Carly Cooper is 30, single, and after coming close to saying ‘I Do’ to six different men, she’s wondering if she accidentally said ‘goodbye' to Mr Right. But there is a problem.
Her ex-boyfriends are scattered all over the world and Carly lives in 1999; an era before Facebook, Google, smartphones, 4G and Broadband, when it was impossible to track people down with a few clicks of a mouse. On a mission to discover if she walked away from her 'happy ever after', Carly quits her job, her flat, her whole life and sets off on a quest to track down all the men she has ever loved. Her Mr Right is out there, but can she find him? And what if he’s moved on from the ex-girlfriend who said goodbye?

This is a re-release of Low's first book to celebrate 20 years and in anticipation of a sequel next year. You can definitely tell this is a first book, it is rough around the edges however the characters are a delight and the plot is very entertaining. The first part of the read details Carly's past relationships through flashbacks. I found this very strong and enjoyed reading about all of Carly's romantic mishaps. There are a lot of them! The second part follows Carly as she tracks down all of her exes to see if she made a mistake letting any go. To be honest I thought I would enjoy the second part more, however it was rushed and Low does not devote enough time to the adventure. As a result, the first part is a lot stronger and more developed.

Overall though the plot is a real delight and incredibly entertaining. Yes it is obvious but when it provides this much enjoyment, does it really matter?

The characters, as I have already mentioned, are wonderful. It is such a cliché but the characters came to feel like my group of friends. I loved getting to know them and seeing what they get up to in their own lives, which are every bit as eventful as Carly's. Carly and her friends make for a fantastic cast, this proved to be a good introduction to them and I look forward to seeing what they have got up to in the twenty year gap.

'What If?' is a very enjoyable read but you do have to overlook the flaws. Having said this, I absolutely loved reading this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.

I so love Shari Low’s books; they have just the perfect recipe for chilling out and emerging yourself in the crazy world of someone else for a few hours!
I hadn’t gotten around to reading all of Shari Low’s back catalogue so when I saw she was rereleasing her very first book for the 20th anniversary and the ARC was available on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read this. I wondered if it would have the same magic elements I was used to or whether her writing style had developed over time, and this would now feel dated. Well, her writing style has evolved, but that doesn’t for a second mean that this was a bad book as she was a brilliant author right from the start of her career and it had the magic elements I was used from her style of writing.
This didn’t have the usual heartbreaking moments in it that she often includes; however, it had full-on hilarity and craziness! It was so lighthearted and fun to read; I didn’t want it to end.
I loved the flashbacks to all of Carly’s exes; I think these were the best bits of the book. Then when she revisits everyone, these are just as crazy and fantastic events to read as well. I did guess the ending, but it was still exciting to be on the journey with her and to see how it would pan out. The end itself seemed a little rushed, and I would have liked it to be just a little longer so I could spend just a bit more time with the characters.
I thought the characters were wonderfully written and you really liked them all. You wanted only the best for everyone you came into contact with.
Such a brilliant book and I’m glad I got the chance to read it and be a part of the relaunch for its 20th anniversary! It has indeed lasted the test of time and just being back in 1999 and having to remember that the internet wasn’t as readily available made for a refreshing change. Life was so much more real back then!

This book is the perfect weekend read. Full of an almost Bridget Jones kinda feel. A full on chick lit book that was a pleasure to read.

What if by Shari Low
I rate this book 3.5 stars
Join single, 31 year old Carly Cooper as she quits her job, her flat, her whole life and sets off on a quest to track down all the men she has ever loved,looking for “the one”.Will she get her man or not.... at least there’ll be no more what ifs!
A light hearted journey through Carly’s life and her friends and looking back through her past romances before journeying to meet all 6 again. An enjoyable easy read.
With thanks to Netgalley,the publisher’s and the Author for my chance to read this

Absolutely brilliant. Fantastic characters, lots of smiles and some cracking dialogue - exactly what I’ve come to expect from this author. Highly recommended.

-1 star Do not like the cover
+1 Hilarious/Emotions
+1 Readability
+1 The story is wraps up
+1 Yes, i would read this again and recommend it

A cute, hilarious, light and fluffy beach read that is needed after reading some hefty thrillers and depressing nonfiction. Carly is still single at 31 and goes on a quest to find all her ex-boyfriends to see if she has missed "the one". No more what-if's by the end of book even if that part was predictable. Her journey took her as far to Shnghai and Glasgow but also to NYC and London. It was a crazy journey but I loved it. I do not know if anyone would go to these great lives to find their partner/soulmate in reality, so don't think it is believable on that aspect; perhaps if you were desperate and could afford to travel without losing your job, this could happen.

Still a worthy read and recommended when you need a break from thrillers.

Thanks to Netgalley, Shari Low and Boldwell Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/29/20

1999: Carly Cooper is on a millennium mission to track down her ex-boyfriends & find out if 'the one that got away' was actually 'the one'. Her journey takes her from Glasgow to London to Shanghai to New York.

I absolutely loved Carly's crazy journey, and even though I found the ending slightly predictable, it was so fun to travel the world with her.

I am so pleased the author is writing a sequel as I am definitely looking forward to finding out what happened to all the lovely characters in this novel

This was certainly a book i couldn’t put down! Laugh out loud from the start to finish. It really was an enjoyable read Shari Low has some once again.

What If? is the premise of every single girl's thoughts- what if I let Mr. Right go? As a single girl that just hit 30, I definitely laughed out loud at Carly's experiences. I appreciated how the story flipped back and forth from the past to the present so we could experience Carly in all of her (hot mess) glory. I understand that this was a 20th anniversary retelling of the original story but I wish there had been some updates- Tom and Nicole and Arnie and Maria are definitely no longer couples!

What If? is a gem of a novel.
Carly - also known as Copper has had a rather turbulent love life. The book details her relationship history, often reflecting upon the past and then moving to the present.
Carly is not unlucky in love, she has had relationships but for one reason or another (and they are never the same reason) she can't seem to 'settle down.'
What if? explores what happens when Carly tracks down each of her past romances to see if the relationship could work again.
We also learn about each of Carly's intimate friendships along, what makes them work and also their own romantic relationships.
This book is a great read, funny in parts and a lovely ending.
I'm really looking forward to the sequel in 2021!

What if? Isn't that the most dangerous question? A question which I am positive haunts us all from time to time. Imagine when one of the authors you love has a book anniversary of twenty years with a question which often pops into your head.... What if?

I absolutely adore Shari Low, she is such a great author and this could quite possibly be my favourite book yet. I know I say that with all her books but I absolutely mean it after this one. As always, I have been completely engaged and captivated. So much that this is another book of Shari's that I have devoured in just one sitting.

This is definitely an uplifting read,. I have definitely laughed out loud more than once reading this fantastic book. It has been the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day. I have loved Carly, she is a wonderful and relatable main character. Another thing I have loved about this book, is the flashbacks to 1999. What an absolutely brilliant book to read.

There is nothing negative I can say about this book, I have loved everything about it and honestly haven't wanted to put this one down. This is highly deserving of five stars, only it does deserve a higher rating. This is one I strongly recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Perfect book to blow away the lockdown blues.

The story follows Carly Cooper, as she takes a trip down memory lane to visit all the exes she’s left behind

She left many with broken hearts and no explanation as to why she’s left.

I found her character fun, full of honesty and wit. The same could be said for her group of closest friends/girlfriends.

I wished these characters were friends of mine.

Thoroughly enjoyed it, had me laughing throughout.

Comedy at its best as there were so many one liners stated and thought by Carly that I actually laughed out loud at each one of them! Every woman regardless of age and relationship status has thought about those she has left behind but it was she that acted upon it and embarked on a world adventure to do so. Her group of friends not only demonstrated loyalty and support despite the craziness of the mission but also added comedic relief. Numerous cocktails believe raised for this book.

Carly Cooper is 30, single, stuck in a job that she hates and not getting closer to having her happily ever after. Along with her close friends, she set out to find all her pass boyfriends that she left behind, 12 years ago. Carly decided to quit her job, canceled her lease to jet-set around the world to find her past boyfriends. Did she pass up her happily ever after?

Granted that this story was set in the year 1999, where the internet was just a baby and not everything is online. To her credit, Carly was just very lucky to find not one but all of her past boyfriends. The story is hilarious with what Carly found when she finally had some face to face time with her past. However, there is a disconnect when it comes to Carly's life. She was an amazing club promoter. I don't see why she couldn't have capitalized on that career as 1999 and into 2000, the club scene was very much present. How did Carly get to go from a promoter going back to London to promote another club to selling toilet paper? That was a huge gap in the story, which was never explained. There seem to be a few years missing in Carly's life from the time she reaches London to the time she decided to find her past boyfriends. The toggle back and forth between present and past was a nice touch on helping the characters developed.

Thank you to Boldwood books and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Shari Low -
What If ? is exactly what I needed to chase away the lockdown blues !
A thoroughly enjoyable rom-com; it absolutely brightened up my weekend. How I’d love to be in Cooper’s girl gang !!
An uplifting, romantic, laugh out loud chick book - I highly recommend escaping with Cooper on her search for true love.

Thank you Net Galley for a copy of this ARC. Reading this book was thoroughly enjoyable, laugh out loud funny and entertaining. Great rom-com!!

I'm happy that I didn't stumble upon this book sooner because then I'd have to wait decades for a sequel. I kid, I kid. But seriously, after reading this I'm really excited for the next book. I need to know what happened to them all.

It's definitely hilarious, laugh-out-loud funny. It even made me cry a few times and that's no easy feat.

Carly Cooper is a straight up mess and I'm so here for that. Some of her friends got dangerously close but luckily she (almost) retains her status till the end.

The guys just seemed to be getting better and better during the flashback scenes but I'm glad it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows the second time around. And i wasn't expecting who she ended up with. I mean in part I was but no, not really.

I like the way everything fell into place at the end, there really is someone for everyone.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Engaging Romcom....
A twenty year celebration reprint of ‘What If?” from Shari Low. Engaging romcom set in 1999 when the world was a somewhat different place and technology was...well...pretty basic compared to now. It’s all great fun, the basic themes are pretty much still relevant. Will Carly Cooper find her Mr Right? A mission to track down previous boyfriends, without today’s technology, proves...well,...difficult! Enjoyable escapism.

'What If?' is a 20th anniversary reprint of Shari Low's novel. Being too young to read it the first time round, I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to read such a witty, engaging and well-structured glimpse into the life of Carly Cooper. Our main character hasn't has the best luck romantically, in part due to her habit of agreeing to marry people far too quickly... With the millennium approaching, and Carly still single despite six serious past relationships, she becomes determined to travel the world in order to reconnect with her past lovers and find Mr Right.

The first half of the novel is Carly's preparations for her trip and flashbacks through her past love affairs. This was the strongest section of the book where the men in her life are introduced and we come to understand why Carly's past decisions have been so disastrous. Her relationships unfolded alongside Carly globetrotting whilst she managed a variety of nightclubs. I really enjoyed she was a successful manager in this industry - such a breath of fresh air for a romance novel (not a cupcake bakery or high-powered office environment in sight!)

In the second half, Carly starts to track down her past lovers. Due to it being 1999, letters, landlines and the odd dodgy mobile phone is all she has to aid her quest. Reading a novel without social media being mentioned was actually refreshing - the 90s were such simpler times! This journey through Carly's past is heartwarming and humorous. However, the ending is a little too convenient for all and rushed. I saw where it was going quite early on but this didn't ultimately diminish my enjoyment of reading about Carly's world.

Overall, this story may be 20 years old but the themes are timeless. In the acknowledgements, Low teases a sequel coming in January called 'What Now?' I for one cannot wait to be back in Carly's world and seeing how she has fared in the last 20 years!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Carly decides to take control of her life and go on a mission: to hunt out her ex-fiances and re-evaluate their husband potential. It will mean quitting her job and flying to all four corners of the globe to find them. And she may come home with nothing but a suntan and a few good stories to tell her friends...

But whether she gets her man or not, at least there'll be no more 'What ifs?

This was such a fun, quick, cute, funny.
I really enjoyed the story this book told. The writing of this was done amazingly well.
I loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley. Publisher & Author for this gifted e-book