Cover Image: The Rehearsals

The Rehearsals

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I thought the book was well-written, but unfortunately the plot didn’t hit the mark for me. The main characters had both taken actions with huge ramifications that I felt like I couldn’t feel relate to them or feel their emotions.

Was this review helpful?

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this as an easygoing light hearted read and I liked the Groundhog Day through a wedding rehearsal concept.

What I wasn’t keen on was the overall relationship between the protagonists. I liked the growth of the characters but I still didn’t find myself rooting for them as a couple or individually.

I would read more from the author as I found her writing style kept me reading even if I was feeling tired. I just hope any future books follow different characters I can empathise with more.

Was this review helpful?

Tried this again and I still couldn't get past how much I hated the characters. I know you don't always have to like them but it felt unsurmountable and I couldn't carry on with the story because I wanted to chuck my tablet away!

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely frickin adorable, can’t express how much I loved this. I loved Annette Christie’ writing style, it drew me in and I didn’t want to put it down, it’s funny, emotional, authentic and have I mentioned how well written it is. The romance is just perfect. I don’t think I remember even a critical thought to mention, I will definitely be reading more by Annette Christie

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

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars
As soon as I read the blurb for this I was immediately drawn to the 'living the same day over and over again to try and get it right' idea of this.
At times the Groundhog Day-style story was a little bit confusing.
Sadly I couldn't connect with Megan and Tom's relationship, or them as characters, as much as I would have liked.
And so for that reason, I wasn't as invested as I could have been.
Infidelity and cheating featuring also made me less inclined to root for them too.
This was above average but I'm not sure that I will remember it months or years from now.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Gripping and well written, however the time loop element did unfortunately wear thin after a while..! Despite that I read it quickly and really enjoyed the interesting characters (siblings and parents!) and the concept of being able to relive the same day over and over.

Was this review helpful?

This book was OK. Its not one of the best books I've read. I found parts funny but some parts just really annoying. Maybe this was the authors intention but I didn't really enjoy it. I did finish it but maybe it's just not for me.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

I love time loop narratives so this sounded right up my street.

Sadly, I couldn't connect with Megan and Tom's relationship. I never found myself rooting for them to get married, not something you want from a romance book.

While repetitive in nature of course, the new takes on their relived day were entertaining. I particularly enjoyed Megan and Tom's trip to Canada.

This book heavily features infidelity, something of which I am not a fan. That did knock it back a star for me.

Was this review helpful?

This is such a gorgeous gem of a book which is worthy of five big beautiful stars.

This is brilliant and has been a complete whirlwind from the very beginning. I adore how Christie writes and have been completely pulled into the pages of this one.

This book is completely hilarious and has given me so many laugh out loud moments. Christie has captured the family dynamic perfectly. It is both suffocating and exhausting. You really feel these emotions as a reader.

This is a book that has left me breathless. It is authentic and gorgeously written. It also contains a very perfect romance. I have adored Megan, she is just wonderful. Christie has created a memorable, eventful yet unpredictable novel which I have completely devoured.

This has been a refreshing read. I have nothing negative I can say about this one. It has been the perfect escapist read. I absolutely need to read more by this author. Christie should be shelved with Ahern and Kinsella. I will definitely read more by this author.

Was this review helpful?

After 12 years as a couple, Megan, a senior visuals editor for GQ, and Tom, a workaholic lawyer, are finally tying the knot. But, before that, they need to have their rehearsal dinner.

That comes with overbearing in-laws that add to the wedding jitters, guests from the past, and decade-long secrets coming to light. All this puts pressure on what was meant to be a pleasant night, and eventually, they both agree to cancel the wedding and go their separate ways. However, fate would like a say in it and leaves them to re-live the day of their rehearsal dinner over and over again. As they re-live the same day, they must consider what and who they want, and how to move forward.

As much as I love seeing books where the couples just recently discovered each other, I also enjoy established couples that have been together for a while (I’m a sucker for second chances) and experiencing how they reflect on the time they’ve been together, how they’ve evolved, and what they want going forward. The Rehearsals embodied all these things I look for in such books, and Meg and Tom were angsty, authentic, and engrossing.

Seeing snippets of their 12-year relationship, how it unfolded, budded, matured, and at times, was stagnant was such an endearing experience. I saw real, fleshed-out people that grew together, made some horrible mistakes, who chose each other, put in the work, and it was raw, profound, and elevated the romance and depth of characters. It’s why I’d not call this a light read, but it was worth it.

"Every choice she made in every single day seemed to be the wrong one. How could she try on life after life and still have nothing fit?"

I’ve watched many movies about time loops, but never read a book about one because I was afraid it would be repetitive and frustrating, but each re-lived day offers an intimate insight into the couple, their conflicts, turmoil, and complexity of themselves as individuals. The dual POV helped create this which was so appreciated.

This was a memorable and original debut, that I’d easily recommend.

4.2 “loop” stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

If you love wedding stories, but you're afraid you just might be getting the same-old concept, don't worry this is NOT the usual wedding story.

Tom and Megs are getting married tomorrow, but they have a HUGE fight and they call off the wedding. They both basically cry themselves to sleep, but when they wake up the next morning, they find out the worst day of their lives...is starting over. So, this is basically a rehearsal, groundhog day situation.

So, the dreadful day of their breakup keeps happening over and over again, while they try to do the day differently every single time, in order to break the loop and just move on from the disaster that is their relationship. This reaches a point where they both try their best to them both making WILD choices, totally opposite of who they are. But nothing works...

I was afraid that it would get repetitive, but the author managed to create such amazing and fun scenarios for each day, it was easy to get sucked into each one. It's such a quick read, and it keeps you engaged, because you can't possibly avoid wanting to know if the loop will break and why it will break.

I loved both Tom and Megs as characters. As they try to get out the time-space continuum glitch they are in, they uncover layers and layers of secrets and desires, grudges and frustrations between them. Not only do they learn all that was wrong in their relationship but in their lives, which choices were wrong and why. Long live GROWTH of characters!

One of the best days was when Meg and Tom went off the rails COMPLETELY! That was so funny and wild, from Tom throwing his suitcase into the sea, to Meg not giving a single fuck about anything, getting wasted, telling off everyone around her.

The book explores the what ifs, the missed opportunities, the mistakes we all make towards others and towards ourselves. Self-discovery, moving on and forging your own space in a world. Learning how to fix relationships and what to let go and what to keep.

This was so romantic, hilarious, exciting and emotional at times. I didn't cry but I did feel a lump in my throat...

Was this review helpful?

"Of course, he’d encountered beautiful women all his life. Wealth offered a myriad of ways to make someone aesthetically appealing. But something about Megs had been different. It was as though there were a lamp inside her, permanently flicked on. Everything shone. Her eyes danced when she spoke. Her mouth broke into easy grins. She laughed unselfconsciously. And there was something else there . . . a kindness at her core. One that drew him to her. Megs was a lighthouse."


This romance book isn't about falling in love. It's about two people who are in love. Have been for 12 years. But whose secrets and concessions catch up to them the day before they're supposed to get married, and ultimately leads to their breakup. From that point on, they're going to relive the same day, over and over again, until the universe believes things are fixed between them.

Both characters are deeply flawed and make a lot of mistakes throughout the book. Some of their choices are infuriating at times—as infuriating as reliving the day you made your biggest mistake can be, probably. But I resonated a lot with Megan, her homesickness, her doubts about her career, and about her overall life.

Every time I read or watch a groundhog day-type story, I'm very critical of the reason why they're stuck and how they get out. I don't know why. I need a logical reason. Apparently in this case it was logical enough for me because the focus wasn't on that part of the story at all and it didn't really matter. It fit the story simply and efficiently.

I have to warn: there IS the cheating trope, AND kind of a love triangle. HOWEVER!! (Stay with me). I usually despise both of these. But in this case, it felt necessary to move forward with the story. It wasn't just thrown there. It was essential. Trust that I would've immediately DNFed if it hadn't been the case

This book is a dual pov, and there is a lot of internal monologue from both characters, so you really get to see their thought processes towards healing their relationship, which I appreciated.

Overall a really good book, especially for a debut! I loved the realness and harshness of it mixed with the hope that it can get better.

(There are also two Taylor Swift lyrics references at some point. Don't think I didn't catch it, Annette Christie. I loved it.)

Thank you to Hodder Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with an Advanced Copy!

Was this review helpful?

In this Groundhog Day style rom com, Tom and Megan finds themselves reliving the day before their wedding over and over.

The characters are brilliant, and everything that could possibly go wrong does. It got a little heavier than I expected towards the end, but overall I quite enjoyed it! A good, easy read.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I really wanted to love this one but unfortunately I just could not get on with the characters and felt no real attachment to the story.

I'm gutted, especially when I can see everyone's positive review!

Was this review helpful?

I've seen this word used so much in relation to The Rehearsals and it's plot, but this whole book, from the characters to the groundhog-day like plot itself, this book was clever. I absolutely loved the idea of reading a book with a time loop, and Annette Christie did not disappoint. Both the plot itself and the characterisation were portrayed brilliantly, I've already recommended this book to so many of my friends who I know love Groundhod Day AND romance novels, it was just that good!

Was this review helpful?

I just finished this book, it was so well done and went beyond the usual romance tropes. Megan and Tom are getting married after 12 years of dating. The day before the wedding, issues come up for both of them that threaten the wedding itself.
The next day, Megan and Tom wake up to a repeat of the previous day. They have fallen into a “groundhog day” type loop that forces them to re-examine their relationships with their families, friends, and each other. Will they be able to move on to the next day?
The characters were well drawn and the story was compelling. My only problem came when the book ended rather suddenly. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

This is a brilliantly-written & outstanding rom-com that will leave you breathless. It is everything I've ever wanted in a rom-com. It was so fast-paced & eventful that I devoured it in two sittings.

This book was an unpredictable whirlwind (I mean this in the best way) & absolutely hilarious. Each day-repetition brought revelation after revelation that was sprinkled with humorous yet meaningful anecdotes & happenings.

I absolutely loved how life-like & realistically human the characters were. I found Megan to be extremely relatable in her relationship with her mother. In my life, I don't think I've ever had a relationship more toxic than the one I've had with my own mother. It is a love-hate relationship that veers towards hate more than love & it was so inspiring to see Megan wade through the muddy pieces of her borderline-traumatic childhood & find herself, a better version of the daughter her mother raised. Nothing was more refreshing than seeing Tom break out of the cage his family & his own cowardice have confined him in for decades.

The characters were substantial & full of depth & complexity. I was completely invested in their individual inner conflicts & growth. Consequently, I was even more invested in their relationship.

The romance was IMPECCABLE. It felt raw, authentic & full of angst. This book is filled with the cutest & most endearing memories of their 12-year relationship & as the book went along, I fell more & more in love with their love. Their love was everything but shallow; it was profound, deep & mature. Something that is rare in rom-coms. Christie's prose was beautiful & emotional. Her writing had me highlighting lines here & there, as there were so many frame-worthy quotes. The book was extremely easy to read & flowed so well. It was easy to connect with the writing & I fell into Megan & Tom's world right away.

This book induced in me, a myriad of emotions, mini epiphanies & tugged at all my heartstrings. The ending had my heart swelling to twice its size.

I have decided to champion this book as one of the best contemporary romance releases of this year & would highly recommend this everybody. Despite the story sounding a little weighty, it definitely is still considered a light read that is substantial & memorable.

It brought me back to my days of my Sophie Kinsella binge-reads & this book was just as superb.

Was this review helpful?

Stuck in a timeloop on the day before their Wedding (think Groundhog Day!) Tom & Megan are trying to get themselves out of repeating the same day over and over. This gives them plenty of time to decide if they really do want to get married or not, especially as secrets, betrayal, regrets and lifechanging decisions to be made. Fuelled by family dramas, past choices and trying to work out what they really want in life and if that is each other before their big day! A romance story with a twist, that took me a little bit to get into but then had me hooked on how they could make changes on each repeat to get new info and get towards their ultimate version of the day and future.

Was this review helpful?

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Oh dear! What a wonderful read! I loved author's writing style.Even though this book contains one of my biggest pet peeves it was so much more. I loved it !Real people with real problems. I loved Meg and Tom and I loved their story. I would love to read an epilogue. 5 pull at your heart strings stars

Was this review helpful?