I found it extremely hard to get into this book and just felt there was too much going on and too many characters to follow.

Reading the synopsis of If I Can't Have You, it may be that you feel you've read a version of this obsessive love before, however the author Charlotte Levin has created a story with far more depth. Because of the additional layers the read is more meaningful.

On the surface the story we have is Constance Little, a doctor's receptionist from London falls in love with a new doctor, Samuel Stevens. She showers him with love but her feelings are not reciprocated and her actions stray further than is comfortable. The thrills are in wondering how this is going to escalate.

However, beneath the surface the author has provided us with other loves such as Constance's relationship with her mother, her feelings for her co-lodger at her bedsit and her friendship with the elderly gentleman who lives in an apartment close to Samuel. These brilliant characters along with her more shadowy, yet recognisable, colleagues results in a character led novel.

This is one of those books that I fell into, and even now a few days later, continue to think about.

Highly recommended.

If I Can’t Have You by Charlotte Levin
7.5/10
Fleabag meets You.

The above line is how I have seen this book marketed many a time and there is a reason for that... it’s the perfect description!

If I Can’t Have You is a tale of obsession- Connie has fallen in love with colleague Dr Samuel and he becomes all she can think about. She wants to make him notice her; to be with him all the time and know what he’s up to when she can’t see him.

It’s standard thriller material... creeping round corners, mounting tension, a speedy page turning pace etc etc. Except this isn’t really a thriller at all- it goes SO much deeper than I ever expected it to. Connie has had a challenging life and her actions, although they can be perceived as obsessive and destructive, stem from a past filled with disappointment and sadness. It’s a complex read and once I’d finished the book I realised how realistic it was. Subtlety over anything else.

I think for me the fact I went into it expecting a standard thriller may have actually ruined the reading experience. So take note if you are planning to read this one. It’s layered and deep and deserves so much more than turning the pages quickly expecting thrill after thrill.

Final word on this should go to author Charlotte Levin, who in her author’s note writes this: ‘And last and least, my gratitude to the men throughout my life who have treated me in a less than acceptable fashion. Without them I wouldn’t have been able to create such shitty male characters’

Dr Samuel you are a shitbag and Charlotte you are amazing for writing such a clever and emotive book. Thank you!

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Constance Little. She works in a doctors surgery and when one of the doctors dies he is replaced by a young doctor who Constance is immediately attracted to. Her feelings are reciprocated but what starts off as attraction soon turns into obsession.

I am finding it difficult to explain why I love this book so much without including spoilers. This is one of my favourite tropes and it was one of the best written ones that I have read. The main character made stupid decisions but at no point did I get annoyed with how the character was written. There was so many different layers to this story and I enjoyed unraveling each one. I surprised myself how I could be so sympathetic to a character who did crazy things. Although this is a completely different story it reminded me a tiny bit of Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

I loved this dark, spikey tale of love and abuse and rejection. It would be doing Levin a disservice to classify this book purely as a thriller - the relationship descriptions, the darkness hinted at and the character building take this out of the ordinary.

I love following dislikeable figures on a trajectory of disaster and this novel certainly has that. Opening with a sobbing woman in a wedding dress on the tube, blood dripping down her face, this book hooks you from the start and doesn't let go until the end with no stopping for breath.

Engaging enough of a thriller to keep you reading but a bit predictable and lacked dramatic plot twists

I could not put this book down. Though terrible unlikeable, all the characters had me hooked and until right at the end, I wasn’t sure who the ‘villain’ would turn out to be. Levin keeps you hooked right until the very end.

I was a bit unsure of this book at first. I think it's because I came across it in the mystery and thrillers section and it really isn't either of those. Having said that, I did end up really enjoying it but it definitely should not be marketed as a a mystery/thriller book. I also struggled to connect with Constance as I just couldn't warm to her.

It was probably more than halfway through the book when I actually felt like I was into it. The doctor love interest was such an arrogant tool. Everyone knows someone like him and I found myself wishing that Constance would see the light and realise that he just wasn't worth her attentions.

I think the book's saving grace was Edward. I completely fell in love with his character and I found myself emotional at a couple of points in his story. Without Edward I probably would have shrugged off this book as just ok, but I really enjoyed reading about him.

Overall I have no idea how to rate this book. I was thrown off by it not being the genre I was expecting, I didn't really like any of the characters apart from dear Edward (and the descriptions of the other receptionists at the surgery were quite amusing), but I did enjoy it in the end. I probably would recommend reading it, but go into it knowing that it is women's fiction rather than a mystery/thriller.

I found If I can’t have you absolutely fantastic and was gripped from the start, I literally could not put it down.
I found it emotional, thrilling and fast paced, a novel that keeps you wanting more.
Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. The writing style was odd, i couldn't relate to the main character; i gave up fairly quickly, not for me. Loved the cover though!

I am sorry but I did not like Constance at all and I could not get used to the writing style.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

From the beginning of this book, the reader is thrown into the lonely, dark, and damaged world of Constance Little. A 26 year old doctor’s receptionist who lives a life on the sidelines, believing that everyone she loves leaves. The book is written from Constance’s point of view in the form of a letter her psychiatrist gets her to write to the man she is obsessed with. The reader quickly realises the object of her affection is your classic narcissist who pulls the strings as poor Constance bounces between despair and euphoria as he plays with her affections. Throw into the mix her flat mate, an overweight computer gamer, who she sees as her best friend, and a sick, grumpy old man who is desperate for company. One reviewer called it a cross between You and Eleanor Oliphant which I can easily see why. It is about what love will make us all do and believe despite the glaring facts to the contrary. I would think everyone of us has experience to some degree of this, which is what makes Constance such a sympathetic character as her story evolves. The ending wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but it worked very well. If you like a good psychological thriller you will enjoy this

Dark, intense and creepy right from page one to the ending. I read this in a few sittings and loved every word. The interplay of characters. The shift that not all doctors are good. The likeability of Constance, who was truly far from likeable.
It's nothing like Girl on the Train or Eleanor Oliphant and I don't know how that comparison came about. It's just different on all levels. Accept the difference and enjoy.

What an amazing debut by Charlotte Levin. I felt sympathy, love and empathy for Constance in this book and willed her on in each page.
There were clear similarities to Girl On The Train which is one of my all time favourite books.
This is a great read and one is strongly recommend.

I was really interested in the premise of this book after seeing the reviews compared it to being up there with “Girl On The Train” and “Eleanor Oliphant” and whilst it is an enjoyable read I don’t think it quite lives up to the expectations.

“If I Can’t Have You” tells the story of Constance Little and the love and losses she’s experienced in her life and the reasoning behind her actions. The writing style bonds you with Constance and the journey you travel through her eyes does connect you to the story.

Without giving away any spoilers there are elements of the story that everyone woman can probably relate to, especially with the idea of the guy that’s too good to be true and the dark reality of some situations. The relationships covered through the book are detailed and emotional, my favourite has to be the one between Edward and Constance though, perfect in every way.

Good twist at the end and overall would recommend.

Instagram: @somethingaboutbooks23

My heart ached for Constance - what a character Charlotte Levin has written here. Flawed and believable, she seemed entirely real.

I loved this book. I'm now eagerly awaiting the next novel by this very talented author.

Thank you to NegGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a book that starts with the ending and this one has you guessing up to the very last moment about how Constance gets there. Constance is a great anti-heroine but this is a love story - about her finding calm and acceptance in her relationship with her mum, with Edward, and with herself. This is a fantastic page turner - highly recommended.

I was looking forward to reading the first novel by Charlotte Levin and it didn’t disappoint. I was hooked at the very beginning and read it quickly, as I needed to know how it ended. It was easy to identify with the main character Constance and her feelings of unrequited love. We all know how it feels to care for someone more than they care for us. After reading this, I can't wait for Charlotte’s next novel. I can guarantee this one will be a hit!

Oh my, I devoured every single word of this brilliant novel. I was drawn in by the sinister looking cover, because we all know that notes cut of newspaper letters are normally reserved for ransom notes and such like. Not lovely love letters...

This is an absolute page turner. I felt every pain, followed every action of the main character and somehow even though her behaviour goes against every thing a rational person would do, many of us have probably felt like doing it when we've felt slighted by a love interest.

A fantastic read and one of my top books of 2020.

Brilliant. Absolutely loved this book. Really liked the narrative storyline and how it was full of suspense. Very well written. Definitely in my top ten thriller books and well deserves the 5 stars. Think its a debut novel and would definitely love to read more from Charlotte Levin in the future.

Highly recommended.

Thank you Pan Macmillan and Netgalley.