This was a delightful romantic comedy that I literally couldn’t put down. The characters made me laugh and cry, and the storyline was well developed. Highly recommended!

Thank you Bookouture and Net Galley for providing me this ARC.

I have read a few of Sophie's books and they have all had me laughing this one is no different.

Alice and Joe are trainee solicitors, Alice ends up losing her role thanks to Gordon and ends up working in a grotty pub which she absolutely loves. To make up the rest of the money they get a lodger in only to be Joe's EX and her adorable cat.

Can you be friends with your boyfriend's Ex and can you live with them and work with them??
Poor Alice has all three.

This is just as good as the others and had me laughing all the way though, full of humour and fun, A total joy to read during these difficult times.

Alice and boyfriend Joe are both trainee solicitors. They live together in a small comfy flat.
Alice has an offer of a permanent position in her law firm at the end of her training, but suddenly her boss is suspended and her job offer is withdrawn. She finds herself working behind the bar in a pub to make ends meet.
To help with the rent, Joe invites Zoe (his ex) to live with them as a lodger. Alice turns out to be one of those annoying ex-girlfriends that are beautiful, a great cook, well-travelled, annoyingly perfect.
What can go wrong?
Just Saying is the first Sophie Ranald book I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt a heartfelt whirlwind of emotions as I read this story; it made me cry and laugh out loud.
I want to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and author Sophie Ranald for a pre-publication copy to review.

3.5 stars

This turned out much better than I'd been expecting after the first couple of chapters didn't impress me much. But I think that may have been simply due to the fact that it's been so long since I've read a a book that's firmly in the chicklit category. There's nothing wrong with the genre, of course, because about 10 years ago I devoured one chicklit book after the other but then I kind of lost interest and started branching off into different genres.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, though. It follows Alice and Joe, who've been together for about 2 years and work at the same law firm in central London. Something happens at the office that causes Alice to lose the job offer she had gotten there and to be able to continue to afford the house they currently live in, Joe suggests renting out their spare room, so they can cover some of the loss of Alice's income. Only, the person who's moving into their spare room is his ex-girlfriend, Zoë, and Alice can't shake the feeling that Zoë still has feelings for Joe and is possibly plotting to get him back.

I was very invested in Alice and Joe and their relationship. I'm a fan of established relationships and I think what this story did best of all was show what can happen in a two-year relationship when you sort of start to take the other for granted. Alice feels threatened by Zoë's presence, Joe is working crazy hours, she herself is trying to figure out where her life is going, ... it's easy to get lost and lose sight of the relationship in light of what life throws at you. The biggest selling point for this book, in my opinion, is how realistic it all seems. I didn't feel as if I were reading about fictional characters at all, rather about real people that I knew who lived in London.

Alice's struggles with her career feel real, not knowing what she wants out of life at 27 and never really having had "a dream" of what she wants to do felt very familiar and I could relate. I liked seeing her start to help out at the pub and discover that she liked taking over there and trying to bring in more business. I LOVED her friendship with her best friend Heather and how much page-time that got, that was excellent.

I was less fond of how the whole Zoë storyline was being handled, particularly at the beginning when Zoë seems little more than a pretentious hipster who's every dialogue scene made me cringe. That did get better as the story progressed, though. I could also understand how and why Alice was starting to feel insecure in her relationship with Joe as a result of many things and not just the Zoë aspect.

The only other thing that's bringing down the rating slightly is that I felt this could've been shorter, there were parts where the story started to drag a little bit, but on the whole I really enjoyed this!

Thank you to Netgalley and the pusblisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I feel like I have to start this by saying that I LOVE Sophie Ranald, having read all of her books. Her style of writing is brilliant, fast & funny and you fall in love with her characters- particularly the protagonist. Just Saying is one of my favourite Ranald novels, you’re drawn in from the start and the thought of an ex moving in is so frustrating & hilarious that you will tear through the book to find out the outcome. Absolutely brilliant.

This is my first book from this Author and I really enjoyed it.

Alice and boyfriend Joe are both trainee solicitors, both have the promise of incredible job offers once they both qualify. Life really does seem perfect and all mapped out. Then Alices' department tell her they aren't recruiting any more and she is out of a job.

Stumbling out onto the streets of London she finds herself with the delightful Maurice who swiftly leads her to the Nags Head and its quirky regulars. Sherry in hand Alice finds herself working for Shirley the Landlady. Alice is finding a way to her her life on track, even boyfriend Joe is on board. Until he decides to move in ex Zoe and her cat!!

I found this book to be more about life, community, friendship and belonging than a straight up romance, but this didn't take away from the fact that it really is a heartwarming, easy, refreshing read. Covering relevant issues such as Brexit, The Windrush Generation, homosexuality and the #metoo movement, Just Saying is a reminder to cherish relationships and see the value of true friendships.

I have never read anything by this author before but I absolutely loved this book ,so I am now looking for more from Sophie.

Alice has finally met her ideal man; boyfriend Joe. Life is perfect; a great boyfriend and a great job as a trainee lawyer with a promising future ahead of her. What could go wrong?

The couple bump into Joe's ex girlfriend from his Uni days and she later moves in with them along with her cat when Alice loses her job.

The local pub becomes a massive part of their lives. The owner of the shop next door is of interest to Alice.

I thought this would be predictable but I was wrong. The story flowed perfectly and I couldn't stop reading. I was hooked from the very beginning. Characters were all very believable too.

Highly recommended for the perfect summer read.

Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

A story, more about life than romance, where Alice tries to get her once seemingly ordered life back on track, a story which many in their 20s can relate to, working jobs that they arent exactly passionate about but is more about practicality and eventually we all have a breaking point. Throw in a few social issues that matter along with the aspects of working a relationship out through troubles, this book is just simply sweet, heartfelt and relatable.
The unpredictability of life is perfectly described in the book with a random moment where Maurice leads Alice into Nags Head setting a course for a new path in her life with Alice meeting a number of strangers such as Shirley, Wesley, Archie and the friendships she develops with each of them.
The relationship between Joe and Alice is quite romantic and easy going for most part, right from how they met, the little things they do for each other, the way Joe gifts footwear to Alice on special occasions (it's so cute, I died) but that relationship does not take the forte in the book as said in the blurb, instead it shows a life which is messy with all the human emotions involved and deals with the issues on the side with the main focus on Alice's journey and finding a purpose of sorts.
Just Saying, in totality is a fun read that I quite enjoyed. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Sophie Ranald *gasp*.It was surreal! This book is about Alice and her man Joe who loses her job as a solicitor only to find herself working behind a bar *gasp* and also Joe invites his ex and her cat to move in with them *drum roll* . You probably are thinking you know what happens next but nope.This book touches on societal issues that affect us all. Definitely worth picking up. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy

This book was great! It was so easy to lose yourself in the story, and kept you turning pages to see what happened next! Will definitely be recommending!

I haven't had a great deal of experience with the romantic comedy genre. When I thought of the term 'rom-com', I imagined something that would give the happy, carefree feeling you'd get sipping from a glass of pink gin (or pink lemonade, your choice) in the sunshine and laughingly saying "oh, go on, then" to a chocolate-loaded dessert - and so I didn't entirely know what to expect when I opened up Sophie Ranald's Just Saying other than that I hoped it would be funny, sassy, and sweet, and sure enough, it was!

Upon settling down with the book, the reader is dropped instantly into the mind of Alice, a twenty-seven-year-old trainee solicitor who seems to have a bright future stretching ahead of her - that is, of course, until her boss is investigated for sexual assault, causing her to lose a position all but guaranteed to her. Lost, upset, and faced with newfound uncertainty, a chance encounter with a friendly stranger leads Alice to the Nag's Head, a grotty old pub run by a landlady grateful for Alice's impromptu offer to lend a hand behind the bar.

Ranald taps expertly into the narrative voice of a British twenty-something woman, and the result feels very true-to-life and relatable. I may have only popped down to London once in my life, but it felt recognisable here, as did the Nag's Head as every local pub where the floor's a bit worn, the taps in the toilets don't work quite right, and you're sure the same regulars have been sitting there since before you were born. I could easily picture it - and, at one point, smell it - and I felt like I'd met the characters before. They flirt with familiar tropes (the ex-girlfriend determined to get back with her old flame, the nice but predictable partner, the exciting new guy who offers a shoulder to cry on) but never fall into those archetypes. While the tension between Alice, Joe, and Zoe takes a back seat to Alice's own personal growth and her work at the pub, I found myself invested in each of the relationships, eager to see what would happen next and waiting to see if it would all work out.

As well as bringing a regular smile to my face, Just Saying gracefully tackles some serious issues relevant to today's life, including the struggles of those wrongfully detained during the Windrush scandal and the importance of speaking out about sexual harassment in light of the Me Too movement. There was an excellent balance of levity and gravity, all culminating in an epilogue that had me going a little bit blurry-eyed.

Overall, this was such a good, cosy read, and I'm seriously considering adding some of Ranald's other works to my basket!

Honestly, I had never heard of Sophie Ranald before but her book cover looked punchy and the premise sounded like it was right up my alley. I sincerely enjoyed reading Just Saying by Sophie Ranald. Overall, I found the book to be a lovely romance story without lacking depth. This book was FUN, refreshing and honest. I found myself relating to the main character so much it surprised me! The book had so many layers and was definitely a conversation starter. The author gracefully touched on issues of sexual assault, homosexuality and immigration giving the book layers. I will definitely be checking out other works by this author! I want to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Just Saying is a delightful read. It makes you cry and it makes you laugh out loud as you read. Filled with instantly connectable and engaging characters, it's a brilliant summer read.

Just Saying is the first Sophie Ranald book I have read and I really enjoyed it.
It’s the story of Alice and boyfriend Joe. Both trainee solicitors until Alice finds out the company she works for has put a hold on recruitment so she is out of a job.
She finds herself working behind the bar in a pub and Joe invites his ex girlfriend Zoe, and her cat, to move in with them!

This book is so much more than that synopsis though. It covers serious issues like the Windrush Generation, the Me Too Movement and Homosexuality.........had I read that ahead of reading this book I would have been put off. Who wants a chick lit book covering serious issues like that when we just want escapism right?........Well me it seems! What Sophie Ranald manages to do is write an escapist chick lit book that covers serious issues with sensitivity and tact, winding them in to the story.
This book is definitely not the usual romance novel but that is what I found myself liking most about it.
It also has an excellent cast of characters, I especially like Shirley the landlady of the pub, in my head she was a mixture of Eastenders Shirley Carter and Peggy Mitchell.
Just Saying reminds you to cherish what relationships you have and see the value in true friendships.

Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Three and a half stars.

Alice seems to have it all. A promising job as a trainee solicitor, an offer of a permanent position in her law firm's Intellectual Property department at the end of her training, a fabulous boyfriend Joe and a small but charming flat. After Joe plans a perfect birthday celebration Alice thinks everything is perfect, and that's when it all goes to pot: her boss is suspended from work; her job offer is rescinded; and Joe's ex-girlfriend Zoe appears on the scene.

Almost by accident Alice finds herself working at the local grotty boozer (you know the one with sticky carpets in a swirly pattern, the same defeated-looking regulars, and a menu which went out in the 1980s). Then, to help with the rent, Joe invites Zoe to live with them as a lodger! Suddenly Alice is confronted by this beautiful woman wandering around their flat half-dressed, bonding with Joe over things that Alice has never enjoyed (like computer games). Alice is that super ex-girlfriend of our nightmares, beautiful, exotic, a brilliant chef, well-travelled, and all over Joe.

Is Alice taking a break from real life to run a run-down boozer or has she realised that the sensible job in law is not the career for her? Is her perfect boyfriend really perfect, or is there someone else waiting in the wings? What is the truth about Alice leaving her law firm?

I enjoyed reading this and I flew through it in less than day. However, I think the blurb is kind of misleading because the Alice/Zoe conflict isn't really central to the plot. Also, I think this novel will date quite quickly because it references a number of recently topical news stories (Brexit, the Windrush generation, #MeToo). More importantly, I felt that the novel trivialised these issues, as though they were easily solvable or not really worth worrying about (deliberately being vague to avoid spoiling the plot).

I was struggling to classify this novel, it's not your usual chick-lit, it's not romantic comedy, it's not women's fiction. Then I checked out another Sophie Ranald book I had reviewed Out with the Ex, In with the New and realised that this is a bit of a Bildungsroman, a voyage of self-discovery for Alice who finds out what is important to her.

A fun read which touches on some social issues, perfect holiday reading.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I liked the premise of this book, what do you do when your boyfriend's ex-girlfriend moves in. The characters were mostly likable and it was easy to understand their predicament. My stumbling point was that I didn't feel the chemistry between the two main characters. Up until the end, I felt like they could end up together, or not, and I wasn't invested in either outcome. The writing was fine, but didn't elicit any big feelings about the characters, their story, or the outcome.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have absolutely loved this book and devoured it in a matter of hours. This has been the perfect Saturday night read which I found impossible to put down.
I have read a few books by this author, this one is definitely my favourite. I have literally laughed out loud more than once.
I have loved the characters in this one, they are so realistic and likeable. It's made a great read. The plot of this one is absolutely fantastic and different from previous books.
This has another absolutely beautiful and eye catching cover which screams out to be read. I have loved it! Definitely a five star read. This is so deserving of the highest rating.
Amazing read which I highly recommend.