Thank you to the publisher for my eARC copy of this book. Unfortunately I didn’t love this book and therefore didn’t finish, I just didn’t connect with this one. Not for me, sorry.

I always love seeing Irish characters in books, and equally worry we're going to be reduced to stereotype beyond stereotype. Luckily I had nothing to worry about here. Sam and his family were wonderfully portrayed, and I really felt like I was reading people from home while I read them.

I enjoyed this book, but I did have some issues with the pacing. I found it a little slow to start, and did also think the last third or so dragged.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Loved the writing style and the characters. However, I did find the story dragged toward the last 1/4 of the book and there were probably several too many missed opportunities throughout the book as well. But overall, a good read, nice palette cleanser

This was a nice light read, which I used to break up some 'heavier' ones and it worked perfectly for this purpose. I did find some of the 'missed opportunities' a little frustrating, but I understand that they were necessary to make the overall plot come together and keep the story moving along. Overall, this was a cute read and I have recommended it to a friend who I think will probably enjoy it even more than I did.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

A great and enjoyable read to begin with but about half way through it started to get a bit tedious and I was glad to finish it, 2.5 stars

I'm so sorry for the late feedback on this book (I thought I had already sent it, but it turns out I hadn't) but I loved this book. It was right up my street and I knew that from the moment I saw the cover and read the synopsis. This is just the kind of book I'd usually reach for and this did not disappoint. I've already recommended it to several friends who like similar books! Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

An easy read but felt a bit frustrated at times with the missed chances .
I felt the story could have gone in an easier direction.
But would still recommend this to friends .

I did enjoy this but also the number of missed chances started to just become frustrating which is why I gave it a slightly lower score. Some good twists, some rather too laboured.

This is the second of Emma Cooper novel I’ve read and oh my it is just as fabulous as her first! I’m totally bowled over by her writing! I love her description, it’s like reading the plot of your favourite romance film. Such intimacy in her words and so beautifully written. The sentences each so poetic. The first few opening chapters were exquisite!

I fell in love with the main characters instantly! As I read the story I was mesmerised by the graceful way the words were written. A real romance novel which you wish to experience in your own lifetime. The feelings of those heart beats that love has entered.

I can see this story as a well loved movie that’s watched over and over like Love Actually and Holiday. Reading this I felt all the emotions!
I don’t cry when reading books but I did at this! It broke down all the barriers and allowed me to feel the emotions physically making me cry, laugh and smile as I read the beautiful words written.

The main characters are adorable! The storyline was beautiful and the later themes were equally happy, sad, tragic, devastating and powerful all at the same time.

Emma Cooper you are a writing superstar! I can’t wait for book three!

I suspect we’ve all known those times when you pick up a book and know, within the first few pages, that you’re holding something rather special in your hands. This book had me smitten from the very beginning, with the chance meeting, on the streets of Washington, of the two endearing main characters, Samuel and Sophie. Their meeting is one of those lovely cinematic moments that the author does so well – but she’s also has that perfect touch with the more intimate moments as the couple grow closer.

But this is a long way from a conventional boy meets girl love story – the couple are wrenched apart, and for most of the book we share the twists and turns of their separate lives. It’s different, it’s brave – and it works quite wonderfully, as they yearn for each other but also focus on the challenges life throws at them.

The characters are just wonderful. Sophie’s perhaps the more difficult to warm to at first, but as we get to know her better we see her softer and more vulnerable side, but also the steel at her core as she faces up to her challenges. Samuel immediately won my heart – who wouldn’t love a man who belts out a tune and dances in his kitchen – and the way his personal story unspooled totally broke it.

The supporting characters are superb too. Samuel’s Irish family, particularly his father, are so beautifully drawn, with that lovely balance between mortal embarrassment and an overflowing love – I really thought no-one could portray that family relationship as well as Anna McPartlin (you might be reminded of The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes too), but I was wrong. And I really loved Sophie’s relationship with her neighbour too, with its gradual thaw, the slow unfolding of his story, and those heart-in-mouth moments. And then there’s Michael – but I’ll let you discover him for yourself.

This is a book that makes you ache inside – the writing is just glorious, moving from gentle humour to heart-stopping drama with absolute ease, and a consummate touch with every emotional moment. The dialogue is never anything but absolutely real – and the shared thoughts and feelings quite perfectly captured.

I don’t want to share too much of the story – I want everyone to experience it and live it in the same way I did. But this book was absolutely unforgettable, and just stunning – without question, one of my books of the year.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

"The First Time I Saw You" introduces us to Sophie, at the first sight a career - driven young woman who knows what she wants. And to Samuel, an Irish living in America, working in IT. They both meet when Sophie is on business in Washington, in the middle of a thunderstorm, and they're completely smitten with each other. They spent a wonderful week together and then the things get complicated.
Even though there is this wonderful sparkle between them, even though they can't live without each other, they can't be together. Or can they? Finding each other again is not easy...

I loved Emma Cooper's debut novel but guys! I might have loved "The First Time I Saw You" even more! It is always with trepidation that I start reading the authors' second book after their debut was so great, fearing that the new book won't live up to my expectations, but it's not the case with this novel. It blew my socks off, it left me in pieces and it left me feeling that there is always hope. So oh my word, please send help, because how to write a review that will do this book justice? Mission impossible, I'd say. Because this book was beautiful. It was everything. It has broken my heart, to mend it again, to break it again. It made me laugh out so loud and it made me sob - literally.

I can't even start to explain how fantastic the characters were. I immediately fell in love with all of them, with Sophie and Samuel at the beginning and then with the rest, steadily being introduced to us.
Sophie was not, as we can think at the first sight, the raw and sharp businesswoman - she hides much, much more inside her, and the more I got to know her and her background, the more I found myself pinning for her. I don't think that she has changed throughout the story - she was like this all the time, she only tried to hide this vulnerable side of herself from the world, she tried to forget about it herself, but the more life has been challenging her and her decisions, the more softer she looked for us. The events that have shaped her and made her close inside herself were truly riveting and heart - breaking.
Samuel was one and only, and his story was both tragic and uplifting but who stole the story completely were his parents, the fabulous Mrs and Mr McLaughlin - please let's give them a standing ovation! Samuel's father, with his kind heart and understanding and the best sense of humour in the world is every girl's dream father - in - law, some of the things he said made me really cry with laughter, and some of the things he said and done made me simply cry, bringing lump to my throat. Actually, his whole family was the perfect, chaotic and absolutely accepting family you could wish for. It was moving to see how they tried to support Samuel, to encourage him to get on with life.
And please don't forget Michael! Michael, that Samuel grows to rely on most of all. How can a thing make you smile so much, even in such dramatic circumstances!

The author has such a way with words! She writes about love at first sight and lost love but she also doesn't forget to put all kinds of relationships into the heart of her story. We have a romantic affair, but we also have sibling love, parental love, friendship, relationships that are complicated but at the end of the day they are everything, they're important and life is easier with people looking after each other.

Emma Cooper's writing style is absolutely perfect. Yes, the book started in a rather slow way, and in the first few chapters the same events were repeated from the characters' point of view, and I thought, oh - oh, what now? But then... But then it was like an avalanche, starting with a small snowball and gaining speed. I started to feel so invested in the story that I didn't want to put it down for a single second. It had a huge impact on me, I lived and breathed together with the characters.

Emma has perfectly balanced the poignant, incredibly sad and heart - wrenching moments with laugh - out - loud, extremely funny moments, so really, don't be surprised when you find yourself laughing through tears. Yes, altogether the story is actually not funny, it is full of misunderstanding, lost chances and opportunities, near - misses that I couldn't believe seeing, thinking, oh no, how close have they been! It is deep, moving and complex, a real emotional rollercoaster but filled with a great and fantastic dose of - especially Irish - humour.

The magic of the writing is that the author took me on every trial together with the characters. I lived through them and I felt every single feeling - their disappointments, hope, setbacks and steps forwards. I was willing them and feeling for them, I care for them as if they were real people, and believe me, it doesn't happen often, it's a rare gift to be able to write the characters in such a way, to make them so alive.

It was a beautiful, heartfelt and emotional story, superbly written, vividly describing emotions and feelings in a way that I didn't know you could describe. The characters were more than brilliantly developed and their stories were complex, multi - layered and coherent, not too sugary but also not too wishy - washy. It was a moving and inspiring tale, touching upon lost love, missed opportunities, relationships, friendships and unappreciated power of family, with sensitivity and lightness. It is full of kindness and the feeling that even when you think there is no hope, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel, you only have to believe it. 10 out of 5 stars and I can't recommend it highly enough!

This was an E-ARC that took me completely by surprise I had already read The Day We Meet Again and I wasn’t very impressed. I thought that The First Time I Saw You was going to be along the same thread of thought and I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to enjoy it. But this book was completely different, I did think there was definitely some overcooked drama that I could have done without. Some of the arguments and reactions to things that happened seemed a little unrealistic but overall I really enjoyed the story and the relationships that were created all the way through.


I think the two main characters are what pulls The First Time I Saw You along I definitely love the idea of two people who fall into each other’s lives and back out again. It’s definitely the best part of this book, I love watching the two lives intwine and fall apart again. They both have admirable qualities and their lives are full without them ever meeting again. I loved the way that Sophie dealt with her life falling apart around her and how she picked up the pieces the only way she knew how. She was a great asset to the story and not the usual damsel in distress, and I loved the fact that she gone on with it and dealt with things as they went. Samuel was a breath of fresh air especially with everything that ends up happening in his storyline and the fact that there is no over the top emotion or angst which I really appreciated.


I loved the ending of The First Time I Saw You and how everything ended up. I think it was the best way that the story could have ended. There was a lot of cheese but I definitely appreciated it after all the drama of the book. I loved the way that although the story was definitely not over but I had no questions and felt a certain sense of closure once it was all over, which was such a lovely feeling. I did have a sense of where it was going to end up but I was happy that it happened the way it did all the same.

I think that the worst bits of The First Time I Saw You was the lack of communication between Samuel and Sophie, I wish there had been more of dialogue between the two of them, purely because I think it could have cut down the length of the book by quite a lot. Not that I think it was too long but there was a definite scope for it being a little shorter.

I would recommend The First Time We Met, it was such a cutesy read and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I think it is definitely one that I would quite like to read again when I’m feeling down or in the middle of a reading slump.

For 3/4 of this book, I absolutely adored it! It was funny, heart wrenching, heart warming, full of suspense, love and innovative storylines...but the last quarter seemed to drag and the amount of near misses between the main couple ended up feeling really frustrating and farcical. As a result of this, I would give it an overall, a 3* read.

Another wonderful story from Emma Cooper. I love the musicality of the prose, the imagery, the settings but most of all, all the characters. Not just Sophie and Samuel but all of them. The warmth of Samuel's family shines through making it feel like you are receiving a giant hug while reading.
It is hard to say anymore without giving anything away as even the slightest thing could take a little bit of the magic of reading this for the very first time. It has surprises, twists and turns which send your emotions up and down from laughing at the scene before you to crying. It covers many topics in a sensitive way including mental health.

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful, moving and poignant read this is! I went into The First Time I Saw You by Emma Cooper expecting a light, fluffy read, but what I got was so much more than that. This is a book that moves and inspires, tackling difficult subjects with sensitivity and a lightness of touch, making you fall in love with both Sophie and Samuel from the very first page.

This is a difficult book to review as I don’t want to spoil what happens in this beautifully written and emotional rollercoaster of a read. It’s a story that needs to unfold organically, without knowing too much before going in. The story is told from the alternating points of view of both Sophie and Samuel, beginning with the first time they ever saw each other and ending somewhere completely different to where it started.

But this is far from being just a love story, although it is a beautiful one. Oh no, this story is so much more than that! This is a story about love, life, loss, family and everything in between. With larger than life characters you can’t help but fall in love with, this book chewed me up, spat me out and then lovingly put me back together again. I was a sobbing mess at various points throughout the book and then laughing out loud at others. I’m a great believer in finding humour in even the most shocking of circumstances, where the only other option would be to break down and cry, and The First Time I Saw You does that with ease. I adored Samuel’s family, Sophie’s sister and of course, how could I ever forget Michael? The character Samuel grows to rely on most of all!

I can’t even begin to say how much this book moved and inspired me. I can feel myself becoming emotional just thinking about it now! It shows the kindness and resilience of people and how, even when you’re in the depths of despair, there is always a pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel, even when you feel there is none. Life is there for the taking, all you need is the courage to reach out and grab hold of it with both hands.

Oh my, this beautiful story really has stolen my heart!

This is the first book I’ve read by Emma Cooper but it definitely won’t be my last. She is a gifted storyteller, the words coming to life on the page, drawing you in with a gentle touch, lulling you into a false sense of security. And then bam! She shatters your heart into a million pieces, until you feel there’s no way she’s going to be able to put it back together again. But somehow she does just that, in the most beautiful, poignant and uplifting way.

I loved every word of this book and felt bereft as I turned the final page, tears streaming down my face. I didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters I’d come to love so much, who were now living, breathing people in my heart. The First Time I Saw You started as one thing, but ended as one of the most beautiful and uplifting books I have ever read. Full of love and heartbreak, but oh so much more than that. A story and characters that I will never, ever forget.

I honestly can’t recommend this book highly enough. Simply superb!

If this story doesn't touch your soul, then I think you need to check if you've lost yours!

Sophie is a very successful career woman; driven, in fact, with her career being the main focus of her life as she travels around the world. Then she meets Samuel - and he brings her to life, in more ways than one . . .

A gorgeous, warm story which begins so easily and draws the reader in until you are fully invested without even realising it, this is a skilfully written novel and one I'm so very happy to have read. A new author for me, but I will certainly be hoping to add Emma Cooper's bestselling novel, The Songs of Us, to my list this year.

The characters in this one are beautifully rounded, the story is entirely believable and it unfolds slowly and tantalisingly which kept me focused until the very final page. Obviously written by an author who can get into the head of her characters, I just loved this one and definitely recommend it to all those who love an emotional, heart-touching read. A fabulous book, definitely worth every one of the 4.5 stars I'm happy to give it.

My thanks to publisher Headline for my copy via NetGalley; this is my honest and original review.

I’m a huge fan of this author so was incredibly excited to read this book. I thought it was a beautifully written, funny book that manages to be both heartwarming and heart breaking at the same time

This is a love story, but not necessarily the one you’d expect as it’s not just about the love between a couple but rather about all the different love that is in our lives. The main characters Sophie and Samuel have some amazing people around them and I loved the truly heartwarming, lovely scenes involving their interactions with their siblings and their parents.

As you can probably imagine the course of love doesn’t run smoothly and there is lots of mishaps or misunderstandings on the way which made up some of the funny scenes in the book. It also lead to some lovely supportive moments between the characters which was very enjoyable to read about.

There is a lovely message in this book which added to the beauty of the story and left me feeling sad that the book had ended. The idea that being kind and helping each other out would make life easier for everyone, is an important one which I wish everyone would follow. This is definitely one that will stay with me for a long time and I will be recommending to everyone.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book.

I think I felt every emotion reading this book! I laughed out loud, I cried buckets, I was anxious and I was frustrated! Emma Cooper is a fabulous writer and I really admire the way she can suck the reader into her characters lives. I loved her use of music and film references to highlight their personalities as it really helped me to relate to them.

Sophie and Samuel's relationship has more ups and downs than the big rollercoaster at Alton Towers and I was completely invested in their story from beginning to end. I couldn't help but warm to them and root for them.

In The Last Time I Saw You Emma Cooper explores several themes, all of which struck a chord with me. They are all researched in minute detail and Cooper covered things I'd never even thought about.

I finished this book an emotional wreck but I enjoyed every second of it!