This was my first book by Sophie Ranald and I had high hopes as I was expecting a funny, from-com, wedding story. Unfortunately, this did not meet my expectations.

I struggled to really get into the book and found it a bit boring. I found myself not liking the characters and got really confused when the pandemic suddenly made an appearance. Natalie was a bit of a doormat and just went along with everything. Archie was an absent fiancé and didn't seem to be an integral part of the story - despite being a main character. On a side note, I did like the interactions and relationships between Nat and her mother and grandfather.

The main focus of the book is Nat and the wedding planning - which her future MIL and SIL end up taking over - and Nat not having the confidence to speak up for herself and stand by what she wants for her wedding. The constant drama around that and her going to Archie to whine about it and ask him to speak to his family got old - as did Archie constantly saying it will be ok or telling Nat to speak up.

I found myself skimming portions when the wedding details were being discussed because I just didn't care and wanted to get to the end to see what happened. I kept expecting Archie to get "cancelled" as implied by the title but nothing really happened until the last few chapters of the book.

Overall, this just wasn't my cup of tea. I have read good things about Sophie Ranald's books so I will definitely give her another shot.

Natalie has a good life, and it’s made even more ‘complete’ by finding that her boyfriend Archie is now making that commitment and there is a wedding in the works. Sure, there were mishaps on the way to “The Question”, and Archie’s family is more than a bit different than hers, but she believes that their conversations about a quiet wedding with only a few guests – all close family and friends, is how things will be.

Of course, she doesn’t have the time for cold feet, even as a quiz in a beauty-shop magazine leads her to all sorts of second thoughts, and even when she’s faced with Archie’s mum and the wedding planner from hell (or some celebrity adventure, you pick) and Natalie feels all at sea. Particularly when Archie is AWOL, no one is listening to her, and her tendency to ‘doormat’ to stronger, and ostensibly wiser, voices take command. I liked Natalie and particularly when she was talking with her grandfather and his cat / companion: their love showed clearly, and Natalie did shine there. But against other bolder, more outspoken and far more ‘grab what they want and to hell with everyone else’ attitudes, Natalie did pale in comparison. And far from other titles that I’ve read from Ranald, I didn’t see a huge growth spurt for Natalie: she didn’t get better at speaking her own mind, or saying no, or even really making herself heard. Not with her prospective mother-in-law, the wedding planner who everyone will love to dislike, or even with Archie. When she could buttonhole him into a discussion.

There were some ‘adjustments” to characters – Archie's mother and one sister did manage to change in ways that felt jarring and not quite true to what we had come to know – but maybe I’m quibbling as the rush to a happy ending was close? But, if you’ve read others from this author, you’ll see a couple of familiar faces in this one, and some truly clever moments that, while over the top, are giggle-inducing and keep a lightness that is offset (quite surprisingly) by the moments of Natalie with her grandfather and her worries for and about him. Perhaps not quite what I expected, but the chance to read a wedding planning fiasco from the bride’s perspective (and not the planner) with a truly wonderful, if needing to find more backbone heroine in Natalie made this a decent escapist read and is sure to please many.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aWi /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I had to DNF this at 27%. I just could not get into it. I’m really sad because I had heard some good things about it. I’m still going to give it a try later but for now it’s going back on the shelf.

Another cute story! Huge fan of this book and loved the characters. Very enjoyable! Definitely recommend picking up!

3 1/2 stars

Archie is treating Natalie very sweetly and Nat’s first thought is that he must have done something wrong because isn’t this how guys act when they need to be forgiven? When they’re out-and-about, a spill brings Archie to his knees and while he’s there, he asks Nat to marry him. Although they haven’t been together long, she agrees in He’s Cancelled by Sophie Ranald.

I don’t usually waffle on reviews, but, be warned, this is going to be one carb-laden breakfast food review.

First off, I was so happy to read about the character of Natalie who is sporty, actually plays football (soccer to the Americans) and who is not obsessed with fashion, celebrity, and reality TV shows. She’s a physiotherapist who likes to eat and be comfortable. What a nice change of pace! Likewise, her fiancé, Archie is awkward but wonderful. He can cook like a gourmet but cause the kitchen to be a disaster zone as he goes. All of the characters are kind of quirky in their own way, likable and not likable at times.

He’s Cancelled is centered mostly around Nat’s future in-laws (mother and sister), planning her wedding for her in the way that her future SIL had planned her wedding that did not happen right down to making Nat choose the same dress. And, the “making” Nat choose is one of the problems with this novel. Nat lets people walk all over her and that is not a fun character quality to read about for pages on end.

Now, perhaps rightly or wrongly, I was waiting for the title to happen. I presumed the one to be “cancelled” was Archie. I was waiting for Archie to show his true colors and become a pig. In this case, the title is misleading, kind of like one of those headlines on grocery store rags or the bait-and-switch web articles that lead you to believe something that’s not true. No one was cancelled. In retrospect, I wonder how much I kept reading just to see that happen?

Besides Nat’s wedding planning, there is a lot happening with Nat’s mum, her grandfather, and best work friends. These are all likable characters and I enjoyed reading about them, especially the sweet grandfather and his cat, Theresa.

At some point though, I reached saturation when things just seemed to go on-and-on. Nat’s inability to act in her own best interest grew tiresome and then likewise Nat grew a little tiresome despite the fact that I had enjoyed her character up to that point. Some of the dialogue became passages of talk that did nothing to direct the plot and led me to believe that some ruthless editing would have been welcome.

Coincidence was also used a little to often. How often are you likely in London to be passing a restaurant and recognize someone sitting there? Once in a novel, but twice?

So, yes. He’s Cancelled was a book that I read and mostly enjoyed but which also tested my credulity and patience. There were funny bits and sad bits and it ended with covid bits. It did give me a taste of this author and her writing and intrigued me enough to want to read more of her books.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cute romance! This is perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella. Nat gets engaged to Archie and his family is taking over the wedding preparations. Everything that can go wrong in a wedding, does go wrong.
If you are planning your own wedding, this will be a nice break from your own plans.
I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGallery for a chance to review this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a light read for my mini summer vacation this past week. Natalie's in-laws trouble was very relatable, and there were definitely some laugh-out-loud points in the story. But Archie? Nope, just nope. While the total avoidance of anything to do with the wedding was understandable, given his character, choosing not to bring up Bill's behavior with Nat even after he came to know of it? That's just plain cowardice and did not sit well with me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Archie is not a romantic but honestly Nat doesn’t mind. They have a loving relationship and after a year Archie pops the big question. Nat feels pressure from all angles whilst wedding planning, she’s convinced Archie’s family don’t like her. And after they offer to pay for the wedding, Nat feels all the decisions being taken away from her and Archie doesn’t seem to care. Nat also wants to make sure her Grandad can make the wedding, which shortens the timescale and after he falls ill it adds a whole new pressure. She wants to get married - doesn’t she?

I like Sophie’s books, they’re easy reads and I like the crossover between characters. However this one for me fell a bit flat. I just wanted Natalie to stand up for herself, and useless Archie to show he cared about her. Ever heard of happy wife happy life Archie?? The fact he couldn’t be bothered to even try and help her reign his family in said volumes. The eventual stand Nat takes felt a bit anticlimactic and that it came a bit out of nowhere? I think Natalie deserved better. I loved her friends they were super supportive and had her back.

Overall an easy read!

Thank you NetGalley, author Sophie Ranald, and Bookouture publishing for giving me a free arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 stars
This was my third book by author Sophie Ranald. After reading, "Thank you, Next" and "No, We Can't Be Friends," She has been an author that I ask for arcs copies every time I see a new release available. While I have liked the last two books, this book fell a little short of my expectations.
When Natalie accepts her boyfriend's Archie's proposal after six months of dating, she decides to plan a simple wedding ceremony and reception at the local pub. But Archie's family is wealthy and offer to pay for the whole wedding. Natalie's wedding plans go out the window, when Archie's mother and Daisy, Archie's sister, begin to take over the wedding planning, in order to plan the best wedding. As the wedding day looms closer, the amount of invited guests have reached into the hundreds, the dress is puffy, and the wedding will be held in a stately house.
Will this be the wedding of Natalie's dream or her worst nightmare?
This book had no real purpose outside of showing the aggravations that come with planning your wedding vs the wedding your future in-laws want. Many of these characters were not likeable. Natalie was just complaining throughout the entire book about the lack of choices and voice she has in her wedding plans as well as the lack of support her partner Archie is giving her. Archie was just acting like a guy. He was always pushing off making choices in planning their wedding as well as giving Natalie the support she needed when dealing with his family especially his mother and sister. The only likeable character was Natalie's grandpa. I loved the support and advice he gave to Natalie throughout the story. There was very little I would consider romantic or comedic within this story. I would consider this book more of a contemporary fiction. The ending wrapped up the story lines well. I would like to read more books by this author in the future.

3 and a half stars - with thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really like Sophie Ranald's books and that they are all written in the same universe with overlapping characters and features like The Ginger Cat.

But... I felt this one was lacking some of the usual sparkle and it just left me feeling a little flat. This is a story of wedding planning going wrong and whilst the romcom element was definitely there, I didn't find the humour so much. From the dragon mother in law trope to the repeated mention of how crazy expensive this wedding would be, this just didn't connect for me and I wasn't drawn into it like Sophie's other books.

That said, it's not a bad read and it was an easy and nice way to wile away a few hours. I really like Sophie's writing style and her characters are pretty relatable.

If you're a seasoned Sophie fan don't be disappointed by this solid piece of chick lit and if you're new then do definitely check out her other books!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'He's Cancelled' by Sophie Ranald

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sophie Ranald, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 23rd June 2021.

This is the first book I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its intriguing cover and its hilarious sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of rom coms by Sophie Kinsella, Shari Lowe and Lindsey Kelk, and movies like Bridesmaids will be glued to the pages of this feel-good page-turner.' I am a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella and the movie 'Bridesmaids' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 29 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in England, UK 🇬🇧 . I always enjoy when books are partly or fully set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact visited and gone on holiday in England on many occasions so am looking forward to possibly recognising name places.

This book is written in first person perspective and the main protagonist is Natalie. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them.

What an absolutely fantastic laugh a minute must read!!! Absolutely loved it fairplay!!! This book has fantastic descriptions that set you straight in the scenes. The cover, title and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.

The storyline itself was absolutely unputdownable so make sure you clear your schedules before starting to read it!! I absolutely LOVED that each chapter began with a quiz on whether you were ready to get married or not and then that the chapter that followed answered it for Natalie. It was a fantastic touch and really worked well. Fans of the Bridget Jones books and movies will absolutely lap this one up!!! It was a light hearted, easy read which made me laugh out loud so many times I lost count. The ending was completely unexpected so a HUGE well done Sophie as being a romcom it is easy to go down the predictable route but you completely avoided it!!! I also enjoyed the fact that towards the end of the book it becomes the reality that we have all been living in during these days of lockdown which makes the storyline even more realistic than it already was.

The characters were all an eclectic mix and each one of them were realistic and strong. I was completely invested in them especially Natalie who I thought was a fantastic female role model!!! Much more realistic than many romances I have previously read. Natalie is no stay at home wife, enjoys her football and has such a likeable personality. I'm so glad that the book ended the way it had for them. It wasn't only Natalie I was invested in nor Archie alone. I also really enjoyed 'meeting' Poppy, Freya, Daisy, Keith, Yvette, Emma, Robin and Max. I absolutely adored Natalie's relationship with both her Mum and Grandad and who can forget the feisty Teresa!!

A MASSIVE WELL DONE to Sophie on a HUGE success!!! I loved every page of your book and I cannot wait to read more past and future. Welcome to my top 3 favourite romcom authors list!!

Overall an unputdownable laugh a minute light hearted romcom that will have you staying up late at night to finish it.


Genres covered in this book include Romance Novel, Humorous Fiction, Contemporary Romance and Domestic Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Sophie Kinsella, Bridget Jones, Bridesmaids movie and anyone looking for a good laugh.


288 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Natalie is more than excited and thrilled when her boyfriend, Archie, proposes marriage. She doesn’t hesitate to accept his proposal, but from the moment she does, her life is turned upside down.

There’s no way Archie’s mother will let them have a small wedding. In fact, there’s no way she will let Natalie have anything to say about the wedding. Even the wedding dress decision is taken out of her hands by Archie’s sister.

Natalie doesn’t want to cause problems, but she’d like to have a say in her own wedding. Archie is no help as he manages to always find something to keep him away and out of this mess. He’s perfectly happy letting Natalie deal with his domineering family.

With all the craziness going on, Natalie is ready to throw in the towel and cancel the whole thing.

There are so many “laugh out loud” moments in this one. I just kept shaking my head and screaming at Natalie to tell them all off and walk way from it. Of course, that’s always easier said than done. Part of me could understand her wanting to keep the peace, but the other part of me kept thinking it’s her big day and she should be part of the decisions.

Archie really annoyed me. He didn’t seem to be able to stand up to anyone. His answer was to hide and leave Natalie to face everything on her own. However, he does have a soft spot for cats so that kind of won me over 😀

I enjoyed the author’s writing style. She has a great talent for writing both humor and emotional moments. There were some scenes with Natalie and her own family that warmed my heart and were poignant. Very sweetly done.

It’s a “feel good” type of story that makes you smile and even brings a few tears along the way. I’ve never read anything by this author before so I’ll be sure to check her backlist. It looks like I have some fun books to look forward to reading.





FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This has been a great, fun read. I loved the opening and the less than perfect proposal, as it set the tone of the book up nicely!

Natalie is a likeable and relatable, girl-next-door type character. She is well developed and we get to see that she is family orientated, dedicated to her job, faithful to her partner and overall just quite a low-maintenance, caring and lovely person.

The book is written from Natalie’s point of view so I definitely got a sense of her relationship with Archie. It is believable and realistic but as the story progresses I found myself getting annoyed with his actions! It is clear though, underneath it all that he clearly cares for Natalie, so can they make it work?

This is a heart-warming and fun book about navigating family dynamics, remembering what’s important in life and standing up for yourself.

I would definitely recommend this book and author to fans of Shari Low, Lindsey Kelk and Kristin Bailey.

Nat and Archie have lived together for awhile now. Archie owns a craft beer shop and he is struggling to make a go of it. Nat is a physiotherapist who works in a hospital. Now, Archie has asked Nat to marry him and they are delighted.

They want a small wedding with a reception at their local pub, but Archie’s wealthy and pushy mother wants them to have an elaborate affair. Nat is pushed into a spectacular venue, expensive gown and reception. She is not happy about it and wishes Archie would tell his mother to back off and let them plan their wedding the way they want. He keeps reassuring her that she can tell his mother herself but she just doesn’t have the nerve to do so.

Nat is a nice person and so is Archie. However, he is typically leaving all of the wedding planning, including dealing with his pushy parents up to her. That’s not fair because she wants to always have a good relationship with her in-laws but going along with everything they want is exhausting for her. Finally, she’s had enough and lets it fly.

I liked the characters and of course, my favorite character is Teresa, the cat. It’s nice to see how these people grow and mature even when they are already at a matured age. A clever story with a few hiccups along the way. All in all, I think readers will enjoy this romance.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the first book I have read by Sophie Ranald. It won’t be the last.

When Archie proposes to Nat after just 6 months together she was surprised but said yes and was looking forward to planning a small low key wedding in a registry office.

Archies mother is a little overbearing and has other ideas for the wedding which is quickly becoming out of hand.

This is a lonely summer easy read that made me laugh out loud.

BOOKWORMS REVIEW:

Natalie and Archie havent been going out that long but he has proposed and she has said yes. Hes the only son of Yvonne and Keith,a very well off couple,and only brother to Daisy and Poppy. Natalie would love a low key registry office and pints at their local The Ginger Cat,and a knees up with close friends and family. Yvonne and Archie's sister Daisy have other ideas that are less pints at the local and more photoshoots and flamingos at a country Manor!
Of course things get out of hand,Natalie is stressing over this massive expense but Archie's parents are paying so she feels obliged to let them throw the wedding they want. It's only one day,right?
With Archie not chipping in in any capacity Natalie is left to bite the bullet with the in laws. An enjoyable read,light hearted and fun.

With thanks to NetGalley ,Bookouture and Sophie Ranald for an ARC in exchange of my honest review.
MY RATING: 📘📘📘📘

He’s Cancelled was an interesting romance with so laugh out loud moments and a lot of drama. I really liked how the quiz was incorporated into the story because I found it to be entertaining. The only person out of Archie’s family that I liked was Poppy because she didn’t come across as selfish or stuck up. I found Archie, Daisy and Yvonne to be awful characters. There was also a moment when I wanted to smack Archie up the side of the head in regards to something that happened with him me of his friends.

I liked Nat but there were times when she really annoyed me and I found myself wishing that she would stick up for herself. I loved the relationship that she had with her mum and grandfather. My favourite characters were Nat’s grandfather and his cat because they were so entertaining.

Another great read by Sophie Ranald. I wanted to hug Nat so many times whilst reading this book, I was stressed for her. Nat was a likeable character who was trying to I right by everybody, ultimately that didn't work out but she was so caring and compassionate. I love Sophie's wit and found myself laughing several times throughout the book. I also a appreciate the fact that a cat is part of the storyline. A wonderful read.

While this is mostly a romcom it wasn’t the comedy aspect that I enjoyed the most, but the relationships between the characters. The dreaded mother in law to be with high expectations for her only son, the colleagues and patients in the hospital where Natalie works as a physiotherapist, her friendship/relationship with her mum and what a refreshing change to have a single mum cast in a fantastic light , extra star for that. My personal favourite was her beloved grandad and it brought back so many fond memories of my own.

After Archie’s whirlwind proposal, Natalie is browsing through wedding magazines in the hairdressers when she comes across a quiz. I loved the clever touch that each following chapter is then headed with a multiple choice question and answers from that.

While this should be mostly about her and Archie I found that although I liked him at the start and thought what a fun relationship they had he turned into a bit of a damp squib. Alarm bells soon started to ring rather than wedding bells.

Natalie was a great character and another bonus point that she is a young woman who is down to earth, up for a laugh and doesn’t take life too seriously, plays sports and isn’t your usual whiny high maintenance annoyance. Leave all that to the dreaded mother in law Yvonne.

A light and breezy book which gave me some giggles and warmed my heart. If you are looking for something fun and easy with some brilliant characters then look no further.

Oh .. what can I say. I would probably die with my self-confidence if I found in simmilar situation. Imagine getting engaged after a short time of beeing together and being pushed into organizing a wedding with your mother in low. Who is very dominant. And you just want simple things. Go slowly. I admired Natalie. And I had to learn to love others. We are all different. In the end, it was curious. All emotions in one book.

We thank Netgallwy.com and Bookouture for a wonderful opportunity to read this book. All thoughts are mine