What an interesting, romantic and complex story. It starts with a young couple very much in love and a an unexpected proposal on Brooklyn Bridge. After that it becomes a lot more complicated for the main characters in every way. I really love the way that lucy introduces us to a dog in the story although the description of the puppy farming industry was very upsetting although we know it does go on, I'm not sure what I would have done in this situation but then circumstances take over and difficult choices are no longer an option. I will certainly read more by this enchanting author.

Enjoyable and entertaining. Likeable and engaging characters. A nice light read, with nothing to make you have to think too seriously, but leaves you a feel good feeling.

It feels like it has been forever since I have read a book by the wonderful author that is Lucy Dillon. But now having finished the gorgeous read that was Unexpected Lessons in Love, I think I can safely say that this was the right book with which to reacquaint myself with Lucy's writing. This is a lovely, easy read that I read in two sittings as the chapters just seem to fly by. It's an ideal read for this time of year when you might be too busy to settle down into reading something really serious and hard going. Here, the author has struck the perfect blend between some light-hearted and heart-warming scenarios alongside the more pressing question for our main character, Jeannie McCarthy – what happens when I do becomes I don't know?

In the brief prologue set in the city that never sleeps - New York, Jeannie seems to be having the time of her life away for a few days with her boyfriend Dan. It's a bliss she has never felt before and she feels totally caught up in the moment and romance of everything that has been building for the past several months. As Dan gets down on one knee and pops the question, of course, Jeannie says yes. Fast forward several months and as Jeannie is being driven to the wedding ceremony with her father sat alongside her - doubts, apprehension and niggles just keep flowing through her mind on what should be the happiest, most secure and contented day of her life. As she takes the bull by the horns and does what she fervently believes is right for her and makes that call to Dan, little does she know that by following what her heart and mind are both saying that in fact it will lead to devastating consequences she could never have envisaged happening.

Fate obviously had other plans in store for Jeannie and Dan and as news reaches her of what happened as she made that phone call and left a message she is torn in two and to be honest she remains that way for the majority of the book. I thought Jeannie was a brilliantly written character because although she mightn't have been truly open and honest to all those around her about how she was feeling about marrying Dan, at least the reader knew what was going on as in private she confessed an awful lot and wore her heart on her sleeve. She has made the right decision for her that maybe I do wasn't what she wanted and before the moment arrived where there was no turning back she had done something about it.

Fair play to her I thought as too often people enter into things not 100% certain and then down the line major regrets and disruption come into play. It took bravery and courage to make the decision before it was too late but unfortunately she's not sure did Dan hear what she said on the phone. As they wait for news of how things will turn out for Dan, Jeannie has to battle with what she has confessed and the fact that nobody else, bar her father and perhaps Dan, know what she said and how she is feeling.

How can she continue on as if things are normal and, if and when Dan wakes up, will their wedding, home plans and marriage be back on track? Will Jeannie discover things she wished she hadn't? Will she be able to confess all to everyone around her and will they judge her for her actions given Dan's situation? So many questions to grapple with and many more arise throughout the novel and that's what makes this story a very good read. You never knew how things were going to turn out but boy were you on Jeannie's side all the way. You felt the uncertainty and really the guilt that she was dealing with. Could she have been the source of Dan's accident? Should she carry on as normal and push her feelings to one side for the sake of Dan and their future together? But shouldn't long term individual and personal happiness count for something. We have to please and satisfy ourselves first in terms of what we want out of or lives, for if we ourselves aren't happy first how can we make those around feel safe, loved and contented?

I thought it was strong and brave of Jeannie to put on such a front because she knew as Dan couldn't have his say that things were perhaps better left unsaid until the time was right to get things out in the open. She put on a front and covered her true feelings well and it was mature and responsible of her to do so and I think if I had been in the same situation I would probably have done the very same thing. Jeannie was thinking about the bigger picture and at that time and place it was the right thing to do but deep down she knew the truth would have to come out at some stage. But perhaps there is more than one truth to be shared?

The setting of the novel and some other characters began to niggle away at me quite early on in the book so I stopped and checked and was delighted to see and then remember in more detail that Longhampton was the setting of some of Lucy's earlier books and I had loved this village and its residents. I was thrilled to see Rachel from Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts make a reappearance. It was great that she featured so heavily once again and that the rescue kennels she runs would play such an important role in Jeannie's story, not to mention all the mentions of dogs and puppies. The author raised a very important issue and weaved it in wonderfully with the overall themes of the book as it is definitely a theme which sadly features in the news and social media all too prominently these days.

Rachel and some other characters become a tower of strength for Jeannie as she battles through a maelstrom of emotions trying to act as if everything is normal when really one little slip or a sudden awakening could upset the apple cart altogether. But as the title suggests there are plenty of unexpected lessons to be learned in love and as the story progresses and through the story of many other women and their weddings and dresses Jeannie comes to realise the value of true love and that perhaps we should always be honest. Yes she had tried to do that in the first place but then bottled up what had been said because of what had happened but maybe she should have followed her heart and mind the whole way through instead of putting on a façade that surely had to come crashing down at some stage. She should have always thought of herself instead of letting other people's actions and feelings over ride hers.

I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent reading Unexpected Lessons in Love. It's a charming read that shows the best things can often come from the worst beginnings and that maybe love does stand a chance of surviving stupidity and mistakes. Or maybe it can't? You'll have to read this book to discover the answers. I will say towards the end the author threw in a few surprises that I hadn't seen coming even though I did have my suspicions but couldn't really pinpoint anything specific. It all helped to make for a great read and this book has reminded me that I should catch up with the books I have not read by Lucy Dillon as she really is a fantastic author.

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC im exchange for a fair and honest review. A delightful read from Lucy Dillon. Her books are always like a warm hug and some quality time with a good friend. Being a crazy dog lady myself I love how this book and many of her others have dogs in them and that the dogs in them also teach the reader about love and other life lessons as well. Whilst this book centres on Jeannie's abruptly halted wedding day and her coming to terms with whether or not she is intending to marry the right guy for her, it also includes continuation of the love story between Rachel and George from her previous novels. Lucy Dillon is one of my favourite Chicklit authors each.book I have read of hers has been a delightful, enchanting read. #netgalley #goodreads #tea_sipping_bookworm #bookstagram #amazon#kindle #unexpectedlessonsinlove #lucydillon #penguinbooks #randomhouseuk

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A wedding, that in other love story would be the end of the novel, here it forms the beginning of the story and the repercussions of one decision/accident. There is so much to love about this novel. Love in all its forms are explored throughout the story - the innocent, healing love with an animal, the love and bond of friendships, the love that grows from a happy, healthy marriage, the duty of love and of course the falling 'in love'. It would make a great Book Club choice as there is much to debate.

A sweet story to suit lovers of romance novels 💖

Jeannie and Dan have the perfect relationship, don’t they?! They spend weekends dating and taking mini breaks. After a short time together Dan proposes and Jeannie couldn’t be happier. They spend all their time planning their dream wedding. But what happens when Jeannie suddenly has doubts on the morning of her wedding? I don’t do spoilers so I’ll let you read to find out...

Oh I so wanted to love this book but I’m really sorry to say it just didn’t grab me. I loved the beginning and enjoyed reading about Jeannie & Dans whirlwind romance up to the events on their wedding day. For me though I sadly struggled from there. I can’t fault the way the book is written and I absolutely appreciate the time and effort the author will have put into this story. I think I didn’t take to the main character Jeannie and that made it hard for me to be invested in the story.

Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for you, especially if you’re a lover of a good old romance. I am so greatful for the ARC of this book. Thank you Net Galley, Lucy Dillon and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers.

What a charming read. I love Lucy Dillon's books and this one didn't dissapoint. Definitely some wise words of wisdom to be learned from this book. Well done Lucy.

I really enjoyed this beautifully written, emotional read which has stayed with me since I finished reading it. I loved the fact that it was deeper than I expected and wasn’t just a pure romance book.

Jeannie was an interesting main character who I took a little while to warm to. She seemed kind of silly when we first meet her and I felt that even though it was brave of her to call off the wedding she could have done it a lot earlier. As the story progresses and we learn more about her I started to warm to her and found I wanted everything to end up well.

I liked following the many different relationships in this book, not just between married couples but between friends, family and in laws. These all seemed very realistic to me as the relationships weren’t perfect and people made mistakes which made me feel more invested in the story . The wedding vow “in sickness and in health” is explored throughout the book and was quite thought provoking as it made me realise how emotionally difficult it must be to support a loved one through an accident or illness. I’ve never really given much thought to what it would involve so I found that part of the book very interesting.

This was a very absorbing story and there was always something happening to keep me interested. The author cleverly drops little hints that things might not be as they seem throughout the story, which I must admit I missed until they are pointed out at the end and had me scrabbling back through the pages to reread certain bits. The ending was very clever and not at all how I expected it to end up which I always love. I actually wanted the story to continue as I wanted to watch the new development unfold!

Huge thanks to Hannah and Hayley from Transworld for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you want a book to cosy up with this festive period I highly recommend this one!

Jeannie and Dan are about to get married, after a whirlwind romance, romantic proposal on Brooklyn Bridge in New York and lovely time spent together. But now, shortly before the ceremony, Jeannie starts to have second thoughts - do they really know each other well enough? Does she truly loves Dan, enough to spent her whole life with him? Jeannie makes a decision that is going to change their lives but before it happens, fate decides to interfere and everything suddenly changes and makes Jeannie feel incredibly guilty.

The story is very character - driven. Jeannie was the main character in this book and I liked her immediately. She was so real and human and relatable and I found myself falling for her even more and more, seeing how she struggled to come to terms with her feelings and with this what she thought was proper and what was not. She has experienced such a wonderful personal growth throughout the story and it was great to accompany her on this way. I loved how realistic she was, with all her worries, uncertainty, watching her grow into a self - confident young woman. The secondary characters, especially Owen, Rachel and the dogs, played also significant roles in the story and were as well rounded as the main ones and I was equally engrossed in their own stories.

I was also thrilled, as a dog lover, to see that the book included a very important canine subplot, focusing on re - homing dogs and showing the very harsh reality of puppy farming. The descriptions of the dogs rescued were heart - breakingly realistic and hats off to the author for including this in her novel. There was also a whole subplot built around the re - homing centre, with some brilliant ideas how to raise money and awareness for it.

Lucy Dillon is a great story - teller. Yes, there were moments that the book could have been a bit quicker, but the writing style was absolutely brilliant and beautiful, easy and engaging. The author has easily brought all the characters to life, even if they were lying in coma they felt present. She writes in such a way that you have a feeling as if you've known the characters personally, and you care about them, and I love it when I have this feeling, as it doesn't happen often these days, and Jeannie's struggles felt so realistic, I could feel them for myself.

However, I was really conflicted about the end, with what happened and with Dan's confession. I don't know what I was expecting, and yes, I was incredibly intrigued how the author is going to solve this particular storyline, but I wasn't happy with the way she has chosen. It, I don't know, seemed simply like the easy way out, and after all that Jeannie experienced I personally thought it was unfair for her, even though it was a way out for her. But nevertheless, it didn't sit well with me, it somehow didn't go with the picture of Dan that we were presented with and I had a feeling that I was mistaken about him through the whole book. Not a nice feeling.

Altogether, "Unexpected Lessons in Love" was a story full of heart and filled with moving and poignant storylines, touching upon many emotions. A story about love and guilt but also showing that to love another person properly, you must first love yourself and be honest with yourself. It was a book that will make you giggle and also cry, an easy, despite some of the topics being on the heavier side, a pleasant read with a real depth to it, thought - provoking, brilliantly balancing lightness with the heavier issues, taking the reader on a real rollercoaster journey full of emotions and feelings. Highly recommended!

Oh this was such a lovely book! I've read all Lucy Dillon's other books (apart from her first one - must remedy that!) so it was really nice to go back to the lovely sounding Longhampton from previous books. You don't need to have read the others though to enjoy this book, but I would highly recommend them all as well.

Jeannie and Dan are about to get married, after a whirlwind courtship, when something happens to completely throw them off course. Jeannie had started to feel that everything was too rushed anyway and the arrangements had taken on a life of their own, completely out of her hands. Did her and Dan know each other well enough to be getting married?

While Jeannie was having this 'wobble' (on the way to the church!) Dan had a bad accident, and everything went on hold anyway, with family rallying around and lives on hold waiting for Dan to recover. Of course life goes on and in the meantime Jeannie gets closer to Rachel and her rescue dog centre, as Jeannie and Dan's new home is owned by Rachel and her vet husband George, and Dan had been expected to start his new job with George before the accident.

I really loved most of the characters (apart from selfish Edith) and kind and gentle Owen, Dan's best friend, was such a great character. Jeannie had a bad experience with her 'friend' from childhood, who was always the more outgoing of the pair, and then was with Dan, so she started to learn to live on her own and get a bit more assertive (eventually!).

There's always dogs in Lucy Dillon's books, and again there are plenty in this book too. Some quite sad parts though, there's a puppy farm rescue and there is a (older) dog death later in the book which had me crying buckets - so be warned!

Just a really lovely, feel good (mostly - apart from the doggy death) book that I really enjoyed. Another hit by Lucy Dillon. I can't wait for her next book now.

Well written,thought provoking, and absorbing, Jeannie is on her way to marry Dan,when she realises its a mistake. He is knocked down by a bus as he is using his mobile. Following the tragic accident, should she commit her life to caring for a man she doesn't love?

What a really enjoyable book that was to read. Some great characters that you believed in, and who all blended in well together, and a great storyline that flowed nicely along.

What happens when you are on your way to your wedding, and moments from arriving, you realise that you can't do it?
Then you send a message to your intended, only to find out that he has been involved in a horrific accident?
Guilt sears through you, as well as confusion,
What do you do now? Was it your fault?
Jeannie McCarthy was in this exact position.
Until Dan gained consciousness, she wouldn't know whether he'd heard the message.
So she'd have to pretend to be the loving fiancee, waiting for any news on his recovery.
Meanwhile, Jeannie tries to fill the waiting with attempts to settle into a new town and finds herself immersed in the caring of several litters of puppies, making new friends, and reigniting her love of songwriting.
I was swept away by this tale of crossed connections. It is a love story, with breakups. A sad, yet happy tale.
Good? I'd like to think so! I finished it in a day!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book - I read it over two days and it was lovely. Heartwarming and poignant making you think about what real love entails, how it is shown and how you know you share it with someone.

I liked the dog rescue element and the contrast between the love and trust between humans and their canine companions and human partners. One much more uncomplicated than the other!

A read I will be recommending.

This is a lovely, easy read which sucked me right in and I didn't want to stop reading.

This is the story of wanting to do the right thing, for the right reasons but then being stuck with not wanting to hurt others and suffering in the long run.

There are so many lovely characters and more than just the one obvious story.

I always enjoy reading Lucy Dillon.

A sad but happy love story. Contradictory I know, but this story had it's up's and downs. Based around a couple who were about to get married when the groom had a dreadful accident on the way to the wedding. It made both the bride and groom to re-evaluate their lives and who they really wanted to be with. Jeannie, the bride to be, learnt a lot about herself during Dan's (the groom) recovery. There was also a side story about puppy farms and the awful conditions some pups were kept in, with the story taking the rescue of some pups into it's folds. A little slow to get going, the book eventually hooked me in at the end, such a romantic at heart!

Another great book from Lucy. Absolutely brilliant characters (including the dogs) and several great story threads running through. I just wanted it to keep going - a follow up?

This is a proper 'suck you in' love story.

A real easy read that makes your heart warm, one of those stories that will have you laughing, smiling and your eyes might water a little!

A beautifully written poignant story that will uplift your soul.

I loved the fact that the main character, Jeannie, was portrayed so well. Following her heart and facing the realisation of 'what is love'was brave and Lucy Dillion got this across brilliantly.

If your an animal lover, you'll love this book. The dog sanctuary plays a big part. Who doesn't enjoy a love story with a side helping of animals?

The only downside for me was I felt the ending was rather anticlimactic but overall a really lovely read.

3.5*

Huge thanks to netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC.

Jeannie decides to call off her wedding to Dan at the very last minute. However, Dan has an accident and walks in front of a bus whilst he was on the phone. Was he receiving Jeannie's message? Guilt keeps Jeannie at his bedside guarding her terrible secret. Finally the truth comes out. Not before she helps give away some wedding dresses in order to raise money to help dogs. Of course she finds love and friendship along the way. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was gripped from the start, I identified with the characters and cared about what happened. As I am recently engaged, it actually made me realise what was important in our future. I'd love to read more by this author.