Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I ended up DNFing this one because I just wasn't liking it. I felt like the characters were unlikeable and the story just wasn't working for me.

I hope others love this one!

This was unfortunately a miss for me. DNF at 30%.

The writing in the third person felt really disconnected for this kind of romance novel and I really felt it kept me at arm's distance with the characters. By 30% I hadn't warmed to either of the main characters.

The pacing was incredibly slow. So many side characters and sub plots. Wren is still in a relationship with another guy and we see SO much of that (painful, toxic) relationship playing out while the two main characters haven't met yet.

The premise is great, I love the idea, but at 30% in and the characters haven't even met yet (apparently they don't meet until 50% in!), there's nothing keeping me engaged here,

I NEED SPARKS! I NEED LOOKS ACROSS A CROWDED ROOM! I NEED BUTTERFLIES! I NEED SWOONING!

And this book didn't have any of that in the first 30%.

Also, as a non-British reader (who lived in the UK for ten years as well!), I found the northern slang and phrases used quite jarring. Most people wouldn't know what these words or phrases mean. I knew a few of them, but even the ones I knew really felt unnecessary. Anyone outside of the UK would struggle with this. I get that this is a UK publication, but why not make it accessible for a world-wide audience?

As an author I really HATE giving bad reviews. Because I know how much time and heart go into writing a novel, and I know how much it sucks when people don't love your book as much as you do.

But THIS BOOK COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT!

The premise is SO CUTE and the writing is GOOD (apart from the things mentioned above which are easy fixes!) But I honestly think this book could have been incredible with a few small changes.

Switch the book to first person for a start. They meet at the very start of the book and there are SPARKS and a VIBE, numbers are exchanged and then phones and numbers are lost! They go on with their lives but keep thinking about that night they met, HOPING that one day they will find each other again, and so ensue the near misses! But the reader is rooting for them! Wanting them desperately to find each other until eventually they do, but then maybe they are in other relationships, it's been a few years, they have to work out how to navigate all that so we still get the conflict and high stakes there, but we really WANT them to make it work!

But as it stands, it's regrettably two stars from me.

the near miss? more like this is a full on miss. dnf @ 29%. shouldve known when this already has a 3.2 rating and it hasn't even been published yet.

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review in which all opinions are my own.

I have to stop attempting to reading romance books by authors that are not my small select few insta-buy authors that I know I can trust. yet occasionally I try. why?

this concept was cute, execution [to where I got up to] not so much. the characters were annoying, poorly written, some of them insufferable, and lacklustre. it felt too much "telling" rather than showing. some of the dialogue was just bad. I couldn't keep putting myself through it when I had zero interest left. this felt slow, nothing was really happening besides annoying characters being annoying and putting up with ridiculous scenarios. I know writing a book is no easy feat, so I can commend Lily Joseph for trying. the premise was genuinely cute and I wish it was better executed!

there were also some weird grammatical errors? also, don't write a dual POV book but write the characters in third person, that doesn't make a lot of sense...

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book to review 📚

The first thing I will acknowledge is that I read an earlier release version of this book. Following feedback from reviewers, the book was re-released as an ARC with adjustments to pacing. I think this was a good choice, however having not read the edited version I’m not sure how much this changed the story. Pacing was definitely an issue in the earlier version of the story, so hopefully it helped resolve some of the issues.

I thought Wren as a main character was likeable and I enjoyed her story, where as I found Nick a little two dimensional. Given Wren was still in a relationship until at least 50% the way through, I found it hard to root for the relationship with Nick, because there weren’t enough scenes of them together.

In terms of the overall plot, I loved Edie’s character and the whole Community Kitchen storyline, but I think there were a few too many sub plots that made it hard to get emotionally involved with any of them. But the prose was well written and I liked the authors writing style.

As a debut novel, I think this shows real promise, and I hope the changes to the book will make the readers properly fall in love with Wren and Nick!

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with the eARC of The Near Miss in exchange for an honest review of the book!

Unfortunately, this was not it for me. I love the premise of this book and it sounded like a really fun read but unfortunately the writing was so stressful for me to read that this didn't feel like a fun experience lol. The writing definitely needs some work. It felt like things were all over the place and it felt pretty chaotic. I do believe if the writing was executed better, I would enjoy this much more.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ebook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Near Miss is a sweet romantic comedy that hit every beat. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the layers to the story, and all of the coincidences that lined up like fate. However, the numerous “near misses” towards the end became a bit frustrating Fewer of those moments would have allowed more time for the relationship to blossom. Despite this, I look forward to reading more from Lily Joseph!

I’ll be recommending this book to fans of Josie Silver, Katherine Center, and 2000s RomComs.

This is billed as a lighthearted comedy but it does also have a serious side e.g. the situation of an estranged dad who wants to see more of his young daughter.
The story starts with a window falling from the first floor of a bookshop and narrowly missing causing serious injuries to our heroine. It continues with more and more accidents happening whenever the two main characters are near to each other. Just like the title, there are so many near misses that it can’t be coincidence and it is clear that the catalyst is these two getting together. Despite everything will they or won’t they. I won’t spoil the ending!

Thank you to Net Galley nd the publisher for providing a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and read it very quickly.

This story is about the overlap in lives and the role that fate plays in brining people together. What a great story that shows we are all interconnected and our relationships are what we make of them. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a story about fate and time, about finding your person when you least expect it, about invisible strings that tie people together. I love the concept of invisible stings, but more than that i love when characters, even being so connected through an invisible bond, take their time to meet each other. It's pretty impressive how many near-misses happened before Wren and Nick were able to finally meet, how fate kept dragging them together, but at the same time also keeping them apart, because they were not ready for each other at that moment.

I really loved the concept, and even though the amount of near-misses felt like too much at some point, the longing for the meeting was worth it! When Wren and Nick finally met I literally was screaming because from there everything made sense, every small detail played out from that moment and I really loved how Lily Joseph was able to craft this whole scenario in this book. I loved the dynamic between main characters, but also I loved how interconnected their lives were, how even their upbringings were structured in favour of finally drawing them together. The background characters were also fascinating, sometimes I was thinking that I want to read more about Edie than about main characters because of how interesting her life seemed, how she captured my attention from the very first appearance.

Wren was an interesting heroine and it was amazing to follow her through her path of self-acceptance and self-discovery. I loved that by the end of this book she was able to find her own voice, to step up for herself. The side story with her father was incredibly touching, And their bond felt very precious to me. sometimes we all are feeling like Wren and we need a little push from fate to keep moving, keep discovering ourselves and the world around us.

As for Nick, I really wanted to like him as strongly as I liked Wren, but something just wasn't working for me. I still enjoyed the romantic aspect and his journey, but I felt like he's not my person.

Still, the chemistry between Wren and Nick was undeniable, it radiated through pages so brightly and, moreover, I feel like that chemistry was noticeable even before their first personal encounter. I absolutely enjoyed their journey together, how they felt that connection and built that bond, how such a concept as people help people describes them perfectly.

So, why am i rating this book three stars in this case? I had several problems with this book and the first one and the main one, sadly, was that I got a bit bored in the first half of this book. I don't think that having both POVs for different near-misses was needed, the plot felt dragged out because of that and I really was contemplating if I should just skip some chapters or not. Don't get me wrong, in the end the wait made sense, but still.

I also think that some plot-related events should've happened on pages rather than being just briefly mentioned. Like the situation with Wren's ex-boyfriend, for example. I understand that it would've made this book longer, but important stuff that affects the whole plot drastically should not be left off-screen.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's a fluffy summery romcom that explores the concept of invisible strings, of finding your person when the right time comes. It made me laugh, it made me cry a bit, it brought all the feels a good romcom should bring, so I absolutely enjoyed this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

“Sometimes fate just steps in and doesn’t give you a choice. It’s not about being strong and capable; it’s about accepting that there are things you can’t change”

Two people, Nick and Wren, are destined to meet or there are accidents upon accidents. Their intertwined stories and paths keep you on your toes. From a window almost hitting Wren’s head to Nick having an allergic reaction caused indirectly by Wren, these two are definitely fated or doomed to meet. However, in between these catastrophic events, a beautiful love story is set to start.

“They were like magnets, not just now, but ever since the moment they’d met on the beach. Finding and losing each other but being drawn together back somehow”

This is a light and quick read, filled with funny and good feeling moments. The main characters are likable and charming and their love story is quite interesting and dynamic. Both have to overcome past relationships, Wren more recently than Nick, and, therefore, learn to love again. If you want a fast-paced, romantic read, this is for you.

Overall, I would give this story a 4,5/5. It was such a fun read and I was enjoying it immensely. Truth be told, I would have loved more romantic moments between the characters or an epilogue of them in the future.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for sharing an arc with me in exchange for an honest review.

I know the title is “Near Miss” but I wish it only happened once — after a while, the almost meetings, accidents and trouble were tiring and unnecessary. I liked the chemistry between Wren and Nick but it wasn’t enough to keep me interested during the book.

I DNF at 30%. I just couldn't get into it and all the near misses/missed connections drove me nuts.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, but this one wasn't for me.

I typically love a slow burn, but I felt that there were one too many near misses in this book and it began to frustrate me. I can definitely see others loving it though.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I’m sure others enjoyed it, and I can see why. But unfortunately for me I struggled to relate to this book.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the idea of this and the plot was okay but there seemed to be some missteps.

I DNF at 22%. I just couldn't get into it and all the near misses/missed connections drove me nuts.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, but this one wasn't for me.

A strange series of uncanny events, with straightforward writing but an unclear direction.

The characters continuously circle around each other, both have grown comfortable with less than ideal lifestyles.

Many of the secondary characters are quite unlikable, but we still experience these relationships as the characters continue to cross paths without interacting. However, each action in one place eventually threatens the life of the other.

This is not your typical romance, but it is enjoyable if you know what to expect.

This is such a cute book! I love stories about missed connections and crazy meet cutes. I thought the author was so creative in the circumstances that brought Nick and Wren together. This is her debut romance novel and I thought that the writing was great, I enjoyed the pace of the story, and getting to know all of the characters and relationships. Lily Joseph does a fantastic job at describing the settings and making you feel like you’re there. After several almost moments in their hometown of Northumberland, Nick and Wren both travel to Italy on different vacations, and that is where they finally end up meeting, which I loved. If you’re looking for a light, easy and fun read, then I definitely recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this eARC with me!

The book took a while to get into. But both characters were likable. The story was also predictable, but fun with its various twists and turns.

British MCs
Duel POV (in 3rd person)
Romcom
Vacation/holiday romance
Single dad
Slow burn
Fade to black
HEA

Lily Joseph's writing was fantastic & the story was enchanting! I couldn't put this book down. I cannot wait to read more stories by Lily in the future.

The amount of odd coincidences this pair encounter before (& afterwards too!) actually meeting face to face on their separate holidays in Italy is laugh out loud funny. This read will convince you that fate is real! I really enjoyed the British slang & references (more brownie points given for embracing them being Northerners!). The main characters, Wren & Nick, were very relatable. The story pacing was well thought out. Usually a slow burn, fade to black doesn't tickle my fancy, but I seriously enjoyed this read & will be recommending to everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lily Joseph for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.