Have you ever thought about your first love and wondered, what if? What if it had gone differently? What if one event hadn’t happened? What if you said that one thing you were too self-conscious to say? That is what Mhairi McFarlane’s Don’t You Forget About Me is all about.

It’s also about taking back your voice, knowing your worth, and getting a second chance. Well…except for emotionally manipulative ex-boyfriends. They don’t get a second chance.

The story follows Georgina, a 30-something-year-old woman living in Sheffield (South Yorkshire, England) who is just trying to make it through her day-to-day life. She was once considered Most Likely to to Succeed in school, but after what happened on the last day of school and her father’s untimely death, she put her hopes and dreams on an indefinite hold.

When we first meet Georgina, she is working at an awful restaurant with horrible people. After trying to pacify a rightfully angry customer, she is fired. This is not Georgina’s first firing, but given how horrendous the job and people were, it feels like the worst.

She then heads over to her boyfriend’s (Simon) apartment to tell him the news. This leads to her finding Simon in bed with another woman and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (don’t ask). Needless to say, Georgina is having a horrible day.

But one thing does go right: Her sister, Esther, calls. And while this normally wouldn’t be a good thing, as Esther is a bit of a nag, it brings about an experience that will change Georgina’s life forever. Her brother-in-law happens to have a client who’s opening a new pub and needs a bartender for a night

Georgina jumps at the chance for some source of income. Her excitement changes when, during the job, she sees someone she never expected set eyes on again: her high school boyfriend, Lucas McCarthy. And of course, he looks like freaking Aidan Turner.

While we know a little bit about their past relationship from the prologue, we don’t know exactly how they broke up. Needless to say, Georgina is sweating bullets, but when they’re finally introduced, he doesn’t seem to recognize her at all. This guy she has obsessed about since high school finally shows back up in her life, and he doesn’t even know her. WTF?

Or at least that what he wants her to believe…

The one-night gig turns into a full-time job, and Georgina is stuck working with and for (that’s right, he’s one of the owners of the pub) Lucas every day. But what’s starts as an awkward relationship between co-workers soon turns into a friendship — and then something more.

Don’t You Forget About Me is unique in so many ways but one major one (at least for me) is that, while Lucas has all the makings of an alpha male love interest, he isn’t that at all. Georgina’s awful ex, Simon, shows up to “win” her back more than a couple times, and Lucas has no qualms about throwing his butt to the curb. I might have cheered while reading.

He also does end up revealing that he knew who Georgina was from the first moment they met but was keeping it a secret so they could have a chance of actually working together without all that past baggage.

But it’s not just the swoon-worthy dude that’s makes this book special. The writing is also legitimately hilarious. Georgina and her friends are hysterically funny, and some of the situations she finds herself will make you genuinely laugh out loud. Her roommate, Karen, is very overbearing, but also provides some of the funniest lines in the book.

But it’s not all romance and humor. There are some dark and heartbreaking moments as well. By the end of the prologue, you’ll probably have some inkling of what happened to Georgina in high school. It haunts her into the present day, and she doesn’t really let it free until she performs at the pub’s storytelling night. It’s an emotionally raw and powerful moment.

She has told no one what happened to her until this moment and she does it in front of a room of her friends, family, a bunch of strangers, and Lucas. The aftermath is dealt with so perfectly. This was one moment where I was worried Lucas’s behavior was going to be a let down but it was the complete opposite.

In terms of trigger warnings, there is a description of a sexual assault, a couple scenes of emotional abuse and manipulation, but they’re called out and dealt with, and multiple mentions of the death of a parent.

Don’t You Forget About Me is for anyone who has ever wanted a second chance. It’ s for the anyone who feels lost and looking for a place to belong. And of course, It’s for anyone simple looking for a great romantic read that’ll also give you a few laughs.

Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane is out now.

It was so good it made me cry, I know crying is usually seen as a bad thing but this story was so powerful, that I could not simply contain the emotions this wonderful author allowed me to feel. This book displays serious issues such as gaslighting and SPOILER ALERT** rape**. The story felt like I was living it, the characters were incredibly well developed. Georgina’s character was so detailed that one could picture sho she was and what she would do in response to anything and Lucas was also a well rounded character, even though the story is not told from his perspective. Overall, I found this book to be a wonderful read that felt real and I would definitely read and reread it! It was accurate representation of real issues and entertaining with the authors wonderful witty and sarcastic writing.

Just horrible. I couldn't finish the book. The entire book is about her life and how she's basically gotten no where. I thought this was a love story? I found myself not connecting to the characters. No one interest and as soon as she bumps into Lucas again. its like it goes back to her problems. I cant dedicate another 15 chapters.

This one was swoon-worthy for sure! It is always fun to read a slow-burn romance between two former flames!

I really enjoyed the majority of this book. The writing was witty, charming, and very touching, although I did struggle with the large amount of British slang and terms and felt the book was bogged down in spots where we spent time on other character's relationships. The book would have really benefited from cutting or minimizing those sections. I also would have liked to see more of the romance between the two characters, which was so very sweet. I was surprised with how many serious topics were discussed in the book and was glad to see more real-world topics discussed in a "chick-lit" style work.

The book was a quick read, and I caught myself opening it up whenever I could. I will look for more by Mhairi McFarlane.

This is going to be short and sweet. Funny and extremely relatable. My first Mhairi book and I loved it! I recommend for anyone looking for a rom-com with less drama than most and who likes watching the leads struggle to find a balance.

Definitely recommend!

🍺 Oh, if they could turn back time! 🌆
😍 What a great story! Witty, charming and moving, with some fantastic secondary characters like Georgina's constantly carping housemate Karen (Jammy the pet tortoise better,hide while he can!). Heroine Georgina has job and man problems and her family could be ALOT more supportive of her life choices. But what an adventure, complete with a totally inappropriate Thor look-a-like stripper and a philandering ex boyfriend who haunts Georgina's place of business and becomes her worst nightmare. Her confusing connection with her handsome employer at the pub is a bit mysterious and complex. The climax and closing are brilliant! 👍👍

😊This book was a joy to read. The author found just the right mix of action and internal dialogue. Yes, there are LOL moments, but the emotional content is what held me. I so recommend this book and will definitely be looking for more works by the author.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Thank you @netgalley and @hapercollinsus for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Happy book birthday to this contemporary today!!!

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. It dealt with some heavy topics such as: infidelity, verbal abuse, sexual assault and a whole lot of regret. With that said, it’s handled in such a fantastic way!! The main character is full of wit and always finds herself in the center of ridiculous situations. Georgina works in food service and then a pub which is the perfect setting from many laugh out loud hilarious scenes. It definitely reminded me of Bridget Jones humor with the thought process of the character as well as the British setting. She ends up participating in an open mic night which turns out to be a wonderful way to reflect and share some heartbreaking secrets about her past. I was surprised how deep the story got and didn’t see any of the revelations coming as they slowly built up.

On the other hand, there is some serious sexual tension amongst our main characters. Georgina finds herself working for a pair of Irish brothers who own and operate several pubs. She’s shocked to find that one of the owners is her first love. The boy she has always thought about and compared everyone too. Problem is, he doesn’t seem to remember her once they are introduced. Talk about a slap to your fantasy and longings after all of this time. Their interactions were fantastic and full of awkwardness and sweet flirtations.

This is my first book by this author, but I look forward to checking out many of her other high rated standalones.

Received an advanced copy in exchange for a fair review.

This book GOT ME on a lot of levels and in a lot of ways. I made many highlights on my Kindle. I teared up at some of the ways McFarlane captured and expressed feelings.

Georgina falls in love with Lucas in high school but something happens the night of their graduation that ends the relationship and leaves a lot of questions. She runs into him again when his brother hires her to manage a new bar they're opening.

I expected this to be a cutesy romance but it actually turned out to be a wonderful study of characters, families and friends. Georgina's relationship to Lucas is the thread that runs through the book, but it's much more about her life, facing adulthood, recognizing her strengths and weaknesses, and changing behaviors. Growing up. Finding yourself.

I loved this book and will definitely be revisiting it. I don't know that I would categorically recommend it to everyone because that's how tailor-made for me it felt, but it's worth giving a chance.

Fired from her waitressing job and finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman is not the way Georgina saw this day going when she got out of bed that morning. At thirty years old Georgina has struggled to find her place in this world only wanting what anyone wants, the love of a good man, and a job she can feel proud to go to every day. When she lands a job at a pub owned by her ex high school boyfriend she dreams of having a second chance at love, but is hurt when Lucas doesn’t seem to recognize her. Don’t You Forget About Me is the story of how Georgina’s past and present collide, and how, just maybe, things may start to go her way.

There were a lot of things I liked about Georgina, she didn’t take the crap that was dished at her (an inordinate amount of times!), she had a wonderful group of friends, and she was always striving to be better. As this was a slow burn novel I really come to care for Georgina but I’ll admit her struggle with self confidence wore thin for me. If it hadn’t been for a pivotal plot point when she entered a stand up writing competition at the pub where she works, I may have lost patience and put down this novel. It was the story she told that night that caught my attention, and I thought there might just be more to this novel than pining for the ex who doesn’t seem to remember her. We start to get hints of a trauma that may have contributed to how Georgina ended up still waiting tables and hooking up with losers at the age of thirty. Finally, the story flowed and time flew until it was 1am, I was blowing my nose and drying my tears and reflecting on how this story was so well pieced together and where my feelings turned from “meh” to “I really like this!”.

One of the things that I enjoyed throughout the entire novel were Georgina’s group of friends. They were supportive, funny, snarky, and didn’t hold back from letting her know their thoughts about anything and everything. A good group of friends in a novel can help a reader understand their main character better and I really believe that was the case for Georgina. By hearing about Jo’s dissatisfaction with her own relationship the reader could draw a line between a healthy dissatisfaction and the unhealthy boyfriend choices Georgina had made in her past. It also helped the reader really want that healthy relationship for Georgina and Lucas adding to the tension in their story arc.

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t said much about Lucas since he’s the love interest for Georgina and this is a love story. I guess that’s because Lucas was kind of a mystery to me. He was a little stand off-ish, partly because he pretended like he didn’t know her for a good portion of the novel and he was kind of a quiet guy. He was likable, but it wasn’t until the end of the book where he had a defining moment and had probably one of the most romantic dialog’s in a romance I’ve read in quite awhile that I really liked him for Georgina. It was a REALLY good monologue. LOL.

My feelings for this book were kind of all over the place. The first third was a solid three- good but not great. The middle of the book picked up and started to hold my interest. The characters became more interesting and less annoying- a solid four! The last quarter of the novel was riveting, emotional, and un-put-down-able, and I’d give it a five. If you get to the 3/4 mark of this novel and you’re wavering between reading one more chapter or getting a good nights sleep, be warned. You will NOT be able to put this book down so be prepared to be really tired come morning… I was. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a free copy of this ARC through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

I am a sucker for second chance romances and when I read the blurb for Don't You Forget About Me I was hooked. Sadly, the playful cover and heavy on the romance blurb was a bit misleading. The book would probably be more accurately categorized as women's fiction (even though I'm not a fan of that term).

The writing was wonderful and witty, but I don't consider this book a light and fluffy romcom. I had trouble understanding all the british-isms and I also struggled with the flow and length of the book. Some very serious topics were discussed in the story, but often times the point was lost in all the extra details and descriptions. I think if I had gone in knowing that Don't You Forget About Me was going to be more of a journey of self discovery, healing, forgiveness, and self love, I would have enjoyed the book more. There is romance in the book, but it really didn't come into the story until after the halfway point/closer to the end. I really would have loved more scenes building the connection between Georgina and Lucas in the past as well as the present. The flashbacks were so sweet between them. What saved the book for me were the final chapters. I got teary eyed when hidden truths were revealed and the ending left me with the hopeful and happy feeling I had been searching for the entire book. Overall, this was a good read, but those looking for a lighter romcom should look elsewhere.

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this for review.

4 1/2 Stars

Georgina is a down on her luck 30-year-old waitress, who gets fired and breaks up with her boyfriend on the same day. Ouch. Her brother-in-law sets her up with a temporary job that turns into a permanent position that she loves. What she wasn’t expecting was to see her high school flame, Lucas, walk through the door, as her boss.

I’ve recently really gotten into ChicLit to break up my mystery/thriller obsession and this seems to be an ongoing theme, down on her luck girl, boy saves the day… However, this story had me laughing and crying, and I honestly cannot tell you when the last time was that a book has moved me to tears.

What I loved about this book was Georgina’s far from perfect family, her circle of eclectic friends, the real-life struggle of just not knowing what you want to do and being ok with just being ok, not taking everything so seriously, and making life fun until you find yourself.

This story touches on some heavy issues, sexual and mental harassment, death, infidelity, power hungry family members, and misunderstandings, but it also shows us how one can rise above it and come out on the other side stronger than ever.

I highly recommend this book. I dropped it a half a star because I think some of the storyline could have been condensed in the first half, but by the second half things really clicked into place and before I knew it, I was dreading turning the pages, not wanting it to end. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I have already happily added her other books to my Wish List.

Oh my-I loved this book!! The character development was excellent, and it was beautifully written. I both laughed and cried, and I love it when a book moves me like that. And a bonus for me that the book was set in Sheffield (UK) as I lived there for a year. I recommend this gem highly!!

I enjoyed this book because of the lighthearted and humorous tone, the main character's genuine reactions to the shenanigans going on in her life, and the then-and-now trope of the story. Lucas was such an interesting character as well and I liked the slow development of getting to know him and unpack his character, but it was also in the midst of a fun story. This book read more like literary fiction than romance, so I wish there could've been more situations and scenes that were romantic between the two characters, but I think that was an issue with my expectations and not necessarily the book itself. Still, the cover led me to believe this would be a cute happy go lucky second chance romance, but it fell really short of that even though it was well written and interesting nonetheless.

Mhairi McFarlane writes a cute, easy to read love story. A palate cleanser to my normal heavy mysteries and thriller.

Georgina is fired from her job at a terrible/disgusting restaurant and heads to her boyfriend's house for comfort. Comfort is not to be found as her boyfriend is...'comforting' someone else.

She quickly finds a job at a restaurant owned by her long ago friend Luke.

This is of the vein of Bridget Jones - but honestly, I love Bridget so much so it's hard to compare the two. Georgina is on a path of growth and she's fun to read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was the first book I've read by Ms. McFarlane. It took me a little while to settle in with her writing style, but once I did, I found it quite enjoyable. My next battle was connecting with the characters, particularly the heroine, Georgina. I would say that the first portion of the book was probably a solid 3 stars for me because of these issues, but once I hit the second half, it became an absolute 5 stars...hence, the overall 4 star rating.

Georgina is a down on her luck waitress who within the course of just a few hours, both loses her job and finds her boyfriend "in the act" of cheating on her. She's recently turned thirty and her mother and step-father won't stop nagging her to grow up and get a real job. Basically, life is anything but satisfying at this point. She does luck into a position as a bartender at a new bar. However, that too has a twist to it when she finds out that one of the owners was her high school boyfriend, Lucas, who hasn't spoken to her in years and basically broke her heart. Then, to top it off, Lucas acts as if he doesn't know her when they meet. Could things get any more embarrassing for Georgina? Actually, yes they can and do.

Lucas is a difficult character to figure out. He definitely acts as if Georgina means nothing to him and shows no sign of recognition. Yet, how do you not remember your ex-girlfriend from high school? He is a very private person and gives away very little of himself while his brother who is the co-owner in the bar and the one who actually hired Georgina, is the outgoing and friendlier one of the two.

If you jump into this book and find you are having a tough time connecting with Georgina, keep going. You will eventually understand and get her back story. There are things that happened to her earlier in her life which led her to be the person she now is. There are some scenes in the book where my heart broke for her...literally.

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

If you had a second chance with your first love - but he didn't seem to remember you - how would you react? This is the exact situation Georgina Horspool finds herself in when she accepts a new bartending job - and it ends up being a bar where her childhood love is half owner - but apparently, Lucas does not recognize or remember her.

Don't You Forget About Me had a lot of potential but unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me at times. DYFAM was more women's fiction than romance (as there is really little actual romance here) and I just had different expectations in mind. Knowing this, I would still pick up McFarlane's work in the future but would probably adjust my expectations accordingly.

Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane is a light-hearted romance that features a young woman named Georgina who goes through a patch of bad luck.

Georgina has had a rough day. The worst day. First, she gets fired from the crummiest restaurant in town, and then she catches her boyfriend in bed with another woman. Wallowing in grief, she knows she needs a new job and a fresh start.

Taking a temp gig leads Georgina to a full time job offer as a bartender at a newly opened pub. She’s excited about the opportunity, though less than excited about her new boss, Lucas McCarthy. Georgina has a past with Lucas. Lucas was a past flame gone wrong in high school–her first heart break, and a man she never really got over.

This won’t be awkward, right?

But for whatever reason, Lucas doesn’t seem to remember her. As time goes on, Lucas and Georgina are thrust together more and more as part of the job, and the past comes bubbling to the surface.

While Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane was enjoyable, it didn’t blow me away. That’s okay though. Some days I just want to read a feel-good book makes me laugh and smile. Fortunately, Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane was the perfect book for this mood.

I thought Georgina’s ex was hilariously atrocious. Totally stuck on himself, he’s a constant performer and absolutely clueless when it comes to relationships. I enjoyed the interchanges between him and Georgina, even though some were downright cringeworthy.

Lucas and Georgina’s relationship was a slow burn. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if they were ever going to get together. I appreciate a good slow burn and liked the complications of their rocky past. Georgina and Lucas had a lot of unresolved issues to work through!

While the story was entertaining, it just didn’t grab me as much as I would have liked. I wanted more depth and more feeling. Given the length of the book, I was hoping to feel more attached to the characters. The characters were good, but they weren’t outstanding.

The ending was cute and tied up all the loose ends nicely.

If you enjoy sweet reads, Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane might be the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So I thought going into this book based on the cover and the synopsis that this would be a fun three star rom com. It wasn’t. It was a much deeper book about gaslighting, family issues, sexual assault, and men behaving very badly. But this book also made me laugh a lot.

This was my first book by this author and OMG...not even half way through did I already download all her other books. Absolutely loved this story and the writing style. Reminded me a little of Bridget Jones but with more substance. Easily one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.