"I do love a good bit of bants."

Accidentally in Love has banter in spades and I gobbled it up. I enjoyed Belinda Missen's One Week 'Til Christmas, but she cements herself as an author to watch with Accidentally in Love.

One week. One fateful week is all it takes for Katharine to lose her job, break up with "the one", and move home to the town she grew up in. But its ok, because she's taken this opportunity to make her dream happen: she's going to use the tiny bit she has left in her savings account to open up an art gallery - something she's been dreaming about for years. She's done with boy's clubs and being passed over for promotions. Now she's in charge.

With a lot of hard work and elbow grease, Katharine is making things happen. If only local artist and pain in arse Kit would get on board. She'd love to show his work for the first exhibit, but he's moody and unagreeable...definitely not in love with her or anything.

And it would be hard not to fall in love with Katharine. The focus of this book is definitely Katharine's development and growth rather than a romance, but that's what makes it so genuine and compelling. She's surrounded by family that makes you want to come over for dinner and a community that wraps her up and supports her. I could definitely see this becoming a movie - one that I would gladly watch again and again.

While the romance isn't the focus, it is worth the wait. Katharine and Kit have chemistry. Their relationship grows slowly but when it rounds the corner into flirting and banter, it's magical. I was snickering while reading and it kept me turning the page.

I'm accidentally in love with this book. I can't wait to see what Belinda Missen puts out next!

Accidentally In Love is a beautifully written and heartwarming read that I absolutely adored. I always know I’m in safe hands when I open a book by Belinda Missen and this one is no exception! From its opening page right through to the very last word, Accidentally In Love feels like being enveloped in a warm and cosy hug. A gentle, lighthearted read that’s often laugh out loud funny, this is the perfect book to read at any time of the year. Whether sitting by the pool in the heat of summer or curled up on the sofa on a cold winters night, this is a story that’s guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and leave a warm glow in your heart no matter where you are.

Katharine Patterson has quit her job, decided to move back home and broken up with her boyfriend all in the space of one week. But Katharine has a plan. She’s going to open her own art gallery, just like she’s always dreamed of. But when she meets handsome and talented local artist Kit, who is quite possibly the most stubborn man she’s ever known, sparks begin to fly. And Katharine, much to her surprise, might be about to fall accidentally in love…

There is a warmth to Belinda Missen’s writing that draws me in, taking a hold of my heart and not letting go until the final page has been turned. With a strong and relatable cast of characters I couldn’t help but fall in love with, there isn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. A heartwarming story full of love and laughter that is pure escapism at its very best, Accidentally In Love is everything I hoped it would be and more.

A gorgeously written romantic comedy that I would highly recommend.

A cute and easy enough read, but definitely not one the better romances that I've read this year. I really wanted more romance. The writing was good and the characters likeable enough, but I found the two main characters to be lacking a bit of chemistry to be honest and the overall plot did bore me at times. Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and Author for a copy of this ARC to review!

I really like Belinda Missen’s books, I can expect a fun read with interesting characters and a good plot. Her books are the kind that you start reading and can’t put down. This book was no exception,

The main character, Kate, was strong and well developed. She leaves her job as a museum curator and opens her own art gallery, where she needs a very stubborn and annoying artist named kit. This is a classic, but very well done, enemies to lovers trope. 4 stars.

Thanks to HQ Digital for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Accidentally in Love is a contemporary romance that follows a woman turning her life around in her mid-thirties, chasing her dream and falling in love along the way. While the book does utilize a couple of contemporary romance tropes I don’t usually like, it’s still a really wonderful read and will suck you right in.

Katharine Patterson has just been passed over- not for the first time - for a promotion she deserved. She works as an art curator in London, and she’s sick of being overlooked in favor of less competent men in spite of her master’s degree. Katharine walks out of her work, completely unsure of her next step. She’s got a kind-of-boyfriend who doesn’t want to meet her family or see her during the week, no job, and an expensive London flat to pay for. Plus, her best friend Lainey is getting married, and Katharine has committed to doing a lot of calligraphy for the event. Katharine’s passion for art originated in her devotion to photography, but she can’t remember the last time she picked up her camera. Unmoored from her life and re-evaluating her choices, Katharine sits at a crossroads.

On a weekend visit home, Katharine realizes how much she’s missed Sheffield, her dad, and her dad’s girlfriend Fiona. She has the idea to make a fresh start back home, and open her own gallery under her own name. Unfortunately, it is on this same visit home that she is introduced to Kit, a local artist her father has befriended, who seems to immediately hate Katharine. Kit accuses Katharine of being biased against smaller artists and only wanting to show big names, and questions her artistic integrity. Being called an elitist doesn’t make Katharine feel any better, given that it’s been a long time since she felt like a real artist. She feels even worse when she finds his website, which showcases his gorgeous paintings and successful art school. Kit’s talent and his complete dismissal of her stings, and Katharine hates to think that he might be right about her.

Katharine sets out to start her own business, but has to make a lot of decisions about what parts of her life will come to Sheffield with her. She dumps her rubbish not-boyfriend, focusses fully on her ambitious project, and starts to figure her life out again. But she keeps running into Kit- rude, cheeky, unfairly talented Kit - who wants nothing to do with her. Katharine has to decide what - and who - is worth her effort, and what her new life is going to look like.

This book has kind of a slow start, but it picks up after about a chapter or so. Katharine has a sharp, caustic voice, and it’s hysterical to read. She is wholly likable and the kind of female lead everyone can see themselves in; she accepts less than she deserves from a man, but takes her power back. She loses satisfaction in her life, and makes a change. While she’s not fearless or flawless, Katharine is brave, funny, and honest. She has a great heart, and is ready to make space in it for anyone who shows her they are worthy. I also loved Kit.  I have limited patience for cranky, rude men, but Kit is fun to read about, a person who is afraid to open up, but desperately needs to be seen. Their romance is sweet, fulfilling, and wholesome; it’s a perfect love story of two people who are fairly similar below the surface but have difficulty seeing it. Kit and Katharine lift each other up, which is a refreshing dynamic and really makes you root for them.

Another great thing about this book is the fleshed out secondary characters. Katharine’s family and her relationships with them are great additions to the narrative, as opposed to an obstacle to the rest of the story. Families can be a stumbling block, but in this case, they’re just delightful. The supporting cast creates believable, interesting subplots that don’t detract from the love story or Katharine’s adventures. I adored this book in spite of the tropes I dislike, which are worked in effectively and didn’t bother me. The title and the cover did give me pause, but it’s really an amazing book and I would recommend Accidentally in Love to any contemporary romance reader.

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Rating edit: 4.5 stars!

Just read 'Accidentally in Love'
by Belinda Missen.

I really liked Kate & Kit n their chemistry. Interesting situations and endearing conversations. I was so looking forward to their meetings and conversations.

The story told in first person and the writing is good n the voice is so relatable n reader friendly. It covers several aspects ___ love, loss, disappointment, friendship, sibling bond, and family ___and everything is so balanced.

Such a lovely, entertaining read!

Could not get into this one I tried multiple times but found the characters shallow and unlikable. This romance was just not for me, I couldn’t buy the connection!

Release Date: September 11th 2020

📖📖📖📖

It’s an eventful week for Katie; she quits her job, moves home, dumps her “boyfriend” and starts renting a space to open an art gallery. Oh yeah and her dad has set her up with an egotistical jerk named Kit. The more Katie tries to be civil, the more he behaves like a dickhead. But you know what they say about the line between love and hate...

I really liked this book. It’s ‘The Hating Game’ but set in England. I didn’t get all the jokes or quips but it didn’t detract from the book. I enjoyed the build and would read this book again.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#bookstagram #netgalleyreads #bookrecommendations. #AccidentallyinLove #BelindaMissen

3.5 stars.
This isn’t a romance novel. This is more of a women’s fictional book with a romantic twist. The overarching story is of personal growth, change, loss of loved ones/grief, relationships in general and self belief.

It’s an easy read but I went into this expecting a romance and for the first half of the book, I was disappointed. The “romantic couple” of the book have their first real conversation 58% into the book. 58%?! There’s slow burn and there’s no burn. It’s not as if during that half there’s something developing, or you’re falling in love with the characters as a reader, one of them barely exists!

Overall, it was an enjoyable read but it would been better if it was advertised better. Oh and it’s not steamy, so don’t worry if that’s something that puts you off “romance”.

I received an advance copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

This was a really nice read. I liked both characters, there was humour, and there was art - a really nice book for a pick-me-up. I also think that there was a depth to the story that kept me interested.

I would recommend this novel, especially to those who like a feel-good story with a depth that keeps them interested (and a bit of humour).

I thoroughly enjoyed this story which features such two likeable yet complicated characters. You meet Katharine at a crossroads in her life. I found the story of moving back to Sheffield quite refreshing. Katharine found the northern town to be a much freer place with more opportunities. The banter between Katharine and Kit is amusing and gives the writing character.

Katharine does not go looking for love when she meets Kit. It is an accidental love story but you come to see that they are both sides of the same coin. Friendship comes under the microscope. There are some humorous parts of the story but also some genuinely touching scenes such as the relationship between Katharine and her brother. This is an enjoyable read which shows you character progression and family moments.

In short: Love and laughs
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 Stars
After Katherine not getting the promotion she rightly deserved, she quits her jobs. She also decides to stop seeing a guy who doesn't want to pursue a serious relationship with her and decides to move back home and open her own gallery.

I was drawn in by this cover immediately because I love illustrated covers for romantic comedies. There's definitely a little an enemies to lovers vibe at first with the verbal sparring between the characters, Kathrine and Kit’s banter was absolutely hilarious, dry, quick, and with innuendo, and it seemed very natural and not forced. I did find that certain parts made me feel like it was more of a woman's fiction as the romance was almost secondary to Kathrine's own journey. I loved the familial aspect of it. I think I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked had more to do with the pacing, it did take a while to get into the book and Kathrine and Kit not having much interaction at first made me slightly annoyed because I went into this thinking it was a romance. Overall it was a fun and cute contemporary read that I did end up enjoying.

This book was SO CUTE! I read it in less than a day, stayed up until 2 am to finish it. The undeniable chemistry between these characters is amazing, not to mention the insanely supportive friends and family. This book is about love in every form, and I enjoyed it immensely! I wanted to crawl into this book and live with the characters. After I finished at 2 am, I dreamt the whole night about the characters! This book is so adorable!!!

If you’re looking for sexy-times you won’t find it here, it’s pretty clean for a romance. It fades to black, but the romance is so good it wasn’t even disappointing at all. It had all of the best parts of romances, even without it!

Thank you for the arc! Review is posted to Goodreads, but I was unable to post it via the NetGalley check box as the ISBN is not connected to the Goodreads book profile, so I posted it manually.

Accidentally in love was such a fun and flirty read!! Thank you @netgalley for an early copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t even know where to begin from the laughing out loud moments, to the brother/sister dynamic between Adam and Katherine I was hooked.

Katherines life gets turned upside down from a big breakup, to a move back home she decides its time for change. What Katherine doesn’t know is that by following her gut and opening her own gallery she will find herself and possibly love along the way.

If you want a quick, fun and flirty read this is the book for you!!

I thought this book was very cute!! I really liked Katharine, Christopher, and her whole family. I loved that she took charge of her life and started her own business, I would definitely visit her gallery. It felt a little rushed at the end, but overall I really enjoyed reading it. The one thing that bugged me was the proposal at the end; they have known each other for a very short period of time, and I felt like it was unrealistically fast.

Accidentally In Love by Belinda Missen

“In the space of a week, Katharine Patterson has quit her job, decided to move back home, and broken up with the guy she thought was the one.No big deal. Because Katharine has a plan. She’s going to open her own art gallery, just like she’s always wanted. What she’s not going to do is worry about boyfriends. Then she meets Kit, a handsome and talented local artist. He might be the most stubborn person Katharine has ever met. He might also make her feel like no one ever has before. And Katharine might be about to fall accidentally in love.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 Stars)

Review:

Okay, this book is so freakin cute! There is so much going on in the story that it’s really impossible to recap it all. If you love a good meet-cute rom-com you’ll love this book! I loved that it revolved around the art world, family, friendships, and love. The characters were complex and had realistic struggles that made the book feel relatable.

Accidentally In Love revolves around Katherine, who is tired of getting passed over at work, and finally decides that enough is enough! Quitting her job, standing up to her... maybe-boyfriend, and making a decision that will change her life forever. Katherine decides to open her own art gallery, and won’t let anything stand in her way.

The book is set in London and Sheffield and mainly takes place in an art-centric universe. Katherine is a curator, art gallery owner, and photographer. Most of her family is involved in art. Her father owns an art store and participates in art courses run by Kit and Fiona (her step-mom) is an artist. Kit (the love interest) is an artist who also runs an art school and works to promote local artists. Although it’s definitely a rom-com this book is so much more than that! There are great storylines focused on family, death, what happens when friends grow and change over the years.

Publishing Information:

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. Accidentally In Love was published on September 11, 2020, and should be available at your local bookstore!

It took me a while to finish this one as I am going through a reading block plus on high office workload. However, I am glad I finished it 😌.

Katharine Patterson at the age of 35 left her job, even had a breakup, with her boyfriend, moved back to her hometown where her father and step mother live. She took the biggest decision of her life and decides to open an art gallery. Her only goal is to setup her gallery and not focus on relationship. Until she met Kit. And like any other romcom they hated each other and then accidentally fall in love.

I like the book and love the characters. Love the family bonding. Very lighthearted and well narrated book. It is a treat for romcom lovers.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed this book about Katharine who quits her job in London in a art gallery and comes back to her home town and decides to set up her own art gallery.

Katharine meets Kit as her Dad introduced them when she was visiting her Dad, they don't get off to a good start and Katharine does not like him. When Katharine decides to set up her art gallery she wants Kit to exhibit but he does not want to he wants his art students to have the chance to exhibit their work.

Once Katharine gets Kit to agree they become more friendly and the quick witted comments between them are so funny.

It is a nice light hearted book and I would read it again. Well done.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for sharing this book with me.

This book has promise. It has humor, romance, and self-discovery. Unfortunately, it wasn't a win for me. The pace dragged. It took me too long to get into it and then I skimmed out of boredom. The plot is too predictable. I know it's a rom-com and we usually always know what's going to happen anyway but this felt too much so.

We could've used more interaction between Katharine and Kit in the first half of the book. Kit was okay, he kinda annoyed me as a character. I appreciated Katharine's journey with herself. Overall, a fine book but it's not very memorable.

I started this book hating Christopher....then I kept reading and accidentally fell in love with him. Well played, Belinda Missen! 
I loved the main character, Katherine. You couldn't help but root for her with everything she did, whether it was starting her own gallery, standing up to John, having heart to hearts with her family and, most of all, building her relationship with Christopher. I laughed out loud at their innuendos and cheered at their dark room moments. Such a fun book that I can't wait to share with others!