When I first read the book description for "The Near Miss" by Lily Joseph, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of fate bringing two people together through a series of near-misses. The initial setup of Wren and Nick's almost-encounters had me hooked, eagerly awaiting the moment when their paths would finally cross.

However, as the story progressed, I found myself growing a bit impatient with the prolonged build-up. While the concept of "near-misses" is charming (I mean I love the movie Serendipity exactly for this concept) the sheer number of accidents and coincidences started to feel a bit excessive at times.

That said, once Wren and Nick finally crossed paths in Italy, I became invested in their romance. Their chemistry and tension was palpable. They truly felt like two magnets attracting each other. There were a bit too many side-stories revolving around the "supporting" characters in my opinion as it took the focus away from Wren and Nick. As I already had to wait for quite a long time to finally see some interaction between them, I didn't want the focus to shift yet again to someone else. That being said, I still really enjoyed the side storyline involving Wren's father and his own self-discovery in Italy.

Overall, "The Near Miss" is a cozy, feel-good romance that hits its stride when Wren and Nick's interactions take center stage. I'd rate this book a solid 3 out of 5 stars - a cozy, enjoyable read with some room for improvement in the pacing department.

Thank you NetGalley for granting me an ARC of this book. This review reflects my own, honest and unbiased opinion.

The Near Miss by Lily Joseph is a sweet read that I enjoyed very much.

Lily and Wren seem to be living parallel lives, almost running into each other, meeting, and/or killing or maiming each other all over the place.

They finally run into each other while on holiday, but still don’t make the connection until later.

I really enjoyed the characters, who were easy to like and especially the secondary characters of Libby and Travis. I hope Libby gets a book!

This is a good book and would have only been better if Wren and Nick could have had more time together, I think the build up was a bit too long.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Title: The Near Miss By Lily Joseph

Release Date: July,10th 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

Nick and Wren are destined to cross paths, but they've never even met. However, fate has other plans in store. Wren, a local reporter craving a quiet life, finds herself stuck in a less-than-thrilling relationship with her controlling boyfriend, Alex. Meanwhile, Nick, a handyman reeling from a painful breakup, just wants to focus on his business and his daughter.

Their lives take an unexpected turn when Nick accidentally narrowly misses Wren with a sheet of glass while restoring an old bookshop. From there, a series of near misses and mishaps bring them closer together, culminating in a chance encounter in Italy's magical Blue Grotto in Capri.

In "The Near Miss" by Lily Joseph, readers are taken on a journey of a very long, slow burn romance. While the concept of near misses and mishaps adds a unique twist to the story, I did find it dragging and chaotic, particularly since the two main characters don't physically meet until halfway through the book.

However, despite these pacing issues, the novel remains an entertaining read.

Tropes:

Slow Burn Romance
Meet-Cute: Moments of near encounters or accidental meetings that bring the characters closer together.
Coincidental Meetings: Instances where the characters keep narrowly missing each other, adding to the tension and anticipation.
Chaotic Mishaps: Various accidents or mishaps that disrupt the characters' lives.
Entwined Destinies


I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.