I am begging Alexis Hall to stop writing accents into their dialogue. Please. I am B E G G I N G

tl;dr all the signs pointed to me disliking this but I really liked this

I'm going to get the bad out of the way first: I have a love-hate relationship with Alexis Hall's books in that I usually love the concepts and main characters, but I hate the side characters and b-plots throughout the entire book. 10 Things wasn't different in that regard. Our side characters consist of a chaotic and smarmy extended family, a chaotic and smarmy group of coworkers (this is the group in which we find our token Idiot, which has become a character trope in the Hall-verse in an of itself), and a smarmy cat. I couldn't have cared less about any of them -- maybe three of the whole set got redeeming scenes throughout the book, but there were just! too! many! side! characters!

I also think the publisher should stop advertising this as being set in the same universe as Boyfriend Material, because the lack of any substantial crossover was disappointing considering the marketing for it.

One thing I did not expect when cracking this open (metaphorically, thank you Netgalley for a digital copy, send me a physical one too please, thanks, kisses xoxo) was how much I'd enjoy the conflict between the main couple. I'm not an amnesia fan - it's not a trope I've ever cared about -- so I was predisposed to dislike how strongly that featured in this book. I was wrong. I loved it. It was totally ridiculous and unbelievable, but I still loved it.

Jonathan and Sam are the selling point in this book. They're both more grounded than the other protagonist-pairs I've read of Hall's, and their conflict and developing relationship feels genuine despite the outlandish circumstances surrounding Sam's fake amnesia. That Jonathan could legitimately fall for it became less and less believable over time, and I think I would have liked the twist that he figured it out but went along with it at some point, but that isn't what we get. Still, I liked it, and Hall was never late to the witty banter, which was what drew me to reading Boyfriend Material in the first place.

I think this is probably the best book of Hall's I've read so far, but I do think it's odd only three or four books were listed on the "also by" page when Hall has like .... 20 books on their website...

P.S: I get that writing out the accents is supposed to help us imagine their voices, but after the note that Sam is supposed to sound like The Vivienne, nobody needed to see yez written out every two pages. We only need the reminder one time.

4 out of 5 Stars.

I have loved many other Alexis Hall books, but this one was not my favorite. It could 100% be a me problem because the fake amnesia thing made me really uncomfortable and I dreaded the confrontation when it was inevitably revealed. The banter wasn't quite as sparkling as I have come to expect, either. That's not to say there aren't funny moments--there certainly are. I am just used to a certain amount of joke/banter density that was not achieved here. I will, however, continue to snap his books up as they become available to me.

Charming and funny, 10 Things That Never Happened, is a quirky love story set against the drop of the intensely interesting world of big box bed and bathroom stores in modern Britain. Jonathan Forrest is a self made man….building up a chain of successful stores on his own. He’s driven and humorless and has a fraught relationship with is working class family. Jonathan provides them money but hates that he grew up poor, bullied at school, disdained at university and deeply ashamed of his father for being a failure as a provider. He loves them the only way he’ll allow himself…from afar and being the provider that his Dad never was. He’s cold and all business and his employees think he’s a dick. Sam/Samwise Becker is the manager of the least profitable branch stores and isn’t very good at it. Many of his staffers are really bad and have no ambition. Sam knows all their backstories so he can’t fire any of them because he knows their families will suffer. Hard nosed Jonathan doesn’t care about any of that and call Sam to the main office…probably to fire him and his motley team. During the meeting. Sam makes Jonathan so mad that he uncharacteristically loses it and screams at Sam..marketing Sam back away and into a very expensive, very heavy item in the story. It crashed down on Sam and he has a concussion that may or may not induce amnesia. Sam has no one in his life so Jonathan is guilted into taking him in to watch him and make sure Sam’s head injury doesn’t get worse. Will these 2 wounded souls get together, will Jonathan’s huge and noisy family drive them all crazy during Christmastime, will Sam’s odd cat love Jonathan more that Sam????

This was very cute!
It really scratched the itch I had for a ridiculous rom-com. I love grumpy-sunshine, a touch of hurt/comfort, and when characters are sarcastic assholes. There's also an ugly cat named Gollum, which is truly the cherry on top. I found the romance very sweet, it had me kicking my feet while reading. The relationship progression felt very organic (despite the amnesia-related lack of communication). Even the frustrating bits (keeping secrets/miscommunication tropes) were bearable knowing that the payoff would be worth it (and it was!)
xoxo would read again.

If you and your coworkers were on the precipice of being fired, the clear solution to avoid said firing would be to get a concussion, fake amnesia, and move in with your boss during the lead-up to Christmas, right? Right?

Well, that’s the solution Sam (short for Samwise) comes up with in 10 Things That Never Happened. And Alexis Hall’s pairing of the muppet and the miser—both of whom are a bit adrift in their own ways—had me grinning, warmed my heart, and tugged at my heartstrings. It’s a grumpy-sunshine pairing wrapped up in a boss-employee pairing tied up in a forced proximity/roommates-style bow. And it is fantastic.

Jonathan Forest is “all tall and dark and grumpy” and I adored watching him warm up to Gollum, the disfigured cat, and to Sam. As per usual, Hall weaves in heavier themes along with his sense of humor, so you find yourself in turn chuckling and feeling for Sam and Jonathan. And the supporting cast of characters—from the bed and bath store employees to Jonathan’s gregarious family members—are sure to keep you entertained.

I highly recommend it.

I received an advance copy from Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

This book was slightly underwhelming but still a nice story! It centers around an overly nice MC and a grumpy boss, and let me tell you...grumpy sunshine tropes are my favorite! I really enjoyed their dynamic, as well as the dynamic each of their crazy "families" (work and biological) added to the storyline.

10 Things That Never Happened is a sweet queer romance with lots of banter. If you enjoy a silly romcom premise with lots of Alexis Hall’s signature quips, you’ll adore this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Samwise is working at a soulless bed and bath superstore in Sheffield, trying to cover up for his inept staff with Jonathan, his uptight boss. But when Jonathan summons Sam to London to account for his store’s lackluster production, Sam accidentally hits his head after Jonathan tells him he’s going to be fired. So naturally Sam pretends to have amnesia so that Jonathan will feel bad and not fire him and his staff after all. In true romcom fashion, Jonathan ends up taking care of concussed and amnesiac Sam, along with his grumpy cat Gollum during his recovery. But when the two begin to develop feelings for each other, how can Sam admit that he remembers everything?

This premise is the kind of ridiculousness that only happens in a romcom, but if you suspend disbelief, it works. How else would this pair be in forced proximity together? I’ll admit that it took me a little while to really get into the story, but once I adjusted to the slower pacing, I settled in for the enjoyable story.

This book is filled with the best banter and quips, which are Alexis Hall’s forte. And Jonathan’s entire extended family is hilarious while feeling realistic too. But, I think this book has a more wistful tone than Boyfriend Material. The romance is a slow burn, and once Sam and Jonathan do get together, it’s definitely closed door.

There is a lot of England-specific geography and observations packed into this book. I loved that it immersed me in Sam’s point of view, but I needed my friend Google’s help a few times to clarify details. It was refreshing, too, that homosexuality is a nonissue in this story. Both Sam and Jonathan are completely comfortable with their identities and the people around them couldn’t care less. Clearly they both have other issues, but their sexuality isn’t one of them.

10 Things That Never Happened is a slow, slow burn queer romcom. I think it’s a much quieter and introspective book than Boyfriend Material, though. It’s a charming book, and it’s always a treat to spend time with Alexis Hall’s witty and slightly damaged characters.

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

This was my first Alexis Hall book so I was very appreciative to have this opportunity! I didn't really enjoy this one which made me sad because this was my first read by him. But, I appreciated the attention to detail to where the characters are based and came from. I also liked the premise so I think it was a decent execution that was a bit lost on me. I also liked the side characters and the idea they were the stars of the show in a way. I didn't particularly care for the other main characters but I enjoyed this. It was different from what I expected but in a good way.

I really enjoyed this book! I though Sam and Jonathan's relationship was really fun to watch unfold, and I enjoyed learning about both of them. The amnesia thing could've seemed a lot cheesier and unrealistic, but somehow it worked. I enjoyed hearing about the workplace antics, and I feel like there's room for another book from Claire's point of view, or something like that. I really loved hearing about what was going on at the store. I am curious to learn more about how Jonathan started the store. I understand his motivations for working hard, but I'm still a bit confused on exactly how successful he is and how he started the company. I will definitely recommend this book, especially to people who are looking for a romance with little spice. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC!

This is the Christmas Rom-Com that needs to be made into a movie, like immediately. Sam is so funny and adorable. Jonathan is so buttoned up and bottom lined. They make no sense until they make perfect sense and all it took was a real concussion and a some fake amnesia. To be fair, I absolutely adored Boyfriend Material and Husband Material so I suspected I was floating back into a world I was already in love with. There are so many wonderful, sweet, hysterical, heartbreaking moments in this story, but I don't want to ruin any of them for anyone. So you'll just have to trust me - READ THIS BOOK!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I'm so damn excited that there are going to be more in this series.

A lovely Hallmark-esque novel. Sam tries to save his job and those of the employees he manages by taking amnesia after an accident involving the owner of the company. Great summer read! For Fans of Red, White and Royal Blue.

The best of Hallmark movies meets Goldie Hawn in Overboard, this was a delightful read – harsh, workaholic businessman Jonathan meets too-kind-for-this-world Sam and amnesia-related shenanigans ensue. Maybe it’s because I’m such a fan of Christmas, but this might be my favourite of Alexis Hall’s books.
The good:
Jonathan is faceted and not just your usual “all I am is a business-y businessman” character. I like that along with Sam, we keep getting surprised when he acts “out of character” or when he shows a softer side. (His attachment to Gollum is ridiculously endearing). Jonathan’s rambunctious family never feels like it strays into caricature when it very easily could. Instead, they come off as maybe the most normal family ever – a little too loud, a little too much, but family all the same and full of love for each other.
The growing feelings between Jonathan and Sam are so well written and fantastically paced to torture the reader just enough without it being too drawn out or too out of the blue.
I also enjoyed that Hall doesn’t fall into the saccharine nonsense that makes Hallmark movies what they are – Jonathan doesn’t have some kind of sudden personality change just because he has feelings from Sam and is making an effort to be a kinder person. It’s a very realistic shift for the character.
The turn when Jonathan finds out that Sam has been lying about amnesia the entire time was well done in my opinion, too – I honestly was waiting for Jonathan to say that he knew the whole time, so his actually being fooled came as a little bit of a surprise to me.
The not-as-good:
I wish that we got more of Sam’s backstory sooner. I think it would add a lot to his character to know a little bit more about why he is the way he is. Learning at the end that he lost the majority of his family in one fell swoop makes his focus on people-over-profit make a lot of sense. There are little crumbs about his relationship with his Nan too, that might make his protectiveness of Brian (who has his own grandmother to care for) make a lot more sense as well. Sam comes off feeling a little two-dimensional in comparison to Jonathan because we get so much more background and context for why Jonathan is the way he is. It would have been nice to have similar attention paid to Sam earlier on in the story.
Overall:
On the whole, like I said, my favourite Alexis Hall book by quite a bit.

Love love loved this book. Sam was a great narrator and I grew to love grumpy Johnathan and Gollum, along with the rest of Johnathan's family. So much fun and really happy to read another great Alexis Hall book

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for this eARC! If you liked Boyfriend Material, this book is 100% for you. It's smart and witty and will make you giggle and kick your feet quite a bit. It's not fake dating - it's accidental dating because everyone around them insists they are dating so much that it becomes not worth fighting it. And who doesn't love a good old fashioned fake amnesia storyline. It was nice to reenter the same vibe as Boyfriend Material with "Guy who is pretty okay at his kind of horrible job but he cares about people so it's all gonna be alright'. Overall a super fun read!

It was cute. This was my first Alexis Hall and I will be trying another one.

What I loved: The love interest not completely changing his whole personality once meeting the MC.
The zany family and coworkers. THE CAT, Gollum.

What I didn't like: The lying and lack of communication. On one hand I GET that it's THE STORY but also JUST TELL HIM....ya know?

Overall I enjoyed it. I found myself losing interest the second half of the book but I felt like it wrapped up nicely.

Thanks #NetGalley for the review copy.

I cackled and giggled my way through this until close to the end, where I was punched in the feels and almost brought to tears. No one, but no one, writes a better rom com than Alexis Hall.

Two far-from-perfect men. An even further-from-perfect cat. (I don’t usually like cute cats in romances but this cat was terrible so it was fine.) A large supporting cast of co workers and family, drawn sharply, but with such a light touch. A swoony, slow burn romance, which as always with Hall, has a lot to say about wider issues—class, wealth, poverty, family, and loss. Loved it.

Alexis Hall is an auto buy author for literally everyone, me most definitely included. I was pleasantly surprised to find out this is a Christmas book. Samwise Becker ("call me SAM!") is an employee of Jonathan's at a bed and bath retailer (think Bed, Bath, and Beyond). Faced with mounting costs and falling profits, Jonathan calls Sam into headquarters to inform him that he needs to fire a few employees and get the store in shape ASAP. But Sam has a heart. A too big heart at that. He can't fire any of his employees because he knows all of their lives and the reasons they need their jobs so badly. After a Hallmark movie-worthy fall into a shower at the showroom, Sam quickly decides to fake amnesia. Because he has nowhere else to go, he figures staying with Jonathan will allow the man to get to know him better and realize him and his employees all need their jobs. In usual Alexis Hall fashion, hilarity ensues.

This one took me a few pages to thoroughly get into the story. Sam is such a sweetheart character with definite pain in his past. Jonathan is married to his work and sees his eclectic but loving family as more of a nuisance than an enjoyable addition to his life. The dialogue was just hilarious and I want to sincerely be adopted into Jonathan's family. This is a typical grumpy/sunshine trope and of course includes a HEA, but isn't that what we're all here for?! Oh. And CHRISTMAS!! This is a truly enjoyable rom-com and as usual Hall doesn't disappoint.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, Alexis Hall, and Sourcebooks Casablanca! ❤️

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I love Hall's writing and his hilarious banter. I'm also always caught off guard by how emotionally invested I get in his characters' relationships. Every fight is emotionally devastating and every reunion makes me want to jump for joy.

Thanks so much for sending me the ARC of this!

Unfortunately, I think this book by Alexis Hall fell a bit flat for me which makes me so sad. I’ve loved every other book from them that I’ve read, but this one in particular, I just never felt the chemistry between these two AT ALL.

A fun story about love and navigating lieing to your boss/boyfriend. Sam is a fun character and Jonathan is cute in a bossy/ kill joy kind of way. Easy book to read. Good for the holidays