Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Troupe: Enemies to lovers

Overall: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing and Setting: 4/5

Content warning: *mentions of terminal illness, mentions of death, some swearing, mentions of ‘adult’ themes*

The gist of my review:

How do I even begin…?

This book is simply to die for. It’s stunning in its approach to life, death, love, and raw reality that I have been left with such a complex devastation now that I am finished the book.

I have read some incredible works, but this story will give you one of the greatest book hangover you will ever come by. I really cannot recommend this book enough.

Characters: 5/5

Let’s start off with Becca - props for the awesome name if I do say so myself ;). Becca is an angry, firecracker of a woman that wakes up every day and actively chooses violence. I love how upfront and demanding she is as a character as she strives to be successful in a career she’s incredibly passionate about. She has so much depth outside of the main plot on a totally individual level, and I find that aspect of her so captivating as a character. Her inner monologue is hilarious, and I absolutely adore her obsession with Haribo gummies.

Then there’s Charlie… Charlie is almost everything that Becca isn’t. He has an almost gentle nature, he’s indecisive and willing to roll over and allow others to be in charge of his life. Initially, I was put off by this, but Charlie has a very logical and straightforward approach to a lot of things and he’s willing to put a lot of hard work into everything he does. I love how charming and flirty Charlie can be, and I found the way his family history shaped his approach to his working, daily, and love life, so relatable to the reader.

Plot: 4.5/ 5

When I first started reading, I initially felt like I was thrust right into the middle of the story, however, it’s very easy to catch up with the chain of events and the subsequent plot that follows. The main plot of the book is unlike anything I’ve read before in a romance novel, and I thrived off the book’s brilliance.

Writing and Setting: 4/5

This is the first time I’ve read one of Hughes’s books, and I simply adored the writing style. Each character had their own voice which remained consistent, fiercely recognisable, and strong as the story progressed, even as the relationship between the two main characters changed.

Sometimes I find that romance writers have a habit of including grand locations and lavish houses within their works and they become unrealistic or unrelated to the story itself, and the settings throughout this story were stunning and imaginative, but they felt genuine to each character and the plot itself.

Thank you to Pernille Hughes and the team at One More Chapter for giving me the incredible opportunity to read the advanced copy of ‘Ten Years’ in exchange for my honest feedback. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I am excited to read more of Hughes in the future.

Ten Years by P. Hughes, published by Harper Collins UK / One More Chapter is a story that's not easy to put in a corner.
Charlie and Becca are very different from each other. They don't even like each other. The only thing they have in common is Ally. The best friend/fiancee. And when she's gone both of them are lost, mourning. But life goes on for them.
The story spans years, a long journey, a slow burn, emotional, intense with a few twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat. There was no easing in. I was put right in the middle of the storyline, but it was fitting.
So all in all, an ok read, 4 stars.

Ten Years by Pernille Hughes is a great contemporary romance about second chances and that there is never a time that is too late to start again.

This is an entertaining story about two people that crisscross each other’s paths throughout many years. They butt heads, they irk one another…however after the loss of a mutual friend…they are connected in a way that they try to ignore…however when two people are meant to be, they are meant to be. Here we get to go along with the two as they experience a love to hate relationship to a friendship, to finally a relationship. The chemistry is there, the connection…the path may be bumpy, but it is solid and works.

I always enjoy a good enemies to lovers trope.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and One More Chapter for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/18/22.

A really thought out character of Ally, with a cancer that needs more publicity (not a spoiler as this is at the start.)
Great characters and an interesting read.