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In Case You Missed It
Hilarious, relatable and heartwarming: the brand new romantic comedy from Lindsey Kelk.
When Ros steps off a plane after four years away she’s in need of a job, a flat and a phone that actually works. And, possibly, her old life back. Because everyone at home has moved on, her parents have reignited their sex life, she’s sleeping in a converted shed and she’s got a bad case of nostalgia for the way things were.
Then her new phone begins to ping with messages from people she thought were deleted for good. Including one number she knows off by heart: her ex’s.
Sometimes we’d all like the chance to see what we’ve been missing…
When Ros steps off a plane after four years away she’s in need of a job, a flat and a phone that actually works. And, possibly, her old life back. Because everyone at home has moved on, her parents have reignited their sex life, she’s sleeping in a converted shed and she’s got a bad case of nostalgia for the way things were.
Then her new phone begins to ping with messages from people she thought were deleted for good. Including one number she knows off by heart: her ex’s.
Sometimes we’d all like the chance to see what we’ve been missing…
400 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2020
About the author
Lindsey Kelk
50 books5,003 followersLindsey Kelk is the Sunday Times bestselling author of books including the I Heart series, On A Night Like This, The Christmas Wish, and One in a Million, along with the middle grade Cinders & Sparks series.
As well as writing books, Lindsey co-hosts the award-winning beauty podcast, Full Coverage, and Tight and Fights, a pro-wrestling podcast on the Maximum Fun network.
Born and raised in South Yorkshire, Lindsey lived in Nottingham, London and New York before settling in LA, where she lives with her husband and two very rude cats.
As well as writing books, Lindsey co-hosts the award-winning beauty podcast, Full Coverage, and Tight and Fights, a pro-wrestling podcast on the Maximum Fun network.
Born and raised in South Yorkshire, Lindsey lived in Nottingham, London and New York before settling in LA, where she lives with her husband and two very rude cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 893 reviews
July 28, 2021
I remember the exact minute I got rejection from publishers: don’t worry it’s not a life changing moment for me and as you may imagine I was always mature, cool as cucumber and professional. So I didn’t hit my forehead to my computer screen and scream a few nonsense words, consumed two pints of Ben&Jerry, half pack of soggy and flat Cheetos ( I think I opened it a few years ago and forgot it at my drawer, who cares?) and two gallons of Grapefruit juice which was fresh and disgusting at 9 am in the morning. ( okay I did, sue me for my tasteless junk food choices) Rejection meets stress eating is not great combination for your mental and stomach health!
Anyways, I purchased the book because I was so curious what I missed by not getting an arc but as soon as I reached the half of the book I also reached two conclusions: this book is not as good as I Heart series and I urgently apologized to my stomach to give it the worst breakfast experience!
My main problem was the heroine who is extremely obnoxious, irritating and very punchable! When you cannot connect with the MC of a romcom and you get to spend your time in her head throughout your reading, you absolutely want to dig a tunnel and escape urgently because the narrator you hang out is like a disturbing person you recently meet at a party and you just act like you get a call to get an urgent call to ditch her in the middle of conversation!
So sorry Ros, if you have hard time to come back to the UK after for your in the US. The part about gathering pieces of life by reconnecting with your old friends and having regrets about dumbing your ex may be painful experiences and I could relate with them. But you get to learn from mistakes. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is definition of the insanity. Listen to brilliant German guy!
I didn’t like the heroine ( as I mentioned bold and underlined) and lack of romance disappointed me a lot. But there are still good and clever laugh out loud parts. It’s soft, easy to read and a good candidate as a beach read.
I can give solid three stars: let’s meet in the middle because neither I liked nor I hated it kind of story. I’ll possibly forget after a few minutes which make you Memento woman of literature journey!
It’s still a good choice to spend your time with an easy, soft, partly sweet, entertaining story which will help to get rid of your daily stress if you don’t bother to hate the heroine!
But if you want a better read, please try the author’s I heart series of the author!
Anyways, I purchased the book because I was so curious what I missed by not getting an arc but as soon as I reached the half of the book I also reached two conclusions: this book is not as good as I Heart series and I urgently apologized to my stomach to give it the worst breakfast experience!
My main problem was the heroine who is extremely obnoxious, irritating and very punchable! When you cannot connect with the MC of a romcom and you get to spend your time in her head throughout your reading, you absolutely want to dig a tunnel and escape urgently because the narrator you hang out is like a disturbing person you recently meet at a party and you just act like you get a call to get an urgent call to ditch her in the middle of conversation!
So sorry Ros, if you have hard time to come back to the UK after for your in the US. The part about gathering pieces of life by reconnecting with your old friends and having regrets about dumbing your ex may be painful experiences and I could relate with them. But you get to learn from mistakes. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is definition of the insanity. Listen to brilliant German guy!
I didn’t like the heroine ( as I mentioned bold and underlined) and lack of romance disappointed me a lot. But there are still good and clever laugh out loud parts. It’s soft, easy to read and a good candidate as a beach read.
I can give solid three stars: let’s meet in the middle because neither I liked nor I hated it kind of story. I’ll possibly forget after a few minutes which make you Memento woman of literature journey!
It’s still a good choice to spend your time with an easy, soft, partly sweet, entertaining story which will help to get rid of your daily stress if you don’t bother to hate the heroine!
But if you want a better read, please try the author’s I heart series of the author!
July 2, 2020
Lindsey Kelk writes a light, bright, frothy, breezy and fun rom-com with many of the familiar tropes from the genre, but she wraps them up in a decidedly stylish, moreish and hilarious package. After a three year stint in Washington DC as a radio producer, an unemployed 32 year old Rosalind 'Ros' Reynolds returns home, only to cringe on seeing that her parents are in the throes of a midlife sexual renaissance, and have adapted the shed at the bottom of the garden for her to live in. In dire financial straits and desperate to get a job, the first thing she wants is to get back with her friends that mean almost everything to her, high powered lesbian lawyer, Sumi, the married to creepy Dave and now heavily pregnant, Lucy, and her longest best friend, the financially well off Adrian Anderson.
After putting out a universal I'm back email that in error reaches her ex-boyfriend, travel writer Patrick Parker, he gets in touch. For Ros, he is all she has ever wanted, okay her friends cannot stand him, but she is over the moon, rejoicing at the prospect of being back together with him. Life is beginning to look good and becomes even better when she finds a job almost immediately as a producer at PodPad. Her client at the company is a teen e-sport megastar, the mask wearing Snazzlechuff with a huge international following. It is made clear should she fail with him, she will be fired. A nostalgic Ros tries to resurrect the fun and joy of her twenties, organising skating outings, and more, but her friends are now in different places in their lives, and is she flogging a dead horse, trying to breathe life into her relationship with Patrick? Is it time for her to move on, particularly with the entry of barowner, John, into her life?
Kelk writes an uplifting, warm and comic rom-com that hits the mark with it's central protagonist, Ros, surrounded by a stellar supporting cast of characters, from her parents who want to renew their wedding vows, and a fabulous bunch of supportive friends who are there for her when things go wrong, or her world falls apart, whilst celebrating her successes with her. This is a engaging and entertaining read, full of mayhem and misadventures, of a Ros who comes to realise she has to learn to move on from the past and confront the challenges of life's realities, and get more in touch with who she is and what it is that she wants. A great read to escape the troubled realities of our contemporary world. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
After putting out a universal I'm back email that in error reaches her ex-boyfriend, travel writer Patrick Parker, he gets in touch. For Ros, he is all she has ever wanted, okay her friends cannot stand him, but she is over the moon, rejoicing at the prospect of being back together with him. Life is beginning to look good and becomes even better when she finds a job almost immediately as a producer at PodPad. Her client at the company is a teen e-sport megastar, the mask wearing Snazzlechuff with a huge international following. It is made clear should she fail with him, she will be fired. A nostalgic Ros tries to resurrect the fun and joy of her twenties, organising skating outings, and more, but her friends are now in different places in their lives, and is she flogging a dead horse, trying to breathe life into her relationship with Patrick? Is it time for her to move on, particularly with the entry of barowner, John, into her life?
Kelk writes an uplifting, warm and comic rom-com that hits the mark with it's central protagonist, Ros, surrounded by a stellar supporting cast of characters, from her parents who want to renew their wedding vows, and a fabulous bunch of supportive friends who are there for her when things go wrong, or her world falls apart, whilst celebrating her successes with her. This is a engaging and entertaining read, full of mayhem and misadventures, of a Ros who comes to realise she has to learn to move on from the past and confront the challenges of life's realities, and get more in touch with who she is and what it is that she wants. A great read to escape the troubled realities of our contemporary world. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
June 4, 2024
This is a romance/chick lit. I honest just could not get into this book. The main character (Ros) I found boring and nothing exciting. There where a few parts of this book I found so very funny, but overall I just was bored reading it. At the beginning it was ok, but then it started to just become boring. I receive an e-copy of this book from Netgalley, and this is a honest review about how I feel about the book.
August 14, 2023
Writing: classic Kelk (punchy) | Plot: fun | Ending: awwwww
SYNOPSIS
Ros returns to London after three years working in the US and tries to fit back into her old life.
MY OPINION
After being traumatized by The Echo Man, I needed a major palate cleanser. Kelk always does the job. She's my fave rom(ish)com writer: she expertly sprinkles in some life lessons without being cheesy, and her humour is top tier. I thought Love Me Do was her most romance-y book, but this one definitely takes the cake. However, I still really enjoyed this read and it did what I needed it to do.
I related to Ros' struggles with accepting her 20s are over and she needs to move tf on. One line in particular really resonated with me: 'I'm tired of being tired.' FAAAACTS. Before you get your career established and have a home and a long-term partner if that's your thing... basically before you have the things you value in life to make your life comfy... it feels like you're constantly moving against the current. I also appreciated that Sumi suggested therapy to Ros instead of trying to give her own advice made up of greeting card slogans and Tumblr quotes. Other highlights include a 14-year-old e-gamer who wears animal masks and calls himself Snazzlechuff (I missed out on a MUCH cooler nickname).
If you're a regular romance reader, this may be too tepid for you. I can definitely see people thinking Ros is too immature and too whiny. To each their own. I think she's just going through something and living in the past, which is bringing out her most immature side. Patrick was a well-developed subtle wanker—not a blatant POS, but just a sly manipulator and gaslighter. I wish there was more insight into why Creepy Dean was creepy... and tbh he was a bum so I really didn't get why her friends let it slide. Anyways.
As always, this is closed door which I appreciate because I'm a nun when it comes to reading sex scenes!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, fun read (obvi this is speculation, but it seems like Kelk has fun writing these and it makes it a fun read), Ros' storyline was relatable in most aspects, good diversity without being cliche
Cons: wish there was more 1-on-1 with John, I had a hard time picturing Adrian, just missing that extra oomph to make it a banger alert
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
SYNOPSIS
Ros returns to London after three years working in the US and tries to fit back into her old life.
MY OPINION
After being traumatized by The Echo Man, I needed a major palate cleanser. Kelk always does the job. She's my fave rom(ish)com writer: she expertly sprinkles in some life lessons without being cheesy, and her humour is top tier. I thought Love Me Do was her most romance-y book, but this one definitely takes the cake. However, I still really enjoyed this read and it did what I needed it to do.
I related to Ros' struggles with accepting her 20s are over and she needs to move tf on. One line in particular really resonated with me: 'I'm tired of being tired.' FAAAACTS. Before you get your career established and have a home and a long-term partner if that's your thing... basically before you have the things you value in life to make your life comfy... it feels like you're constantly moving against the current. I also appreciated that Sumi suggested therapy to Ros instead of trying to give her own advice made up of greeting card slogans and Tumblr quotes. Other highlights include a 14-year-old e-gamer who wears animal masks and calls himself Snazzlechuff (I missed out on a MUCH cooler nickname).
If you're a regular romance reader, this may be too tepid for you. I can definitely see people thinking Ros is too immature and too whiny. To each their own. I think she's just going through something and living in the past, which is bringing out her most immature side. Patrick was a well-developed subtle wanker—not a blatant POS, but just a sly manipulator and gaslighter. I wish there was more insight into why Creepy Dean was creepy... and tbh he was a bum so I really didn't get why her friends let it slide. Anyways.
As always, this is closed door which I appreciate because I'm a nun when it comes to reading sex scenes!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, fun read (obvi this is speculation, but it seems like Kelk has fun writing these and it makes it a fun read), Ros' storyline was relatable in most aspects, good diversity without being cliche
Cons: wish there was more 1-on-1 with John, I had a hard time picturing Adrian, just missing that extra oomph to make it a banger alert
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
January 23, 2021
You can look back fondly on the past, but you must always be moving forward.
Ros returns home to the U.K. after putting in four long years in Washington DC. She’s positively thrilled and beyond anxious to slip back into her life with her best friends and parents. And oh yeah, maybe that short-sighted boyfriend that let her go just a bit too easily.
Small problem. Her loving, (not so) straight-laced parents don’t want her back in the house. It seems they have “rekindled” their intimacy. In the words of Ros “Ew!” What’s more, her friends have since moved onto new hangouts, careers, pregnancies. And the ex-boyfriend? Well...what is there to say about ex’s?🙄
This is a fine welcome home!
However, Ros decides she may not be ready to give up her past while everyone around her keeps moving forward.
A deliciously sweet, charming rom-com that has you rooting for Ros to find her place and maybe true love along the way.
This one has all the ingredients you could ever hope for! Kudos to Lindsey Kelk! I will definitely be looking for more of her books.
A buddy read with Susanne that we both really enjoyed!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC to read and review
Ros returns home to the U.K. after putting in four long years in Washington DC. She’s positively thrilled and beyond anxious to slip back into her life with her best friends and parents. And oh yeah, maybe that short-sighted boyfriend that let her go just a bit too easily.
Small problem. Her loving, (not so) straight-laced parents don’t want her back in the house. It seems they have “rekindled” their intimacy. In the words of Ros “Ew!” What’s more, her friends have since moved onto new hangouts, careers, pregnancies. And the ex-boyfriend? Well...what is there to say about ex’s?🙄
This is a fine welcome home!
However, Ros decides she may not be ready to give up her past while everyone around her keeps moving forward.
A deliciously sweet, charming rom-com that has you rooting for Ros to find her place and maybe true love along the way.
This one has all the ingredients you could ever hope for! Kudos to Lindsey Kelk! I will definitely be looking for more of her books.
A buddy read with Susanne that we both really enjoyed!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC to read and review
January 25, 2021
Oh So Funny, Sweet and Romantic, “In Case You Missed It” Hits All the Right Notes.
After failing to make it big in DC, Ros hightails it back home to London and her parent’s house. Little does she know that they’ve renovated the shed in their backyard just for her. How sweet it’s not!
Now that Ros is back, she reconnects with old friends, and thanks to a little phone blip that sent a mass text to “all contacts” in her phone with an “I’m back message,” she also reconnects with her ex-boyfriend Patrick who broke her heart. Sounds perfect right?
What Ros finally realizes however, is that sometimes you can’t rekindle what you had, you have to move forward. Luckily for her, she has her several old friends and someone kind of great waiting in the wings.
“In Case You Missed It” by Lindsey Kelk is a super sweet, funny, lighthearted rom-com that was exactly what I needed in these crazy stressful times.
Another sweet buddy read with Ms. Kaceey!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harper Collins, and Lindsey Kelk for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 1.23.21.
Review to be published on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
After failing to make it big in DC, Ros hightails it back home to London and her parent’s house. Little does she know that they’ve renovated the shed in their backyard just for her. How sweet it’s not!
Now that Ros is back, she reconnects with old friends, and thanks to a little phone blip that sent a mass text to “all contacts” in her phone with an “I’m back message,” she also reconnects with her ex-boyfriend Patrick who broke her heart. Sounds perfect right?
What Ros finally realizes however, is that sometimes you can’t rekindle what you had, you have to move forward. Luckily for her, she has her several old friends and someone kind of great waiting in the wings.
“In Case You Missed It” by Lindsey Kelk is a super sweet, funny, lighthearted rom-com that was exactly what I needed in these crazy stressful times.
Another sweet buddy read with Ms. Kaceey!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harper Collins, and Lindsey Kelk for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 1.23.21.
Review to be published on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
September 21, 2020
In Case You Missed It is a cute and light romance with some important issues mentioned. This book was very relatable.
Thank you Edelweiss and Harper Collins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
Thank you Edelweiss and Harper Collins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
October 4, 2020
Let’s get one thing clear right off the bat: this is a really good book, but this isn’t a romance.
At least, it doesn’t fit most readers’ current definition of a romance. The male and female leads aren’t constantly around each other, the main plot doesn’t revolve around them getting together, and for 98% of this book, they aren’t even remotely close to becoming a couple.
This is women’s fiction. And yes, I know that a lot of people don’t like that name, but honestly, I can’t think of any other way to sum this up. More than anything, this is about the personal growth of the female lead.
One thing the publication hype does get right is that this is a bonafide comedy. I laughed the entire way through it. The inner monologue of the heroine is so quick and clever and very, very British. There’s a lot of situational humor here too. I took over 50 notes on my e-reader and most of them are just “LOL” or “LMFAO” or “OMFGIAMHOWLING”. It really is hilarious from start to finish, unlike a lot of books that are labeled as comedies but usually stop being funny around the halfway point.
Rosalind, or Ros, as her friends call her, is a podcast producer recently arrived back to London from a three-year adventure to the US, where she oversaw a successful podcast about books. Her departure from the states was something of a surprise, so she didn’t exactly save for the move home. Her parents graciously let her crash at their place, or more like, the renovated garden shed out back, since they’re busy enjoying an empty nest and are “getting to know each other” again.
Cue Ros gagging.
Luckily, she manages to (mostly) evade their near-constant sexcapades and slides seamlessly back into her old life, finding a job right away, hanging out with her group of close friends, and even reconnecting with a past love.
The only thing is, while Ros is busy trying to relive the glory days of life before she moved to the states, everyone else around her is busy trying to move on. This is the real crux of the story.
“I want things to be exactly as they were before.”
“But you can’t turn back the clock, Ros.”
It can be frustrating at times, watching her cling to things that her friends have clearly outgrown, and from the near-manic focus she has on recreating some of her and her friends’ wildest adventures, you can tell that there’s something going on with her. Some reason she’s so stuck in the past. Some explanation for why she still thinks she’s in love with a man who clearly isn’t good enough for her.
Enter “Twat-Faced Wank Chops”. Ahem, I mean Patrick, her ex. Sorry, I sort of prefer the nickname her friends have for him. Because it fits. The reader is shown right away that he’s kind of a prick, but he’s a hot prick, and he can be surprisingly honest, and even sweet, so maybe he’s grown in the three years they’ve been apart?
I’ll admit that, like Ros, even though he gave me a weird vibe, I was willing to give him a chance, and that is part of the genius of this book. Not everything is black and white. He’s not a complete, irredeemable asshole. You see the good in him, the potential. And so you give Ros a pass when she willfully overlooks some of his negative behaviors.
Oh, and I should say now that he’s not the romantic lead. Not really. He’s more like something she has to get out of her system. Part of her journey towards realizing that the past is gone, and no matter how hard you try to bring it back, it’ll never be the same.
I weirdly enjoyed this aspect of the book, whereas oftentimes I’m left annoyed by characters who don’t “get it” as quickly as I would. I think it’s because as a woman in my mid-30s, with a past of my own, living in these uncertain times, I do find myself looking back more often lately. And I know I can’t be alone in doing that right now.
Let’s just hope that things settle down and it’ll become easier for us all to take a page out of Ros’ book and learn how to start looking forward again.
If you like great stories about women, filled with humor and a dash of romance, you should definitely check this one out.
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November 29, 2022
I give this 3.5 stars. It was cute, funny but predictable. I loved the quirky characters and how relatable they were. Between John and Patrick, I knew what was going to happen before I got half way through the book. So it kind of disappointed me when I was right, as I like to be hit with curve balls. It's still a worthy, light read.
July 7, 2020
Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella! In Case You Missed It was a really funny and light romance that would be a perfect beach read. This was my first book by Lindsey Kelk and I really enjoyed her writing and her sarcastic sense of humor. I am always a fan of British rom coms and am surprised I am just discovering her. After a three year hiatus, Ros returns from London ready to get back to her old life. However, it seems like her old life has moved on without her in it. She finds herself living in her parents shed wondering what went wrong in her life. I could totally relate to the main protagonist being in her early thirties and feeling like everything is changing. Sometimes it was frustrating to read how Ros kept getting in her own way but overall a very enjoyable and quick read. The romance in this book took a backseat at times but was very sweet and believable. It was fun to watch Ros grow as the story went on and take control of her life. I also enjoyed the pop culture references and supporting characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss for the ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss for the ARC!
November 14, 2020
This is my first read by Miss Kelk. In Case You Missed It have such a potential. This is more chick lit than romance. And like many chick lit, it touches many aspect of finding yourself.
There are some humor, some deep meaningful conversation about love. Different kind of love. Love from parents to their child, love between friends and romantic love.
Sadly for me, the story feels flat. I want it to be picked up with more twist/ drama. I wait and wait and wait. Feel like nothing happen. Oh well....
3 stars
There are some humor, some deep meaningful conversation about love. Different kind of love. Love from parents to their child, love between friends and romantic love.
Sadly for me, the story feels flat. I want it to be picked up with more twist/ drama. I wait and wait and wait. Feel like nothing happen. Oh well....
3 stars
June 5, 2020
Oh dear. I know lots of people loved this but I'm really sorry to say I found it boring. This is the first book I've read by this author and it will be the last.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC
November 17, 2022
It was nice, light on the romance though. Read it if you like Women's fiction but not romcoms.
January 24, 2021
Well, this was interesting. The first 1/3 of this but was extremely boring, I hated the middle of the book and I enjoyed the last 1/3.
In this book, you read about 32-year-old Ros who is returning to London from Washington D.C. and is looking for a job, going back to her old life and a little bit of romance. Oh, and she is living in a converted shed at the edge of her parent's garden.
*EXTREME SPOILERS* I REPEAT DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED FOR THIS BOOK!!
The first 1/3
It took me an abnormally long amount of time to read this section of the book. All I remember from this section is 1. her sending out a group text to her contacts notifying them about her new number 2. her being upset about living in a shed when her sister still had a room in their parent's house 3. her talking about **** pics with her friend Sumi and 4.her "getting back together" with her *** ex. (WHO I ABSOLUTELY HATE)
2/3
UGH, I HATED THIS THIRD SO MUCH. It was full of her being so caught up in her ex (whose name starts with a P) who is a horrid, no good, lying, anyways...
I HATE HIM SO MUCH HE IS THE WORST AND SHE WAS SO BLIND AND HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID YOU ARE 30 YEARS OLD THE-
Okay, I will admit, I absolutely hated her relationship with P guy because I knew it was terrible for her and HER FRIENDS WERE ALWAYS RIGHT.
3/3
This third gave me a little bit of hope after the middle. She realized how horrid P was, she found a much better guy, her parents rewedding (I'm not going to even go into it) went well and she finally started doing what she loves.
Now let's get into some specific aspects of this book
Characters
I won't go into P because I will hurl my computer across the room (like I did to my book) (yes I actually threw the book across the room). I LOVED TWO CHARACTERS AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THEM. Sumi and Jo. OOF THEY WERE GREAT.
Sumi: She is our lesbian queen our wise friend extraordinaire. I loved her. She was bad***, wise, and AMAZING. She does what she wants and is who she wants to be.
Jo: The "genius" little sister to Ros (who was SO jealous of her, for WHAT) she was... amazing. We only got to see a little of her but in that time she was with a man and woman at the same time, challenged the patriarchy, and was overall SUCH A SMART ALEC and I loved her.
I also enjoyed Ros's friends, Veronica (who is a no shenanigans type of gal), and John who DESERVED SO MUCH BETTER IN THE FIRST 2/3rds of the book. Ros was okay, but she took trash FOR WAY TOO LONG.
Plot aka. a mish-mash of events that are.. really strange
The combination of scenes in this book were really weird. Ros works on a podcast with the most famous online gamer (14-year-old) who wears animal heads (the fake ones that mascots wear) but she knows nothing about video games.
She lives in a shed which is strange by itself.
Her parents, married for 40 years, are having a second wedding/renewal of vows and SHE IS PLANNING IT (for what??).
And the relationship-(The first one) We are constantly reminded about this relationship but it is mostly her thoughts instead of her interactions with P. She also constantly thinks about their sexual relations... so that is interesting (and for some reason her parents.. which I don't even want to get into).
If only I could've had a book of solely Sumi or Jo. So this was an experience. See you in the next one?
In this book, you read about 32-year-old Ros who is returning to London from Washington D.C. and is looking for a job, going back to her old life and a little bit of romance. Oh, and she is living in a converted shed at the edge of her parent's garden.
*EXTREME SPOILERS* I REPEAT DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED FOR THIS BOOK!!
The first 1/3
It took me an abnormally long amount of time to read this section of the book. All I remember from this section is 1. her sending out a group text to her contacts notifying them about her new number 2. her being upset about living in a shed when her sister still had a room in their parent's house 3. her talking about **** pics with her friend Sumi and 4.her "getting back together" with her *** ex. (WHO I ABSOLUTELY HATE)
2/3
UGH, I HATED THIS THIRD SO MUCH. It was full of her being so caught up in her ex (whose name starts with a P) who is a horrid, no good, lying, anyways...
I HATE HIM SO MUCH HE IS THE WORST AND SHE WAS SO BLIND AND HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID YOU ARE 30 YEARS OLD THE-
Okay, I will admit, I absolutely hated her relationship with P guy because I knew it was terrible for her and HER FRIENDS WERE ALWAYS RIGHT.
3/3
This third gave me a little bit of hope after the middle. She realized how horrid P was, she found a much better guy, her parents rewedding (I'm not going to even go into it) went well and she finally started doing what she loves.
Now let's get into some specific aspects of this book
Characters
I won't go into P because I will hurl my computer across the room (like I did to my book) (yes I actually threw the book across the room). I LOVED TWO CHARACTERS AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THEM. Sumi and Jo. OOF THEY WERE GREAT.
Sumi: She is our lesbian queen our wise friend extraordinaire. I loved her. She was bad***, wise, and AMAZING. She does what she wants and is who she wants to be.
Jo: The "genius" little sister to Ros (who was SO jealous of her, for WHAT) she was... amazing. We only got to see a little of her but in that time she was with a man and woman at the same time, challenged the patriarchy, and was overall SUCH A SMART ALEC and I loved her.
I also enjoyed Ros's friends, Veronica (who is a no shenanigans type of gal), and John who DESERVED SO MUCH BETTER IN THE FIRST 2/3rds of the book. Ros was okay, but she took trash FOR WAY TOO LONG.
Plot aka. a mish-mash of events that are.. really strange
The combination of scenes in this book were really weird. Ros works on a podcast with the most famous online gamer (14-year-old) who wears animal heads (the fake ones that mascots wear) but she knows nothing about video games.
She lives in a shed which is strange by itself.
Her parents, married for 40 years, are having a second wedding/renewal of vows and SHE IS PLANNING IT (for what??).
And the relationship-(The first one) We are constantly reminded about this relationship but it is mostly her thoughts instead of her interactions with P. She also constantly thinks about their sexual relations... so that is interesting (and for some reason her parents.. which I don't even want to get into).
If only I could've had a book of solely Sumi or Jo. So this was an experience. See you in the next one?
August 30, 2020
Ros needs to learn living in the past stops her from living now. It was annoying how much time she wasted on Patrick, he was not worthy of her. John was a much nicer character, the book spent a little too much time on Patrick for my liking. Still an enjoyable read and as every other time in a Lindsey Kelk book I loved the Taylor Swift references.
September 3, 2020
2.5*
Bārā visas sieviešu tualetes bija aizņemtas, tāpēc Rosa ātri ieslīdēja vīriešu tualetē. Izejot ārā no kabīnes, viņa pārbiedēja Džonu, kurš tāpēc nejauši apčurāja sev kurpes. Un tā viņi satikās.
Paredzams un garlaicīgs rom-com, kurā galvenā varone tērē visu savu enerģiju zudušo laiku meklējot.
Bārā visas sieviešu tualetes bija aizņemtas, tāpēc Rosa ātri ieslīdēja vīriešu tualetē. Izejot ārā no kabīnes, viņa pārbiedēja Džonu, kurš tāpēc nejauši apčurāja sev kurpes. Un tā viņi satikās.
Paredzams un garlaicīgs rom-com, kurā galvenā varone tērē visu savu enerģiju zudušo laiku meklējot.
December 22, 2020
Talk about pruh·dik·tuh·bl.
Now before diving into this review, I just wanted to mention that the sushi scene was down right funny as shit and probably this books saving grace. Plus this scene alone saved me from dropping this book all together since I loved the rekindled romance/reconnection between Ros parents. No fucks were given and honestly I was probably more invested in their story than our lead heroine.
Ros failed to impress me and I just wished she pushed her romantic focus to our hot brooding bartender John from the get-go instead of reverting back to something that was doom to fail. There was a definite spark there and unlike her relationship with the 'one that got away', it was far more realistic and he seemed to always have her best interests at heart. But as any predictable romance story goes, she just fell right back into a relationship with ex-boyfriend Patrick *cue the eyeroll* and brushed aside all the issues as to why they originally broke up. Like come on? Do you seriously believe in won't be a key factor for any future problems? That you can just ignore it and pretend nothing ever happened? That's stupidity at its finest people.
In short, it was alright despite me wishing there were a few things that could've been changed to better my reading experience but all in all, I'll give this author another go.
August 16, 2020
Rating: 3.5/5
Do you want to know what part of this book was funny? All of it.
‘In Case You Missed It’ is one of the most hilarious rom-coms I’ve read in my entire life. Ros(pronounced as Ross in Friends, not Rose) Reynolds is a smart, funny, and kind woman who moves back home and finds nothing is the same as she’s left. She needs to deal with this transition and her parents' rekindled romance is not helping. Although her friends are against it, she reconnects with her ex Patrick Parker aka Twat-faced Wank Chops but doesn’t feel as secure in their relationship as she used to. And there’s John, a bar owner who doubles as a bartender and is puzzled by Ros. Can Ros get her dream man without losing her friends, job, or herself in the process?
“Take your time, stop running. Stand still and the clouds will clear, allow life to show you the way.”
The strength of this novel lies in its comic tone. Even the most bizarre details had a hilarious message. It was short but had slow pacing. Sumi, Lucy, Adrian, and Ros's parents were more intriguing than Ros. All of Ros' sequences with her parents were enjoyable. There’s British slang such as loo, sack, shag which matches the setting.
“It seemed foolish to keep my eyes closed now, especially since I’d seen everything, but I had been raised to be polite. And not to use the men’s toilets, but still.”
The story was extremely predictable. There should’ve been more detail on John, maybe chapters in his perspective because I didn’t know much about him throughout the novel. He was supportive, caring, and cute, also a bar owner but that’s about it. There was more focus on Patrick than John. Almost everybody except Ros sees how much of a self-absorbed douche he was, she’s never the priority to him and that’s shown repeatedly. Ros was more in love with the idea of Patrick than him.
“A real love story-a true, enduring love story with all its ups and downs and compromises and ugly and pretty and mundane moments-would be longer than a phone book and not nearly as interesting. Grand passion might make a good read but it doesn’t make for a happy life.”
‘In Case You Missed It’ is recommended to all readers in the mood for a slow, comfy romance full of humor. ARC provided by Harper Collins and Edelweiss plus. Thank you.
Full review: https://www.inabookshell.com/2020/08/...
Do you want to know what part of this book was funny? All of it.
‘In Case You Missed It’ is one of the most hilarious rom-coms I’ve read in my entire life. Ros(pronounced as Ross in Friends, not Rose) Reynolds is a smart, funny, and kind woman who moves back home and finds nothing is the same as she’s left. She needs to deal with this transition and her parents' rekindled romance is not helping. Although her friends are against it, she reconnects with her ex Patrick Parker aka Twat-faced Wank Chops but doesn’t feel as secure in their relationship as she used to. And there’s John, a bar owner who doubles as a bartender and is puzzled by Ros. Can Ros get her dream man without losing her friends, job, or herself in the process?
“Take your time, stop running. Stand still and the clouds will clear, allow life to show you the way.”
The strength of this novel lies in its comic tone. Even the most bizarre details had a hilarious message. It was short but had slow pacing. Sumi, Lucy, Adrian, and Ros's parents were more intriguing than Ros. All of Ros' sequences with her parents were enjoyable. There’s British slang such as loo, sack, shag which matches the setting.
“It seemed foolish to keep my eyes closed now, especially since I’d seen everything, but I had been raised to be polite. And not to use the men’s toilets, but still.”
The story was extremely predictable. There should’ve been more detail on John, maybe chapters in his perspective because I didn’t know much about him throughout the novel. He was supportive, caring, and cute, also a bar owner but that’s about it. There was more focus on Patrick than John. Almost everybody except Ros sees how much of a self-absorbed douche he was, she’s never the priority to him and that’s shown repeatedly. Ros was more in love with the idea of Patrick than him.
“A real love story-a true, enduring love story with all its ups and downs and compromises and ugly and pretty and mundane moments-would be longer than a phone book and not nearly as interesting. Grand passion might make a good read but it doesn’t make for a happy life.”
‘In Case You Missed It’ is recommended to all readers in the mood for a slow, comfy romance full of humor. ARC provided by Harper Collins and Edelweiss plus. Thank you.
Full review: https://www.inabookshell.com/2020/08/...
September 25, 2023
bland, boring, spineless main character, nothing really happens. second chance romance with absolutely no yearning or character development, I felt like I was constantly waiting for something interesting to happen but then it ended, and I didn’t even want to read the epilogue (that’s how you know I’m not invested) there was some comedic one liners but I felt like they were trying too hard to be funny and witty but it came across awkward and disjointed instead.
July 28, 2020
Ros has just returned home from 3yrs in the US as a radio podcast producer- her dream job. No one knows why she has returned suddenly, but she is trying to find her way back in the groove with her friend group.
She sends out a mass text to let everyone know her new number and that she’s home. That brings some unwelcome pics and an old flame looking to reunite...
Living at home has its issues as well. Her father has designed her own ‘shed’ at the back of the yard, so he and mom can have sexy-time ...yuck.
When Ros lands a new job with a teen gamer for a big new podcast - she has to hit it out of the park to keep her job. Can she do it?
Romance takes a backseat in this book, but friendship and finding your true self is the highlight. Great, easy read.
She sends out a mass text to let everyone know her new number and that she’s home. That brings some unwelcome pics and an old flame looking to reunite...
Living at home has its issues as well. Her father has designed her own ‘shed’ at the back of the yard, so he and mom can have sexy-time ...yuck.
When Ros lands a new job with a teen gamer for a big new podcast - she has to hit it out of the park to keep her job. Can she do it?
Romance takes a backseat in this book, but friendship and finding your true self is the highlight. Great, easy read.
November 8, 2020
Well, it saddens me to say it, but this wasn't my favorite book. It started out so strong, so funny, but by midpoint, I was starting to get really annoyed with the main character, and by the end, I was just reading to say I finished.
I love reading books with a main character whose life is in shambles. It allows the author to really show character growth and when used properly in romantic comedies, it also allows the author to force her characters into some embarrassing but funny and endearing moments. But with In Case You Missed It, it ended up working against the main character. I didn't like her constant wallowing about growing up (she's 32, nearly the same age as me) and I hated her ex-boyfriend. (You can find his name in the dictionary under terms such as: gaslighting, manipulative, man child)
If you are interested in reading a Lindsey Kelk book, I highly recommend One in a Million or About a Girl, but I'd pass on this one.
I love reading books with a main character whose life is in shambles. It allows the author to really show character growth and when used properly in romantic comedies, it also allows the author to force her characters into some embarrassing but funny and endearing moments. But with In Case You Missed It, it ended up working against the main character. I didn't like her constant wallowing about growing up (she's 32, nearly the same age as me) and I hated her ex-boyfriend. (You can find his name in the dictionary under terms such as: gaslighting, manipulative, man child)
If you are interested in reading a Lindsey Kelk book, I highly recommend One in a Million or About a Girl, but I'd pass on this one.
February 24, 2021
I found this book a little annoying and very hypocritical. But over all not a bad read
I give it 3 stars
I give it 3 stars
March 13, 2021
I really enjoyed this – a thoroughly fun read.
August 1, 2020
More on Chill and read
Contemporary romance is a genre I would either love or hate. My feelings are tested on each book, and for the record, I don’t read that many each year, because the scale favors the latter most of the times. This was not the case with Lindsey Kelk’s “In Case You Missed It” and I’m so happy for this!
Ros returns to England after spending three years in Washington DC working as a podcast producer. She is in desperate need of a new job, a place to live and some peace. All she finds is that her friends have moved on with their lives, changed their meeting place and have been all so fascinated by her living in the Sates. Her parents are going through a middle age inflaming of their love and marriage and her bedroom is actually a shed at her parents’ garden.
So she starts with baby steps. Gets herself a new phone, which the lady at the shop helped her set up with all her contacts from the cloud, and being so not great with technology, she group texts all those contacts that she is back. One of those contacts being the man that broke her heart right before she left. Funny thing is, he actually responds to her text! Her life could not turn any worse. Even so, it’s good to have a second chance in love and life!
Ros, the main character of the book is someone the reader could easily connect. She is very realistic, a person that could be your friend, someone you knew or even just you. She has had a hard time with a person she loved. Patrick was a person she really loved, or so she thought. He is a writer, a very clever person that she just loves to hear him speak. Their relationship is one that you may have been through. Love makes you blind they say. The whole world could be falling apart and you might not even notice. When you are in love, the person on the other side of your affection is the center of your world. And this is exactly what happened with Ros and Patrick. So, she was more than heartbroken when she left.
It was so easy to understand the way Ros thought about everything. Especially as the story moves forward and we get to know more details of what happened when. Her parents was a fun part of the book. To their defense, they had just had the house to themselves and they had started living a life of their own, just the two of them. The best years of their relationship after they had children! I can understand them, but I can also understand Ros and how awkward she felt. The shed at the garden was not because her parents didn’t want her back. But it was more of a way to give her her independence and at the same time, they kept their. After all, they were all grown ups and the were not used to live together.
Overall, this was a funny contemporary romance that makes a good company either at the beach or at the couch of one’s house!
Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins U.K. for an e-copy of this book. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.
Contemporary romance is a genre I would either love or hate. My feelings are tested on each book, and for the record, I don’t read that many each year, because the scale favors the latter most of the times. This was not the case with Lindsey Kelk’s “In Case You Missed It” and I’m so happy for this!
Ros returns to England after spending three years in Washington DC working as a podcast producer. She is in desperate need of a new job, a place to live and some peace. All she finds is that her friends have moved on with their lives, changed their meeting place and have been all so fascinated by her living in the Sates. Her parents are going through a middle age inflaming of their love and marriage and her bedroom is actually a shed at her parents’ garden.
So she starts with baby steps. Gets herself a new phone, which the lady at the shop helped her set up with all her contacts from the cloud, and being so not great with technology, she group texts all those contacts that she is back. One of those contacts being the man that broke her heart right before she left. Funny thing is, he actually responds to her text! Her life could not turn any worse. Even so, it’s good to have a second chance in love and life!
Ros, the main character of the book is someone the reader could easily connect. She is very realistic, a person that could be your friend, someone you knew or even just you. She has had a hard time with a person she loved. Patrick was a person she really loved, or so she thought. He is a writer, a very clever person that she just loves to hear him speak. Their relationship is one that you may have been through. Love makes you blind they say. The whole world could be falling apart and you might not even notice. When you are in love, the person on the other side of your affection is the center of your world. And this is exactly what happened with Ros and Patrick. So, she was more than heartbroken when she left.
It was so easy to understand the way Ros thought about everything. Especially as the story moves forward and we get to know more details of what happened when. Her parents was a fun part of the book. To their defense, they had just had the house to themselves and they had started living a life of their own, just the two of them. The best years of their relationship after they had children! I can understand them, but I can also understand Ros and how awkward she felt. The shed at the garden was not because her parents didn’t want her back. But it was more of a way to give her her independence and at the same time, they kept their. After all, they were all grown ups and the were not used to live together.
Overall, this was a funny contemporary romance that makes a good company either at the beach or at the couch of one’s house!
Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins U.K. for an e-copy of this book. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.
September 8, 2020
4 stars
In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk is a witty and light hearted love story about a woman who moves back in with her parents after losing her job in a foreign country.
Ros is 32 and broke, and is back in London after three years in the US. She accidentally sends a message to all her contacts, one of whom happens to be the douchebag who dumped her after finding out she was moving away. (Can’t you see, I’m already biased?)
Coming back to London is weird for Ros. Her parents are, as Ros says, undergoing a sexual renaissance, her childhood bedroom has been repurposed and she’s been relegated to the shed in her parents’ backyard, and her friends group has included a new member in the time she’s been gone — someone whom she just can’t get along with. (I’m Team John, FYI.)
At the core of it, In Case You Missed It is a love story, where Ros realises that looking at the past through rose tinted glasses (or in this case, Ros tinted glasses) unfairly romanticises things that happened, and that when you’re attached to the past, you don’t really have a shot at the present, let alone the future.
As promised in the blurb, Ros hooks up with her ex Patrick pretty soon, and to the average reader, it’s so obvious from the get go that she deserves so much better than this pretentious man who doesn’t value her or respect her time.
Kelk does a very wonderful job of portraying how Ros just couldn’t leave her past behind — it gave me the impression that Ros was clinging onto it bc everything else in her life had changed, and this was the one relic she could hold on to.
All of Ros’ friends hate Patrick, and yet, Ros can’t see him as anything short of being a god. She puts him on a pedestal and bends over backwards to please him; to have the same opinions as him so that they won’t ever fight. This struck very close to home, since I’ve had the same experience. The portrayal of the various characters is honesty one of the best parts of the book — Kelk is a master at this.
On the other hand, we have John. He’s nice, kind, polite and respectful, even though Ros initially doesn’t like him at all. He’s patient and sweet, and it’s obvious to the reader that he’s a good fit for Ros. And yet, those tinted glasses and (imo) a possible fear of the future maker her cling onto Patrick.
While I did not like Patrick, there were also times when he was extremely romantic and lovely. Things like these clearly conflicted Ros over whether he really was bad for her. He wasn’t abusive, but he was callous and very glib, and didn’t seem as invested in the relationship as Ros was.
The character development that Ros undergoes makes this book something more than just a love story. While chucking those tinted glasses in the bin is what she ends up doing, the journey is made all the enjoyable for readers with the witty narration, full of pop culture references. (As someone who’s guilty pleasure is KUWTK, I loved all those Kris Jenner references.)
I adored the side characters as well — Sumi, an Indian origin lawyer who’s a lesbian; Lucy, the strait laced one, married and with a baby on its way; and Adrian, the commitment-phobe who fancies his CrossFit teacher. We also have Ros’ parents adding both to the comic relief, and to the character transformation of Ros.
Someone reading this review might think this is a love triangle. I firmly believe it isn’t one. This was simply a story of Ros learning that what worked three years back might not work now, and that she deserves someone who loves her just the way she loves them.
Another thing I loved about the book is the ending — as expected, we do get a HEA romantically, but other things, such as Ros’ professional life doesn’t end very well for her. I liked how that reflected real life — all the loose ends in life don’t get tied up magically at the same moment — different things take different amounts of time. While we do see Ros attempting to bounce back in the end and in the epilogue, I like how Kelk left that as the disaster it was.
This book as marketed as being perfect for Sophie Kinsella fans, and while I adore a good Kinsella novel, I’d say this book had an intellectual depth to it which isn’t always present in Kinsella’s books.
This novel has cemented my status as a Lindsey Kelk fan, and I’m truly grateful for getting an ARC from HarperCollins via Edelweiss. If any of you folks at HC are reading this review — I’m sorry for how late this is — I genuinely thought that the “front list” date mentioned on Edelweiss was the date of publication — I’ve learnt my lesson now, though! Thanks for giving me a chance!
-x-
Reading updates:
59% -- I’m swooning! 😍 -- Sep 7
43% -- That moment when the ship you ship might actually sail.... SQUEAL!!! -- Sep 6
34% -- She's back together with her ex, Patrick, and they're going on another date. :/ But I like the banter Ros and Jack have; I just don't like Patrick. :/ -- Sep 4
16% -- Ros has moved back to London, accidentally announces her arrival to her entire contacts list, including her ex (as promised in the blurb). BUT... there's a character named John whom Ros is not off to a good start with. I can definitely sense chemistry there. (How they met is pretty hilarious!) Hoping it's John and Ros in the end! -- Sep 1
—
Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC! :)
If you’re afraid someone will walk away from you if you tell them you love them, why on earth would you want to be with them in the first place?
In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk is a witty and light hearted love story about a woman who moves back in with her parents after losing her job in a foreign country.
Ros is 32 and broke, and is back in London after three years in the US. She accidentally sends a message to all her contacts, one of whom happens to be the douchebag who dumped her after finding out she was moving away. (Can’t you see, I’m already biased?)
Coming back to London is weird for Ros. Her parents are, as Ros says, undergoing a sexual renaissance, her childhood bedroom has been repurposed and she’s been relegated to the shed in her parents’ backyard, and her friends group has included a new member in the time she’s been gone — someone whom she just can’t get along with. (I’m Team John, FYI.)
At the core of it, In Case You Missed It is a love story, where Ros realises that looking at the past through rose tinted glasses (or in this case, Ros tinted glasses) unfairly romanticises things that happened, and that when you’re attached to the past, you don’t really have a shot at the present, let alone the future.
As promised in the blurb, Ros hooks up with her ex Patrick pretty soon, and to the average reader, it’s so obvious from the get go that she deserves so much better than this pretentious man who doesn’t value her or respect her time.
Kelk does a very wonderful job of portraying how Ros just couldn’t leave her past behind — it gave me the impression that Ros was clinging onto it bc everything else in her life had changed, and this was the one relic she could hold on to.
All of Ros’ friends hate Patrick, and yet, Ros can’t see him as anything short of being a god. She puts him on a pedestal and bends over backwards to please him; to have the same opinions as him so that they won’t ever fight. This struck very close to home, since I’ve had the same experience. The portrayal of the various characters is honesty one of the best parts of the book — Kelk is a master at this.
On the other hand, we have John. He’s nice, kind, polite and respectful, even though Ros initially doesn’t like him at all. He’s patient and sweet, and it’s obvious to the reader that he’s a good fit for Ros. And yet, those tinted glasses and (imo) a possible fear of the future maker her cling onto Patrick.
While I did not like Patrick, there were also times when he was extremely romantic and lovely. Things like these clearly conflicted Ros over whether he really was bad for her. He wasn’t abusive, but he was callous and very glib, and didn’t seem as invested in the relationship as Ros was.
The character development that Ros undergoes makes this book something more than just a love story. While chucking those tinted glasses in the bin is what she ends up doing, the journey is made all the enjoyable for readers with the witty narration, full of pop culture references. (As someone who’s guilty pleasure is KUWTK, I loved all those Kris Jenner references.)
I adored the side characters as well — Sumi, an Indian origin lawyer who’s a lesbian; Lucy, the strait laced one, married and with a baby on its way; and Adrian, the commitment-phobe who fancies his CrossFit teacher. We also have Ros’ parents adding both to the comic relief, and to the character transformation of Ros.
Someone reading this review might think this is a love triangle. I firmly believe it isn’t one. This was simply a story of Ros learning that what worked three years back might not work now, and that she deserves someone who loves her just the way she loves them.
Sex with someone you fancied like mad was great but sex between two people who fancy each other like mad AND really cared about one another? Another stratosphere.
Another thing I loved about the book is the ending — as expected, we do get a HEA romantically, but other things, such as Ros’ professional life doesn’t end very well for her. I liked how that reflected real life — all the loose ends in life don’t get tied up magically at the same moment — different things take different amounts of time. While we do see Ros attempting to bounce back in the end and in the epilogue, I like how Kelk left that as the disaster it was.
This book as marketed as being perfect for Sophie Kinsella fans, and while I adore a good Kinsella novel, I’d say this book had an intellectual depth to it which isn’t always present in Kinsella’s books.
This novel has cemented my status as a Lindsey Kelk fan, and I’m truly grateful for getting an ARC from HarperCollins via Edelweiss. If any of you folks at HC are reading this review — I’m sorry for how late this is — I genuinely thought that the “front list” date mentioned on Edelweiss was the date of publication — I’ve learnt my lesson now, though! Thanks for giving me a chance!
-x-
Reading updates:
‘Thanks for dinner,’ I called as I clung to the doorframe. Better that than nothing.
‘I’ll see you soon.’
‘You will,’ he replied. And it sounded like a promise.
59% -- I’m swooning! 😍 -- Sep 7
43% -- That moment when the ship you ship might actually sail.... SQUEAL!!! -- Sep 6
34% -- She's back together with her ex, Patrick, and they're going on another date. :/ But I like the banter Ros and Jack have; I just don't like Patrick. :/ -- Sep 4
16% -- Ros has moved back to London, accidentally announces her arrival to her entire contacts list, including her ex (as promised in the blurb). BUT... there's a character named John whom Ros is not off to a good start with. I can definitely sense chemistry there. (How they met is pretty hilarious!) Hoping it's John and Ros in the end! -- Sep 1
—
Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC! :)
September 8, 2020
While I enjoy other genres of books, romantic-comedy is the one that allows me to relax the most. Lindsey Kelk is skilled in writing this type of book, and I always look forward to the antics of her female protagonists. For fans of the author’s “I Heart” series, you will not be disappointed in her newest book.
Ros is a likeable, quirky young woman who has happily returned home to England after three years away working in the U.S. She misses her friends and family and wants to pick up her life where she left it before the move abroad. She soon learns, however, that after three years away not everything will be the same as the way she left it. Her parents, recent empty-nesters, have rekindled their passion for one another and have relegated Ros into a shed/bedroom in their backyard - not exactly the former bedroom she left behind. But where she lives is only temporary and she’s desperate to see her friends again. So Ros sends a group message to all her contacts. She hadn’t intentionally sent this message to Patrick, a former boyfriend who dumped her, but when he messages her back she agrees to meet him again. Will Ros be able to return to the life she had before?
I was thoroughly entertained throughout the book, which is full of OMG/LOL moments. One of the things I love most about the author, is her quirky, likeable and interesting characters and this book has plenty of those (including a rich, teenaged gamer who wears animal masks to conceal his identity). The story is engaging and flows logically. I appreciated the diversity of the characters, as well as the personal growth of Ros as the story unfolds.
I highly recommend this book to those that appreciate great romantic-comedy.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.
Ros is a likeable, quirky young woman who has happily returned home to England after three years away working in the U.S. She misses her friends and family and wants to pick up her life where she left it before the move abroad. She soon learns, however, that after three years away not everything will be the same as the way she left it. Her parents, recent empty-nesters, have rekindled their passion for one another and have relegated Ros into a shed/bedroom in their backyard - not exactly the former bedroom she left behind. But where she lives is only temporary and she’s desperate to see her friends again. So Ros sends a group message to all her contacts. She hadn’t intentionally sent this message to Patrick, a former boyfriend who dumped her, but when he messages her back she agrees to meet him again. Will Ros be able to return to the life she had before?
I was thoroughly entertained throughout the book, which is full of OMG/LOL moments. One of the things I love most about the author, is her quirky, likeable and interesting characters and this book has plenty of those (including a rich, teenaged gamer who wears animal masks to conceal his identity). The story is engaging and flows logically. I appreciated the diversity of the characters, as well as the personal growth of Ros as the story unfolds.
I highly recommend this book to those that appreciate great romantic-comedy.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.
July 1, 2020
This ultimately was not for me. I found the characters and writing to be quite flat, this made it difficult for me to connect with the characters enough to actually care about what happened to them. Between that and the painful shoehorned in pop culture references it's a no for me.
June 10, 2020
Oof this book hits close to home and because of that of course it is amazing. Lindsey Kelk has been making me laugh for over 10 years now and she continued to do so with this latest novel (believe me that is a big accomplishment in the climate we’re living in right now) I loved this book from start to finish and I think everyone should read it.
Ros is fab and is so easy to relate to. She finds herself moving back in with her parents after starting off a new life in Washington. I really felt for her having to do this and going back knowing there would be questions, I can literally still feel her pain now but thankfully she has an amazing group of friends who are there to cushion the blow.
I loved Ros’s friendship group and they represent a fairly typical friendship group for me, I really felt like they could have been my friends. Lucy is about to have a baby and brings all the fun and games involved with that. Adrian is single and really doesn’t have a clue about how real people live since he seems to be stinking rich and then there is Sumi, I love her and she and Jenny Lopez could totally take over the world. Sumi almost has it all and the things she doesn’t have yet, she is on her way to conquering-just fab.
Of course we have some love interest options in this book and I absolutely fell head over heels in love with bar wonder John. He is so generous and understanding and funny and helpful and we all need him in our lives. Then there is the love interest we love to hate and oh my goodness I hated him so much. Bravo to Lindsey Kelk for writing an amazing villain.
Ros is lucky enough to land a new job for a podcast production company and this is where we get to another thing that this author does so well, her books are always up to date and relevant and real with interesting and exciting corners of the internet and the job market in general. We cover Esports and a YouTube gamer child-star with the best character name ever! I do feel like this name was inspired by the movie Cats I have to say. But all of this is the reality of the market we live in, podcasts are massive and child YouTube billionaires are a real thing and so I loved reading about them in this novel.
The cast of characters in this novel is also wonderfully relevant and diverse and I love that Lindsey Kelk is doing what is often missing in modern romcom. We have characters who are non-white and non-straight, older characters enjoying a full sex life the representation in this novel is just on point and this is what elevates it from being a good novel to be a great novel and one you should definitely all read!
Ros is fab and is so easy to relate to. She finds herself moving back in with her parents after starting off a new life in Washington. I really felt for her having to do this and going back knowing there would be questions, I can literally still feel her pain now but thankfully she has an amazing group of friends who are there to cushion the blow.
I loved Ros’s friendship group and they represent a fairly typical friendship group for me, I really felt like they could have been my friends. Lucy is about to have a baby and brings all the fun and games involved with that. Adrian is single and really doesn’t have a clue about how real people live since he seems to be stinking rich and then there is Sumi, I love her and she and Jenny Lopez could totally take over the world. Sumi almost has it all and the things she doesn’t have yet, she is on her way to conquering-just fab.
Of course we have some love interest options in this book and I absolutely fell head over heels in love with bar wonder John. He is so generous and understanding and funny and helpful and we all need him in our lives. Then there is the love interest we love to hate and oh my goodness I hated him so much. Bravo to Lindsey Kelk for writing an amazing villain.
Ros is lucky enough to land a new job for a podcast production company and this is where we get to another thing that this author does so well, her books are always up to date and relevant and real with interesting and exciting corners of the internet and the job market in general. We cover Esports and a YouTube gamer child-star with the best character name ever! I do feel like this name was inspired by the movie Cats I have to say. But all of this is the reality of the market we live in, podcasts are massive and child YouTube billionaires are a real thing and so I loved reading about them in this novel.
The cast of characters in this novel is also wonderfully relevant and diverse and I love that Lindsey Kelk is doing what is often missing in modern romcom. We have characters who are non-white and non-straight, older characters enjoying a full sex life the representation in this novel is just on point and this is what elevates it from being a good novel to be a great novel and one you should definitely all read!
May 29, 2020
This was a rare beast; a chick lit with quality, well drawn characters, wit and a little pathos that was just enough to make me think and question what I'd do, if I'd want to go back and recreate that time that I think I loved.
Funnily enough I've read a gazillion second chance romance stories where the couple do get back in touch after being wrenched apart, they work to overcome whatever deeply held hostility/misunderstanding had got in between them and discover they were destined to be together after all so it made a really refreshing change to experience a totally different take on that trope. Just trying to recreate a perfect night out by doing it all again has never gone that well for me so I get it. I have to say this story kind of resonated with me - "memory believes before knowing remembers" as William Faulkener put it.
This wasn't just about Ros's love life though, I absolutely nloved her relationship with her friends and her family too. It was warm and uplifting to read and just genuinely funny, I had such a good time escaping into this book, I struggled to put it down.
I haven't read this author before but I enjoyed this one so much I'm going in search of more by her. A fab , undemanding and warm read. Recommended.I
**Thanks to the publishers via netgalley for my arc.**
Funnily enough I've read a gazillion second chance romance stories where the couple do get back in touch after being wrenched apart, they work to overcome whatever deeply held hostility/misunderstanding had got in between them and discover they were destined to be together after all so it made a really refreshing change to experience a totally different take on that trope. Just trying to recreate a perfect night out by doing it all again has never gone that well for me so I get it. I have to say this story kind of resonated with me - "memory believes before knowing remembers" as William Faulkener put it.
This wasn't just about Ros's love life though, I absolutely nloved her relationship with her friends and her family too. It was warm and uplifting to read and just genuinely funny, I had such a good time escaping into this book, I struggled to put it down.
I haven't read this author before but I enjoyed this one so much I'm going in search of more by her. A fab , undemanding and warm read. Recommended.I
**Thanks to the publishers via netgalley for my arc.**
July 25, 2020
Lindsey Kelk you smashed it yet again!!! I absolutely adore all your books and this one is no different. Yet again I fell in love with all the characters and if I had a complaint it would only be that the book ended - I want to read more about Ros and her friends.
Ros returns from three years abroad working in America. With no job she is forced to move back in with her parents, who it would appear have rediscovered themselves and their love for one another. As she catches up with her besties, Sumi, Lucy and Adrian she finds out how life has moved on in her absence. They no longer want to hang out in the comfy old pub that was their go to place when they shared a flat but now go to this swanky new bar - a place that Ros doesn’t immediately gel with and gets off on the wrong foot with the owner, John.
A group text sent out to all her contacts with her new number has massive connotations. The main one being that it reconnects her with the man who broke her heart before she moved to America.
This book is hilarious and Lindsey Kelk just tells it how it is - no holds barred. All of which makes for a fantastic read. There are more than a few cringey moments which just make it all the better.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Ros returns from three years abroad working in America. With no job she is forced to move back in with her parents, who it would appear have rediscovered themselves and their love for one another. As she catches up with her besties, Sumi, Lucy and Adrian she finds out how life has moved on in her absence. They no longer want to hang out in the comfy old pub that was their go to place when they shared a flat but now go to this swanky new bar - a place that Ros doesn’t immediately gel with and gets off on the wrong foot with the owner, John.
A group text sent out to all her contacts with her new number has massive connotations. The main one being that it reconnects her with the man who broke her heart before she moved to America.
This book is hilarious and Lindsey Kelk just tells it how it is - no holds barred. All of which makes for a fantastic read. There are more than a few cringey moments which just make it all the better.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
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