Does anyone have such bad luck? Made me want to cry (not in a good way!)😫
2.5-3🌟stars🤔
This story was nothing like I expected. I began enjoying it, feeling that Zara and Jim both deserved and were on their way to a bit of luck and happiness, but less than halfway in I felt the story had moved into a hopeless quagmire of bad luck and became downright depressing, especially for Liverpudlian Jim. I wish I could say I liked Zara and Jim's accidental adventure but I grew impatient with their hopeless tumbling from one crisis to the next. I grew to see both Zara and Jim as losers in life: Jim for spending money he did not have on a forgotten, drunken night of partying and luxury, AND going along and pretending he was something he was not, and Zara for her spoiled, flighty, oblivious-to-Jim's-stress attitude. It was absolutely no surprise to me that she fell for a scammer or that she relied on Jim to take care of things.

So, after attempting to skim for awhile I had to give up. Maybe the last part of the book redeems things with a reversal of fortune but I had no burning desire to find out. Others may enjoy this series of unfortunate events but I guess I was not in the mood for it. I needed a spot of cheer and hope in our depressing, pandemic world.

Thanks to publisher Avon Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

The ending of this story was completely different to what I was expecting but that didn't stop me from enjoying this. It took a while to get into it and I nearly gave up but I am very glad that I didn't as the characters came to life and made it fun. Fate plays a big part in this and it should never have happened but it did , There are ups and downs but I really enjoyed this. I recommend this novel to one and all.

I am sorry this is not my type of book. I did not like the writing style and struggled to keep reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Hayley Doyle. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own.***

I was excited to read this book because the description sounded right up my street, and the cover is just too cute. I just couldn't get in to it at all. I got half way through and at this point I still don't like any of the characters and don't feel any chemistry between them. I don't feel like an awful lot has happened to have got through half the book already! I like the writing style, so I'd definitely read something by Hayley Doyle again - it's just that this particular book isn't for me.

This was very much an average read - characters were quite one dimensional and rather unlikeable which made the story move forward too slowly. A lot of the storylines were verging on the ridiculous and I just couldn’t warm to it properly.

That said, it was a quick read - big fans of the genre may well find something here that works for them.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. The beginning confused me and I had a hard time following what was going on. I was also not a fan of the language. I don’t normally give 1 star ratings but this book did not appeal to me.

Never Saw you Coming is a novel that took me by surprise. It is by no means your average everyday love story but rather a mix of romance and a comedy of errors that I absolutely adored.
The couple featured in this delightful read are Zara Khoury and Jim Glover. Zara is currently living in Dubai, a pampered princess with no real aim in life except to party and have fun with all her other expat friends. But you sense she’s desperate to be loved, a hopeless romantic amidst a family who would rather throw money at her than spend quality time with her. A rash decision to fly to the UK and meet the guy she’s been chatting online with is when the fun really begins. For me though it is Jim’s character that had me totally engrossed in this wonderful ‘Will they won’t they’ storyline. Our first introduction to Jim’s life as a toll booth attendant in Liverpool is simply brilliant and so well written that I could immediately visualise the scene in my head and how it would translate onto the big screen. He’s intelligent, loves books and looks after his frail mother making him an instantly lovable character in my eyes. He too has no direction in life and is pretty much penniless but with an interesting bunch of mates who we’re gradually introduced to, I was swept up in Jim’s life and I lost my heart to him. I absolutely loved the scene featuring the live radio phone in quiz that sees Jim winning a brand new car which is the catalyst for bringing Jim and Zara’s lives together. His lucky day or hers??
There are so many laugh out loud moments when Zara’s world literally collides with Jim’s, with improbable (and frustrating!) events that bring out the personalities of these two so that I wished I was there with them for the ride. Zara, whilst irritating and exasperating clearly has a heart of gold which shines brighter the more this storyline unfolds.Jim is revealed as a surprising hero to Zara’s damsel in distress persona, a good guy amongst all the scoundrels and being handsome doesn’t pass her by!! He’s loyal to his friends, even if the only real love of his life is now playing happy families with his best mate.
The setting really brings these characters to life, especially descriptions of Jim’s bachelor life in Liverpool, living above a chippy and seeing the same faces pass by his toll booth daily. Dubai, by comparison, only serves to highlight their two very different worlds.
This was an addictive read for me and speaks volumes about missed opportunities and taking chances in life. It’s about letting go of the past and embracing the future, wherever that may take you. Strong family loyalties and taking responsibility for his mother have kept Jim grounded and stuck in a rut but his chance encounter with Zara proves it’s never too late to realise your dreams. To that extent Zara is the braver of the two as well as being more foolhardy but they seem to compliment each other well.
Funny, uplifting and heartwarming to read the style is easy, with the narrative switching between the two characters, giving their differing perspectives on the same situations. I really enjoyed the comedy of errors element, which cannot fail to make you smile. With a sliding doors type touch to the ending, you may be surprised by the final pages but ultimately glad to have discovered such a joyous read. Perfect for fans of Beth O’Leary and Josie Silver.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

From the very beginning of NEVER SAW YOU COMING, I was thoroughly charmed. Zara and Jim would never meet in the normal course of their lives, but a chance encounter changes everything for them, in what they are willing to risk, to do, to take a chance on doing for themselves -- and ultimately for one another. The chemistry between this pair is remarkable, funny and fast and totally believable and I loved spending time with them in this exceptionally well-paced, well-done story. Quick read -- but be prepared to stay up late reading if you're not far enough along. Wonderful settings, lovely experience with this world!

Did not lové this book. It was ok but nothing more. It felt like a bit of a chore to have to puck it up and read it and there never really seemed to be anything of substance come up

Jim was quite a nice - but boring - character. I kept wishing he would show some personality. Zara was quite unlikeable and I didn’t warm to her at all at my point in the book

The book plods along and is inoffensive but not a great read. On thé up side it did make me rethink moving to Dubai which is something I have previously considered !

All in all I enjoyed this book. The writing style was fabulous and the Scouser accent came across well because of that.

The story is quite simple and and cute, a character development can be observed but I struggled to see the shift from these two characters being annoyed with each other to being friends with a romantic interest in each other.

I also really liked all the supporting characters and friends of Jim.

I loved that this wasn’t your typical romance novel if that’s what your expecting then your in for a lovely surprise.. it had so many twists and turns to keep me on my toes. Jim and Zara’s story is told with humour and heart. It broke my heart and mended it so many times. A strong debut.. A highly recommend you give it a read. ThankYou to Avon books for the approval in return for an honest review and to netgalley..

I absolutely fell in love with this book instantly. Such a wonderful story that I didn't want to end. The characters were written perfectly especially Jim who I just fell in love with. I wanted him to have everything in life and felt like I actually knew him. I really really hope there is a sequel but I have a feeling there won't so I shall let my imagination write the next chapter. Fantastic book that I'm already recommending to all my friends and family

Zara and Jim lived in two separate worlds until.....Zara packed up her life and impulsively moves to Liverpool for a man she's never met in person. She's lived all over the world but her most recent stop at her father's house in Dubai didn't feel like home. Jim's lived a small life and when he wins a BMW, he's thrilled. He's got plans to sell the car and use the proceeds for, well lot of things. When these two crash into one another, all their plans change. You can guess where this is going to go but that's ok because Doyle has written some great characters (not just these two but also others who pop in and out) you will root for. She's a good storyteller. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Pick this one to take your mind off current events!

I would like to thank Avon for sending me a copy of the book (including props) and to be apart of the blog tour.
I was intrigued by the blurb on the back and excited by the cover which is really lovely. This story follows two people who meet by chance, fate brings them together but at the same time keeps them apart. Each chapter is told by either Zara or Jim and by alternating between the two you gain a real insight into what each character is thinking which is integral to the story and is written in such a way that the words just flow and you cannot help but be brought into the story as it unfolds.
Zara believes in love, despite unsuccessful relationships and a difficult upbringing and makes an epic decision to move from Dubai to Liverpool to be with the one she loves. Jim on the other hand is stuck in a rut after loosing his dad and has lost himself, his life hasn't planned out how he wanted it to but things change and a chain of events leads to these two meeting and an epic journey begins.
Jim and Zara are brilliant characters and I really enjoyed getting to know them, both are different but at the same time the same and it makes for a really interesting read. So many emotions fly out at you during this epic read, I found myself laughing one minute then shaking the book in frustration to crying. Just what you want in a heart warming and beautifully real love story.
I would love to hear more from these two characters.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Never Saw You Coming’ by Hayley Doyle in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Zara Khoury leaves her home in Dubai to travel to Liverpool in search of love little does she realise that a collision between her aging Peugeot and Jim Glover’s brand new BMW is going to result in an unexpected romance.

‘Never Saw You Coming’ has been well-written with likeable characters and an interesting plot but I got the impression it was for a younger reader than myself and I found it difficult to get into. It won’t stop me looking for another novel by this author but I’m afraid this one just wasn’t for me.

After reading so many high reviews, I feel bad for not enjoying it more. "Never Saw You Coming" was just not for me.

"Never Saw You Coming" focuses on Zara and Jim, two unlikable characters that don't have much chemistry with each other. Zara and Jim are pushed together in increasingly unlikely situations-their actions with each other don't really make sense since neither of them are doing much more than small talk. Zara constantly wonders why Jim is acting bi-polar and gets frustrated that he does not open up to her at all. Jim mentions how annoying Zara is by talking about herself and making stupid choices. Zara instantly falls in love with every man she meets. So boom. Romance. I just didn't get it and felt that these two characters didn't really make much sense.

I did give this book two stars because I found the secondary characters cute. They were about as believable as the romance, but they were fun to read.

This has been tagged as an "unlikely" romance. As most of the book takes place in one day, I agree that it is unlikely. On a positive note, it is an easy and short read. Thank you Avon Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

25% of the way in and I really don't care about either character or what happens to them. There is a lot of information that is bogging the plot down and secondary characters that I couldn't care less about.

I am not connecting to the writing style at all which is making this feel like a chore to get through. This is unfortunately going to be a DNF for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Down to earth and downright funny. Jim is a train wreck waiting to happen but he’s just so human and made me laugh. The story is light hearted and so easy to read. I loved our two main characters; stumbling through a day of utter chaos.
It just felt like the sort of thing that could happen between two young people trying to find their way in life and maybe not even aware of that fact.
Maybe the story was telling us to reach out and grab what we want from life and to be open to change. As perhaps, what we think we want might not be what we want after all. At least, not yet.
Great story. Loved it.

I really enjoyed this heartwarming tale, full of memorable characters. The descriptions of both Liverpool and Dubai make me want to visit as they are both beautifully described. Would make a brilliant film.

I couldn’t love this book more! Super quick read, mainly because you’re desperate to see what’s coming next. Highly recommend