I loved this book, it made me laugh and cry. The characters felt real and the main characters where good people with completely different traits. I love the enemies to lover trope and this is a good one.

I will be looking out for more Pernille Hughes’s in the future.

Thanks to netgalley for this arc in return for an honest review.

Ten Years was an emotional experience that I enjoyed, but perhaps not as much as I wanted to. The book was billed as a romance but after reading I see the romance as almost an after thought. And considering the reveal about Ally's intentions, I don't see how making the romance an after thought does justice to the story. I could tell there was mutual respect and friendship, but it wasn't until Cannes that romance took center stage, which was problematic for me for multiple reasons. 1) It happened almost 80% through the book with very little to support it before - I am all for slow burns, but it should still feel obvious and desired, not so understated 2) Becca felt like a completely different person now that she had experienced a modicum of success, and it was that new person that Charlie was interested in - this felt like it really sold Becca out, and I would have preferred to actually see that growth rather than jump ahead as much. All this to say, I really liked Hughes' prose and style, but I had higher expectations considering how much I enjoyed the read, and I felt that the characters fell flat and the plot felt forced.

I tend to really like books that span over the characters lives, even if downright turns me into an existentialist. Ten Years was no exception.

The book starts with Ally's funeral. Ally, Charlie's fiancé and Becca's best friend, had cancer and died way before her time. The book spans the years after her death, after they get a bucket list of sorts, of things she had wanted to do with either or both of them. I found this really beautiful, it wasn't a list of things she wanted to do by herself - she always included one of them, if not both. The bucket list forces them to be together and, eventually, they warm up to each other. They catch each other up on their lives and talk about Ally and experience new things together.

We know right away that Becca and Charlie can't stand each other, but what I've also appreciated from the beginning was the realism of their bickering. They didn't like each other, never did, and they were bound to hurt each other - especially because they were grieving. I never faulted them for their errors, for the hurtful things they did. They grieved and, because they knew they could never be together for long, they spanned the items of the list - this prolonged their grief longer than it was healthy, I thought. But it was a nice reason behind the whole "ten years" thing, even if I found it a bit weird, because they had more friends in common. Oh well.

I appreciated that Ally was never an active character in the book. Honestly, I don't think I would have liked her. Charlie realizes later on that all the serious partners he had after her death were too much like her (and, consequently, too much like his mother) and if she was anything like them... I simply wouldn't have liked her. Even in death, she seemed manipulative, with the bucket list and trying to make two people that didn't like each other stay together. Maybe she was right, and I loved Becca and Charlie's chemistry, but she did not know that.

The one thing I loved about this book, the plot itself, was the thinking about death in the way that it's basically life's interruption, especially from cancer. Charlie was Ally's fiancé, they had planned their future, but the future was never in question, was it? They were never forced to look at the flaws in their relationship, there was never a place to talk about their problems. They focused on the disease, on what it meant, on her death, and nothing else. Which makes a lot of sense, to me. And Becca realized she had put Ally on way too high a pedestal, thinking her perfect when she wasn't. Death prevented Becca from growing up and coming to terms with the flaws of her best friend - she could only do that years after, after her friend's death had messed too hard with her life.

Overall, I really liked this book. I couldn't put it down. We see these characters grow up, change their perspectives and going after what they want or not. The main thing I didn't appreciate was not having closure on their relationship - Becca and Charlie deserved more spotlight on their own story. That and the fact that Charlie kept finding partners. I understand that this was a plot device for him to grow up, to make him see something important, but it kept rubbing me off the wrong way.

I loved the idea of this book and was totally sucked into it right away. My review is my own opinion. When Becca’s best friend, Ally, dies she and Ally’s fiancee Charlie are given tasks to perform yearly from her bucket list. These two are arch enemies and both are strong characters that I cheered for throughout the story. They are lost without their beloved Ally to guide them. Becca is one hot mess provides plenty of fun and laughs throughout. I loved it!! Well done abs I look forward to reading more by this author.

This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it very much. It had a lot of sadness and despair, but also hope and love and growth.

Having fairly recently been widowed and carried out a bucket list I laughed and cried at this book. So true to form and an aid to moving on and getting on with life.
A good read

real rating 4.5*

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really loved this book. The synopsis really intrigued me as it is exactly the sort of book that I enjoy and it didn't disappoint! I loved the development of each year and seeing them grow and interact with each other. I could not put this down and can't wait to read more of the authors works.

Becca and Charlie both love Ally, but they almost hate each other. After Ally's death everything changes, because Ally had some wishes that has to be fulfilled even beyond life. And that means that Becca and Charlie has to work together. Over ten years their relationship changes into something new, fresh and beautiful.

Becca and Charlie are like oil and water, yet opposites atract. Their relation is very dynamic and the reader is happily immersed into the story of finding themselves and each other. All the feelings are realistic; grief, loneliness, anger, hate and of course friendship and love.

Very enjoyable read.

3,5/5

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an E-Arc!! 🥰❤️

The blurb of the book really intrigued me, and it did not disappoint!! The super emotional start to this wonderful story really sets up a quick read (I read the book in one day) that’s really enjoyable. Ten Years isn’t my usual type of book but I really enjoyed Charlie and Becca’s banter!! I really connected with them both, particularly Charlie, he seems really lost but is brought back to life by Becca throughout the book. I love the use of the enemies to lovers, forced proximity and will they, won’t they tropes.

My only issue with the book is the ending!! It’s too short!! I wish there was more!! 😭😭

If you’re looking for a genuine contemporary love story, this is totally for you. Give it a read, you won’t be disappointed.

I did enjoy this book. I liked the development of Becca and Charlie and it didn't feel like a year had passed each time they saw each other. The ending of the book was very obvious from the start but it was still enjoyable. I did find myself getting a bit annoyed with Becca towards the end because she seemed to be making dramas for herself when there didn't need to be any but I could understand it from her family background. Overall an enjoyable read

I tried very hard to get into this and to give the characters a chance to grow, and change. But in the end, I just couldn't get into the story, nor the characters. I found the first few chapters the only ones that I could actually see Becca and Charlie as somewhat likeable/sympathetic characters. I found Charlie to be ok, if simply boring, but I just couldn't stand Becca. Most of all, it was the idea that they were supposed to fall in love and be endgame that I just couldn't and still can't see.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. A shared friend and yearly tasks to remember their friend. Is love possible after a few years? Brilliant believable characters couldn't put the book down. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Ten Years by new to this reader, British author, Permille Hughes tells the story of Charlie and Becca over the decade since their first meeting. Always present is Ally…sweet Ally, the perfect friend to Becca, the perfect fiancée to Charlie…the perfect go between the other two who were always feuding. Except Ally wasn’t around as a buffer anymore, having lost her battle with cancer. However, as the first anniversary of her passing draws near each receives a message that she very much wants her two best friends to complete her bucket list and scatter a bit of her ashes each time. The story defines these characters, what drives them, the anger, the emptiness and finally the realization of the gift Ally has given them. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

Received for free from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I thought I was going to end up really disliking this book when I started it -- Charlie and Becca are so unpleasant to each other that it was uncomfortable and unpleasant to read. However, they both grow and change over time, and the book showed those changes step by step in a fairly believable way. In the end, I was happy for them both. This book has both humor and pathos, and some fun little surprises to keep you going. I'm looking forward to checking out more of Hughes' work.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Charlie is having a tough time after losing Allie. But Allie has a challenge for him and Becca who never see eye to eye on anything. They both try to read Allie's letter and comply with her wishes.

I loved this book. It really describes the raw horrible grief you feel when someone you love has died. No one really tells you about this: the emptiness, loneliness, the anger. You don’t know who you are any longer, because you’ve always been a fiancé, a best friend, a daughter, and you need to reinvent yourself.

The love-hate relationship between Becca (the best friend) and Charlie (the fiancé) is written so beautifully and is realistic and funny and shocking at times. They’re tasked to meet once a year to carry out Ally’s bucket list of experiences that she had longed to do. Oh, and they need to spread a bit of Ally’s ashes in these places too. As each year passes, we learn how Becca and Charlie deal with their loss and try to find a way to support one another in their grief. Or not. Highly Recommended.

This is my first time reading a novel from @pernillehughes and I'll definitely be reading the others!

One of the main things I liked is that for the first few chapters you think the story line will centre primarily around a tragic loss and how the characters adapt. However, it turns into something else, lighter hearted, entertaining yet still realistic in recognising how people cope differently with grief.

As the title says, we follow the characters every year for ten years. I liked how this works as the story progresses quickly, you see how the characters evolve as they mature and reach different points in their lives. I loved Becca, the strong female lead. She is feisty, funny, sensitive and most importantly relateable.

I won't spoil any of the storyline but if you're looking for a romantic story that is based on something a little unusual, give this a read!

Thank you to @netgalley and @onemorechaptrehc for the opportunity to review.

Released in the UK on 18th August 2022.

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Charlie and Becca met each other at university years ago and they have been bickering and arguing ever since.

After the death of Ally, Charlies girlfriend and Becca‘s best friend, they are drawn together to complete Ally’s bucket list. It seems as though Ally knew all along that these two needed one another.

I loved every word of this novel and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

This is the story about a love hate relationship in the face of grief for a fiancé and a best friend. This story was overly long with almost too many words.

3 stars

Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

TEN YEARS by Pernille Hughes will inevitably be compared to previously published books like ONE DAY by David Nicholls or Josie Silver’s ONE DAY IN DECEMBER. But TEN YEARS should in no way be classified as just another book where the reader gets tiny peeks into the character’s lives once a year because it was so much more than that.

The book follows Becca, an aspiring actress, and Charlie as they meet up annually to spread the ashes of Becca’s best friend and Charlie’s fiancée, Ally, after she dies of cancer despite having been enemies since college. However, unlike most novels that follow this concept, Becca and Charlie, though scheduled to come together once a year to complete Ally’s bucket list, are actually thrown together more often, giving the reader a better sense of how these characters act and think.

What I loved about the novel is that yes, you do get to see how Becca and Charlie grow and mature over the years, yet Hughes also makes the ebbs and flows of their relationship feel natural. I could feel their collective grief and empathize with Becca’s abandonment issues and Charlie’s need to take the easiest route so as not to risk discomfort or conflict. Though I would have loved to see more of Charlie and Becca together in the end, I found TEN YEARS to be completely satisfying and beautiful.