The story is told in a dual timeline. The pacing starts slowly but then builds up. I was invested in the storyline and the characters. However the ending was so weak

After a promising start, I got bored with this novel. It became clear where things were going, and I lost interest and got frustrated by the countless back and forth in the timeline. This is an emotional story, with great characters, and at another time maybe I would have had more patience with them.

Not for me I’m afraid, I did try but I really struggled with the characters and couldn’t get into it

This book is deceptively simple- 40 year old Simon is at his wife’s hospital bedside and trying to talk to her, and reminisces about their relationship. It’s executed very well, through dual POV, and works as not just a sweet love story, but also a well-etched story about navigating your 20s and 30s. I liked that the book felt so true to life-the characters’ internal monologues are pitch-perfect, and the things that happen to them aren’t huge dramatic events like a lot of books feel they need to have- but that doesn’t make them insignificant. Getting a dream job that involves moving continents, holidays that go wrong, losing a loved one-all wonderfully captured with sensitivity and humour, much like life itself.
It would be a 5 star read, but there’s one aspect I’ve started noticing increasingly in books-chronicles of couples’ failures to conceive and the health problems that ensue. While this is a deeply painful experience for several women, I feel there should be more works of art that also explore adoption as an alternative to this, as focusing on women's infertility seems to suggest that a major part of womanhood is the ability to have a baby. Quite a bit of the book is taken up with this, and the couple don't consider adoption at all, it would have been nice if that had been thought of as an option.
I loved this book despite that-it captures the sort of conversations couples have very well ( I say very similar things to my husband!) Perfect for fans of David Nicholls.

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 • 𝟷𝟸 𝙷𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚂𝚊𝚢 𝙸 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞

~ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
~ @unuitdamour
~ Romance, Women’s Fiction

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸. 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 - 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸. 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭, 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘦, 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯.”

This was one of the best love stories I have ever read. This is that epic love that survives everything thrown at them, it’s a really emotional read that takes you through a rollercoaster of emotionally challenging moments this couple shared together. However, there were also more than their fair share of happy hilarious memories too. Ones that had me laughing out loud!

The thing that makes this book really unique is how it’s told. Main character Pippa has a car accident and she’s in a coma. The doctors tell Steve that the first 12 hours are really important and that be should talk to her, tell her why he loves her, and try and coax her back to the living world. The authors did this incredibly. The chapters were written by both authors and jumped back and forth between present and past, and the past was written from both Pippa’s and Steve’s perspectives. No one author wrote one character, but instead they interchanged, but it didn’t feel clunky at all.

This book covered a lot of really important topics, such as miscarriage, IVF, cancer and even jealousy and mental health, in a really formative way. The thoughts and feelings of the characters throughout weren’t muted, and the things they had to go through weren’t either.

While this is one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever read, I think it may also be one of the most important stories too. The only thing it was missing was an epilogue, it needed a bigger ending!

I highly recommend if you need a heartwarming and emotional read.

The title grabbed my attention and I enjoyed this romcom. Can't wait to read !pre from this author.

It took me a while to warm to the book as I felt the beginning was too drawn out. I didn't connect with the characters in the way I wanted to and I felt it had the potential to be so much better.

This book has been on the top of my TBR for months. I’m so excited I got a chance to read the ebook and the audiobook. I loved the two distinct voices of Pippa and Steve, as well as the flicking through from the present to the past to explain different aspects of their love story. It really shows the different parts of their personalities, their goals and fear and their different perceptions of the same situations. I loved hearing their voices in the text and through the narrators.

This was a really sweet love story. Obviously, like all couples, Pippa and Steve had their ups and downs but their love for each other was evident as they helped each other with the ups and downs. I loved the way the story pieced their lives back together after Pippa has a terrible accident and Steve sits by her bedside reminiscing on their life story. What I thought was interesting, and not something I read too often in British novels, was the open ending, when you’re not really sure what their next steps and interactions will be. Either the authors wanted to keep the ending ambiguous for the readers to imagine what happened next or they are hoping to set it up for a sequel where they develop Pippa and Steve’s story further. I really liked this novel and it will definitely be a great addition to my shelves, not least because of the stunning cover design!

This review has been made possible thanks to NetGalley and Hachette UK Adio and Headline for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is just beautiful.
I mean; I’m a hard person and this broke me.
Am I losing my thriller queen title. Who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️
The author tackles some difficult subjects in this book, but it is handled brilliantly
The book is very character driven. The one thing I did not expect from it, was just how thought provoking it was. Throughout the book, I was questioning myself and my actions and the actions of others
Reading this book, I had me before you vibes and Bridget Jones.
This is not a book I will forget

This is a dual timeline novel with two narrators- Pippa and Steve - looking back at their story through flashbacks as Pippa lays in a hospital bed. Sadly, this wasn't the charming romcom I'd hoped for and I found it difficult to connect with the characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

as i said on a recent review i just need to accept romances like this aren't for me!! i liked the concept, i liked the first couple of chapters and then i just didn't really want to go on. if you like romances then you'll probably like this!! it just wasn't for me

Gripping, moving and beautifully observed, this is a love story told from both sides, with warmth, tenderness and heart.
This is definitely one of those special books that I will keep on my shelves to go back to and reread. It says a lot that I am still thinking about this book a few days after finishing it - I will definitely be recommending this one!

What the what? Come back here and give me more!!! I’m not ready to let go of Pippa & Steve. I loved how it was written with different timelines and different pov’s. The characters are so flawed and perfect. The ending did leave something to be desired imo but I still loved the book.

This was a brilliant book full of emotion such a love story between two characters I loved Steve character he was caring loved his wife do anything for her . Pippa character was different to Steve she was more out going took risks and Steve just wanted a normal life. They were both great characters loved them both m. The story was amazing with great writing style and beautiful cover loved this book.

Steve Gallagher and Pippa Lyons meet at school. They later marry; now Pippa is in ICU in an induced coma after a serious car accident. The next 12 hours are critical and the doctors are encouraging Steve to talk to his wife but he doesn't know what to say, troubled by thoughts of where Pippa was going when the car crash occurred. It’s vital Steve tells Pippa why he loves her and through a series of flashbacks, the reader sees their relationship unfold whilst pondering whether or not Pippa will recover.

The authors' writing is fluid, the characters are believable and the story is chock full of raw emotion. Candid and amusing in parts, its simplicity also makes this special. A truly lovely tale.

A special thank you to Headline, Olivia Poulet and Laurence Dobiesz, NetGalley and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read. This review is my unbiased opinion.

When Steven receives a call that his wife has been in a car crash, there are so many unanswered questions. Where was she going? What was she doing? And what the hell happened?
As he finds his wife in a hospital bed, the doctors and nurses tell him to speak to his wife, because currently, that's all he can do.

This novel had potential and a great storyline, however, getting there was a little painful.
Written within two different timelines, two different POV's and even switching from the first person and third-person narrative, depending on the past of present timeline, was not the issue; the issue was the unnecessary narrative in different areas which, I felt, gave nothing to the novel. I understand that the point of the narrative was to take us through a journey of their romance, however, at times there were pieces of information that were not needed.

There were some very emotional scenes in this novel that I felt and these were written very well; I even shed tears reading it.

But it took a long time to get there, and so left the novel flat and in some places boring. And the ending... I was invested for more than a one-liner, this was truly disappointing.

I feel this novel could have had so much potential, it genuinely started off very well but was sadly let down.

Pippa has been in and a life-threatening car crash when the doctors tell her husband, Steve, that she may have 12 hours to live they encourage him to talk to her through her coma. What follows is a love story told in flashbacks with duel perspectives.

At times the story felt a little bit disjointed but overall it was entertaining.

This book was chaotic. It jumps in timeline (which I usually like) but it jumps around too much within each timeline. Each character was quirky and also chaotic. I feel like it was trying to tackle too much - a love story, infertility, cancer, finding oneself. The biggest problem I had, though, was that I didn’t believe the love story. I think Steve was infatuated with Pippa and the idea of someone like her liking him back and I think Pippa was just looking for comfort and dependability. I love sad stories but I just didn’t connect or feel anything for these characters.

Such an enduring story of life and how things can change in a moment! I love Pippa and Steve’s love story and how they endure tragedies but their love continues. This book made me laugh and cry! It made hopeful for them to succeed!

Through a series of flashbacks over 12 hours we find out about Steve and Pippa - their love, lives and friendship.
Sometimes emotional and always romantic this story is a wonderful snapshot of a relationship with all of its highs and lows.
From both points of view you get a flavour of the love between Steve and Pippa, and I loved the little shared stories. These little insights to their lives kept me guessing as to how this would end and it definitely made me want to keep my loved ones close.