There was a lot that I enjoyed about this book, however there were many things that sat the wrong way with me. I did not enjoy the constant talk about weight with the main character. I felt that while yes, she could be insecure about her body, it could have been handled in a different way, a way that might not be triggering to people.

Moving on from that, this story was a rollercoaster of emotions. I thought going into it that it would be more rom-com, but it was so much more than that! There were a lot of moments where I was so frustrated for and because of the main character, Hannah. While there was a happy ending, I still wish I could have had some more from the ending.

Wowowowwow this book was a HOOT. And I don't mean a hoot in terms of like, funny haha hoot. Like this was just such a strong story to read. Firstly, I loved the whole long-distance thing that started with Hannah and Davey. I will admit, I was very afraid that he was catfishing her at first, but I was happy to see that he wasn't. My heart BROKE when the inevitable foot came down on what could have been the start to a beautiful relationship, but HOLY COW did Elle Cook write this beautifully. You could tell as you were reading that Davey's experiences and emotions came from somewhere SO REAL (confirmed from the acknowledgements). Never once did it feel like Davey was overreacting because while I can't say I have ever experienced something that he has gone through, his actions and choices felt authentic. I know that some other reviewers weren't a super huge fan of the ending of this story, but I actually really enjoyed it. I like that it felt a bit more open ended than I was expecting.

This book had my whole heart, and I can't wait to read more from this author.

A BIG OL THANK YOU to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I can't do it. I can't keep reading. But not because it isn't written well, not at all. It's too good. I like the main characters too much and I can feel a Bad Thing happening in the next few chapters and honestly, I just can't.
I'm just not in a place where I can read something I know is going to break my heart. Yes, I read the last page and I know it'll be okay in the end, but I'm not ready for the pain between now and The End.

To me it's like Beaches or Titanic. Sometimes I NEED to watch those movies, but generally I can't handle it. I feel like this is going to be one of those tear jerkers that I'll NEED to read when I need a good cry. But not today. So I'm not DNFing this, I'm just putting it in my Not Right Now list.

Please understand, if I didn't like the characters as much as I do I would have skimmed the rest of the book. Instead, I'm waiting for the right time to read this. It'll be a gem. I have no doubt about it. That being said, I am giving this a preemptive four stars-I figure if an author can make me feel enough emotions that I can't handle feeling the negative ones coming in a few chapters, that's a very good author.

(I also stop watching Funny Girl (one of my favorite movies) at the Sadie, Sadie Married Lady song because I can't take what comes next...so yeah, hope that explains my review)

What an emotional journey!

An accidental call turned into much more for Hannah and Davey. They have never met before but feel a connection and decide to keep in touch. Their journey is a long one with a lot of bumps but is so beautiful and yet tragic at the same time.

I loved watching them both grow over time even when they weren’t together. They get comfortable but end up pushing themselves to be better and most importantly, happy. I am sad we don’t see them more as a couple but I loved how it wrapped up. Highly recommend!

The Man I Never Met by Elle Cook is my first book by this author. A bit of a time jump, kismet, romance trope that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The characters are described well and colorful enough that I fell as they did. I appreciated the time spent developing the storyline. Definitely a fun read and I look forward to other books by this author.

this was so dang beautiful, i teared up in the end and ESPECIALLY with that excerpt in the acknowledgments about what the authors husband said

i was rooting for them since the very first interaction and the poppy field scene was just *chefs kiss*

i will say that i didn’t enjoy the last two chapters as much since everything was summarized so quickly, i expected a bit more dialogue after them rekindling and officially meeting each other

Rating : 4.5/5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley Random House Publishing Group -Random House for a eARC of The man I never met by Elle Cook
Day of release : November 22nd 2022

I really enjoyed the setting of the book, mainly in London area, I love the characters throughout the book. The premise of the book was Hannah got a call which surprised her because nobody really calls, a guy name Davey from Texas misdialed the number for a job interview.

I will be publishing this review on my goodreads account today 7-30-22.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4884301528?book_show_action=false


3.5/5 stars Warning this contains spoilers!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a pretty good book. The chemistry between Davey and Hannah was phenomenal. They hadn’t even met yet and you could tell. I wish they would have gotten together sooner so we could see more of them. I also enjoyed the duel point of view. I had a feeling Davey and Hannah would run into each other in Italy but could have never guessed how. The part where they kissed in the field like in her favorite movie was so sweet. Although I didn’t like George, I think he’s character was needed. It showed how after Davey and Hannah stopped talking she was just going through the motions and not truly living. Joan character was one of my favorites I’m glad she also found love. Overall this book was decent and kept me interested.

For me, I think this was a book that drew me in because of the amazing cover and plot but the overall story was a bit underwhelming. The writing felt a bit robotic which made it hard for me to fully connect with the story or characters. At times it was hard to fully immerse myself into the book. But the author did a good job making Davey and Hannah multilayered characters with a story to match. It felt as if the reader was alongside the both of them, reading them grow and mature throughout this story.

I wish the layout of the book distinguished the text messages more rather than just flushed them into the sentences. It was hard to read and know it was Davey and Hannah messaging back and forth. I did enjoy the dual POV and it made the story a bit richer because we got to know both characters. Overall, I wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t a good fit. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC.

The writing was beautiful and demonstrative. I was intrigued by the synopsis but unfortunately, the story didn’t hold my attention and I wasn’t motivated to keep reading or pick it up.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt invested in Hannah & Davey's relationship from the beginning. I couldn't put this book down because I needed to know what was going to happen with each of them.

Loved the meet cute! It was emotional, but at the same time very sweet. Some of the characters annoyed me- but overall a great read! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!

What a fun meet cute! It was a slow moving story after Hannah and Davey lost touch and I wish that communication had continued. I see a lot of other reviewers giving hate to George, but Charlotte was way worse in my opinion. I feel like George was a huge plot hole. Things were never finished there and in all honesty, Davey could have handled things better with Hannah. He was just as weak-willed as Hannah really. Even so - I was glad for the happy ending.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When Hannah answers an unknown phone number call, she doesn't know her life is about to change after hearing Davey's voice on the line. Hannah lives in the UK and Davey is from Texas, but with technology, a relationship starts to grow. When Davey us supposed to arrive and meet Hannah, things change because he never gets off the plane. The rest of this story is how they both deal with the change in their relationship. I was rooting for Hannah and Davey throughout the book, though their journey was a tough one. I really enjoyed the story but the end left me yearning for a little more. This book has romance, but it is more of a story of survival and growth. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

📚 The Man I Never Met by @lornacookauthor
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫/5

To be completely honest, I only requested this book because of the cover and the title. I did not even read the synopsis until I got approved to read this ARC. But… what a pleasant surprise!

The story started with Davey from Texas misdialing Hannah’s number twice in London for his job interview before Christmas. After clearing up the confusion, she ended the call by wishing him look with no expectations of hearing from him again.

So when Davey got the job, he sent a text to Hannah letting her know the good news and that he’ll be moving to London a month later. They continued chatting that turned into phone calls and progressed to video calls. Friendship turned into something else and they started planning for when they meet in person. Hannah went to the airport to pick him up, but then Davey didn’t show up.

I remember telling my husband the story of this book when I was just in the first 9 chapters – told him how light and cute the story is. It was a “meet cute” and I was just smiling all the way through. Because why not? They have this undeniable and strong connection that you do not have to force at all because it’s there. It started very cute, cozy, smooth, light, easy-going, until I was crying.

To me, this book is totally relatable, my dear friends. When I was younger, I used to be online all the time. I have met guys that I thought I really liked even before I met them in person or worst, have never met in person at all. With internet being easily accessible, having an online boyfriend is no longer an impossibility nowadays and it’s very common.

I love this book. Thought it was light, but it was deeper than I expected as it tackles some tough and delicate issues. No boring characters, only annoying George. I just wish that the author revises a little bit the ending. More elaboration rather than a summarization of what happened after. I want more of Davey and Hannah.

Thank you, @netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't get into this book. The characters seemed wooden. And then there was the description of the main character dropping a cookie into her coffee and it bumping up against her mouth as she drank it. Totally turned me off. I'm sure there are library patrons that will enjoy this, but I couldn't read the thing just to not recommend it at work.

Overall The Man I Never Met was a fun read. I would have liked it if the two main character's communications had continued on in the book, but that's nothing to do with the writer or the writing. I very much despised George and thought the parts with him in it could have been shorter.

Is it possible to love someone you've never met? A young woman finds out in this sweeping will-they-or-won't-they love story that begins with a chance wrong number dial. . . .

When Hannah picks up a call from an unknown number, she doesn't imagine it will change her life. After all, it's just an easygoing American named Davey who misdialed her while calling into a job interview. And when Hannah jokingly wishes him luck after clearing up the confusion, she never actually expects to hear from him again.

Then she gets a text saying he got the job and he'll be moving to London, and she can't help but smile. As they continue to message and their texts become phone calls that become video calls, their friendship becomes a relationship that they can't wait to start in earnest as soon as Davey lands in London in a month's time.

But when Hannah goes to the airport to meet him, she finds herself standing alone in the terminal, Davey nowhere to be found. Then comes another life-changing phone call--Davey won't be able to move to London anytime soon, if ever. And it's for a reason neither of them could ever have anticipated. With their future so uncertain, they don't know what else to do but try to move on from each other, even if nothing feels right anymore.

Even as months go by and their love seems lost forever, neither is ever far from the other's thoughts. Will fate intervene one last time to finally bring them together, or will Davey always be the man that Hannah never met?


I thought this was so cute! The ending was the only thing that got me! This was still a very enjoyable read the ending just should have given us more. I would definitely recommend this book. I did think it was very good. I really like the concept of them being so far away and using technology since that does happen nowadays.



Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an e-copy of THE MAN I NEVER MET to review.

I loved the concept of this book, but the ending just didn't do it for me, as it left so much unsaid. I did think it was cute how their reunion scene mirrored the one in her favorite book, though.

The Man I Never Met
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/22/22
Author: Elle Cook
Publisher: Dell Books
Pages: 336
Goodreads Rating: 4.26

TW ⚠️: Body image

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dell Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: When Hannah picks up a call from an unknown number, Davey who misdialed her while calling into a job interview. Turns out he is moving to London. As they continue to message and their texts become phone calls that become video calls, their friendship becomes a relationship that they can't wait to start in earnest as soon as Davey lands in London in a month's time. Hannah waits at the airport. Davey won't be able to move to London anytime soon, if ever. And it's for a reason neither of them could ever have anticipated. Even as months go by and their love seems lost forever, neither is ever far from the other's thoughts. Will fate intervene one last time to finally bring them together, or will Davey always be the man that Hannah never met?

My Thoughts: The storyline takes place over two years in two different countries between two people destined to be together. The characters, especially Hannah and Davey, were well developed, had an instant connection, had amazing chemistry, and the friendship and love continued to grow and endure over the two years. The author’s writing was complex on many levels, emotional, unique (in a good way), and even though this is more of a slow burn, it still kept me engaged from cover to cover, I had to know if Hannah and Davey lived happily ever after. Not to give too much away, I was not crazy about the ending, it just felt two rushed, it should have been expanded a few pages and not as short as it was. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and the focus was more on the relationship growing, which worked well for this novel. I would recommend picking this up later this year. I for one will to see if the ending was changed as that has been a major point of many reviewers.