WOW! Jacqueline Friedland, author of "That's Not a Thing" has written a unique, heartbreaking, memorable, captivating, intriguing, and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this novel are fiction and women's fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the events or characters. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex and complicated.

Meredith Altman and her fiance Aaron Rapp, who is a physician are celebrating their engagement with a special dinner at a fancy restaurant with close friends. Meredith finds out that the owner is Wesley Latner, the man responsible for breaking her heart years ago. Unfortunately, Meredith keeps running into Wesley.

 Wesley reveals that he has ALS, and Meredith feels devastated. What can she do? How can she and her fiance help him?

I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of knowing what you want, self-growth, forgiveness, and second chances.  The author also mentions the importance of loyalty, trust, family, friends, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel that is so well written. Just be sure to keep some Kleenex on hand.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

This was just okay for me. While I did like most of story and characters, Meredith was a very likable person, so it was pretty off-putting.
I feel like there were a lot of loose ends, and it felt incomplete and rushed at the end.

Meredith isn't the most likeable character. She is selfish and self-center and she even admits these flaws but at the end she redeems herself.

Thank you NetGalley and SparkPress for an ARC. 4⭐️ for an original love triangle type of story that also had a little Me Before You vibe. A quick read. A few misses in that some sub-plot points had too much detail while several of them were not resolved... not mentioned again including one of the main ones. But still enjoyed this one and would recommend.

Meredith is an NYC lawyer engaged to a successful doctor, Aaron, when she runs into Wesley. Wesley is her college boyfriend and ex-fiance who is back from overseas and has opened one of the hippest restaurants in town. Soon after reconnecting, Meredith learns that Wesley has ALS. As Meredith works through the events that led to her broken engagement with Wesley, she is forced to confront the depth of her feelings for Aaron.

Both Aaron and Wesley are well-written and deep characters, but I just wasn't a huge fan of Meredith's. I found the ending super abrupt, with some of the more minor storylines insufficiently wrapped up. An epilogue would have been great to wrap up some of those loose ends.

Thanks to Spark Press and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for this review.

A couple of years ago, I read a historical fiction young adult novel by Jacqueline Friedland. While I was impressed by it, I was even more excited to read her first foray into women's fiction. And you know what? She nailed it!

The story was instantly engaging. I liked the flashback scenes toward the beginning, which explained the reasons behind what Meredith was feeling and why her situation was so complex. (They also made me nostalgic for college.) I can't relate in terms of wanting to get back with any of my ex-boyfriends, but I can see why Meredith would still hold a torch for Wesley. I also got frustrated with her at times, after learning more about why things ended the way they did. Meredith is flawed and impulsive, and I love her for that. I also admire her need to help people whenever possible.

For the most part, I felt like I was privy to what was going on in a friend's life, regardless of the fact that I'm a lot older than Meredith. And, of course, I enjoyed the Jewish references in the novel. I appreciated that she was so accommodating to her Orthodox brother's Shabbat schedule when planning when her wedding would be.

I felt like time jumped ahead a lot and some aspects of the story could have been addressed more. However, I understand the need to move the story along instead of letting it linger in one place. There was a lot to unpack, but Jacqueline did it well and while things wrapped up neatly in the end, I really wanted that for Meredith.

Jacqueline has a flair for women's fiction and I am eager to see what she comes up with next. In the meantime, definitely check this one out!

Movie casting ideas:
Meredith: Amanda Leighton
Wesley: Armie Hammer
Aaron: Finn Wittrock
Lana: Lili Reinhart
Nicola: Tamsin Egerton

That's Not a Thing grabbed my attention and didn't let go. I went into it expecting one thing and Ms. Friedland delivered something entirely different....and I liked it...a lot.

At its heart, this book is about dealing with life's disappointments and moving forward. It also shows in heartbreaking clarity how life's choices can impact your future in both good and bad ways. You should live life fully every day with no regrets....easier said than done, I know.

The main character, Meredith is engaged to a man that any woman and her mother would love...a well built, kind, handsome neonatologist. Aaron is pretty much perfect. Yet, when she runs into her former fiancée, Wesley, she finds she still has unresolved feelings for him as well. It creates a different love triangle with some twists you don't typically see and I liked that unique approach a great deal. It gave you an opportunity to delve a bit deeper into the emotions tied to relationships and what happens when they don't get a "true ending."

"You have one heart. You can't give it to two different guys at once. That is not a thing."

There were a few things I would have liked for the author to have handled differently. I also would have liked a little more added in certain places where I felt things needed more development. However, overall, I thought it was a really well done book that I couldn't put down. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was triggered by a review of That's Not A Thing on Instagram and lucky enough to receive an ARC from Netgalley and Sparks Press.
Thank you both so much! Meredith Altman, a young successful woman working in corporate law, is happily engaged to handsome neonatal surgeon Aaron when she unexpectedly encounters her ex fiancee Wesley in a restaurant. Meredith never fully recovered from the sudden and painful way their engagement ended a few years back and as soon as Meredith and Wesley lay eyes on each other again it becomes clear that there is a lot of unfinished business between them. Meredith is seriously confused by the whole situation and to make matters worse, Wesley shares that he is suffering from a life threatening illness...

This story is certainly packed with drama. Think love triangle, ALS, moral dillema's and self doubt.
When Meredith became so caught up between her ex and current fiancé I wondered why she jeopardized so much. In fact I was rather surprised that she still felt so strongly about the guy who hurt her so badly in the past. The story starts of by describing how the two met and fell in love but then there is a rather big leap in time to the unexpected break-up. That transition felt a bit to sudden for me.

All in all I certainly enjoyed this heartfelt read. I would recommend it to all lovers of romance and relationship drama.

Let me start this by saying this book wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it was a modern romance, but it was more of a drama with some romance thrown in. It was excessively dramatic -like a soap opera- it was almost grief porn because terrible things kept happening to the characters. Besides this, the characters were very one dimensional.
I didn't enjoy how the female character was going on about the "rules" and how she couldn't sleep with a guy right away because of it... It is the 21th century, women should do whatever they want to without some sort of template in mind they should follow. It also rubbed me wrong how she wasn't in control of her own wedding. She had no agency. Besides, I really thought she acted irrational many times. This book just wasn't for me.

That's Not a Thing by Jacqueline Friedland was a very enjoyable book. Meredith's maturing and finding herself was realistically portrayed.

That’s Not a Thing by Jacqueline Friedland

What a story! Talk about a roller coaster ride of emotions that at times made me feel that the characters were dealing with the roller coaster car about to careen off the rails. This book was filled with feels and had me thinking about what I would have done if in the position of Meredith but also of Aaron, Wesley and some of the supporting characters. This book will definitely stay with me for awhile.

The story beings in 2017 but flips back to a period between 2008 and 2012 to fill in the backstory of why what is happening in the present has the impact it does. I have to say it did make me go back in time to think about the men in my past and wonder about what it would be like if they were to show up again...okay...that would NOT happen now but if I had been Meredith’s age and it had happened...I wonder what my reaction would have been and how I would have handled it. Hmm…

Anyway...

What I liked:
* It was real...I could see this happening so easily
* Meredith: intelligent woman with some baggage from her past that clings in the present even though she is pretty much sitting in clover with her new fiance. She is a giver and fixer but has trouble fixing her own life sometimes even though she has a big caring heart
* Aaron: a jock with brains that is a man among men. He appeals to both men and women and seems to have it all
* The parents: They were worthy of their children and I really liked them all
* The educational aspect related to ALS, cancer and pro bono legal work
* The idea that light that shines from us is created by being happy and not by who we might or might not be with
* The insights that one can pick up if they really embrace the story…
* The writing and plot and story
* That I could relate to it in so many ways: woman, nurse, through past experiences, and more
* All of it except…

What I did not like:
* ASL – it is a nasty disease
* Cancer – another nasty disease
* Wondering how the future unfolds for everyone – I have a good idea but still will spend some time wondering.

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more books by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

For fans of Rebecca Serle’s books The Dinner List or In Five Years

This book drew me in right away. There are sad moments in it but it’s not a sad book. I felt as torn as the main character did. I would have liked to have read more about her and Wesley falling in love in college - the flashbacks ended around the second part of the book and left me wondering. There were just some missing pieces that I would have enjoyed more about. Overall I did enjoy this book.

Meredith, Aaron, and Wesley are the central characters in this sad romantic novel. Meredith is a young lawyer at a corporate firm in NYC, her fiance, Aaron, is a pediatric surgeon, and Wesley is a chef/owner of a new restaurant in Tribeca. The three young professionals are among the beautiful, talented people of Manhattan. They have everything, good looks, essential careers, and potentially a lot of money and success.

The lives of these three upcoming talents seem predictable, but Friedland threw in a wrench, and all of the kitchen sink to challenge each of them. This novel makes it clear that an ivy league education and inherited wealth doesn't guarantee a good life, as many of us may believe. Meredith has strong feelings for her former fiance, Wesley, and goes into a spiral of doubt when he reappears in her life. This novel is romantic, but also a challenge with life-threatening illness and questions about love and loyalty. Meredith is not the most likable character compared to her Aaron, who is a gentle man with saint-like qualities.

This new novel forced me to read to the end, in two sittings. I wanted to know the decisions made by each character. JF illustrates that life can give enormous gifts, and no matter their age, they can be taken away in a moment.

Thank you to the author, SparkPress, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this new novel.

Meredith has some explaining to do. Planning a wedding to her boyfriend Aaron is not the time to try and explore her feelings for her former fiancé, Wesley. But life isn't the smooth road that we always think it should be. Admittedly, Meredith has some overall personal issues so this particular problem just muddies everything up even more. And, admittedly, for the most part, this book is pretty predictable. So, while it might not have been something I would normally have picked up, it was pretty much perfect for day 1,863 of sheltering in place. A nice distraction from my own woes. I only wish I could have eaten some of the food Wesley cooked in the book! The descriptions had me drooling!

This yet another NYC love story was mediocre at best. Simultaneously predictable and unrealistic, but good writing and sweet nonetheless. You can compare to Emily Griffin if you’re not expecting her best work. Thanks, NetGalley for the complimentary advanced reader’s copy. That’s Not a Thing by Jacqueline Friedland is out tomorrow from SparkPress!

This story had me smiling one minute and feeling like my heart dropped down into my stomach the next. It was such a beautiful story, about moving forward and being true to yourself and what you need.
The characters were so sweet; I especially loved Meredith and how kind she was.
I thought the story ended a bit too abruptly though, and I hope there’s a sequel in the works, I want to know what happened to Wesley!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, SparkPress and Jacqueline Friedland for the opportunity to read this book in advance in exchange for my honest opinion!
After her first engagement ended in disaster, Meredith had finally found The One. Aaron played football for an Ivy League School, he spends his days saving babies and he happens to be the kindest and most caring guy ever. The newest hot spot in TriBeCa is the perfect spot to celebrate their upcoming nuptials. It just so happens that the head chef and new owner are not only the same person, they’re Wesley, Meredith’s first love and former fiance. Unresolved feelings that Meredith spent years sweeping under the rug come roaring to the surface and suddenly her new found stable foundation feels like it’s slipping away.
Things get more complicated when Meredith and Wesley start volunteering together at the local food shelter on the weekends and he tells her that he has been diagnosed with ALS. Suddenly being there for Wesley as his health declines is the only thing Meredith can think about. Are her feelings with Wesley as strong and true as they once were, or is her judgement clouded by his health and her need to help. And what about Aaron? Did she love him more than Wesley?
Ugh I loved this book, but man... talk about going through the emotional wringer. I felt sucker punched by Jacqueline Friedland a few times throughout this one. Meredith was so so flawed, but I related to her so much. She made mistakes, yes, but she was honest, she followed her heart, and there would be no regrets. I was so emotionally invested in this one that I had to put the book down and take a break multiple times because UGH MY HEART.
There were a few plot holes I wanted filled and I would love to see this “world” become a series to maybe get those answers, but I’m ok if not. The side characters were just as good as the main three! Both guys were so loveable and charming themselves that I felt so torn right along with Meredith, but the ending was perfect. This book comes out April 14th and I have a feeling this one is going to be VERY popular!

This is a wonderfully entertaining story, gripping from page one to the end. A romance that has lots of twists and turns, plenty of emotions, a wonderful book about lost love, moving on and how people change. A refreshing romance and well written

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

*eARC received from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

What can I say about this one, other than READ IT. My friends who love Colleen Hoover, Staci Hart, and Emily Giffin will love this one. I went into it almost completely blind, not even remembering the synopsis after a "first day on Netgalley" requesting frenzy, so I didn't really know what I was getting into. I will say that I think it's almost better that way, which is tempting me to leave an intentionally vague, "trust me" kind of review. I won't go that far. It's going to yank you around, and you probably won't see it coming. I didn't.

Meredith is celebrating her engagement to Aaron at a new hotspot restaurant. Meredith is instantly charmed by the restaurant and thinks she might want to hold their wedding there, so she asks to speak to the owner. Little does she know, the owner is her ex, Wesley. And they have His. Tor. Y. Dun dun dun. Commence flashbacks to their relationship, hard decisions, twist and turns, and a box of tissues.

I'm not sure how to feel about the writing style, as we switch from a traditional novel the first third or so into a dual timeline in flashbacks, then back into the present. Normally I'm not so sure I even notice that when it's done well and feels seamless, but I felt jerked around here. It might be because I was being *emotionally* jerked around. That could be it.

Meredith isn't the most likable character in the world for me, but I definitely warmed to her as the story unfolded. She's a fairly normal person in an impossible situation at the end of the day, and I know I wouldn't be the most flattering version of myself in her shoes, either. I didn't love her, but I didn't hate her. Aaron, too, took a while to get me to care about him, even a little bit. I was initially super into Wesley, but you know what, I'm not going to say anything else about these characters so you can go in blind, too.

This might not be quite a 4 star read for me, but I'm rounding up because in the end, I stayed up too late and simply couldn't put it down. And yes, this is clearly a love triangle, but it's handled with such sensitivity and care that I was rooting for closure, which I don't usually do. This one publishes next week!

Meredith's engagement to Wesley ended in disaster - one that shattered her completely for years. She's now engaged to Aaron - a former Ivy League football player and doctor. They celebrate their engagement at a new Tribeca hotspot, Meredith is shocked to see that Wesley is the owner. When she learns that Wesley has been diagnosed with ALS, she begins to feel even more confused about her feelings for Wesley.

Meredith's love for Wesley never truly went away. When she sees him again, she begins to see the man her fiancé really is and who she really wants to be. This book was fast paced and I couldn't put it down! Grab the tissues and dive in! This book will have you hooked until the end.