Of course I'm going to be all heart eyes over a rom-com set in Baltimore! This was packed with lovely references. Onto the romance! While I liked Ali and Graham together, I think she felt super immature. I don't mind if a character is still figuring themself out throughout a book, but she was honestly SUCH a mess. Anand if cheating isn't your thing (Is it anyone's though?), you might not like this, although the "twist" was so glaringly apparent that it kind of softened the blow.

Eh, cheating isn’t my favorite thing in any book and the fact that it was a slightly major plot point the whole book really threw me. Not to mention Graham not mentioning that he’s really just in a marriage, or engagement, of convenience situation which at least would’ve made things a little better. Ali being the literal wedding planner and doing all of this? Pass

Firstly, thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an early copy! Unfortunately, I decided to DNF because the romance centered infidelity a little too closely for me, as I do not enjoy that sort of dynamic between romantic partners. I do think plenty of people will love this, though!

Opposites attract in this story and I loved it. We revisit characters from Lindsay Hammeroff's previous book, Til There Was You, and see the friend group of Ali, Chloe and Lexi, now spread all over the country. While the romance was the main story, I felt Ali's other relationships were just as critical... her with her friends, her with her sister, her with her parents. Graham is supposed to be a little more buttoned up and serious, but this made him come off as flat sometimes. Ali's character is so vibrant and just bursts off the page, so I needed and wanted more from him beyond the attraction he and Ali shared. 
It was a twist on the marriage of convenience trope and all and all, a fun read. I liked how the author included Ali's Jewish heritage into the book and showed the reader those various family functions (Shabat dinner, a bar mitzvah, etc)

I have a friend who absolutely adored this book; she persuaded me to finish it. I think I should’ve stuck to my original plan of DNFing it.

Perhaps it’s not the type of book for me and that’s okay. I can see why my friend absolutely adored it. I felt like I was secretly reading Wattpad fanfiction past bedtime before a Monday (liked the nostalgic bit of it, hence the two stars), but overall I think this book is exactly for those who would enjoy your typical romance story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for a free copy of this book in exchange for review.

This book really had me yo-yoing through my emotions. The plot started strong with the meet cute betweeen Graham and Ali was so cute and hilarious and I absolutely loved the last chapter of the book. However, upon further reflection I think that I loved the scene more because of the moment between Ali and her sister Sarah, rather than the one between her and Graham.

In fact, throughout this book I was far more emotionally invested in the interactions that Ali had with almost every other character but Graham. Compared to Ali's complex and nuanced personality, Graham just fell flat. I'm not entirely sure that he had enough character development in the text for me to feel emotionally invested in him. At the end of the book I can only list a handful of things about him as a person and almost all of them point to a very serious need for therapy. Graham's need to solve everyone else's problems appears to have made him devoid of any likes or dislikes.

Claire was far more interesting as a character and frankly I wanted more scenes with her and Ali thorughout the book. They seemed like they would be great friends and had a lot in common. I'm still confused on how Graham and Claire even became friends in the first place as they seem to have nothing in common. Although, I can appreciate the importance of emotional support in the development of a friendship.

There were a few instances throughout the plot where I was incredibly confused. About half way through Ali mentions a previous relationship that felt like it had no context and not nearly enough details. However, given the emphasis she puts on it in several scenes later in the book I feel it needed more development in the narratve of Ali's backstory.

I did love Ali's family. Her grandmother seemed like the life of the party and she provided levity to every scene she was in. I do wish that there had been more interaction between Ali and Sarah. The ending was beautiful, but I wish that we had spent more time with them together. Also, seeing Ali and her mother in more scenes would have been entertaining. These relationships seemed so dynamic, but that barely shows up on the page. It left me wanting more. Although, Ali's dad might as well have been a tree as he was hardly mentioned throughout the book.

Overall, I wish that this book had spent a little more time focusing on Ali's relationship with her friends, family, and mentor/sister's best friend. These aspects of the plot were nuanced, entertaining, and full of great references that made Ali a well rounded and relatable character. Although, she's only 28 so her panic about not having her life figured out seemed a little dramatic at times.

It was a fun read, but the romance isn't what drew me into the story.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity

I thought this was really cute and fun! It made me pick up another book by this author!! The characters were very likeable , but I didn't really like the underlying cheating factor..

“Never Planned on You” by Lindsay Hameroff is a book I'm still thinking about despite reading it back in March and is perfect for the wedding season we're in. The main character Ali is an intern wedding planner, trying to transition careers. Graham is the boy she got a matching tattoo with years ago in London, and also the groom of the wedding she needs to plan in order to earn the full-time job. The book just does a great job of having you feel how absolutely torn Ali is, she wants that job so badly (and you’ll find out why) but also has feelings for Graham. Ali really felt like a relatable character to me, and I just adored her. There were so many delightful twists and turns, and I found the book humorous. Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy, and it is available now.

First thank you to st martins press and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars

Synopsis: Ali is the fun girl and meets a guy on her study abroad that is her opposite. She makes a bet with him and wins leading to a hilarious prize and a night of passion. She goes back to the states and struggles to find her place. However she gets her big break at work planning weddings just as you reunites with graham the guy from her study abroad program. Things look like they are looking up for Ali until she finds out that graham is her client at work.

What I liked: this book is well written and has some funny spots. Ali and her family are quite funny. I liked Ali a lot and you do want to root for her. Graham is also very nice and proper and feel connected to him. There are some really big leaps in the book that you need to suspend belief to get through but overall enjoyable.

Fun and flirty, Never Planned on You is a fast and entertaining read. Perfect for fans of The Wedding Planner and My Best Friend's Wedding.

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I read the whole thing and it was... fine. Not the best I've read and not the worst. However, I would like to read to more books set in this Baltimore universe.

This is a quick, light, easy read. I can see people who are looking for pure escapism really enjoying this.

Unfortunately, I'm not the right audience for this story. The romantic storylines are convoluted and stretch the bounds of believability. It's not quite second chance, not quite insta-love, not quite cheating. It doesn't seem to know where to land. The characters are vaguely interesting but I didn't connect with them. The spicy scenes are detailed but move too quickly to be realistic.

My biggest issue is with the tension/conflict in the story. Every time an obstacle or moment of tension is introduced, it feels like it's resolved super fast. There's no build, no lingering in that uncomfortability, so the pacing felt wonky. I skimmed bits until another moment occurred, slowed down for that speed bump, and skimmed again.

I can't see myself recommending this to too many people.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Griffin, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

A charming rom com with heart, humor,and a dash of chaos. This story is a delightful second chance romance that blends quirky spontaneity with emotional depth. The chemistry between Ali and Graham is undeniable and their dynamic makes for some entertaining banter.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This wasn't for me.
I will say that i liked the writing, and it had the potential to be a cute story.
I just didn't like the fact that the FMC was sleeping with someone who was getting married, even though it was a marriage of convenience.
I really liked Claire, and idk why they couldn't have just told her earlier.
Even though Graham insisted they were just friends, she still could have gotten hurt.
The FMC didn't really seem to care. She just strikes me as very selfish.
I'm sure someone out there might really enjoy this, though!

Ali and Graham meet on her study abroad program and then run into each other years later when she is home and a sought after wedding planner. They share a passionate history and one ugly pair of tattoos.
I read this as a love letter to The Wedding Planner and it fell shy of what I hoped for. I cannot stand a cheating trope - it just never works for me - but even more so when both parties are aware and still go through with it. It is too messy and not something I can relate to because of, well, my hatred of cheating. HONESTY is so sexy to me. And I know, I know, that his engagement is very openly hidden a marriage of convenience, but still gave me the ick.
I will say that despite the whole cheating disaster mess, the characters were likeable, the study abroad flashback was nostalgically entertaining, and I appreciated the setting.
Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Never Planned on You is a delightful blend of grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, and second chance vibes—all wrapped in a witty, heartwarming rom-com. When a no-nonsense chef and an optimistic food critic are thrown together for a cross-country food tour, sparks fly and emotions simmer. The chemistry is electric, the banter is top-tier, and the emotional depth sneaks up on you in the best way. A must-read for trope lovers who want both laughs and feels!

3.5⭐️ it was a really cute story with a few of my favorite tropes! It was my first from this author and I’d love to read more of their work! I love the second chance and workplace romance, but the storyline felt a little rushed at some points and we didn’t get to savor where they were at the moment. Overall a cute book! Thanks for letting me read!

4.5/5

I absolutely adored this book. Ali and Graham are so so cute, and I LOVED Claire and Trudy. I absolutely flew through this, and I highly recommend it! I can’t wait to read more from Hameroff!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Unfortunately, I decided that this wasn’t the right fit for me and decided not to continue with this book. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read this title!

Last year I fell in love with Hameroff's writing with her debut novel, Till There Was You, and this year she's back with her sophomore novel set in the same world. Although this novel focuses on Ali Rubin, a minor character from the previous novel, I didn't fall in love with it as much as the previous novel. I liked Ali and her family but something just felt off between Ali and her love interest, Graham. I think it was more that I found a lot of faults with Graham and didn't care for him as much, which did effect my reading. Ali is the second woman of a trio of friends to get her own novel so I'm hoping Hameroff will be finishing off a trilogy with one more book with the missing friend. I typically enjoy wedding planning romances and with her being a former chef that also enhanced my reading experience since those are two areas in romances I tend to like. I did listen to a lot of this novel so perhaps the audio experience was something too that effected it. Regardless this was just a mediocre novel for me. I don't see myself going back to this like I want to with Till There Was You.