Never Saw You Coming by Hayley Doyle

Zara and Jim aren't meant to meet but when they quite literally crash into each other their worlds collide.

Although I loved the ending and Jim I had a hard time connecting with Zara. There were times when she made it hard to root for her. This storyline was cute and had its moments.

Thank you #NetGalley & #avonbooksuk for this book in exchange for my honest review.

Oh goodness, I wanted to like this book. I really did. I was amused by the character of Jim and though irritated by Zara on occassion, (she seemed so woefully naive), I still want her to achieve her ever changing goals of meeting Nick, reaching London, getting home etc.
Yet, I couldn't seem to focus on the storyline - I think this is because, the ending of the of the story seemed rather prediatable to me. Still, if you enjoy the lighter type of story, then this could well be the novel for you, particularly as it is funny in many parts.
I received a free copy of this book from #Avon via #Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I raced through this, and feel like I need to start from the beginning again. Zara and Jim’s stories are brilliantly complex and you find yourself willing them to better understand the other’s struggles so they can just live happily ever after. A non-traditional romance, happily ever after doesn’t come easily, but I loved the twists and turns along the way and their respective relationships with their friends and families. When is the sequel released?!

I really enjoyed this! I loved Jim and his cranky ways, and how Zara was his complete opposite - she was a huge romantic!

I particularly liked Jims friendship group and their banter - it was really sweet!

I’m not a huge fan of the “missed opportunity”. When characters JUST miss each other. So I didn’t particularly enjoy that aspect.

I was NOT expecting the ending at all and it pleasantly surprised me that it wasn’t your usual predictable ending.

This is a very sweet, rom-com style story about two people who find each other exactly when they need each other most, despite the fact that they are (quite literally) heading in opposite directions.

I found it an easy and enjoyable read (although Zara seemed to act more like a teenager at times than a 30 something). The only reason I'm not rating higher is that I did find it just a tad too predictable - I would have preferred a few more surprises or twists. It didn't stop me reading on though, and I could see this being a very popular beach/holiday type read.

Couldn't connect with either protagonists although at times it's well written. I put it down several times but know how much effort goes into writing so gave it a other go. I ended up skipping parts as I felt the story didn't move along and dragged so felt I'd wasted my time.
Sorry but Zara was so immature for a 30 Yr old who had lived a full and well travelled life.
Would have preferred to read about each character in their new worlds, rather than the long day of mishaps which was very predictable, hence why I skipped or scanned the majority of the book.
When it ended, I wondered if I'd missed a few vital parts and being a novelist myself wondered what the publishers saw in the story as they're so many great story's and writers out there to be discovered with far better story lines.
Many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the arc.

I did like this book, I enjoyed the characters and I cringed at Jim’s situation....poor Jim! I marked it down a star as when the two main characters were together I didn’t feel they were particularly likeable & I'm not entirely sure they would have felt that level of attachment to one another after a day and night of mostly shouting at one another. I did think the ending was good, I won’t say anything to spoil it for anyone but it was different to most books in this genre and that was definitely a good thing....I applauded Hayley Doyle for that!

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a digital review copy - my thoughts are my own.

I enjoyed this book, told from two perspectives, by Zara and Jim. They have both led very different lives before their world's collided in Liverpool but now need to help each other out.

The book looks at friendships, the dangers of internet relationships, family ties and making the most of opportunities when you can. Great characters and twists to the story.

This is a very lightweight romantic comedy, typical chick-lit in style. The people involved get themselves into silly situations and do not realize the attraction they have for each other until the end. The author knows Dubai and Liverpool very well and is obviously fond of both places. It did not interest me greatly and I skimmed large parts of it.

This unlikely story features two very different characters, Zara who is a vivacious woman who has grown up around the world but never really felt a sense of belonging and Jim who is a lifelong Liverpudlian who is stuck in a rut at work and who has strong ties to his mum who is in ill health. Both characters are really well written and this enables you to see beyond the seemingly spoilt life of Zara and admire Jim’s sense of loyalty. Their day together is full of misjudgement and misadventure and no shortage of delights for the reader. I really enjoyed this quirky tale and especially liked the epilogue, it was unusual but I really appreciated the way it went.

I couldn’t finish it. It was badly put forward, aimless and dreary. The characters were the same as the book and I couldn’t see the romance or any sparks.

I feel a bit conflicted with this book. It started well, went a bit off then finished brilliantly.!

The story follows Jim and Zara - two very different people in two very different places but both hugely dissatisfied with their lot in life.


They each find themselves in a position that they think will change their lives, but a chance encounter between them sees their fortunes change.

A nice story that has a great ending and lesson for us all

Not a fan of this story for a moment. If it doesn’t draw me in from the beginning, I struggle to give it more of a chance and I was ready to toss this book after 15 minutes. After skimming to the end, I don’t feel that I missed anything and I am glad I didn’t waste my time any further. It made no sense. The characters were both dead end type people with no real drive or interest in life to me.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Found it very hard to get into this story. The characters were hard to like for me at the start, and by the 10% mark, they still failed to capture my interest so this ended up being a slog through to see where this was going. Liked the descriptions of English and Liverpool life and also Dubai, but the characters themselves weren't sympathetic to me, unfortunately

First thank you Net Galley and publishers for this early read. That being said I tried multiple times to get into this book but the beginning for me was slow. I attempted for multiple days before I really got hooked mid way through when Zara and Jimmy met.

I feel as though I personally know these characters as they were definitely fully developed. I didn’t see their romance coming and actually went back and reread to see if I missed any clues. I do wish the ending and epilogue were a bit longer as I feel like I’m still wanting more.


Overall I would recommend to anyone who wants a light fun read.

I’m finding it quite hard to sum up what I feel about this book. I’m not sure if I enjoyed it or not. At times I found myself drawn in and at times I struggled to connect with the characters.

Never Saw You Coming by Hayley Doyle a fulfilling five-star read. This was a great novel and the writing is just amazing, but what I loved most were the descriptions of Liverpool, a place I have visited many times as it was once my husbands home before I made him run away from it to be with me. So reading the descriptions and picturing the street we have walked down, just reminded me what an amazing city it is and what he gave up for me. This is one of those stories that you need to finish once you start it, so don’t be starting this if you only have a short time to read. The characters in this story will make you smile, not just Nick and Zara but the secondary characters as well. It is a fun read, but it also takes its time to get to get to the point, so be prepared you don’t get the immediate meet and fall in love, but you do get great story and a compelling one at that. Do not miss this story, as it will take you away.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

A lovely book. The story of Zara, who travels from Dubai to England to be with her boyfriend. Once here she buys a car and goes to surprise him, only to find he’s not there, or is he! Then she plans to go back, books a room for the night and the next day, whilst driving crashes her car into Jim( who works at a toll road pay cabin - who won a new BMW) car and has had a bad night.
From there follows a series of incidents for Zara and Jim. Zara wants to go back to Dubai after a run in with her boyfriends wife. But it’s not all smooth sailing. A lot of twists and turns follow. Loved last half where they miss each(read to find out how). Recommend it.

I really enjoyed this novel about two lost and broken people coming together.

This novel starts out with Zara who one day decides that she is going to leave her home in Dubai and surprise her boyfriend Nick by moving to Liverpool to be with him. On arrival at Nick's home Zara receives a pretty big surprise and realizes that Nick may not be all that he says he is.

Jim has lived in Liverpool his whole life. After attending Uni he does not find the motivation to start a career in his field and ends up working as a toll booth operator. While working one day Jim receives a call from a radio station regarding a contest he entered and finds out that he has won a brand new BMW.

The day after Nick picks up his brand new BMW Zara accidentally hits Nick's new car. This event then begins Nick and Zara's story.

There were parts of this story in which I found myself a bit bored but I was totally hooked by the ending. I felt like there were some unexpected events in the book that drew me in even further and I was left feeling satisfied. If you love a good slow burn romance I would suggest picking this one up.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me to read an advanced reader's copy of this book!