This exquisite book was one of the best stories that I've read in a long time. It is a slow burn romance over many, many years where obstacles have to be torn down for Niamh and Harriet to finally be together. It is a combination of a romantic journey covering multiple countries, yet at times it is also a heartbreaking story. It highlights the helpfulness and support of family in once case or the opposition of family in another. It also focuses on the maturity and growth of both of the main characters. I only wish the reader had more time with both of the main characters after they become a couple.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[jayden abel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Possible Spoilers*

Beautiful Things, by Emma L. McGeown, is a sweet book about fate and coincidence. The main characters: Niamh and Harriet actually had nice chemistry. I was more interested in their intellectual attraction than their sexual attraction. There’s something very lovely about learning the seemingly insignificant details about your partner.

Something I found true for both characters was that their interpersonal relationships were more interesting than their individual personalities. I kind of found Niamh a boring character; maybe I just find skinny jeans wearing mascs wholly uninteresting. She’s perfect. Loves her family, no mommy/daddy/sibling issues, isn’t afraid of homophobia, kind, loyal, there’s nothing that occasionally tips the balance of morality. My favorite relationship of hers was a random man she meets while hiking. They just unload drama-trauma and bond over medical stuff. He kept her honest, even though she’ll never see him again. Of course her dad dies in the middle of the book; nothing is more emo than an emotionally distant masc. Her girlfriend, Harriet is a people pleaser who is scared of losing everything in her pursuit of fulfillment. That tells you everything you need to know.

I actually loved Harriet’s relationship with her mother, Pipa. Pipa, being an uptight rich woman, isn’t particularly aware of her daughter. She sees in her what she wants and lets the rest lay buried. Over the course of sixteen years we see that Pipa genuinely loves her daughter, and sort of wants to do right by her. The mother-daughter dynamic added a few layers of complication to Harriet’s character, and affected her imperfect choices.

Niamh and Harriet’s stories weave together to make a picture perfect story. They start off as a very summery, lovey dovey couple, and end up as happy grey-haired grandmas. I found their jealousy annoying. The difference between being infatuated at eighteen, and actually adulting through life in your thirties is big. It’s weird to be jealous that a girl you knew for one day as a teenager might want to flirt with other people. I would have been more invested in the two if they were maybe friends to begin with, then lost contact. Or they ran into each other consistently over multiple summers, and run into each other again much later. I did like their interest in learning about the small details that matter to the other. A little more groundwork upfront would have sold me on them more.

There’s plenty to get out of this book if a picture-esque European masc/femme love story is what you’re looking for. I can see Niamh and Harriet’s story resonating with a lot of people. The themes of acceptance, YOLO, family, and timelessness are fairly well dictated. I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Maria Sidira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4.25 stars

Beautiful Things by Emma L. McGeown is a deeply romantic and emotionally resonant slow-burn second chance romance that proves the most stubborn loves are often the ones worth waiting for. This novel excels at exploring the enduring question of "right person, wrong time," tracing the story of Niamh and Harriet across multiple serendipitous encounters over the course of more than a decade.

The book begins with an intoxicating summer romance in Greece, a whirlwind connection at age 18 that is as magical as it is fleeting. The true heart of the story lies in how their paths continue to intersect, first in the bustle of London and later in Italy, each time older, wiser, and facing new complications. The time jumps, while occasionally leaving you longing for more time with the characters in their current state, are brilliantly used to highlight the undeniable thread of fate weaving their lives together. You become completely invested in the idea that these two women are simply meant to be.

McGeown crafts a palpable chemistry, not just in their initial spark, but in the deeper intellectual and emotional attraction that persists through the years. The more spicy scenes were beautifully crafted, full of yearning and true connection. It's a journey of personal growth, family dynamics, and the quiet sacrifices we make in pursuit of fulfilment. The side characters, particularly Harriet's relationship development with her mother, add welcome layers of depth to the main narrative.


While the resolution may feel a touch quick and neat after such a long, winding road, the overall experience is a warm, moving, and ultimately satisfying closure to a love that finds its way home. If you enjoy a story where coincidence and destiny play their part in bringing two souls back together, you'll find Beautiful Things to be a heartwarming and rewarding read.

Many thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Cheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to DNF several times while reading. I got to nearly 90% and had to throw in the towel.

The writing is bland and we’ve got two people who meet at 18 and spend a few hours together over a couple of days, again several years later for a few hours while having dinner, and again several years after that while both are in Italy for different reasons. I couldn’t feel any real connection or chemistry between them so the idea that they were in love at any point felt unbelievable.

I LOVE second chance romances. They are my favorite. This book doesn't really fit that since there's no way there was some deep attachment that could have happened in such a short amount of time without something traumatic or other reason that would heighten emotions. You know what I mean. Those situations that bond people together. Meeting someone in a bar and losing your virginity to them and then not speaking to them again for 6 or 8 years doesn't really speak to love...

Beyond the not really 2nd chance romance, the characters were flat and nothing much of note really happens. This is still an ARC so the typos and such should be fixed but there's nothing that could be done, as far as I'm concerned, to make this an interesting or gripping read.

I wondered if this is a debut novel but when I checked, the author has several books out - one of which I DNF'd after the second scene because of the writing. I should have checked before I requested the ARC from BSB and NetGalley.

As always, though, there are other reviews that show how much folks enjoy this book. I'm just not one of them.

Still, I thank Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Beautiful Things.

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has real depth. It tackles a number of profound themes and many aspects of life that shouldn't be overlooked.
It's about what truly matters, not what superficially generates a lot of positive attention, money or a great reputation.
Harriet struggles with this superficiality her entire life.
She comes from a wealthy family, and as a young adult, she meets an attractive young bar girl, she can't resist.
She meets Niamh, a working-class woman.
The complete opposite of Harriet and her background, Niamh is full of energy, has a good heart, and is incredibly drawn to the young woman at her bar, where she works as a summer helper in Crete.
This summer shapes both of their lives for decades!
We follow both women over a long period and through several fateful encounters.
As you can imagine, it's not an easy path.
Family, different people in their lives, and distance across continents repeatedly separate them.
There's a lot of heartbreak, but it's also full of wonderful supporting characters.
One thing I did find disappointing was that, in my opinion, the two didn't have enough time together in the story.
Of course they ultimately had that, because it's a HEA novel, but for me, there should have been much more time together!
Thanks to Bold Stroke Books, the author of course—I'll read more of her work—and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I love second chance romances, and this book starts really promising when both MCs are 18, in 2010, and they meet on Crete for the first time. Niamh and Harriet are from very different backgrounds financially and geographically but bond at once in that bar and after a romantic sunrise soon so much more, their first love and sexual encounter and it is amazing until it is not when they are caught by Harriet’s parents and they do not even have each other’s last name.

They meet again in 2018, another chance encounter, now in London and nothing really happens more than they realize they still have feelings and Harriet reconsider her career path and choice of fiancée. Finally in 2026 when they meet for a 3rd time, we see some progress in their relationship but so vaguely described and then the final time jump to 2055 way before we get that needed connection to see that they really are right for each other. It really feels like an insta-lust kind of story since they barely get to know each other in the scope of the story written and that is unfortunate since the idea behind the story is good.

I received a free ARC via NetGalley and leave a review voluntarily.

[Scott Cutlip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful THings by Emma McGeown is about Niamh and Harriet who meet as teenagers and have a a romantic interlude that ends before they can do anything, with Harriet disappearing suddenly because of her parents. They then meet up several years later and then years later again, with each time never being exactly the right time.

McGeown takes a well-trod trope and, while she never really covers any new area, gives us characters who are delightful to spend time with. Even though it is a romance, and it’s pretty sure the two characters are going to be together, there is a little bit of fear that it won’t actually happen.

Because of the time jumps, we don’t really get as much time with secondary characters as I might have liked, which is too bad, because for the most part I enjoyed them (although I would have liked a little more enlightenment on Harriet’s parents).

This is a fun novel that doesn’t step outside the tropes, but also doesn’t need to.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

[Dawson Sprinkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely adored Back to Belfast, so of course I was absolutely thrilled when I found out this was on its way. After reading it, I have mixed emotions. I thought what the story itself was attempting to execute, was well done. I enjoyed the time spanning nature. However, I also think it was this book's greatest weakness. I really prefer my romances to have lots of pining between the characters, whether they realize it or not, and by the nature of the big time skips every time the two main characters find each other, we miss out on the pining, and we miss out on the big events in these characters lives.

I think this story would have benefitted by one fewer time skip. If the book started in Greece, jumped to 2018, and then stayed there I think it would have been better. Play out the relationship with Beth falling apart and give us more of our two main characters learning about each other.

I definitely enjoyed this book, but it left me wanting just a biiit more.

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm starting to feel like this author is a hidden gem more people need to know about.

This story presents itself as any other second chance romance but it is so much more than that. I was so happy to see that the flashback contained actual chapters and not just one chapter to set the story up. It made me invested in Niamh and Harriet's story all the more.

Our MC's meet in Greece as fresh 18-year-olds and have a summer romance. I enjoyed how they dreamt big but kept it real. The rest of the story is devided in parts past and present but also part of Harriet's story without Niamh and Niamh's story without Harriet. The pacing was actually perfectly excecuted and not once did I feel like it was dragging or that something was missing or felt off.

The ending of the book had me in my feels and I could not be more thankful as this story really is such a great one. I hope many others will enjoy it like I did.

An ARC was given to me via Netgalley in return of an honest review.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful Things by McGeown is good book with unexpected love and second chances. The book follows Niamh and Harriet from their brief summer romance in Greece to an unexpected reunion years later in London, and another in Italy. The time jumps were a bit much, but still not bad per say.

It was definitely all about timing and how two people who are meant to be will find a way. I wish there was more depth in some of the emotional scenes, but a good book overall. The ending felt a bit rush for the author to tie up the loose ends and the ending was predictable. It's an easy, low angst read.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lindsay Ottens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!! Beautiful Things is my first book by Emma L. McGeown and I was NOT disappointed!! I love how this relationship developed throughout the years. We cover 4 different time periods from the tender age of 18 and love at first all the way to Grandparents. I love how we were able to see the different aspects of their lives and how they kept running into each other periodically. It’s almost like it was fate!

I found this to be such an easy read and was able to finish in less than 24 hours. I didn’t want the story to end and would love more of them!! The supporting characters were also fantastically done!!

[LeAnne ☁️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the play of back and forth between timelines. It’s one of my favorite things in books, Niamh and Barriet have my heart. What a beautiful story of two people who met the right person just not at the right time. They first meet when Niamh is working at Salt Bar in Greece prior to going to university and from there you go into the ebbs and flows of them having unexpected reunions in London and Italy. It’s a slow burn romance over many, many years. This is such a beautiful journey of love, but also such a heartbreaking story at times. This story had real depth and I thought it was a truly beautiful read.


Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Bold Strokes Book INC for the eARC

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start. I was very much enjoying part one but kept waiting for the plot bump from the synopsis to hit, which meant I didn't get as carried away as the mains. When it did, I could feel the impact. I was engrossed from then on.
I enjoyed the humour and the drama, all loose ends tied up and even the baddie came good!

[Rach Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this book in exchange for a review.

I loved reading the storyline between these two characters and I’m so happy that they ended up happy and get their chance after all.

The characters and storyline were well written and I loved reading this!