Grear Book!
What I really like about this book is that is not the typical one.
There is struggles that I feel so real in this time, it can happen to me or any of my friends. Also I fancy the fact that the authot point out the real love.
Not that love that we see in a lot of books, that the characters get caught by pretty faces and amazing bodies.
Not in this book you will find a "real love" that although have struggles can find a way to return to the love ones.
Is an easy reading, fast and without problems.
But sometimes i felt a little bit boring so I pass the pages, but overall i enjoy the book.

JUST SAYING... Who needs a boyfriend when you've got a bottle of wine

Story starts with Alicia and Joe and their perfect life together both were up ahead on their careers and living together happily. the ripple in their perfect life happens with the entry of Zoe the beautiful ex girlfriend and Alicia loosing her job.
As the title suggest it is really a feel good book where everything comes back to normal and everything and everyone is happy and is at peace.
I really like the character building and story flows gently towards end at some points the overthinking looks a bit boring (to me).
Story covers many topics from love triangle, sexual harassment to living situation in London.
Although I was expecting some kind of more twist looking at the Tagline (who needs a boyfriend when you've got a bottle of wine) for me after reading it the tagline was total misgiving
#netgalley #sophierenald

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Sophie Ranald for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my hjonet review!
Don’t let the synopsis fool you, this is so much more than a romance. Sophie Ranald packed the pages with the right amount of laughs and romance to balance out the tougher topics. This was the perfect summer read to get me in my feels like escaping into another reality. I didn’t think I would end up lighting Alice as much as I did by the end. The same goes for Joe. You know a book is good when an author has you from disliking to liking a character by the end!

Just Saying is my second book written by Sophie Ranald, having read “It’s Not You It’s Him” last year. Based on the synopsis, I was mistaken to assume this book would be an ultra-fluffy rom-com. This book is so much more.
Alice and Joe have the world in their hands. They are in love and have promising careers as lawyers which will be sure to provide them with the life they’ve been working towards and dreaming of. Then Alice’s career takes a detour and she is forced to examine what is really important to her.

On the day she is given the bad news concerning her career path, she finds herself in a neighbourhood pub that has seen better days. While the decor is something circa 1980, she feels cared for and more in touch with her community then she ever has. She takes a job as a barmaid as a source of income until she figures out what to do next - the patrons are friendly and begin to feel like family. However, her income has decreased and it will be impossible for Alice and Joe to remain in their current home and they will need to bring in a flatmate. Much to Alice’s dismay, that new flatmate will be the first love of Joe’s life - the beautiful and ultra-friendly Zoe. Alice has to think - does Zoe want more then just a place to live?

There are important serious storylines associated with social change in this book that I won’t reveal so as not to give anything away. This book is about valuing relationships, earning and maintaining trust, being honest, and being true to yourself. The characters are likeable, and the storyline engaging. The concept of Zoe moving into their flat was one that I would not have accepted if I had been Alice, and I wonder how many women would? Why would Joe even suggest it?

I’d recommend this entertaining read for fans of Lindsey Kelk and Sophie Kinsella.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

Heck to the no..That was the beginning to the end with me. Why do you ask? Well let me explain. First off when you read the title you expect (or me) that this would be a rom-com, was it no. So the story is about Alice and her boyfriend whom she has been living together with for 2 years. Something happens that she can't pay her portion of the rent so what does said boyfriend do invites his ex to live with them to help pay the rent. And that my friends was the beginning to the end, I mean what in the world???!! LIke really this sounds as a good solution for you, what woman that you know would agree to something like that? I dont know of a one, yup no..So since at that moment I did not want to read anymore I said to myself let me give a fair chance (yes I know) Anywho I keep reading and did it get better for me? That would be a negative.. If you want something funny this is certainly not it.

The blurb for this book says that it is about Alice, whose boyfriend Joe meets up with an ex, Zoe, who moves into their flat. It is actually more than this, covering working in a job that you don't enjoy against moving your career to something completely different but far more satisfying. Also corporate greed against community spirit and the Me Too movement.
All these threads are blended together with Alice and Joe's relationship under strain whilst she is trying to cope with her new career, with Zoe ever present. As I said more than the blurb leads you to expect, a very enjoyable read but with some serious undertones.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book

Just Saying was just what I needed to read. This as someone who has just gone through a hideous break up. It was comforting to read about another woman striking out on her own against all odds. I felt that the slogan on the front of the book was a little misleading and so set very different expectations from the actual content of the story. I feel it did a disservice to the story.
The characters were human and therefore highly relatable in their flaws and feelings. It definitely was not what I was expecting but it was better.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Just Saying.

Enjoyable but not my favorite Ranald. I love her writing style. You immediately feel part of the story when you read Ranald's books. But for this one, I think I wasn't all that connected to any of the main characters. This was a 3.5 for five for me. Really fast read, and palatable, but not memorable.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have read all of Sophie Ranald's previous books and generally enjoyed them. This book unfortunately fell a little bit flat for me as parts of the story just didn't seem convincing or mesh well together. I usually love the romance of a book enough to accept the more unbelievable parts (as I LOVE the drama of it all)! Many of the problems faced in the book could easily have been solved with simple communication (which I completely get is the point) but it turned out to be a slightly frustrating read for me for that reason.

There was plenty to like about the book, with its many supporting characters. I also appreciated the inclusion of many modern issues being addressed. I hope Sophie Ranald continues to write about these and I will continue to read her books in the future but just wasn't fully wowed by this one.

Alice and Joe met as trainees at the same law firm, when we meet them they're both celebrating being offered permanent jobs at the firm, they're blissfully happy living together in their little flat and just generally gazing misty eyed in what's looking like an idyllic future. Alice is then hit by a complete curveball and its looking like her permanent job might not be as secure as she thought, at the same time Joe's ex Zoe appears with nowhere to live following a breakup. Before Alice realises she's sharing a flat with her boyfriend, her boyfriend's ex and her boyfriend's ex's cat, Frazzle.

What follows is a big journey of self-discovery and a lot of reflection, Alice is forced to look at her goals in life and try to access where they originated, why did she decide to pursue a career in law to start with? Is a career in law even what she wants?

As well as Alice this books has loads of side characters that were great! Local landlady Shirley who loves Princess Diana, Alice's brother Drew who no matter what he shoots for always seems to land on his feet. Best friend Heather and he reliable tuna sandwich Pret choices. Local business owner Archie who is crazily good at Scrabble and a group of pub regulars Alice learns to rely on.

There is a trigger warning needed for this book with regards to sexual assault and the Me Too movement and I was hoping the book would have investigated that side a bit more, it doesn't play a big part but if you'd rather avoid the topic then maybe this isn't the book for you.

My main gripe with this is with the tagline and these next few sentences will have slight spoliers in. For me the tagline suggested that Alice and Joe were going to have a big fall out/break up at somepoint in the book and I guess I was waiting for it to happen and while it nearly does they are together for the whole book.

I received this book as an ARC request from NetGalley with a couple friends. We each requested and decided to read together!

I mainly requested for the title and then I read the description - “SOLD”! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found myself getting concerned and angry and loving along with Alice!

Given that I’ve read this with friends, throughout most of the book, I was so, so, SO angry with Joe and she-who-I-will-not-name (she doesn’t deserve it), but I believe the conclusion has left me on the unpopular opinion side 🤔
Once everything was aired out - I forgave him, too! Apparently, I sure do love a happy ending.

I RECIEVED THIS COPY FROM BOOKOTURE VIA NETGALLEY... THIS HAS NO BEARING ON MY RATING OR REVIEW. JUST MY HONEST OPINION.

I love the storytelling in this book, we meet our protagonist Alice who is a trainee in law. She seems to be getting her life on the right track, perfect boyfriend, great friends. Life is on the up..... untill she's given some bad news regarding her career and is then forced to find something else. This however is a million miles from the career she trained to do, or so we are lead to believe. I live the characters in this book, their own story in this book is like meeting up with old friends over drinks. I loved picking this book up knowing I was in good company and was going to have a laugh out loud moments.....As the story goes on we realise Alice's life isn't as perfect as we are lead to believe with a big secret, and when Alice and her boyfriend bump into an ex, we realise maybe their love isn't as perfect as they think. I promise this book will have you feeling as though you can achieve anything as long as you belive it's possible, especially with the right people behind you.

Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in advance via Netgalley.

I didn’t have high hopes for this book but I’ve also had this author on my radar for a while and wanted to finally read one of her books. So even though this is the first book I’ve read from this author, I can’t wait to read some of her earlier books.

This book follows the typical trope where a girl has a high powered job, something major happens and she decides to work in/takeover/start up a cafe/bakery/pub. You know the drill. Those kinds of books are my guilty pleasure. I tend to binge them and then avoid them for a little while before my next binge.

One thing I loved about this book is that Alice was already in a relationship with someone who didn’t cheat on her in the first chapter. They had their issues and both made some poor decisions, but it was refreshing to see that Joe wasn’t the typical guy in these books who only exists to break the protagonist’s heart.

My one wish for this book is that it hadn’t been quite so graphic when describing the urinal blockage. I felt like it was a bit tmi! I’m such a child and love a bit of toilet humour but this was a bit too gross and unnecessary even for me. I know it was an important event for the story to continue; I just didn’t need quite so much detail.

Despite that, this book was highly enjoyable. It’s perfect for a quick, light read with a lot of laughs. As I said, I’m looking forward to reading more of Sophie’s books very soon!

The story of Joe and Alice seems to start out as a typical one: they meet at work, fall in love, plan successful careers together at the same firm... you know how the story goes. In “Just Saying”, the story doesn’t quite go how you think after all.

Alice and Joe met while they were working as lawyers-in-training at the same firm in London. Because they were in different types of law, they were able to keep their relationship outside of work. Both had jobs promised to them once they passed their lawyer qualification tests, until suddenly Alice decides that maybe being a lawyer isn’t what she wants after all. Maybe something as simple as helping out at the bar across the street, where she can actually feel connected to real people, is what she wants.

With some unexpected twists and turns (and people) along the way, it’s no longer clear if Alice and Joe really are “that couple”. Can their relationship withstand her giving up a more prestigious career to serve pints in a pub? Or the reappearance of someone from Joe’s past?

“Just Saying” is that perfect combo of funny and sweet; serious and silly. A great read to escape for a day or two!

Just Saying follows the story of Alice and Joe who are one of those happy couple's just meant to be together. Joe is the perfect boyfriend, he's kind, supportive, and most of all loves Alice. Alice cannot thank her lucky stars enough for meeting Joe. There is no doubt in her mind that Joe is it for her and she for him.

However throw in a live in ex-girlfriend, a career change, and a handsome work neighbor, and suddenly the Happy Ever After isn't as sure a thing as Alice thought it was.

I would give this book a 1 out of 5 star rating, because while the book had some good points, it was a hard book for me to keep reading. The negatives outweigh the positives for me. Starting with the fact that the cover and title don't really make sense for the plot, and the romance element was too little for it to be considered a romance in my opinion, there was too much going on in this book.

First of all. this book is a great example of the importance of communication in any relationship. Alice and Joe didn't talk about the major issues, which I found odd seeing as Alice could not stop raving about how amazing her boyfriend is. Joe was the perfect man (in her opinion) and she still couldn't properly communicate with him.

Additionally, this book which had been marketed as a feel good romance took me completely by surprise at finding an element of sexual assault. I really hope the description of this book and a trigger warning is updated to the synopsis before publication date. I will commend the author for incorporating current issues in to her book such as the #metoo movement, but would have been more prepared for it had there been a trigger warning. I felt that the acceptance of the assault was too rushed, for complete closure. In my opinion, there were too many subplots incorporated into one book, and the story would have been better off if the author had focused on just one and really explored that one plot topic.

The emotions we felt from Alice, were what really made me keep going. By all means, Alice is very smart and successful. After losing her job, she could have gone to another firm, but choose not. She was insecure, and jealous but also hard working and determined. Which I loved. Her flaws are what make her "human". However I felt that Alice was the only character who was well rounded, The other character's weren't given as much time in the book and felt flat

I thank the author, the publishers, and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy, even though this book didn't turn out to be for me.

I have read a couple of Sophie Ranald books before and like the fact that her stories have a few unexpected twists in them that make you continually wonder how it is all going to end. Just Saying is another great book where the twists and turns bring you to the ending you hope for with a journey you were not expecting.

The book follows Alice and Joe who by all accounts seem perfectly happy and one of those couples who are just meant to be. However throw in a change in career, and live in ex-girlfriend, a handsome work neighbor and the happy ever after Alice thought was hers might not be the sure thing she thought it was.

Just Saying tackles some difficult issues which adds more depth to the story and characters and whilst the book has a light-hearted nature to it these issues help make the book real and not a sickly sweet romance. Alice's character is relatable in her need to be friendly and likable but also feeling self-conscious and vulnerable. Some of the conversations she has in her head rationalizing her behavior got a bit annoying but it not to the extent it spoiled the story.

This is a funny, easy read that reminds you that sometimes the right path for your future is not always the one you expect it to be.

That being said, for me the title cover of the book and to some extent the title itself didn't reflect the story, nor did the tag line. I think it gives a wrong impression on the basis of the plot.

When your boyfriend wants to do a flat share with his ex girlfriend, you shouldn’t be worried right? I found myself siding with Alice so much throughout this story. How was she not going mad living in a house with her boyfriend and his long ago ex girlfriend, who seems to still have the hots for him?

I really found myself falling in love with Joe, and I was rooting for Alice to make the right choices, even though I didn’t find her as likeable as other characters. Where is my Joe, and how do I get one?

A heartwarming story about truly finding yourself and being happy.

I would like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book.

That being said, I did not like this book. I feel that the description (which I hope will be changed before actual publication) was for a different book than the one I actually read. Several of the character traits didn't fit, the attitude of the characters didn't fit. This wasn't a romance, and it wasn't a comedy. It was cringe worthy at best. And a perfect example of why ONE single little honest conversation can fix a LOT of problems.

I honestly can't think of anyone I would recommend this book to, and I am confused at the number of high ratings for it as it is.

Alice is an up and coming solicitor on the verge of turning professional. Until a scandal in the workplace results in the swift firing of her future boss and all those under his pay role. Downtrodden and jobless, Alice begins working at her local pub The Nag’s Head while she figures out her next move career wise. Unfortunately this part time arrangement won’t help pay the rent but her loving boyfriend Joe has a temporary solution... invite his ex Zoe and cat Frazzle to become their new flat mates.

If you are expecting a laugh-out-loud three’s a crowd romance I’m sorry to say this isn’t it. I really wanted to love this book after hearing such great things about Sophie Ranald’s previous work, unfortunately I found the plot a little messy.

There were too many unnecessary sub plots for me which left little or no explanation of the key events. The romance between Alice and Joe was fairly lacking throughout, while a lot of emphasis was placed on a potential fling with Archie the cafe owner. I also felt that there was not enough character development of anyone other than Alice. I would have liked to have known more about Joe, the dynamic with Zoe, her best friend Heather also seemed a lot of fun but again little audience interaction.

I commend the author attempting to write about current and political issues that are representative of the time, however I don’t think they were done particularly well. Alice deals with trauma from a sexual assault throughout but the acceptance of what happened to her felt rushed. This could have been done better in my opinion and I really didn’t like the chance meeting of her abuser, it just didn’t need it.

I would have enjoyed the book I read on the blurb a lot more, this wasn’t it sadly.

Just saying by Sophie Ranald was a relatively easy read. There are some triggering underlying themes in this book regarding sexual assault so please bare that in mind should you want to read it. I loved following the journey of Alice in finding out who she really was and what path she wanted to take in life. I think we all have these moments where we question what it is we really want but a lot of us don’t know whether to change our plans and do something different for fear of failing. The same can be said for Alice who after a traumatic event decides she no longer wants to pursue the career she had set out to pursue. I enjoyed meeting and learning about the other characters in this story however, I do wish the underlying theme was explored more as part of me felt it was a bit rushed and possibly brushed over too quickly. Overall it was an enjoyable read so I rate it a 3.5