Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book! Never Planned on You is a cute second chance romance. It does remind me a lot of the movie "The Wedding Planner" with a more modern twist. It was a very quick read, and the characters were interesting and dynamic. Overall, I really liked it!

This book was a delight!! It started by making me laugh with the witty writing. Then the angst!! I loved how the relationship between Ali and Graham progressed and all of the trials and road blocks. Then at the end the writer didn't let the characters off the hook easily and they had to work for their happily ever after. I truly enjoyed all of the aspects of this book and thought it was very well written.

4 stars! 💫 Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC! 💙 Oh my heart—Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff totally swept me off my feet! 😍 I thought it’d be a fun read, and WOW, I was so right! Ali and Graham’s paths cross again years after that wild, spontaneous night in Europe... and let me tell you, it’s funny, sweet, and totally swoon-worthy! I’m a sucker for a good second-chance romance, and this one delivered big time! 💕

Now, let's talk about all the amazing tropes packed into this book:
✧ Second Chance Romance 💘
✧ Opposites Attract 💗
✧ Workplace Romance 💓
✧ Marriage of Convenience 💍
✧ Spicy Chemistry 🌶
✧ Unforgettable First Meet 🥰
✧ Tattoos 🎨

Ali is SO much fun! 😂 She’s impulsive, witty, and always up for an adventure. I swear, I was just nodding along because I totally get her vibe. And Graham? Swoon central! 😍 His British charm had me melting. Their chemistry? OFF THE CHARTS! 💥 But I won’t lie, at first, I felt a little iffy about the whole “he’s engaged to someone else” situation... like, whoa! But no worries, Lindsay Hameroff handles it beautifully, and it never felt icky or wrong. Their connection just clicks and those moments between them? ALL the feels! 😩💕

The one teeny downside? The timeline felt a bit rushed, especially when they jumped from November to December in one paragraph. I would've loved to see more of them working through their relationship over those few months, but hey—time flies when you're falling in love, right? ✨

Also, the pop culture references are everything! 🎤 If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift and One Direction, you’re gonna love them! 🙌 That said, I’m not usually into real-world references in fiction, but that’s just me. The humor and banter? A+!! 😂 I couldn’t stop laughing and just had to root for these two to get their happily-ever-after! 🥳

All in all, this was a super fun, lighthearted read with so much depth and heart! If you're into rom-coms with quirky characters and a little spice, don’t miss this one when it hits your TBR for February 2025! 💖

Ali loves a challenge and has no problem embracing new endeavors. However, Graham prefers his life on a pre-planned path with no desire to stray off of it. After a night involving a bet, laughter and ridiculous matching tattoos, they went their separate ways because it was Ali’s last night abroad for her semester program and Graham lived in London. Now, about 8 years later, they bump into each in Baltimore of all places. Ali is working for an event planning company after moving on from a culinary position and Graham is helping his grandmother revive the reputation of their family hotel. Even more awkwardly, Ali has been hired to help plan Graham’s wedding with his fiancée.

I enjoyed Lexi and Jake’s story in Till There Was You, but this one didn’t quite deliver for me. Ali was too much of everything all at once - too sarcastic, too flighty, too emotional, too independent, etc that it seemed to stunt her growth as character or felt contrived. I really liked Graham, he developed more organically, but there were some scenes between them that felt stunted because Ali is just too excessive to be contained or described with a few traits and portraying all of her aspects seemed exhausting.

There’s no villain or bad character per se, just a situation that Ali and Graham had very little control over because they wanted to justify their choices in terms of the greater good for everyone else, but not them. Although I wasn’t quite sold on their relationship, there are some cute scenes with funny dialogue, but it wasn’t particularly angsty. It’s a lighthearted read for fans who believe true love will prevail despite the odds.

Never Planned On You is a fun, laugh-out-loud rom-com reminiscent of the 2000's Wedding Planner! Never fear, it's it's own story, filled with memorable characters - people and animals. Ali is a live life to the fullest, take a bull by the horns sort, she meets Benedict aka Graham in London at the end of her semester abroad. One hilarious and wild bet later, they have memorable matching tattoos. Flash forward many years, Ali is back in her hometown - Baltimore, working on her first wedding as a planner, and the groom is none other than Graham!
Ali comes from a close-knit Jewish family, including her amazing Bubbe.
This book put a smile on my face and was a great early read for the new year!

This book was a great surprise! I wasn't familiar with the author, but now I want to read her other books! This book had huge "heart" - you couldn't help but love the extended family members and friends included in the story, and I loved seeing the relationships between them and the FMC develop. And I laughed out loud several times. Some of my favorite lines:

"There's so much vacant space in the man's brain I'm surprised a Spirit Halloween hasn't moved in."

"It's not a disaster. 'Mean Girls 2' was a disaster. This is just a haircut. It will grow back."

Also noteworthy, I figured the story would conclude with a HEA, but I really had no idea how the storyline would get there. The lack of predictability showed creative writing. It kept me guessing!

This is a fun, easy read!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC!

Lindsay Hameroff's Never Planned on You is a must-read for 2025! This is a book you want to add immediately to your TBR. From the very first page, Hameroff draws you in with relatable characters and a compelling storyline that touches on love, personal growth, and unexpected connections. The chemistry between the main characters is palpable, and their journey is both heartwarming and full of twists that keep you hooked.

Hameroff's writing style is engaging and fluid, making it impossible to put the book down once you've started. If you're a fan of contemporary romance with emotional depth and a touch of humor, this novel is definitely for you.

Never Planned on You is now at the top of my 2025 reading list, and I can't wait to dive into her other book, 'Til There Was You. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable read!

4 stars ⭐️ This was a quick and fun read! I devoured it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! Even though there's a non-Jewish love interest, Hameroff packed so much Jewish identity throughout. There's a bar mitzvah, a Hanukkah party, and a discussion of shidduchim! It was a quick read, but I also didn't want it to end. A very cute romance and lots of fun! It felt more balanced to me than Hameroff's debut, Till There Was You, so if you were on the fence about that, I encourage you to give this one a read. 4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Never Planned on You is a delightful read! It follows Ali and Graham, who met years ago in London for a memorable one night fling, including matching tattoos. Fast forward to Baltimore when their paths unexpectedly cross again. The chemistry is still there, but life is a lot more complicated. While Ali plans Graham's wedding to another woman, she realizes how much he means to her, and no matter how hard Graham tries, he can't deny his reciprocal feelings. Readers will love these two characters and their second chance at happiness!

I wanted to love this but the language used by the characters was not for me. “hey lady” gives me instant ick. Such a fun premise and this is definitely just a
Me problem.

Thanks to netgalley and st martins press for e arc in exchange for a review. I really loved this. Second chance is hit or miss for me. I loved ali and grahams relationship right away. They had really great chemistry. I also really loved alis family. The granma especially. There were also lots of food descriptions. That sounded really good. Overall this is just really cute and sweet romance that feels real.

I was instantly hooked on this book after reading the epilogue and had such a fun time all the way through. This story reminded me so much of The Wedding Planner, a favorite of mine! I was super impressed by how natural Ali’s inner dialogue and conversation felt. I was rooting for the couple all the way through and thought the grand gesture at the end was hilarious and perfect for the story!

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGally and St Martin Press for this ARC!

This was a delight of a rom-com—the banter and history and YEARNING, omg, the YEARNING! So so good.

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this one. I wasn't super interested in the characters and something about it just didn't grab me. I wanted to love it because the start of the story is fantastic, love the impulse matching tattoos. I just lost interest so fast.

4 ⭐️

I absolutely loved this book, it is such a quick and fun read. If you love some subtle hints about Taylor swift and her music, you will absolutely love this. Even though it is a shorter book, the emotional depth of the two main characters is very impressive. I thought it was amazing how the author was able explore both the romantic relationships as well as each characters person growth and change.

Overall, this is a great book that I believe many people will like!

3.5/5⭐️ This was a romantic comedy that was truly hilarious! This story follows Ali, an event planner in Baltimore, who runs into a former fling from 8 years ago; the catch is that she’s planning his wedding. Ali was a strong female lead, her witty remarks had me laughing the entire time. This was a great, quick read. I gave it 3.5 stars because although I enjoyed it, there were some aspects of the love story that fell flat for me. This book comes out on February 18, 2025, definitely check it out!

This book is SOO GOOD. I could not put it down! This is one of the best romances I have read in awhile! I loved the plot and characters so much! Graham has my whole heart 🥹🩷

This second chance romance with 1d and Taylor swift references is a MUST read!!

Thank you so much Net Galley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Loved this story!! Enjoyed the plot with the green card marriage. Really loved the ending. Laugh out loud funny, and romantic, great read!

Read if you like:
- Small-town romance
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Opposites attract
- Found family
- Emotional healing

Never Planned on You is a heartwarming small-town romance that beautifully combines emotional depth with feel-good charm. The story follows a free-spirited heroine who moves to a tight-knit community and clashes with the gruff, reserved hero who’s long since given up on love.

The grumpy/sunshine dynamic shines here, with the heroine’s infectious optimism gradually breaking down the hero’s walls. Their opposites-attract romance feels authentic, with plenty of tender, funny, and bittersweet moments that pull readers in.

The theme of emotional healing is central, as both characters confront their past traumas and find solace in one another. The small-town setting is rich with personality, offering a cast of quirky side characters that create a true sense of found family and community.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my gifted ARC!