The writing was funny, I generally liked most of the characters, and I found myself cheering along most of them on their various journeys. The writing is witty and refreshing, but i feel like the book really tries to cover as many topics as possible. it's overflowing with social commentary of all kinds, which is good in and on itself, but i don't think there was enough space for it all!

Not Exactly What I Had in Mind started out great. I loved Allie and Hazel. I loved Hazels sister and wife. There were many funny parts mixed in with normal young adult life. It went down hill for me when suddenly I was thrown climate change and protesting, the current craziness that is revenge porn law, and then the pandemic and immigration thrown in for the last chapter. I would have been happier just to stay within the characters and their lives. Or limited the drama to just one of those issues.

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Dutton through NetGalley.
This one was not for me. Brook has a light touch and offers plenty of humorous takes on life just before the pandemic (plus an Epilogue set just following it). I felt she tackled too many areas at once - roommate sex complications, revenge porn, Lesbian couple wanting a baby, pregnancy phobia, and it went on from there. Sadly, that made it feel more contrived to work everything in than a full storyline.

When I began reading Not Exactly What I Had In Mind, I was wondering if I would enjoy this story. I like Rom-Coms and stories like that but I was never big into romance but I can say that Kate Brook creates a great story that hooked me. The only problem was the characters.

The issue was that I never latched onto any of the characters and that made a fun setup fall flat for me even with Brook’s writing and style gelling well with my reading style.

Overall Brook’s novel is good but suffered from characters who never seemed to leap off the page and latch onto the reader.

I didn't LOVE it, but this was such a light, easy read in between a few thrillers I had on my TBR. There's a lot of shocking content and moments that I found myself laughing at while reading, but the ending overall was a let down. I feel like I went on a rollercoaster of emotions with these characters and it could've ended just fine without that epilogue...

I would have given it 3 stars, but the epilogue ruined it for me. Just didn't vibe with this at all. Hazel and Alfie's story had potential though and that makes this book even more frustrating.

Not Exactly What I Had in Mind by Kate Brook was a great read and no what I expected. This story follows sisters Emily and Hazel. We also meet all the others in their lives. They are both struggling in life situations from bad boyfriends, trying to start a family, and the struggles of every day communications. I feel every reader can relate to something in this book. These poor sisters dealt with a lot. Overall, a great read. Very engaging but yet entertaining.

Where to begin??? Let's just say from the second I started this book, I could not put it down. The storyline was captivating, the characters were interesting with relatable characteristics and Kate Brook brought up some very important topics throughout the entire book. I am still impressed at the way Brook was able to write such a lighthearted, but heavy book all at the same time.
I also really like the fact that the epilogue included the pandemic and importance of Vaccines. It is nice to be able to relate in that sort.

This story follows the lives of two sisters Emily and Hazel and those around them.

They struggle through miscommunication, terrible boyfriends, starting a family and more.

It was hugely engaging and fun to read, even through the worst situations the characters encounter.

I enjoyed much of this book. The writing with light and the characters are enjoyable. I'm not usually a fan of stories that rely heavily miscommunication, but this one worked. What didn't work for me was the epilogue, which felt unnecessary.

Not Exactly What I Had in Mind by Kate Brooke
Format:(ARC e-book via NetGalley)

All the thanks to NetGalley and Penguin: Dutton for the ARC!

I’m not quite sure what I expected here, but it definitely took a huge turn from where I thought it was going! This book was extremely modern and timely (maybe a little TOO much so?), and the story was fresh and original. I enjoyed the book conceptually, but had a hard time wrapping my head around the characters in the beginning. Many important current social topics are covered here, and that’s where I wonder if it was a bit too on the nose? While these elements of the story were primarily stances I agree with, they seemed to be off balance in the plot. Over all, it was a very unique and prolific book that I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read!

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*Spoiler Free Summary*

Hazel starts out her relationship with new roommate, Alfie, and the two immediately question if their decision to hook up off the bar was a mistake. The two have an unspoken contract that they will make this work, and even choose to see other people. Meanwhile, Hazel’s sister, Emily, and her wife, Daria, are seeking to start a family of their own. The four characters’ impact in each others’ lives grows simultaneously more complicated and more essential as they experience an avalanche of unforeseen circumstances.

#bookstagram #bookreview #emilyhenry #fictionbooks #readersofinstagram #booksta #4starreview #romcoms #noshelfcontrol #bookish #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #tbrlist #bookworm

Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for a gifted copy of this book. Unfortunately, this is the last nice thing I'll say in this review.

I absolutely hated this book. I read it hoping it would get better and it didn't. Alfie and Hazel are flatmates who end up having sex on page 1. They then spend the rest of the book in a giant miscommunication trope that wasn't even really resolved in a satisfying matter. Throughout the course of the book, Hazel ends up in a relationship with someone and it seemingly ends well until the ex finds out Hazel is posting comics based on their relationship. So what happens? Skip this if you don't want to have a spoiler that I will not put under a spoiler tag --- he apparently took pictures of her without her consent as well as videos of her during sex that he a) posts on the internet and b) sends to all her friends and family. So revenge porn. And it isn't handled well. Like...at all. I was so absolutely angry at this plot twist and it got even worse when the "resolution" came.

Throw in a subplot of Hazel's sister and her sister in law trying to get pregnant and yet one more miscommunication trope thrown in. The book is jumbled and absolutely makes no sense. Oh and it's marketed as a romance. Friends, this is not a romance. It's fiction yes but it is not a romance at all.

Trigger warnings for miscarriage, death (cancer related), cancer testing, revenge porn, lack of consent, miscommunication.

I'm going to go read an actual romance novel now.

I have to say that this definitely lived up to the description. It broke my heart several times. Alfie, Hazel, Emily and Daria are fleshed out nicely. But even the minor characters are given a nice depth. I love character driven stories. But this one also holds so many emotions. It was a little slow to take off and felt a little preachy at times, but overall it was satisfying.

DNF at 35%

I am not sure what I expected with this one but I didn't like the 45 minutes and 35% I gave it so I stopped.

Alfie and Hazel are flatmates that spend the first pages getting it on but after seem to be dancing immaturely around it. Emily is Hazel's sister and her wife Daria are trying to have a baby but Daria doesn't want to and it's all going to blow up soon. Then there are some other characters that I got lost keeping track of.

I could't get interested in the characters, the plot was vague and messy.

This was a cute book for fans of Sally Rooney. Marketed as a romantic comedy it certainly hit the points. There's a lot happening here which gives it a bit more depth than I was hoping for. Overall, I feel very neutral about it but it won't linger in my mind.

When I first started reading I was really excited. One of my first notes was "So far I'm enjoying the characters, the pacing, and the setting! I can tell this will be a quick read." After a strong start with Alfie and Hazel's roommate romance drama, the love quickly fizzled. I expected a romance novel and a women's fiction with every cliche and modern life drama you can imagine was not exactly what I had in mind. The plot was all over the place. *Spoiler* There was a vegan lesbian couple using a donor to have a baby, a miscarriage, revenge porn, starving artist cliches, politics, and a pandemic lockdown in the epilogue. It was a messy family drama, at best.

The book begins with an awkward moment where two roommates who’ve been sharing a flat for a few months hook up. Hazel and Alfie actually really like each other but of course can’t say anything because that would be too simple. Hazel’s sister Emily and wife Daria come to spend the weekend and the four get a long well. In fact their friend/family dynamic is one of the better things in the story. The book follows them trials and tribulations. I mean there is a lot going on in this book. There is illness, revenge porn, fertility issues and miscarriage, climate change and the pandemic eventually shows up.

All in all I didn’t love this book and found continual lack of communication frustrating. It was hard for me to understand Hazel’s choices. Maybe it’s because I’m not a twenty something. And I’m taking an half star off because the epilogue left me feeling things were okay for now but didn't give me closure. It isn’t a bad book it just wasn’t a great fit for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (2.5 stars)

I didn't love this one. I was really caught off guard at the beginning because we jump right in with them having sex and pretty in depth sex.
I didn't really love and connect with the characters.
The writing flows well. I didn't love the ending. This one just wasn't for me.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

Conflicted feelings because I thought this book was easy to read. The writing flowed well, the characters were interesting. But man, that epilogue. What the heck. I read a few books that used the pandemic well and a few that really have not. And to just throw it into the epilogue like that was not good in my opinion. Honestly, if I had known I would have skipped it. And I suggest others do that.

This was... not exactly what I had in mind. It started off so strong but then fell so flat. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an e-ARC in exchange for my review.