Never Saw You Coming

I think this book has the potential to be as successful as 'The Switch' was in 2019. I thought it was a great read and absolutely fell in love with the story. Could not put it down once I started. Will be looking out for more books by Hayley Doyle in the future.

The story of Zara and Jim. A fun and entertaining read, but I would have liked to have had more of an epilogue to see what ahppened to them next.

Looking forward to more fromthis author.

I really enjoyed Never Saw You Coming by Hayley Doyle. It’s the first book I’ve read by this author and after this one I look forward to reading more.

It follows the lives of Zara and Jim. Zara lives in Dubai has a fairly privileged life and totally believes in love. So much so she’s willing to swap her sun drenched life for the colder climbs of Liverpool to begin her new life with Nick - a man she barely knows. On the other hand, Jim is in a dead end job, dotes on his mother but isn’t really going anywhere in life until he receives a phone call that could change everything!

Fate steps in and Zara and Jim meet!

Well written and enjoyable I found this book easy to read and hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

What happens when you take a chance to change your life and its not what you expect? Meet Zara, impulsively leaving Dubai to start a new life and college degree in Liverpool. A story of twists and characters from different countries, lifestyles and experience but always wanting to belong to someone special. A story to make you smile and roll your eyes with frustration as the characters procrastinate. The ending takes you by surprise but ends up leaving you with a smile.

This was an excellent read. Engaging from the start with two very compelling lead characters. Jim and Zara were funny, frustrating, sympathetic, and very real. I found myself laughing and crying at various points in their journey. Good supporting characters as well with Jim’s mother and his friends. I wish we could have seen where they went next but I guess sometimes a good story leaves you wanting more. Definitely a must read.

I am unsure where to start with this book. Overall I really enjoyed it; however, I feel I’ve had a bit of a love/hate relationship with it.

The start of the book was slow and difficult to engage with. The scouse wording was accurate but really annoying. I live near Liverpool and know people call Asda ‘the Asda’ but reading it really irked me. Also, we all speak the word ‘me’ when we mean ‘my’ but, again, I found this quite annoying to read. However, reference to the bizzies, etc made me chuckle.

I absolutely loved Jim. Him and Zara were really well written and their characters were so well described that I feel I know them. Jim and Zara’s story was interesting and I felt hooked to the story from the 50% mark.

The ending fell a little flat as it seemed a bit rushed. Big gaps missing of how and why things happened for both Jim and Zara.

I realise I’ve moaned quite a bit, but overall I did enjoy this and would recommend it to others.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book.

A lovely book about life surprises about falling in love when you least expect it a book with lovely characters surprises and questions.Highly recommend.#netgalley#avonbooksuk

A must read!

This story was so lovely! Zara and Jim's story started off with a bang and ended sweetly. This is the first book I have read by Hayley Doyle and it will not be the last! Perfect little romance!

Crazy and fun

Events become out of control when the unexpected occurs.

Incurable romantic Zara Khoury decides to leave Dubai and join her 'boyfriend' Nick in Liverpool. Without letting him know her plans, her intention is to to surprise him on his birthday. Although they met for only a few minutes in Dubai, by using the internet Zara and Nick's friendship has blossomed into a true romance/committed relationship. However when Zara arrives in Liverpool it's not the surprise she hoped for when she finally encounters him.

Jim Glover isn't an adventurous type, he's settled into a dull job and lives a quiet life mostly caring for his invalid mother. One day he receives an amazing phone-call that dramatically alters his life. The morning after his wild night of celebration, Jim encounters Zara and from then onwards everything changes for them both. They meet, they part, they meet again, first appearances are not always as they seem. Jim needs a shake up to become more daring and Zara could be the person to help him?

A delight to read and thoroughly recommended.

ARC supplied by NetGalley, this review is my own honest opinion and completely unbiased.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon UK for the chance to read and review it early. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a real fun book. The story revolves around polar opposite characters Jim and Zara and I loved the different dynamics that was portrayed in the story. The opposite attracts theme with amiable secondary characters made this a totally fun and entertaining romance read. I enjoyed my time reading this. The straightforward writing style and more than good storyline made this one of the cutest book I reviewed this year.

Coming to the attractive cover and the secondary characters - especially Jim's mom and her friends , made this book an even better read. I loved it and though it was my first Haley Doyle book , it certainly wasn't my last. I really enjoyed reading this and it was certainly worth my time and review. I recommend it to all rom-com lovers. I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I did.

Thank you and Happy reading!

I am a sucker for a love story, even more so when the cover is as gorgeous as this one. This has been a delight to read and I haven't wanted to put it down.
This is a fantastic debut novel from a new author, I am excited to see what the future holds.
This is a book which has been filled with surprises. The plot is extremely compelling and has kept me gripped throughout.
This book has made me laugh out loud and feel as though I have been going to cry. The story has kept my interest and has been an utter delight to read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This book was so easy to get into and as a scouser I LOVED the Liverpool setting... I walk past the bombed out church everyday, I see the graduations from work on Hope Street. The author did a great job of bringing Liverpool to life hopefully for non scousers too.

Zara and Jim are likeable unconventional stars of this book who meet randomly, Zara, a visitor to Liverpool needs Jim's help when her plans go astray. Jim goes against type and ends up in Zara's unpredictable world but it gives him an opportunity to see that life is worth more than sitting in a tunnel booth everyday not living your best life!

A whole range of characters support this charming tale, especially liked Snowy, Jim's best mate and Jim's mum which added layers to the tale.

A really comforting January read... Oh and yes, 'The Asda'.

Thanks to net galley for the opportunity to review this book. This is my honest opinion.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
What an unpredictable read! I didn't know what was going to happen next. The plot definitely had a life of it's own.
I feel like Jim and Zara were so well fleshed out as characters that I now know them personally. The sadness of their situations, but also the changes they eventually made were well worth discovering.
Would've loved a longer epilogue but maybe that's just me.

I really enjoyed this book, I didn't want to put it down!

Zara can be quite impulsive which added to the fun of the story, andwhen she flies to Liverpool from Dubai to meet the dubious Nick it doesn't work out exactly as she had planned, but not one to be left miserable for long, she picks herself back up and gets on with it which is when she quite literally bumps into Jim.

Jim came accross as a generally nice guy who life hasn't always worked out for and I found myself hoping that they would both see the best in each other and make each other happy.

The book didn't always take me where I thought it was going to but I loved the little twists, my only disapointment was that I was left wanting to hear more about Jim and Zara and would have loved another chapter or two...who knows maybe there will be a sequal....I certainly hope so!

Never saw you coming, moves around Zara Khoury and Jim Glover. They are our main leads who are worlds apart.

Zara coming from a rich and well off family is a well-written character. She is a believer of true love and is ready to climb any height s for it. In this case, she leaves behind the sunny scapes of Dubai for cold and drenched life of Liverpool, all for a guy she barely knows. Her character is fun and entertaining but quite impulsive, which shows through her journey to meet Nick.

Jim is a doting son and works through a dead-end job just to be close to his mother in Liverpool. He is also a firm believer of true love but has given up hope of finding his. (So…agreed)

The story is well developed and characters likable. It is a perfect light reading for a weekend. This book takes time to trap you in the story. For me, it was after half the novel that I wanted to be sucked into the book.

The starting is a bit slow and difficult to read as the author has included the accurate dialect wording of Liverpool in writing, which takes time to grasp onto.

The characters of Jim and Zara were well defined and easy to relate to. The descriptions were so accurate that you feel like you know them personally.

The ending was a bit rushed, but still fun to read.

In conclusion, this is a light one time read. This book is for you if you are into witty impulsive female leads and a sucker for love stories.

This is a book about personal growth and opportunity as both Zara and Jim decided to free themselves of their escapism and actually live. A coincidental meeting created the lives they deserved to live as they took advantage of their true talent. They both realized they had both living surface lives and just treading along. I would love to see what happened after their final meeting at the chippy shop!

Cover to cover in one sitting! Couldn’t put it down! You won’t be disappointed! Hen you think your having a bad day someone is having a much worse one. Well written and just gripping! Highly recommend you purchase

I absolutely loved this book from the very first page. The author allows you to get to know the characters in a greater depth than any other book I have read going back and forth to the main characters in the book knowing just who's perspective you are reading about

Zara and Jim, people that in a normal life would not have met but who were destined to meet and I loved reading their friendship unfold

I didn't want this book to end!

A lovely book. The story of Zara, who travels from Dubai to England to be with her boyfriend. Once here she buys a car and goes to surprise him, only to find he’s not there, or is he! Then she plans to go back, books a room for the night and the next day, whilst driving crashes her car into Jim( who works at a toll road pay cabin - who won a new BMW) car and has had a bad night.
From there follows a series of incidents for Zara and Jim. Zara wants to go back to Dubai after a run in with her boyfriends wife. But it’s not all smooth sailing. A lot of twists and turns follow. Loved last half where they miss each(read to find out how). Recommend it.

Another book makes you smile ear to ear for the fans of Sophie Kinsella, Jill Mansell, Mhari McFarlane! ( I love them, too and I’m so happy we got a new debut author on the board!)

Polar opposites’ attraction, discovering the meaning of life, joy and happiness and of course a delicious love story! Do you like how it sounds! This is your last announce to get on swoony, sweet, soft, entertaining, so many “awwww”s worthy romcom train! Don’t worry I’m so sure you’re gonna love this journey. We have likeable, sweet characters on board, too easy to love and care for them. There are also interesting supporting characters deserve their own sequels.

The blurb: Zara Khoury is such a romantic character who is not afraid of taking risks for love and flying to Dubai from Liverpool for her HEA! But her dreams floats away and she needs Jim’s help, very same Jim who is introverted, pessimist man, living with his mom after, losing his dreams and hopes with his dad’s passing away!
The destiny has a cruel sense of humor that brings them with car collusion! They are not supposed to meet with each other and become friends and most importantly they shouldn’t fall for each other! But here we go: Life happens when you’re making other plans!

Do you want to take a break from heavy dramas, disturbing thrillers! Here’s your feel-good romance ticket!
Take it and send me thank you notes (If you’re New Yorker, you may send me Levain Bakery’s chocolate chip cookies! I miss them so much!)

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for sharing this lovely ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review. I enjoyed it so much and I want to read more Hayley Doyle books! This is a great start!

First thank you Net Galley and publishers for this early read. That being said I tried multiple times to get into this book but the beginning for me was slow. I attempted for multiple days before I really got hooked mid way through when Zara and Jimmy met.

I feel as though I personally know these characters as they were definitely fully developed. I didn’t see their romance coming and actually went back and reread to see if I missed any clues. I do wish the ending and epilogue were a bit longer as I feel like I’m still wanting more.


Overall I would recommend to anyone who wants a light fun read.

Never Saw You Coming by Hayley Doyle a fulfilling five-star read. This was a great novel and the writing is just amazing, but what I loved most were the descriptions of Liverpool, a place I have visited many times as it was once my husbands home before I made him run away from it to be with me. So reading the descriptions and picturing the street we have walked down, just reminded me what an amazing city it is and what he gave up for me. This is one of those stories that you need to finish once you start it, so don’t be starting this if you only have a short time to read. The characters in this story will make you smile, not just Nick and Zara but the secondary characters as well. It is a fun read, but it also takes its time to get to get to the point, so be prepared you don’t get the immediate meet and fall in love, but you do get great story and a compelling one at that. Do not miss this story, as it will take you away.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This unlikely story features two very different characters, Zara who is a vivacious woman who has grown up around the world but never really felt a sense of belonging and Jim who is a lifelong Liverpudlian who is stuck in a rut at work and who has strong ties to his mum who is in ill health. Both characters are really well written and this enables you to see beyond the seemingly spoilt life of Zara and admire Jim’s sense of loyalty. Their day together is full of misjudgement and misadventure and no shortage of delights for the reader. I really enjoyed this quirky tale and especially liked the epilogue, it was unusual but I really appreciated the way it went.

I did like this book, I enjoyed the characters and I cringed at Jim’s situation....poor Jim! I marked it down a star as when the two main characters were together I didn’t feel they were particularly likeable & I'm not entirely sure they would have felt that level of attachment to one another after a day and night of mostly shouting at one another. I did think the ending was good, I won’t say anything to spoil it for anyone but it was different to most books in this genre and that was definitely a good thing....I applauded Hayley Doyle for that!

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a digital review copy - my thoughts are my own.

I enjoyed this book, told from two perspectives, by Zara and Jim. They have both led very different lives before their world's collided in Liverpool but now need to help each other out.

The book looks at friendships, the dangers of internet relationships, family ties and making the most of opportunities when you can. Great characters and twists to the story.

I raced through this, and feel like I need to start from the beginning again. Zara and Jim’s stories are brilliantly complex and you find yourself willing them to better understand the other’s struggles so they can just live happily ever after. A non-traditional romance, happily ever after doesn’t come easily, but I loved the twists and turns along the way and their respective relationships with their friends and families. When is the sequel released?!

A light hearted fun read. Jim wins a car and Zara comes to Blighty to be with Nick and turns out not to be the person she thought. Set in Liverpool, this is a good read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

My favourite type of story is a love story and this is certainly that when Zara travels all the way to Liverpool from Dubai which is a long way to go to meet what you think is the love of your life. But all is not what it seems with Nick. A chance meeting with Jim however is dramatic and to watch their friendship blossom through the chapters of this book has been such a pleasure. It’s definitely not a smooth journey for both Zara and Jim as they are polar opposites but what do they say about opposites attracting!?

I loved how the story was told by both Zara and Jim and the alternating chapters between these characters are lovely. It has been hilarious to meet Jim’s mates who only have his best interests at heart. They are there for him when he needs them. The same though can’t be said for Zara where she doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere.

What a great debut by an author which I’m going to keep my eye on for Hayley’s future work. Her writing is so easy to get lost in from the very first page. ‘Never Saw You Coming’ is a story about friendship and about never giving up on what you want in life ❤️ I give ‘Never Saw You Coming’ 4*/5* 😊

Thank you to Avon for an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley.

This is not a typical romance book, it is so much better! At times, it it laugh out loud funny and at others wanting to scream at missed opportunities. I love the normality of Jim, that he’s not a multimillionaire or running a successful business. He is realistic and relatable, an underdog.

Hayley Doyle is, what can only be described as, a genius writer. She keeps you hanging on a thread between wanting it to end and never wanting it to finish.

The only disappointment I have is that a sequel isn’t out yet, but I suppose she does need to be given a chance to write it! I don’t think Jim and Zara’s story is finished just yet.

3.5/5

Zara Khoury is unsure about most things in her life. But one thing she is sure of, is how strong her relationship with Nick is. Sure, their relationship developed online, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't know everything there is to know about him! So Zara decides to make his dreams of 'wishing she was with him' reality, and she hops on a plane, taking everything she owns with her, including their iconic mop, all the way from Dubai to London.
Moving is easy for Zara. She has moved enough in her life that she is unsure which country she can call "home", and the villa in Dubai where she lives with her father, his wife and her half-brother certainly isn't home.
The plan is easy, buy a car from London and drive to Liverpool. That way she can be free to move around when she gets to Liverpool.

Jim, on the other side of the world has been in Liverpool all his life. Upon his father's death, years ago, he decided to set his plans aside to take care of his mum. Now, years later, he is stuck in a dead-end job, working in a toll booth.
Unexpectedly, he is surprised by a call from a Radio Station notifying him that he won a brand new BMW, worth 50 thousand pound. Suddenly, Jim feels like the world may have meaning after all! He could sell the car, and take his mum to see his sisters and her grandchildren in Florida. He could finally quit his job and finally find something he likes!

But the world has something in store for Jim. On the way to sell the car, a devastated Zara crashes into him, destroying half of the car, and with it, Jim's dreams.

In Never Saw you Coming, Zara is the perfect embodiment of the hopeless romantic (Yes, I guarantee that we all have at least one Zara in our lives) who is waiting for the right Mr. Perfect to sweep her off her feet. I personally know many young women who, like Zara, refuse to see what is right in front of them because they so desperately want it to be their turn to get married, with hundreds of likes on their picture-perfect proposal picture on Instagram. And of course, finding Mr. Right = finding eternal happiness right? Zara definitely thinks so.

Never Saw you Coming is the journey of finding ones self. Perfect for Sophie Kensella readers.

*I received this ARC from the publisher in return for an honest review*

A lovely book. The story of Zara, who travels from Dubai to England to be with her boyfriend. Once here she buys a car and goes to surprise him, only to find he’s not there, or is he! Then she plans to go back, books a room for the night and the next day, whilst driving crashes her car into Jim( who works at a toll road pay cabin - who won a new BMW) car and has had a bad night.
From there follows a series of incidents for Zara and Jim. Zara wants to go back to Dubai after a run in with her boyfriends wife. But it’s not all smooth sailing. A lot of twists and turns follow. Loved last half where they miss each(read to find out how). Recommend it.

A story told from two perspectives with two entirely different people. Zara is a butterfly – flitting from one place to another and currently moving from Dubai to Liverpool to surprise her ‘long-term internet boyfriend’ for his birthday. Jim is born and bred in Liverpool, never left and even with his degree is stagnant and working at the toll booths and living above a chip shop. The only one of his parents three children to stay nearby, he watches out for his mother, spends time with his friends, works and reads. Always with a book to hand. Both are searching for something: Jim to make life easier for his mother, hoping to get her to America to meet her grandchildren and spend time with her daughters. Zara is looking for love. A series of bad choices, a tendency to overthink, and being shuffled from place to place since childhood left her rootless and feeling invisible. Dubai and the Ex-Pat community is great for a party, but she’s got no real, solid friendships or ties. Believing that Nick in Liverpool was her “one” she packs everything, arranges to buy a little car on landing at Heathrow, and heads off.

This was an interesting tale as we get to know both Jim and Zara through their own retelling of their concerns, histories, and the point where their lives collide, literally and they are thrown together for a journey of a few days, many miles and plenty of time to talk, think and perhaps even form a connection. Both are desperately seeking something: with world-views and perspectives that are miles apart, they couldn’t be more different: but there’s something in Jim that settles Zara: she feels cared about, if not always comfortably. And Jim’s natural go-to is pessimism: not expecting much and therefore not seeking it. Together the two find revelations about themselves that were always there, but unseen, and until circumstances tear them apart, a connection that both will think on for a while.

Forcing yourself out of your comfort zone and pushing beyond the fears and insecurities is the upshot of the story: with Zara returning to Liverpool to find Jim whilst Jim has (with much pressure from friends) headed to Dubai to find her brings the story to an unexpected twist, not the ‘happily ever after’ that Zara sought from day one, and not quite the ‘stagnant and same old” life that Jim knew – providing opportunity for more and left to the reader’s imagination. One moment, a chance circumstance and a few hours of together managed to change two lives in ways unexpected – and made for an intriguing read that had you empathizing with the characters, cheering them on and wanting them to find “it all”. A very promising start for a new author – sure to bring many loyal readers to her corner.

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-aER/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

✨Never Saw You Coming by Hayley Doyle✨

I had no idea what to expect from this book. My thoughts going into it was that it was just going to be a nice generic romcom but it definitely wasn’t generic. It really took me by surprise with how much I enjoyed it and where the story went too.

Here is a little bit from the blurb...
✨”Zara Khoury believes in love – so much so that she flies from Dubai to Liverpool to be with a man she barely knows. It’s a risk, but she’s certain that uprooting her life for Nick is the new start she needs.
Jim Glover is stuck. Since his Dad died, he’s put his dreams aside and stayed at home in Liverpool to care for his mum. Trapped in a dead-end job, he’s going nowhere – that is, until he gets a phone call that just might change his life.. Zara and Jim aren’t supposed to meet. But then fate steps in, and when their worlds – and cars! – collide, the real journey begins…”✨ I really, really felt connected to these characters, especially Jim. Anyone from Liverpool real or fictional I’m always all in for anyway but Jim was just a really fantastic character.

If you read my review yesterday of the movie I posted about, you’ll have saw that I said my favourite stories are ones that involve two people walking around a city, well this is two people driving around a city. Same idea and works just as good.
I felt this was a lot different to other romcom type books i read and to be honest I can’t put my finger on why but I think it was probably to with it feeling realistic. The author Hayley does such a great job at painting two characters in a way that makes me feel like they are real, their decisions feel authentic to what would happen in real life and the scenario, as strange as it may seem at first, feels like it could, given the right circumstances happen in real life too.

I have A LOT of thoughts about the ending, so I need y’all to read it so I can then discuss it without giving spoilers 😂

This really is a great book and I got so invested in it, I think it’s going to be one that really connects with people this year too!

It’s out on April 2nd and it’s only 99p on kindle preorder right now ✨
Advanced copy from NetGalley

This book made me smile and gave me the 'feel good factor'. This is a love story with a twist. It explores many different relationships between family and friends. You need to enjoy the ride....I did!

An engaging nearly-romance.

I'm not quite sure how to categorise this book. I wouldn't call it an out and out romance, and the character Jim is a big enough presence that it's not women's fic/chick-lit. Commercial fiction generally - hmm, not sure it has the weight. Okay, that aside, what's it about?

Dubai-resident Zara travels to Liverpool to see the man she loves (and has been in a virtual relationship with for months), only to find that the life she envisaged doesn't even exist.

Scouser Jim is living in a rut, working in a toll booth and generally down on his luck. Briefly, that changes when he wins a flashy car on the radio - until someone called Zara smashes into him.

They change the course of each other's life. At first they're immensely wound up by one another, but Zara needs help getting to the airport and Jim, busy life aside, is a good sort who wants to help. Or at least feels obliged to assist.

Hijinks ensue.

This is a tale of getting to know each other and working out what you really want in life. There's no falling in love in chapter two and then figuring out their internal conflicts. Instead they battle their conflict as they're getting to know each other, figuring out if they mean anything to each other, and what, if anything, they should do with that. Depending on your expectations, it could be a little frustrating.

But the characters are well-drawn which helps you enjoy their journey. I'm from Merseyside and so familiar with Liverpool and I enjoyed Jim traipsing around the city. Made me feel at home!

This was a nice easy read modern romance book, which I enjoyed. I could picture the main characters Zara and Jim in my minds eye quite clearly from the beginning of the story. I wished the story would move on a little quicker, but overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants something light hearted to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
This book was a little slower getting going and the accent was hard to get at first but once I got into it I enjoyed it.
It was a cute book about missed opportunities and love and finding where we belong.

Down to earth and downright funny. Jim is a train wreck waiting to happen but he’s just so human and made me laugh. The story is light hearted and so easy to read. I loved our two main characters; stumbling through a day of utter chaos.
It just felt like the sort of thing that could happen between two young people trying to find their way in life and maybe not even aware of that fact.
Maybe the story was telling us to reach out and grab what we want from life and to be open to change. As perhaps, what we think we want might not be what we want after all. At least, not yet.
Great story. Loved it.

I really enjoyed this heartwarming tale, full of memorable characters. The descriptions of both Liverpool and Dubai make me want to visit as they are both beautifully described. Would make a brilliant film.

I couldn’t love this book more! Super quick read, mainly because you’re desperate to see what’s coming next. Highly recommend

I just finished Never Saw You Coming by Hayley Doyle and I loved it.

Jim & Zara are two completely different people on two completely different paths in life. When they bump (literally) into each other their lives become entwined for a short amount of time that changes everything.

This book had so many little twists and turns I didn't expect - it was a hell of a ride! Amazing, 4* from me, well written, well paced, great story and great characters - all of them!

I would love a book 2 of this as I feel like I could follow these characters forever!

I absolutely fell in love with this book instantly. Such a wonderful story that I didn't want to end. The characters were written perfectly especially Jim who I just fell in love with. I wanted him to have everything in life and felt like I actually knew him. I really really hope there is a sequel but I have a feeling there won't so I shall let my imagination write the next chapter. Fantastic book that I'm already recommending to all my friends and family

Zara and Jim lived in two separate worlds until.....Zara packed up her life and impulsively moves to Liverpool for a man she's never met in person. She's lived all over the world but her most recent stop at her father's house in Dubai didn't feel like home. Jim's lived a small life and when he wins a BMW, he's thrilled. He's got plans to sell the car and use the proceeds for, well lot of things. When these two crash into one another, all their plans change. You can guess where this is going to go but that's ok because Doyle has written some great characters (not just these two but also others who pop in and out) you will root for. She's a good storyteller. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Pick this one to take your mind off current events!

I would like to thank Avon for sending me a copy of the book (including props) and to be apart of the blog tour.
I was intrigued by the blurb on the back and excited by the cover which is really lovely. This story follows two people who meet by chance, fate brings them together but at the same time keeps them apart. Each chapter is told by either Zara or Jim and by alternating between the two you gain a real insight into what each character is thinking which is integral to the story and is written in such a way that the words just flow and you cannot help but be brought into the story as it unfolds.
Zara believes in love, despite unsuccessful relationships and a difficult upbringing and makes an epic decision to move from Dubai to Liverpool to be with the one she loves. Jim on the other hand is stuck in a rut after loosing his dad and has lost himself, his life hasn't planned out how he wanted it to but things change and a chain of events leads to these two meeting and an epic journey begins.
Jim and Zara are brilliant characters and I really enjoyed getting to know them, both are different but at the same time the same and it makes for a really interesting read. So many emotions fly out at you during this epic read, I found myself laughing one minute then shaking the book in frustration to crying. Just what you want in a heart warming and beautifully real love story.
I would love to hear more from these two characters.

Never Saw you Coming is a novel that took me by surprise. It is by no means your average everyday love story but rather a mix of romance and a comedy of errors that I absolutely adored.
The couple featured in this delightful read are Zara Khoury and Jim Glover. Zara is currently living in Dubai, a pampered princess with no real aim in life except to party and have fun with all her other expat friends. But you sense she’s desperate to be loved, a hopeless romantic amidst a family who would rather throw money at her than spend quality time with her. A rash decision to fly to the UK and meet the guy she’s been chatting online with is when the fun really begins. For me though it is Jim’s character that had me totally engrossed in this wonderful ‘Will they won’t they’ storyline. Our first introduction to Jim’s life as a toll booth attendant in Liverpool is simply brilliant and so well written that I could immediately visualise the scene in my head and how it would translate onto the big screen. He’s intelligent, loves books and looks after his frail mother making him an instantly lovable character in my eyes. He too has no direction in life and is pretty much penniless but with an interesting bunch of mates who we’re gradually introduced to, I was swept up in Jim’s life and I lost my heart to him. I absolutely loved the scene featuring the live radio phone in quiz that sees Jim winning a brand new car which is the catalyst for bringing Jim and Zara’s lives together. His lucky day or hers??
There are so many laugh out loud moments when Zara’s world literally collides with Jim’s, with improbable (and frustrating!) events that bring out the personalities of these two so that I wished I was there with them for the ride. Zara, whilst irritating and exasperating clearly has a heart of gold which shines brighter the more this storyline unfolds.Jim is revealed as a surprising hero to Zara’s damsel in distress persona, a good guy amongst all the scoundrels and being handsome doesn’t pass her by!! He’s loyal to his friends, even if the only real love of his life is now playing happy families with his best mate.
The setting really brings these characters to life, especially descriptions of Jim’s bachelor life in Liverpool, living above a chippy and seeing the same faces pass by his toll booth daily. Dubai, by comparison, only serves to highlight their two very different worlds.
This was an addictive read for me and speaks volumes about missed opportunities and taking chances in life. It’s about letting go of the past and embracing the future, wherever that may take you. Strong family loyalties and taking responsibility for his mother have kept Jim grounded and stuck in a rut but his chance encounter with Zara proves it’s never too late to realise your dreams. To that extent Zara is the braver of the two as well as being more foolhardy but they seem to compliment each other well.
Funny, uplifting and heartwarming to read the style is easy, with the narrative switching between the two characters, giving their differing perspectives on the same situations. I really enjoyed the comedy of errors element, which cannot fail to make you smile. With a sliding doors type touch to the ending, you may be surprised by the final pages but ultimately glad to have discovered such a joyous read. Perfect for fans of Beth O’Leary and Josie Silver.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

From the very beginning of NEVER SAW YOU COMING, I was thoroughly charmed. Zara and Jim would never meet in the normal course of their lives, but a chance encounter changes everything for them, in what they are willing to risk, to do, to take a chance on doing for themselves -- and ultimately for one another. The chemistry between this pair is remarkable, funny and fast and totally believable and I loved spending time with them in this exceptionally well-paced, well-done story. Quick read -- but be prepared to stay up late reading if you're not far enough along. Wonderful settings, lovely experience with this world!

I loved that this wasn’t your typical romance novel if that’s what your expecting then your in for a lovely surprise.. it had so many twists and turns to keep me on my toes. Jim and Zara’s story is told with humour and heart. It broke my heart and mended it so many times. A strong debut.. A highly recommend you give it a read. ThankYou to Avon books for the approval in return for an honest review and to netgalley..