I could not finish this book. It just couldn’t get into the characters. As I did not finish I won’t post a public review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is one of my new favourite books- Maxine Morrey has a wonderful voice, and has created some fantastic characters. I wasn't overly surprised by this book, but I don't really want to be surprised when I'm reading a cozy book like this. It is a bit of a slower moving plot, but I fell into a hole and read it in an afternoon! It is the perfect escape when you've had a hard day or week, and I will absolutely be giving this to friends as a gift. I will be finding more of Morrey's books to enjoy over the holidays!

The protagonist of the novel is Libby Cartwright, a lifestyle blogger who lives in Brighton. In need of help with her taxes, thanks to her best friend, she meets Charlie who not only helps her figure out her taxes, but who also becomes a very close friend. The more time they spend together, the more it is clear that between them there is something more than friendship, but, being very different people, are they mean to be together?

I really enjoyed reading this novel. I thought that it would be a lot about blogging and social media, but I was pleasantly surprised how the author focuses on friendship, mostly, and then love and romance. I loved seeing how Libby and Charlie started as friends and reading how their friendship developed. I really liked these two characters. Libby is full of life and she has “no filters” when she talks. Charlie is more reserved and very shy and it was fun watching him blush every time a woman hit on him.

#No Filter is a fun and entertaining read, an enjoyable romcom that I devoured in two days and introduced me to a new author that I am looking forward to read in the future.

Rating 4.5/5*

Libby Cartwright is a lifestyle blogger who is making a successful career out of her blogging, including having some large companies wanting her to work with them. However, this success means she really needs to get her tax returns submitted and that's totally daunting for her. Fortunately her friend's boyfriend's brother knows all things accounting and is willing to help her sort it out, and so Charlie enters into her life. As the two work together to sort out her accounts, a friendship grows between them . . . . but could it be more than friendship? They really are opposites in so many ways. He's quiet, careful and highly successful member of 'Corporate Land'. She's dated someone from that ilk before. with disastrous consequences, so she's determined to keep them in the 'friends zone'. However, sometimes the best laid plans just don't work out, especially as their mutual attraction grows but horrendous negative publicity may put a large spanner in the works for this couple.

This is another delightful, fun read from this talented author. The characters are well developed, the plot has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and there's a lovely flow to events throughout it. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a romance with lots of laugh out loud moments as well as angst and surprises - a fantastic romcom that will have you giggling and smiling as you read it.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

What better story for a blogger than a story about a blogger?

Libby is a beauty and lifestyle blogger who is in the know about all things gorgeous but hasn’t got a clue about the business side of things. When she makes friend with Charlie, who happens to know his business stuff, Libby is determined to keep things as a friendship but the closer they grow together the more she rethinks her position. When a scathing report about her blog and the promotion of perfect is released, Libby has to begin stripping away the things she has been hiding behind for years. Will Charlie still be interested when he sees the real Libby?

Like any of us, Libby has some major insecurities stemming form her past and has worked hard over the years to cover them up in superficial ways. She is written as vulnerable but with a sensitivity that really questions how quick we can be to judge others, particularly via social media and the persona they present. In contrast to Libby, Charlie is a more relaxed, clam character that balances out Libby perfectly. It’s a pleasure to watch their friendship grow.

The narrative moves along at a more leisurely pace which really allows the reader to completely indulge and invest in the characters and that’s perfect because this is very much a character driven novel.

Their story is the perfect friends first….will the won’t they? story.

Overall this is a cute and very enjoyable book that is perfect for those days when you just need something to take your mind off things.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

#No Filter
By: Maxine Morrey

*REVIEW* ❤❤❤❤
#No Filter is both a delightful romcom and a commentary on the perils of social media. Libby is a lifestyle blogger, and we all inherently know that bloggers generally only show perfection. Real life is not pictured, and Libby is no exception. While her blog is thriving, Libby needs some accounting and tax help. Charlie comes to her aid from the corporate ladder climbing world. He and Libby are nothing alike, but that is often a good thing. They form a friendship and get along very well while denying the spark between them. Libby soon realizes that perfection may not be the best way to portray her life, but she is afraid of the consequences if she drops the filter and becomes real. Will Charlie like her or turn away? Many obstacles are in the path to true love, and it's questionable whether Libby and Charlie are meant to be or not. Libby is a great example of female empowerment lacking actual self confidence. There is an entire generation hiding behind every available filter, but being real is not an option. It's sad, really, and I'm glad the story addresses this relevant topic. Otherwise, Libby is fun and endearing in a silly kind of way that suits her well. Charlie is introverted and business minded. His serious nature balances well with Libby. I enjoyed the pacing, descriptions and dialogue throughout. Although predictable, this is a charming romcom that is great fun to read. Check it out!

This book tells the story of Libby who is a lifestyle blogger. She knows a lot about fashion and beauty but nothing about how to sort out her taxes. It’s a big stress for her and thankfully the more than capable Charlie comes into her life to help her and from that first meeting a beautiful friendship begins.

Charlie becomes a constant in her life and is the calm to her clumsy which leads to more than a few laugh out loud moments. It’s a real pleasure to see how their friendship progresses and as they discover more about each other, we get to learn more about them as people.

I really enjoyed learning about Libby’s blog and career, especially that it showed the positives and the negatives that being an influencer can bring. Libby has a lovely bond with her brother and it was beautiful to see her in the role of Auntie to her nephews and makes you really warm to her character even more.

This book is cute and quirky but also has some real depth to it as well, especially when we find out more about Libby’s mother and Libby’s past relationships. We learn like so many of us she has her hidden insecurities.

Charlie is gorgeous with a hint of geeky and doesn’t even notice most of the time the affect he has on the women he encounters, another source of fun and humour in this story.

It’s lovely that he gets a chance to be a big kid when spending time with Libby’s family which is a world away from his corporate job.

If you enjoy reading about friendships, flawed but charming characters and a will they, won’t love story then this is the book for you.

From time to time, you come across a book that you don’t necessarily expect to like a lot. And then it just hits all the spots just as you want it to. Well, that was the case with #No Filter.

I was offered an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are strictly my own.

The story
Popular lifestyle blogger, Libby Cartwright, is being boggled by business when help shows up in the shape of gorgeous but shy, Charlie Richmond. Libby’s determined to keep it at ‘just good friends’ – she’s dated someone from ‘Corporate Land’ before and it didn’t end well. As she and Charlie begin spending more time together, Libby is starting to waver – until she discovers something which makes her question if she’s ready for love.

Still reeling, she suffers another blow as her blog is attacked in a national newspaper, for promoting unachievable perfection. Libby knows it’s not true – but the only way to prove that is to strip off the armour she’s been wearing for years.

Is she brave enough to show the world she’s far from perfect? And will Charlie be by her side if she does…

The opinion
It’s not an easy thing, writing a book that features an eternally optimistic main character and not have them turn into a Mary Sue. But somehow, that’s exactly what #No Filter manages to be. Now, don’t get me wrong. There were absolutely moments where I wanted to slap Libby something silly because it was so clear Charlie liked her and she didn’t see it. But, you know, I guess that’s just part of the game when reading a book such as this, right?

Fun fact, by the way, I actually cursed when this book was done. Because I was so not ready for it to actually be done. And while it was fairly (okay, very) clear from the very beginning how this story would end, there were so many twists and amazing turns that I just wanted to hear more on a final resolution for all of them.

Combine all of the above with some, quite frankly, beautiful descriptions of Brighton and some very important themes being discussed, and this book basically just kept on pleasantly surprising me.

The rating: 4.5/5
Look, honestly, part of it might just be that I plain old did not expect to like this book as much as I did. But that doesn’t take away that this was a read that gave me that same anticipation that I felt while reading The Bride Test. You know the deal – that slow burn do they like each other best friends with extra feelings thing? #NoFilter did all of it brilliantly. Just go read it! (Goodreads)

-Saar

#nofilter by Maxine Morrey is modern age love story. This was my first book I've read by Morrey I did find it to be a rather slow burn. Although I found it to be a slow burn it was a fun read with many moments making you want to laugh out loud.
Libby a blogger needs helps with her taxes and that's when she meets Charlie. The story followed their budding friendship, that they constantly had to keep telling everyone thst they were just friends. The ending I felt was sudden and I feel could have done with an epilogue to leave the story off on a more completed note. If you love a friend's to lovers read, or slow burn romances then this is the book for you.

A lovely, slow to ignite friends to lovers and opposites attract romance, in a contemporary setting. Libby is a lifestyle blogger, whose popularity is now making her serious money. Worried about tax issues she eagerly accepts Charle, a friend of a friend's offer to look over her accounts, She is accident-prone, bubbly and creative, the antithesis of Charlie who is climbing up the corporate ladder and is introverted,

Mutual attraction, proximity. and an unanswered need for someone special in their lives draws the couple together. Firstly into friendship and after much ado, romance. Both are reticent about commitment and their self-worth making them more alike than they first appear.

Libby experiences some of the negative aspects of celebrity status and social media and wants to prove that her blog is a true reflection of her and not a facsimile. Doing this is risky both from a business point of view and personally, and she wonders if people will like the true Libby, with #NoFilter.

This story has a likeable rom-com element and complex realistic protagonists. The romance is very slow-paced. which some will find frustrating.

There is also a message about the power of social media, and how it affects those who live their lives on it. There is a significant move away now, from unrealistic and negative media portrayals of self-image, especially for the young. Maybe its time for us to be more circumspect about what we share of our lives, and not try and constantly strive for an unrealistic ideal, that is probably not even real anyway?

A gently romantic, thought-provoking read.

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a really good read: lots of laugh out loud moments but with lots going on outwith that.

Libby is a lifestyle blogger. Having worked hard on her blog she is beginning to reap the rewards, with larger companies looking to get into sponsorship with her. She can cope with the planning, photos, videos and everything else to do with her small business but falls apart at the seams when faced with the paperwork for the tax man. Enter Charlie - a friend of a friend who agrees to sort it all out as a favour. He's not Libby's type at all; far too serious about his career but they strike up a good friendship - and that's where Libby is happy for it to stay.

A fun read, this is packed with both giggly and 'oh, no!' moments thank to Libby's habit of speaking first and thinking later - it's easy to see where the title came from! It's a peek into the blogging world that was new to me, and an enjoyable book to read. The story flows beautifully with a wide cast of characters and packed with very believable events, and the ending is just perfect. If you enjoy a good rom-com, then add this one to your list! Definitely worth the four stars I'm giving it.

My thanks to publisher Boldwood Books for both my copy and my spot on this tour. All opinions are, of course, entirely my own.

Funny and sweet read but takes a while to get going. Will they (or they) or won't they is a big part of the story. She has a funny outlook and it's surprising how she deals with certain situations that she gets into. A crazy ride that makes us think about our own choices.

Let me start by saying this was a great great book, i have read some of Maxines previous work but this was by far my favourite. We meet Libby - a blogger who shares her perfect life online & her blog is growing and growing. When she realises she doesnt know the first thing about accounts, her best friend arranges for Charlie to come sort it out.

As the friendship grows between the pair, we follow the pair as they spend time together, but also as Libby learns that maybe she doesnt have to be perfect all the time. Will Charlie stick around for that? For someone less than perfect?

I loved getting to know Libby -she literally was the most wonderful main character. She was dreamy, she spoke without thinking (not in an over the top confident way) in a way that words literally just spill out of her mouth. She is so endearing. Charlie is her polar opposite in all ways - work & life but they say opposites attract. These two complimented each other so well.

The story was a steady pace, and felt so realistic. Like this could actually be happening - it made it so much more relate-able and i think for me that is why i enjoyed it so much. I would love to know what happens to everyone after this story ends. Like a follow on - does Libbys armour stay away? What happens with Charlie?

Over-all rating for this friends to lovers romance-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all a huge thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this wonderful book. I had never read a single Maxine Morrey book before and I have definately been missing out. Every romance book fan must read this book. This story is effortlessly beautiful and the characters are positively charming. I simply loved it as soon as I got this ARC and honestly couldn't put it down. If you are a fan of friends to lovers book plot then this book is a must for you.

The story starts with our leading lady Libby, a charming and beautiful girl who runs her own successful fashion and beauty blog in her hometown. But inspite of her success, her taxes are a mess and she needed an accountant to sort it out since all these numbers were giving her a headache and she can barely make sense of it. Well here enters a very nerdy and handsome but kind of an introvert Charlie who came to her rescue as a favor for his brother who in turn has a crush on Libby's best friend. Honestly these two had a great chemistry from the very start. We all could see that they looked at each other with heart in their eyes that its impossible to miss that detail. They hit it off immediately with Libby and her big mouth and intrusive(sometimes highly inappropiate questions) and Charlie with his quiet but charm presence. But apparently Charlie dated a type of women(corporate women-sharp,intelligent and with same hobbies as him) much to Libby's disappointment(understandable cause Charlie is so handsome🤭). But our girl did what any girl in her situation would do ; she became his best friend. And quiet frankly these two clicked from the very start. They brought out the best in each other and all their friends and family could see the absolute potential of something happening between them in the future! I loved their time together. The budding frindship between them was such a heartwarming development and I, quiet naturally, became a bit frustrated that they wasted so much time. Oh and what happened when you wasted so much time? Well the obvious, someone else takes the chance that you clearly refused to take! So I wasn't shocked when someone else came between these two. But I have to confess I was rooting for these two from the very start and I am sure you'll be two. I personally think that Alex's entry was a much needed one. It forced some issues that both of them were ignoring regarding each other. It made so much easier for both Libby and Charlie to realise that they had not so friendly feeling towards one another.
I won't say that this book was all hearts and flowers. It certainly had it moments and to give a spoiler, there was a good fight towards the end with a lot of drama but it all worked out in its own way. Well I can't say more, you'll just have to find out yourself but I can promise that you won't be bored. Apart from Charlie's and Libby's confusing feelings everything else is beautiful storytelling.

This book is a delight. From the very beginning till the very end I was throughly charmed by the author's storytelling. The way she created and brought these characters to live was commendable.

I loved the way the author handled Libby's love for her mother and her feeling that she is not going to be enough or the way her father's relation with her played out. I absolutely loved her emails to her mom and the thoughtful way she handles all her blog posts, simultaneously sharing both of their love for makeup with the world. I loved the secondary characters and the way all of them held some significant part in this great story. And my absolute favourite thing in this was Libby and Charlie's friendship. These two are partners in every step of the way. Their banter put a huge smile on my face and I could not possibly take a break from this book.

I loved that it was Libby who pushed with charlie's photography and the way Charlie took them all to an outing and that they became each others ally and safe haven. It warmed my heart and gave me a giddy feeling. This book made me giddy and made me swoon.

So a happy release day to Maxine Morrey and don't miss out on these two. If you are a fan of romantic comedies then you are gonna fall hard for Charlie and Libby. Just like a did. So thanks you again Netgalley again for this beautiful read and I am looking forward to more books in the future by this author.
This book surely was a treat!
Happy reading!

I loved this its a fabulous slow burn romance, although a touch too slow burn but that’s the only criticism I could give this. It’s hilarious, flirty, fun, adorable , it’s just a smile in a book. I loved Libby and Charlie, it’s a book you can’t put down once you pick it up. Just truly adorable characters and a feel good story. Highly recommended read.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I really enjoyed this book and debated whether to give it 3 or 4 stars. I think it's a solid 3.5.

It started off really strong. The story is told from the POV of Libby; a popular lifestyle blogger living in Brighton. She's vibrant, quirky and a little bit clumsy. When she meets Charlie he's almost the polar opposite. Calm, patient and a little bit shy.

Libby and Charlie are both likeable characters and I enjoyed watching their friendship progress. However, at times I found myself feeling really frustrated because it seemed so obvious where things were going. The ending also wasn't the most satisfying. I think it could have done with an epilogue (maybe set one year in the future) to round things off.

In spite of the above, this is a sweet and heartwarming novel. The kind you can cosy up with on an evening, or pack in your bag for the beach.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good overall, and it held my attention. I do wonder if there's going to be sequel because when the two main characters finally get together it's in the last chapter and there's no epilogue. I do wish stories would be finished properly, and not have an abrupt ending because there's going to be sequel. If there's not going to be a sequel then this book definitely needs an epilogue, You can't drag out the 'will they/won't they?' for the length of time this author does, then rush the part where they finally get together.

It's immediately obvious that Libby and Charlie will get together. I don't think the Alex plot needed adding, nor the bit where Libby's blog comes under attack.

Charlie is too perfect, but lovely all the same. I didn't like all the parts where women ogled him and treated him as a sex object.

I loved Libby, but I think the accident-prone side to her character was overdone.

I liked all the other characters, and the background story about Libby's mother was touching.

Lots of good points, but and it made me laugh in parts.

I found this book to be hilarious. It was such a joy to read! I did find a few problems - one of them being the slow burn. I wish there was more of the story so we could get more of the romance between Libby and Charlie.

A well written and entertaining story that made me smile and root for the characters.
It's a bit slow at the beginning but after a bit you're hooked and you can't put it down.
I appreciated the well written cast of characters, the plot and the setting.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This was definitely a sweet story about Libby who is a "professional blogger". She meets Charlie who is her best friends brother as he offers to review her books as he is in the accounting field. This is a sweet friendship, but could it blossom into more?

I loved the character development of the story. At times you want to shake Libby and ask her why can't she see what is in front of her.

This is my first story by the author and it won't be my last. I truly loved the plot and characters. Every girl should have a "Charlie".