First off, I’ll give it 5 out of 5 stars! This story was absolutely brilliant. I loved the story plot, and I loved how real and true Jules Appeared.

I loved Tom and I loved that it was NOT completely guessable, ykno? I didn’t expect every outcome, I didn’t guess everything that happened! Which was so nice! I’ll definitely get my hands on this when it’s released!

I loved Tom and it’ll be hard for any real life man to complete! It shows the harsh reality of a person with an illness like PSC and the harsh thinking that you may not survive. It was so heartbreaking to see all Jules thinking as she took things into consideration - but cast them aside because she thought she wouldn’t be alive! I almost cried at that!

This story is an enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, rom-com, contemporary romance story - just my favourite genre! It’s a steamy romance taking place at Jules and Tom’s workplace.

We follow Jules, a girl with PSC and a bit of a tough family. She’s the CEO of GoodGuides and is “forced” to work together with the “enemy corporation CEO” Tom.

As Tom and Jules story progresses, Jules health worsens and worsens, which creates complications in Jules life. She prefers to keep the illness away from work so only a few knows, as well as her best friend Alan (I wish I had an Alan 🤍)

Perfect for fans of ‘The lovehypothesis’ and ‘The Spanish love deception’

It was such a pleasure to read this, and I think I’ll need to read more of Laura’s books now 😍.

Loving quotes:
“Those must have been magic Pierogi”
“Besides the gym and my new side hustle as a pierogi delivery man, I’m always here Jules”
“I wept the entire way home for the life I couldn’t have”

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have never before read a book before about a character needing a transplant. It was a very unique and informative way of storytelling. The heroine is likeable and sounds very realistic. I would recommend giving this one a shot!

Thank you net gallery and the publisher for this e-arc!

“I thought with you I’d found home I’ve been looking for my whole life.”

Unlikely match follows the story of Jules and Tom. Jules has rare condition that is getting worse by the day and needs a immediate transplant or else. Her and Tom aren’t that close and more likely despise each other.
I was immediately attracted to the book I loved everything about it! It wasn’t too fast paced or slow paced. the romance was amazing<3 and as a nursing student I felt known while reading this
I hope to read more books from this author!

I received an eARC of this book is return for an honest review.

I adored this book. Such a raw and beautiful story full of friendship, romance and real life struggles. Highlighting medical and health struggles from the perspective of a character struggling with liver disease and the aftermath of a transplant.

This story had my tears at times. It’s so beautifully written, Jules is a character so easily related to and the slow burn romance is incredible.

I highly recommend this wonderful romance book!

It contains adversaries to lovers, a wonderful found family, medical and healing journeys (physical and mental), and a workplace romance.

Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for providing an arc for me in exchange for an honest review.
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Going into this book I wasn't sure what to expect, the only thing I knew was that this was a transplant story and I wasn't sure how it was going to work, however, I ended up absolutely loving it. If you are looking for a good book to cry to this is a great one. I found myself in tears in several places.
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I loved Jules and Tom so much as the main characters. One of my favorite tropes is enemies to lovers and this one definitely did not disappoint. from the moment they meet, Jules and Tom bring out the worst in each other. Jules appears to not work that hard and tom, an arrogant try hard tech leader.
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I loved Alan and Jules and their lifelong friendship and how Alan was always there for Jules. Although Jules had some amazing people to support her one thing that bugged me was how arrogant and oblivious her family was and how they cared more about their image than her health and her life-threatening condition. although this was an intentional part of the story I wish her family appeared a little less so their presence would be less irritating.
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This book was so cute and I read it in one sitting. I was fascinated by the medical side o this story. throughout this novel, I was just rooting for Jules and hoping she got the transplant and romance that she definitely deserved. This isn't the type of book that will work for everybody but I loved it so much and this story now holds a special place in my heart.

Unlikely Match, Laura Bradbury
May 26, 2022, Grape Books

Thank you NetGalley and Grape Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jules and Tom are an unlikely pair as the title would suggest. They become work frenemies and sparks fly, but Jules is very, very sick and in need of a kidney transplant. Sure this was a romance novel, but as a chronically ill person, I found so many ways I could relate to Jules and her struggles. I read this book wherever I could, because while I knew it would have a happy ending, I was rooting for Jules in both love and life. The story is sweet and predictable, but also gives a voice and hope to the chronically ill.

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #chicklit @laurabradburywriter #unlikelymatch #romance #chicklit #summerreads

I ABSOLUTLEY LOVED THIS!!!!!
What a brilliant and unique concept. As someone with a chronic illness i related to so much of this book and it was so heart-warming to see parts of my world reflected in this book.
Jules the protagonist was so strong and beautiful. there was a lot of focus of the emotional/mental side of medical problems, the trauma and anguish associated with it. It was evidence a lot of research and though has gone into this book - i believe the author is a transplant recipient herself and her knowledge in this subject shows.
The romance was exquisite, there was a lot of brilliant humor, especially from the side characters. overall i absolutely loved this and would recommend to everyone, especially those with chronic illnesses.

I learned so much about organ transplants in this one. It’s presented in a way that’s easy to understand but hard to stomach (the rules on who is qualified were shocking). I also learned a lot about startups and how difficult it is to make a new business thrive. I loved so much about this book. It is billed as a romance but I didn’t really feel the romance part until towards the end. It didn’t change how I felt about the book; it’s just Jules focus changes throughout the book. This was a heartwarming, funny, infuriating at times (her family), and all-around feel good book. I really enjoyed it.

Unlikely Match is different from other contemporary fiction novels in that there’s added components of physical illness and mental health concerns. The book discusses topics of PTSD, mental health, and therapy, which is uncommon for a romance. I love all the characters and their personalities. The main characters are nearly opposites, one grumpy and one full of sunshine (one of my favorite tropes). When the main character Juliette’s (Jules) health declines, she is forced to face the reality of not finding a living liver donation. An unlikely anonymous donor may be the miracle that she’s been searching for. There are moments of inconsistency when Jules is in the hospital and I lost count at the number of times I read the word “pierogi,” but I loved this quick read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“I thought with you I’d found the home I’ve been looking for my whole life.”

Unlikely Match is my first but certainly not my last book from Laura Bradbury. I went in with zero exceptions and barely read the summary before hitting the request button on Netgalley. The initial premise sounded so interesting (and, because I’m a sucker for Angtsy Pain) heart wrenching. I don’t always go for books where one or both of the protagonist are sick because of three reasons: #1 it hits close to home as someone who has a chronic illness. #2 The Fault in Our Stars traumatized me in middle school. But for some reason I found myself drawn into this book and was ecstatic when I found out that my request was approved! I devoured this book as fast as I can and now I regret it—I wish I could have savored and took my time with this book and it’s wonderful characters.

Jules Kelly is CEO and cofounder of GoodGuides, a company that focuses on providing traveling guides. She runs it with her childhood best friend Alan and, on the outside looking it she is seemingly living a perfect life. That is exactly what Tom Davenport thought. He’s CEO of a Silobase and is temporary sharing office space with GoodGuides. Right off the bat the two gets off on the wrong foot which kicks off this intense game of back and forth. Think The Hating Game but better. Tom thinks Jules is this overindulgent hippie while Jules thinks Tom has a stick up his…well you get it. But Jules secretly loves this little game that she has with Tom because it finally gives her this spark that she was desperately missing from her life since she was diagnosed with PSC — primary sclerosing cholangitis. Jules needs a liver transplant fast and this need only increases as she gets sicker and sicker. Along with juggling her sickness, she also has to juggle her budding feelings for Tom, work, her toxic family, and her own mental health.

I was immediately pulled into the book within the first few pages. It wasn’t fast paced but it certainly was not slow either. I’d say it was more medium paced. There was enough happening plot wise to always keep me invested but it never went 0 to 100 or dragged. I really don’t want to spoiler anything but I want to say that even though some of the plot twist was easy to figure out they still packed an emotional punch. Even at times when the plot was slowing down, the delightful characters were plenty entertaining. Jules is one of my new favorite protagonists. Even though she’s struggling with PSC she refuses to be placed into a box. She isn’t an easily defined and messy at times but isn’t that realistic? The same could be said for the rest of the characters. They were mostly well defined even if they were minor or side characters. The one complaint I have about the characters is that Jules (incredibly) insufferable family was very one dimensional. But at the end of the day I was okay with that—I would much rather spend extra time getting to know Jules, Tom, Alan, and everyone else.

Speaking of Tom: he is also one of my new favorite characters too. He doesn’t fit into any one box and he’s complex but most importantly he’s genuinely good. Sure he makes a few blunders but so do the rest. The things he says and does had me swooning and crying…sometimes at the same time. Even though he was “enemies” with Jules I don’t think he ever got the memo. Every time she brings it up he’s just like “wait…we are 😳” Tom gives off golden retriever energy except he only turns into a golden retriever around the people he cares about.

I just loved this book so much. It was funny, relatable, honest, adorable, and heartbreaking.

Read this is you like:
❄️ socially awkward golden retriever boyfriends
❄️ strong yet realistic main characters
❄️ books that deals with terminal illness but does not have a tragic ending
❄️ spice. adorably awkward and steamy spice
❄️ characters who makes a lot of mistakes but actually attempt to learn from it
❄️ the found family trope!!
❄️ healthy LGBTQ+ rep
❄️ angst, humor and comfort, and fluff
❄️ dark humor

✨4.5 out of 5 stars✨

There was so much about this that I loved. The way the author handled the heroine’s illness was real and relatable. The romance was sweet though the focus on her illness meant their romance didn’t get quite as much time to develop as one normally expects in this genre but it still worked. The only thing I didn’t love was the characterization of the heroine’s family. It just felt over the top. They read like caricatures next to the rest of the illness narrative which was so honest and true to life. I would definitely recommend, especially for anyone with a major illness who wants to feel seen.

I don’t like to compare books. Each one is different from the others in its way. So, I’ll just say that this one gave me the same feelings as some great ones out in the world (with acclaimed reviews).

Jules Kelly is the CEO of the company GoodGuides and co-founder with her best friend Alan. Her life could be amazing if she wasn’t dying. She has PSC – primary sclerosing cholangitis – and her only chance of survival is a liver transplant. The main problem with this disease is that the person needs to be almost dead to climb the transplant list and be able to receive an organ from a dead donor. So, they better try and find a match in a living person who’s willing to donate part of their liver.

If I only tell this part, it doesn’t seem a romance at all, right? Well, there’s where Tom Davenport comes – to drive Jules crazy. Their first meeting couldn’t go worse but with time she discovers that he wasn’t himself on that day. Tom is the CEO of Silobase, the company that shares the same office floor with GoodGuides. As CEOs of the companies, they are asked to help each other so their companies can mutually grow.

I enjoyed Tom’s history and how it backed his actions in the present.
On Jules's end, I loved how stupid her family was and how I hated them. They got under my skin, even knowing it was only a fictional book. So well written! It’s heartwarming knowing that even when our family isn’t there for us, we can create a whole new family to have our back.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book. One of my favorites of the year! I love it when I read a book from an author I don’t know and it’s such a wonderful surprise as this one!

This book had The Hating Game vibes and I loved it! Tom and Jules are both CEO’s of companies sharing an office space and do not get off on the right foot. While the office rivalry and competition for new funding is occurring, Jules is also dealing with a life threatening disease and is in need of a transplant. This was such a deep and emotional journey while also being a lighthearted and easy read!

Unlikely Match
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 5/26/22
Author: Laura Bradbury
Publisher: Grape Books
Pages: 348
Goodreads Rating: 4.22

Thank you to NetGalley and Grape Books for providing a digital advanced readers copy of the book for me to read for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: I’m Jules Kelly, whose hip tech company just won subsidized office space in the coolest co-working space in town. Two big complications: A rare and seriously inconvenient disease is tanking my health by the day, and only a transplant will save my life. A soulless database company is sharing my new office space, and its coldly gorgeous, judgmental, CEO Tom Davenport. We despise each other. A mysterious angel investor forces our companies to compete for a life-changing amount of money just when my relationship with Tom becomes infinitely more complicated.

My Thoughts: The story is narrated by Jules, from her perspective. I LOVED this book! Devoured in a short period time, it is absolutely a bingable book! The characters are developed very well with depth, persona, amazing banter, and just work really well for this book. The author’s writing style is creative, complex, kept me engaged, and well described. I felt like I was there with Jules, rooting her all the way, hoping that she gets the medical treatment she needs before it is too late. I just loved how the events entwined with each other. The supporting characters were also fantastic! I highly recommend this book that was released last month. I will read any book released by this author.

Unlikely Match was my first book by Laura Bradbury and I was not disappointed! The banter between Jules and Tom was hilarious and I loved how Jules put him in his place. Often with banter in enemies to lovers it feels like the hero can view it as just fun give-and-take while the heroine gets really worked up about the conversations, which luckily wasn't the case here. Jules was always totally cool and Tom was the one not being able to keep up. I very much appreciated that he actually took Jules' comments to heart though, when it came to differing work ethics and how he was sometimes a bit too harsh.
Despite a very much disastrous first meeting, Tom did grow on me pretty quickly. It became very much clear that while he was out of line in the way he talked about Jules, he's just a fish out of water when it comes to any type of social setting. I would have liked to see him apologize a bit more in depth for his comments, because even though he was speaking from a place of frustration and ignorance, what he said was still very hurtful and uncalled for. Also while he was horrified about some of the things he said after he learned of Jules' illness, even if she wasn't sick, what he said would have still been rude.
(MILD SPOILER) Jules' journey to finding a donor match was so frustrating and I can't imagine having to go through that in real life. Even though it was kind of obvious from the start (blurb and title) who the donor would be, in the end, I was still so relieved when she was finally able to receive the organ donation and began to get better.
Overall an absolutely wonderful book with great main and supporting characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

What a fun book, perfect summer romance reading. Great for holidays, I really enjoyed it and engaged with the characters

Sweet read

Thank you NetGalley and Laura for the book!

This is the first time I've read a book with a main character who has a terminal illness, where she has to fight her illness in order to get the life she has lost.

Jules is really an extraordinary character in my opinion. She has a rare disease and the only way she can survive is by getting a liver transplant. However, Jules did not give up on the situation and continued to live her life to the best of her ability. As sick as she felt, she still struggled to live and did not give up on the situation.

I learned a lot about transplant patients from this book. How difficult it was for them to be able to find donors, how the disease was slowly eating away at Jules' life and there were moments where I cried while reading this because of how hard Jules went through. Moreover, Jules has a very toxic family, I hate Jules' family who really think of Jules as a broken thing and don't have the slightest sympathy for Jules when she is down and in pain. I don't know how much I cursed when the Jules family appeared.

But, fortunately Jules has amazing friend who make me feel calm because I know Jules has someone who will always be by her side even though she has a super toxic family. I love Alan so much!

And of course it was Tom who appeared in Jules' life and gave her the zest for life. It's pretty obvious what will happen in the future and how Tom and Jules' relationship has changed. I can guess at the key moments but I still enjoyed the story and really loved it! I love their relationship so much!

I wanted to really like this book, but I had some major issues.

One. How was she paying for all the meds and ER visits,etc, maybe I missed her explanation but I feel like it didn't address how money wise this would affect someone.

Two. Why does every man have to be God like, to the point where the MC is lusting over their thighs and ears, like what? Give me a dad bod please

Three, too much sex.

Four. Wrapped up way to nicely but weirdly as well.

It's decent for a fluffy romance spicy book but don't expect more than that.

Thank you Net Galley for a copy of this ARC, Unlikely Match by Laura Bradbury. Event though I was a little late to the party. I don't' even know what to say about this book, because I am in a book coma! This book is STUNNING! You know how when you read a book that is so good that it puts you in a reading slump after because nothing compares? I am so going in a reading slump. But I wouldn't change reading it for the world.

hats off to laura bradbury for making me believe again in an office romance with the sparks of enemies-to-lovers!

i love my two start up CEOs. and the tension. the rivalry. the chemistry. everything!! at first i didn’t really care about tom bc, well, he’s kind of an ass and arrogant (partly also bc we see him in jules’ pov) but anyways we can actually see the growth and how their characters were developed throughout the book. despite tackling so many heavy themes this book has took it with sincere care and make it easy to get through. also, they are so interesting to me because!! opposite attracts!! tom and jules are an absolute opposites, but the kind of opposite that brings out the best in the other. it also has its moments of courageous actions that leaves you rooting for the characters. this book was such a perfect mixture of many emotions. the struggles jules had to face was done very well-written, it was both emotive and inspirative. and for those who are curious, the medical aspect did not overshadow the overall romance between tom and jules like what i had initially expected. just a right amount of romance with more layered depths about the meaning of life, death and the importance of finding people that feel like home.

thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.