“Before I Saw You," in the YA genre, offers a softly glowing, quite predictable, but tender tale of hardship and love. Alfie, who lost a leg in a car accident, finds himself engrossed with traumatized Alice, a burn victim who is horribly disfigured. Of the two central characters, yakking, action-oriented Alfie rings truer, while shrinking Alice could have been gingered up more. The hospital setting, our main locale for most of the book, is well portrayed insofar as the patients and doctors and nurses are concerned, but again, I found myself wishing for a bit more truthfulness about the bludgeoning depressiveness of modern medicine. The author unwinds the narrative with a sure hand, dialogue (especially Alfie's) adds flavor, and the ending, if soppy-inevitable, crashes through with a bang. Overall, a diverting read.

I’d like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Before I Saw You’ by Emily Houghton in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Alfie is on the Moira Gladstone Ward following a car accident where he loses a leg and two of his friends never recover. Following a fire in her office, Alice is suffering from severe burns to one side of her body and when she regains consciousness finds herself in the bed next to Alfie’s. Alice doesn’t want anyone to see her burns and stays hidden behind her curtains but Alfie isn’t put off and gradually they form a friendship, unburdening themselves to each other albeit through a blue curtain. Alfie might not have seen Alice but he thinks he’s falling in love. Alice misses Alfie when he’s discharged, but are his feelings reciprocated?

What a lovely story! When I first read the description of ‘Before I Saw You’ it sounded like a book I’d enjoy but I didn’t envisage the depth of feeling it arose in me, it had me smiling, laughing and crying in equal measure. Early on I formed an affection for the characters, Alfie the ward comedian, Alice scared to see her own reflection, elderly Mr Peterson who sees Alfie as his temporary son, and Nurse Angeles the ‘mother’ to them all. This novel has been beautifully-written with an emotional and heart-warming story-line and I’ve loved every second of it from start to finish

Plot

CAN YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN?

Alice and Alfie are strangers. But they sleep next to each other every night.

Alfie Mack has been in hospital for months recovering from an accident. A new face on the ward is about as exciting as life gets for him right now, so when someone moves into the bed next to him he's eager to make friends. But it quickly becomes clear that seeing his neighbour's face won't happen any time soon.

Alice Gunnersley has been badly burned and can't even look at herself yet, let alone allow anyone else to see her. Keeping the curtain around her bed firmly closed, it doesn't stop Alfie trying to get to know her. And gradually, as he slowly brings Alice out of her shell, might there even be potential for more?

Review

I really liked this book!

A unique take on the boy meets girl story, I was drawn in from the first chapter and indeed read the whole thing in two sittings. Alfie and Alice’s stories are tragic but yet the author manages to find the lightheartedness especially in Alfie’s point of view. Both are damaged but slowly both are willing to get better.

The secondary characters are just as important as the primary with each helping to move the story of our unseen couple along. Even though there is one primary setting for this being the rehab ward of a hospital, there isn’t a depressing feel.

Yes there are some subjects that are triggering but they are sadly also real and are dealt with in a gentle and delicate manner.

The only downside is the ending. It just felt like stopping dead but I can understand why.

All in all like I said I really enjoyed this and look forward to more of the author’s work.

Rating

Four stars

Recommend

Yes

Thank you to Penguin Random House for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book as I loved the concept of it. I struggled to put it down but the last 10% or so I struggled through which was a shame and I found the ending quite abrupt. The rest of it I adored but I was reading it so quickly because I enjoyed it so much at times I mixed the names up as they're spelt so similarly! I would recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author. The characters were wonderful even through their struggles they felt very real.

I loved the idea of this story but found myself drifting as I read more. I don't know why but it began to seem overly contrived, the way in which a burns victim and an amputee lie in beds next to each other, move towards recovery and fall in love with each other. I was hoping for more of a Flat Share kind of tale but I'm so sorry to say I was a bit disappointed. Perhaps I'm simply the wrong target audience. I wasn't a fan of A Fault in our Stars so maybe it's more enjoyable for those people who loved that book and film.

This is a sweet enough story.

Alfie is recovering in hospital after an accident when Alice, a burns victim, is bought in.

Slowly they become friends and share their stories, but Alice won’t let anyone inside her cubicle.

There are a large number of other characters, some more realistic than others, (Ruby was supposed to be 12? She read no older than 8) and mostly just there to keep the plot moving.

Obviously, we knew how it would end- we just didn’t know when. It was a satisfying enough book to spend a morning with but I didn’t LOVE it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

Could not put this one down! Loved it! A burns victim and an amputee have beds next each other on the ward. They cannot see each other but start talking. They help each other through the pain of their injuries and the pain of their pasts. No angst, no cringe moments, it all makes sense why they can't see each other until they finally do. Was sad when I cam to the end, as I enjoyed it so much.....

I devoured this one in a day. This is such a heartwarming tale of how no matter what life throws at you, with the kindness of others and friendship you can get through anything.

Alfie and Alice are both going through life changing situations. The story is set mainly in a hospital ward, and is centred around the rehabilitation of the two main characters. Alfie has been on the ward longer and is slowly coming round to dealing with his new way of life. However, Alice has only been admitted and is finding it tough to come to terms with things. Can Alfie be her saviour?

It was a very touching read as Emily Houghton dug deep into the characters emotional well-being. The difference in Alfie and Alice's social and personal lives showed the differing effects this has on people's ability to cope.

The secondary characters in this story brought so much into the storyline. Special mention must go to Mr P and Sarah. Their input and thoughts into the characters rehabilitation was truly wonderful. Everyone needs a friend like Sarah in their lives, the way she handled the situation with Alice was truly beautiful.
"Firstly, and most importantly, you are not defined by what you are on the outside. Do you hear me? Whatever you see in that mirror will never ever reflect the incredibly special person you are." These are just some words of wisdom from Sarah.

This story may not be action packed, it is more about the characters. It may be predictable in the outcome. But, it's a story that will tug at your heart strings. It will make you evaluate what you think.

"Our scars are simply the marks of our stories . They show we’ve lived our life, and most of all that we have survived it. Don’t hide your story away in the shadows."

I have seen a few reviews that were disappointed with the ending. That they wanted more elaboration. But, I've got to say in my honest opinion I think it was perfect. This way it leaves things open to interpretation. Let us imagine what happens next. Just like Alice and Alfie had to imagine what was behind the curtain and take the plunge at life. We don't need to be told everything, some things are best left behind closed doors.

Or, obviously a sequel would be amazing 😊

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for my gifted digital copy.

A 2 Star read for me. I was hooked for the first ten pages and read a third of the book before I decided it was too much of a chore to carry on.

I gave up because while it had caught my heart, it didn’t have my mind. Not one that occupies the mind. A little like The Fault In our Stars- that level of mundane and non-humour...

More of a miss than a hit!

I loved the premise of this book and was looking forward to immersing myself in Alice and Alfie's respective stories. I'm a huge fan of romance fiction and I'm well versed in the formula (so this was not a barrier to my enjoyment in any way). I found it really challenging to engage with Alice and Alfie's journey to rehabilitation and finding love. I found myself speed reading through large sections of the book to get to the end. This isn't something I normally do, and overall for me, it was a disappointing read. Thank you Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Very interesting take on a love story. Some great characters here, especially Nurse Angel. I liked the way that coming out from hospital was portrayed, its all so easy to see it as a celebration, when in many cases it's a shock. Can you really fall in love without seeing someone?

Alfie has been in hospital recovering from a horrific car crash for months. Alice has been badly burnt in a work accident and will not let anyone see her, except for the hospital staff. When these two patients are assigned to beds next to one another Alfie offers his had in friendship which Alice very slowly accepts.

This is such a beautiful moving novel. I loved every word.

I loved the idea for the story but sorry it wasn't for me and I really couldn't get into it, and found it a bit too sad. I prefer stories to be a bit more uplifting.

Grief, loneliness, pain and finding your way back from the darkness are the theme of this book. A bit bleak and depressing for me so couldn't fully engage with the book. It was an alright read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

Before I Saw You

I want to thank the publishers and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book to review.

“𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦’𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦’𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵”.

With his bright and bubbly personality, Alfie is the heart and soul of the hospital wards he has been in for months, recovering from an accident. When he hears he will be getting a new neighbour he looks forward to becoming friends. However he quickly realises that his neighbour wishes to stay hidden in the shadows.

Alice has been severely burnt in a work accident and cannot bring herself to see the scars that play as a painful reminder of all that she has lost. Keeping the curtains closed around her, she fights a battle of pain and loss of self identity. This doesn’t stop Alfie from trying to break down her walls and show her that there is light in the darkest of times.

In a world where looks are perceived to be the most important aspect of a person, this heartwarming book shows you otherwise. Alfie and Alice are battling their own demons yet together they have an unspoken understanding. Alfie was the shining light of the story, a man who often hides his pain behind his smile, he taught me that love and hope can stem from words of kindness and acts of compassion. Alice is truly thrown through a roller coaster of emotions and we witness her fight, firstly against herself then the world and finally against her fears. This is a poignant and emotional book that I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read.

I requested Before I Saw You after reading the synopsis. The story outline grabbed my attention - two hospital inpatients, forging a friendship through bedside curtain etc. It sounded great.

Unfortunately, the story didn’t fully deliver for me. It seemed to go very slow in parts and I wasn’t fully invested in either of the main characters. I also struggled to comprehend how the patient mix were all allocated to the same ward??

There were some nice elements of the story, and I really appreciated the authors direction with a love story not based on appearances or traditional attraction.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

3.5

Alice Gunnersley has been badly injured in an office fire. She’s in the Moira Gladstone Ward at St Francis Hospital for rehabilitation. In the next bed is Alfie Mack who has had a leg amputated following a dreadful car crash. The story is told in alternating points of view which works really well.

I like the interesting and contrasting personalities between the outwardly chatty, cheerful and outgoing Alfie and the solitary, fiercely independent and career driven Alice. However, they are both in physical and emotional pain and I like how they draw that out of each other. The characters are really good (except Alice’s mother) and there is wonderful camaraderie on the ward with Alfie it’s epicentre. This is a good examination of healing, it’s sweet in places, very cheesy at others and yes, it’s predictable although that’s not an implied criticism at all!

My reservations lie in the fact that it drags on a bit in places and gets a bit repetitive yet the ending is abrupt and rushed which is a real pity. We build up to this ending and then it’s over in a flash!

Overall, an enjoyable, quick read

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK/Transworld for the arc for an honest review.

This is probably my least favourite book of the year, in that had I not felt honour-bound to finish it because I got it for free in return for a fair review, I would have abandoned it before I got a third of the way into it. Mawkish, preachy, saccharine, with a simpering goody-two-shoes ‘male lead’ (I thought of him as that because the novel felt written purely with a weepie movie in mind a la One Day,Last Christmas etc) who insists on being more empathetic than everyone else. Wonderful nurse? Alfie will care more than you! Devoted wife of nonagenarian? Alfie will need more comfort than you will when your husband of 70 years dies, even though Alfie’s only known him a few weeks. Alfie will be instantly the most inspirational and important patient in the kingdom and everyone will report to him! I wanted to slap him.
But even more, I wanted to slap Alice who refuses to get out of bed and inconveniences the whole ward due to her refusal to be seen, like a diva. Why not just rely on the decency and discretion of others? Poking her hand between the curtains every once in a while just seemed comical, instead of poignant. Just wear a hoodie for goodness sakes! Dark glasses? A surgical mask? It seemed so attention-seeking.
Not to mention I couldn’t see a ward that would normally be shared by a burn victim, an amputee and a 92 yr old. Wards are usually at least vaguely relevant to the injuries of the patients. If Alice was terribly disfigured, she’d probably be in a single room or a burns ward.
I was actively rooting for Alice to die in surgery so that alone should explain my bad review.

I thought that this one was ok I did find myself speed reading through some parts but overall it was an ok chic lit.

I LOVED this book. It still met all the standard rhythms of romantic novels but in a very unexpected and very different way - and with the dual first person narrative you got twice the angst and twice the happiness.