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What If? #1
What If?
1999.
Carly Cooper is 30, single, and after coming close to saying ‘I do’ to six different men, she’s wondering if she accidentally said ‘goodbye’ to Mr Right.
So, Carly quits her job, her flat, her whole life and sets off on a quest to track down all the men she's ever loved.
But there is a problem. Her ex-boyfriends are scattered all over the world and Carly lives in an era before the Internet and Smartphones.
Her Mr Right must be out there, but can she find him?
And what if he’s moved on from the ex-girlfriend who said goodbye?
A laugh-out-loud vintage '90s romantic comedy from #1 bestselling author Shari Low.
'I so love Shari Low’s books; they have just the perfect recipe for chilling out and emerging yourself in the crazy world of someone else for a few hours!'
'Shari has such a witty way of writing that makes for an easy, fun read.'
'This book is highly recommended and bound to put a smile on your face.'
'Hilarious, poignant and romantic'
'Full of emotional twists and turns as well as characters to love'
'A nostalgic, delightful, and funny story'
Carly Cooper is 30, single, and after coming close to saying ‘I do’ to six different men, she’s wondering if she accidentally said ‘goodbye’ to Mr Right.
So, Carly quits her job, her flat, her whole life and sets off on a quest to track down all the men she's ever loved.
But there is a problem. Her ex-boyfriends are scattered all over the world and Carly lives in an era before the Internet and Smartphones.
Her Mr Right must be out there, but can she find him?
And what if he’s moved on from the ex-girlfriend who said goodbye?
A laugh-out-loud vintage '90s romantic comedy from #1 bestselling author Shari Low.
'I so love Shari Low’s books; they have just the perfect recipe for chilling out and emerging yourself in the crazy world of someone else for a few hours!'
'Shari has such a witty way of writing that makes for an easy, fun read.'
'This book is highly recommended and bound to put a smile on your face.'
'Hilarious, poignant and romantic'
'Full of emotional twists and turns as well as characters to love'
'A nostalgic, delightful, and funny story'
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2001
3233 people are currently reading
2372 people want to read
About the author
Shari Low
47 books1,472 followers*No1 Multi-Million Copy Best-Selling Author*
In a career spanning twenty five years, author Shari Low has published over 40 books, and sold over five million copies around the globe, hitting the best seller charts in many countries including UK, USA, Canada, Germany and Australia.
In 2020, her first novel, What If? (originally published in 2001), was updated and re-released, followed by the sequels What Now? and What Next?. All three novels became international best sellers.
Since then, several of Shari's books have been #1 chart-toppers - including One Day With You, One Moment in Time, One Christmas Eve, One Year After You, One Midnight With You and One Day & Forever.
Her latest novels, One More Day of Us and One Snowy Day were published in 2025 by Boldwood Books.
Shari has also co-written three Hollywood thrillers, The Rise, The Catch and The Fall, with LA-based TV presenter and actor Ross King.
In real life, once upon a time she met a guy, got engaged after a week, and thirty-something years later she lives near Glasgow with the one they said would never last. Their children have now grown and scattered across the world, so she spends an inordinate amount of time on video calls and aeroplanes.
For all the latest news, visit Shari on Facebook, twitter, instagram or at sharilow dot com
In a career spanning twenty five years, author Shari Low has published over 40 books, and sold over five million copies around the globe, hitting the best seller charts in many countries including UK, USA, Canada, Germany and Australia.
In 2020, her first novel, What If? (originally published in 2001), was updated and re-released, followed by the sequels What Now? and What Next?. All three novels became international best sellers.
Since then, several of Shari's books have been #1 chart-toppers - including One Day With You, One Moment in Time, One Christmas Eve, One Year After You, One Midnight With You and One Day & Forever.
Her latest novels, One More Day of Us and One Snowy Day were published in 2025 by Boldwood Books.
Shari has also co-written three Hollywood thrillers, The Rise, The Catch and The Fall, with LA-based TV presenter and actor Ross King.
In real life, once upon a time she met a guy, got engaged after a week, and thirty-something years later she lives near Glasgow with the one they said would never last. Their children have now grown and scattered across the world, so she spends an inordinate amount of time on video calls and aeroplanes.
For all the latest news, visit Shari on Facebook, twitter, instagram or at sharilow dot com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
September 18, 2021
It was like experiencing Ghosts of Boyfriends/ Ex-fiancées past: a so much better version of McConaughey’s movie with gender switch!
It is also a time traveling journey for me because this is 20th anniversary of book’s release. As a lover of smart and humorous up-lift rom-coms I truly piss myself why I didn’t read any of the author’s books. I’m really thankful to NetGalley to put this author’s novels on my radar even though my tbr can explode at any second but it was worth to add more delicious entries to my pile!
Well, think about 20 years ago this story takes place: No iPhones, no social media accounts, no influencers, Britney hasn’t gone mad and she has just found the fame. We haven’t read Goblet of Fire so Robert Pattinson’s Cedric character is still safe, oh hell, Robert Pattinson was too teenage to be Edward Cullen! No Netflix so chill,few boring TV channels, more DVD time! The very same time zone I was sorry for Bruce Willis who has no idea he played a ghost in a movie from the beginning, accompanying a little eerie boy who can see death people and Julia Roberts was just a girl standing in front of boy who was gonna be Brigitte Jones’ scoundrel boss to love her!
Nobody’s head buried into phones, simpler, less complicated times!
So I enjoyed each minute of this journey and I have to admit the author achieved a marvelous job.
The plot line was entertaining and unique: Carly Cooper is independent, confident, social, powerful woman making good money from the job she truly detests surrounded by real good, loyal, eccentric friends who has no luck with love. She has engaged for five times and now she has to do something to change things. She deserves her own HEA and her dream man. So she needs to revisit her past demons/ fiancées to learn from her mistakes and shape her future happiness.
This means she has to quit her job and take a long vacation to meet those guys who are living in four corners of the globe. It was like 80 days around the world to find your true love of your life. It’s worth it! Isn’t it?
Overall: I laughed a lot and had quality time. After 20 years later, if a book is still effective on you, warm your heart and heal your soul, this means the author accomplished her mission. I highly recommend it to the lovers of great laugh and true die hard fans of smart romcoms.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sharing this entertaining ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.
It is also a time traveling journey for me because this is 20th anniversary of book’s release. As a lover of smart and humorous up-lift rom-coms I truly piss myself why I didn’t read any of the author’s books. I’m really thankful to NetGalley to put this author’s novels on my radar even though my tbr can explode at any second but it was worth to add more delicious entries to my pile!
Well, think about 20 years ago this story takes place: No iPhones, no social media accounts, no influencers, Britney hasn’t gone mad and she has just found the fame. We haven’t read Goblet of Fire so Robert Pattinson’s Cedric character is still safe, oh hell, Robert Pattinson was too teenage to be Edward Cullen! No Netflix so chill,few boring TV channels, more DVD time! The very same time zone I was sorry for Bruce Willis who has no idea he played a ghost in a movie from the beginning, accompanying a little eerie boy who can see death people and Julia Roberts was just a girl standing in front of boy who was gonna be Brigitte Jones’ scoundrel boss to love her!
Nobody’s head buried into phones, simpler, less complicated times!
So I enjoyed each minute of this journey and I have to admit the author achieved a marvelous job.
The plot line was entertaining and unique: Carly Cooper is independent, confident, social, powerful woman making good money from the job she truly detests surrounded by real good, loyal, eccentric friends who has no luck with love. She has engaged for five times and now she has to do something to change things. She deserves her own HEA and her dream man. So she needs to revisit her past demons/ fiancées to learn from her mistakes and shape her future happiness.
This means she has to quit her job and take a long vacation to meet those guys who are living in four corners of the globe. It was like 80 days around the world to find your true love of your life. It’s worth it! Isn’t it?
Overall: I laughed a lot and had quality time. After 20 years later, if a book is still effective on you, warm your heart and heal your soul, this means the author accomplished her mission. I highly recommend it to the lovers of great laugh and true die hard fans of smart romcoms.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sharing this entertaining ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.
October 4, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
I can’t help thinking, ‘What if this is it?’ What if this is the way my life is going to be until I’m having Zimmer races up and down the corridor of my retirement home, flirting with old men and cheating at bingo?
I once overheard a woman on a bus saying that he’s the guy that she would nominate to look for her G-spot and not care if he didn’t find it.
He’s been chucked more times than an Olympic javelin… when girls look at Michael, they see a tall, almost good -looking guy, with an eccentric dress sense and ‘Sucker’ tattooed on his forehead… His goddess is definitely out there, I tell him, he’s just going to the wrong temples.
Every time my mother cast eyes on me, she clasped a damp cloth to her brow and muttered that I had obviously inherited my lack of scruples from my dad’s side of the family. She even took to praying for me at mass. I tried to console her with the thought that Mary Magdalene had been a bit of a tart and God forgave her, but it fell on deaf ears.
Carol looks at her watch. ‘I do believe it’s happy hour,’ she exclaims. ‘Carol, it’s only two o’clock.’ ‘Well, I’m happy and two o’clock is as good an hour as any.
They can’t decide on names for the babies. We suggested ‘American’ and ‘Express’; at least then she’ll bond with them immediately.
My Review:
I adored this irreverently amusing and cleverly crafted book and am now totally enamored with the vastly witty and agile writing style of the wordsmith Shari Low. I had read her work once before and now I remember why I had added to my list of favorite authors and placed every book on her Goodreads listing to my clinically obese TBR.
Written from the singular POV of the ever-resilient and appalling fickle yet infinitely endearing Carly Cooper who was in the midst of a midlife crisis while facing down multiple issues including her single status, a tattered litany of failed relationships, and the approaching milestone of age-thirty while in the throes of the millennium bug. This being a re-release of Ms. Low’s first book and written in 1999, there were popular culture references and levity that anyone born in this century may not fully grasp that involved the media, Betamax tapes, CDs, Margaret Thatcher, the Y2K bug, 80’s hair and shoulder pads, and huge cell phones. Being so old that I rode to school on a dinosaur while the earth’s crust was cooling, I had no such problem and lapped it up like a graceless glutton at an all you can eat buffet. I continue to covet my bloated TBR listing of her page, as I am a chronically relapsing dieter with a sweet tooth for clever wit.
I can’t help thinking, ‘What if this is it?’ What if this is the way my life is going to be until I’m having Zimmer races up and down the corridor of my retirement home, flirting with old men and cheating at bingo?
I once overheard a woman on a bus saying that he’s the guy that she would nominate to look for her G-spot and not care if he didn’t find it.
He’s been chucked more times than an Olympic javelin… when girls look at Michael, they see a tall, almost good -looking guy, with an eccentric dress sense and ‘Sucker’ tattooed on his forehead… His goddess is definitely out there, I tell him, he’s just going to the wrong temples.
Every time my mother cast eyes on me, she clasped a damp cloth to her brow and muttered that I had obviously inherited my lack of scruples from my dad’s side of the family. She even took to praying for me at mass. I tried to console her with the thought that Mary Magdalene had been a bit of a tart and God forgave her, but it fell on deaf ears.
Carol looks at her watch. ‘I do believe it’s happy hour,’ she exclaims. ‘Carol, it’s only two o’clock.’ ‘Well, I’m happy and two o’clock is as good an hour as any.
They can’t decide on names for the babies. We suggested ‘American’ and ‘Express’; at least then she’ll bond with them immediately.
My Review:
I adored this irreverently amusing and cleverly crafted book and am now totally enamored with the vastly witty and agile writing style of the wordsmith Shari Low. I had read her work once before and now I remember why I had added to my list of favorite authors and placed every book on her Goodreads listing to my clinically obese TBR.
Written from the singular POV of the ever-resilient and appalling fickle yet infinitely endearing Carly Cooper who was in the midst of a midlife crisis while facing down multiple issues including her single status, a tattered litany of failed relationships, and the approaching milestone of age-thirty while in the throes of the millennium bug. This being a re-release of Ms. Low’s first book and written in 1999, there were popular culture references and levity that anyone born in this century may not fully grasp that involved the media, Betamax tapes, CDs, Margaret Thatcher, the Y2K bug, 80’s hair and shoulder pads, and huge cell phones. Being so old that I rode to school on a dinosaur while the earth’s crust was cooling, I had no such problem and lapped it up like a graceless glutton at an all you can eat buffet. I continue to covet my bloated TBR listing of her page, as I am a chronically relapsing dieter with a sweet tooth for clever wit.
October 11, 2020
5☆ An Uplifting, Fun, Light Hearted, Witty
Must Read!
What If? is a humorous, very entertaining, lighthearted and uplifting romp about relationships and discovering what if the one you let go, really happens to be the love of your life!
That's exactly what Carly is contemplating.
She is reminiscing on her past relationships, right from the very start where she lost her virginity to present day.
She believes that somewhere in her eclectic bunch of ex boyfriends, one of those could be "The One" ..... and she's determined to find him!
Even if that means giving up everything to find him. Oh and that also involves her travelling to various countries to find them all.
I absolutely loved this story. Carly's backstories of how she comes to meet each of the men in question was humorous, endearing and heartfelt.
She had me smiling and giggling, and wow did she have some fun!
This is an Enjoyable and thoroughly Entertaining read about friendship, family, self discovery, finding the one that got away and relationships.
All of the added lil features set in the 90s just bought back lots of memories and the song titles for the Chapters....Brill idea! Had me singing away and asking Alexa to play them! So big thumbs up there!
I adore Shari Low's books and once again she had written an absolute Gem of a book!
So if you love Women's Fiction, filled with Humour, Love, Lust, Drama, Adventure, and bopping away to classic 90s music, then I Highly, Highly Recommend you pick up a copy of What If?.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources and Boldwood Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/1...
Must Read!
What If? is a humorous, very entertaining, lighthearted and uplifting romp about relationships and discovering what if the one you let go, really happens to be the love of your life!
That's exactly what Carly is contemplating.
She is reminiscing on her past relationships, right from the very start where she lost her virginity to present day.
She believes that somewhere in her eclectic bunch of ex boyfriends, one of those could be "The One" ..... and she's determined to find him!
Even if that means giving up everything to find him. Oh and that also involves her travelling to various countries to find them all.
I absolutely loved this story. Carly's backstories of how she comes to meet each of the men in question was humorous, endearing and heartfelt.
She had me smiling and giggling, and wow did she have some fun!
This is an Enjoyable and thoroughly Entertaining read about friendship, family, self discovery, finding the one that got away and relationships.
All of the added lil features set in the 90s just bought back lots of memories and the song titles for the Chapters....Brill idea! Had me singing away and asking Alexa to play them! So big thumbs up there!
I adore Shari Low's books and once again she had written an absolute Gem of a book!
So if you love Women's Fiction, filled with Humour, Love, Lust, Drama, Adventure, and bopping away to classic 90s music, then I Highly, Highly Recommend you pick up a copy of What If?.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources and Boldwood Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/1...
July 5, 2021
Another Rom com that was neither rom nor com. 🙄
June 12, 2022
This was hilarious. This is a re-release of a book that came out in 2001. I have seen books by Shari Low for a while now, but haven't been too enamored by the samples. But this was the first one I read that had me cracking up and deciding to read the whole thing. I loved the craziness of Carly Cooper and her friends. I also loved the messed up relationships she keeps getting in and out of (sometimes badly) over the course of several years. The main reason why I didn't give this a whole 5 stars is that the ending was a little rushed and also the reason behind Cooper (as she's mostly known) deciding to get married was just out of nowhere I felt. I didn't mind that too much because her remembering her past as she tracks down her exes made for an entertaining read. I will say that for fans of the first book, you may want to skip the sequel that came out in 2020. It is not a romance. And it was a letdown.
October 11, 2020
This was a great read. I settled into it immediately and wanted to see where Carly’s adventures would take her. Having discovered that a sequel is being released next year, I now cannot wait to get my hands on it!
Low is an established writer but I have never picked up any of her books before. This novel was originally published twenty years ago… the re-release here is to remind readers of what really happened to Carly. I’m definitely a fan of Low’s writing now and want to look into her other novels in future.
This is a funny novel that had me sympathising with Carly. She hasn’t had any luck in the love department and I loved the concept of travelling the world to re-visit old flames. The first part of the novel moves between Carly’s previous love interests and how she met them… to how they split up. Move forwards to 1999 and Carly is preparing for her global adventure.
Low uses song titles for her chapters. They really did get stuck in my head – what a nightmare! Each chapter is really lengthy so, if you are someone who doesn’t like pausing mid-chapter, take this as a warning. There are helpful breaks in the narrative however, that became a godsend because I struggled to put this story down.
I think one of the essential elements that makes this story work is the fact that it is set before the luxury of the Internet and smart phones. Today, using social media platforms, it should be pretty straightforward trying to trace down past contacts. However, Carly, although aware there are simpler methods than travelling, decides to throw in everything she knows to have a whole-hearted adventure before the beginning of the millennium. I admired her bravery, especially as she does not know whether she will find her old boyfriends, nor what their situation has become.
Fearing this would become repetitive (I mean, Carly was busy: she goes to find six boyfriends!), I wondered how Low would keep the narrative interesting. Yet, she does so. Each boyfriend’s story is different and this is continued when Carly reunites with them. Although I could predict a couple of the stories, I still remained surprised. Furthermore, this story is as much about Carly’s supporting circle of friends. They feature heavily in the narrative and I was excited to see how they remained throughout Carly’s journey.
This was an effortless story. I loved the travelling aspect and felt I had gone on many aeroplanes from the comfort of my living room. This novel offered everything that I needed at the time: love, laughter and a holiday. Bring on the next book!
With thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Low is an established writer but I have never picked up any of her books before. This novel was originally published twenty years ago… the re-release here is to remind readers of what really happened to Carly. I’m definitely a fan of Low’s writing now and want to look into her other novels in future.
This is a funny novel that had me sympathising with Carly. She hasn’t had any luck in the love department and I loved the concept of travelling the world to re-visit old flames. The first part of the novel moves between Carly’s previous love interests and how she met them… to how they split up. Move forwards to 1999 and Carly is preparing for her global adventure.
Low uses song titles for her chapters. They really did get stuck in my head – what a nightmare! Each chapter is really lengthy so, if you are someone who doesn’t like pausing mid-chapter, take this as a warning. There are helpful breaks in the narrative however, that became a godsend because I struggled to put this story down.
I think one of the essential elements that makes this story work is the fact that it is set before the luxury of the Internet and smart phones. Today, using social media platforms, it should be pretty straightforward trying to trace down past contacts. However, Carly, although aware there are simpler methods than travelling, decides to throw in everything she knows to have a whole-hearted adventure before the beginning of the millennium. I admired her bravery, especially as she does not know whether she will find her old boyfriends, nor what their situation has become.
Fearing this would become repetitive (I mean, Carly was busy: she goes to find six boyfriends!), I wondered how Low would keep the narrative interesting. Yet, she does so. Each boyfriend’s story is different and this is continued when Carly reunites with them. Although I could predict a couple of the stories, I still remained surprised. Furthermore, this story is as much about Carly’s supporting circle of friends. They feature heavily in the narrative and I was excited to see how they remained throughout Carly’s journey.
This was an effortless story. I loved the travelling aspect and felt I had gone on many aeroplanes from the comfort of my living room. This novel offered everything that I needed at the time: love, laughter and a holiday. Bring on the next book!
With thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2023
A fun enjoyable read. This is the lighthearted story of Carly Cooper who is a mess in the romantic department. Well to be honest she must be doing something right because she keeps getting all kinds of gorgeous men to fall head over heels in love with her and propose marriage. Only problem is she seems to be allergic to commitment. Fast forward and with the Millennium and her 30th birthday she decides to revisit her past and find out if she let Mr Right slip through her fingers.
We see Carly and her crazy lovable friends over a 12 year period navigate life and love. Carly goes globe trotting trying to track down her past loves. The characters are diverse and hilarious in a totally believable way and considering this is a time before social media and mobiles the adventure proves interesting and outcomes are diverse although predictable at time. Although I figured out how it would end fairly early on I was still intrigued enough to be secretly rooting for one guy in particular (not the one she ended up with). Throughly enjoyed this one and would recommend for a quick read.
We see Carly and her crazy lovable friends over a 12 year period navigate life and love. Carly goes globe trotting trying to track down her past loves. The characters are diverse and hilarious in a totally believable way and considering this is a time before social media and mobiles the adventure proves interesting and outcomes are diverse although predictable at time. Although I figured out how it would end fairly early on I was still intrigued enough to be secretly rooting for one guy in particular (not the one she ended up with). Throughly enjoyed this one and would recommend for a quick read.
May 29, 2022
This book really got on my nerves. I knew by reading the synopsis that it would be tough to LOVE it, as much as everyone else seemingly has, but the reviews have tricked me yet again! 4,16 is an extremely high number and such numbers shouldn't be given out so lightly! How on earth can you like a self-centered b*tch like Carly, who has treated every single one of her boyfriends like dirt and then finally one day wakes up and realizes she has been in love with her friend all along?! The last part, of course, being total and utter clichéd buls*it all by itself. I can't even. I have to immediately find a replacement in order to recover.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2020
'What If?' is a 20th anniversary reprint of Shari Low's novel. I found this to be fun, uplifting and light read tat was truly enjoyable. This 90's romance was reminiscent of the days before the explosion of social media, smart phones, and pre-Netflix and chill, and I loved the nostalgic feeling reading this book brought to my life.
What If is such a cute story about 30 something Carly Cooper who is ready to make a change in her life. To move forward and learn from her past mistakes, she quits her job and tracks her exes in the far corners of the world. Full of hilarious and crazy moments, this was exactly what I need to cure my pandemic blues and the travel bug that had been pestering in me.
Shari Low is the queen of hilarious and heartwarming romcoms that is smart, witty, and swoon worthy. This re-release of her debut novel really proves her brilliance and how her stories truly stands the test of time.
I recommend this amazing and fun escape read to a new generation of modern readers that will find Shari Low's brilliance relevant and timeless.
What If is such a cute story about 30 something Carly Cooper who is ready to make a change in her life. To move forward and learn from her past mistakes, she quits her job and tracks her exes in the far corners of the world. Full of hilarious and crazy moments, this was exactly what I need to cure my pandemic blues and the travel bug that had been pestering in me.
Shari Low is the queen of hilarious and heartwarming romcoms that is smart, witty, and swoon worthy. This re-release of her debut novel really proves her brilliance and how her stories truly stands the test of time.
I recommend this amazing and fun escape read to a new generation of modern readers that will find Shari Low's brilliance relevant and timeless.
October 1, 2020
What If? was originally released in the 90's and has a lover of 90's rom-coms, I was excited to read this republished version. Unfortunately, I decided to put it down at around 57%. I just really don't like the main character, Carly.
Carly is convinced, she may have already met The One. She quits her job and wants to track down her ex lovers.
Like I said I just don't like Carly and that's a problem when the entire book is about Carly and her love life. Instead of rooting for her, I found myself annoyed with her behavior. She seems to jump into relationships and engagements very fast, and leaves them even faster and without explanation. Since I didn't finish the book, I don't know who she ends up with, but I can't help but think that she doesn't deserve any of her ex's.
I received a free advanced copy from the author/ publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Carly is convinced, she may have already met The One. She quits her job and wants to track down her ex lovers.
Like I said I just don't like Carly and that's a problem when the entire book is about Carly and her love life. Instead of rooting for her, I found myself annoyed with her behavior. She seems to jump into relationships and engagements very fast, and leaves them even faster and without explanation. Since I didn't finish the book, I don't know who she ends up with, but I can't help but think that she doesn't deserve any of her ex's.
I received a free advanced copy from the author/ publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
December 11, 2020
2 1/2 Stars
I thought I could use a light, funny read after finishing several wonderful books that required many tissues.
Although I did find myself LOL quite often, just found it so repetitive.
I thought I could use a light, funny read after finishing several wonderful books that required many tissues.
Although I did find myself LOL quite often, just found it so repetitive.
May 17, 2021
CONTAINS SPOILERS
Sadly I didn’t like this book very much. I disliked the main character ALOT. I found her to be very shallow, materialistic and fickle not to mention set a TERRIBLE example to other women or young girls out there of today’s day and age. She was reckless, somewhat selfish (especially when deciding things without even consulting her ‘fiancé’s) and yet she couldn’t have the balls to say to any of them she was unsure or having doubts (aka be open and honest?) She fell in love at the drop of a hat, and it felt like she would have ‘fallen back in love’ with anyone from her past list who would have wanted her back regardless of the order. I also HATED what happened to Sam’s character! It was such a shame. The ending felt completely rushed too and far too silly for my liking. For example Joe flying all the way there, attending her brothers wedding just to ask Carly for her advice on his relationship after only just re-connecting with her? Err...really? Couldn’t he have done that by phone? Perhaps it was for dramatic effect or for the laughs but I just found it unnecessary. As for the person who she ends up with, predictable! I did wonder at the very beginning though as to why he wasn’t on her list to begin with? Seeing as he was her first boyfriend & someone she ‘shagged’ later in life too *rolls eyes* if she counted the guy who was her first sexual encounter on a holiday to Benidorm as possibly being ‘the one’ then why not Mark? Baffled me.
On a positive note though, there were some funny bits that made me giggle and it was a very easy take-your-brain-out kind of read to pass time. I enjoyed the songs listed at the beginning of each chapter for that nostalgic feel and liked the friendship between all the girls. It gave me Sex and The City vibes so if you like that sort of thing you’ll probably enjoy this.
Sadly it just missed the mark for me.
Sadly I didn’t like this book very much. I disliked the main character ALOT. I found her to be very shallow, materialistic and fickle not to mention set a TERRIBLE example to other women or young girls out there of today’s day and age. She was reckless, somewhat selfish (especially when deciding things without even consulting her ‘fiancé’s) and yet she couldn’t have the balls to say to any of them she was unsure or having doubts (aka be open and honest?) She fell in love at the drop of a hat, and it felt like she would have ‘fallen back in love’ with anyone from her past list who would have wanted her back regardless of the order. I also HATED what happened to Sam’s character! It was such a shame. The ending felt completely rushed too and far too silly for my liking. For example Joe flying all the way there, attending her brothers wedding just to ask Carly for her advice on his relationship after only just re-connecting with her? Err...really? Couldn’t he have done that by phone? Perhaps it was for dramatic effect or for the laughs but I just found it unnecessary. As for the person who she ends up with, predictable! I did wonder at the very beginning though as to why he wasn’t on her list to begin with? Seeing as he was her first boyfriend & someone she ‘shagged’ later in life too *rolls eyes* if she counted the guy who was her first sexual encounter on a holiday to Benidorm as possibly being ‘the one’ then why not Mark? Baffled me.
On a positive note though, there were some funny bits that made me giggle and it was a very easy take-your-brain-out kind of read to pass time. I enjoyed the songs listed at the beginning of each chapter for that nostalgic feel and liked the friendship between all the girls. It gave me Sex and The City vibes so if you like that sort of thing you’ll probably enjoy this.
Sadly it just missed the mark for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2023
How the hell have I missed 20 odd years of this books circulation and even a 20th anniversary reprint? Clearly I’ve been under a rock. Exactly as you’d expect from Shari Low it’s warm, funny and endearing.
I love Carly, and I love her firm group of friends, and this felt to me like a reunion with old pals, imagine going in search of all the what If boyfriends you’d ever had? This is exactly what Carly decides she’s going to do, in time for turning 30 and definitely in time for the millennium Carly is going to track them all down in an aim to marry the one who got away, but which one will it be and where will she have to travel to to find him. With each chapter cleverly themed with a song I was longing to get my leather trousers on and put the cd player on and party like it was 1999. Absolutely brilliant.
I love Carly, and I love her firm group of friends, and this felt to me like a reunion with old pals, imagine going in search of all the what If boyfriends you’d ever had? This is exactly what Carly decides she’s going to do, in time for turning 30 and definitely in time for the millennium Carly is going to track them all down in an aim to marry the one who got away, but which one will it be and where will she have to travel to to find him. With each chapter cleverly themed with a song I was longing to get my leather trousers on and put the cd player on and party like it was 1999. Absolutely brilliant.
March 4, 2023
⭐⭐
I have nothing positive to say about this story.
I have nothing positive to say about this story.
February 18, 2021
FIrst up, I don’t do romance novels as a general rule, I only picked this up as I was honouring St Valentine so my review should be taken with a pinch of salt as this is not my genre. I gave this 3 stars but I think for fans of this genre it could easily be 4 to 5 stars.
When I started this book I found it very Bridget Jones and set in that era too so I couldn’t help but hear Renee Zellwegger’s voice narrating this as I read. I then found it quite Sexy and the City. You know the drill with a lot of rom-coms, all very giggly and full of drama as well as hunky men.
It was a fun story, and the writing was very good, light hearted, chatty. and the epitome of an easy read as it took no effort at all to coast through. No boring bits as there plenty going on.
My issue was that I found it all quite unrealistic and sickening at times and the worst was that I didn’t think our heroine was always that nice a person.
Overall a good chick lit novel about a group of women getting older (only 30!) and wondering where their lives went wrong and how they can get their happy ever after. It flows well but is essentially a frivolous throwaway read for me. Cheesy as hell and I am sure aimed at a younger crowd than me but if fun and reckless women running about having a good and disastrous time floats your boat give this a go I am sure the amusing writing will delight many a reader.
When I started this book I found it very Bridget Jones and set in that era too so I couldn’t help but hear Renee Zellwegger’s voice narrating this as I read. I then found it quite Sexy and the City. You know the drill with a lot of rom-coms, all very giggly and full of drama as well as hunky men.
It was a fun story, and the writing was very good, light hearted, chatty. and the epitome of an easy read as it took no effort at all to coast through. No boring bits as there plenty going on.
My issue was that I found it all quite unrealistic and sickening at times and the worst was that I didn’t think our heroine was always that nice a person.
Overall a good chick lit novel about a group of women getting older (only 30!) and wondering where their lives went wrong and how they can get their happy ever after. It flows well but is essentially a frivolous throwaway read for me. Cheesy as hell and I am sure aimed at a younger crowd than me but if fun and reckless women running about having a good and disastrous time floats your boat give this a go I am sure the amusing writing will delight many a reader.
October 2, 2023
Great story
February 20, 2024
It was boring and I feel like the girl had no personality like at all.
October 6, 2020
Carly Cooper is 3o, single, and is currently living in Richmond, London where she is earning a living as an Accounts Manager for a tissue paper product company, but she doesn't like her job. She loves her nights out with the girls and thinks she has met her ideal man, 'the one', having been engaged on five, nearly six, occasions. Now, Carly feels that one of the men that got away might have been perfect for her, but which one? However, there is another problem - the chaps are scattered across the world, thus, Carly gives up her job and embarks on a mission to track them all down...
I'm so pleased that I chose to read this new edition of Shari Low's first novel What If? Set in the 90s, this romance was reminiscent of the days before the explosion of social media, smartphones, and Google. The first part of the book is mostly concerned with Carly's romantic mishaps, told through flashbacks which I found highly entertaining. The second part followed Carly as she tracked down all of her exes to see if she ought to have left them. I loved Shari Low's characterisation, particularly of Carly herself, who was confident, independent, witty, and outgoing. Her loyal, eccentric friends were a large feature of the story and I also liked that chapters included a reference to a song from the era.
This was a nostalgic, delightful, and funny story that saw a younger Carly fall in and out of love with a succession of young fellows. Her experiences involved a lot of boozing, and her searches took her from Glasgow to Hong Kong, and others in-between.
A sequel is coming in early 2021 called What Now? and I am very much looking forward to being with Carly again.
Thank you to Shari Low, Boldwood Books, Rachel's Random Resources and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
I'm so pleased that I chose to read this new edition of Shari Low's first novel What If? Set in the 90s, this romance was reminiscent of the days before the explosion of social media, smartphones, and Google. The first part of the book is mostly concerned with Carly's romantic mishaps, told through flashbacks which I found highly entertaining. The second part followed Carly as she tracked down all of her exes to see if she ought to have left them. I loved Shari Low's characterisation, particularly of Carly herself, who was confident, independent, witty, and outgoing. Her loyal, eccentric friends were a large feature of the story and I also liked that chapters included a reference to a song from the era.
This was a nostalgic, delightful, and funny story that saw a younger Carly fall in and out of love with a succession of young fellows. Her experiences involved a lot of boozing, and her searches took her from Glasgow to Hong Kong, and others in-between.
A sequel is coming in early 2021 called What Now? and I am very much looking forward to being with Carly again.
Thank you to Shari Low, Boldwood Books, Rachel's Random Resources and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
September 29, 2020
With this book, you get the chance to revisit the nineties and eighties briefly and enjoy the first magic novel from this author. Carly on the eve of the millennium is wondering if she's made the best of her life. Has she missed out on the one?
Carly is a likeable character, funny and self-deprecating and you empathise with her. She revisits old relationships (six) and then decides to find her former lovers to see if she made a mistake. This has hilarious, poignant and romantic results and is an entertaining read.
It's a lovely book to explore the late twentieth century and escape this one for a little while.
I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Carly is a likeable character, funny and self-deprecating and you empathise with her. She revisits old relationships (six) and then decides to find her former lovers to see if she made a mistake. This has hilarious, poignant and romantic results and is an entertaining read.
It's a lovely book to explore the late twentieth century and escape this one for a little while.
I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
May 21, 2025
Deze had Dinda uitgekozen, sorry jongens Dinda wint!!!! Dit was amazeballs. Heel grappig, niet voorspellend en een goed einde. Alles wat je wil!
September 6, 2020
What If? By Shari Low is a fun romance set at the end of the nineties. Carly Cooper is a single thirty year old living in London working for a toilet paper company wondering how she ended up here. After being fed up with her single status and selling tp she decides to revisit the men of her past. This book takes place in the past showing how her relationship with each man went, then the present when she tracks them down in her quest for true love. The premise is fun and it’s an interesting look at this moment in time, however it felt slow to start for me. I didn’t see the ending coming and am glad I finished the book to see where everyone would end up, however it took a long time to get there.
November 29, 2023
Such a great read! The story follows the life and romances of main character, Carly. Watching her as she embarks on a journey of trying to find love, or rekindle past loves, was so entertaining and heartfelt. An easy read and very fast paced.
April 3, 2022
Carly Cooper,trentenne single ed esilarante nella sua bizzarra stravaganza...
⭐⭐⭐,5
⭐⭐⭐,5
April 2, 2024
Bad, the plot could be better. Didn't suit me but I don't know if anyone else will enjoy it.
October 5, 2020
This book was originally released 20 years ago, and is now being re-released for its 20th anniversary. I have to admit, I didn’t realise this until I started to read and wondered why it was all set in the late 1990’s!! I did initially think the storyline may be a bit dated and therefore may spoil it, but I was most definitely wrong!!! We meet Carly Cooper who, having reached her 30’s and is still single, wonders out of all the men she has loved what if one of them was her Mr Right! I have to admit, it didn’t really matter what decade the storyline was set, as once I started reading I was so hooked into Carly’s story that I didn’t even realise what was going on around me!
I loved Carly’s character! As the younger Carly, she’s fun, flirty and care-free! As the older Carly though she begins to re-evaluate her life and wonders whether any of the men she loved was her Mr Right, and she just never gave their relationship a chance. She decides, if not somewhat irresponsibly, to charge up her credit cards, leave her job and search the world for the few men she could honestly say she loved at the time. The premise of the storyline was fabulous and completely original, with the dual times switching chapter to chapter from present day to Carly’s earlier times. She certainly led a very interesting life then, moving around the world from job to job, and man to man! I loved the idea to go, 12 years later, and find them all, which certainly proved eye-opening!! Carly most definitely epitomises what it’s like to be unlucky in love!
Alongside Carly’s character, we are treated to an array of wonderful supporting characters consisting of Carly’s best friends, family and of the course the people she meets on her travels. I loved almost all of the men she meets (with an exception of one!) and putting myself in her position I would have definitely have chosen all of them to be the love of my life as they were all perfect in one way or another!! The book is a sheer delight to read, with a wonderfully funny and heart-warming storyline. It captures you into the storyline very early in the book and doesn’t let you go until the very last word! Much to my husband’s annoyance I finished the last quarter of the book on a Sunday morning, refusing to get out of bed until I’d finished it!!
I’ve read many of this author’s books but I have to admit that this is most definitely my favourite so far. In the author’s notes at the end of the book, it is mentioned that there will be a sequel, catching up on Carly’s story 20 years later! I’m so excited for this book, and literally cannot wait to meet back up with Carly to see how her life turned out! What If? is a fabulous funny, emotional and romantic read and I loved loved LOVED it!! Take a trip back to the 90’s and read one of the best books I’ve read this year!!
I loved Carly’s character! As the younger Carly, she’s fun, flirty and care-free! As the older Carly though she begins to re-evaluate her life and wonders whether any of the men she loved was her Mr Right, and she just never gave their relationship a chance. She decides, if not somewhat irresponsibly, to charge up her credit cards, leave her job and search the world for the few men she could honestly say she loved at the time. The premise of the storyline was fabulous and completely original, with the dual times switching chapter to chapter from present day to Carly’s earlier times. She certainly led a very interesting life then, moving around the world from job to job, and man to man! I loved the idea to go, 12 years later, and find them all, which certainly proved eye-opening!! Carly most definitely epitomises what it’s like to be unlucky in love!
Alongside Carly’s character, we are treated to an array of wonderful supporting characters consisting of Carly’s best friends, family and of the course the people she meets on her travels. I loved almost all of the men she meets (with an exception of one!) and putting myself in her position I would have definitely have chosen all of them to be the love of my life as they were all perfect in one way or another!! The book is a sheer delight to read, with a wonderfully funny and heart-warming storyline. It captures you into the storyline very early in the book and doesn’t let you go until the very last word! Much to my husband’s annoyance I finished the last quarter of the book on a Sunday morning, refusing to get out of bed until I’d finished it!!
I’ve read many of this author’s books but I have to admit that this is most definitely my favourite so far. In the author’s notes at the end of the book, it is mentioned that there will be a sequel, catching up on Carly’s story 20 years later! I’m so excited for this book, and literally cannot wait to meet back up with Carly to see how her life turned out! What If? is a fabulous funny, emotional and romantic read and I loved loved LOVED it!! Take a trip back to the 90’s and read one of the best books I’ve read this year!!
April 8, 2021
What a fun read! This is a 20th anniversary reprint, so it was written in the 90s and brought back so many memories of public phones and address books. The story was funny, feel good and had a good level of mystery... who will she end up with? I can’t wait to read the next one!
July 10, 2023
Cute romance book of past ex's and adventure
June 29, 2025
This was a fun and uplifting read with a fresh, unique plot that kept me gripped. I really enjoyed Carly’s character – she’s witty, and her mad group of friends added lots of personality to the story. I’ve read several of Shari’s books now and always enjoy her humour and engaging storytelling. I’m looking forward to reading the next two books in the series!
March 24, 2022
More of a 3.5 but not quite so rounded down. This book was really fun to read in a chic-lit way - nothing overly profound but an amusing trip around the world to find love story that had me giggling to myself and enjoying the escapism. The ending was a little rushed in my opinion but considering there is a sequel to it that may be why. A nice easy read that was like chatting to your pal over a wine.
I will add this was an Amazon Prime reading kinda freebie book that I read on the kindle app so it exceeded my expectations in that sense.
I will add this was an Amazon Prime reading kinda freebie book that I read on the kindle app so it exceeded my expectations in that sense.
January 6, 2021
4,5 Stars
This book covers a span of about 12 years, from the late 80s up until 1999. It was also written 20 years ago, which I didn't mind a bit. I still remember those times before social media and smartphones myself.
It seems a bit exaggerated that Carly had no problem at all to always find a job and on top of that a man who was totally in love with her. No matter where she went, it all turned out great for her. But maybe she was simply that good at her job managing night-clubs, and maybe she was so stunning to appeal to all those men. I didn't really care, because I really liked Carly and especially the way Shari Low narrated her quest to re-visit her former boyfriends to find an answer to her question "What if I hadn't run away that time? What if he has been the one for me?"
It reminded me of the movie "What's your number" with Anna Faris, who is on a similar search for her true love. But it also quite original in its plot. You can guess that she is not ending up with the first men she is hunting down, since so much of the book is still left. But you're still not sure how it will all end (although I guessed the 'final' guy correctly), and at the final wedding scene everything seems possible.
Very funny and entertaining chick-lit by Shari Low, who once again focusses not only on the love part of her story but also on a very tight friendship between a group of girls, whose scenes I enjoyed just as much as the ones with the lads.
This book covers a span of about 12 years, from the late 80s up until 1999. It was also written 20 years ago, which I didn't mind a bit. I still remember those times before social media and smartphones myself.
It seems a bit exaggerated that Carly had no problem at all to always find a job and on top of that a man who was totally in love with her. No matter where she went, it all turned out great for her. But maybe she was simply that good at her job managing night-clubs, and maybe she was so stunning to appeal to all those men. I didn't really care, because I really liked Carly and especially the way Shari Low narrated her quest to re-visit her former boyfriends to find an answer to her question "What if I hadn't run away that time? What if he has been the one for me?"
It reminded me of the movie "What's your number" with Anna Faris, who is on a similar search for her true love. But it also quite original in its plot. You can guess that she is not ending up with the first men she is hunting down, since so much of the book is still left. But you're still not sure how it will all end (although I guessed the 'final' guy correctly), and at the final wedding scene everything seems possible.
Very funny and entertaining chick-lit by Shari Low, who once again focusses not only on the love part of her story but also on a very tight friendship between a group of girls, whose scenes I enjoyed just as much as the ones with the lads.
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