Just Saying by Sophie Ranald is a representation of what happens to many of us in a relationship in “real life”. Alice and Joe both work at a large law firm, but in different departments. Although they are both almost getting their final step completed before becoming full-fledged lawyers. As such, they both work A LOT! And they’ve become comfortable in their relationship.

Then, Alice’s life blows up! She no longer has a job, Joe and his ex Zoe are reconnecting, and Joe suggests Zoe (and her cat Frazzle) moves in with them to help with their financial issues. Meanwhile, Alice starts working at the local pub, learning she really doesn’t want to be in the city and be a lawyer after all. She brings Zoe into the pub as the cook, (primarily to keep her enemies close), and finds Zoe’s food is a big hit! When her brother also joins her at the pub, she is thrilled! He helps bring the pub to social media, and they are prepared to look at how to improve it even further. Meanwhile, with their hours off, Joe and Alice start drifting apart. Alice starts to feel that Joe may still have feelings for Zoe, and she’s fairly sure Zoe has feelings still for Joe.

I enjoyed this book, showing a lot of what is reality for many of us with our relationships and extended groups of friends. The characters are well developed, and some of the secondary characters seemed to overshadow the main characters in spots. But I enjoyed their interactions, and they provided the support Alice needed when she needed it. I would not say this is a swoon worthy book, but it was a realistic approach to love. Recommended.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

First, I want to thank Sophie Ranald, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Just Saying you need to read this amazing comical book by Sophie Ranald! She had me cracking up laughing so many times during this book! It is such a fun read!

Gotta love the cover and how it looks cartoonish! Kudos to the graphic designer on this one.

There was a part of the story that I was shocked that she went there with. Nobody in my history of reading tackled the comical yet TMI scene! Way to think outside of the box!! I was shaking my head the whole scene!

I loved learning about the backstory of Joe and Alice’s relationship and how it evolved to today! It was such a beautiful story.

Say Anything tackled a difficult subject sexual abuse by someone in authority.

Sophie started writing this novel when the first news of the Covid pandemic hit. She talks about her experience dealing with this new world. Not to mention how humbled she is to have been contacted by readers about how much her books kept them entertained. She thanks you for reading.

Alice and Joe are both solicitors for the same company but in different departments. They work very long hours trying to fight their way up the ladder. Joe treats Alice so well and he’s a wonderful cook.

Life is good for them until one day while lunching at a food stall, Joe locks eyes with Zoe, whom he calls an old friend. Alice isn’t so sure until she comes home one day to find that Joe has invited Zoe and her cat, Frazzle, to rent their second bedroom. Alice is not pleased about this arrangement because Joe and Zoe are so happy together as they are always cooking.

Alice had just left her job due to an “incident" and is now working for a pub. It’s rather old but has some quirky people who frequent it. As she becomes more involved in the pub itself and the customers, she sees the potential in the place and how it could use some improvements. She is hooked on it and even Zoe joins in as the new cook. Her plant based food dishes and new activities bring in lots of people making the pub a busy and happy place. Could trouble be brewing with Joe and Alice because here she is now happy working in a pub when she could be back working as a solicitor making more money? Could their relationship be about to break up?

This is a clever book with several plots going on that shows how people come together as they take care of one another and work for the future of all of them. I liked Alice, Joe, and even Zoe. I also had a soft spot for Frazzle because I love cats and I find that adding a cat to a story is like the sugar on top.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the third book by Sophie Ranald that I have read so was expecting another chic-lit book but it was much more than that as it also dealt with some serious issues too. Funny at times and emotional at others. Overall a good read. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

With the world feeling like it’s on fire, I’ve been craving light hearted books and this one did not disappoint!

Just Saying follows Alice and her life in London. She is about to qualify as a lawyer when her boss is let go because of sexual misconduct allegations which ring all too true for Alice. Now the job she was supposed to have when she became a lawyer isn’t there and she begins to second guess her career choice completely. So she starts taking shifts at a local pub. Meanwhile her boyfriend, Joe, runs into his Ex Zoe and upon finding out she needs a place to stay, asks her to move in with him and Alice. Basically Alice’s life has completely turned upside down. Now she is forced to confront the reality that the life she’s so carefully constructed might not be what she wanted after all.

Honestly, this book isn’t amazing. But it’s light and a quick read. I liked the characters and the dynamic between them. I like how while the book deals with heavier topics like sexual assault and trauma, the author was able to keep the different tones of the novel balanced. Nothing felt overshadowed or under represented which I liked.

Again, there were a lot of rom com cliches but I didn’t mind them that much. The humour wasn’t really there for me but overall it was an okay read! If you’re looking for something to take your mind off of the current craziness, even for a moment, I would definitely recommend this! ☺️

Just Saying is an easy and fun read. Alice is in such a good place in her life. She’s deeply in love with her boyfriend Joe, and has a career that’s going places. Suddenly her life is overtaken and it’s all gone off the rails. She’s got Zoe (Joe’s ex-girlfriend that she’s only just heard about) and Zoe’s rescue cat Frazzle staying in their spare room. She’s not sure whether Joe still has feelings for Zoe, but she’s pretty sure Zoe still has feelings for Joe. It would just be a lot better if there was nothing likeable about Zoe or Frazzle, but that’s just not the case...

When your life is on the fast track and suddenly it all changes. The life you had planned you realise is not the one you want. Job changes, show cracks in your relationship. Highlight how one change has a knock on effect on other areas of your life.
A well written enjoyable story that could easily happen in real life. I will be looking out for other books by Sophie.

This is my fifth Sophie Ranald book, having previously particularly enjoyed the witty romances of Sorry Not Sorry and Out with the Ex, In with the New. These novels are properly British which is part of their charm. Additionally, the success of these books as engaging romance novels hinges on the heroine and their antics and how well Ranald balances this with shedding light on more serious issues in the narrative. In 'Just Saying' we meet Alice when she has just left a post at a top law firm, instead earning money working behind the bar of the local watering hole 'The Nag's Head'. Her story, revealed alongside the #metoo movement being spotlighted in the narrative, brings with it anxiety, trauma and angst, added to when her boyfriend moves his ex-girlfriend Zoe into the apartment. Do not be fooled by the pink cover and marketing as a fluffy romance - whilst the sparks of romance and fun are certainly there in the narrative, the struggle to put your life back together as a survivor of abuse is prominent within Alice's story.

Throughout the novel, we see Alice's journey with the backdrop of 'The Nag's Head'. As the pub becomes more successful and prominent in the local community, all it needed was some sandwiches and a poetry event, we see Alice also grow and feel better, a wonderful synergy of people and places. Ranald has captured the importance of a local community perfectly and highlights how these spaces are vital for wellbeing for people from a spectrum of experiences. I have a particular soft spot for the group of men playing dominoes everyday - a home away from home for these committed bones players!

All in all, to define 'Just Saying' as just a romance us undermining Ranald's timely references to the #metoo movement, struggling local businesses at the heart of communities and The Windrush Scandal. For me, the main drawback of the writing was that the balance between exciting romance and serious angst wasn't as well handled as in Ranald's other novels. However, she has promised that she will be revisiting this eccentric cast of characters in her upcoming novels. This is a solid introduction to a new world (after experiencing the joy of The Daily Grind in each of her last four novels) and I cannot wait to see who is featured next: Zoe, Drew, Heather, Maurice, Wesley... I'd happily take any of these please! I look forward to seeing what is to come.

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

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. It's the fifth book I've read by Sophie Ranald and I'm hooked. This one isn't part of the series that her last four novels were, and I did miss the characters from Sorry Not Sorry etc. because they have come to almost feel like old friends, but Just Saying is a great novel in its own right. Content warning- sexual assault. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.

Enjoyed reading this, but didn't love it. There was a part of me that wanted Alice and Archie to get together, but I also did really appreciate that it showed that relationships can go through rough patches and the couple can come out stronger on the other side.

Based off of the description, I thought that this book was mainly going to focus on relationships and jealousy. However, there was more to it than that. It was about new careers, relationships, and friendship. The story was also serious as there was reference to the #MeToo movement.

Thank-you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for a honest review!

This book was just okay for me. Alice is living with her boyfriend of two years, Joe. She has a career set back and can no longer pay for her half of the rent. Joe suggest that Zoe, HIS EX GIRLFRIEND, move in with them. I am floored that Alice was okay with this. My answer would be a very big F no and I would consider leaving the jerk for even suggesting it... But that's me.

So Zoe now lives with them and Alice is second guessing everything(shocker). She thinks Zoe is trying to get Joe back. There are alot of up and downs and I got just a little bit bored. We also do not get a whole love of Joe and Alice.. which was weird to me. This book also takes a dark turn with sexual assault and I was not prepared for that at all. So trigger warning there.

Over all I think this book was entertaining.. was it my favorite? No. But it was okay. If this is your first Ranald book and you didn't like it, I highly suggest picking up any of her other books. They flow alot better than this one.

I'm a big fan of Sophie Ranald. Her books are entertaining, romantic and impossible to put down once you start reading them. They also have very realistic protagonists you can't help but root for.

Alice Carlisle is about to complete her lawyer training and has already been promised a job in an important law corporation. She also has a great family, best friend, and above all, her own Mr Right, who happens to work in the same company. Jo understands and accepts Alice like nobody else. Everything is going really well for Alice, but it only takes one day for her perfect life to change. Alice loses her job through no fault of her own, but she can't help feeling she's let everyone down. Now Joe and Alice might not be able to pay the bills or live in the flat they've liked so much. Alice stumbles into a temporary job in a local pub which might help her weather the storm. Joe aslo has a solution. His ex-girlfriend Zoe, who they recently met accidentally, is going to move in with Joe and Alice and help with the rent. Seems like a great idea. If only Alice didn't feel Zoe might still have feelings for Joe...

Alice is such a sweet character. She tries to be fair and give everybody a chance. At the end of the day, the only person she is hard on is herself. She even sees the situation from Zoe's point of view and tries to understand her feelings. There's a lot of emphasis on trust, communication and being faithful (including emotionally). I felt the book dealt really well with the issue of drawing and crossing (or not crossing) lines between being friendly and something more than that. Perhaps, Zoe's character isn't as well-developed, but I was too focused on Alice's story to mind that.

Apart from relationship issues, there are other serious and important topics in the story. Not least of which is the matter of sexual harrassment at work that partly explains Alice's insecurities and perhaps even the way she felt about her job. My heart went to Alice when she finally talked about the sexual assault she experienced and its consequences.

Overall, this is extremely engaging and entertaining book and I'm really grateful for having been given a chance to read it. Sophie Ranald is my auto-buy author who I can rely on for a great story with unique, but relatable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Rating: ****

Synopsis: Alice thought her life was perfect - the dream job, the lovable boyfriend and the best friend who makes you laugh all the time - until something at work causes her to re-evaluate her life. With a new life road to take, Alice has to decide what she wants and what she wants to fight for.

Review: I loved this book! It gives the feeling of being a light hearted summer read - which it is - but there is a story beneath the surface that builds throughout which is deeper and more seriousness.

Ranald writes beautifully, the story filled with witty one liners, romantic moments and some heart tugging scenes.

The characters did not disappoint. Alice is semi-lovable; she has her flaws but overall she is a character who you want to be happy. I resonated with her in the sense that I too am about to embark on my traineeship and one fear I always have is getting that dream job at the end of the two years.

Heather is the sort of best friend everyone needs - honest, funny and a genuinely lovable person. And Shirley - well she remind me slightly of Babette from the Gilmore Girls. You just want to get a hug from her!!

The only reason this book did not get a 5 stars is because I felt that the darker story was not really "finished". I mean it is explained but I don't feel that the way it ended was the right way (in my opinion anyway). This could be down to trying to keep the book more light hearted which I get.

Overall, a fantastic read - I could definitely see myself sitting by a pool flicking through this in no time (I wish I could be beside a pool reading right now!!).

This book just wasn’t for me sorry, found it so slow and it couldn’t hold my interest at all. It was implausible, I mean what woman would accept her boyfriends ex moving in even when broke. The sexual assault aspect of the story needs a warning, hope it gets one before published.
Plenty of others liked this, but just wasn’t for me

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

Another excellent book from Sophie Ranald. I’ve never been disappointed by this author and am enjoying her writing style and characters so much. Great book

I’ve read several of Sophie’s books and this one was just as adorable as the others! I enjoyed the sweet rom-com feel. I enjoyed the characters, and likes that the story left a bit of a suspense as to how it was going to end.
I look forward to see what Sophie writes next!!

3.5 stars

So this is my third book by Sophie Ranald, and one thing has become crystal clear with her writing and characters, she always sucks you in with this humorous and light-hearted writing at first and then BAM she smacks you with the real world situations that literally hits you in the feels.

Everything seems to be going right for Alice. Her and her boyfriend Joe are both lawyers at the same law firm and have been happy in their relationship for the past two years. But all good things must come to and end, and for Alice, everything just seems to go wrong at the same time: she loses a job offer from her firm, she’s no longer able to afford the rent in the house that she shares with Joe, and Joe decided to rent their spare bedroom to his ex-girlfriend Zoe. Talk about a sh*t storm.

This book tackles a myriad of serious topics such as sexual abuse allegations and the MeToo movement with grace.

I will be honest, I was very hesitant with the whole Alice, Joe, and Zoe storyline. I understand that their living arrangement transpired out of desperate circumstances, and the author does a fantastic job of not romanticizing this. Instead she shows how relationships can fall prey to failure when open and honest communication no longer becomes the focal point.

Overall, this is another great read by Sophie Ranald. Don’t go into this one thinking that it will be a fluffy read. Ranald writes characters with grit and interlaces real world problems with a bit of humor.

Thank you to Bookouture for the blog tour invite and for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

Alice and Joe, a perfectly well matched coupleWorking in the same firm, unfortunately Alice loses her job but it gives her chance to spread her wings. Along comes Zoe, Joes ex, who ends up living with them. It’s a funny heart warming story From beginning to end, you end up laughing to yourself.

I was drawn to this book because of the cute cover and the blurb sounds amazingly fun and hilarious. I loved that there was more depth to the story than just what I was expecting. The books discusses sexual assault in the work place and the me too movement, homophobia and coming out and deportation.

I really related to the main character Alice in a number of ways, in particularly her decision to leave her job as a lawyer after years of study and hard work to peruse a career that actually made her happy but may not have ‘looked good’ to everyone else.

I did think what kind of complete crazy person would agree to having their boyfriends stunningly gorgeous ex girlfriend move in with them but I guess that was all part of the fun of the book.

One thing I I did struggle with is there seemed to be a lot of storyline’s going on throughout the book but they all tied up nicely in the end. I loved how the Just Saying ended in a completely different way than I expected (and a much better way than I was expecting).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ebook arc I received of this book. I will be posting my review to my bookstagram on the pub day 3/7/20.