There is "slow burn" and then there is "comatose burn". This book was the latter. It's a shame because the characters were nice and the premise was good, but this author needs to craft stories with pace and in which the scenes contribute to the story.

This book really struggles with having any sort of intent. It feels like you're running meaningless errands with these two main characters for 90% of the book. There is no spark, no sizzle, and no focus. And the amount of times these two asked each other "are you okay?" and "are you alright?" was extremely annoying. I'm pretty sure that question was included 50 times in this book. But the answer never led anywhere.

Overall this book had promise, but lacked any sort of momentum.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book early.

I loved it. I have discovered Maxine Morrey after reading her previous book '#nofilter' and she is definitely one of my favourite authors. I love Lottie's story. She was funny, witty and very relatable and I couldn't put it down. The plot was definitely unique and I loved the romance. It was cute and hot at the same time. I would definitely recommend it to rom-com lovers. The cute cover, engaging plotline and lovely characters will melt your heart. It certainly melt mine. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it and I finished it in one sitting.

As I said earlier, I would highly recommend it and I can promise that you won't be disappointed. Hope you all like it as much as I did.

Happy reading!!

This was an absolute joy to read. It felt relaxing and easy to read, which was exactly what I needed! A real cosy book that with characters who feel like old friends.

Seb and Lottie have a beautiful friendship despite Seb being one of Lottie's clients. That being said, the pair of them infuriated me at times by not seeing what was plainly in front of their eyes. It's immediately obvious that the pair belong together but for most of book, they are determined to do anything but admit their feelings for one another.

I loved the concept of the book being about saying 'no' rather than saying 'yes' to everything. She's not forcing herself to do things she doesn't want to or restricting herself from being open to new opportunities either.

Seb is a unique character and I loved that he wasn't the typical hunky male romance archetype. He has more guilt and trauma than he's quite willing to admit as well as being sensitive and caring. He's very chivalrous and considerate of others without exception.

I've read and enjoyed books by Maxine Morrey before and have enjoyed them, this was no exception to this. Another superb book, I always enjoy books by this author.

A perfect read for when the world feels mad, a cosy book you can snuggle up with.

The story of Lottie, in her year of saying no. The previous year, she had been saying yes to everything, and now she wants the chance to turn down the things she doesn't really want to do.

Will she give Seb, her friend and client, a chance, or will she say no to him too?

I enjoyed reading the book, but she was a bit annoying when she couldn't see what was right in front of her!

I really loved the synopsis and cover of this book, but unfortunately it really fell flat for me! I just couldn’t get behind the writing and characters. Wasn’t for me.

Lottie and Seb's journey was an absolute pleasure to read.

I could instantly relate to Lottie feeling a bit unsteady and lost after the break down of her relationship followed by a year of crazy antics led by her well-meaning, but pushy friend Jess. Her decision to rebel made complete sense to me, so she therefore took back control and started to rebuild her own happiness, from the inside out. Very liberating.

Her longtime client and friend Seb helps her find some courage when needed to stand up to people, including her sister, to only accept what she wants to do rather than feel obliged to be reliable (read doormat). Seb proves he's good in a crisis but Lottie gets flustered around him and his winning smile, and as the lines between professional friendship and something more begins to blur it leads them both on a journey that risks it all.

Her adorable dog Humphrey is, well adorable! His steady companionship is just the sort of loyalty Lottie needed and combined with the boisterous bundle of energy that Seb's dog encapsulates they were the true duo of the book for me! 

Initially there seems a lot of dialogue as it is written in the first person and that took some adjusting, yet further in I didn't notice it any more. The will-they/ won't-they storyline is uplifting, genuine and, I felt, written in a way that makes you smile as both characters admit their feelings. 

This book is a little gem of feel-good positivity!

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is not my usual genre, I’m more of a crime/thriller reader therefore am extremely pleased and grateful for opening up my mind to something totally different. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I really struggled with this book. The idea is lovely and it's filled with such lovely characters, but I just don't think it was for me.

I thought this story was cute and loved the concept of the novel, but it was hard to get into for me and I wanted sooooo much more between the main characters. I kept thinking there’d be something but it didn’t happen until the very end! Not sure I’d recommend this one

this book was a fantastic journey, following Lottie’s
Journey with work, friends family and ultimately with Seb.

A uplifting romance not without its challenges which leaves you feeling warm!

I was interested from the very beginning, the dialogue was believable throughout and the characters thoroughly likeable.

I would recommend this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

A heartwarming love story. Lottie works for Seb as virtual assistant, but they are friends too. After a year of saying yes to everything Lotties is set to say no to everything she doesn’t feel comfortable with and do only the things she really wants. While a deep relationship is bonding Seb and Lottie, can they face their true feeling or will the chicken out for fear .org loosing their friendship? A really good story.

In this romantic novel we meet two people who seem to be so perfect for each other it must have been very difficult for the writer to manufacture enough obstacles to keep them apart. Lottie Wentworth is ringing in the New Year with a little more gusto than normal. This is because she is so relieved to be rid of the 'year of saying yes', a scheme dreamed up by her friend Jess to jolt her out of the blues following a break-up. Lottie admits she has enjoyed some of the wild escapades they've been on, but now she's ready for a different challenge. She's used to being kind, doing favours for others and spending most of her time on her new business as a virtual assistant. Lottie thinks that it is now time for a year of saying no.

The first step has been to get herself a dog, a little scruff she has called Humphrey. When reclining on the sofa in her PJs with Humphrey next to her, she feels safe and comfortable. Apart from regular meet ups with Jess and the obligatory Sunday lunch round at her Mum and Dad’s, she is enjoying a quiet social life. She has fallen into the habit of daily FaceTime calls with her main client Seb. She is the virtual assistant for his charity which helps injured veterans adjust to life outside the army. Seb was injured by an IED and lost one of his legs as well as his best friend. They’ve become close friends, despite never meeting in person. Lottie is happy to tell him anything and they often speak when she’s still got bed hair. Unfortunately, more and more, Lottie has been feeling a little more than friendship and has developed a crush. She loves his work on the charity, his kindness and integrity, plus she has to admit to herself he is very attractive. So when he suggests that she accompany him to the theatre one evening, she agrees to go. Lottie is then on tenterhooks wondering how Seb sees this outing. Is this just friends meeting up, or does he want more? If he doesn’t want more, how will she cope with her crush in person? If he feels the same way, how will it affect her fledgling business if she becomes involved with a client?

There were times in the novel when I wanted to bang Seb and Lottie’s heads together. Lottie’s inability to say no and her inability to see that Seb might be interested in her, show quite low self-esteem. She doesn’t seem to realise she’s attractive, despite men hitting on her when she’s at parties. Seb clearly enjoys her company, and despite her family and Jess seeing they’re perfect for each other, Lottie still doesn’t see it. Her Mum seems rather amused when Lottie calls to ask if they can look after Humphrey a little longer. We get the feeling that Mum isn’t surprised at all. The family dynamic is an interesting one, especially when it comes to Lottie’s sister. Often those closest to us are the ones we need to say no to and Helen definitely needs to hear it. She assumes Lottie will host her monthly book club because she’s been asked to work. Helen is a stewardess, immaculately groomed and well put together. At Sunday lunch Lottie notices her sister’s self control when she only takes one roast potato. Lottie looks down at her own plate, very full and swimming with gravy, and feels inferior to her sister. She has hated hosting the book club in the past because the guests barely notice her, treat her more like a waitress and insists she shut Humphrey away in her bedroom. When Lottie says no, her sister can’t believe it and becomes angry, but Lottie stands her ground. She has to go outside afterwards to cool down. She even apologises to her parents for causing a scene, they are kind and in Helen’s absence agree that she shouldn’t be expected to do it. I found in interesting though that they don’t say anything to, or in front of, Helen. It could be that this is the root of Lottie’s low self-esteem; perhaps she has never felt good enough next to her sister.

This critical moment with her sister seems to give Lottie the courage to be more forthright and assert herself. When Jess and Harry have an engagement party, she has to deal with an entitled ‘posh boy’ who isn’t used to women saying no because of his money and status. Lottie says no very clearly and when he suggests Seb isn’t a real man due to his injury she flies to his defence. I get the feeling that Lottie finds it easier to stand up for those she loves, than she does for herself. In fact she might have a tendency to try and fix things, which doesn’t go too well when she’s invited for dinner with Seb’s family. These family dynamics are a real strength to this novel because they add depth to the characters and we understand them more in the context of their place in those families, I would have liked more of this. This is a good lockdown read because it is not taxing to read and is genuinely uplifting. We like these characters and want them to be together, happily curled up on a sofa with both their dogs.

To be posted in my blog on 17th April as part of the blog tour.

This book has an interesting concept. Lottie and her friend Jess decided that they would have a year of ‘saying yes’. Things worked out well for Jess, but not so well for Lottie, who decides the following year to have a year of ‘saying no’. This leads her in interesting new directions. This is a light easy to read story, with well drawn characters and a fairly engaging plot line. There are a few manufactured twists and turns that are a bit tedious , but all in all a pleasant read. Thanks to #netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an arc of this book for a.n honest review.

My Year of Saying No, in true Maxine Morrey style, is an uplifting and heartwarming read. Lottie is a sweet heroine with a kind heart and Seb is just perfect. The slow-burn romance is so satisfying, especially when the two finally realise (after several ups and downs) what we knew all along.

I loved the idea of Saying no to things you don’t really want to do, it seems quite freeing. I also loved Humphrey the rescue dog!

A wonderful read.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. I liked all the characters (including the two dogs), and I liked the premise of saying 'no' to things you really don't want to do. I did find the conversations between Seb and Lottie over long at times. They could have been shorter. Drama seemed to arise where none was necessary. And Seb for most of the book was too nice, but he did slip up towards the end. There's something about his character which needs looking at. Yes, he's lovely, but I think it's overdone. That said, the ending was suitably sweet. It's a light, easy read, much needed during a lockdown.

Quirky, British, G-rated, friends-to-lovers, romantic comedy

Lottie Wentworth, an extreme introvert in her early 30s, has been reluctantly dragged in the exciting wake of her firecracker of a BFF, Jess, since they first met at the tender age of four. She's just completed, with enormous relief, a year of saying, yes, to every sort of oddball adventure Jess could come up with for them to do together. Jess's purpose was to cheer up Lottie after a 7-year, live-in relationship, with a man she'd assumed she'd eventually marry, fizzled out. But as it turned out, Jess was the one who got the most out of their yes-year, because she has found the love of her life, handsome, kind, and extremely rich Harry, and they are ecstatically engaged. Poor Lottie mainly got overloaded and exhausted.

But now it's the start of a brand new year, and Lottie figures she has had enough of Jess's idea of cheer. All she wants to do for the upcoming year is say, no, to any request that she doesn't want to do.

For the past two years, Lottie has been self-employed as a virtual assistant to multiple small business owners, working comfortably from home clad in her cozy pajamas. She insists to Jess that the only new companion she wants in her life during this coming year is the dog she is determined to adopt from the local animal shelter.

She also comfortably fends off loneliness by means of a close friendship she maintains via Skype with her first and best client, wounded Army veteran, Seb Marshall, who is of a similar age to Lottie. He lives 2 hours away, and Lottie has never met him in person. With her talented assistance, Seb has successfully launched and continued to grow a charity for veterans. A day doesn't go by that they don't talk to each other, and it is never just about business. They have shared all aspects of their lives with each other, as much as, and even more so in some instances, than she has ever shared with Jess.

From the moment she saw Seb's handsome face on her computer screen in their initial meeting, Lottie has had a crush on him. But during the first year of her crush, she was with her ex-boyfriend, and during the past year, Jess sent her on one uncomfortable blind date after another, and Seb has never asked her out.

Not that she would go out with him if by some miracle he did ask her. He is her most important client, whose fees pay her rent. She wouldn't dare take the chance of harming that relationship or the friendship they have formed by bringing romance into the equation.

But once Lottie embarks on her year of saying, no, major changes ensue. Not only in Lottie, but in the significant people in her life. Most importantly, Seb. To the point that, out of the blue, Seb asks if they could finally meet each other in person. And even though she worries that taking that risky step is a very bad idea, Lottie can't find it in her palpitating heart to refuse his request.

This is a G-rated, extremely slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance. It is so G-rated, in fact, that it reminds me of a typical Georgette Heyer, historical romance novel, written in a much more sedate era, in which the only physical contact between the romantic protagonists comes at the very end of the book, when they become engaged and share a passionate, first kiss. Jaded romance readers who are tired of overabundant sex scenes and insta-love or, worse, insta-lust substituting for romance, will find this book a delightful change.

Lottie and Seb are extremely sympathetic characters. They are both compassionate, warm, giving individuals and a very good match for each other. In addition, this novel contains a wealth of quirky subcharacters, most importantly, the doggy companions of Lottie and Seb, who are just adorable! There are also Lottie's wonderful parents and Seb's loving family as well, all of whom are major contributors to the story.

This book is written by a British author, and I really enjoyed the English setting and all the British slang. I frequently had to use my Kindle app's dictionary and/or web-search function to discover the meaning of colorful British words and phrases in the book. But it was quite fun learning about those exotic-to-us-Americans expressions.

Readers who are tired of an overabundance of melodrama in romance novels will enjoy this pleasant, warm-hearted romance. It definitely kept me interested, turning page after page, unable to put the book down, as I followed the growing romance between these two very compelling protagonists and their comic struggles with their relationships with their families.

I had not encountered this author before reading this book, and I look forward to enjoying other romantic comedies by her.

I rate this book as follows:

Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance plot: 4 stars
Family drama plot: 4 stars
British setting: 5 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4.6 rounded to 5 stars

Note: I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review.

This was a fun and easy read that let me relax and while away a few hours. The storyline was gripping and there were some laugh-out-loud moments that I feel everyone needs right now. Would recommend if you're a fan of Maxine's other work

This book was a joy to read. It was soul soothing, like watching an episode of The British Bake Off. The quiet and easy friendship between Lottie and Seb was refreshing, and it just left me feeling good. It is on my bucket list to have a 'Year of Yes' so the fact that Lottie had done one and responded with a 'Year of No' was both hilarious and intriguing to me. I think a lot of readers will see themselves in Lottie, she is a really relatable and lovable character who feels like a real person, and not some exaggerated caricature of what a person should be as is often the case in these rom-com type books. I also really loved Seb, his chivalrous and traditional personality was a nice change to the arrogant male archetypes that have become popular in the genre. I have never read a book by this author before but I am definitely planning on reading more now!

What do I say when I didn't enjoy a book but yet I stayed up until 4am to finish it? The romance never really went anywhere until the very end which is why I didn't put it down, I kept thinking the next chapter things will start happening. The love interest was an oh so boring, protective, serious male who just didn't come to life. There was just no spark here.

This was a cute and innocent love story. I very quickly liked Lottie and her attitude about saying no to all the things she didn’t want in life. When she starts to have a stronger relationship with Seb, the story follows a pretty standard path but still kept me interested in their lives. This would be a great beach/vacation read to just smile and enjoy.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an arc through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.