I absolutely ADORED this book. It hit all of the marks for me, from its accurate depiction of the difficulties one faces when dealing with a lifelong illness, to the barriers women still face in the workforce.

Despite tackling some heavy themes, I found this book easy to get through. Jules, our fierce heroine, is the CEO of a travel guide tech startup that’s sharing an office with Tom’s startup. Jules and Tom have an awful first encounter that leads Jules to believe that Tom is just like any other tech bro.

Jules and Tom couldn’t be more opposite. Jules is fierce and outspoken. She wears boho fashion and has champagne parties at work. Tom is career focused, ridged, and wears the same variation of suits daily (it is revealed why later on in the book). Despite how different Tom and Jules appear to be, they are both hiding parts of themselves: Jules with her illness and Tom with his past. The banter and chemistry between these two was AMAZING. They found one another at just the perfect time in their lives and I loved seeing their romance grow and evolve as the characters worked through their traumas.

This book is such a gem and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a read that’ll make them feel ALL of the emotions.

Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I first picked up this book, I was unsure how an intense romance could eventuate when the main character was very ill, awaiting an organ transplant. However, I was truly mistaken. When Jules is diagnosed with liver disease, she always hopes that she will receive a transplant, but after time, reality sets in and she is uncertain what the future holds for her. When she meets Tom Davenport, the gorgeous judgmental CEO of the tech start-up firm sharing her office space, she is initially taken aback. She questions her feelings for him, resenting his opinion about the start-up company she has with her friend Alan, but feeling alive when he is around. Yet Jules soon realises that Tom is not the person, whom she thought he was, and soon she feels that when she is with him, she can truly be herself. But life has a wife of complicating matters, and soon Jules is facing the biggest battle of her life and wondering whether the fledgling relationship she has with Tom can go the distance.
This was an amazing romance between two delightful characters, who have both faced tremendous challenges yet still find in themselves to love. Even when I stopped reading one chapter, I had to quickly go back and keep reading, as this book was all I could think of. Definitely 5+ stars.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Grape Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I didn't think I would love this book so much. Going in I thought this was going to be a very predictable RomCom, but what I got instead was a book that I could not put down.
This book is way more than just your traditional RomCom. The book follows Jules, a tech startup CEO, struggling with an incurable chronic illness. This was a beautiful story that allows the reader to follow her journey of survival and the emotional struggles that come with it. Throughout the book you get to experience different stages of the illness with Jules and see how it effects her body and mental state, as well as the relationships in her life. We get to see the struggles of wanting to feel "normal" and hiding the daily struggles of illness. We get to experience the pain of feeling removed from the world, while still being part of it. What I found the most eye opening was seeing the struggle after the transplant. Seeing Jules learning how to live again and regain a life she never thought she would have.
This is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time.

I really enjoyed this book. It was an interesting, heart-warming, and refreshing read and one of the best romance novels I've enjoyed reading.
Set in Canada, the first refreshing departure from most romance novels, it tells the story of tech rivals, Jules and Tom.
Jules is from a privileged, upper-crust background and is deceptively carefree and easy-going.
Tom is hardcore, both in his physique and his closeted, survivalist lifestyle both of which were born out of his desperately underprivileged history.
When the two opposites collide, literally, the reader is reminded that this is a romance novel after all and we get our first enemies-to-lovers trope.
But Jules's carefree attitude is a ruse to hide her debilitating liver disease and as the tech rivals' shared working environment brings them in closer and closer proximity, romance blossoms. Then the next refreshing change occurs, Jules's liver disease derails the romance spectacularly.
The couple and their friends and family then go on a very realistic roller-coaster ride of healing, self-discovery, and finding each other again.
I liked that the book got real. The gritty reality in the novel is based on the author's own experience with liver disease and is a refreshing change from the normal happy-ever-afters. Yes, part of the appeal of romance novels is the happily-ever-afters but the clever departure in this book is that the characters do end up happy but it's a "choosing to be happy despite the pain" kind of happy as opposed to the "all my problems have been solved by this god of a person" ending.
And while there is a lot of saving happening in the book, it's not the "all that emotionally unavailable cad needed was the right woman to break through his walls" kind of saving, which is a much healthier message.

Jules is living with a serious illness, her liver needs a transplant, her body is failing her but she is making the best she can under the circumstances. She has her work and friends and unfortunately her family which is not the people you want with you when you are down.

Tom's company has to share the space with Jules' start up, they are completely opposites in everything, from the way they run their companies to they way they dress but they have to work together to help each other while they are sharing the same office.

The fact that Tom is gorgeous doesn't help or the fact that she is keeping her illness a secret. But once they come close the game changes.

I wasn't sure about the hero, his first impression could have been better but he improved so much during the book. Tom grow to be lovely and very sweet.

I am in awe of Jules strength, she was so brave and she was taking everything that life gave her and kept moving on.

I liked a lot the supportive characters, expect her family, I can't fandom how they could act they way they did towards her. Her friends and especially Alan was her true family and I am glad we got to see them support each other.

*I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

Just had the pleasure to read this book provided by Netgalley.
I smiled, laughed and most certainly cried. This book had the mixture of everything and i just had to finish it in one sitting and i really enjoyed it, Jules has been through a lot and having her friend Alan next to her and seeing their friendship is heartwarming and not to forget our H Tom (⚡) who was also their for Jules from the very beginning even if he didn't know it and how their relation evolved was satisfying.

Jules is someone who suffers from a liver disease, and she needs a transplant to survive. Her family (who sucks) is not willing to donate or see if they are a match. Craziness happens. Plus lots of coupling. Not much spice, but that’s okay!

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the struggles were believable,the relationship worked, and the best friend (chosen family) was amazing. I also loved the design of “before” and “after” as a storytelling device.

Story wrapped up neatly and I liked the epilogue too!

I really enjoyed this book, but it was shockingly, unrepentantly dark, and that might mean that it’s not for everyone. The cover belies the seriousness with which the subject matter is treated, making this another book that I would not call a romance novel, the way that we have come to think of them. It’s romantic, sort of. But in the end, that is kind of not the point.

The marketing material calls this “a high-stakes, occasionally steamy, workplace romance that will leave you feverishly turning pages,” which is about the most misleading statement that I can remember hearing. It’s not a “workplace romance”, it’s not all that steamy, and, while I did sort of feverishly turn pages, that was mostly because I was worried that our heroine would actually die.

See, Jules is critically, gravely, terminally ill. She has a very rare disease (Primary sclerosing cholangitis for those playing along at home) which is 100% fatal without a liver transplant. Unfortunately, she’s not *quite* sick enough to qualify for a cadaver donation, and she has exhausted her friends and family looking for a live donor. And when sepsis sets in and her organs begin to shut down, well, it might just be too late.

Sounds light and adorable, right?

In the end, it turns out that her frenemy-with-benefits is a match, and, of course, he saves the day. But that only brings us to the middle of the story. The rest of the book deals with Jules adjusting to her new normal, which includes pushing Mr. Right away, quitting her job, and feeling otherwise aimless. It’s explained that these reactions are normal for someone who is quite literally yanked back from the precipice of death…but that doesn’t make them easier to read.

Before you start thinking I didn’t like the book, that is not true. It’s actually really good. But it’s DARK, y’all. And I totally get that it might not be everyone’s cuppa. Jules’ journey is real, and stark and terrifying and I am every glad to have taken it with her. Bradbury writes from her own experience (she also has PSC and received a live-donor transplant) so the book is deeply personal, and the gritty, realistic details really come through.

Recommended if you don’t shy away from dark stories with happy endings, and if the medical stuff won’t be too triggering.

First off that dedication brought me to tears. Like Woah!

Unlikely Match by Laura Bradbury is one enemies to lovers story I couldn't stop reading.
This beautiful Transplant Romance story had me from the very beginning.
Laura's writing style lured me in, gripped my heart and had my emotions all over the dang place.
She has such a talent for making you care so deeply about her characters from the very first page. I immediately felt so much love and connection with our characters.
If you are wanting a good love story, grab this one!
I was blown away by this beautiful book! So much that I don’t think I can put into words how much I loved it. I was torn between wanting to devour it and never wanting it to end.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Grape Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

This book was absolutely darling and far from the typical enemies to lovers romance we see. Jules is suffering from a rare liver condition when she meets Tom, who turns out to be the biggest distraction for her in more ways than one. Super sweet story!

This story follows Jules, who is hoping for a living donor transplant for her liver because she is fighting a life-threatening illness. The book is broken up in sections of BEFORE and AFTER the transplant. It shows her working relationship with Tom possibly turning into more, in an enemies-to-lovers kind of way, but it also shows how much friendship means above everything else. Several lovely secondary characters such as Alan, Stewart, Tarun, Brian and Dr. Abebe make the story complete. Really good book!

This book was really good. I loved the characters. I liked this book a lot it was super cute. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Tom and Jules are imperfectly perfect. Unique premise, good character development, educational on terminal illness and transplant. I enjoyed this thoroughly.

It was very emotional and an intense romance read. It was quite enlightening to know about the PSC in detail. But what I really liked the most was the character development of both the main characters, and that is something very much look forward to in my reads.

Jules Kelly battles for her life against a chronic liver disease known as Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, well as her feelings for her new nemesis, Tom, in this beautifully heartbreaking and eye opening story.

To put it simply, this story was just so real and raw, and add in the fluffy romance parts, it was just pretty
much perfect.

I adored this absolutely not cliché romance. At first, I really despised Tom because, like Jules, I thought he was a "mysogynistic asshat". However, after explaining himself and learning about his tough childhood, I really liked his character. His back and forth with Jules was refreshing, just as it was for Jules, too. I never enjoy it when the two main characters keep important things from each other because it always comes back to haunt them but this time it really worked out in Jules' favour (However, she could have had that liver much sooner).

The romance aspect of the book is an enemies to lovers (SQUEAALLLL!!!) and a workplace romance. These are two of my most favourite tropes, so there was a very low chance of me not enjoying it. One issue I did have with the romance in the "Before" part of the book is that things between Tom and Jules seemed to escalate so quickly even though the climax was halfway through the book.

An aspect I really enjoyed is how there was a story beyond Jules' transplant. We get to see how Jules lived before her transplant and riddled with suffering, as well as her journey to recovery and adjusting to her new life. She had to decide on a new path for herself or to revert back to the life she had before being diagnosed.

I can't even imagine what Jules (and all people suffering from PSC) went through in her five years before getting her transplant, and after that still having to manage all the side effects of her medication and the possibility of more illnesses. Her suffering had me in tears most of the time.

There aren't many books I read where I walk away with an important life lesson after finishing it, as I read to escape from reality and its struggles. However, I think the most important and profound lesson I learnt from this book is to offer understanding and support rather than pity to those who are suffering. And to also be conscious of how we treat people as we rarely know what people are going through.

I love nothing more than the moment when the title suddenly clicks with the plot and dialogue. It was a very intense romance read for me. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

One moment I was smiling, one moment I was crying, one moment I was giggling, one moment I was screaming and all those moments I felt it all. The love and pain both the MCs shared and story they have had. I really enjoyed and loved it.

Honestly, I thought the idea of a transplant romance sounded a bit weird, but I have never been happier to have been so wrong.

First of all, the fact that Laura Bradbury wrote this from EXPERIENCE with PSC and a liver transplant is incredibly brave, and I am so thankful that she has done so.

This story dives SO much deeper than your traditional RomCom, as it explores how being terminally ill effects you body mind and soul as well as how it effects your relationships. Through this story we’re able to see a life that most of us are incredibly lucky to not have had experience with. We’re shown the before, during, and after of a liver transplant and the toll it takes on a person’s entire life.

The characters in the book are so well rounded and layered and their relationship was such an incredibly evolved yet at times frustrating thing! Jules is a “fierce fucking warrior” and I feel forever grateful for getting to “meet” her and see life through her eyes. I can’t pretend to know what being that sick or what needing an organ transplant is like, but seeing all of that through Jules’ eyes was an incredibly emotional and unforgettable experience. Tom is just…there’s so much to Tom that I think Tom is still figuring out. It was quite the experience to watch him deal with his past hurts as he tries to navigate his potential future with Jules. Their relationship shows us that nothing is set in stone but that certain things (and people) are worth fighting for. I feel so weird for enjoying the steamy scenes in a transplant romance, but honestly they worked so well-it didn’t feel weird or like they were an after thought-it just worked.

This book was informative, but it wasn’t written like a text book. I learned SO much about the life of a transplant patient, but on an emotional level as well. This story was an absolute gift, and I am so thankful to Laura. Bradbury for giving it to us. It’s quite possibly one of the best thing I’ve ever read.

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley and Laura Bradbury. All opinions are my own.

Just like Jules I have an autoimmune disease for which there is no cure and I gotta say I was really hesitant to read this book. Too many times people with chronic illness are portrayed so poorly but I am thrilled that was not the case here. I was captivated from the very first page! This book has everything I look for in a romance: witty banter, amazing chemistry, brilliant humor, and scenes that left me full of emotions. I can’t even describe what it felt like to see a chronically ill person portrayed so beautifully and accurately. I related a lot to Jules (right down to having God awful veins) and this book did a wonderful job of giving us a small glimpse into what it really is like to like with a chronic illness. And Tom? Don’t even get me started. He is fighting for a spot on my list of top book boyfriends. I loved seeing his character growth throughout the story.

If you like workplace enemies to lovers or just want a glimpse into the hard reality of what life is like for not only someone who is chronically ill but also those around them then this book is for you!

I hope this isn’t the last contemporary romance we see with a chronically ill hero/heroine!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Laura Bradbury and Grape Books for this ARC!

I really, really enjoyed this book. It hooked me from the very beginning and kept me hooked the entire time!