This is a lovely read about Emmy and William whose paths cross by chance and then seem to keep meeting again. There are lashings of chemistry between them from the start and after they meet up again, some years later in London, you follow their 'will they, won't they' story. There are some sweet moments in the book and also some humour in parts as Emmy settles into life in London. I found both their characters to be engaging and you do end up rooting for them.

Friendship and family are at the centre of this story It is all about taking second chances and facing up to your true feelings. There are some great descriptions of the places which Emmy finds herself in- Hogmanay in Edinburgh, Paris and London, as well as life back in Sydney. For a light-hearted romance, this fits the bill.

In short: Second chances are there to be taken.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

This is a really delightful romcom, set in Edinburgh, Australia and London. Our heroine and hero are William and Emmy who meet during Hogmonay. They are instantly attracted to each other, but Emmy is about to return to the other side of the world and Wiliam has a new job in London to go to. They keep in touch for a while, and we share their correspondence, but it’s not easy keeping love going when you’re tens of thousands of miles apart. Their relationship begins to sag and then dies.
Fate has a part to play and years later they meet up again in the UK. Both have new partners, but there’s something still sparking between them. What should they do? There are moments of tension and drama which work well against a generally easy-going background.
There are many lively characters in this book who make for great company. William and Emmy are very sympathetic in that they’re as human as we are, with flaws and foibles, but ultimately they mean well. They make mistakes, they’re funny and they’re endearing.
A very enjoyable, gentle romcom.

So this is a story that begins with a lot of chance meetings-chance meetings that funnily enough happen a lot in real life, but that we won’t always recognise in fiction. And yet how many times do you bump into someone you hadn’t known until recently? How many people travel halfway across the world only to bump into a neighbour, old friend or ex? I’ll be honest, I’m always hearing these stories.



This is what happens with the whirlwind that is the lovely Emmy ( I will never ever be able to gush about this character enough!) Emmy and William have one of those chance meetings that result in them bumping into each other again and again. When the letters began I was so far in I was planning their first night together, their wedding and then suddenly realised this was fiction and so some roadblocks would be thrown in (to devastate my dreams;)).

The places we visited were vivid and perfect, the drama made me silently weep (not really but I was practically there!), the love stories so real and all encompassing and the characters simply epic.

This is a book I found due to blogging but conversely made me wish I hadn’t as I would have liked more time with it. I’m generally Rom com only but this is a wistful, swoonerific read that captured my heart and has tempted me into wider reading waters. Beyond recommended and have bookmarked the amazing Ms. Missen to read in the future. Thanks so much to Rachel’s Random Resources for the book in return for an honest review.

Smitten!

That is the word that I would use to describe my feelings about the plot, characters and settings in this book. Totally and utterly smitten!

It’s been a while since I’ve read a romance novel and this was just pure indulgence. From the first few pages until the very end I was compelled to read more – stopping was not an option.

William and Emmy meet on New Years Eve in Edinburgh and from the start they are just perfect together. Unfortunately, Emmy has to return home to Australia and William to London. Although they keep in touch for a long time, contact fades leaving them both hurt. When Emmy and her partner Craig move to London, she is surprised to find that William works in the same place. As they try to put the past behind them, can they remain good friends?

Emmy and William are just delightful but believable characters – the sort of people you just spend the whole book rooting for. They are joined by a lovable ensemble of friends and work colleagues which just makes this book cosy and uplifting to read. The settings of Edinburgh, Australia and mainly London provide a stunning backdrop for William and Emmy’s friendship to blossom and really bring this story to life.

I cannot recommend this beautiful romance novel enough and I will be recommending to all my friends.

Emmy and William’s love story takes you into a romantic reverie – it reminds us of how the course of true love never did and probably never will run smooth. But it also shows us, what a difference a day makes – 24 little hours and your world can turn upside down, inside out and back to front and before you know it you can be head over heels in love. No one knows when love will come knocking, all I know for sure that it is often when you least expect it and that sadly we can’t force it to happen – in the words of Aladdin’s Genie ‘It just ain’t pretty’. The spark that ignites the love between Emmy and William though – well I have been lucky enough to catch that same flame – and this wonderful story brought the sparkle of that breath-catching moment back to my heart and mind. You know that line from Ed Sheeran – the one about ‘how people fall in love in mysterious ways, Maybe just the touch of a hand’? Well, that was me. About 30 years ago to the day infact. I was at a friend’s bowling alley birthday party. Another friend of mine caught hold of my hand and led me across the room, in front of our friends. The moment stands stock still in my mind to this day – everyone there felt the freeze frame of time too – the hands themselves seemed to reach for each other instinctively – it all felt just so natural and just so right, as Emmy would say ‘a purely perfect thing’ – and it thankfully would never be reversed – those hands still search each other out – from that day to this. And this is what Emmy and William have. We get to be part of their story – watching from the side-lines as they stamp their feet, huff and puff and tumble down the totally disorientating rabbit hole of love.
Theirs is a tale of love ultimately having its own way – finding a place to nestle in in their lives, settling down between the happy and sad and taking up residence. With just enough balance of the real and the fairy-tale, dazzling descriptions of sky lines from around the world defy and dare you to resist the power of this story. Tantalising tastes of feelings and food abound – making you want to dip your own toes back in the water of love, spread your blanket on the ground and tuck in, reminiscing over your own ‘remembered lives’ as the love unfolds.
Emmy and William discover that love is what matters – and however winding the road – it’s the most important journey we can embark upon– one that your heart will forever lead you on in if you are willing to let it ‘as impossible a thing’ as love is.

Coffee Cup Conversations and Teapot Talking Points:
If you and I dear reader were sitting down together today, settled in at a cosy corner of the best breakfast bar in town, having both read the book, here are a few of the points we could mull over together.

Do you or someone you know have one of those freeze frame moments where love is spotlighted centre stage?
Emmy and William meet in the strangest of ways – do you remember a time where love just seemingly muscled in and took the limelight? There are many such moments in my mind – when my kids were little especially. It’s really lovely to recall those times – it makes us happy, in fact it takes us right back – brain chemically speaking – to the same rush of endorphins that we experienced way back when. Remembering happy moments is good for the mind, body and soul.
Have you ever been to Paris?
I loved the descriptions of the getaway places and the guided tours that William takes us tagging along on. I love Paris – it truly is the most romantic city in the world. I love to be on a boat going up the Seine and passing under one of the beautiful wrought iron bridges – you get to see an array of little tiny padlocks- placed there by romantic couples – sealing their love securely as a sign of its permanence, attached forever to the skyline for all to see.
Would you ever live on the other side of the world?
I have lived in Spain and I loved it. Staying somewhere for a while, beyond the bliss of a holiday, putting down roots, exploring and getting to know the locals. Its a great life experience, one I feel lucky to have had. Sometimes it seems like an impossible dream doesn’t it – to travel – especially to what feels like such a distant destination. This story is an encouragement to consciously get into the slip stream of a voyage – to mindfully make it happen on purpose. There are places I would love to go to, and I don’t want to have regrets in the future – I need to put my mind to it.

Emmy and William- two people I both loved and shouted at (using my inside voice of course!) in equal measures!
This is a heartwarming tale of love, love lost, love maybe found again (or maybe not) that had me staying up to the wee small hours for "just another chapter".
Emmy meets William, moves away and loses touch then runs into him unexpectedly some time later- although she now has a boyfriend in tow.
The story is beautifully written with great descriptions of Edinburgh at Hogmanay, fantastic characters (some of whom I enjoyed hating very much!) and enough suspense in the love triangle to keep you reading to reach a resolution for both Emmy and William.
A fantastic lighthearted read- perfect for curling up with one evening (although only if you don't have to get up for work the next day!).
this is the first novel I have read by Belinda Missen but it will most certainly not be the last.

The game of love is something everyone can relate to in some way, shape or form and yet it still remains one of life's greatest mysteries and the culprit for heartbreak. Yet the one thing that always remains is that little bit of hope. I loved everything about this book. It managed to pull me in in one fell swoop and keep my attention right up until the concluding pages. I was absorbed in Emmy's story and loved every moment of my time witnessing her trials and tribulations in the game we call love.

The writing style was effortless with characters to both charm and frustrate and leave you wanting more. Emmy was the perfect character with instant likeability. She played her part to perfection and I couldn't help but cheer her on from the sidelines in the hope that she would find her happy ever after. William was a ball of confusion for me, where one minute I understood his intentions and the next I was completely thrown but that sustained my attention throughout and ensured that I kept turning the page to find out more.

This book has everything you could possibly want and more from a story. A challenging love plot to leave you breathless with frustration teamed up with a group of characters you can't help but love. An Impossible Thing Called Love is perfection personified and I couldn't have loved it more if I tried.

Do you believe in serendipity? I just might after reading this book. I simply can't express what a joy this book was to read! I absolutely loved it!

While on vacation Emmy and William have a chance encounter and sparks fly. Forced to part ways as the vacation comes to an end, they vow to keep in touch and seal it with a kiss. Month after month of letters are exchanged and it seems like they are going to be an adorable couple. Then just as Emmy is planning to come for a visit, William seemingly falls off the face of the earth! All communication on his part comes to a grinding halt.

My heart sunk, I was riddled with questions of what has become of William. Had he had some terrible accident? Was he even alive? Or maybe he had a wife and children that Emmy didn't know about? I found myself initially mad at William, thinking he must be up to no good. Then my anger turned to worry and dread as I feared something terrible may have happened.

Are Emmy and William destined to meet again, perhaps by chance as they once did? I loved reading the banter back and forth between these two! Emmy is such a likeable girl and I found myself rooting for her to find true love despite all the hurdles she had to endure. I loved living vicariously through Emmy as she moved to London and went on her adventures checking off her London (bucket, death) list! You will know what I mean when you read this delightful book!

It isn't very often a story starts with the heroine being punched in the face and needing first aid treatment, is it? Well that's how this story starts and it is also how the victim, Emmy, gets to meet William, who is the first aider coming to treat her. There's an instant connection between them but she's on a touring holiday with her friends and about to return home to Australia so they may have met but they're about to be half a world away from each other.

There are emails and letters which suddenly stop with no explanation, an obnoxious, manipulative female endeavouring to force them apart, new jobs, new relationships and great journeys involved in this story which has some laugh out loud incidents and some that had me shaking my head in disbelief. It is a heartwarming story of travelling, seeking your dreams and learning to question your own attitudes, behaviour and expectations of others and a story that is full of surprises. This is a second chance romance with a great mix of characters as well as plenty of misunderstandings, interference and fate.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book, via NetGalley. I have chosen to read it and this is my honest review after doing so.

‘An Impossible Thing Called Love’ is the perfect read for Valentine’s Day. It is a book about second chances and the bumpy path to true love. After reading a lot of fantastic but dark and heavy books recently, this was exactly what I needed. Escapism at its very best! A light and lovely read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Fabulous!

A sweet swoon worthy second chance romance perfect for Valentine’s Day 💘

Belinda Missen dreams up romantic stories that are bursting with everything I love about the genre... wonderful characters, witty dialogue, beautiful settings, strong friendships, and humor... it is the month of love and this is the perfect story to sweep you off your feet and take you away for a few hours...

Emmy and Will meet while on vacation... their connection is strong, but can it withstand the test of thousands of Miles? At first they remain in contact email, text, all the means of communication we have available to us today... but when communication stops Emmy is heartbroken... some Time goes by and she finds herself moving to London for a new job... where.... guess who she runs into? SO will Emmy and Will get a second chance at love?

such a fun flirty feel good story filled with humor and heart... Emmy and Will are both very likable, quite adorable together, and I really enjoyed the banter between them... this is the type of story that makes you want to believe in love and happily ever after...

An enchanting and engaging romance that will delight anyone who loves the love! Recommend!

*** many thanks to HQ Digital for my copy of this book ***

I do really like second chance love stories, I think it’s because I know there is going to be some proper issues to overcome by the characters to find their way back to each other and there is a base of chemistry to build on.

And my goodness did William and Emmy have chemistry, from their first meeting they just clicked, both very funny together, enviably they are both able to concoct witty responses that made me laugh too. You could definitely feel the connection between them and the happiness that after forgetting to swap details that chance pushes them together again to do so.

I loved the letters back and forth between them, it was nice to get to know William a bit better, to see the connection grow and to kind of mark the passing of time as well. I was really disappointed for Emmy when things start to go unanswered, I know that distance was always an obstacle anyway but I did feel the sting of the unknown right alongside her.

Of course, when they meet again they are both in very different situations and there is the will they/won’t they dance, have they changed too much to get along or has too much happened in each of their lives to even think about having any sort of connection. I liked the drama that arises out of them finding each other again, there were a few incidences that I felt Emmy was making too much of an issue of what was happening but I wouldn’t have wanted plain sailing either.

This is definitely one of those books that lifts your spirits, it’s funny, sweet and has some pretty wonderful characters, if you enjoy a second chance romance then you should pick this book up!

Belinda Missen does it again! After 'Recipe for Disaster', I knew she was going to be the queen of second chance romances and this story displays all her familiar charms at its finest. What I liked most about this author is her style of writing and the characters who leap out of the pages even if the story sounds a bit unrealistic. A girl and boy meet accidentally and falls in love within a span of a few hours, only to fail in the long distance relationship . . . and they meet again after years quite unexpectedly. What are the odds?
I don't want to spoil your reading by giving out too much of the story. Obviously, you need to wait until the last pages to know what happened to the missing letters. And if you feel sorry for Emmy's boyfriend (like I felt), then don't worry, soon her actions will be justified. Then there is the cute romantic ending, a romance reader's dream. Oh! I loved it!
Altogether a perfect romance for the month of love . . .

Favorite Quotes:

‘Do you need money? I’ve got some money. What about condoms. Josh, have you got any spare?’ … ‘No, I don’t need money, it’s fine. And I certainly don’t need Josh’s contraceptives.’ He tutted. ‘It’s not like it’s been used, Em.’

Are they rated five-star? I’ll have you know I cannot possibly lower my standards after the holiday I’ve had. Farting boys and vomit-stained shoes, infidelity-inspired fights, and cheap souvenirs are nothing to sniff at.

‘All the sunscreen in the world can’t protect this pale English skin, baby. Look at it, it’s…’ ‘… alabaster?’ I tried. ‘Well, I was going to say porcelain, but alabaster sounds less like a toilet, doesn’t it?’

You’ll be well chuffed to know I delivered a baby today. Well, not technically mine. I didn’t birth it, nor did it come out of me, but I happened to be in the right place at the right time… Hats off to any woman that ever wants to put their body through that because I am completely okay with being a boy right now. If I kept a gratitude journal, it might read something like this: Today I am grateful for: my penis. W

Things weren’t great in the land of real estate… Her boss had given her the stink-eye more than once when she’d delivered the news that the Hawes property in Chelsea was a no-go, and that the buyers in Kensington had backed out quicker than a one-night stand running for the bus.

He’s a peach, Em… A peach that’s fallen to the ground and is riddled with worms.


My Review:


I smirked my way through this refreshingly crisp and delightfully written tale. The writing was loaded with plucky humor, sharp wit, and clever banter, and I adored Ms. Missen’s lively and endearing characters. The unique storylines were active, well-paced, keenly engaging, and held my interest throughout while prickling my curiosity with a bit of intrigue. How many love stories start with a punch in the face to the female lead?

I went into this book blind. I heard about the book from a friend but they didn’t tell me much.

I don’t normally like 3rd person POV. This one surprised me, it is a charming story that doesn’t linger too much and is pretty fast pace. I don’t particularly like insta-love but I can tolerate them. This one worked well with the storyline. There isn’t too much angst, which is a plus. I liked the letters chapter and how they communicated with one another. Sometimes the timeline was a little confusing and somewhat predictable. But sometimes you get so good at guessing, it’s hard to miss.


I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest view. Thank you to them, the author and publisher.

I went into reading this not sure if I was really in the mood to read a romance book and ended up emerging a few hours later after being completely captivated by the story of William and Emmy!

This is such a sweet charming story that moves at a relatively quick pace, I’m not always a fan of the sort of instant-love plot lines but I felt like this one was able to work quite well as although it was a bit of a love at first sight sort of story, the characters did then communicate for quite a while before losing touch and finding each other again. I also loved that there was a chapter with there letters detailing the time that was passing as well as of course what was going on in their lives at the time. I did get a tad confused with the timeline at points as it did move quite fast but it didn’t take to much to figure out again. This was a book that I had guessed most of what would happen before it did but still I found it to be a really enjoyable, feel-good read.

Rating: 4.5/5

Would I read again: Yes

Would I Recommend: Yes

Would I read another book from this author: Yes

A nice little read, but not as fun and engaging as a lot of the books like this about. Lacked the chemistry and engagement I’m used to in these books, was still a nice read but seemed to lack a bit of magic

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Belinda Missen writes funny, heartwarming and uplifting contemporary novels that once you start reading, you simply will not be able to put down and she is on top form with An Impossible Thing Called Love, a zesty page-turner about missed opportunities, second chances and new beginnings.

It had been love at first sight for Emmy when she had clapped eyes on William, one freezing cold New Year’s Eve. Globe-trotting Emmy had immediately fallen for the handsome first aider and she had truly believed that their love would last forever. However, the rose-tinted spectacles had quickly come off and her hopes and dreams for a future together with William had been smashed to smithereens when, on her return to Australia, their long-distance romance met a sudden and unexpected end. Emmy’s letters to William went unanswered and all her emails were unread. Realizing that the man she thought of as her Prince Charming is a frog who has no interest in their relationship, Emmy decided to draw a line under the whole affair, pick herself up, dust herself off and start afresh in London. Emmy is looking forward to a fresh start in London, however, just when she is about to dive head first into her new life in walks William on her first day at work!

William is looking as gorgeous as ever and all the feelings which Emmy has tried so hard to suppress come rushing back with a vengeance. But why did William disappear for so long? What was his reason for turning his back on their relationship and what is he hiding from her? Will it be second time lucky for Emmy and William? Or should they simply consign their relationship to the past and move on with their lives?

An Impossible Thing Called Love is a fabulous read that is simply terrific! Heartwarming, funny, poignant and simply irresistible, An Impossible Thing Called Love is contemporary women’s fiction at its best. With characters you cannot help but love, hilarious moments that will make you laugh out loud and poignant and emotional romance, An Impossible Thing Called Love sparkles with warmth, heart and humour.

Belinda Missen keeps getting better and better with every book she writes and An Impossible Thing Called Love is a first-class read you simply should not miss.

Emmy is travelling from Australia and ends up in Scotland, where she gets assaulted and is treated by the gorgeous William, the chemistry is definitely there but Emmy is due to go back home..... can a long distance relationship last? At first the emails and letters are flying between them and then William suddenly stops writing without about explanation. Emmy is upset but moves on with Craig and eventually they both move to England to work but on the first day in her new job who walks in but William...... is the chemistry still there but why did he stop writing?

A lovely lighthearted book with good characters and a bit of mystery and twists to keep your interest

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are really likeable and I found myself rooting for the relationship to work.

The books starts with Emmy who is Australian spending her gap year travelling with friends. New Years Eve sees her in Edinburgh celebrating Hogmanay, where she ends up assaulted and being treated for her injuries by William. Instantly smitten with each other, she spends the rest of her time in Edinburgh with him. But reality hits when she has to return home, but they promise to keep in touch.

Months pass and like they promise, they keep in touch via letters, until William disappears and just like that Emmy’s dreams fade.

Years pass and she is offered a job back in the UK, now settled with Craig, surely her holiday infatuation with William is a thing of the past…?

The book also contains the first chapter of her next book A Recipe For Disaster.