Lovely read, relatable and easy to get into. Somewhat predictable but makes the journey more enjoyable!

‘Our Stop’ by Laura Jane Williams published THURSDAY (13/6) by Avon Books UK

368 Pages

This book is fab! Like the ice lolly, all different bits but altogether is just perfect!!
Nadia and Daniel, Daniel and Nadia, sigh, destined for each other.....but can they ever meet, through an advert Daniel places in ‘Missed Connections’ after he sees Nadia on the tube the book whirls you through a rom com of a story as they write back to each other but because of events keep missing each other....its a new and extremely up to the minute ( 2019 wise ) take on an old theme AND its done so well, really well, I loved them both, their good points, their insecurities, their personalities and was rooting, literally shouting for them to meet....
In parts the book is too funny and I was laughing out loud and re reading some of the lines, on point narrative on todays life and social media, politics ( non boring!!! ) and love, there is opinion and verse on everything about modern life and as said above all done so well
There is a part of the book I really loved, a surprising look at how grief re a loss of a parent can affect adult men, this was moving, poignant and integrated very well into all the humour, I also loved Nadia and her friends views on feminism and how they adapted it to various thoughts and situations
Honestly this book is amazing, I sooooo cant wait for the authors next book and loved every single paragraph
10/10 5 Stars

This was a super-quick rom-com that I gobbled up in 2 sittings. Nadia and Daniel were confident but also sometimes full of self-doubt, which is human and realistic. I really enjoyed the alternating viewpoints, the side-story with Nadia's best friends, and the references to pop culture, like the hashtag trending on Twitter. It was predictable, but I still agonized over all the misses and if they would ever actually meet! Deducting a star because it dragged a bit in the middle and the epilogue were superfluous and uninteresting; I liked the ending better without it. Daniel seemed a bit smug in his self-awareness, and the scene with his housemate was completely unnecessary and really didn't add anything to the overall story except to color it a bit.

I thought it would be a funny reading but... I didn't enjoy this book. I couldn't feel a great big love, there are a lot of blablabla and a several parts about friendship and an another relationship with other guy!! There was most pages with the other guy than the male character!!
I needed more of the couple, when I really enjoyed was during last 5%, there I saw something emotional.

Daniel was a perfect character but Nadia... she didn't like me.

During all the reading there was too much explaning but when I needed pages there was a couple of kisses and "The End".

The idea of the story was good and my personal opinion is that this book could have been better.

I think this just wasn’t for me. The romance itself was so slllllooooow, and it’s not like I wasn’t warned about their “near misses” in the synopsis, but I didn’t think it would take as long as it did to culminate. It was mostly their lives playing out with a romantic sub-plot, and I didn’t care enough about their lives 😂 I did like that Nadia had such a tight friend group.

There were some moments that felt like they were a stretch just to include a progressive scene (whether about feminism, sexuality, gender performance, etc) which I would have really enjoyed if they hadn’t felt a little forced to me.

I would absolutely be willing to try another book from this author because it wasn’t horrible, it just fell a little flat for me - probably because my expectation was wrong going in.

Such a cute, sweet fun read!! Loved this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams a five-star read that will make you stop whatever you are doing to read. I had read some of the reviews for this one and wasn’t sure so put it off and read something else, then had a random convo about a tube station insta story about a meet cute with a friend and this novel popped into my head, it was like a sign and one I am so glad I acted on as I loved this novel so hard!! So many what ifs and missed connections kept me hooked and reading to the point I ignored everyone and everything. This was so sublime I want to take an ad out in the paper telling everyone to buy it!! I plan on buying a bunch of paperbacks just to give out to people waiting on the train tracks because more people need this story in their lives, they need the inspiration and power that the written word brings to life in these pages, more people need to hear the passion is Nadia’s voice as she talks to her boss, and the heart break she feels at different points in the story. There are so many near misses in this story, will they ever get their happily ever after? Go read the book and find out as I can’t tell you as its all part of the bigger story.

What an absolutely fab book!

If you believe in destiny, then this book is filled with it.

And... who knew the London Underground could be so romantic!

Nadia is a feisty, successful 20-something Londoner, going about her life, ricochetting between bad relationships, wondering when her time will come. She loves sensitive men, who aren't scared to show their emotions.
Daniel is a sensitive, successful 20-something Londoner, recovering from the shock of his father's death, looking for someone to share life, and reality TV with. He loves feisty women, who are clumsy with their coffee.

But how will their paths ever cross?

Cue the Underground and Missing Connections.

Daniel sees Nadia and just knows there is something about her. But, how to approach?

Using a series of messages in the local commuters newspaper, these two slowly get sucked into a will they/won't they situation.

We can see they are perfect for each other. Their friends can sense they are perfect for each other. Why can't they just meet and see if they hit it off?

With a series of twists and turns, we see the story of Nadia and Daniel develop, and I can say, hand on heart, that I finished this book with a gooey smile on my face!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an adorable read! Nadia is not in a relationship and neither is Daniel. They both get on the same train to work, (if Nadia can get herself out of bed on time!) but they don't know this. Daniel spots Nadia and finds an unusual way to try and capture her attention and heart via Missing Connections, a section of a newspaper where commuters can place adverts to try and connect with someone they've 'met' but don't know. The will they-won't they scenario between the two is very well done. It is comical, endearing and very frustrating! The two are thwarted by Fate time and time again and it makes you realise just how many different lives and relationships we could have had, had we spoken to someone, or turned a different corner or realised the perfect match was in the same place but hidden deep within a crowd of others.
When a romantic read works well I always want to meet someone like the central character and this book is no exception because I want to meet a real-life Daniel! The book does take a look at other relationships too, mainly that of Nadia's two best girl friends and the flatmate Daniel shares a place with. Some will argue that heterosexual love dominates romantic novels and even if there are gay couples in the books they are never the central characters. Our Stop follows this format but even so I loved the characters, the plot, the humour and thought the epilogue was cleverly crafted.
A perfect light-hearted read that will leave you smiling, wistful and in search of true love!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I don't tend to pick up a lot of romance books, because when I do, I tend to NOT enjoy them. However, this book make me believe in the genre again! I absolutely loved it! :) It was so romantic and it kept me on the edge of my seat every time they were SO close to meeting. If you're looking for a good book to read this summer, I highly recommend this one!

3.5 Stars

Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams is a book that has such a fun concept. The idea of two people finding true love through a post in a newspaper is romantic and enjoyable to read about. Nadia and Daniel are both likeable characters and it is easy to root for both of them. This is a perfect book for those who enjoy a great rom-com.

If there is one thing that I love, it is a fantastic rom-com. Our Stop has a Sex in the City vibe and lots of interesting and diverse characters. The way that Laura Jane Williams has written this novel is a lovely tribute to other books and films about love by chance, such as You’ve Got Mail. There are lots of wonderful references to other similar works in the book that make it so much fun. However, the plot does move a bit too slow for my liking, which is a shame because there is so much to enjoy here.

Nadia and Daniel are characters that readers will instantly enjoy. Nadia is a smart woman who is super quirky and full of personality. I love how she is trying to make small changes in her life to help improve herself, including catching the early train. Daniel. on the other hand, is also a lovely character. He has a real soft side and isn’t afraid to take chances. It is easy to realize that the two characters are destined for one another.

Fans of the genre will want to add Our Stop to their beach bags this summer. It is a quick read that will satisfy those who enjoy a love story that is fun and has interesting characters. Perfect for your summer TBR.

Oh such a lovely book! Fell in love with the characters, such serendipity. Left me with a smile on my face.

Cute story in both her and his point of view in the stpry. It was . Well written and kept me interested till the end.

SO MUCH SWOON. I'm a sucker for notes and the back and forth on Missed Connections was just pure gold in my book (teehee). Daniel's pining for Nadia was so cute, I was tearing through the book, dying to get to the part where they actually meet! I did enjoy the various "almosts" meetings, gahh. The friend side drama was an added bonus but I was definitely too caught up in Daniel and Nadia to care too much (which I suppose was fine). Loved this one. I want a sequel :)

This book is exactly my (guilty) cup of tea! As a London commuter myself, this ‘missed connections’ storyline is that bit of idealistic escapism we all long for.

But.

The characters were NOTHING. Utterly interchangeable female ‘aspirational’ bloggers and instafamous restaurant critics, ‘quirky’ STEM ‘feminists’ who supposedly break the mould, and a variety of lads, blokes and geezers in interchangeable shades of emotional repression.

The plot didn’t get good until 60% of the way in. And when I say good, I mean it stopped dragging and making me want to throw my kindle across the room. After that, it just got ridiculously cheesy.

I was lucky enough to have an ARCA from NetGalley, but unfortunately it was riddled with spelling and grammar errors.

This book could and should be good, but it needs a lot more work.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, quick read about a "meet cute" that consistently went wrong - lots of opportunities to meet that *just barely* failed to work out. And of course, with a happy end. Both the main characters are well-drawn and extremely likeable, and I liked the fact that both of their circle of friends were an intrinsic part of the story. I would have liked a bit more time with the two main characters though, once they finally met.

My only criticism is the length of time it took the story to really get going (lots of backstory, not all of which was necessary), and a bit toomuch with political leanings. I mean, I lean the same way, but do I need this in this type of book? Not really.

Goodreads review here (direct link not possible): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2805730434

This book could easily have been named Missed Connections because the two main characters consistently come just this close to meeting each other throughout the novel, which builds great tension and frustration. I thought this was slightly reminiscent of One Day in December, but possibly just because it was set in the UK and had something to do with public transportation and lots of "when will they get together already?" I liked the character development, though some details felt too obvious — the main characters liking the exact same TV show and ordering the same thing at a restaurant. Also, the author made darn certain you knew our man Daniel wasn't just not a creep but was a super standup guy.

Romeo, the security guy in Daniel's office building who becomes his cheerleader and sounding board was, by far, the best part of the book. If he got his own story, I would be all for that.

The one part of the book that really bugged me was, without spoiling too much, a relationship that is revealed toward the end of the book. I saw it from pretty much the first reference early in the book. Honestly, a flashing neon sign is more subtle than that foreshadowing.

All in all a fun romance, though I wanted more time with the two main characters together.

Romantic comedies are not my usual cup of tea, but I enjoy following Laura Jane Williams on social media and it's been interesting to see the whole process of writing a book. As such, I was pleased to be approved to read this book. It's ultimately a love story between Nadia and Daniel, but I was more interested in the relationships they had with their friends, as I thought these were very well observed and written. A quick, fun read, ideal for a summery day.

Our Stop was a great comedic romance. I liked both of the main characters and found myself flying through this book. A solid addition to the British chick-lit cannon. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book!

A great summer read and a funny, charming love story. I read this book quickly and loved the pace of it - missed opportunities and coincidences but nothing that felt too over the top. I found the characters well written (apart, perhaps, from Lorenzo) and I sped through the last chapters to find out what would happen. I did find the use of Rainforest as the company where Nadia works (a massive organisation from which you can buy practically everything online) and Lust Island (a reality tv programme) a little bit lacking in imagination, but luckily they are not essential parts of the plot.