I always try to be super honest with my reviews and I always to try as much as possible to find the good in what I read.

The Note was supposed to be that romantic, got-you-swooning, hoping and rooting for the Protagonist kind of books and It was, somehow that way. But…

My issue with the book was the writing style and format. The name, Maya, our Protagonist was mentioned a lot. Maya this, Maya that. I don’t mind a book written in a third-person narrative but I don’t think it worked for this one. It got the characters feeling bland and without flavor. There were also the mention of a lot of characters that it was hard to keep up with and I felt some did not even add to the story.

Writing style and characters aside, it had a good plot line. I loved the idea of what the book represented and what it is expected to learn out of it. It’s all about taking chances, being brave and not afraid to take that leap.

Overall, I won’t really recommend the book. But if it did happen to fall into your lap, do pick it up and check it out

“Maya has done it. She has delivered three sentences and a friendly sign-off. Black Stabilo OHPen ink in Fine 0.7mm width whispered nervously across white paper that was once crisp, and now it is out of her hands.”

This is THE Note. Our lovely protagonist Maya has just completed her hand-off, passing it to a stranger, who, we are intrigued to find out, doesn’t really seem to be a stranger, she knows too much about him and his daily habits and we soon come to realise she is smitten. I loved ‘hearing’ Maya’s thoughts on Train Man, the name she has given him, a name that many of her fellow workers at FASH, a large “clothing giant” where Maya works, know.

On the FASH front, we have a world where everybody rushes, where all manners of personalities meet, and sometimes clash, and what with the pace and the fantastic descriptions of clothing, setting and people, I was hooked. I’d prefer to not give too much away on this one, it really is a book that you nod and smile along as you look at the worlds of Train man (James to you and me) and Maya, seeing places where their worlds could have intersected, but didn’t and I loved, loved , loved some of the near misses.

My only issue at all, given that everything else about the book, the backdrops, scenery and descriptions were so fantastic and real, was that for me the tense or perhaps the narrative in general, used made it difficult to read for very long periods of time. Whereas with some books, and particularly romantic comedies, I can sit back and fall into them, this was a book where I found I needed a break from at times, maybe the narrative was more serious than I’m used to and had me needing to concentrate more, I don’t know. Saying that the book was conversely so lovely in a dreamy way and yet so sharp, I would generally fall back into it straight away, and was never lost. Actually, I have to say this was the only aspect that took away at all from the book, everything else took hold, what with our glimpses into James’ life (a special mention has to go to Kitty here, I can’t tell you who she is but wow is she a personality to contend with!), Maya’s life, which also includes the extraordinary Nina, her best friend who entertains at kids parties (another lovely aside) and a class that Maya teaches filled with some great characters (another special mention for Velma!).

It also has to be mentioned that there’s a lovely little trick the author does where every so often you catch little exchanges between bystanders that make you smile or lean in just a little. It gave us the impression that we were in on something with all the characters, which I loved. The FASH office with its constant drama, overseen by the nasty but at times hilariously dramatic Cressida Blaise Snellman, the lovely romance, the sparkling humour made this book mesmirising. Definitely recommended, and the perfect read for this time of year too. Thanks so much to the lovely Melanie from Aria and to Netgalley for this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5/5

I am having trouble to read this copy because the paragraph was aligned in a way that is hard and annoying to read. I wish I could finish this, but it bug me alot.

Zoë Folbigg’s debut novel The Note is an uplifting and enjoyable feel-good tale about taking chances, leaps of faith and new beginnings guaranteed to make readers laugh, cry and ponder about the twists of fate that befall us.

It is an ordinary day in London or so Maya thinks until she boards a train and claps eyes on ‘The One’. Suddenly what Maya had thought would be a typically ordinary day turns out not to be so ordinary after all. Maya seems to have finally found her soulmate and the man she is sure she is going to be spending the rest of her life with. But there is a slight problem: the man Maya is sure she is the love of her life is a perfect stranger she has never even spoken to! Is Maya capable of convincing Train Man that she is the only woman for him?

Every day Train Man has his nose perfectly wedged in a book, so striking up a conversation proves impossible. Sick and tired of daydreaming about her own happy ending, Maya decides to take the bull by the horns and leaves him a note asking him to meet her for a drink. But what is going to happen next? Is Maya finally going to get her man? Will Train Man prove to be Prince Charming? Or is she simply setting herself up for disappointment?

One thing is for certain: Maya is not about to give up her man without a fight!

A magical romantic tale that is even more extraordinary because it is based on a true story, The Note is the life-affirming love story that we need in these dark and dangerous times to remind us that despite all the misery and sadness in this world, kindness, happiness and good always prevails.

Zoë Folbigg’s The Note is sure to appeal to fans of upmarket, realistic and believable contemporary women’s fiction and readers who enjoy the works of Miranda Dickinson and Sophie Kinsella are going to love this book!

The premise of The Note caught my attention when I saw it in a list of upcoming book releases so I jumped at the chance to join the blog tour. I spent two years commuting on the particularly stressful Thameslink line from Luton into London, and one of the few things that kept me sane on the over-crowded often late trains was reading The Metro – in particular The Metro’s Rush Hour Crush section. Now I’m in Fife and the commute into Edinburgh is a little less stressful, but I still pick up my copy of the Metro every morning.

The ARC I had wasn’t formatted particularly well so it was difficult to get into at first but I’m glad I persevered. Zoe creates a wonderful world, that as a commuter I connected with immediately. Maya is a wonderful main character, I warmed to her straight away, and enjoyed learning more about her relationships with her best friend and family. There’s a number of secondary characters within the book, some you will love, and others you will love to hate, but I enjoyed following Maya through a year in her life, the ups and downs of her career, her relationships and while I think it ended perfectly I’d be happy to pick up a sequel to see what happens next.

Would I Recommend?

Yes! The Note is a great read that I think everyone will be able to connect to. Especially all the commuters out there. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s spotted a cute guy on the train and wished for the courage to say something or leave a note, or reads Rush Hour Crush every day secretly hoping to see someone pop up who could be you. So grab this book, curl up on the sofa with a hot chocolate and enjoy!

The Blurb :
One very ordinary day, Maya Flowers sees a new commuter board her train to London, and suddenly the day isn't ordinary at all. Maya knows immediately and irrevocably, that he is The One.
But the beautiful man on the train always has his head in a book and never seems to notice Maya sitting just down the carriage from him every day. Eventually, though, inspired by a very wise friend, Maya plucks up the courage to give the stranger a note asking him out for a drink. Afterall, what's the worst that can happen?
And so begins a story of sliding doors, missed opportunities and finding happiness where you least expect it.
Based on the author's true story, The Note is an uplifting, life-affirming reminder that taking a chance can change everything...

My Thoughts :
From the Blurb and what I had heard about this story, It had great potential and I couldnt wait to read it.
It took me a whille to get into this as I felt much of the beginning part was taken up with Maya’s place of work in the Fashion industry, what she did and who she worked with. Far to much information about this and name dropping of charactors that had no relevance to the plot. I just wanted to get into the story and see how or what would happen with mystery man James, who Maya sees on the train every morning and is yet to notice her.
The story is told from both Maya and Jame’s prepective but I think it would of been better if it was just from Maya’s point of view as James didnt really add a great deal of depth.
I like that Maya plucked up the courage to give James a note asking him out for a drink. Life is too short and its about taking risks.
There is a lot of jumping around in this story and it can get confusing at times to remember where you are.
That said, it was still an ok read and I would certainly read more from Zoe Folbigg in the future.

I really enjoyed the whole sliding doors aspect of this story. The multiple points of view made it possible to see Maya and James's story from every angle. It almost played like a movie in my head as I read it!

Maya was definitely a lovely character that was easy to identify with and I desperately wanted her to get her happily ever after. I love the idea of kismet, of two souls destined to be together, and this book definitely gave me that!

I did, however, find the book a little too wordy, at times; too descriptive, long-winded and veering off topic. With so many characters to keep track of, I found that I lost momentum a few times and had to flip the pages back. It needed a little more romance for my taste and the ending fell a little flat for me. Still well worth the read and I look forward to more from this author.

The idea was cute, the concept was intriguing but the execution was not great. The writing style was not to my liking.

This is a light romance with some drama thrown in.

Maya is a quirky character who works for a fashion website. I liked all the clothes that she was wearing. They sounded super cute. I also liked her friend Nena. She was an interesting character who I wish was in the story more.

I liked that many different types of relationships were present in the story. There were couples who had been together for years, and new affairs just beginning.

I felt like there were too many characters to keep track of. There were multiple couples who took turns being the focus of the story, as well as all of Maya’s colleagues. The story was also a little long.

If you’re looking for a romantic story with some depth, this one is for you.

I'm very sorry to say that this book was a DNF. I just couldn't get into the style of how it's written and it's not the fact that it's written in third person it's just to much waffling on about things that aren't relevant, to much description so it becomes boring to read and the story jumps about from place to place without showing a timeline leaving you guessing where and when things happen. I was very disappointed with this book after reading that it's based on a real life romance I was expecting so much more. I don't normally leave bad one star reviews in fact this is my first ever but as this is a Netgalley ARC I have to review and couldn't possibly give the book a higher rating.

The Note is a surprising and different read. Maya  is 27 and works at FASH, a fashion company near Oxford Street in London. Zoë Folbigg brings us right into the story and we soon see that what Maya wants is to get the attention of the mysterious guy who travels on the same train as her. The book is billed as “the next Sliding Doors” by other book critics and I totally agree.  I’m really happy with the book.
I liked all the goings-on at FASH and how creative Maya was at work. I myself am a big shopping and fashion addict. so it’s no surprise to me that I enjoyed this book.
There’s a real sense of anticipation and mystery about “Train Guy” as Maya nicknames him from the start  of the book and all the way through it.
I was pleased to read about Maya’s experience of traveling and also teaching Spanish, as this is a language I have a particular fondness for and am fluent in myself.
Her friendship with Vera and all their chats over tea and cake were interesting and touching and the book was funny in parts.
I’m not exactly a train lover, but the train journeys and all the descriptions are very vivi, and the author makes the scenes on the train realistic.
The Note is a story of searching for happiness and finding it in unexpected places and ways. I’d love to read more by Zoë Folbigg!
Thanks to Zoe Folbigg and Atria Books for a copy of this ARC via NetGalley and for a chance to take part in the blog tour for his title.

I couldn't get into this book. The concept caught my attention and I thought it'd be one of those stories that stay with you, but it turned out pretty boring. I really wanted to like it but it just didn't work for me.

Have you ever met someone (or just SEEN them across the room) and felt drawn to them?

This is the root of Maya's story. She sees a new face on the commuter train and is immediately seeing how she could create a life with him.

Yet instead of introducing herself, she spends months talking with co-workers about 'train man.'

Eventually, events in her life have her taking a chance by reaching out with a note.

Delightful romance story which also has the main character realizing that love is not the only thing she should take a chance on in life. Bonus that it is inspired by the author's own life, too.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Zoe Folbigg, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

One very ordinary day, Maya Flowers sees a new commuter board her train to London, and suddenly the day isn't ordinary at all. Maya knows immediately and irrevocably, that he is The One. But the beautiful man on the train always has his head in a book and never seems to notice Maya sitting just down the carriage from him every day. Eventually, though, inspired by a very wise friend, Maya plucks up the courage to give the stranger a note asking him out for a drink. After all, what's the worst that can happen? And so begins a story of sliding doors, missed opportunities and finding happiness where you least expect it.

There's something so special about books that are based on a true story. I heard of this couple's story while randomly scrolling through Facebook, and I thought, "I *must* read this book!" I was expecting a light-hearted, sweet romance, and Folbigg totally delivered. This was such a sweet read, and you couldn't help but connect with Maya's character, her doubts, and her insta-love with her dream man. I definitely see this as become the next Hollywood chick flick!

I really wanted to enjoy this book as the story sounded so good but I found that the writing style just didn't suit me. A bit too hard to get into.

Unfortunately, The Note was not a good fit for me and my reading preferences. Other reviews I have seen are fantastic, but it just wasn't for me. I love the idea of a chance romance, especially when you think it will never happen, but the time shifts were cumbersome for me, making it difficult to read and especially to maintain my attention long enough to finish it.

I'm posting this today on my blogs and will post to Amazon on Sunday once it's released.
My Disclaimer:

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book. I am voluntarily providing an honest review in which all opinions are fully my own. I am not being compensated in any way.

~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review

My Review: ✰✰✰⭒

It’s a debut novel based on a true story. And it’s one that takes us around in circles for a bit. First, she’s watching him and he’s unaware of her. Then he’s the one looking. They bump into each other at a photo shoot and then there’s his old girlfriend and Maya takes off. So much of the tension of this story is whether or not the two of them with eventually get together. Well, I hadn’t read the press releases before I read the book. I’m so glad I hadn’t, too. I would have been so angry. As I said, so much of the tension is whether or not they’re going to get together. Whether or not he’s going to answer her note. Whether or not she’s going to speak to him. Whether or not they’ll ever get together again.

The press that I saw for the book on Google and other places gives away the whole premise of the book and all its secrets! I only found it when I went looking for a bio for the author because there wasn’t one on GoodReads or Amazon, and I like to have something for a bio when I review a book. What I found was press releases from the US and UK with the story about the book and how it was a true story and other stuff. No, I am not going to give any more of it away.

Read the story, enjoy the tension, find out what happens. Does he answer her note? Does she talk to him? Do they ever meet up? Does she ever do anything with her life other than make up names for fashions? But don’t read the press releases.

The characters were reasonably well developed. The storyline was highly amusing. The pace was a bit irregular with some slow and go spots. The writing was quite good. I loved the fashion description! I could really picture each of Maya’s outfits each day! Loved it when she decided to look good enough to be noticed.

I started this book with high hopes of it being a page turner. It was, but that was mainly due to my flicking through it in parts. It just didn’t hold my attention.
It’s quite well written and had real possibility, but, for me it was jus too confusing. Lots of different characters that I couldn’t keep pace with and just not enough storyline to hold my interest.
I’m very grateful to Netgalley and Aria publishing for the opportunity to read and review.

I love a good ChickLit book every so often. I truly loved the idea and premise of this story and I was so excited to get this one. I dislike giving negative reviews. I understand this is a debut novel and I think perhaps with some tweaking this could be a pretty good story. However I just could not get into this one very much. The writing was a bit awkward at times. Lots of people were being introduced and I couldn't quite understand how they belonged or fitted into the story. I wanted to root for the main characters but this story just left me kind of dry.

This is a really sweet story .. both in the love and the baking stakes! All the better for being based on a true story.

Maya is a three-dimensional character .. happy with her plum job in fashion and has just moved from living with her brother into her very own home which may need a bit of tlc, but it’s hers. She has pastimes out of work hours, a very good friend in Nena, but sadly seems to be missing out on love. This novel follows Maya through lots of ups and downs and it makes for great entertainment. Like all the best reads, this one has a bit of sadness and we go back in time to find out everything which has led to where Maya is now – but that’s not the full story. Life has a lot more in store for this fashion genius.

I definitely enjoyed this one .. plenty happening to keep me glued to the page. Great characters, good writing and a few high spots and disappointments all add up to a really fabulous read, and one which I happily recommend.

My thanks to Aria fiction for letting me read this arc via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.