3.5 stars

Contains:
- missed connections
- second chance romance

When a incorrectly dialed number connects Davey with Hannah instead of the company he's trying to interview with, the two instantly hit it off and become long distance friends. Months of texts, phone calls, and video chats soon have both feeling more than friendship for each other, and the pair decide to meet up when Davey moves to London for the job he was calling for. Except Davey doesn't show, and when Hannah learns why everything changes between them.

The Man I Never Met was an emotional will they/won't they romance romance with the timing for Davey and Hannah never being quite right... Eventually they do get that happy ending I was so hoping for, but lord did it take them forever.

This is such an interesting premise for a book...man from America (Davey) dials wrong number in England. Woman (Hannah) answers. Davey & Hannah make a connection in that brief exchange & start talking to each other on the phone through texts & actual phone calls. Davey is supposed to moving to England at the beginning of the year. They are finally going to meet at the airport. Then Davey doesn't show up. ***SPOILER ALERT***

Davey doesn't show because he has been diagnosed with cancer. He stays in America for treatments & tells Hannah they need to stop whatever their relationship is because he can't drag her through an illness. This leads to Hannah dating someone else as well as Davey as they continue to pine for each other.

I like how this story is woven together. There were times Hannah was a bit annoying as she could be a pushover but seeing her find herself by the end is well worth it.

Highly recommend reading this unique story

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

WOW. I requested this book on a whim because the premise of it sounded interesting and it looked like a cute romance novel that I'd be able to devour. I didn't expect to have my heart ripped apart and slowly pieced back together page by page. I believed Davey not showing up at the airport was going to lead to some convoluted miscommunication trope, but instead it explored a very real, heart wrenching story that tests both Davey and Hannah, separately and together.

I appreciated their storylines both together and apart. I craved the next interaction between Hannah and Davey but their separate stories made the book that much more enriching.

I do wish that the ending had more of them together as a developed relationship, but for me this book was all about the journey to be together

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I'm so sorry to say this but the fmc was annoying. She was in a relationship with a man for 10 months and she didn't even really like him or know anything about him. I wish the book had more of Davey's pov throughout the book and not just at random times.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Have you ever experienced a moment that you knew would change your entire life? When Hannah answers a call from a wrong number and connects with Davey, that’s exactly what happens.

Against all odds, through text and video chats, Hannah becomes friends and then slowly more with this man she’s never met - who also just happens to be moving to London. But when the time comes for him to arrive at the airport where she’s waiting to greet him, he never shows.

What comes next is a heartbreaking but beautiful story about relationships and life and the chances we never take (and the ones we do).

This was Elle Cook’s (aka Lorna Cook) first novel in this genre and I thought she did a great job. I loved the characters and the changing POVs between Hannah and Davey. And Joan, Hannah’s neighbor, was just the best.

I felt so many things while reading this book - it was definitely an emotional ride!

And although the story went in a way I wasn’t expecting (with less swoon-worthy moments than anticipated), the ending was sweet and worth the wait.

My advice to readers is to go in totally blind read the author’s note at the end!

Thank you NetGalley & Random House - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have so many thoughts but I cannot say much without spoiling the book.

So I will say this: go into this blind. Do not read the synopsis. This is an emotional read and for me it was very irritating at times, but worth it in the end. This fictional story felt more real than any I’ve read in a long time. I think many will come out the other end of this one feeling all sorts of feels. Good and bad

The author tackles an extremely tough subject that she personally went through, and the addition of the author’s note at the end was a way for me to appreciate the story even more. I will definitely recommend this to others and hope many will find it as beautiful as I did

What an emotional rollercoaster of a read! I loved the premise of this book. Hannah and Davey meet due to a misdialed number and what came next had me hooked. I loved the dual point of view and blew through this in a day because I needed to know what happened. The story takes an unexpected turn and deals with some more series topics so be prepared for that.

If you loved Sleepless in Seattle or Love is Blind this is the book for you

3.75 stars

Grab your copy out 11/22!

Thank you @randomhouse and @netgalley for the early copy

This book was absolutely stunning. I thought it was going to go one way, and Cook completely threw me on a loop. A heartbreaking, gut-wrenching loop that left me weeping. The writing was completely raw and the MC’s were extremely relatable and honest. Their thought processes felt like how I would imagine myself going forward with each situation. The hope, the confusion. It was all so beautifully written and kept me reading well into the night. I was hurting when they were hurting, and happy when they were happy. Everything about this book was just perfection. I loved it.

I'm adding Elle Cook to my list of cozy British authors like Beth O'Leary, Sophie Cousens, and Josie Silver. This was LOVELY!! In that kind of sad and tragic lovely way a romance book can really rip your heart out. God I really felt for Hannah and Davey (honestly my biggest concern about the book was that he's a grown man going by Davey).

I'm a real sucker for a texting/phone call long distance relationship romance, and the first third of this book did it SO well.

This is a perfect read for a cozy night in, and I definitely recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley & Dell Publishing for the advanced e-book!

The Man I Never Met by Elle Cook was a refreshing read and new concept. I ended up liking this book a lot more than anticipated! It pulled at my heartstrings and kept me interested. It went from one to dual POV. All the characters had good growth and I really liked them all and rooted for them! I recommend!

Such a cute novel!!! I loved seeing the relationship between hannah and davey grow over the years and how they managed a friendship when they were in different countries. I also really liked that it was dual POV. The only thing I didn't liked was the ending, it felt too rushed. But overall is a good book!

I really enjoyed this book. The premise was fresh with a tried and true star crossed lovers backbone. The settings were great I'm a total europhile. The characters were human and flawed but not obnoxiously so. The writing was talented, clean, descriptive, not pedestrian but accessible. The only complaint I had is that maybe George got too much play. I didn't like him obviously but then again we've all made mistakes like George some for longer than 10 months. Towards the end I could feel what was coming and that was a little let down but the way it played out was charming enough to keep me happy. All around a very good book.

Short synopsis: When Hannah receives a wrong number call from Davey who lives in Texas, their friendship sparks. Their calls quickly become intentional when Davey is taking a job and relocating to England.

My thoughts: This was such a cute romance with a sweet unique meet-cute. I loved how the author created believable chemistry between two strangers on opposite sides of the globe.

Halfway through this book I was ready to throw it, but ended up really loving the ending. I do wish we would have gotten more page time with Davey and Hannah, and less with the rebound romances.

Read if you love:
* Long distance relationships
* Wedding season
* Fate bringing you together
* Great side characters
* Emotional romances

Thank you so much @netgalley and @randomhoise for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Pub date is Nov 22, 2022!

4.5
Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book to read and review. This book was so good. I'm not sure I can fully express my feelings for it, actually. It was so beautifully written and it was such a non-traditional take on a love story. I loved the reflectiveness of it all and how Hannah and Davey were so intertwined with each other throughout the book. I was almost crying at points and genuinely laughing at others. The friendships were so sweet and I loved the little traditions involved in each one. It really is crazy because you never know how or why certain people will come into your life and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. This book was a great look into different types of relationships and what love can look like for people. I had chills by the end honestly and there was so much to anticipate and the build up was done beautifully. I thought Hannah and Davey were such interesting characters and I enjoyed the journey they went on. This is definitely a new favorite of mine and I can't say enough good things.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Okay, this book wasn’t for me. I don’t enjoy books where one or both of the MCs are with other people for a large portion of the book. I also don’t like when the main plot focuses on something that could have been quickly resolved by one honest conversation and communication of feelings. The ending was lackluster. After all the build up of Hannah and Davy’s relationship, all the things they’d gone through, I just expected more than a few pages of them finally communicating with each other and then getting together? I don’t know, it just didn’t work for me.

Is it possible to love someone you’ve never met? What begins as a misdial between strangers, turns into so much more.

This was not at all what I was expecting but in a good way! I expected swoony light-hearted romance, instead it’s quite the emotional roller coaster, and I enjoyed all the ups and downs.

The story was unique, entertaining, and well written. I loved watching the relationship between Hanna and Davey evolve over texts, phone calls and eventually video calls. The connection and chemistry between them was undeniable. Most of the story is told from Hanna, but I enjoyed how the author shifts mid way through to dual POV. It was different, and fun to get Davey’s perspective. I was fully invested and couldn’t wait to find out.. will-they or won’t-they!?

I loved all that the side characters added to the story. Except maybe George. HA I know he’s necessary to the story, but that doesn’t mean I had to like him. 😂 I all loved the friendships, especially Hanna & Joan’s.

If you’re in the mood for a little serendipity love story about never giving up, this one is for you. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end.

Pub Date: 11/22/2022

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Elle Cook for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

I would like to say I enjoyed this book but I didn't. It's sad because it had so much potential but the miscommunication was killer. At first I understood why Davey pushed Hannah away, but then it became exhausting to read. I would've enjoyed it if the ending gave us more, it was so rushed and didn't even give an epilogue after the constant back and forth. I felt like most of the book fixated on their inability to communicate rather than the actual relationship and it didn't feel believable anymore. I wish I felt better about it.

Brit romance lovers, gather around! I have a rec for you. 

Davey and Hannah met on the phone by accident. Davey, an American, misdials and gets Hannah on the phone. Then they start messaging, messages turn into video calls. Davey is about to relocate to London, where Hannah lives. They are falling for each other and cannot wait to meet in person. Then something happens and they paths go different ways. 

This book put a stupid grin on my face early on, then it broke my heart. I loved these characters. And I felt sad for what they had to go through. I am being vague for a reason because I wouldn't want to reveal any spoilers. 

I'll say this much: the author wrote from experience. She was able to tell both Davey's and Hannah's POVs without taking sides. This book is about Davey's journey just as much as Hannah's.

The side characters especially Hannah's neighbor Joan and Davey's bestie Grant sort of stole the show. 

While it is not quite a holiday read, parts of this book set during Christmas time so it could make a nice seasonal read. 

I recommend this book to the readers of Emily Stone, Josie Silver and Sophie Cousens.  It is charming, full of heart and a little sad. I've buddyread this book with @aotmbookclub and some new friends. Most of us liked it.

The storyline and writing style of the book is cute and definitely evokes emotion. I also really think a lot of the characters actions/decisions were believable based on the situations they found themselves in. A main overarching storyline deals with a really tragic topic and reading the author's note at the end really gave a lot more context with her personal experience coming through in the story.

I did feel like I spent way more of the book as a reader watching a relationship that I knew wasn't going to last instead of watching the two MCs grow and develop as characters (both individually, as well as together). The first 20% of the book is so easy and smooth in character development that it lulls you into a sense of security in this relationship that doesn't get addressed again until the last 10% of the book. I found myself getting a bit frustrated with the drawn out focus on the 'rebound' relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book to read and review.

Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of The Man I Never Met!

Going into this book I was expecting a light-hearted rom-com, but it was actually much darker than I was expecting.

Missed connections, missed chances, and big (scary) life changes keep this will-they-or-won't-they couple apart (for a time? Read to find out!). This book definitely has it's sad and dark moments, but a couple of swoon-worthy parts kept me reading.

Overall this book is heartfelt with well-developed characters, and I'm a sucker for a dual POV!