Unlikely Match was a sweet story. This was my first Laura Bradbury novel, and I was impressed with the quality writing and wonderful character building. Unlikely Match tells the story of Jules, a very sick heroine with a rare disease that desperately needs a liver transplant, and Tom, her office nemesis.

Bradbury was able to convey a lot of emotion through the character of Jules. In the author's note, it was revealed that Bradbury also suffered from the same rare disease that Jules had. I think she did a great job describing the agony of the illness and the conflicted emotions that transplant recipients experience. Tom also had a complicated background involving foster care and abandonment. His character growth arc was wonderful as well. I enjoyed their love story and their banter.

Two negatives that I had from this book... Jules' family and found family both read very one note. I wish there was some complexity to those situations but they were either all terrible or all perfect. The second thing was the work competition. I just thought it was an unnecessary addition.

Unlikely Match was a sweet, emotional, sometimes funny read that gave me some insight into a complex situation. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it and I will definitely seek out more Laura Bradbury in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grape Books for the free e-book in exchange for my honest opinion!

This book was so incredibly unique. It had all the elements I adore in romance books, the grumpy- sunshine trope, the nemesis- to lovers trope, and incredible side characters. And the transplant aspect of the book was well done. It captured the raw feelings, the fear, sadness, horrors, and heartbreak a transplant patient has to go through and the things they have the battle. Laura Bradbury did such an amazing job, putting these emotions into words. The book was a beautiful experience, but it did fall flat in terms of romance. You watch the characters go from being nemesis to loving each other- but you never truly feel it. I wish it was explored more. But the characters themselves were so great, especially our heroine's best friend, Alan who I was head over heels in love with, Overall, I really do recommend this book!

This was everything I wanted it to be. Two opposites brought together by an illness that was portrayed so well.

The banter between the two MCs was amazing. I binged this in a day I just couldn't stop.

I shed some tears through the journey as well, which doesn't usually happen. I am so proud of both of these characters.

I absolutely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I recommend wholeheartedly. One of the most authentic books I’ve read recently. It’s emotionally on the heavier side. You go through the same roller coaster the heroine does and at one point, I felt the need to verify that it had an HEA (and does it ever! = one of my all time favorites…).

Let me state some facts about this book : It’s enemies-to-lovers, mixed with workplace romance. It has the bare minimum of spice. It was emotional and real and filled with pearls of wisdom. It acknowledged the comfort films (10 Things I Hate About You is a timeless classic) and books and will be frequently referenced by me for that simple fact alone. Thinking about the way Jules Kelly’s story came full circle will never cease to make me happy. Blood is NOT thicker than water. Culture shock is real.

And finally, it provides an incredible perspective about many things. I’m not really in the mood for going into family history but I know how hard it is to face organ failure. And I know how high the expectations usually are for the transplant. Sometimes it doesn’t work. And sometimes it does. And I never had the emotional maturity before, to question how things went with all that. The way Jules was written was, I felt like, near perfection. The guilt, the defeat, the hope, the frustration, the numbness, the ‘what now?’...

Before I finish, I want to focus on one person and one person alone. Thunder. Dias. Who is this guy ? Where do we make copies ?

“Can I be your happy ending ?”

Please do !

Consider this fictional man while I go find myself some of those pierogi things.

This damn BOOK! To give you a quick synopsis - our MC Jules is CEO of a travel startup and is simultaneously dealing with an illness she refuses to tell anyone about. She is sharing her new office space with grumpy CEO Tom, who she now has to compete with in order to fund the next development of her business.

I adored this book so much. I was cheering on Jules and wanting her to find happiness and health. A lot of her journey reminded me of my Poppa, and I felt very connected to her character. This book perfectly articulates the struggles of having an illness and trying to have an identity outside of your illness.

The romantic parts of this story were so damn loveable and precious. I loved the banter, the sexual tension and the moments shared between these characters. At halfway, this book ramps up in emotion and I was hooked. This story is so beautiful and hopeful, and I loved the character development the MCs found in addressing their struggles. Everyone is going to love this book and I can’t wait for more people to read it.

This was heartwarming, sweet and so uplifting. Maybe some downfalls, but the enemies to lovers and unlikely situation really caught my eye. This is the kind of books I could easily see going viral al over booktok and bookstagram :)!

Could. Not. Put. This. Down.

This had the best of tropes; Enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine!

At first I did not think a transplant romance was going to be for me but Laura Bradbury really changes that!

Jules is the CEO of Goodguides, a startup company when she is forced to meet Tom, a typical tech guy. They both go through some of the most amazing growth. Jules has to come to terms with an illness that will more than likely kill her, but after a life saving transplant she is forced to figure out what the hell she needs next.

“You are a fierce fucking warrior, whether you're fighting a rare disease, supporting your best friend, setting your limits with me, or embarking on a completely new life."
-
rating: 5/5
-
tropes: enemies to lovers / office romance / found family
-
I was approved to read this book as an e-arc. I really loved this book and it was so addicting to read, like i would stop reading but I immediately wanted to read again.
Tom and Jules are CEOs of two completely different start-ups that have to share an office space, but they have a bad start when Jules hears Tom belittle her start-up just because of the appearance of its employees. Jules may look like a bohemian girl but what people don't know is that she has primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare liver autoimmune disease, and is struggling to find a donor.
I loved Jules and Tom and how different they are but they complete each other. I loved Jules, she is a badass heroine who isn't afraid to say what she thinks. I also loved Tom, even though he was acting like a jerk at the beginning. I could see their chemistry since their first meeting and was excited about how their relationship would evolve, at first I was scared that it would be 'I hate you' and then in the next chapter they would be friends but their friendship/relationship evolved in a natural way. You also get attached to the secondary characters, especially Alan (Jules' best friend) and get excited for him in this book. This book also made me learn about PSC which I had never heard of before, and Jules' journey of living with PSC made me cry.
-
genre: adult romance (+ steamy scenes)
-
rep: mc with PSC and PTSD, and gay side character.
-
#laurabradbury #unlikelymatch #NetGalley

Jules Kelly is the CEO of GoodGuides, a travel guide start-up she created with her childhood best friend Alan. Tom Davenport is the CEO of Silobase, a database start-up that shares office space with GoodGuides. Jules and Tom are polar opposites–Jules dresses in bohemian style and is a little ray of sunshine while Tom dresses in only black and white and keeps people at a distance. The two meet in a tense encounter at the office after Jules overhears Tom complaining about all the “hippie-dressing” women at GoodGuides and how much of a distraction they’ll be to his employees at Silobase. Jules calls him out on his prejudiced views of women in tech and the two butt heads every time they’re forced to work together. Jules has primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and needs a liver transplant in order to survive, forcing her to miss work often for doctor’s appointments. Tom incorrectly assumes her frequent absence from the office and natural “tan” comes from idle, rich girl traveling, when in actuality it is from jaundice. Eventually Jules and Tom realize their animosity toward each other is hiding explosive attraction, but her disease progression starts to affect their relationship.

“Unlikely Match” is so much more than your typical enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, office romance. This book WRECKED ME. I knew reading a book about someone with a terminal illness waiting for an organ transplant would be emotional, but I was not prepared for the number of tissues I went through. This is not a light read as there are discussions of terminal illness, waiting for transplants, mental health and PTSD, broken families, childhood abandonment, etc. Even with all of those heavy themes, the book remains so hopeful. Jules and Tom are both so supportive of each other’s difficult familial relationships and health issues. Though there is a misunderstanding at the beginning (hello classic Pride & Prejudice trope!), they eventually discuss their incorrect judgments and slowly build a relationship into friends and eventually lovers. The supporting characters in this novel are just that - supportive, patient, and so uplifting. They all have individual stories and personality quirks, but don’t outshine the main characters. Jules’ friend Alan is an actual saint. Laura Bradbury not only wrote a tender love story, but she also spoke of love, loss, change, and recovery. I highlighted numerous quotes, but this one stuck with me the most:

Jules, on the concept of happy endings: “Now that I think about it, I’m not such a fan of happy endings anymore. I don’t think we should aim for that.”

He blanched. “What do you mean?”

“They’re too tidy–too neat and unattainable.”

When Tom laughed, I felt it vibrate through the warmth of his glorious chest. “In other words, not us?”

“Exactly, and not life either.”

“What should we aim for, then?”

I kissed the spot on his neck that always made his toes twitch, and he groaned. “How about we collect perfect moments?”

He tightened his arms around me. “I like that. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to collect perfect moments.”

Five glowing stars!!

“Life doesn’t have to be perfect to collect perfect moments”

Thank you to netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book started out a bit rocky for me in terms of connecting with the MCs. A reader more akin to the medical world might have an easier time with that, though. The first half of the book read a bit slow for me, but the second half picked up with great speed.
I enjoyed Jules’ personality and outlook on life as a whole. Such a strong fmc with unyielding determination and strength, grounded in her ideas of feminism, was everything in this book. The messages were the right amount of poignant and honest for today’s society.
The love story that develops is so charming and you can’t help but smile at the ending. Plus, I happen to LOVE 10 Things I Hate About You.
If you like enemies to lovers, a strong fmc and a sometimes-unsure mmc, and HEA’s, I’d definitely recommend this book to you!

First of a big thank you to Netgalley for my copy, I am off to the bookshop to try and find a physical one ASAP.
This was my first book by Laura Bradbury, and I can assure you this will not be the last. I loved the writing style, the way the characters were written, the sensitive way the subject matter was handled. Everything just worked. It contained some of my favourite tropes: Enemies to lovers, opposites attract and grumpy - sunshine combination.

This story really hit me hard, as someone who is also dealing with medical PTSD, and some parts felt hard to read, but not in a bad way, in a way that it was so well written. It felt reassuring to find a story that contained your feelings and emotions and validated them.

I adored the way Jules and Tom fell for each other, I enjoyed the banter, the verbal sparring. I loved how they weren't perfect and that each one had their issues that made them feel more relatable. I loved the extra characters who all played a vital part in making this a very good read.

I learned a lot about Jules' decease and it was eye opening perspective of the life of someone who has gone through the transplant process. In my own mind you forget about what happens after, and I really appreciate the author giving you a slight wake up nudge.

STOP THIS HIT ME JUST RIGHT IN THE FEELS AND I COULD NOT. PUT. THIS. BOOK. DOWN.

Does this have the best book tropes in history?
Enemies to lovers? Check.
Grumpy/sunshine? Check.
Idiots in love? Check, check, check.

Jules "Juliette I'm a badass" Kelly was such a joy to read about. I absolutely love her personality and how she tackles the issue with her transplant and family. The fact that the author is basing her transplant experience and incorporating in this novel just makes the novel more special, because you can really see the pain and the fear of not knowing whether or not you'll get a transplant. And though this experience is told in a "lighthearted way" (cause it is a rom-com), it definitely hit me right in the feels, since what Jules is going through is a rollercoaster.

And of course, Tom. Brooding on the outside, but soft on the inside. He literally melted my heart the more I read about him, and there's a bit of history to unpack about him, too. I thought it was really nice that rather than these two characters attempting to fix one another, they just learn to accept each other's flaws. It was a cute romance and I have such a soft spot for it.

Beautifully written story. This was the first book that I've read dealing with a transplant and everything that it entails. Jules is a boss babe CEO at a tech company and fighting a rare and inconvenient disease. She needs a transplant, sooner rather than later. She is not sick enough to receive a deceased donor liver, but also has no one in her life willing or able to provide a living donor. At the same time, her company is now sharing office space with a group that is completely opposite of Jules' team. She immediately bumps heads with CEO Tom Davenport. He is annoying but somehow conjures up the fight within Jules.

Man, I really loved this story. It was such a different take on a romance novel that I never knew I needed. I loved the different friendship, work, and family dynamics. Jules and her best friend Alan are a true example of the possibility of creating your own family. The character development and relationship journey between Jules and Tom is top tier. They have instant and undeniable chemistry. The only piece of the book that I did not care for was the lack of support from Jules' family. I wanted to jump into the pages to knock some sense into them. If you get a reaction like that out of my with the antagonist, you're good and I am HOOKED!

This was my first novel by Laura Bradbury and I am extremely excited to read more from her. Thank you so much for this gifted eCopy.

i really REALLY liked Unlikely Match. it had a really interesting plot and i was hooked. i loved the enemies to friends to lovers sorta relationship they had and honestly i was just so proud of both the main characters and i loved how brave their characters were written as. i felt bad for them , i felt sad for them and i felt all the love. All in all a 4.25/5 starred book for me.

3.5 rounded to 4. This was really cute! I really enjoyed the unique aspect of a transplant romance, as I had never read about such a topic and felt it opened my eyes to quite a bit. I also enjoyed the insider's view of romance with a terminal illness. The characters were likeable -- I especially loved the friendship between Alan and Jules. The romance was nice, as I like a slow burn. There were a few things that prevented this from being a 5 star: Tom. Though I liked him, I never really got a true feel for who he is. It seemed like he was trying to be too many things at once: the hardass tech bro, the softy with a hard past, the protector. He just never felt like a solid character, unlike Jules who was clear from the start. And the chemistry between Jules and Tom was so awkward. It was like.... one day they hated each other and the next they're having dinner? It just seemed so forced and unrealistic. There was no middle -- just 0 to 60. Also, there were a few things that were just a bit too far fetched, like Jules' family. I understand it's fiction and certain extremes can be invented for the sake of the drama, but I just couldn't get on board with the insane farfetchedness of her family. I give this book an A for the fabulous idea, and a B-for execution. It was still totally worth the read and I'll certainly check out what the author writes next. ☺️

This BOOK. I laughed, I cried, I read non-stop for hours… I absolutely loved Unlikely Match. Laura Bradbury wrote the story of Jules and Tom so beautifully and intricately described the inner thoughts and journey of someone who lived with a terminal illness with such passion. There are ups and downs and just the right amount of spice. I could not put it down!

Jules is an ambitious, ready to take over the tech world, boss babe. Jules is ready to get everything she wants. One problem? She has a disease that is killing her. Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) to be exact. PSC is destroying her liver and Jules needs a transplant desperately to survive. She is getting sicker by the days. But her sworn enemy, Tom, is fueling her energy to keep going. Will she be able to find the match she needs?

What I enjoyed:
- although the premise is heart breaking. I really did find this book delightful and honest. Jules is so likable and you just want to help her in anyway possible.
- The author has experience with needing an organ transplant. Her writing was very honest, and very well done. This book opened my eyes to what it was like to be on a waiting list for an organ transplant.
- The romance was spot on. I loved seeing the growth between Jules and Tom. Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope!
- The emotions and struggles are handled so well, and felt very true!

I really enjoyed this book! I found it endearing and it really stole my heart at moments. This book is perfect for any romance fan. 4 stars our of 5! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"I can't go on. I'll go on." - Samuel Beckett

I loved this enemies to lovers story so much. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me actually think.

Jules Kelly and Tom Davenport are both CEOs of start-up companies sharing rent-free space for a year. And, boy, do they get off on the wrong foot with each other. Or rather Tom antagonizes Jules.

And Jules is dealing with enough. She has primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare orphan disease of the liver that there is no treatment or cure for. She needs a transplant...soon...or she will die.

She is feeling worse and worse on a daily basis and only a couple of people.know about her health situation but for some reason fighting with Tom gives her a reason to get up in the morning and keeps her going.

Of course she's not able to keep her secret forever and there comes the rest of the marvelous story. This is a tale of conquering adversity, dealing with a dysfunctional family, PTSD, chronic illness, transplants, foster care, and even more jammed within its pages.

The author knows what she writes about because she had PSC and went through a transplant from what I understand so this story seems very real.

I highly recommend this rom com that has some deeper messages.

I received this book published by Grape Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

I was not emotionally ready for this book.

A beautiful read that explores the real struggles a person goes through while waiting on a transplant. This is not a light read, and if you have been down the road dealing with hospitals, transplant lists, and a sickness you may not know if you ( or a loved one) will survive I suggest skipping this one if you arent ready. If you're brave and strong to continue bring kleenex as tears will commence ( I'm still crying writing this review days later)

Personal issues aside the book was a fantastic read. The relationship between the two main characters was refreshing and fun. Romance lingers in every corner, and everyone falls in love with someone.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Enemies to lovers, office romance, and a trope that I could not have imagined loving more than I did; the female lead being terribly ill in need of an organ transplant to save her life.

I swear, this book may have ruined me for life because how can any man out there compete with the male lead in this book? I read this book in nearly one sitting as this story had me staying up until 4AM with a majority of the time spent sobbing quietly into a tissue and pillow. I cannot even imagine how hard it is to accept that you’re dying, that if you can’t find a donor that’s it for you? It makes me so angry at humanity especially with Jules’ family and how callously uncaring they were described to be. If either of my sisters needed an organ, I’d donate in a heartbeat without even thinking of it so the idea that there are families out there who think of their sibling/child as “damaged goods” because they’re sick? It’s heartbreaking.

But.. through the heartbreak of illness in this book, there was a love story between Jules and Tom weaved in so wonderfully. We were with them as they met & had an instant dislike towards one another and we were there to witness their character growth and how right they were for each other all along.

Unlikely Match was hands down the first novel that I could relate to, having an autoimmune disease myself (though no where near what the MC has) I related to the struggle of trying to get doctors to hear you & trying so many different medications hoping one will finally work. This book is such an important read & I hope you all will give it the chance it wholeheartedly deserves.