Thanks to #netgalley for allowing me to read in advance of publication
A beautifully written book by someone who knows the little island of Jersey very well as the main character of this book goes to Jersey to research her story for a magazine she writes love stories about how people meet like her own parents who met on the island fell in love, married and had her
She arrives and grabs her suitcase and jumps in a cab gets to her hotel opens the suitcase and it most definitely isn’t hers, unfortunately airport is closed for weekend and the suitcase is obviously a mans so she will have to make do
She wants to go to all the places her mum and dad went to so goes back to same cab driver and shows him photos he says he will show her all places over next day or two. She explains that she believes that people are meant to meet and fall in love and the suitcase she found has in it her dads favourite book, his favourite sheet music and smells of her mums perfume so the man who owns this suitcase is the man she is destined to be with !!
Ted the cab driver doesn’t seem to agree at all laughing at this but dutifully takes her to all the places her mum has been
Laura also meets up with her Aunt and Gran whilst there and learns some home truths maybe ones she doesn’t like
Will Laura meet Mr suitcase man and fall in love? Is that her destiny ?

I loved this. Loved the female characters and their relationships. LOVED TED. loved the Jersey setting and the slow burn of Ted and Laura’s relationship and although there were no surprises it was still a really enjoyable read. Witty in parts and heartfelt in others. I really enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Cornerstone Digital for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Laura is looking to meet ‘The One’ for her and after picking up the wrong suitcase and checking the contents, hopes the owner is her destined one! Wonderfully romantic holiday read.

What an uplifting read, perfect for the beach, bed or travelling, as long as you don’t mind the looks, you know the ones from other passengers when you burst out laughing and do uncontrollable giggles. This story put me on cloud nine.

Laura is the frontline interviewer for talking to couples about the unusual ways they came together and fell head over heels in love. Her intimidating boss calls a group meeting, to see what new ideas can be used to up their ratings. The whole room of people are like rabbits in headlights as she selects employees for their ideas.

Although both of Laura’s parents are dead, she tells them about how they met, and it’s all very romantic and heart pounding. Her boss gives her 4 days to travel out to Jersey, and find out more from relatives she hasn’t seen in years. Events soon set Laura on her mission out there, as fate has dealt its hand. Will this be her time. Will she meet her soul mate? Only time and a hilarious few days will decide.

What a little beauty this story is. It is such a long time since I chuckled so much at such a good feel read. Sophie Cousens delivers characters with flaws, baggage (even the wrong baggage lol) and imperfect lives that I just loved. I could relate to them so easily. I loved the situations that they faced, gasped at the trainer incident, howled with laughter at the cows and fell in love with the people of Jersey.


I can’t ask for more from a writer. I have been whisked away from my four walls and lived every page. Perfection!

I wish to thank the publisher and Net Galley for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Sophie Cousens' book is a warm-hearted, feel-good story set in Jersey and provides a great advert for the largest Channel Island. Although Laura sets off to Jersey to pursue a story relating to her parents' romance, she soon falls into a romantic mystery of her own. Helped by taxi driver Ted Laura starts exploring Jersey and finding some of the places which featured in her mother's love-story. Things take a turn when she discovers that she has picked up the wrong case at the airport and has difficulty tracking down her own.

Endearingly amusing and with some great characters.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to revew this book.

I somehow missed posting this on it’s pub date last week but this has been one of my favourite books of the whole year.

You might have caught me on stories a few months ago when I finished it, absolutely gushing about it as i absolutely fell in love with it.

I completely adored Sophie’s first book, her writing is just wonderful and this fully lived up to that one. It’s such a special, beautiful, uplifting book about love and how it can find us, in every form, when we least expect it.

Read this if you are looking for a light hearted romance with a stunning setting, perfect leads and swoon-worthy romance!

From the Blurb...
“Tell me the story of how you two met...

Laura has built a career out of interviewing people about their epic real life love stories.

When she picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport, Laura wonders if this could be the start of something that's written in the stars.

From piano sheet-music to a battered copy of her favourite book, Laura finds in the bag evidence of everything she could hope for in a partner.

If Laura's job has taught her anything it's that when it comes to love, you can't let opportunity pass you by. Now Laura is determined to track down the owner of the suitcase, and her own happy ending.

But what if fate has other ideas?”

Out now on ebook (it’s only £2.99 on kindle) and out in Paperback on November 11th ✨

*advance copy from Netgalley✨

I absolutely loved this book. Full of twists and turns I just couldn't put it down. My favourite read of 2021

I loved Sophie Cousens’ This Time Next Year and I was delighted to be accepted for her latest release. I was expecting a cute, quirky romance and I got all that and more!

Laura writes for Love Life, a lifestyle website that is all about selling the perfect life. Her regular feature How Did You Meet? delves into unique stories that brought couples together and now she is flying to Jersey, where her own parents met and had their own love story for the ultimate How Did You Meet? ever. But at the airport, she manages to pick up someone else’s suitcase. Evidently a man’s suitcase. Except it has a cosy jumpers, a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird and Phil Collins’ sheet music in it and Laura is convinced that the true owner of this suitcase must be her soulmate. So she becomes determined to track him down, swap the suitcases in person and let her very own meet-cute unfold. But does true love really ever work out the way she always thought?

At the start of the book, I did find Laura very innocent for a woman in her late twenties. She seemed a lot younger than her years and a part of me really wanted to protect her from the heartache and reality checks that were inevitably coming to her. However, I could relate to her and I liked her enough to want noting but the best for her and I was excited to see where her seemingly boundless naivety would take her.

During her time in Jersey, she is armed with a copy of a self-help book called Tiger Woman, which was recommended to her by her flatmate and colleague Vanya. The book encourages readers to unleash their inner femme fatale and go after the things that they want. Although a lot of the extracts from Tiger Woman are pretty general affirmations and laughable ‘advice’, it does seem that some of it rubs off on Laura. There is a twist involving Tiger Woman towards the end which I didn’t see coming but it did make me smile when it was revealed.

Laura’s boss is the formidable Suki, who knows exactly what she wants for her website and from her employees. She often blows both hot and cold in the same sentence, so she is very difficult to read and definitely a nightmare boss. I think everyone who has ever worked within a creative field will have known a Suki at some point. She comes across as very severe and money-driven but I could sense that she had a softer centre and I just wanted it to show itself.

There is some very obvious chemistry between Laura and her taxi driver Ted from their very first meeting. Even when I thought he was quite a lot older than her and very unavailable, there was an undeniable something there between them and I knew it was something that would continue throughout the book. This was a lovely connection to witness and I got really caught up in their ‘will-they-won’t-they’ dynamic.

Vanya is Laura’s kindred spirit and the one that she discusses all of her hilarious mishaps with. I would have loved to see more Laura and Vanya interactions because I laughed everytime they talked. Laura has another friend called Dee, who is more of a mother hen and advice giver. Whenever Laura caught up with either of her friends, I realised how lucky she is to have such two amazing women in her life who offer her different perspectives and play different roles in her life.

Just Haven’t Met You Yet is also incredibly funny. There are some scenes that I think will make me laugh out loud every time I think about them. It’s a very relatable, awkward kind of humour, resonant of Bridget Jones, that many readers will be able to roll around in with Laura. She gets herself into some truly cringey situations but not in a horrifically uncomfortable way. I was able to laugh through the excruitiating second-hand embarrassment and I love it when writers manage to get that balance just right.

At its heart, it’s a love story and realising that love rarely works out the way you think it does. You can’t really plan it out and to paraphrase Phil Collins, you certainly can’t hurry love. The idea of it being passed down by generations is a beautiful one and love stories definitely do linger in families. As long as we keep telling our children and grandchildren about our own meet-cutes, our love stories can outlive us by centuries.

The book does also touch on the idea of finding love again after it has deserted you. Laura learns so much on Jersey and I think this might be one of the most important lessons that she picks up. Previously, Laura had been so focused on the perfect romantic beginning and idyllic eternal life with her soulmate that she was blinded to the fact that a person can experience true love several times in their life.

Just Haven’t Met You Yet is a very funny, romantic read that celebrates love in many of its forms. It looks at the realities of adult relationships and the complexities of falling in love through the medium of a character who certainly grows throughout the book. A romance to truly root for set in a beautifully unique setting, Just Haven’t Met You Yet is a light-hearted rom-com to drag you through the end of summer.

Thank you to Rachel at Penguin Random House Cornerstone for my physical copy!
Okay, this could be a long review as my head is brimming with things I want to say, so please bear with me.
Firstly, I loved the title. Didn't twig until my fiance and sister pointed out the song title of a particular singer... and now I don't know how I missed it, as I sing it in my head whenever I read the title cover!
I loved the premise- the line 'so tell me how you both met?' gets asked to me and my fiance a lot but it is one of my favourite stories to tell. Along with the 'grand gesture' of his proposal!
Anyway, I digress.
The beginning of the book starts around the phrase "cheer up, it might never happen", and this is literally the worst phrase ever to me. People who say that can't have had any trauma or bereavement in their lives, and how do they know it hasn't already happened for that person? I lost my sister last year, and I swear if anyone says that to me, they will get the Ginger Tornado (me) unleashed. So I definitely gave Laura a virtual pat on the back for her response.
The characters were wonderful, and I have to say my personal favourite is Gerry. I honestly think we all need a Gerry in our lives. His outlook was remarkable, and as someone with a permanent disability, the way he talked about his struggles really spoke something to me. I feel like writing his quotes out and displaying them all round my house as a reminder to myself to stay positive. Love him.
The loss Laura has had to deal with was heart breaking to read, and Cousens definitely stayed true to reality in her portrayal of grief.
The funny moments to balance the sadness were hilarious (the cows come to mind first LOL) and I laughed out loud frequently.
Jersey was the perfect setting for the story, and Cousens' ability to describe it's beauty and character was extremely special.
While it was a little predictable, I didn't care. It was just what I needed for my light but at times sad, bedtime read.
Loved it.

Laura’s meet cute starts off with a bang and bag swap. The swapped suitcase contains elements of her perfect man. Is it fate or will the real guy not live up to expectations?

As Laura pieces together the puzzle of her life and the mystery man, their stories weave together. On the surface, things may seem ideal but in real life people aren’t perfect. Researching her family history for a story, her world unravels when she realizes the truth.

While Laura is looking for the man she hasn’t met yet, what about the one in front of her? Life has a way of challenging us and making us grow. In pursuit of perfection, we can overlook others. Sometimes the sense of comfort, being yourself or someone that challenges you is the one that changes your life.

Will Laura realize that perfection is overrated? Like the coin she wears around her neck, love is in the imperfections. The real story leaves its mark in history.

So after having this authors previous book (This Time Next Year) on my TBR list for a quite a while now, I was really pleased to have received an advanced copy of her latest book, Just Haven’t Met You Yet.

Laura has spent her career listening to all the ‘perfect’ How-We-Met stories for her column and wonders if she will ever get that perfect meet-cute moment herself. Suddenly, when she finds herself with the wrong suitcase at an airport she thinks this might be it…

After all, the suitcase owner’s identity sounds perfect, he has similar music tastes and even a copy of her favourite book, surely this is fate? Obviously she has to begin her mission to relocate the suitcase with its rightful owner (& retrieve her own!) and hopes she will find her happy ending along the way - but what if fate has other ideas?

This is a lovely uplifting and heart-warming book that I really enjoyed. The characters are well-described and you find yourself rooting for certain parties (no spoilers!) to realise the truth. I also loved the last line and is something that will stay with me for quite a while: ‘I have no illusions about happily ever afters - I know life will bring its challenges and nothing is forever - but I hope we might be happy today, and for as many todays as we are lucky enough to have’

It’s a feel-good read and I now need to move this authors previous book up my TBR list more!

This was a really enjoyable romance. Very well written as is always the case with Sophie Cousens’ books. A joy to read with a lovely ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy of this book.

Sophie Cousens will give her readers all the feels with her irresistible new romantic comedy, Just Haven’t Met You Yet.

Laura has made a name for herself interviewing people about their epic love stories. Love is something Laura wholeheartedly believes in – even if she sometimes does feel as if it’s passed her by. But could her romantic luck be about to change when she accidently picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport? When she opens the suitcase, Laura is stunned when she finds a battered copy of her favourite book and piano sheet music; the owner of this suitcase couldn’t be more perfect for her! Could Laura’s happy ending finally be within her grasp? Or is she just setting herself up for disappointment?

Laura will leave no stone unturned in order to find her one true love. She cannot let this opportunity slip her by nor will she be able to live with herself if she doesn’t try her utmost to find the owner of this suitcase. As she goes on an emotional journey to find Suitcase Guy, will Laura at long last find what she has been looking for all along? Is Suitcase Guy the man of her dreams? Or will fate send her down many a dead end that will only lead to heartbreak and despair?

Sophie Cousens’ Just Haven’t Met You Yet is a warm, witty and delightful read perfect for curling up with. A terrific charmer about following your heart, pursuing your dreams and not compromising on your happiness, Just Haven’t Met You will make readers fall in love with smart, kind-hearted and determined Laura and have them rooting for her in her quest to find her one true love.

Hopeful, heartwarming and hard to put down, readers need to add Sophie Cousens’ Just Haven’t Met You Yet to the very top of their auto-buy list.

A fabulous Jersey treat!!
Journalist Laura is stuck in a rut, wishing for the love of her life but she just hasn't met him yet. When her boss sends her to Jersey for a long weekend will this be her time? Her love of romance and the idea of love must be right, yet her time in Jersey teaches her so much more.
Laugh out loud, this book had me smiling alot!!
Loved all if the characters, brilliantly portrayed, loved all the family and friends.
Perfect getaway in a book, want to revisit Jersey now!
Thank you to NetGalley for the early opportunity to read and review.
Highly recommended!

My favourite author is back with another book!!!

Laura La Quesne writes a column in the magazine "Love Life" titled - " How did you meet?". Though she interviews couples and writes down their love story and 'meet cute' moments, she is yet to find 'the one and fall head over heels in love. She visits the gorgeous Jersey Islands to research and write the love story of her parents but will this trip turn out to be the meet-cute of her own?

On arriving at her destination, she finds out that her luggage has been swapped with a stranger. On rummaging through the contents,(just out of sheer curiosity) she discovers that this man may be the man of her dreams - her soulmate! She sets out to find him and make him fall in love with her.

Laura is a very lovable protagonist - she is very bubbly with her fair share of happiness and sadness. Written from Laura's point of view, this book contains excerpts from her parents' love letters and extracts from a book titled 'Tiger Woman' by Bee Bee Graceful. ( O wish the book existed)


This book will make you laugh out loud.
The strength of this book is its characters - the cast had their negative flaws but they tried to improve themselves to be a better beings. There is a good injection of humor - puns, snarky comments plenty of fun and heartwarming moments.

This was a great read! If you are looking for a book with the correct amount of humor, mishaps, cheesiness, and lots of adventures and epic settings read this book!!!!

I feel in love with the island of Jersey and wish to visit it someday!

Laura has built a career out of interviewing people about their epic real life love stories.
When she picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport, Laura wonders if this could be the start of something that's written in the stars.
From piano sheet-music to a battered copy of her favourite book, Laura finds in the bag evidence of everything she could hope for in a partner. If Laura's job has taught her anything it's that when it comes to love, you can't let opportunity pass you by. Now Laura is determined to track down the owner of the suitcase, and her own happy ending.
But what if fate has other ideas?

———————————————————————-

Book review

I absolutely loved Sophie cousens first novel, this time next year, so when I found out she had a new book coming out, I could hardly contain my excitement. I was even more excited to be asked to be on the tour.

This book did not disappoint. It was the perfect book to curl up with to forget life’s stresses.
I loved Laura. She was such a great character. I wanted to be her friend. The book is full of laughter, but also very thought provoking

I adored this perfect romantic story and have been left with a wonderfully warm feeling since finishing it. Sophie Cousens has followed up This Time Next Year with another cracking read.
I connected with Laura immediately - she’s written so naturally and is instantly relatable. The relationships she has with Dee and Vanya are wonderful- they’re so different to eachother but offer unconditional support in their three way friendship.
Jersey sounds idyllic and as we journeyed with Laura to track down her mum’s memories and the mysterious suitcase owner, I found myself noting down the places visited so I might see them myself one day.
This is a brilliant romantic tale which would work so well on the big screen - I loved it completely.

Actual rating 4.5⭐️

It’s all about the super romantic meet cutes in Sophie Cousens latest novel. Or as central character Laura Le Quesne is wont to call them, it’s all about those “klabammo”moments. Single lady Laura has heard more than her fair share of these type of lightening bolt, serendipitous scenarios, interviewing loved up couples for a popular segment on Love Life, the lifestyle platform she works for. Using her parents epic summer of love story as her benchmark for her own romantic liaisons it’s hardly surprising all of her previous relationships have failed to live up to what can only be described as an idealistic version of love and meeting the perfect match. She’s blinded by the Hollywood vision of romance, still searching for her own Mr Darcy. She just hasn’t met him yet!! However all that could be about to change when the opportunity to fly to Jersey and bring Annie and Alex’s story to the attention of the Love Life followers presents itself. What could be more romantic than walking in their footsteps, revisiting all the places that feature in the family album, breathing life into the cherished memories Annie has passed onto her only daughter. Jersey looks set to be an eye opener for Laura although perhaps not quite in the way she is anticipating. Fingers crossed Laura may finally experience that long awaited “klabammo”moment for herself, such is the magic and charm of this Channel Island!

This is the type of storyline I never tire of! Sophie Cousens taps into the hearts and minds of every incurable romantic out there although this is a storyline tempered with a hefty dose of realism. Set in the author’s own backyard she infuses the narrative with her obvious love and affection for this small island, inviting the reader on a whirlwind tour which might just have you reaching for your passport, such a terrific job she does of selling Jersey as an ideal holiday destination! Overall it’s a storyline to make your heart swell with hope and happiness, occasionally breathing a little sigh of contentment as events unfold, maybe forcing a tiny gasp of surprise to escape your lips from time to time in addition to the laughter that bubbles up thanks to all the funny moments, of which there are plenty. The humour in this novel is mainly of the awkward, embarrassing and absurd variety with Laura channeling her inner Bridget Jones once or twice but this isn’t solely written for the big laughs. This romcom has hidden depths!

For Laura, Jersey marks the beginning of a few surprising home truths, as well as a crash course in how to find love. Through the characters she’s destined to meet Laura has booked a one way ticket to enlightenment and boy is it empowering! Hilarity aside, at the heart of this novel lies a recognition of the power of memories and the significance we attach to them and the way they can shape our thoughts and feelings. It’s about the sentimental value we place on our most treasured possessions, those objects that can tell their own stories and how over time stories become embellished better to fit the storyteller’s narrative. Whilst fantasy may often seem more appealing and exciting than reality, it’s the more attainable and achievable that can ultimately be more attractive simply because it’s REAL! Maybe Laura will come to realise not all love stories have to be full of grand dramatic gestures to warrant a special place in the memory bank!

I like how the finer details of Annie and Alex’s romantic union and the circumstances surrounding how they initially connect are woven into the main body of the storyline via letters written between the two. This contrasts nicely with all the lighthearted frivolity that accompanies Laura the minute she sets foot on Jersey soil. Snippets of extracts from the self help book Tiger Woman that has been gifted to Laura by her friend Vanya add another quirky layer to Laura’s unforgettable Jersey experience. This element certainly made me giggle and although it might read as the kind of nonsense Laura’s boss Suki is so fond of spouting, somewhere in there are a few grains of wisdom. Or at least I think there are! Plus it ties in well with the final updated version of Laura, a woman undoubtedly altered by her time spent on the island. This romcom wouldn’t be complete without some tender hearted, poignant scenes involving one or two of the island’s long standing inhabitants who happen to be dealing some life changing events when Laura makes their acquaintance. These moving, heartfelt moments may be hidden beneath this storyline’s superficial outer layer but they add a profundity to the proceedings.

The characters reflect the author’s quirky sense of humour and I warmed to them all, even Suki who initially set my teeth on edge with all her ridiculous media jargon. I might have started off wishing I could zip her mouth shut but as time rolls on she loses her ability to annoy, softening into a more likeable character. I loved the nicknames bestowed upon some of these characters; Hot Suitcase Guy, Lady Muck and Beardy McCastaway but I can’t reveal their proper names. You’ll have to buy the book to find out which characters these names refer to!! Some are quite literally bonkers (hedgehog lover Mad Aunt Monica) some are simply lovely and welcoming (Sandra and the sanguine Gerry), some display some rather quirky traits and one or two are battling their own personal demons. Fellow feminist friends Dee and Vanya are always on hand to guide Laura as she stumbles her way through her latest love seeking adventure although I happily became Laura’s third cheerleader, albeit from the confines of my sofa! As a main character she’s immensely likeable and you can easily relate to her unrealistic expectations regarding love. After all who doesn’t secretly crave movie style romance???

Of course there is a certain predictability to this tale but just like Sophie Cousens previous novel I fell head over heels for these characters. This is a highly enjoyable summer read perfect for those days when lighthearted escapism is just what your heart (and head!) desires. I’m already eagerly anticipating romcom number three!

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Laura spends her days listening to other people's love stories. Surrounding herself with real life romance gives her hope that one day she will find her own soul mate.

When a work trip to Jersey results in Laura picking up the wrong suitcase instead of being annoyed she is excited. Looking at what he has packed this mystery man could just be who Laura has been looking for her whole life.

I love song related book titles because that song plays in my head every time I pick up the book to read and I particularly love Michael Buble! I think it is also clever because it gets you in the mood for the story ahead. So I predicted movie style romance and I was right. Laura surrounds herself with love all day long. Interviewing couples about their meet cutes at work and watching Meg Ryan films at home. The interviews at the start of the book reminded me of my personal favourite rom com When Harry Met Sally and I spotted various references to different films throughout the story. Laura is a relatable protagonist who loves love and truly believes her Tom Hanks is out there somewhere. When she discovers the contents of Hot Suitcase Man's suitcase she is convinced he is her future. Eventhough I could see what was coming before Laura could I enjoyed the runaround and experiencing everything Jersey had to offer. I have always wanted to visit and I want to visit even more now. The whole reason Laura is even in Jersey is to look into her own parent's love story for an article. This added an extra element as while Laura is wrapped up in her own potential romance her parent's history is unravelling before her.

Just Haven't Met You Yet has all the ingredients for a great rom com. A generous portion of romance, sprinkles of comedy with a helping of sadness on the side.

[Ad - PR Copy - thank you to Arrow/Penguin & NetGalley for this ebook copy of Just Haven’t Met You Yet]

Wow wow wow Sophie. A lot of you may remember I was part of the tours for Sophie’s debut, This Time Next Year, and I’m excited to say I’m on the tour for her second book, Just Haven’t Met You Yet, thanks to Sophie and the wonderful team at Arrow/Penguin! Well… this may or may not be one of my fave romances?!

The story is about Laura, who is a hopeless romantic… without any romance herself, and writes romance columns such as “How did you meet?”. She finds herself travelling to Jersey to discover more about her parents romance, and manages to find some of her own with the handsome Jasper… the fisherman jumper guy🤤 but it’s not all she thought it would be, and she ends up in quite the predicament… The question is what will she do?!

Well… obviously you’ll have to read it and find out😉

But in all seriousness Sophie has absolutely knocked it put of the park! Sometimes when authors write such fab debuts, sometimes it’s hard to live up to the expectation you know?! But Sophie doesn’t seem to have that problem… as I must say I think I preferred Just Haven’t Met You Yet🙊

Sophie’s writing is just exquisite, it’s to the point, lots of world and character building without it getting boring, and fabulous character development. I loved Laura’s development as a person, and the things that going to Jersey taught her about love and fate.

But not only Laura, but Ted. It’s clear that he was potentially going through a low stage in his life, he stopped taking care of himself in the form of shaving etc. This alone ages him, as Laura believes he’s around 50 odd… not 37!! But as him and Laura become closer you see the developmental parts in his character, he’s gone from “grumpy old taxi man” to “actually a hot, not so grumpy taxi man”!

Honestly it’s such an adorable story, there’s bumps in the road, and it’s not such a clean, easy romance either… like there are obstacles that need to be overcome which I loved. I love a romance that isn’t this “fairytale” the whole way through, makes it much less predictable and much more enjoyable!

The ebook for this will be available to buy on the 1st September 2021… or you can preorder the paperback now on anywhere you can buy books (I think!!!), which will be released on the 11th November 2021. I promise you, you will not regret it!!📚✨🖤