This funny British romcom is a closed door slowburn with a whole lot of coincidental moments and mishaps between Nick and Wren, two lovely people who (eventually) find each other .

Both are grown-ups and have been in relationships (Wren is working through one) and it’s great to read about adults, who largely have their stuff together, connecting. The near-misses are great fun and there’s a thoughtfulness about fate.

It’s dual point of view in third person and we can see all the interlinking ties between these two over the weeks before they meet in Italy and then afterwards. There’s no real darkness here, it’s more texture and frustration so it’s an easy light read. Nick’s family situation includes some negotiating and Wren is also disentangling herself. There’s a bookshop, a bestie, a birth, a death, a holiday in Italy, plus extended and found family so there’s lots to enjoy...

It’s charming fun, and doesn’t feel as messy as some British romcoms. What a great debut for Lily Joseph!

Rounded up to four stars ✨ Thank you NetGalley, Lily and Bookouture for the ARC. Opinions on my own.

Now hear me out… I'm gonna be brutally honest. So please don't come run for me, cause we can't like everything the world offers us.

Two stars for effort. Because the end was okay-ish. I was looking forward to this one cause the description and cover intrigued me. But no… I just couldn't.
This book left me really confused throughout the entire thing. I had quite a hard time wrapping my finger around the story cause it is quite literally all over the place. So engaging with it was hard.

I had multiple occasions while reading the book where I was desperate to just close it and never open it again.. but I kept going just because I wanted to know if the story was going to be interesting or if it was going to tickle my fancy at any point.

It was towards the end of the book where I was like: "Okay! This is it! It's happening." And the ending was fine. I was just missing the engagement of it all.

The Near Miss is a slow burn romance which may not be everyone's cup of tea but I have to say I did enjoy it. It was a very pleasant story and the characters were so cute, however there was a lot of accidents which did become too repetitive and unrealistic. The accidents although described well did start to get a little boring as they went on and some were truly unnecessary. But I have to say it was exciting to read how the two characters Wren and Nick were going to interact without knowing anything about one another at the start.

I really enjoyed where the story lead to in Capri and Lily Josephs ability to set the scenes were so detailed I could imagine being in the sun myself. This book does help solidify my beliefs in fate.

Although I liked the story, I felt that there was a lot going on and at times not enough to tie it all back together. I would have really liked a bit more content on Wren and Nick getting together, as the ending was rather rushed in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 stars for me. I really wanted to like this book but it was a miss for me. I felt like the story was over complicated. There were to many mini stories going on, it took forever for the two to actually meet. The title really did match the story but it just felt like it dragged on.

I loved this book!! It took a long time to get the characters together, and I loved every bit of the build up. I almost enjoyed it more than when they finally met!! It was a quick, captivating read that kept me on the edge throughout. I loved the ride.

A slow burn look into how 'fate' can bring two people together eventually, after almost bumping into each other several times. The book entwines the lives of Nick and Wren; a handyman recovering from a breakup, and a local reporter who craves normalcy. I think that this a feel-good romantic comedy, more for the lovers of slow burn and fun getaway plots.

Thank you for the advance reader copy, all opinions are my own!

This book was so freaking cute and just warmed my whole heart! This was such a great summer read, and I found it really inspiring too.

Firstly , Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of "The Near Miss" by Lily Joseph, in exchange for my honest review.

I would first like to say I was really looking forward to this book. The entire concept of it had such great potential. However, it just wasn’t for me. It is very much a slow burn ( which I am not a huge fan of) and it’s a little boring until way later in the book. I feel with a little more editing this book could be a an easy 4 or 5 star. I do still recommend for anyone looking for a short beach read who also enjoys a good slow burn . Overall an enjoyable book just not my cup of tea ❤️

The story starts with following Wren and Nick - who keep having dangerous “near misses” to finally meeting. When they meet, the outrageous circumstances continue as they lose track of and finally find each other once again.
Overall, it was an interesting concept that looks into how fate can bring people together, but it became almost boring in the in-between and only really picked up once the main characters met. The thing that kept me coming back to the book was the crazy situations that each person ended up in and seeing how everything interconnected.
I did enjoy the story, and it was a good summer read. I'd recommend the book to others, with a quick note of a slow start.

this was a tough one for me—I really tried to like it, but it just didn't click. The story felt way too over-the-top with all these crazy disasters happening left and right. I get the idea of fate and how people meet at the right moment, but the way it played out felt forced. Plus, some of the dialogue, like Nick's brother dropping a random "trigger warning," was just plain cringey. And let's talk about Nick and Wren—I didn't feel any sparks there at all. Nick kinda gave me the creeps, to be honest. It took forever for them to even meet, and when they finally did, it felt rushed and lacking in real connection.

The plot follows Wren and Nick, who keep almost bumping into each other until they finally cross paths in Capri. The setting was beautifully described—I could practically feel the sun on my skin and see those whitewashed buildings. But despite that, the book left me disappointed. There were too many characters, too many side stories, and the main thread of their romance felt thin and disjointed. I almost gave up on it, which is why I ended up giving it a lukewarm 2.5 stars.

Despite my gripes, I did like the concept of invisible strings pulling people together, even if it felt a bit overdone at times. When Wren and Nick finally did meet, it was a relief, and things started to make sense. I enjoyed how Lily Joseph crafted their journey and the intricate connections between their lives.

Thank you for the ARC! I loved this story, it was extremely well written. Will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!

A lovely, easy to read summer romance story. Even though it was slow to get going, I enjoyed it, but I do wish there had been more once the characters finally met.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of "The Near Miss" by Lily Joseph, in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say, I thought this book had a lot of potential from the synopsis, but it did not follow through. The story was drug on so slowly, I mean the love interests didn't meet till halfway through the book! I get the idea of near misses, almost meeting, and being around each other, but only meeting at the right time, but there was nothing grabbing my attention to keep me going. I skimmed through almost all of the book, and I did not feel the romance in it at all. I was very disappointed with it, I really had high hopes for it. Hopefully I could read more of her other works and it could change my mind.

I just reviewed The Near Miss by Lily Joseph. #TheNearMiss #NetGalley

The Near Miss* is a good read for fans of romance and serendipitous love stories. It offers an interesting exploration of fate and how seemingly insignificant actions can have significant impacts on our lives. Despite its rushed ending, the book is enjoyable and heartwarming, making it a pleasant escape into a world where love is just a series of coincidences away.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC.
Reading the description for this book piqued my interest in that how fate plays in the characters' love story. From the window to the letter, everything was a near miss, but it all happened for a reason for Nick and Wren. The reader pieces together the different events that blossoms into Wren and Nick's fateful love story.
Wren and Nick continue to go through ups and downs separately. However, their support system had them at every turn. They are surrounded by people who care for them. I greatly appreciated the community aspect as well.

This is a good debut for Lily Joseph. A nice love story with different family dynamics and real-world situations. I believe my favorite scene would be the cave portion. It was so detailed that I could imagine its beauty as I was reading it.

Despite the constant near misses between the two characters, I do wish there was a bit more interaction and development in the relationship over the many near misses. It was a bit too long of a slow-burn romance for me.

#TheNearMiss #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of this book!

I really loved this book! It took me a while to get to the 30% mark, but I read the rest of the 70% in one day! A lovely, easy read to pick up and enjoy! I absolutely adored the characters, especially Wren and Nick 🥰 The story had such a good plot and for a slow-paced romance. I enjoyed it so much!

I do think the ending was slightly rushed and I wanted to find out more about Wren and Nick and what happened next. But nevertheless, I was rooting for them the whole time and I’m glad it came to a happy ending!

DNF

It's just too slow for me... We're at 31% and Nick and Wren haven't met outside of the window mishap and nothing is really happening...

How many times can these characters have near misses? So many happen stance meetings and I was here for it. This was a cute book that had me connecting dots the whole way but loving every second of it

"The Near Miss" by Lily Joseph is a delightful and heartwarming tale that plays with the whimsical idea of fate and the magnetic pull of true love. The novel intertwines the lives of two characters, Nick and Wren, who are destined for each other despite never having met. Joseph's storytelling is charming, filled with humor, emotion, and the kind of serendipity that makes readers believe in the magic of life’s little accidents.

Wren, a local reporter, craves a life without surprises. Her relationship with Alex, while stable, lacks the spark it once had, leaving her to question if comfort is truly what she wants. On the other hand, Nick, a handyman nursing the wounds of a devastating breakup, is focused on his business and his daughter, trying to move past the pain. Both characters are on parallel paths, seeking a semblance of normalcy and healing.

The narrative kicks off with a literal near miss—Nick drops a sheet of glass from a window that narrowly misses Wren, setting off a series of comical and near-fatal encounters that bring them tantalizingly close yet frustratingly far from each other. Joseph masterfully uses these near misses to build suspense and anticipation, making readers eager for the moment when Nick and Wren will finally meet.

The story takes an enchanting turn when Wren, on a solo trip to Italy meant for her and Alex, unknowingly finds herself in the same locale as Nick. Their eventual meeting in the Blue Grotto in Capri is nothing short of magical, and Joseph captures the romantic tension and inevitable connection between them beautifully.

As Nick and Wren discover the deep entanglements of their lives, the story explores themes of fate, destiny, and the serendipitous nature of love. Their journey is filled with moments that are both tender and humorous, making their eventual union all the more satisfying.

Lily Joseph’s writing is engaging, with vivid descriptions of the Italian landscape that transport the reader right into the story. The characters are relatable, each dealing with their own struggles and growth, which adds depth to the romance. The secondary characters, especially Nick’s daughter, add charm and layers to the plot.

"The Near Miss" is a feel-good romantic comedy that will make readers laugh, cry, and root for Nick and Wren from start to finish. It’s a testament to the idea that sometimes, love is just a catastrophe away, waiting to be discovered in the most unexpected ways. Joseph has crafted a perfect summer read that leaves you believing in the power of fate and the inevitability of true love.

The Near Miss • Review

★★★★

Thank you Net Galley & Lily Joseph for the E-ARC of this debut novel!
This was such a breath of fresh air for a romance novel! Wren & Nick’s story was the sweetest, most anxiety inducing yet addicting read with meet cute(s) galore. Who said you can’t have more than one meet cute for the same love story 😭😭
I thought I was accident prone until reading this 😂 I have not read about a couple that could have so many near death experiences in such a short span of time. Loved that their trauma brought them together each time!!