Our Story

by Miranda Dickinson

An epic and modern love story for our times, this isn’t a will-they-won’t they story. It’s a why won’t they? Perfect for fans of Lucy Dillon and Rosie Walsh.

* * *
Praise for Miranda Dickinson:

‘An engrossing love story, beautifully written’ Sarah Morgan

‘A spark of true joy. I adored every page’ Josie Silver

‘Exquisitely tender and breathtaking’ Cathy Bramley

* * *
Otty has just landed her dream job. She's about to join the writing team of one of the most respected showrunners in TV. And then the night before her first day, she's evicted from her flat.

Joe has been working with Russell for years. He's the best writer on his team, but lately something has been off. He's trying to get his mojo back, but when his flatmate moves out without warning he has other things to worry about.

Otty moving into Joe's house seems like the most obvious solution to both their problems, but neither is prepared for what happens next. Paired together in the writing room, their obvious chemistry sparks from the page and they are the writing duo to beat. But their relationship off the page is an entirely different story, and neither of them can figure out why.

And suddenly the question isn't, will they, or won't they? It's why won't they?

An epic and modern love story for our times, we will all see ourselves reflected in Otty and Joe. We are our own biggest barriers and this novel explores what happens when we get out of our own way. And it is glorious.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, British Literature, Contemporary Romance

401 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2020

About the author

Miranda Dickinson has always had a head full of stories. Coming from a creative family where stories and songs were always present, it was perhaps inevitable that she would end up adoring words. A songwriter for over 15 years, Miranda has successfully penned over thirty songs, delivering both live and recorded performances in a range of venues across the UK and Europe. Her first solo project album, About Time is due for release this year. To hear her music, visit www.mirandadickinson.com - and be sure to leave a message if you like it!

Miranda began writing in earnest four years ago with her first novel, Coffee at Kowalski's - a romantic comedy set in New York's Upper West Side. This was spotted on HarperCollins' site for unpublished authors, Authonomy.com at the end of 2008 and was released by Avon (part of HC) as Fairytale of New York on 12th November 2009. She has also written several short stories, scripts and novel excerpts, many of which are published on Helium.com. Miranda is also a regular contributor for www.myvillage.com writing a range of local interest articles for the Birmingham area and national film and festival reviews.

Reviews

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

His was a lovely book to read and I found I liked the characters very much. It was an quick and easy read and I read it over two days. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is possibly one of the only books I have read where I didn't want the two romantic leads to end up together because gosh they were so annoying! Although they may have had some chemistry (that's something at least) Joe was just not what Otty needed, his behaviour was childish and sometimes ridiculous and he repeatedly hurt her yet somehow Otty wanted to be with him despite this? Although admittedly, she too could be quite irritating and her constant crying (pretty sure it was at least every couple of pages) got frustrating very quickly. Such a disappointing read.

[Littlebookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Otty has just landed her dream job as television writer working for one of the best in the industry. Though her first day does not get off to the greatest start when she is evicted from her flat. Still what are the odds that fellow writer on her team, the very respected Joe Carver, just happens to be looking for a new flatmate. Soon Otty and Joe find themselves room mates as well as the dream writing team. Their chemistry sparkles both on page and off it, yet why is their relationship so complicated?

This book started off well. I liked the introductions of both Otty and Joe as well as the set up with them as two television writers, and the chapters that alternate from their points of view. I thought the Birmingham setting was also quite different. Yet unfortunately the book very quickly veered off track for me and never really recovered.

My main gripe with the story is that I never really understood why Otty and Joe's relationship was so complicated, other than the fact that they were both so immature. They went round and round in circles with each other, and were so over the top with all their arguments that I soon lost all interest in them and just couldn't connect to either of them.

Too much of the story was focused around the writing angle for me personally, and a lot of the sub plots didn't engage, often just feeling like they were there to create drama for drama's sake, for instance the whole plot with Fraser as an alternative love interest for Otty, and likewise with Daphne. Nor did I understand the plot about Otty's father wanting her to be with his friend Sheila's son and being so imposing about the matter. Furthermore, the end obstacle could be seen coming almost from the very beginning, and made things so predictable.

The actual plot here felt very thin, the characters unengaging and bordering on dislikeable, nor did I really buy into the chemistry between the leads. All in all this was a pretty disappointing read for me, which I really only ended up finishing because I was determined not to give up.

[sadece1hediye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sevdim mi evet, bayıldım mı hayır.
Dizi yazarlarının dünyasını okumak hoştu ama karakterlerin birbirlerine karşı salak olmaları hoşuma gitmedi, aşıksanız birbirinize söyleyin yani gidip başkalarıyla olup bi yandan da o kişiyi düşünmek hoş değil…

[Nikki Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words cannot convey how much I loved this book. I’ve just finished reading it and would happily go back to the beginning and start again. Joe and Otty’s story was utterly captivating; brave, warm, witty - and above all full of heart. I know I will miss these two flawed and very human characters, and hope that Miranda revisits them again one day.

The background of TV scriptwriting was absolutely fascinating, especially as I’m an author myself so love anything to do with writing. I really enjoyed immersing myself in the world of TV shows, and the writing team and show-runner Russell were gloriously well rounded. Fraser was an interesting character too, and I liked the interplay between him and Joe.

I have to say that I really wasn’t sure how Our Story was going to end (and won’t put any spoilers here) but the last quarter of the book had me hooked, and I finished it in tears.

A very easy 5 stars, and a book I’ll be recommending whenever and wherever I can.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.
 
I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. But I really struggled to get into it. It’s taken me 5 days to read it because I just wasn’t enjoying it. It’s a traditional will they/won’t they and in a similar vein to Flatshare by Beth O’Leary; the characters live together and in this book also work together. I thought Joe's character was very weak and just felt that not a lot happened apart from the script writing story line plus Fraser.
 
My favourite quote:
 "Right now it feels like we're magnets with poles reversed, forcing us as far apart as its possible to be."

Here’s hoping I enjoy the author’s next book more!
 

[Isha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean, it was alright. It wasn’t really what I was expecting and to be honest that’s kind of a disappointment. It felt pretty frustrating reading it and the points of conflicts felt kind of unnatural. It just dragged on. I don’t think the amount of pages were necessary. 401? That’s pushing it. It just kept going on like a tv series that refuses to end because it makes the most money.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the characters and the story, but I found the sense of time confusing or totally absent. You're reading thinking it's the next day and it suddenly mentions it's 2 or 3 months later. I also thought the ending was very rushed.

[Sophiemaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my favourites. The characters, especially Otty, are likeable and have real depth to them. The style of Miranda's writing is so engaging and I loved her homage to Birmingham! I really couldn't put it down. A lovely story.

[Susan in Perthshire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received this as an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Sorry, I normally like this author’s books but this one was just totally underwhelming. It started off quite well, setting the scene, introducing what sounded like interesting characters and I liked the idea of setting it in a writers’ room - but then - I just lost interest.

You could see where it was going and sadly the journey wasn’t worth it. The Main characters just never came to life for me and the ending? Well that was the fastest denouement I think I have ever read and lacked any kind of emotional resolution or satisfaction. I actually turned the page to see if there was an epilogue - but no, that was it.

I couldn’t engage with any of the subsidiary characters who seemed to be one dimensional stereotypes. I would add that the poor quality of the downloaded copy I received made it hard work reading - so that probably hasn’t helped.
Sorry 2 stars - a good try at something different but it just didn’t work for me..

.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was super cute but kind of predictable but that didn’t make me love it any less

[Caroline Kerdouci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Birmingham, Our story tells of the love story between Otty Perry and Joe Carver.
Their story begins with news that Otty has landed herself her dream job of scriptwriter at Ensign Media company, headed by Russell Styles. She can now wave goodbye to her job as bike technician at her dad’s repair shop and move away from a past and failed relationship with ‘aunt’ Sheila’s son Chris and enter the creative but stressful environment that belongs to the scriptwriting world. However, suddenly being left an eviction notice isn’t the kind of situation Otty wants to find herself in on the eve of starting her new job. Packing up her few possessions that include 16 boxes of books (woman after my own heart!) into beloved car Monty, full of trepidation for what lies ahead, poor Otty is immediately deserving of the reader’s sympathies. In an unbelievable twist of luck which test the boundaries of plausibility, our lovely heroine finds herself not only working alongside the esteemed Joe Carver but a lodger at his home, thanks to the sudden departure of Joe’s previous housemate. Joe, almost a celebrity in the eyes of Otty is the obvious love interest in this sweet, bittersweet love story that is all about missed opportunities, suppressed feelings and an inability to express in words what they both can so eloquently express on paper.

Quickly becoming team O-Joe, their witty repartee, great working partnership and the fact they now live together makes them suitably placed to take their friendship one step further. Obviously attracted to one another, their love story hinges on one drunken night’s revelry that ends in the inevitable crossing of boundaries, an encounter neither knows how to deal with the following morning. Mixing business with pleasure is often a recipe for disaster and Otty and Joe are no exception to this rule, immediately hiding their true feelings behind humour in deference to their working relationship. This causes much frustration on the part of the reader as they descend into that will they won’t they scenario, much loved by authors writing in this genre. You can’t help wishing you could knock their heads together and allow them to succumb to the inevitable, rather than deny the extent of their feelings but of course in any fictional love story the path to happiness is fraught with obstacles to overcome. Unlike reality, you know that there’s a fair chance these two may finally (fingers crossed) get their act together and put the reader out of their misery. Without the denial and the angst there wouldn’t be a storyline, which on the whole is a pleasant antidote to these worrying times.

Otty and Joe’s decision to hide behind humour is further complicated by the arrival at the agency of Scottish hunk Fraser Langham and as inevitable as day following night, you know this will be the start of a messy love triangle. Fraser, initially cast as misogynistic interloper is one of those characters you want to loathe simply for coming between Otty and Joe and although he’s a perfectly acceptable candidate to win Otty’s heart I couldn’t prevent myself from viewing him as I would a pantomime villain, booing and hissing at his latest move to woo Otty. There is some humour for a while in the way Joe and Fraser clash heads, each man vying for Otty’s attention but it is short lived.

It did take me a little while to find myself immersed in this love story which I thought didn’t really take off until the arrival of Fraser, the cat set amongst the pigeons. Also there is a huge emphasis on the script writing process which I think is to the detriment of exploring Otty and Joe’s romance. Being holed up in a room for hours on end, hoping for the creative juices to flow sounds like jolly hard work and I think the author has managed to convey all the highs and lows and tedium of this world in fine detail. I could visualise the script writing team bouncing off the walls with the amount of coffee they all drink!!

As for Otty’s character, I really liked her as she’s definitely not a wallflower. Although she doesn’t realise exactly how good a writer she is, she won’t be made to feel inferior to her male counterparts so it’s interesting to see how much credit she is awarded for her work with Joe. In this sense, the author has created a strong female lead who doesn’t take kindly to being patronised, despite her lack of experience in scriptwriting compared to the others and I commend the author for portraying Otty in this light. She’s frustrating in terms of her inability to be direct and honest when it comes to matters of the heart, especially as she doesn’t suffer this problem when interacting with anyone else. Her actions often seemed in conflict with her usually open and honest nature. However as a book and cricket lover, I could relate easily to Otty, reminding me of many years spent accompanying my own father to cricket matches.

Joe is just as likeable as Otty but it’s interesting how he too hides behind the written word,unable to articulate what that one drunken night really meant to him. However his eloquence with words may be the only way he can order this thoughts regarding Otty. It’s like a lightbulb is suddenly switched on in his head, prompting a huge sigh of relief from me. I felt he very much needed to live in the real world rather than hiding behind the imaginary world of script writing and I never gained a real insight into his character.

Although Our Story is a pleasant, enjoyable read, I didn’t feel any intensity of emotion for the characters that I would normally associate with this type of fiction. I always expect to laugh and cry and feel invested in a couple’s outcome so that it is a wrench to say goodbye. The heavy emphasis on the script writing meant the characters weren’t as richly drawn as they might have been and the supporting cast of characters are given what felt like walk on roles. I know the spotlight rightly shines on Otty and Joe but his character definitely suffers from lack of a backstory and Otty’s is skimmed over. Despite these criticisms I still enjoyed this easy, lighthearted read and feel I would like to explore other titles by this author. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the last 5 mins, if not the whole book, I feel like I've just been on a rollercoaster of emotion, as to whether or not I would get the ending my heart desired... but I'm not going to tell you if I did or not!

But wow, this is a book that was on my mind even when I wasn't reading it,

I just loved the story of Otty and Joe, who are clearly brilliant writing partners, great house mates, but my god when it comes to being truthful about their feelings, its ridiculous, especially for a pair of writers to be so stuck for words.

It's a whole will they - won't they sort a book, but it also covers whether Otty's family will ever accept her new career move, let alone the fact she clearly doesn't want to be with the man that the family had been rooting for her to marry since childhood.

The story is told in alternating viewpoints of Otty and Joe so we get to know both of them really well, and get a really rounded view of everything that is happening.

I loved some of the banter and general dialogue between not only Otty and Joe, but also the words they were putting into their scripts. The snippets that are given hooked me into wanting to watch the programme they were working on.

This is Miranda Dickinson at her very best, it was compelling reading about characters I really cared for. An absolutely pleasure to read.

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This didn't start out well for me, it was so forced with evictions and losing roommates and so on. It's just not possible to pack an entire flat and move out with what must have been about 16 hours notice, let alone highly illegal on the part of the landlord. Likewise, Matt would have still had to pay rent if he did not correctly hand in his notice for leaving and he somehow managed to pack and leave in even less time and with no reason or explanation. Plus employment law would surely prevent a boss from constantly firing his team. It's like the writer couldn't be bothered with taking the time to set up the living arrangement properly and just forced it all into place in the first few chapters of the book. There was some dramatic sounding back story with an ex boyfriend that amounted to virtually nothing and very little character development generally. There was a lot of telling of feelings, rather than showing and I found it all very surface level. I didn't buy either of the romantic relationships and all the arguments and disagreements between Joe and Otty were very over the top for how minor they were. I could tell instantly what the big end disagreement was going to be as soon as it was introduced and it was all so predictable. I don't mind predictability, but when it's paired with feeling nothing for the characters and being bored by the storyline it's not great. I also really didn't like the way the ending was done.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Miranda Dickinson's books and was so excited to have the chance to meet her newest creations Otty and Joe in Our Story. The night before Otty is due to start her dream job as a writer for a tv show, she is unexpectedly evicted from her flat. By coincidence, one of her new colleagues has just been left in the lurch when his flatmate left owing some rent. This leads to them very quickly becoming flatmates as well as writing partners, but will that partnership carry over into their personal lives too? They certainly very quickly become firm friends and also work incredibly well together. There is an attraction that it seems everyone else can see but are they brave enough to act upon it or will it ruin their friendship and writing careers too?

I was completely emotionally engaged with Otty and Joe and their journey. Miranda Dickinson creates such wonderful characters who you take to heart. You live through all their trials and tribulations, their joys and sorrows until they feel like people you know. And because you feel that way about them, you want the best for them, you want them to find happiness and satisfaction. Whether that happiness was with each other or someone else, I didn't really mind (well, perhaps secretly I did!) - I just wanted them both to find someone who completed their stories, who provided that happy ever after.

I have to mention the setting of the book. I've never been to Birmingham but through reading this book, I feel as though I've had a little tour. I can imagine sitting by the canal, listening to the beautiful chimes of the Clocktower. Birmingham is obviously a place the author knows and loves and that shows in the book. With its craft bakeries, independent breweries and bustling streets, Birmingham comes across as a vibrant place full of energy and possibilities. Another really interesting aspect to the story was the fact that it was set in an industry I hadn't really thought about much before. It was fascinating to read about the workings of a tv screenwriting team, about how insecure everyone's jobs were and about how decisions of what would go ahead or not seemed to be on a whim.

Our Story is a classic 'will they, won't they, should they, shouldn't they' love story with misunderstandings and near misses aplenty. It's a book about following your dreams, never doubting yourself, aiming high and finding that one person who completes your story. Loved it!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the truly delightful story of Otty and Joe! Otty has recently got a new job as a scriptwriter, and this is where she meets Joe. Having been evicted from her flat the night before she starts her new job, it would seem that luck is on her side when she finds out Joe is looking for a flatmate. The flat is perfect, and Otty and Joe have the potential to become best friends, if not something more. Can you work closely with someone, be best friends with them and not have feelings for them? Yes, of course you can, but sometimes it doesn’t work out like that, and it does make it very difficult to admit their true feelings for each other!

I loved Otty’s character! In her first job as a scriptwriter she comes across as unsure of herself, unaware of just how good she is at it. Her relationship with her father was lovely, but I have to admit sometimes I wished he would take a few steps back. Joe, for me, took a little bit longer to like! In a slightly different position from Otty, where he has been a scriptwriter for a while, he still finds himself having to fight for his job just like the new scriptwriters that have been bought in. I connected with his character more and more as the story moved on, although my opinion changed throughout the book as to whether I was on Team Joe or Team Otty!! The chemistry between these two characters was breath-taking and had me captivated from early on in the story.

The story is told from both Otty and Joe’s perspectives. The chapters flowed well, moving from each character’s story. The author does a fabulous job of connecting with not just the two main characters, but all of the other characters as well. The idea of scriptwriting for the theme of the book was so original, and as I read, I could really see the TV program they were writing as something I really wanted to watch!! It was also a real education as to how TV programs are made, and was something which I’d never really considered before! I loved the location and living not far from the outskirts of Birmingham, I knew many of the Birmingham landmarks mentioned so could immediately picture in my mind the characters amongst the areas!!

Whilst I had some inkling as to where the story was heading, it was a wonderful journey with Otty and Joe to get there!! I loved the fact that it wasn’t like your ‘normal’ love story, there were other things which ran alongside the romantic interests which had me captivated just as much as Otty and Joe did! This is a heart-warming read of friendships, love and life, and the author captures the moods and emotions of the characters perfectly!! Beautifully written, this book gripped me from the first page! Would definitely recommend!

[Fabulous Book Fiend · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books that played out in front of my eyes like a movie. Not only was it based in that industry but it really did feel like I was binge watching The Bold Type or 30 Rock, I loved it and it felt like a very special book because of the way it was formatted.



This book has all of Miranda Dickinson's trademark warmth and humour. It has some fabulous Midlands phrases in there, it's set in and around Birmingham and of course it has a frustratingly slow burn romance in there. But this book is just such a great example of what can happen when you follow your dreams, not matter how many people around you may doubt you or try and discourage you. I loved this message of going for what you want, having confidence in yourself and being an independent person even when other try to hold you back.



It was such a pleasure to meet Joe and Otty. I love Otty's name I have to say. As someone with an unusual name myself I always do a little cheer when someone else in a book has an unusual name because we are a dying breed! The opening of Otty's story reminded me a lot of the movie While You Were Sleeping and then from there on in I pictured her a the heroine of her own comeback story. I love that Otty has a past but that she is following her dreams and making it happen later into her life.



Joe is a really interesting character. I liked that he seems like a typical writer in the industry, a male-dominated industry, but we discover hidden depths to our Joe. In many ways I felt like Joe was more the underdog of this story than Otty was, someone which is unusual to find in a romcom. He is such a complex fellow and I know you're going to love getting to know him.



There are some seriously frustrating moments in this book when it comes to characters realising things, whether that's their true potential or whether that is what is right in front of their faces but boy does that make you keep turning the pages. I know you're going to love this story. It really is a modern classic that I know I will revisit again in the future.

[AK✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Story is a warm and witty, slow-burn romance set in the city of Birmingham.

Otty lands her dream job working for one of the best showrunners in the country the same day she’s unexpectedly evicted from her flat. Joe is a well-respected writer, with impressive credits, but in desperate need for a roommate. Before they know it, Otty and Joe are roomies, writing partners, best friends, and tackling an extra plot twist: romance.

I’m a fan of Miranda Dickinson’s New York-based romances, so I was very curious to read her latest story taking place in the West Midlands. The English city setting, as well as the excitingly eventful writer’s room, made a refreshing change. The book has quite a leisurely pace, so this addition stopped it from dipping too much. I also really like that there was a layer of the narrative dedicated to scriptwriting, an industry I’m not all too familiar with. Otty and Joe’s careers develop as their relationship does, and although it’s not wholly realistic, it’s still enjoyable to see that side.

The chemistry between Otty and Joe fluctuated between tenderly adorable and frustrating childish. There’s a lot of back and forth, but that’s to be expected with a ‘will they, won’t they’ storyline. I like both Otty and Joe as characters, but they’re not overly complex or memorable. Still, Otty is full of ambition while Joe is desperate for motivation, and together they work perfectly. As a reader, all you want to do is grab them by the shoulders and force them to open up. The building of tension is what kept me engaged, especially as new characters were introduced.

I found that the story took a while to really begin, but really enjoyed the comfort that comes with Miranda Dickinson’s writing. Plus, I love the underlying message of self-belief in this modern romance. Our Story isn’t an intense read by any means, but still really enjoyable. The creative backdrop of a writer’s room, the growing tension between the protagonists, and the witty dialogue from the secondary characters takes this an endearingly light-hearted joy to read.

[Emmie Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve just finished reading this book and honestly my heart aches and I just want to read more of Otty and Joe. This book hit me hard and sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I smiled, I laughed and I felt my heart break for these characters throughout.

I loved that their careers were TV scriptwriting because honestly that isn’t one I’ve read about before and it was incredibly eye opening and fascinating! I completely immersed myself in the process and the characters involved in the writing room.

Told in both the perspectives of Joe and Otty I found myself falling in love with these characters. Joe and Otty were perfect and relatable. Both struggling with the thought of losing everything these two characters are flawed, realistic and incredibly human and I found myself seeing parts of myself in both of them. I loved learning about Otty and her struggles of finally embracing what she wanted out of life and taking the leap of becoming a full time writer even if everyone around her feels like she’s making the wrong decision.

I would have loved to seen more of Joe’s life and backstory as we only really get a small glimpse and a throwaway comment about his family. I would have loved to have been introduced to his family as this was the story of Joe and Otty.

Whilst I had an inkling of how this story was going to end that didn’t stop from needing to read on and becoming captivated in the journey of Joe and Otty.

Our Story was such a heart-warming story about friendships, taking risks and following your dreams that I recommend to anyone who loves contemporary romance books!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miranda Dickinson is like a warm blanket. All of her books have given me that comforted feeling, like bing wrapped up in a warm hug. She is an author that you can trust to make you feel good and give you the warm and fuzzies. Never more so than with her latest novel Our Story which – I have to say – I think is my favourite book of hers so far.

It is the story of Otty and Joe. Through kismet they became housemates, through living and working together they became friends and through excellent story telling I was yelling at them to become more than that – a classic kiss him/her you fool story played out as I read each page.

It is funny because you know they kind of stories that Miranda Dickinson writes and you know that with this genre that as a reader you have certain expectations which inevitably are met but when a writer can have you guessing to the very last minute if it will happen or not then you know they writer is worth her salt. 

I loved Our Story. It had the perfect amount of give and take, the dual narrative was perfect for the type of story and Dickinson really did make me want to read more but also slow my pace because I didn’t want the story to end. Absolutely fantastic.

Our Story by Miranda Dickinson is available 3rd September 2020.

[Luisa Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful gem of a love story

I loved this book. Joe and Otty made adorable, believable protagonists, and the ups and downs of their will-they-won't-they romance made for a heart-warming and exciting read. My first Miranda Dickinson book, I'm heading straight off to buy another. Highly recommended.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the story.


I feel after the Night they had together it went a little odd.
The subplot with fraser felt like it went too far for her to realise she lived Joe.
Felt like more backstory of why her and the ex didn't work out and why she felt ill seeing him around.
The ending that mimics their first encounter was sweet.

[Charlotte Goulding · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story, it was an easy read with really likeable characters.

I think the writer rushed into their friendship a bit too quickly, would have been enjoyable to see that develop a bit more. But great all the same!

[Zumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was a cute casual book! something to help ease oneself back into reading, which worked for me. I'd say the ending chapters weren't as exciting as I'd hoped, nonetheless the pace and storyline was interesting and sweet :)

[Lyndsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. If I hadn't been on holiday sunbathing may have taken me a while to read

[Justine Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both screenwriters in this romance weren't very good at seeing the plot involving them. Also made me not want to be a screenwriter- sounds tiresome.

[Zoe Radley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked some of the story, and thought the idea of setting it in the quite brutal world of script writing and editing interesting and fun. But I found the plot for the main characters a bit lengthy when it came to the romance, there was too much back story and too much time wasted just basically not doing much, I mean they both didn’t really talk to each other and basically believed a lot of circumstantial evidence that wouldn’t have held up really, and well the whole falling in love did not feel right to me, I felt that the author wasn’t sure who these two would get together with and I feel that Joe wasn’t really drawn out that much. It’s a good story just felt too long and too drawn out.

[Sarah Anguish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otty is on the verge of starting a new chapter in her life. Leaving her job as a bike technician for her father's bike shop and starting a role as a writer for a production company. Returning home after her last shift she finds out that her landlord is evicting her and she has nowhere to go on the first day of her new job.

Joe has been a writer at the production company for a while. He's starting to gain his confidence back with his writing. However, with his flatmate doing a moonlight flit, he's not sure how he's going to cover the rent and keep the house he loves.

It feels like fate that Otty and Joe both need a housemate and embark on a work and house sharing relationship. A friendship forms and the soon find their groove with each other. However, there is something stopping them both admitting their true feelings for each other.

One that will have you asking not will they get together, but why aren't they together?

[Catarina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t think anything could’ve prepared me for the disappointment that this book turned out to be. It started off strong, and the premise had me intrigued. Even though the setting of the story happened too fast and straight forward for me, I was enjoying getting to know Otty and Joe, as well as discovering the amazing world of showrunners and writing teams.

However, and just a little under the 50% mark, “two frightened kids in total denial” — as our queen Rona so accurately put it — happened. New characters were introduced. New plot lines followed. Aaaannd things went downhill for me.

To make this review easier, here’s a list of things that I didn’t like:

– From the very beginning, the focus of this book lied on what happened inside/in result of the writers room, which could have been fine if only Otty and Joe weren’t so focused on trying to get back to how they were “pre-THAT-night” in order to maintain their work/ housemates balance. For something that was so interesting to me at first, it got boring easily when everything they did ended in silly arguments. All their relationship problems could have been easily solved if only they TALKED and LISTENED to one another. Instead, they made assumptions, almost choosing to punish each other for not loving the other back. It made me lose interest in their relationship, and their chemistry just wasn’t there.

– The love triangle (and sometimes cube) made no sense to me. Though it’s true that I never liked Fraser, he always felt like an unrealistic love interest to me. He was a jackass from day one, especially when it came to women, the whole let’s-have-dinner-to-discuss-your-work-oh-shit-he-was-actually-asking-me-out thing was unprofessional af, no matter how many times you spin it, and at first I genuinely thought he was only using Otty to get back at Joe for being so close to Russ. (I mean...... WHY NOT, since Joe only agreed to “have fun” with Daphne to get back at Otty for inviting Fraser to their party.) They’re relationship dragged for too long, considering that he never actually trusted Otty.

– I also had major mixed feelings about Russel. At first, it felt like he’d come straight from Horrible Bosses, but slowly we started seeing that he actually cared not only about Joe (and that maybe he was rooting for O-Joe to get it together in their personal lives) but also about his team. Sadly, the fact that his initial opinion about Otty didn’t change AT ALL, and he decided to acknowledge her talent and worth the second she announced she was leaving didn’t sit right with me.

– I thought the drama of this story would be about Chris wanting to get back together, and how Otty’s dad and Sheila had been orchestrating their marriage since they were kids, and yet both topics died down so fast? Chris wanted to get back together so bad after one year apart, Otts tells him no for the 100th time and the next thing we knew he already has a girlfriend. Same thing with her dad. He spent a whole year telling her she made a mistake by breaking off the engagement, but suddenly he was all JOEJOEJOEJOEJOE (even though she was already with Fraser) after meeting him like twice.

All in all, and despite my dislike for most characters, Rona was the only one that actually brought me joy. She was hard worker, observant, and a great friend. She always had Otty’s back and I really appreciated that things didn’t get weird between them because of her brother. Not to mention that she was the captain of the O-Joe ship.


I don’t know what the author was trying to achieve with that ending, but it did nothing for me, except making me wanna throw my phone across the room.

[Daniella Ferrara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and enjoyable