3 to 3.5 on the fence stars

I wasn't quite sure what to make of this one. I went into it expecting a chick lit romance and while it was a chick lit, it wasn't really a romance but rather it was more about learning about yourself and maturing. I can't lie, I'd have preferred a nice belly-warming romance.

It was an easy enough read, but it also made me quite uncomfortable at times. She's under threat of redundancy from the magazine she writes for, her ex is getting on with his life with their ex flatmate in a rather smug fashion and she's living with her prickly sister and lovely brother in law. In the midst of all of that she agrees to be set up with her ideal match on a new dating site that uses data from...all over the place...to find your match and then write an article all about it. What follows is a series of awkward scenes as she dates her match and then returns to her sister's house for more awkwardness. I kept hoping for a spark and some feels with her beau, but after a while I had to accept that this wasn't that type of book.

I did enjoy watching her find her find her way and forge a new relationship with her family and there was lots of moments that made me smile. Her relationship with her friend was full of banter and wit that I absolutely loved, it wasn't all awkwardness I'm pleased to say.

The ending wasn't what I was hoping for, but then that's because I like to see everything neatly tied up and in this there's only a hint of a brighter future. I'm sure it's just me.

Complete story. Thanks to the publisher via netgalley for the arc.

3.5 stars

‘We’re Cupid. We can find your perfect match by examining your digital footprint ‘, love by algorithm. Laura Morrison is a weekend magazine journalist for Bugle and is under the cosh with her work being appraised for four months then reviewed which could lead to a job loss. She’s definitely in the doldrums in more ways than one as she’s currently sleeping on an air bed at her sisters house as her previous housemates have moved on. Following an email at work from Cupid she agrees to sign up and will write an article about the resulting match which proves to be Adam Fraser.

This is an enjoyable easy read which does make some pertinent points to reflect on. The characters are good, Whit her brother in law is a lovely man if a bit clueless, her very correct sister Jaime is very proper and definitely spikey and Nush at Cupid is a gushing pain. Laura’s character is well fleshed out, she’s extremely likeable, she’s very down at the moment and has justifiably got some self esteem issues which she hopes Adam will help resolve. Adam is harder to make out, he seems perfect at first glance with his soft Scottish burr but as you read on doubts set in. I like the awkwardness of their first meeting which is a but cringe but feels authentic. I love the part in the book where Laura mets his stiff, traditional parents as it’s deliciously wicked. In places it’s quite amusing, I like the word definition at the beginning of each chapter which is appropriately chosen. The Cupid concept is awful and feels too much like 1984 Big Brother to me which I’m sure is entirely the point and you can have all the algorithms you like but it can’t necessarily produce a chemical reaction! The book poses good questions about head versus heart and it’s entertaining to read as Laura bumbles her way through.

However, the book is way too long and digresses too much into things that divert you from the meat on the bones of the storytelling and I dare say it also follows a fairly predictable path.

Overall, it’s a fun, well written book but which would definitely benefit from some text pruning!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the arc in return for an honest review.

Laura, a journalist at risk of redundancy, is unlucky in love. After numerous failed relationships and after losing her flat, she finds herself sleeping on an air mattress in her sister's spare room and as she's at risk of losing her job, she puts herself forward for trialling Cupid - a high-tech new dating service that will draw on everything she's ever done online to find her perfect match. Everything from a Google search, an online food shop, what photos she likes on Instagram and even what memes she's engaged with, will help determine Laura's perfect partner. She's due to write an article about the process, and the story charts her on-paper perfect match with good-looking, kind and considerate Adam but ultimately everything is not as it seems.

I had SUCH high hopes for this one, but I did feel as though it ebbs too much on the predictable side of the 'perfect' match trope, in that whilst someone on paper seems ideal, they're far from it in real life. Also, I was led into this story thinking it was going to be a feel-good romance or chick lit, but instead, it doesn't really fit into either category as the romantic moments feel a tad disjointed and sometimes just a tad awkward. With that being said though, it's great to see that the book tackles the less than perfect aspects of not only a relationship but life and its milestones and the expectations that face us when we reach certain ages like marriage, homeownership and children. It's candid, quirky and humorous, but doesn't pack a memorable punch.

The premise of a dating app that doesn't rely on swiping, or chat-up lines or filtered photos sounded intriguing, but it is not unique. It is something I've seen in other books and most recently I read Married at First Swipe which this reminded me too greatly of, and ultimately could be why this felt so predictable to me.

*Huge thanks to Netgalley and Cornerstone for my advanced review copy!

A great easy read with some light humour running through, this book is enjoyable throughout and worth the time

I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review. I had empathy for the main character, Laura as she struggled to get her life in order. She was sleeping on a mattress in her sister and her husband’s house, whilst at risk of losing her job as a journalist. Laura was so unlucky in love that she decided to write an article about a new dating app, which uses your online search history and social media to find your life partner. Laura agreed to take part in this and was matched with the handsome and sensible Adam. On paper, he was the perfect man. He came from a wealthy background, liked children and got on with her family and friends. However soon Laura realised they didn’t have much in common. Ironically she ends up cheating on Adam with Cazz who works in IT and had found her match to begin with. As a reader, you get the sense that Laura is struggling with low self esteem from her breakup with Walker (her old flatmate), whilst dealing with her parent’s separation. Towards the end of the book, she finds herself and her career starts to take off. It was a nice read but the plot became predictable as soon as Cazz was introduced.

This book was refreshing, funny, and relevant. I could really relate to Laura, but the writing made me laugh out loud; that combination kept the story light and thoughtful rather than being too introspective. Thank you for the copy, and all the best on publication!

I’m in two minds about this book. The reviews were good and the description sounded interesting but I didn’t feel that it lived up the hype.

I enjoyed the first few chapters and was excited to see where it was going to go but by the middle, the storyline got slow and lacked pace to the point where I struggled to finish it because I lost interest.

There were some good parts but it wasn’t for me.

No Such Thing as Perfect is a witty, insightful and life-affirming story of Laura Morrison, who finds herself STILL single after a string of failed relationships. When the small-time newspaper she works for announces that she’s at risk of redundancy, Laura takes on an article about Cupid - the brand new dating app which uses all of your social media data to find your perfect match.

Think of everything you’ve ever liked or Googled, everyone you’ve ever Instagram stalked or unfollowed.... all being used to pair you up with your soulmate.

Laura is paired up with seemingly-perfect Adam, but things go downhill from there.

I really enjoyed No Such Thing as Perfect. There were several issues brilliantly tackled; Laura’s parent’s separation later in life, Laura’s low self esteem and her sister’s struggle to conceive were all handled very maturely.

100% recommend this one ✨

Laugh out loud with Laura.
Laura is at a point in her life, no longer young but not old. Sleeping on a blow up mattress, possibly soon to be out of a job and unlucky in love. Desperate to keep her job, she takes up the offer to report on a new style dating agency that finds your perfect partner through your online browsing. Louise definitely bags more than she bargains for!
It is obvious from the beginning that you are embarking on ‘chick lit’ and lives up to its promise of both being romantic and funny. The ending however is not obvious as Louise finds something other than she was looking for.. This alone made me wanting to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.
I do think that the on line layout needs tweaking, on Kindle, some of the conversations particularly texts were difficult to follow.
This is easy read escapism. Readers of Sophie Kinsella, Milly Johnson or Katie Fforde would enjoy this. Emma Hughes is definitely going on my list.

Loved this book. Made me laugh a lot. I think we all have a touch of Laura about us occasionally. I've also done the dating website rounds so I found myself nodding in agreement.

This was cute - somewhat predictable in a romantic comedy sort of way but with enough little twists that you’re never sure exactly how things will play out for Laura. I did feel like there was a lot going on at times, and a few scenes felt a bit unnecessary but overall I liked the different characters and the glimpses into their own relationships. All in all it was an enjoyable read and I really liked the ending, the wrap up is satisfying and tied everything together nicely.

Journalist Laura , who seems fated not to have a perfect romance , is drawn into the world of 'Cupid' an online comapny who promise to find your ideal match.. I wonder really how anyone could be taken in by them, with their slightly odd characters such as Anoushka and the ghastly Cass.
Adam , the 'ideal match' is so predictable, one has to laugh at him, and his parents! Right from the introduction of the lovely vet Jem, with the equally lovely dog, one just knew that the future would hold them in Laura's life.
I enjoyed the book, and thank NetGalley for a review copy.

A candid look into Laura’s life as she battles her emotions with boyfriends, family and career. Supported by loyal friends with honesty and humour. The story teased me with a few options to guess which direction it would take Laura...

Laura Morrison has been unlucky in love and sometimes feels like she's unlucky in life, as though everyone else has reached adulthood and is leaving her behind. At risk of redundancy, she agrees to take part in an article for the flagging newspaper she works for, trialling a new matchmaking app called Cupid. Can an algorithm find Laura a perfect match, or help her believe in herself, and is Cupid all it's cracked up to be? Who is the right man for her - the dependable bodywarmer-wearing Adam who she gets matched with, the sexy tech canal-boat-dwelling hipster Cass who helped her find him, or neither of them? The characters all seemed like fully realised, complex people, including Laura's parents, bohemian best friend Lil and her sweet daughter Dora, bossy big sister Jamie and her nice-but-dim husband Whit who tries to solve everyone's problems with food. A couple of sticking points (spoilers below):

- I feel like we heard a lot about Laura's parents and their marriage crises were supposed to give depth to Laura's uncertainty and anguish about her own romantic prospects, but it didn't quite work for me - at some point you have to take responsibility for yourself
- The author was quite easy on Laura for her infidelities, and didn't seem to take them that seriously - a bit of a punchy move if you want people to be sympathetic to your heroine. We're only ever encouraged to feel sorry for Laura, not the men she's messing about or her friends and family who are affected by her behaviour
- I was sad for Jamie and Whit that they didn't get their happy ending in the form of a baby. I know life doesn't always work out this way, but after the focus on Jamie's childlessness it felt odd that there was no resolution and/or miracle child!

Laura has never been able to keep a boyfriend and then a company called Cupid gets in touch telling her they can find her perfect match. Things don't' always go to plan

This is well written, but highly derivative and unfortunately it was way too easy to see all of the inspiration and exactly where the story would head at each and every twist.

A decent read to pass the time, but lacking anything new.

Genre: Romance | Womens Fiction

Release Date: Expected 5th August 2021


Laura Williams just lost her flat, and now she's on the verge of losing her job too. Living on an air mattress on her overbearing sisters floor, not much is going right. Her life is most definitely not perfect.

As a journalist, Laura is constantly bombarded by hundreds of emails a day which she swiftly deletes - including one from Cupid - a new dating start-up powered by digital footprints. No swiping, no pickup lines, just scientifically provden matchmaking with guaranteed results. But the email doesn't stay in the bin for long; if this works it could be the perfect piece to make her mark on the magazine and to meet Adam, her mathematically perfect match.

But it's a lot of pressure to be told you're someones soulmate before you've ever met - and can the head really replace the heart when it comes to love?

Laura and Adam were both adorable and so very awkward from the first meeting - I loved watching as they tried to figure out who each other really is and how that reflects on themselves. But love isn't simple, and as Laura finds herself more drawn to one of the people who led her to Adam instead, she's faced with the most basic human question - following her head or her heart?

Full of vibrancy and hilarity, No Such Thing As Perfect was funny and so cute - and a perfect representation of a twenty-something woman who is nowhere near where she expects to be in life and with no idea what's going on.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Thank you to Emma Hughes and Random House UK for an ARC in return for an honest review.

When Laura is invited to be matched with her dream man, via a new “foolproof” method named Cupid, she deletes the email and forgets about it. That is until she realises she might just meet her matcha fb save her job at the same time. However, the path of true love never did run smooth....
I really enjoyed reading Laura’s story - her love life, job, family and friends made for an entertaining read. Would recommend.

Laura is a journalist at risk of redundancy, so reluctantly agrees to be a guinea pig for a new dating service called Cupid, which is supposed to use your online data footprint to help find you true love.
She is not too sure, so how will it work out Adam, who is supposed to be perfect for her?

I would have liked more of an epilogue to see what happens next.