IF I NEVER MET YOU by Mhairi McFarlane is Laurie’s story, how she finds love after almost losing faith in it. Since she was 18 years old, Laurie has been in a loving relationship with Dan Price, who she met in college. Fast forward 18 years and she believes theirs is still a loving, happy relationship, but Dan has other ideas. Laurie is in a shock when Dan suddenly announces he wants to break up to find himself, feeding Laurie excuses about not being ready for marriage or having kids. The funny thing, however, is when Laurie discovers Dan is on the fast track to commitment and has a baby on the way with someone else. And so begins Laurie’s journey to come to terms with Dan’s betrayal, moving on from the breakup and finding love again, but not without some drama and revenge thrown in the mix. Will Laurie succeed is moving on and wishing that she had never met Dan or be a clichéd old cat lady? Grab a copy and find out for yourself - this book makes for a great read if you have been through the rigmarole of romantic relationship issues.

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Overall, I enjoyed IF I NEVER MET YOU, but at times it felt the story could have been tighter and not quite so lengthy. This story addressed racial issues as part of the daily life narrative and did not create unexpected drama, which I appreciated. The characters were realistic and relatable. I especially liked Laurie and Jamie. Laurie is a strong heroine and I think she represents a version of today’s women many of us can accept and relate to as ourselves or someone we know. Jamie is the anti-hero who is villainous on the outside and a hero on the inside; the kind of hero who is extremely popular nowadays, in my opinion, as they are more themselves – confident and owning who they are fully. If you are on the lookout for a modern-day relationship story and do not mind a slow-burn romance, grab a copy soon.

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