All I can say is.....

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Except not really. This book was insane but in a semi good way. I think it's crazy to fake amnesia to avoid something but, to be honest, I would do the same not gonna lie.

I really loved the characters and I think it was written super well. I will need to pick up Alexis Hall's other book for sure!

This one was so cute! The premise was kind of cheesy in a telenovela but I also felt like I hadn’t read anything like it before or recently— which both aspects made it really entertaining! I love outlandish premises. Sam suffers an accident, caused by his boss Jonathan, and gets a concussion. However, a miscommunication makes it believed that he has amnesia. Which acts as his quick get out of jail free card right as he and his whole team were about to be fired. Since he has no kin to take care of him, Jonathan houses him while his “memory comes back”. During this time, we get to see a softer side to Jonathan and that the rough exterior is more of an armor. I love the grumpy sunshine trope of this, and how Jonathan really is a grump, even once we saw his sappy side. He is a sappy grump. Also the found family that Sam acquires through Jonathan’s. What started as miscommunication and anxiety over the truth being found out, leads to so much more.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall

So glad I didn’t give up on this book early on…I found it rambling and had trouble getting into it BUT when I finally did, I was totally invested and eager to find out why Sam and Jonathan had become as they were and what their backstories might be. I had trouble, at first seeing them together or even warming to them but…that began to change as I kept reading and by the end…was happy they had found and brought out the best in one another while also growing and becoming more comfortable in their own skin.

This is a very British feeling rom-com with a loving rather wacky family provided by Jonathan and a diverse group of people that Sam was managing and working with. There were times I chuckled, other times I worried that I worried how things would work out, and times that I wanted to sit one or the other down and have a good talking to them.

This is a book that made me care about the outcome even though it was not easy to get into. I believe I would read another book by this author if the synopsis appealed to me and even though British rom-coms are not my favorite cup of tea ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Gosh! I soooo wanted for this to work but it just didn't for me. I found both characters and the whole set-up more annoying than likeable, and I felt the pacing was a bit too slow, and the side characters not that charming either.
I've read nearly every Alexis Hall book there is and loved them but this one just didn't do it for me.

Can't wait for the next in the London Calling universe though, and I'm grateful I got the opportunity to read this ahead of the publication date.

Ten Things That Never Happened was a very enjoyable read. It will be highly recommended to all of my readers looking for a light rom-com with a lot of banter and a lot of heart. There is a quirky supporting cast and a sweet love story. Alexis Hall does not disappoint.

*An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Just the sort of rollick you want about working retail over the holidays (plus it’s Alexis Hall)

Funny, knife sharp wit, and two idiots in love coparenting a cat named Gollum

At first, I didn't think I was going to enjoy another book in the London Calling Universe (or about faking amnesia) due to loving Boyfriend Material so much. Needless to say, Jonathan and Sam fit right in and I fell in love with their dynamic.

If there's one thing I love in books, it's a classic enemies to lovers trope and this book DID THAT. They really did not like each other, and yet, they found it hot and fell in love. It's everything to me.

The ending was very quickly resolved and I wish they took longer to talk through their issues, because it felt rushed. Either way, I'm happy to have Johnathan and Sam join the chaos of the London Calling books. Can't wait to read more about them!

I went into this not entirely knowing what to think of this. As much as I wanted to love it as much as I loved Boyfriend Material, it didn’t hit the mark for me.

It took longer for me to read than I wanted it to, and as much as I wanted to like it, I just couldn’t.

I sort of liked the main characters, but in the end I was more interested in the side characters. I couldn’t really feel the connection between the Jonathon and Sam; it sort of felt forced.

I loved Jonathon and Gollum’s connection and storyline.

So, while it was an ok book, it wasn’t really anything outstanding for me.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC.

Did not expect this to be a Christmas romance but I'm not mad about it. It's got all the typical Alexis Hall humour.

I love Alexis Hall. He is goofy and earnest and his jokes of repeating hyper-specific detailed titles of things frequently throughout a story never fails to make me laugh. 10 Things That Never Happened might be my favorite of his books that I've read. I loved Sam. I loved Jonathan. I loved Gollum. I didn't expect to cry through the last two chapters of a holiday season rom-com involving a fake amnesia plot and a chain of bed and bath superstores but I did.

Because of the similar covers I originally thought this was part of the London Calling series (Boyfriend Material, Husband Material), but it's actually the first in a new series called 'Material World'.

Sam Becker is probably going to get fired from his job as the manager of a bed and bathware store. His boss is a total @% and he's sure that if he gets fired the rest of his team probably won't be far behind. In order to buy himself more time so he can come up with a plan to stop that from happening he fakes amnesia and ends up staying with his boss.

All this time in forced proximity causes them to get to know each other and begin to...well, not exactly like each other, but dislike each other a little less maybe? Disliking each other less leads them to begrudgingly become friends, and gradually become more than that. It's a bit of a slow burn, with some family drama, and plenty of lies...and what could possibly go wrong with a relationship built on falsehoods?!

I'm not sure that I'd actually call this a Christmas book, but it does take place at the end of the year and there is a bit of decorating, a work holiday party, and some family celebration.

I enjoyed aspects of this book -it was filled with the charm and humor that are characteristic of Alexis Hall's writing. For me, though, none of the other books of Hall's that I've read so far have quite measured up to my favorite (and one of my all-time favorite romances), Boyfriend Material. This is a fun read though and worth your while if you enjoy Hall's books.

I can't say I loved this one. I think there were parts that were maybe ok, but the premise was too absurd to really care about.

Also the whole "insta love" vibes don't flow with me. It was literally a relationship based 100% on proximity and nothing else.

I felt that a lot of potential was lost in this situation. Both characters came out as kind of rude people with little love chemistry, despite the fact that the plot was perfectly set up with entertaining details that might have created the perfect atmosphere for a wonderful romantic relationship.

It takes a while before you realize that the coupledom is supposed to be between Jonathan and Sam, especially if you didn’t read the synopsis beforehand (I rarely do (chuckle)). There wasn’t any chemistry between them for me to even root for them. Nevermind, I never really connected to Jonathan as I just found him to be a disagreeable person.

Now Sam, I love him. Alexis Hall wrote a great character who showcases the dilemma that many face today in the employment and economic world. Hall does an excellent job of shining a light on the decisions that people make to go to work and it is about more than just passing time. There are outside factors that impact every decision and how this can affect a manager’s decision if they are more a people’s person manager than a just a rule follower. Add in the holidays as Hall has and of course it gets it more complicated.

10 Things That Never Happened is actually better for the secondary cast. I love them. I think they add the flavor and heart of the book. They made the holiday shine for me and made Sam a better person.

I have been in a reading slump for a bit, and though it took me some time to get into this book I really loved it in the end.
I enjoyed the England setting as I can't think of many books I have read lately set there and I like a good change.of pace.
I liked the couple in this book, I would say grumpy sunshine but it's more like grumpy and less grumpy. They didn't feel right in the very beginning but the more the book went on the more I loved them.
I also loved the growth of our main characters the softining of John and the coming to terms with his sadness for Sam. Though I wasn't totally expecting his whole family being dead as a part of his sad ness that was sad though made sense for the story.
I can't wait to read more books from this author.

I ended up listening to the audiobook of Ten Things That Never Happened and it was very enjoyable. Alexis Hall writes laugh out loud funny characters and scenes. Sam Becker’s job as manager at a bed and bath retailer and his employees and the things they get up to is hysterical. I thought it was a cute story of how he gets together with his boss. In the end it was enjoyable and am interested to read more from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of 10 Things That Never Happened.

I haven't read Alexis' other books, but they were on my TBR, so I went into this not knowing much about the world or characters. I didn't have any issues following the story, though I probably missed some hidden references along the way, and enjoyed the experience. I needed a break from the heavier fantasy books and this was an easy read for holiday and found family vibes, though the amnesia plot is not my favorite trope. I enjoyed the banter and writing style, and the characters were fun to read.

Quickly got sucked right into this book and couldn’t put it down/stop listening. Loved the main characters’ snarky banter, the overall sass, and sense of humor in this fun, amnesia/enemies to lovers story. The book is also filled with a collection of ridiculous and memorable side characters that were fun and added to the chaos in the best way possible. Great book to read, especially heading into the Christmas season if you’re looking for some snarky festive fun, including a grump you can’t help but fall for (even when he’s being a jerk), a cat I now want to meet, a family just as crazy as your own, coworkers that remind you why you can both love and dread going to work, and a guy who you want to root for so bad because we’ve probably all been just as much of a mess at some point. And if you’re into audiobooks, I really enjoyed the narrator - he made it a very immersive listening experience.

Thanks to Net Galley for the book!

Fun as always! Alexis always writes his characters with great voices and interactions. If you like a trope-y holiday romance full of wacky hijinks and bad decision-making (and I do), look no further.