Thank you to Laura Bradbury, the Publishers and NetGalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review

"I guess that’s the ironic thing about facing death -there’s no better crash course and learning how to live”

TRIGGER WARNINGS! :Terminal Illness, Medical Trauma, Abandonment, PTSD, Toxic Families and Relationship, Spicy Scenes

Jules Kelly is the badass CEO of a startup tech company and is ready face the world head-on. However there are some minor complications. 
1. She’s sharing her office space with a judgemental and insanely gorgeous CEO Tom Davenport
2. Jules is suffering from PSC, a liver disease, and is in need of transplant or else her dreams for the future remain as they are; dreams
When Jules finally gets to know Tom a little more, an anonymous investor is forcing both companies to compete with one another for a life-changing amount of money. With everything going on in her life, Jules is confused on how to balance the feeling she has for Tom and the life she dreams of living.
God I love a good romance book. The chemistry between Jules and Tom is immaculate! I live for their banter and the romance is actually pretty good. My favourite aspects of the book is how Jules struggles with the ideals of how to treat her illness and her life throughout the book, especially after the shift of her perspective later on in the book. I also loved how both characters are equally flawed and human. With that in mind, I felt the relationship had progressed very quickly during the first big chunk of the book. However during the “After” chapters, their interactions after certain events felt more realistic and developed a lot better. 

Overall, this was a great book if you’re looking for a cute slow burn, workplace, rivals-to-lovers romance. Might even bring out some tears (I’m not crying, you are). I love the character development and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Laura Bradbury!

This book was so good. From the medical stuff to the romance, everything is amazing.

First I need to say this: Tom/Thunder is an absolutely wonderful man. I loved his character so much because he's not like most other book guys! He wasn't brooding, dark, sarcastic,... He is very kind, considerate, even insecure and so on. In my eyes he literally only has good qualities.

The main character Jules is great too. I loved seeing her characters development, especially after the transplant! She's strong, kind, funny,... Everything I like in a main character. She really is a fierce warrior.

I also loved the story and romance between these two. It might have been predictable, but I enjoyed it a lot. I feel like they have so much chemistry from the moment they meet, and their connection only kept growing stronger. The transplant journey they went on together is beautifully written and made me emotional at times. I quite like how they didn't immediately ended up together afterwards because they (especially Jules) needed time for their mental health. I think it's very important that the mental health aspect was mentioned a lot in this book, because often people forget how tough a physical sickness/ health scare /... can be on one's mind.

Another thing I really liked was the friendships, and how they can be more of a family to you than your actual family. Alan is honestly the best friend anyone can hope for, and I'm so glad he got his happy ending with Tarun (who by the way is also a sweetheart!!). The dynamics between Jules, Alan, Tom and Tarun are amazing and I enjoyed them a lot.

Last but not least: the other side characters. I loved Dr. Abebe and Stewart. They made following Jules transplant journey even better. All hospital personal should be more like them. I also adored seeing Brian near the end!!

Overall this book was very good! I definitely recommend it to all romance lovers who love books where there's also real life topics involved for a big part of the book. I myself do plan on reading more work from the author as well.

Jules and Tom do not have a meet-cute. He says something rude about her and she overhears. But unfortunately, they're stuck together in the tech incubator where their respective start-ups have won space for a year. And the owner declares that they need to cooperate and help each other. (Yeah, right.) But bantering and battling with Tom is the only thing giving Jules strength, as she secretly fights a liver disease that will require a transplant soon if she's going to survive. And maybe Tom isn't as terrible as he seems.

I must confess, I skimmed some of the tech competition stuff. I was more interested in Jules's health journey and growing relationship with Tom. The author, unsurprisingly, has the same disease in real life as her character Jules. The frantic hunt for a liver donor (did you know you can give half your liver as a living donor, and it *grows back*??), and her daily struggles with symptoms and health care feel all too real.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Laura Bradbury is my hero!! this story was so inspiring and gave me so much hope, i loved the character development and i found this a fun and enjoyable read. the author is so brave for sharing her story with the world and i hope it helps others dealing with similar situations.

I was in one of the worst reading slump of my life till now and this book took me out. Unlikely match delivers relatable characters which are impossible not to love , enemies to lover situation that a reader heart's desire and just right dose of delicious romance. Unlikely match crafts an ode to all those who have a little life to live and give hope that everything will all alright with a right person in our life. Unlikely match is the perfect combination of arrogant male lead, scorching hot humour, enemies to love and romcom shenanigans. Can't wait to read more by Laura Bradbury.
P.s. : Will publish a proper review after the release.

Jules is suffering from a chronic illness and is slowly dying, with no chance of a liver transplant in sight. However, she doesn't let that stop her from living her life to the best of her ability. Her start-up finds itself in competition with another company, with an attractive but arrogant and frustrating CEO, Tom. But is Tom just what Jules needs?
This enemies to lovers romance was so refreshing and engaging and leaves you feeling all the feels. Having a main character with a chronic illness was such a breath of fresh air and showed the realities of love in the real world. The story was just fantastic, and I would 100% recommend this to anyone!

Literally, I went from laughing to crying to almost having a heart attack from this book. It was so so so so so so good.

What I loved:
- grumpy sunshine vibes
- boy falls first
- workplace romance
- banter
- enemies to lovers but the boy has secretly been in love with her most of the time

What I didn't love:
No skip this, I loved the whole book.

Thank you Netgalley, author and Grape Books for providing me with this copy. I am grateful but my thoughts are my own.

Unlikely Match is my first read from author and I am sure will check another books from her. The author take well known trope, enemy turn lover mixed it with her own experience and become a romantic, funny, and heartwarming story.
The MC couple had strong personality and likeable. Jules easily become my favourite with keep her ground when so many issue happened in her life. I love Tom background story too and expecially how their relationship growing stronger in each banter.
I do recommend this book for everyone who love heroine with big dream and inner strength.

This book was a complete and unexpected joy. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my opinion.

This book was an inside look at a rare liver disease and what happens when your life gets put on hold, even when you’re trying to move forward.

The romance between these feuding CEO’s grew smartly, even if one was holding on to a secret. I liked every second of this book. I highly recommend it.

I was sooooo invested in this story. I thought it was just going to be some light-hearted romantic comedy, but it was actually such a the annual description of how it is to live with a terminal illness— especially on hospital life and the before-and-after transplant crisis. Kudos to the author for writing this book, and for drawing from her own experiences of being a patient as well. I am so hoping to get a physical copy of this book!

Unlikely Match by Laura Bradbury was an unexpected emotionally heart-felt book that made me laugh and cry with some really amazing characters. Tom and Jules and even the supporting cast; I LOVED them all! I'm super glad I requested this one.

Jules and Tom are CEO’s of start-up Tech departments, sharing office space. After a not-so-great meeting between the two, leaves Jules with a fire in her that she hasn’t felt since being diagnosed with a rare and debilitating illness. The more Jules looks for Tom to argue with to feel a bit more like herself pre-diagnosis, the more the learns about her co-working neighbor, the more drawn she is to him. But between her failing health, bad medical news, and looking for a donor liver, love is the last thing on her mind. Though Tom has a way of burrowing past those defenses.

CW: Medical trauma, PTSD, on screen hospital scenes and procedures. References to parental neglect and abandonment.
Tropes: Single POV, Enemies to lovers, work romance

This is my first book by this author, and I couldn’t have started with a better one.

Things I enjoyed: I really enjoyed this book, it was so full of feels, I got teary a couple times as Jules went through her medical journey. Laura Bradbury has a wonderful way of weaving the dark humor and seriousness of living with an illness that’s killing you. I loved the supporting cast and the support system the Jules creates for herself. As vile as they were, I enjoyed the tiredness of having a family that truly doesn’t understand what it means to be living with a serious illness. IT truly is a wonderful read.

Things I wished for: I really do wish this had been a dual perspective, while I understand that this book is more about Jules and her medical journey as well as her journey in love, I did feel like there was a bit missing from Tom’s POV. He didn’t feel quite as fleshed out as the other characters around him and Jules. That really didn’t take me away from the story as a whole, but it was something I thought about periodically as I read.

Overall: It’s a beautiful story, that is well written and will most definitely hit you in the feels.

Smut rating: 2/5 – This is an open-door romance, with a few fade to black scenes.

Thank you Laura Bradbury and NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. All opinion are honest and my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Absolutely loved the book. Looking forward to its complete publication. Would definitely recommend it.

⚡️Unlikely Match ❣️

„Maybe healing was more like this—not an uninterrupted line on a graph but a period of chaos and beauty that never followed a predictable pattern.“

This book tells the story of a young woman who wants to make a name for herself in the tech world. Jules is a strong personality and due to her illness she knows exactly what she wants and enjoys every second of it.
It's hard enough to make it as a woman in the tech world but when you have a rare liver disease it's almost impossible.

Tom is the complete opposite of Jules. He is a prototype in a tech world. For him there is nothing more important than work. He knows nothing except work and fitness. It is clear that the two do not get along with each other at the beginning 😉

This book was just indescribable! I could relate so well in Jules. I can imagine nothing worse than to live every day with the certainty that it can soon be over.
Me and Jules would have been friends in real life. If im in a bad mood or depressed i also watch my favorite rom-com movies or read a book 😂
Theres nothing wrong with that! We are perfectly fin! 😂
Dear God! I don't wish anyone to have a family like Jules'! I sincerely hope that doesn't happen! Such a thing is unimaginable for me!
I was so angry every time someone should up in the story!

There was a time when a family member was very ill. We were looking for a bone marrow donor, so I know how difficult it is! There is nothing worse than seeing someone you love sick and having no way to help them!

Tom is just a dream. You should never judge someone too early because you never know what kind of beggars they are going to hit with themselves.

All in all this book was very well written. The story is easy to read and very original. ♥️

Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Unlikely Match by Laura Bradbury

Jules is the CEO of an up-and-coming small business, matching travelers with local guides. They are currently sharing a common office space with a soulless database company with the most gorgeous and cold and judgmental CEO on the planet. However, he is not the bane of her existence right now, the first place goes to her rare and seriously inconvenient disease, taking the health away from her body more rapidly everyday. The only thing that can save her now is a transplant, but finding a liver is harder than she ever imagined. With flirtacious glances, and the most delicious pierogi dates, will the clock run out before they can fall in love?

CW: Medical trauma, PTSD, hospital scene, urgent care, ambulance, parental abandonment, negative foster care experience, recipient/donor dynamics.

This book hit me like a swoony train right into my heart. I cried, I laughed and I completely fell over heels for Tom and Jules. I loved how different they were, the best of enemies to lovers are opposites attract and this was definitely it. I adored their banter, and their chemistry. The pacing in this book was perfectly executed and even with the high page count it did not drag at all and the progression for their love story versus her health issues felt true and genuine. This book goes straight to my favourite of all times shelf. It was an incredible read that I'll keep in my heart forever. The supporting cast was a jewel to read about. From her disgusting and truly disastrous family to her best friend who I only wanted more time with, all the characters were carefully crafted and I loved how Allen also got his own love story.

Thank you @laurabradburywriter for sending me an advanced reader's copy of your wonderful book. As always, all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Start-up culture + a rare and life-threatening disease is the backdrop for Unlikely Match— and I loved it. Jules Kelly is a bohemian boss babe whose startup just won subsidized office space for a year. The problem? She has to share it with tech bro, Tom Davenport, and his company. He wears the same black and white suit every day, doesn't know how to smile, is condescending to Jules' mostly female team— and has amazing forearms and a stunning head of hair.

Jules needs a liver transplant, like yesterday, and a rivalry with Tom is just the adrenaline she needs to keep going. Will their fiery feud turn into something more?

This book was absolutely just so, so special. It makes your heart happy in all the best ways.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!

As someone who works in the organ donation/transplant world, I was super excited to pick this book up because it combines 2 things I am super passionate about: romance books & transplants 🫀📖 I was not disappointed. It makes me so happy to see the transplant community get representation in a feel-good, steamy, funny romance story that holds its own in the genre! Here's the deets:

TROPE ROUNDUPPPPPP
🩺 enemies-to-lovers
🩺 workplace/office romance
🩺 opposites attract / grumpy sunshine (sort of)
🩺 close/forced proximity

Prepare to swoon:
Jules Kelly is the free-spirited CEO of a modern, non-traditional tech company, GoodGuides... who just got subsidized office space with HubTech. Unfortunately, with HubTech comes its stuffy tech-bro traditionalist CEO, Tom Davenport. As fate would have it, they hate each other. Yet, Jules finds herself strangely drawn to Tom because he drives her absolutely crazy... and ignites her fighting spirit. She feels alive. She desperately clings to those feelings, because behind her cool exterior, she is battling a terminal liver diagnosis, with the only hopes of recovery coming with a transplant.

An anonymous investor presents a challenge for the 2 companies, with a large sum of money at stake for the winning party. This naturally all happens as Tom and Jules start to warm up to each other. Just as things are getting good in the competition, Jules gets very ill - she is hospital bound and needs a transplant ASAP or she will die.

In a delicate and witty examination of love in the face of one's mortality, medical trauma/PTSD, and finding oneself after a life-altering event, Unlikely Match was just simply a balm for the soul.

Y'all, this book was funny.
Multiple times, I was LOLing. Jules and her outlook on life and men was just too good. From the very beginning, she was like,

"Why did men in the tech start-up world always talk so loudly, as if the world was in urgent need of their opinions on everything from obscure craft beer to the metaverse?"


The growth of the characters - both Jules and Tom - was just so sweet and honest. It was nice to see how they were both making large strides in their personal mental health journeys.

There were moments of absolute highs, full of sweet moments and steamy romance, but also moments of harrowing honesty and heartbreak.

"I wanted to claim something of this disappearing existence as mine. I deserved it, and I was being denied it, and it was not fair."


Absolutely go read this. I was definitely worth it.

Unlikely Match has been my first-time reading Laura Bradbury and, to be honest, it’s been such a good experience.

I love reading books that give visibility to uncommon conditions and diseases because I think it’s a great way to get to know them and learn about them. That’s whey Unlikely Match caught my eye. ¿A romcom about it? Yes, please.

Before going on, I’d like to mention that Laura actually suffered from PSC and got a living liver donor which gives the story this touch of veracity along with the fiction part that makes it unique and such an interesting read.

Jules and Tom have earned a special place in my heart 🖤 but not only them. The characters building is amazing! Their actions and the way they act is totally endorsed by their past and the way they are and that’s something I loved because there wasn’t a single time while reading that I felt anything they did was unnatural.

I admit I was curious about how PSC and a romcom would turn out to be when put together and I think Laura did great at letting the reader know what hides behind this illness. It was gracefully executed and the book has the perfect balance between the raw reality of PSC and the romance without making its reading dreadful. I’d say it has it all: veracity, humor, romance and touching characters.

Something I also liked a lot was the technological environment where the story takes place. Besides learning about PSC, by reading this book I also discovered how a start up works. I loved the fact that Hubtech is actually inspired in a real place (I still dream about the yellow couches. I won’t deny it…). Moreover, the book also has a great LGTBI+ representation and it gives mental health the importance it should deserve.

It has a some of my favorite tropes and I think they are really well executed:

- Office romance
- Forced proximity
- Found family
- Enemies to lovers (although I’d say rivals-to friends-to lovers)
- Opposites attracted

Although the main plot can be easily guessed, that didn’t stop me from enjoying this story at all because the tiny plot twists and the subplot were able to keep me wanting to know more and more about the characters.

Regarding the spice on this book, I’d say it has the perfect amount. Not too much not too little. It doesn’t feel as if the whole story revolves around it and I prefer it this way because it flows along with the events in a very natural way.

To sum up, I really enjoyed this book and it surprised me in the best way. I’d encourage anyone to give it a go. The transplant aside, the evolution of the main character is beyond this world and getting to know Jules has been a breath of fresh air that has left my heart feeling soft and warm.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Laura for giving me the opportunity to discover this story. It will forever live rent free in my head.

Unlikely Match by Laura Bradbury draws you in from the beginning with our work place opposites, Jules and Tom. The story unfolds and wraps you in their successes, struggles, and emotions. It's got angst, steam, dark humor, and comfort all wrapped up in a wonderful package!

Rival CEOs, Jules and Tom, must learn how to cohabit in their office space after receiving one year rent free. Jules is a fierce boss babe, who is not only running a travel company with her best friend, but also battling PSC and awaiting a crucial liver transplant. Tom, a tough guy with his own trauma, isn't quite sold on the shared office space. These two soon reach a common ground, but life has a way of throwing curveballs and no one knows that more than Jules.

I loved Jules' character. She had a very realistic outlook on her diagnosis which made her relatable and honest. Tom was a fantastic mate, you start by really hating his guts, but then his character becomes so complex and surprising. I liked how Bradbury didn't overlook the realities of post transplant life for Jules, the story seemed so much more authentic. This was definitely a genuinely fun romance with highly likable characters and a steady plot!

First of all I want to thank Laura Bradbury for writing this book and allowing me to read an ARC personally via email. With someone who has chronic pain and a disability it is refreshing to finally read an romance novel - well enemies that turn into lovers that deals with this.
I have learnt so much about SPC and live liver donor transplants and what so many have to endure. It's a friendly reminder to all, to register on your donor transplant list. I give this 5 stars.