"And Then There Was You" by Sophie Cousens
Release Date: November 18, 2025

Sophie Cousens never disappoints, this book became one of those books I didn’t want to put down. We meet Chloe Fairway, she is at a rough patch in her life: 31, still living with her parents after a painful breakup, and working a job that doesn’t make her happy. With her college reunion around the corner, she’s dreading the idea of seeing everyone, especially Sean Adler, her old best friend turned successful film director. To save face, she takes a chance on a mysterious dating service and ends up meeting Rob, a charming, thoughtful match who seems almost too perfect. What I loved most about this story is how relatable Chloe felt. Her insecurities, her hopes, her fear of not living up to expectations. And while the romance is absolutely nice, this book is also about reconnecting with yourself and realizing that success doesn’t always look the way you thought it would.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house for this book, in exchange of my honest review.

4 stars. This is my second Sophie Cousens book after loving her last novel a few months back. I was definitely surprised at the plot trajectory of this one, but enjoyed myself nonetheless.

This book follows Chloe Fairway, a thirty-one-year-old currently living at home after getting out of a bad relationship, whose ten-year college reunion is approaching. Feeling determined not to come face to face with her old classmates (especially Sean, the one who may have gotten away…) when she feels unaccomplished, she enlists a dating service. Enter Rob, who seems to be a perfect match for Chloe.

I always love when authors include a dash of magical realism in a contemporary fiction or romance novel, and I thought the plot point as it relates to one of the characters in this book was really unique and intriguing, and definitely not what I was expecting. I think it will unexpectedly make you think about the future and our relationship with technology, and that is all I will say without giving spoilers.

One of my favorite parts of Sophie Cousens’ writing is mixing a really fleshed out women’s contemporary fiction storyline where you see real personal growth of the main female character with some added romance. And despite the interesting storyline of this one, that still reigns true here.

Overall, I found this one to be a decent read! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I was hooked from start to finish and enjoyed how good the concept was in this book and that the characters were so well written. I was invested in the way Rob and Chloe and was hooked from their first entrance. The plot was so well written and enjoyed how well everything has connected and enjoyed how good Sophie Cousens wrote this. Sophie Cousens has a strong writing style and was able to create the story and world in the genre.

This book was incredibly frustrating because there were parts that I enjoyed, but were strongly overshadowed by the things that were not good. I was absolutely perplexed by the plot point introduced 20% of the way into the story (no spoilers, but you will know I what I mean if you choose to read this). This particular plot point could have been done without, and if it had been then it would have been focused more on Chloe's journey to realizing her college love was not who she had always imagined it had been. Have we seen that story line done before? Yes, but it would still had been a strong 4 star book. I won't give up on this author, but I'm 2/4 now on books by hers that have left me incredibly frustrated.

Sophie Cousens does it again! She’s for sure an auto-buy for me. From the epigraph on, I was actually laughing out loud. Chloe’s voice is sharp, the banter is great, and the “mysterious dating service” twist feels super timely with AI everywhere. Warm, witty, and big-hearted. Her signature wit and heart are exactly why I keep coming back to her books. Highly recommend.

Alas, this one was not for me. I really liked the concept going into it of her returning to her college reunion with a perfect boyfriend. It’s left out of the synopsis on purpose this huge twist about the boyfriend but I think it would be better to include this in the synopsis as I feel a lot of people may be weirded out by this concept (I won’t spoil in this review but many others have said what the twist is if you are interested in reading it).

I personally didn’t find the twist to be weird and was actually really intrigued by it. My main issue with this book is I feel like it was trying to be two things at once and it ended up feeling really disjointed and not connected. I feel like if the author wanted to write a book about dating with an AI twist that should have been the focus of the book, throwing in a whole separate (love square ??) and the college reunion didn’t connect with the AI dating part at all in my opinion.

I was also pretty confused on who our love interest was supposed to be. We have Rob, the perfect boyfriend from the agency. Sean, the boy who “got away” that she’s nervous about seeing again (and who I thought was supposed to be the love interest) and then randomly John who was basically a random side character in all the flashbacks who then ends up being the main love interest.

Overall it was too many love interests and I didn’t find Chloe to have a real connection with any of them. I didn’t find the romance believable at all and couldn’t root for the characters either. I honestly feel like this story would be better written as a self discovery where Chloe is struggling with her identity and need to have a perfect boyfriend to realize in the end that she doesn’t need these things (which she does but then it goes on to include a romance at the end that just didn’t work).

I did really like the writing style and found the book to be really funny. I think this will be good for those looking to deviate from the “normal” romcoms that are out there

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC!!

Sophie Cousens is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint! The book was at turns funny, sad, gave me second hand embarrassment and had an unexpected futuristic twist! I love her brand of magical realism! Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam books for the advance reader copy!

This lighthearted novel brings a fun, futuristic twist to the classic romance setup, complete with an unexpected plot turn. While it kept me curious, it didn’t quite hold my attention as strongly as I’d hoped.
We follow thirty one year old Chloe Fairway, whose life isn’t exactly going according to plan. She’s living with her parents after a tough breakup, stuck in a Production Assistant job, and dreading her ten-year college reunion. Facing old classmates who once voted her “most likely to succeed” feels daunting enough but the thought of seeing Sean Adler, her former best friend turned successful film director, makes it even harder.
To ease the pressure, Chloe turns to a mysterious dating service, which matches her with Rob, a man who seems almost too perfect. Handsome, intelligent, and charming, Rob is the ideal date to impress her peers. But as their connection grows, Chloe begins to question the nature of their arrangement. Between rekindling old friendships and confronting her past, she realizes the key to her future might not lie in perfection, but in rediscovering what truly matters.

A fresh take on romance! I loved this book and the way it reminded me how precious the spark and unpredictability of love truly is. What makes us human, what do we really desire as lonely people, and how daunting it is to attend a college reunion are all covered in this book.
I love Chloe, the female protagonist, she is so real and relatable. The writing style is perfect and draws you in, I read this book so fast I was so sad to already be done!
A great read, a great romance.

This was a fun, sweet romance that made for a lighthearted and easy read. The Goodreads blurb didn’t prepare me for why Rob was so perfect, I screamed with Chloe.

The story takes a very unique twist on a love triangle, which kept things interesting and set it apart from others.

I especially loved Chloe’s personal struggles and growth throughout the book. Her journey felt relatable and genuine. Many readers will see pieces of themselves in her, and I appreciate that the story highlights that not everyone has their life perfectly figured out by their 10 year reunion.

The writing was well done and ensured I would be checking out Sophie Cousens back log and next release.

3.25⭐️
This book was definitely not what I was expecting when I first picked it up. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing because I do like the challenge myself and read outside of my comfort zone from time to time. With that being said, I think this book would be better served if it was more clear about the “plot twist”, especially because you learn very early on what is going on. I don’t think it necessarily needed to be a secret in the book’s description.

I do like how the story ended up playing out! I also enjoyed seeing Chloe reconnect with her former classmates and learn how everyone grew up. I think I find Chloe’s realization at the end of the book a little unlikely; I feel like her feelings didn’t get fully fleshed out and I didn’t really buy her proclamation of having always had those feelings for someone. But, I do think it had a good ending and is a good choice for someone looking for a romance but also wanting something a little different than the mainstream!

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam Books, and Sophie Cousens for the opportunity to read this ARC!

*review posted on Goodreads*

Sophie Cousens’ And Then There Was You is a heartfelt exploration of identity, belonging, and what it means to love. At its core, the story follows her relationship with Rob — a humanoid companion who offers security and comfort, even as she struggles with the gap between her current life and the expectations set during her Oxford years.

When she takes Rob to her Oxford reunion, it’s partly out of fear — fear of looking like a failure among old classmates. This decision sparks a journey of reconnection: with friends, with past loves, and most importantly, with herself.

What struck me most was the sadness I felt for Rob. His presence is central to the novel, and the relationship with him dominates the narrative. Cousens makes you wrestle with the blurred line between authentic connection and the kind of “easy love” technology can provide.

Where the story faltered for me was in its handling of her true love. The reconnection with her lost love comes so late in the book that it felt rushed and lacked the emotional depth it deserved. I found myself wishing this relationship had been explored earlier, so readers could have experienced the richness and vulnerability of real love unfolding, rather than just a quick resolution at the end.

Overall, And Then There Was You is poignant, thought-provoking, and layered with themes of loneliness and belonging. But for me, it leaned too heavily on the artificial relationship with Rob, leaving the true romance underdeveloped.

I have not really been a Sophie Cousens reader, so going into this one I did not have any expectations for this book other than assuming it was a romance book. This book is a bit more than that, and the romance is more of a side plot rather than the main plot. Our main character in this book is handling a high school reunion and feels like she hasn't lived up to the expectations of her past self. She's single and isn't famous quite like how everyone else thought she may be. She does a bit of lying to cover her tracks to seem like she isn't a disappointment to others around her. This book has a bit more of a comedic aspect than romance, and that is okay! Just don't let the cover fully deceive you into thinking it's only one thing.

5⭐️

This book was really sweet. This story follows Chloe Fairway and she is in a bit of a failure to launch situation. She's 31 living with her parents, not living to her potential at her job and failing at finding love or a partner. When she is recommended by an acquaintance to check out Perfect Match.

Perfect match is not quite what it seems and takes new take on AI. Overall I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was interesting and was really sweet, The AI boyfriend was a bit cringy at times or annoying but I kind of had to just let this all go,

I absolutely loved the MMC and was not expecting it at all. It ended up being one of my most favorite tropes. I'm not doing to share what that is as it's part of the fun.

In reality this book is not perfect and you have to just let go of reality. In reality this book is probably not a perfect 5 but to me is a 5 for my enjoyment. The fact I read this in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnamr for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own,

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

When Chloe finds herself stuck in a dead PA job, and an Oxford class reunion approaching, where she was once voted most likely to succeed, she questions her single status and goes out on a limb to a top secret dating company: Perfect Partners. There she finds her perfect partner immediately, too good to be true Rob. And then it is too good to be true because Rob is a human-like AI android. Set on not arriving alone, Chloe signs up for the free trial and she and Rob head off to Oxford. Once there and meeting up with old mates, Chloe finds that maybe she never needed Mr. Perfect, because Mr. Almost-Perfect was already there waiting in the wings.

In a funny, romantic comedy that picks up on the emerging AI reality, this is a great read, but also a thoughtful reflection on what AI can, could, should, and should not be for us. In the end, love wins ❤️😍😉

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Immediately 5 stars. Sophie Cousens writes books that make you laugh and cry throughout. I absolutely loved this book. Chloe's growth throughout the book was astonishing and really made you feel good (after hurting your feelings with valid points!!). As a 30 something year old who constantly feels like she's stumbling through life this was exactly what I needed. This book was a great take on being single, not quite where you want to be in life, and still being hopeful. I'm absolutely bias but, I'm a hopeless romantic. This is for all the hopeless romantics who may have lost a little hope along the way. If Sophie writes it, I will be reading it. Point blank, read this book!

Before starting the book, I had no idea it would include a central Black Mirror vibe section, and I’m not going to lie, I was scared around the 20% mark. As soon as I realized there might be a chance the main female character would end up with a robot, I was skeptical and hesitant to keep going. But I’m so glad I did, because the reality of the story was completely worth it.

I loved that as readers we had no clue who she was going to end up with at the start, and only around the 30–40% mark did we start piecing it together. I really connected with the female main character because her internal dialogue felt honest and real: she was lost, vulnerable, and disappointed in herself, but also funny and confident at times. She was uncomfortable when faced with challenges and hard truths, yet still able to recognize her own mistakes and flaws.

In terms of the AI commentary, I think the author did a good job showing how confusing and tempting it can be to bring these new technologies into our lives, even when deep down, at times, it feels like the wrong choice (like having a robot boyfriend designed to be perfect for you).

The romance was sweet and exciting. My only issue was that at times I struggled to connect John’s uni-days personality with his older self, but I couldn’t help falling for the Imp. I’ll definitely be picking up more Sophie Cousens books.

I hadn't read a Sophie Cousens book in a minute but I was thrilled to receive this ARC! I immediately remembered why I love this author -- heartwarming, sweet characters with the perfect dose of humorous reality. This one definitely took me for a bit of a ride as the main character employs AI tech in her quest for a perfect partner. I have Big Feelings (TM) about the use of AI and its impact on our future planet, so a good part of the storyline made me feel icky. 😭 That said, I adored the "real" characters and thought they had amazing chemistry. This book tackled a big moral subject and it just barely scratched the surface, which made it feel like a forced part of the narrative. Overall, cute and kind of thought provoking. ⭐⭐⭐💫

Thank you to Sophie, Putnam Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow. I went into this book not quite knowing what it was about and I was struck by the introduction of the AI boyfriend technology in a romance! The book really delves into the issues our society will face with AI in the future.

‘And Then There Was You’ is the perfect exploration of the future of AI through the lens of a romance novel. I saw both sides of the argument - how people dealing with loneliness could find solitude and companionship but how it would never be a real, human connection that challenges a person’s understanding of themselves. It was interesting to read the main character, Chloe, come to terms with the AI relationship just mirroring what she wants/thinks she needs and how it could never be real due to it just being a reflection of *her.*

There were so many quotes I loved in this book but the one that took my breath away was “Perhaps there was no cure for nostalgia besides anchoring yourself in the present.” I think this is such a great novel for people in their mid-20s/mid-30s who reflect on their college days/relationships and have difficulty in the here & now. So many readers will be able to relate to this story and I think it was such a wonderful concept and something so different from Sophia Cousens! I loved and it’s just another reminder of the importance of human kinship.

Just another sweet romance by Sophie, but with a sci-fi twist! I thoroughly enjoyed this for many reason. The characters were real and had a depth that sometimes books don’t quite capture.