top of page

Book Review: Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff

  • Writer: Kristen Lewendon
    Kristen Lewendon
  • Feb 18
  • 2 min read

A glittering, laugh-out-loud second chance romance that reminds us true love is sometimes the one thing you never planned on.


Ali Rubin has a reputation for spontaneity. Like that time she made a drunken bet in London that led to matching tattoos with a stranger. Her joie de vivre is one of her best qualities; she lives every day to the fullest and follows her dreams wherever they take her. And now, they’re taking her from her career as a chef in New York City back home to Baltimore, where she’s interning as a wedding planner.


Despite the occasional fantasy about her British tattoo twin, Ali never expected to see Graham again. So no one is more surprised than she is when he turns up in Baltimore, ordering a latte at her favorite cafe. When they reconnect during an enchanting evening together, Ali can’t help but wonder if Graham might be someone special.


At the same time, she's desperate to succeed in her new career and prove that she isn’t the family flake. When she gets a job planning a high profile wedding at a historic hotel, it seems like things are finally falling into place. That is, until Graham turns out to be the groom.


Graham’s family owns the once-grand, now struggling Black-Eyed Susan, and he’s returned to Baltimore to help his grandmother get it back on its feet. He’s certain that hosting a wedding at the hotel is just the publicity boost it needs. Ali’s boss agrees, and promises Ali a full-time gig if the affair goes off without a hitch. Unfortunately, Ali and Graham can't seem to ignore their rekindled chemistry, especially when it’s revealed that Graham and his fiancée are planning a marriage of convenience. Still, staying away from each other is the best thing they can do, since giving in to their growing feelings might cost them everything.


Because when it comes to love, all bets are off.

 

My Review:

Oh my gosh. The drama! The angst! There was nothing smooth or straight about Ali’s path to happiness. And wowee! That made the whole book feel more real. More immediate. Just, more. There was something that was so easy to connect with about Ali’s struggles to find her place in life, her career, her family. Then the author threw in the relationship curveball of the century, and the part of me that’s addicted to reality television was reaching for the popcorn and settling back to enjoy the show. Graham was adorable. I kind of wanted to see the very best in him and for him from the beginning. I wasn’t a fan of the triangular nature of the relationship they were in, but the author made me believe in it; believe in the possibilities it represented to our leading couple. I adored the ending. I loved that Ali prioritized her needs and self-respect over the easy happy ending. It also gave us the opportunity to witness a pretty spectacular grand gesture. I’m not sure what the author’s going to have for us next, but I’m already looking forward to reading it.

I received a complimentary advance copy of this book through NetGalley.

Comments


bottom of page