Ali and Graham meet randomly one night years ago and a drunken bet leads to embarrassing tattoos. They never thought they’d see each other again, so when they meet years later in a coffee shop, they are surprised. Ali is interning as a wedding planner and planning the wedding of the season, Graham’s. As the two try to work together while fighting their attraction to each other, it leads to a lot of conflict.

I enjoyed the characters, especially Graham, whose charming ways made me smile. I didn’t love the hidden relationship while he was engaged to someone else. That should’ve been resolved before they jumped in. I also didn’t really buy the reasons they couldn’t be together, but there was a nice resolution to it all. Overall, Lindsay Hameroff writes romance novels I love to read.

I had some high hopes in the beginning of this book but once I found out the rest of the story, I wasn't intersted. I loved Ali, the MFC but upon finding out she becomes pretty much the mistress to an engaged man, I was over it. I finished the book but wasn't happy. In the end, it was a happy ending but it was rough for me.

Thanks NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the copy to read and review!

2.5 rounding to 3
This felt so much like cheating to me and felt icky. I’d give this author another try, but this trope just wasn’t for me.

I really liked both the main characters of this, but I had some real issues with the fact that Graham was engaged for basically the whole book. It’s in the description, but I did expect it to be handled earlier or in a more acceptable (to me at least) way. I thought Ali was funny and likable and that Graham was endearing and sweet, and I absolutely believed their connection. But I just couldn’t excuse the way their relationship developed while Graham was technically committed to someone else.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

I enjoyed the author's last book. I was looking forward to this one, but I did not enjoy it. Cheating trope is forever gross. Yea it's all explained away, but it doesn't take away from the lying & messing around with a soon to be married man before knowing the circumstances.

A classic romcom. The witty banter between Graham and Ali was perfect. The tension was great. The writing is engaging, and the pacing kept me invested from start to finish. My only small critique is that certain parts felt a bit predictable, but honestly, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. If you love contemporary romance with a heartfelt story, this one is definitely worth picking up!

3/5⭐
1.5/5🌶️

A fun rom-com with a risky twist! I was nervous about this going to the wrong side of second chance.

Thank you for the ARC #netgalley and #stmartinspress

Tropes:
✧ Second Chance Romance
✧ Workplace Romance
✧ Marriage of Convenience

I am such a sucker for romcoms it’s actually unhealthy at this point. But this book? This book was the epitome of romcom for me. It had everything you could want and more. It made me laugh out loud, it made me fall in love with every single character you came across, and it absolutely shattered my heart and put it back together. I’m pretty sure I will be comparing this book to other books for the foreseeable future. It was just so top tier for me.

Ali is honestly someone who I would compare to how I see myself. You just want everyone to have a good time and make them laugh and did my girl make me laugh. Some of the things that went through her mind or she said out loud really did make me laugh out loud and her constantly calling Graham an old man really did make me laugh. The way she would describe him, I could actually picture him in my head and see him as an old man trapped in a young man’s body.

At last we come to Graham. Oh little old man Graham. He was the absolute cutest thing and I honestly I could have read more about their romance for another 300 pages. I honestly didn’t want this book to end it was just my absolute favorite. If you read this book and realize why Graham is getting married, you honestly love him a little more. Like how could you hate a guy like that? My point is, if you love rom com, second chance romance, two very lost MC who find each other and fall so in love it makes you sick, then this is the book for you.

*Thank you so so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!*

🌶️/5

3.5 Stars.

Whenever one of the main tropes in a romantic-comedy book is second chance it instantly become very enjoyable read for me.

Missed opportunities, pre-wedding hi-jinx and ridiculous tattoos.... the making of the perfect rom-com. Gave Wedding Planner vibes but so so much better - wish this was a movie! Ali and Graham were delightful characters and this was a fun read.

This is such a great rom-com!!! I laughed out loud, swooned over the romance, and it has one of the best meet cutes ever!

I adored Lindsay's first book, so I was eager to read this one. It did not disappoint. You get right into the story. Second chance romance with a twist! I love that Ali and Graham met over drinks, darts and tattoos.

The characters are so well rounded. I can identify with Ali with switching careers but not being sure you are making the right choice. There is steam in this book but it's not raunchy. I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Lindsay Hameroff for the e-ARC of this book. This review is my own opinion.

This stated off great, but there was a major piece I just did not vibe with. I continued the book and it was okay, but then the 3rd act drama was a lot.

Well, I surely never planned on this book stealing my heart but here we are! I laughed, I giggled, and I just truly could not put this book down. Right from the start I absolutely loved Ali and Graham - talk about an absolutely perfect first meeting - the game, the staring, the looks? Such incredible chemistry and the fire between them just cannot be denied. The fact that they both actually went through it and got THOSE tattoos in particular made me squeal from just how adorable it was.

8 years later and these two are reunited and the heat is just as intense - add in some additional longing, self-discovery, and culture and well - it's just an absolutely incredible ride. The spice was not just for spicy purposes - it showed the level of intimacy that these two characters truly had. The twists were not unexpected but the heart and love between them was just so impressive. The pop culture references were all also incredibly well done and they made my millennial heart very, very happy.

The side characters in this one were next level - I just absolutely adored each and every one and I found myself rooting for them all.

Sometimes, I get rather upset over a third act breakup - it's not my most favorite of things to read but the way that it was done in this book... the way that it was truly needed? It was so well done and the resulting grand gesture and true connection between these two had me squealing some more. Such an incredibly wonderful and entertaining read - would recommend to anyone looking for a fun read with laugh-out-loud moments and beautiful true love. This is one that I will be buying because I absolutely must have this one on my shelf as a trophy!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff is a delightful blend of romance, spice, and heartfelt moments, wrapped in a story of unexpected reconnections and second chances.

Eight years ago, a one-night stand in England with a sweet, slightly nerdy Englishman was supposed to be just that — a fleeting moment. Fast forward to Baltimore, and fate has other plans. When our heroine finds herself as the wedding planner for none other than her former fling’s wedding, things get complicated in the most delicious ways.

This story has everything I crave in a romance: sizzling chemistry, emotional depth, and just the right amount of spice. The family drama adds richness to the plot, while the close-knit friend group brings warmth and humor, making the story feel like a big cozy hug. The tension of "will-they-won't-they" is perfectly paced, and the question of whether there’s room for a second chance kept me turning the pages late into the night.

Lindsay Hameroff masterfully balances swoon-worthy romance with genuine emotion. If you love second-chance romances, a touch of wedding chaos, and British charm, this book is a must-read. It’s cute, heartwarming, and absolutely unputdownable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Perfect for fans of sweet-but-steamy romances with a side of drama and lovable characters.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

*Potential spoiler*
I really enjoyed the author’s first book, Till There Was You, and was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately it didn’t capture my interest like the other one did. I felt that the character development of Ali and Graham was superficial, and I didn’t find Ali to be very likable. I also didn’t like the prolonged cheating that happened, even though they didn’t consider it cheating because Graham was just going to be in a marriage of convenience.
It was still a cute story, just not something that will stick with me. I do appreciate St. Martin’s for the ARC.

This was fine. I didn’t love it, but it was an enjoyable and lighthearted read. The chemistry was mid level and I didn’t find myself reaching for this book as often as some of my other current reads.

Cute fun second chance romance with marriage of convenience. There was a good connection between the main characters.

One of my favorite books so far this year. This read had everything I loved in a romance story! It was funny, emotional, witty, and much much more! I was in a reading slump, but this brought me out!

Thank you to the author, publisher and @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m so glad I met Lindsay in line at @steamylitcon and since then have been blessed with her ARCs. I ADORED Ali and Graham. And their story was *chef’s kiss* and I chose to ignore the things I didn’t love because the things I did love brought this up a star on vibes.

This is for fans of The Wedding Planner and feel good romances!