This gorgeous book coincided with my need for romance—the heartachingly gorgeous type that fills your soul with warmth and contentment that cannot be ignored. I knew that a book by Clare Swatman would tick those boxes, so I was delighted to see that this was next on my reading schedule.
Opening up with a bicycle accident that saw our main protagonist hospitalised was the drama that I have come to expect from this author. Miranda has practically sailed through an amicable divorce, but learning that her job is being made redundant was not on her bingo card. Lying in her hospital bed, she relives the point of impact where she was avoiding a handsome pedestrian, now she can’t get him out of her head. She knows he’s attractive, even though her dreams only offer a blurred version of his face and a pink tie! Thankfully, she recalls him speaking with a Geordie accent, so she decides to track him down by moving to Newcastle. What can go wrong?
Miranda has a terrific support group in the form of her friends, Sophie and Kirstie, so she takes the leap of faith with their backing. Their friendship bonds are enviable, providing a terrific foundation for this gorgeous story. It’s Miranda herself who really captured my imagination; her spirit was admirable, and I’m sure that I wouldn’t have more than a tiny bit of her bravery.
From concept to execution, this book held my attention, and I couldn’t have loved it more. It oozed romance, even though it was frustrating to follow her choices, and I found myself shouting at a fictional character. The premise felt fresh, and the storytelling engaged me from the opening lines.
If you can’t tell already, I loved it.

This one surprised me actually in a good way for several reasons:
1. It's has more mature protagonists. they are late 40s/early 50s which is refreshing.
2. Has a very sentimental part of the book to do with dogs that actually made me teary. I always say if a book can make you cry then it's doing something right.
3. It's got a magical realism element to it (dream prophecy) which i loved.
4. A lot of this book also focuses on the friendships of the main character which was absolutely fabulous. These friends were ride or die and I loved it.
5. The characters didn't have the misunderstanding trope which I hate or the imaturity we sometimes get when characters are dating which was so refreshing.

If you are looking for more mature characters whilst still being fun and sweet and heartfelt then give this book a chance please.
Just one niggle. I would have liked an epilogue on this one as the ending just seemed slight uprupt.

Many thanks to Boldworld books for providing me a copy of the book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Five Things I Love About You by Clare Swatman is a sweet, uplifting story about friendship, self-discovery, and the unexpected turns life can take when you’re brave enough to start over. While I’ve had mixed feelings it was a pleasant surprise, offering emotional depth and a heartwarming message at its core.

The real star of the book is the friendship—it’s heartfelt, authentic, and adds so much warmth to the story. While I didn’t always connect with the main character’s choices and the ending felt a little too abrupt, the emotional honesty and themes of growth and connection truly resonated. It’s a story about rediscovering joy, letting go of regrets, and trusting that sometimes the universe nudges us exactly where we need to be. A comforting read for those who enjoy hopeful women’s fiction with a touch of magic.

What led Miranda to seek her soul mate? And move half way across the country to do it?
When Miranda is knocked of her bike a fleeting glimpse of a man results in recurring dreams that give her 5 clues to his identity.
An enjoyable, lighthearted read about whether fate needs a hand or not.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Miranda, a secondary school teacher, nearly runs over a mysterious stranger on her bike. But what follows is her search for this man but along the way she finds more than she bargained for! Relatable moments in this story such as divorce, redundancy, grief and friends there along the way, help to make this book such an easy read.


I really enjoyed this book & managed to finish it in just a couple of sittings. Chapters 22, 27 and 28 broke me. I was left feeling super satisfied with the ending, however. I loved the parts the ‘sidekicks’ had to play in this book too. We all need best pals like Miranda’s!!

You won’t regret giving this book a go!

IS finding the love of your life possible only dreaming about a man you barely met once? Miranda is in a crossroads in her life. At 49 years old, divorced and just been dismissed of her job, she leaves London and heads toward NewCastle, encouraged for her best friends, to find her soulmate. But sometimes things are not what they seem and she connected with the wrong man while searching for the right one. Or is it just the opposite? Sweet, warm and journey of self-discovery and second chances. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review

Five Things I Love About You by Clare Swatman

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

At forty-nine, Miranda is ready for a new chapter.

With her children grown, a perfectly amicable divorce long behind her, and her career in need of a spark, life feels steady — but a little too predictable. She can’t shake the feeling that something has to change.

So, when she’s knocked off her bike and wakes up in hospital bruised but not broken, Miranda wonders if the universe is trying to tell her something. And when she starts to be plagued by recurring dreams featuring the same featureless man, Sophie is convinced it’s a sign.

Her repeating dreams offer five clues to the man’s identity so, with nothing to lose, Miranda sets off on a journey to the future she’s always longed for. Somewhere there’s a life and a love waiting for Miranda, but when destiny finally presents itself, will she take the leap?

My Opinion

Five Things I Love About You is an uplifting read. This was only my second book by Clare Swatman but I really like the writing style. With only five clues Miranda is determined to find the man she has been dreaming about. With a great pace, this was a book that I struggled to put down. A delightful novel.

Rating 4/5

Another page turning read from Clare. Miranda decides to leave her life in London to look for the man of her dreams (literally) in Newcastle. Miranda is looking for 'Jay' she knows very little about him but is determined she will find him. Along the way she meets Matt and Gladys, they seem to form a great friendship but is there something bubbling under the surface between them? Does she meet Jay after searching? Does anything happen with her and Matt? I highly recommend adding this to your TBR to find out.
A great beach read that leaves you smiling.

This is my seventh read by Clare Swatman, and her books have been hit-and-miss for me. While I loved A Love to Last a Lifetime, How to Save a Life, Before We Grow Old, and The World Outside My Window, Last Christmas and The Lost Letters of Evelyn Wright were both a bit of a miss. I am so sad to report that this one was also a miss.

In this story, Miranda searches for an unknown man from a recurring dream. I loved the premise and the idea of looking for your better half via clues from your dreams. I connected with Miranda at first, but the more I read, the more I realized she isn’t too bright. I get that she’s going through empty nest syndrome and is having a hard time at work, but some of the things she did frustrated the hell out of me. I enjoyed how heartfelt the story was, but felt that the deeper emotional issues were just skimmed over.

The characters were relatable, and the story of female friendship shone through. This book was great as an escapist read. So overall, I would say that it was a pleasant enough read, and if you’re into contemporary romances with a touch of woo-woo, you may enjoy it if the predictable plot points don’t ruin the reading experience for ya.

Would I recommend this book? No. Would I read Clare Swatman again? You betcha. She has written some amazing stories in the past. This one just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

When Miranda is going to work on her bike, she nearly hits a guy, whilst trying to avoid the collision, and ends up dismounting her bike and falling on the ground.

She doesn’t know much about the man, but her thought is that he’s from Newcastle and his first name begins with a J, and maybe has a dog.

When she’s informed that due to job cuts she’s been made redundant from her English teaching post. Her children are living their own lives away from her and her ex husband has his own family.

She thinks now maybe the time to look for the man she bumped into and so, she rents out her house and goes to Newcastle to look for him.

When she meets Matt, she tells him why she’s there and who she’s looking for. He agrees to assist her with her search. They seem to get on as they work together. But, Miranda wants to find Mr J.

Will he be who she’s been looking for or has she missed her soulmate already?

This was a cute book but the ending felt abrupt and the main character wasn't one I felt a deep connection too.

This was a fun read, Miranda has an accident on her bike and remembers the guy, she’s now on a mission to find him. When she loses her teachers job, she’s will find him, booked a trip to Newcastle to find a man with a dog. It was filled with likeable characters that brought the story to life. The plot was fun and was filled with friendship and commitment to find “the one”. A 4 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

This is my first read by Clare Swatman, and I loved it! This is the story of forty-nine year old Miranda. Her children are grown and she is happily and amicably divorced. A bike accident precipitates some signs from the universe about the man she is destined to meet and fall in love with. With the help of her best friends, Sophie & Kirstie, she sets out to find him with only 5 clues to aid in her search. I loved these characters! They’re quirky and realistic and relatable. If you’re looking for a fun, relaxing, rom-com that is lighthearted and heartwarming, this is it. It’s the perfect vacation or beach read. I’ll definitely be looking for more from Clare Swatman. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of Five Things I Love About You by Clare Swatman and for introducing me to an amazing new-to-me author! I’m grateful for the opportunity!

I adore Clare Swatman’s books, which are always good when looking for a lighter read with a probable happy ending, and her latest is no different.

Facing more than just a mid-life crisis, Miranda leaves her family, friends and home behind to look for love. What she finds surprises even her, and she’ll have to challenge and believe in herself to get what she wants.

While predictable, I still found the writing engaging and the characters fun to follow. I adored main character Miranda and could absolutely relate to her desire for a fresh start (no offense to my husband, kids or job). I did find her a bit wishy-washy for my taste but still connected with her independence and strength. I loved, loved, loved the trio of Miranda and her two BFFs and their sweetest friendships - sticking with each other through the years, husbands, kids and life.

I’ve not been to London and have no idea if the smaller, northern England town Miranda visits is a real place but I want to go there right now! Swatman’s lively descriptions paint a clear picture of the idyllic town, and if it doesn’t exist, it should!

Give this a try if you’re looking for a light rom-com, uplifting story, strong female friendships, starting over, chance encounters, and generally just a feel-good read.

TY Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the gifted digital copy!

Miranda is a 49-year-old woman starting a new chapter in her life. She is divorced, has adult children, and her career is not going so well. Everything changed when she was involved in an accident and met her "dream man"—well, kind of. The story follows her journey of relocating and trying to find her dream guy with limited information.

This was a cute pellet cleanser. I enjoyed reading about an FMC who was younger than mid-20s. I loved the Miranda friends. They brought light humor to the story. Miranda was a little annoying. She was rigid and focused too much on the man she had never met, instead of the one she was developing feelings for.

A sweet romance. You have to suspend belief in places and yell at Miranda for making some crazy decisions, but a good cozy read as she follows fate to find her dream man - or just shake her life up a bit post divorce.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy to review.

I really enjoyed this book about being at crossroads in life and taking a massive leap of faith. Miranda is divorced, her children are living abroad and she has a really good relationship with her ex husband. She is an English teacher , has a two amazing friends but life is a bit too steady. When she gets knocked off her bike she starts having dreams about a man at the scene. All she knows about him are a handful of facts and when she is made redundant she makes the brave move to try and find him. This has an original plot and it’s so nice to read a book where the main characters are slightly older. I thought that the interactions between the different characters flowed well and I loved how the very strong friendship between Miranda, Kirstie and Sophie was portrayed. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

I really enjoyed this. I thought the friendships between Miranda and her two friends were solid and I loved the setting of Newcastle too, taking my own memories right back to Whitley Bay and St Mary's Lighthouse!

The pacing was spot on, I didn't find any dragging moments and I fully believed in Miranda's whimsical quest of searching for her soulmate after a few kickbacks in life. There was a great mix of strength and vulnerability in the characters. I read this in pretty much one sitting...the perfect escapism for a blustery afternoon.

A real feel good, pick me up read of the heart! It's not my first Clare Swatman read, and definitely won't be my last.

I wanted to like this more and by the end of the book I did but it was too late. Unfortunately, I just found the premise ridiculous. It was humorous in parts but I did not believe in the plot.
The characters are good and likeable and I did enjoy getting to know them and spending time with them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.

This gentle, feel-good read is perfect for fans of second chances and a little fate-driven magic. Five Things I Love About You follows Miranda, a woman at a turning point in her life, as she takes an unexpected detour—quite literally—after a bike accident leads to a series of mysterious dreams and five clues pointing her toward a new love story. The concept is whimsical and heartwarming, and Swatman writes with emotional sensitivity and charm. While the plot unfolds at a measured pace and some of the twists feel predictable, the story’s warmth, hopeful tone, and themes of reinvention make it an enjoyable weekend read. A solid pick for anyone craving a comforting story about starting over and trusting the universe.