If I Never Met You

The cutesy cartoon cover does a bit of a disservice to this book, which despite the OTT premise (two lawyers at a firm agree to fake date one another for revenge/promotion prospects) and quite a bit of humour is actually about some fairly serious things: grief, trust, toxic workplaces/acquaintanceships, etc. Mhairi McFarlane also tries to treat the emotions around a fake-dating plot seriously: what would it take to put someone in the mental place where they think something like that is a good idea? What kind of emotional toll would the required lying, etc, take on the people involved?

The first section of the book, where main character Laurie is going through a painful break-up with her long-time boyfriend, are emotionally convincing but show more perhaps take up too much of If I Never Met You, leaving less space particularly for the final act, which felt rushed and less deftly handled. I really liked Laurie as a main character, and unlike some other reviewers here I found her growth quite convincing—I didn't see a problem with her thinking of herself as a good judge of character and then realising how she'd been wrong about both her ex and several of their friends. I mean, that's a classic Lizzy Bennet arc! I would have liked just a couple of more big scenes between her and Jamie. I bought the relationship, but I wanted just a little bit more of the swoon of it all. show less

Fake dating!? Yes please! A favorite trope to read, when done well, and Mhairi McFarlane did it REALLY well. She actually takes the time and effort to dissect the effects of doing something like this. It's got a psychological toll, it's straight-up lying to people who truly care about you (what is worse than faking it for your parents? Or his? And do you tell your best friends? The more people you tell, the more you risk it all coming out...). The main character's biracial heritage is also tactfully handled, as is the unbearable grief of a breakup you never saw coming—and the rage-inducing revelations of what truly caused it, and what a shit her partner had truly been to her.

I actually liked the love interest, Jamie, from the get go, show more and enough that despite his comparatively small presence on the page, I found myself siding with him in some of his and Laurie's miscommunication spats. He's got a reputation that he earned, and the more the line between fake and real blurs, the more those preconceived notions become a problem. It's masterfully handled, and I thought truly well done.

However, nearly everything to do with their place of work and the people therein is horrible. I don't mean poorly written or badly done, but just... fucking ridiculous. Sadly I have seen workplaces that behave with similar misogyny and machismo, so I know they actually DO happen, but good lord. The Michaels and Kerrys of this book are the absolute worst, and I surely cannot be the only person who hoped that perhaps Laurie or Jamie would at some point accidently hip-check one of them a little violently by a tall hi-rise window that happened to be poorly affixed to the building. Whoopsiedoodle.

Overall a delightful read, and also, I'm a little salty about the mention of Gregg's there in the middle, because I'm about as far as you can get from a Gregg's geographically speaking, and I have wanted a bacon cheese pasty since I read that line. Damn it all. show less

i am so pleasantly surprised! this is funny and sharp, really well written, and has literally zero of the problems that usually annoy me in romances. there is only minor communication stuff, but it's all realistic, and not eye-rolling at all. i really, really enjoyed the writing and pretty much everything about this book. i'm not sure i'd say it's feminist, but if it's not, it's just about. (the rabid feminist friend wasn't too much of a caricature like i was afraid she'd be; the man professed his love before the woman; she became stronger with him, not weaker, and more.) i'm sure that this is partly a "right book right time" kind of thing, as a feel-good story with just a little depth and some laughs is what i needed right now, but show more even so, this really hit the spot. her voice and tone are pitch perfect. the very, very end was too much. it didn't have to go that far with their relationship. it was just too wrapped up with a bow and for no reason and kind of sours the end a bit.

this shows me what romance can be, and is why i have kept trying the genre. i want more books like this, and will read more by this author. i hadn't been excited by any straight romance (and only one lesbian romance) ever, or any of the audiobooks i'd read. this audio reader was fantastic, and so this book has given me something i had really been looking for. show less

A delightful romantic comedy, If I Never Met You is Mhairi McFarlane’s sixth novel.

Laurie is devastated when her boyfriend of eighteen years suddenly announces he is leaving her, claiming the need to ‘find’ himself, and then completely shattered when she learns just weeks later that Dan not only has a new girlfriend, but that the girlfriend is pregnant.
Desperate to retain a shred of dignity, especially given she and Dan still have to work together in the same law firm, Laurie strikes a deal with a colleague. Jamie needs help to rehabilitate his reputation as a lothario to have a shot at making partner, and being seen to enjoy a new relationship with a handsome and successful man might make Dan rethink his decision to breakup with show more Laurie. A fake relationship will benefit them both...as long as no one ever finds out.

The bare bones of the plot of If I Never Met You is not by any means unique, but the execution by McFarlane has real appeal. Yes this is a romantic comedy that exploits the enemies to lovers trope, but there is also a surprising depth to the story.

In particular, McFarlane’s characters move beyond the expected stereotypes, subverting them in ways that are thoughtful and realistic. I felt as if I could relate to Laurie, even though I don’t share her experience, and empathised with her feelings and behaviour. On first impression, Jamie appears to be a typical ‘Alpha’ hero, but it quickly becomes clear that appearances can be deceiving.

I love McFarlane’s sense of humour, which can be very dry, but also makes judicious use of the cheap laugh. I also really admire the way in which the author utilises a full range of emotion without becoming too farcical, nor too angsty, it’s a difficult balancing act that she gets just right.

If I Met Never You is witty, heartfelt and utterly engaging. show less

This is an unabashedly Chick-Lit novel by Mhairi McFarlane, who manages to write so that none of her books resemble each other and her characters are likewise varied. I've yet to read a dud, although this one is maybe my least favorite, largely because of the ending. To be fair, it is hard to stick a landing and McFarlane having to do a little jump at the end doesn't spoil my enjoyment of this fun book.

Laurie is a lawyer, working for the same large law firm as her partner, although they work in different divisions. Yet when he leaves her for another woman, she dreads returning to work and the gossip she'll face. The solution comes in the form of the company's ladies man, who needs to be taken seriously by the law firm's partners to be show more promoted. They will pretend to be dating; her reputation as a steady worker will make him look more steady, his reputation and looks will prevent her colleagues from feeling sorry for her. Of course this is an often-used plot and a predictable one, but McFarlane makes it fun by providing a bunch of secondary characters who are also living full lives and in making both main characters interesting enough to spend time with. And McFarlane writes so well that her books always make for a few hours of real enjoyment. show less

I saw early reviews of this and for some reason, I didn't think I'd like it as much as [b:Don't You Forget About Me|34109621|Don't You Forget About Me|Mhairi McFarlane|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547391932l/34109621._SY75_.jpg|55135579]. As in, I saw a bunch of reviews of this and didn't order it (it's the only McFarlane I don't own). As in, I really thought I would not like this book.

If you're a mistake you're the greatest one ever made.
As in, yeah, I'll be buying this straightaway.

And this book is on my favorites shelf. It's a great, heaping pile of joy through heartbreak, of friendship before love. Of fake relationships and mending deep buried pain and insecurities. It's a side of calling to show more tell your friend they are the love of your life and learning to understand your mother and the coworkers that share your office being your biggest cheerleaders or the most toxic things.


It starts out like any McFarlane. She's got a formula. It's a formula that works, that is a heroine shattered and lost (somehow) and ultimately put back together because of her beloved friends and family. They end up triumphing. I've found all of McFarlane's heroines and their journeys compelling, fun and easy to read. But boy, do I know Laurie. Sometimes she's sharper than she means to be, but she's caring and good and unassuming. She's pretty sure of herself and she just needs to understand what went wrong. I just got this one. It never veered to quirky or distracting, or what the hell are you doing Laurie. Further, I fell so deep with Jaime I was not-so-quietly rooting for him. Once I was done getting my heart trampled on watching Laurie react, oh, EXACTLY how I would given a similar situation I smiled with joy through most of this.

"What's your...scent?"
"Acqua di Parma and success."

Of course, it's not an easy road and sometimes it sucked,and I wanted to cry too. And there's a lot of dance. I've liked all of her novels. I'm undoubtedly a fan of her writing and her formula. I think she's wonderful. What stands out for me in this book in particular is two things: the bit of written correspondence used to great effect (yeah, she's done this before and remains one of the best I've ever read) and the fact this book is just littered with all these ridiculously, though not trite truisms.
This was a category error that too many people made Laurie thought--thinking untruths that didn't add up were better than hard truths. The one about family thinking YES THAT. (But too lazy, so sorry)

All these observations that come straight out of middle age thoughts:
She put her hands over her breasts and hoiked them up an inch: Was that where they should be? Was that where they used to be?" (I imagine asking this with the look of The Dude saying "he thinks the carpet pissers did this?")


Often we lament in adult romances about how they should just talk to each other. I think this book blends the awkwardness of putting yourself out there between the bouts of brutal honesty. Again, I understand these conversations that don't quite put it all on the line.
"That's what I know being in love with you is going to be like. Like trying to keep running water into a sieve."

This was a lovely lovely book, a funny and easy to relate to couple. It featured wonderful friendships and complicated family dynamics that never suffocated. I'm so glad I read it now. Bonus points for so much Prince.
Fave quote, but might want to skip if you haven't read it.
I want that chance more than anything in the world. I wouldn't waste that chance. I'd use it for the rest of our lives, in fact. show less

Laurie and Dan have one of those storybook romances: they met in college, and there's never been anyone else for either of them. They've been together for eighteen years, and are both successful lawyers in the same large firm. They've recently been talking about the possibility of having kids. Then, one day, Dan drops the bombshell: he's not happy with the life they've created together, and he wants out. Laurie is emotionally destroyed by the end of the relationship that she thought was solid. She wants answers, and she wants revenge. So, when another lawyer at the firm, handsome Jamie Carter (who has a reputation as a womanizer) suggests a fake dating scheme that will make Dan jealous and put Jamie in a better position within the show more company, Laurie agrees to the charade. She's sure that she's in no danger of falling for Jamie: she knows just what kind of man he is, and she's in no mood to get romantically involved with anyone, ever again. All she wants is to get a little bit of herself back after the breakup -- but will the lies inevitably backfire on both of them?

The emotions in this book are a rollercoaster ride. The first part of the book, dealing with the breakup and its aftermath, could best be described with words like "raw" and "visceral." I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who's recently gone through a painful breakup, as McFarlane evokes all of the feelings. It's strong writing, but a little heavy for a light romance. Things get a bit more fun when Laurie and Jamie get into the fake dating scheme, though there's plenty of strong emotion throughout. A few plot points felt extraneous, though they contributed to character development. To me, the ending wraps up a little too neatly, but perhaps anything more drawn out would feel belabored. Readers who enjoy the fake dating trope should take a look at this book. show less