Drawn in from the beginning and couldn’t put it down! I really enjoyed And Then There Was You, and it felt much more Sophie Cousens than her last book did.

Chloe is 31 and feels unsuccessful in life - the career she imagined didn’t pan out, she is single and doesn’t want to be, and she lost touch with two of her four college best friends. And their 10 year reunion is approaching, though Sophie feels she has nothing to show for herself. But then she starts dating Rob and brings him to the reunion….

I don’t want to say too much because I recommend going in blind but if you like futuristic/things that can’t fully be explained happenings then this is for you. Or if you enjoy lighthearted humor and a fun story this is also for you. Or if you enjoyed Sophie Cousens in the past this is for you.

The characters were well developed, and I loved Chloe’s parents. I laughed out loud a few times. I also really appreciated the author’s note at the end. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I want to start off saying I have loved almost all of Sophie’s books I have read. The good reads and NetGalley’s description of this book is completely misleading and inaccurate of what this book is about. I was not expecting sci fi AI rebots! I tried to give this a fair chance. This unfortunately just was not something I could get behind reading. It just didn’t click for me. I DNF this one. Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putum and Son’s for this ARC.

Not at all what I expected from Sophie Cousens but I enjoyed the surprise. I read her author note at the end about other iterations she thought of and I would have read those too. I was really into this until the last 20%. I was happy with the ending but the book lost steam for some reason.

I have read several Sophie Cousens’ books and was excited to get this one as an ARC! Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the chance to read and review.

This was a book about the pull of nostalgia and the feelings of inadequacy when we don’t meet the milestones we (or society) think we should be meeting. Chloe feels that she lost herself after university and is anxious to attend her 10 year reunion without some accomplishment to show off. Enter Rob, a match from an exclusive dating service. He is everything she would dream of in a man and is the perfect date for the reunion. When Chloe reconnects with some of her old friends, however, she realizes that maybe Rob isn’t the perfect one for her.

I’ll admit, I was a little confused about who Chloe’s love interest would be for this book. The interactions with John on the bus were stilted and awkward. Then Sean was standoffish. So, was it going to be Rob? Things eventually became clear, but it was difficult for me to root for her relationship when I wasn’t sure who the MMC would be. I do think this confusion is intentional because Chloe doesn’t know who or what she wants either. She has to do some soul-searching to put her on the right path.

I appreciated the author’s note, and part of me wishes that she had continued with her first version. It would have been a huge departure from her light, funny romances, but I think I would have really liked that story!

My biggest dislike of this book is that I wish Richard didn’t have the label of an “emotional support animal.” I don’t appreciate that John sneaks him around pretending to be a service animal. People with dedicated service animals already face enough difficulties having their animals so we don’t need this storyline for Richard. I hope some changes are made to the final story to make this a London where people can just bring their animals along. Having John lie about this feels insensitive.

All in all, this was a really fun read that I zipped through in an afternoon. Definitely one to add to the TBR!

Favorite Quotes

But that kiss … had been something else entirely. It wasn’t a dance, it was a match struck, dropped on dry kindling. Wild and unscripted... dangerously intoxicating. That was the kind of kiss people burned the world down for.

Real people were messy and imperfect; they could hurt you, break you, disappoint you. They came with no guarantees.

Did I just make out with a member of the Granny Smiths?

If I could have binged this in book one sitting, I would have. For some reason I just didn't want to put it down! I'm a sucker for a guy who has been in love with a girl for years and she doesn't know it.

As for artificial intelligence and relationships, I enjoyed how the author incorporated it. There are funny and sweet things that happen with Rob without any catastrophic horror of what technology could do to us. But AI is popping up in so many areas of our lives and this book made me reflect on how it could change dating someday.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book ended up not being what I expected it to be, but in a good way. When reading what this book was about, it sounded like it was going to be your run of the mill rom com book. I was immediately proven wrong. This book was nothing like any rom com book I have ever read before, and I loved it! it is always nice to read a book that is different from any book you have ever read before.

The big reason this was not your typical rom com is that there was a sci-fi twist to it. Yes. A sci-fi twist in a rom com. The reason I ranked this book 4 stars was because, at times, I felt the genre clash wasn't working. But most of the time, it did work.

A big part of this book was Chloe, our FMC, reflecting on choices she made in her past. These choices range from choices she made with relationships in her past to choices in her career. She finally reflects on these decisions she has made in her life when she has a college reunion and sees friends and classmates and the lives that they have been living since graduation. On the surface, it looks like everyone is happy and living successful lives, and it makes Chloe feel self-conscious about her life. With this being said, my favorite moment in the book was the bus scene at the end of the book (if you read the book, then you know what I'm talking about).

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Loved the reunion setting, the main character development, the character's family and the friend group and ultimate match. The robot boyfriend was a cute story, handled well and well as the negatives
love this author

I just read this whole ARC in less than 3 hours. Compellingly unique, and sure to spur conversation on the future of AI.

I found this book interesting until about the 30% mark. Then it got a little flat and crazy.

In this novel we follow Chloe who is not living the adult life she thought she would. Rather than being an actress, she is a PA and living with her parents. When she gets invited to her ten year college reunion at Oxford, her boss says she must go and try to get her old friend (turned writer and director) to read one of his scripts. Begrudgingly, she agrees, but first she needs a date. Next thing you know ChatGPT had a body and looks like her favorite actors blended together. Can a robot really love or is there something else waiting for Chloe at Oxford?

I’ll admit, none of this was surprising to me. The moment she sat down with Rob I said, “yeah, he’s a robot. No man is that perfect.” I thought this would be revealed later though.

I didn’t much care for anything once Chloe missed the bus to the reunion. Her interactions with John were stale. It seems like they were never even friends. I just reconnected with a friend after ten years, and within the first few minutes we were chatting like no time had passed. Her connection (later turned chemistry) didn’t work for me.

I applaud this author’s venture into AI, because it is becoming a large facet in our lives. It’s hard to avoid it. This book truly makes me wonder if we will get to the point where robots become our companions (for a steep price, I imagine). Soon we’ll be wondering which new icon is a robot and whatnot. But, I digress.

I think if I knew this was a strange love triangle that involved a robot, I would have had a different mindset. This wasn’t what I was in the mood for at this time.

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, NGL, I wish there was some sort of indicator in the description of this book about the direction we were headed in. Although, that might've been a deterrent for me. Overall.... I'd say not my favorite from Sophie Cousens. For sure an important conversation about AI. I just didn't root for the couple and couldn't understand how the FMC missed the cues before. Definitely a creative read though!

I will read anything Sophie Cousens writes. Her ability to weave contemporary women’s fiction with elements of magical realism, romance, and midlife crises without feeling redundant or cheesy is impressive, especially in such an oversaturated genre.

I have loved all of her past books, so much so that I stalked NetGalley daily until I was finally approved for her latest, And Then There Was You. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.

The story follows Chloe Fairway, an Oxford graduate who once dreamed of becoming a successful actress and producer. After life dealt her a difficult hand including a toxic relationship, she finds herself back home, working as a PA for a nightmare boss. When her ten-year college reunion approaches, Chloe dreads facing her now accomplished friends. Determined not to show up alone, she turns to Perfect Partners, a dating agency that is anything but traditional. There she meets Rob, seemingly perfect in every way. The catch is that he is an AI robot.

Normally I would have put this book down at that point, but since it is Cousens, I kept reading. Despite the eye roll inducing premise, the book is not badly written. It simply felt pretentious at times and far too predictable. I missed her signature twist on the rom-com formula, the magic that usually makes her stories stand out.

That said, there were still plenty of laugh out loud moments that carried me through. I just hope her next novel avoids robots altogether.

Giving it the shakiest of four stars!!!

Sophie’s books are usually a highlight of my reading year, so I was happy to get approved to read this new one. I would say not to read too many reviews beforehand because the plot is something I wasn’t expecting. It was a bit weird at first, but I wound up really enjoying it.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

A highly original romance with a very modern twist. Thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking at the same time!

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Chloe feels like she has nothing going for her. She’s 30 lives with her parents and working as a personal assistant. Her dreams of being an actress are dead and she hasn’t written a word towards a new script in over 3 years. On top of all this her Oxford reunion is coming up and has nothing to show for it. After running into an old friend she gets referred to PerfectPartnerz where she meets the man of her dreams… literally. Rob agrees to come to her college reunion. And while he seems perfect Chloe can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. And just maybe a real old fashioned human connection is what she’s missing. And maybe someone she overlooked from her past is just what she needs.

This was definitely the first romance with this sort of twist I’ve read. And wow wow wow… I’m not sure how I felt about it. The writing was good, and I’ll read anything Sophie Cousens writes but I guess I just wanted more from Chloe’s romance with John. There was a heavy focus on Rob, which was very unconventional. Honestly just overall a very interesting romance and different from anything I’ve read before.

Dog named Richard
Friends to lovers
Blast from the past

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exhibit for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Okay, so I usually really like Sophie Cousens, but this one just wasn’t my favorite. The AI element didn’t really work for me, and the story felt a little too predictable. I also noticed some grammar/editing errors, which pulled me out of it, and the writing style just didn’t click for me personally.

That said, I think other readers might vibe with it more if they like contemporary romance with a techy twist. I’ll definitely still pick up whatever Cousens writes next, this one just wasn’t quite my thing.

I’ve been a big fan of Sophie Cousens for years and have loved all of her other books, so I was really looking forward to this one. While this story didn’t end up being a favorite for me, I still enjoyed her warm and engaging writing style. The romance twist started off feeling fresh and fun, but over time it felt a little harder for me to connect with the characters in the way I had hoped.

That said, I think a lot of readers will really enjoy this unique take on a love story. Even if this one wasn’t quite the right fit for me, I’ll always be excited to pick up her next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lovely and light summer read! I like that the author weaves in a topical social issue but it doesn’t feel too heavy-handed.

This book was a little odd. I had a hard time getting into it and the characters just weren’t relatable? Likable? I’m still not sure. I usually love this author but this book was a bit of a miss for me.

Chloe is just over first dates. She’s tried to find the love that her parents share through dating apps, but keeps finding duds.

Enter Perfect Partners, a firm that introduces Chloe to her perfect man…who just so happens to be AI. She takes him as her date to her Oxford reunion and learns that what she has been looking for wasn’t what she actually needed.

The premise was so interesting, but it had me just a tad confused. I just didn’t feel the same feelings as a traditional rom-com where I’m just swooning over the mains.

Chloe wasn’t super likable. The Sean storyline was kind of unnecessary and confusing. John was fine, but I feel like he didn’t get enough swoon moments. I just wasn’t as invested in his character or the love story.

I loved this idea though! I also enjoyed the moral of the story. Love isn’t supposed to be perfect, but it’s always exactly what you need.

Thank you to Sophie Cousens and Putnam for the advanced copy!

And Then There Was You is a charming romantic comedy with a fun, original premise. Chloe, the main character, is feeling stuck. She’s working as a personal assistant, still single, and living at home with her parents. With her ten-year college reunion approaching, she dreads showing up alone. Enter a tech company that offers her the perfect solution. They can connect her with a tailor-made date who just happens to be a life-like robot.

What follows is a series of hilarious and awkward moments at the reunion, balanced with Chloe’s growth and self-discovery. I especially enjoyed watching her journey beyond the comedic setup to finding a genuine love interest. Light, funny, and heartwarming. This was a delightful read!

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