Cover Image: The No-Show

The No-Show

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Member Reviews

Wow it was such a satisfying read for me because not only I just simply loved it but also I really loved how layered it was. Significantly, I really loved the writing the style, especially how raw characters and their emotions have been portrayed. So, in a nutshell, it’s definitely a 5 star read for me.

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Made Me Smile!

Three women are jilted by Joseph on Valentine’s Day. It seems like Joseph is a cad, but there is SO much more going on than it seems.

Told through the eyes of Jane, Miranda, and Siobhan, the reader experiences their heartbreak at being stood up by Joseph on Valentine’s day. As a result, the three go on very different journeys of love, loss, and self-acceptance. I loved all of their stories.

Then there is Joseph. He seems to be a lying, womanizing, cheating bastard, but there is more to him than meets the eye. He grew on me in the end.

The No-Show seems to be a predictable romance, but it has a twist. I was congratulating myself on being a savvy reader and rolling my eyes at how predictable this book seemed--I even had all of these scenarios in my head of how things would work out for each character…and then there is a twist that I didn't see coming. I realized I was a very dumb reader who missed so many clues and was reading this book the wrong way.

What we get is a heartbreaking, sweet, and tragic story about three women finding themselves and the man who is part of their journey.

Overall, I loved The No-Show. It was a fun, enjoyable, and sometimes sad read. In the end, I shed a few tears, but it left me with a big smile!

Thank you to Elisha Katz and Berkley for an ARC of this

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I absolutely adored 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐎-𝐒𝐇𝐎𝗪 (Pub 4.22). It is clever & fresh, lighthearted & heartbreaking. Thank you

At first glance, the premise of this book is a little cringey- Miranda, Siobhan and Jane are strangers that have something in common: a date on Valentine's Day with the same man- Joseph Carter.

I am a big fan of O’Leary. I adored 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩, but I was disappointed by her last novel, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱. Oh- the redemption is sweet here because THE NO-SHOW reminded me of what I love about her work.

Top shelf writing.
Original story.
Superbly plotted.
A masterful blend of heart & heft.
Creative, insightful and emotional.
Not a traditional romance- perhaps more romance adjacent with a bit of mystery mixed in.

The writing was captivating and I loved the way each character was crafted with both complexity and a distinct voice. I was invested to the point that they started showing up during that in-between 'twilight sleep' when you're not 100% awake or asleep. I was rooting for Miranda, Siobhan and Jane while also being committed to understanding Joseph. I read this a couple of weeks ago and they still pop into my head from time to time.

There is a unique structure to the plot that had almost a suspense element that kept me flipping through the pages. I wasn't sure how this story was going to work- but she nailed it. Don't read any spoilers and I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

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Stayed up until 3:30am finishing this and I HURT. I loved this book SO MUCH. I truly think that this is Beth O'Leary at her best. With that being said- I'm not sure that this is a book that will work for everyone. This book starts off pretty light hearted (similar to the tone of The Flatshare), but as the story goes on and we get to know all of our characters better, the tone of the novel switches to one that is much heavier (think The Road Trip). If you're looking for a light and breezy rom-com, this is not going to be the book for you. However, if you're looking for something a little deeper that will make you laugh and then cry and then break your heart and put it back together again? I absolutely recommend checking out The No-Show. Despite it featuring a handful of tropes that I don't normally enjoy, Beth O'Leary easily won me over and it is now tied with The Flatshare as my favorite of her books. Even though I finished reading it just yesterday I already want to do a re-read bc I'M EMOTIONAL OKAY PLS JUST READ THIS BOOK SO THAT I WILL HAVE SOMEONE TO CRY ABOUT IT WITH THANKS

CW: death of a loved one, cheating, dementia, self harm, pregnancy, miscarriage, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, sexual harassment

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Mind blowing! This will be my new favorite read of the year. Three women have Valentine's Day dates with the same man and he doesn't show for any of the dates. As the Reader you think he's a cad, a jerk; definitely not to be trusted. But read on and you start to think Joseph Carter might be okay and his complicated commitments to the three women might be for the best for everyone. Such a fantastic book, a must read!!! I couldn't put it down and I can't stop thinking about it.

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This book was well done but so sad! I loved how the author wove the different characters stories together into the plot. It was a quick read and page turner and once you get immersed in the story you really want to know what will happen next! I didn't think this one was very humorous though so if you want lighthearted rom com this probably doesn't fit that bill. This is more heartfelt and sadder. But very well done. This was my first book I've read from this author, and I was impressed with her writing and story execution.

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“Three women. Three dates. One missing man.” This premise was so intriguing right off the bat. This book is funny and heartbreaking.

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Anything Beth O’Leary writes is a must-read for me, and I was delighted to get an early copy of this one! (Thank you, NetGalley!) The premise seems simple at first glance: it’s Valentine’s Day, and three women are all waiting for their dates to join them, but all three are stood up--by the same guy. The story is told from the perspectives of all three dateless women, and it unfolds beautifully. The characters are so delightful that I didn’t want the book to end. Not going to give anything away here, but I will say that O’Leary has definitely stepped up her game. I wasn’t sure how she could manage three narrators, but their stories weave together seamlessly. Absolutely next level! Allow plenty of time for this one, because you’ll probably want to go back to reread it just as soon as you finish. Sure to please both existing fans and those new to this author.
Highly recommended

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

4 stars

So much to like in this one! All of the main characters were well developed and likeable and the way the storylines were told in parallel as well as how they intersected was very well executed.

Kudos to Beth O'Leary for this and I'll be back for more.

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Loved this book, but I would not call it a romance. There is romance IN it, but for anyone approaching this expecting a traditional romance story arch you may not get exactly what you’re looking for.

That said, this was cute and fun and definitely kept me guessing. I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say I am impressed at the authors ability to weave story lines and keep the reader wondering. Will definitely recommend this to friends.

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I have been a big fan of Beth O’Leary since a co-worker suggested I read The Flatshare. The No-Show does not disappoint and will definitely be on the top of my list of titles to recommend to customers! Joseph Carter seems like such a decent, likeable guy. How can he stand-up three different women on Valentine’s Day? The evolution of each relationship is deftly handled and I found myself impossibly hoping for each woman to find happiness. This book is very well-crafted with the stories beautifully woven together, and a satisfying conclusion.

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Another serviceable novel from Beth O"Leary. More well-developed characters.
This time, you will be kept guessing! I do admit that I jumped ahead to read the ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

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Loved this. It will be perfect for book clubs. The completely unexpected twists were original and eye-opening. I will definitely be recommending this.

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Meet three women: Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane – all stood up by the same enigmatic Joseph Carter on Valentine’s Day. These three couldn’t be more different – Siobhan is a seemingly self-assured life coach, extroverted and fashion-conscious. Miranda is a tree surgeon who can more than hold her own amongst a group of lads. And unassuming Jane is rebuilding her life after fleeing London in mysterious circumstances, and volunteering at a charity shop in Winchester.

Joseph seems like the perfect guy. He’s handsome, thoughtful, smart, and a devoted carer to his mum with dementia. But there’s something he’s holding back from all of them – they can’t quite get the full story. Something’s not quite adding up.

‘Beautiful, careful simplicity – that is the life Jane has built for herself. And then there’s Joseph. Certainly beautiful, not at all simple.’

While there are central romances in this story, it’s very much a novel about relationships in all their many forms. Beth O’Leary’s characters are, as always, living and breathing on the page – a fully-fleshed-out and authentic cast you’re invested in and rooting for. I particularly enjoyed the friendships between the characters – Jane with the exuberant Aggie, Miranda and her insufferable but endearing baby sisters Adele and Frannie, Siobhan’s flatmate and steadfast best friend Fiona. These characters are never wallpaper in her stories – they play essential roles in shaping the narrative.

What I found refreshing and surprising about The No-Show is the way that O’Leary took it in a direction I wasn’t expecting – there’s a big reveal about three-quarters of the way through and things start to fall into place in a satisfying resolution. I wouldn’t profess to be good at spotting these things in advance, but I would never had guessed the cleverly constructed conceit at the heart of the book.

‘It’s not exactly the way she imagined this moment – more livestock, for instance – but here is her chance to tell Joseph how she really feels about him.’

I so enjoy Beth O’Leary’s writing (she’s really the only author of this genre I read), because she’s able to balance emotional heft with moments of levity and humour. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill contemporary romantic fiction – there’s emotional depth and an exploration of hard-hitting and life-altering events. It might be a little darker than you’re expecting, but it’s pulled off with O’Leary’s trademark warmth and compassion.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, get it on your TBR for April 2022!

CW: depression, baby loss

With thanks to Quercus for the advanced copy. The No-Show will be published in April 2022.

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This book was such a surprise! I've enjoyed Beth O'Leary's previous work but this story was completely unexpected. The less a reader knows about the story before they read it, the better their experience will be. I was completely taken in by the characters and was so conflicted about how I should feel about Joseph and in the end I fell in love with all of the stories and all of the relationships in this book. This is one that I'll definitely want to read again.

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When this book started, I really didn't know what to think of it. I was really interested, but couldn't quite figure out how everything was going to play out. Once I did though, I loved it! Such an all around great read.

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What a fun read!! A man stands up not one, not two, but THREE women up on Valentine’s day and it’s just a once in a lifetime kind of scenario and I love how it played out, you never would. have thought about this but here Beth O’Leary is making that story happen!!

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First off, I’d like to thank NetGalley, Berkley, and Beth O’Leary for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! I’ve always wanted to read a book by O’Leary and I’m really glad that this was my first. I initially picked it up because of the cover (oops) - but it turned out being an unforgettable story.

This book follows three women - Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane - and I loved getting to know each of them. I felt connected to Jane the entire time as we’re really similar, because she’s also shy, a bookworm, and a little bit awkward. Joseph Carter stands each of these women up on Valentine’s Day, and I thought I knew the outcome to this story, but I certainly did not! There’s more than meets the eye and I was NOT expecting it, but it turned out really well-written and entertaining!

This is an emotional, smart, and fun book and I highly recommend it. The twist is one that you won’t see coming and it deserves 5 stars just for that, in my opinion. It teaches you to not judge a book by it’s cover ;)

5 stars - be sure to pick this one up!

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Another very enjoyable book by Beth O'Leary! This book was a very well crafted story with many moving parts and characters so if you are looking for a simple story this may not be for you.

I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a traditional romance novel, since that's what I was expecting. However, the romance(s) that was there was sweet and very emotionally driven.

I also enjoyed the fact that Zoom and other "new normal" activities were included, for me it made it seem more relatable and realistic.

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Oh. My. God. This book! I can’t believe what I just read. Kudos to Beth for making me laugh, cry and just sit in bafflement at how she pulled off this intricate story so deftly. I loved this book—swoony, poignant and heart wrenching all at once. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever not be able to think of this book. It’s so great.

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