I loved 'Before I Saw You' so much. This book surprised me a lot, I knew I'd enjoy it but didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I actually did. It is definitely a book that will stick with me for a long time.

I absolutely adored every single character in this book and loved seeing the friendships between all of them. I loved seeing the growing friendship between Alice and Alfie happening throughout the book and seeing their feelings for each other blossom. I loved how Alfie and Alice were kind of opposites, as Alfie was cheerful and positive whereas Alice was quite grumpy and negative, but the friendship between them still worked and you couldn't help but root for them. I also adored Mr Peterson and his friendship with Alfie and how they were always teasing and bantering with each other.

This book covered so many important topics, such as mental health, dealing with loss and coping with trauma. I thought that these topics were dealt with well and liked how the characters were able to get help for all of these things.

I loved the story and the writing so much. I flew through this book so quickly and did not want to put it down because I was enjoying it so much.

If you love character driven stories, with lots of humour and wonderful friendships, whilst also covering important topics such as mental health, then you should definitely read 'Before I Saw You'. I can't wait to read other books by Emily Houghton because I enjoyed this one so much.

Thank you to Bantem Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overall rating- 3.5/5

First of all I would like to say that this is not typically a romance book and the story goes much deeper than that. I liked the plot, the characters were relatable and at times I felt emotional reading it. This is more of a women's fiction with a touch of romance. As I said the story goes deeper than that. But I didn't enjoy it that much. It was good read and I like the author's style of storytelling and I would definitely keep an eye for more books in the future but to put it simply, it was not my cup of tea. Not bad but not overly good either. But the cover is definitely good. I loved it.
A huge thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the advance e-reader copy and a chance to review it.

Die Idee war besser als die Umsetzung. Kann man lesen, muss man aber nicht. Ich bin gespannt, wie das Buch bei den Leser*innen ankommen wird!

Alice & Alfie meet each other while in the hospital, recovering from injuries.
Alice refuses to let anyone, other than the staff, see her, but she does talk to Alfie, who is in the bed next to her.

I really enjoyed Alfie's character. I felt more connected to him than Alice, I was more invested in his journey than hers, yet I felt as if the story was centred on Alice.
I am disappointed in the way the story evolved. I quickly got over Alice's internal dialogue and started to think that Alfie deserved more.
The author did a great job of tackling some difficult topic, and I like the fresh plot. I would have liked to see more romance in it, and the ending felt abrupt and rushed.

The banter from Alfie pushed this book up to 3.75 stars (rounded up).

This story was one of the more heartbreaking ones to read. Alfieand Alice meet in a rehab ward in the hospital as they've both been badly injured.
The story was slow paced but we got to see the characters open up to us and each other.
It was a truly original story, an interesting change from the usual contemporary romance storylines.

I thought that the book was ok but nothing beyond that. Many thanks to Netgalley and the Gallery books for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for a review.

The book is basically about two people who meet in hospital as patients. It's a little unrealistic especially as most hospitals have single sex rooms. Both of their injuries are pretty horrid as well.

What I did like about this book is that I thought that it was an original story but I found that it dragged in parts.

This book was disappointingly slow and I really did not find myself taking a liking to either of the characters. It might have been a combination of the fact that I was in the mood for lighter books and also simultaneously reading a murder mystery that led me to not like this. I had to stop at 50% after giving it my best shot.

This book was excellent and the characters in the book are really nice.

This is a rehab ward and Alfie has been here for a few months. He seems to keep the ward going with his humour.

In the rehab ward they get a new patient called Alice who has been badly burnt she does not want anyone on the ward to see her.

Alfie and Alice seem to have a connection can you love someone who you have never met.

It kept me hooked the book.

Before I Saw You follows Alice and Alfie through a journey of getting to know each other without actually seeing each other.
They meet in a rehab ward. Alfie is fun loving and enjoys chatting to all other patients. Alice arrives but is reserved and always has her curtains closed due to her injuries. The character development is great and you feel like you get to know the characters. A lovely read.

After a traumatic accident that sees him losing part of his leg, Alfie Mack is recuperating in the Moira Gladstone rehabilitation ward. His days are filled with puzzle books, physiotherapy, and pestering his friend, Mr Peterson in the bed across the ward. Everything is fairly standard, until one day the residents of the Moira Gladstone ward get a new patient in their midst: the woman is brought in without anyone seeing and goes into a form of self-imposed isolation behind her hospital curtains. Only the nurses are allowed behind the curtains, and even then, she refuses to speak to anybody.

The mystery of who this woman is intrigues Alfie, and when he is told by Nurse Angles that he should leave the patient alone, he is immediately desperate to do exactly the opposite. Alfie is determined to find out who this mysterious silent woman behind the curtain is: her name is Alice Gunnersley and she was badly burnt in a fire at her office building. As time passes, Alfie is able to discover more and more about this woman who has hidden herself away from the world. And as much as Alice has tried to shut the world out, she finds herself starting to let Alfie in.

Emily Houghton has crafted an engaging, heart-warming story that still resonates with a level of emotional depth and empathy that I find refreshing. Alfie and Alice’s story is original, and truly delves down into who or what a character is rather than relying on dynamic, moving settings to pull a story along. “Before I Saw You” is essentially set in one room, and physical descriptions of the main characters are very sparse. As a result, you are drawn into the personality of the characters, and you end up picturing these people based purely on how they express themselves. Alfie is quirky and goofy, with an extremely optimistic spirit, while Alice is brooding and insecure, adjusting to a new status quo after her life as a dynamic financial consultant. The beauty of Houghton’s approach to making this book strongly character-driven is that the characters get fleshed out into real people that you can relate to and root for. I truly felt absorbed into the story and I felt as if I cared about the characters and their plights.

I also have to applaud the delicacy with which Houghton tackled some fairly difficult issues. Loss and grief featured heavily in this book, but it never felt as if the tone of the book was dragged down. The themes threaded through the book seamlessly, and never took away from the joy of reading about Alice and Alfie and their experiences on the ward. I think that Houghton managed to capture something very special in her portrayal of these characters, and with a cast of strongly developed side characters, the story really felt as if it came to life.

One area where the book did feel to drag slightly was between the halfway mark and about 70% of the way through. There was some conflict between characters that felt as if it repeated a bit too often. Maybe this was part of the portrayal of the characters’ emotional headspace, but I found that arguments just seemed to occur without cease. In the same breath that the characters made up, they had another argument, and the whole process started again. It felt a little drawn out at that point, and it seemed a little bit like an easy option for the author to allow character growth. Granted, the setting of the novel is limited, but I feel like a different option for inserting character growth may have felt fresher and enhanced the reading experience. As it stands, I got slightly bored of reading about another argument that seemed to start as soon as the previous one ended.

All this being said, the book was a lovely read, and I enjoyed it a lot. Emily Houghton has shown that she is extremely talented at drawing real, visceral characters that the reader cares about. The writing style of the book was easy to read, and I didn’t feel as if any serious themes were treated with undue levity. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and would love to read more of Houghton’s work in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and RandomHouse UK, Bantam Press for the ARC in exchange for a review.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Random House UK/ Transworld Publishers for approving me for an ARC of this book.

I requested this one when I saw a fellow blogger review it over on Twitter. After hearing that she was an emotional mess whilst reading it I fancied giving it a go. Isn’t it strange that the thought of a book making me cry makes me want to read it more? I’ve always thought that if a book can move me to tears then it must be very well written and hitting the right spot.

This book was no exception! I went into it a little blind not really knowing what to expect other than needing a pack of tissues. I’m afraid that everything, including my children and husband, was neglected whilst I devoured this book in a day. It has been a while since I actually shouted whilst reading and my poor husband didn’t quite know what was happening when he heard me shouting “Nooooo!” from behind my book. This for me is another sign that this is a great read and whilst my husband was relieved to know it was a fictional disaster and nothing serious, I was compelled to keep reading and know what happened next.

I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. Both Alice and Alfie had suffered a fair share of heart ache, even before their accidents. I can’t begin to imagine how either of them felt faced with their new futures or how I would react if I was in their shoes. I did have a soft spot for Alfie and his approach to life. I’ve always believed that a positive outlook will aid recovery and he definitely had plenty of optimism. Once I met his mum I could see why. I wanted to bottle Alfie’s mum up and take her home with me so she could bake me sweet treats all the time. Yes her smile was sometimes a mask to hide her pain but she had a truly lovely personality that I couldn’t help but love. On the other side we had Mr Pearson who couldn’t be further from Mr Sunshine if he tried! He was a typical grumpy old man who loved to taunt Alfie and give him what for, but you knew he wouldn’t have it any other way.

When Alice came along it was another person for Alfie to share his optimism with but he as surprised to have such a silent neighbour. Once Alice came out of her shell and grew more confident I loved the back and forth banter between the two. Everything from their first meeting to the final scene was perfect and showed a developing love at its rawest moment. For me this was a romance with a twist, yes we all knew how the story was going to end but the journey getting their was magical. I know the ending was a little abrupt and I’ve seen an epilogue was mentioned in other reviews, but that wasn’t in my version. I liked how it ended, it was left to me as a reader to decide where Alice and Alfie’s stories led and in my mind it was a very happy place.

This was a spectacular debut that tugged at my heart strings from the first page to the last!

Wow. This book had me hooked from the start. I absolutely loved the idea of the story and the fact it was a love story like no other!
The charm of the characters were amazing and this book was addictive! I challenge anyone to read this book and to not enjoy it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers and the author for the privilege to read this book for my honest opinion

This book was such a delight to read! I finished it in just a couple of sittings and have recommended to so many people already. The writing is super easy to read and the characters and story is just perfect - I may have even squealed with happiness when I read the last page.
Alice and Alfie have both found themselves in hospital after being in extremely traumatic (separate) accidents. For months they lie in beds side by side talking all day and night, only separated by a curtain. They have never seen each others face, and yet the feeling between them are strong and continue to grow. This is a beautiful story of strength, growth, friendship and resilience that you are bound to fall in love with. Review to come on my bookstagram @whatgeorgieread this week.

From its beautiful cover to the warm and poignant story held within its pages, Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton is a debut novel to be proud of. Although tackling the difficult subject of injury and rehabilitation, there is a lightness to the story that draws you instantly into the world of Alfie and Alice as they slowly begin to get to know each other through the curtain of the hospital cubicle that separates them.

Alice has been badly burned in an accident and still hasn’t been able to look at her own reflection yet. Unable to bring herself to speak, she is moved on to the rehabilitation ward, where she meets Alfie who occupies the bed next to her. Alfie has been in hospital for months after an accident, so a new face on the ward is an event that causes much excitement. Alice doesn’t feel ready to face the world just yet, but will the outgoing and friendly Alfie be able to draw the severely traumatised young woman out of her shell? And is it possible that Alice could be exactly what the outwardly happy go lucky young man needs in return?

Before I Saw You is a beautifully written, heartwarming book that is filled to the brim with wonderful characters and a story that’s as lighthearted and warm as it is moving and poignant. I liked the fact that there were no easy fixes in this story, something that really bothers me at times when I read books that feature illness or disability. But here Alice and Alfie’s injuries are treated with the empathy and respect they deserve, with no sugarcoating of the upward battle they both face. But that being said, Before I Saw You is also a story of love and hope, with a warm humour running throughout that never lets the story become darker than it needs to be.

Emily Houghton has written a debut novel to be proud of and I can’t wait to read more from this talented new author in the future. Before I Saw You is a beautifully written story that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. I loved it!

OMG what a journey to recovery!
Alice is in hospital recovering from severe burns and eventually starts talking to Alfie through the curtain around her bed!
The description of not only the physical but also the emotional trauma they both go through is gut wrenching and sometimes tear inducing, but overall a real insight into how a patient feels and how the nurses can aid that recovery.
I couldn’t put this down and loved the ending, a thoroughly gripping book!

Stuck on a hospital rehabilitation ward, Alfie Mack is gradually coming to terms with losing a leg in a car accident. The life and soul of the ward, he is intrigued when the new occupant of the neighbouring bed hides behind the curtains and won’t speak to anyone. Alice Gunnersley suffered major burns in a fire, and is not prepared to meet the stares of strangers. Gradually the pair become friends, without ever seeing the other’s face.

Before I Saw You is a sensitively written book which, alongside the building romantic issues, looks at the devastation and fear that comes from serious injury. Alice’s reluctance to be seen by anybody and desperation for an operation, whatever the risks, to improve her scars; Alfie’s flashbacks to the accident and his guilt at the death of his friends, all hidden by his outwardly happy-go-lucky demeanour; the characters are well created and easy to like for the reader.

An excellent story, with humour, romance and sadness, all mixed in together.

I did enjoy reading this one and it’s an easy read but I did want and expect more romance and the ending felt very abrupt.

My favourite aspect was definitely the alternating POV’s and the personalities of the characters. I think I would of liked it a lot more if the romance had developed earlier and if we actually got to see them interacting after he’d seen her.

This was such a heatwarming and funny book that dealt with a lot of sensitive topics. I really connected with the characters of Alfie and Alice.

In a rehab ward of a London hospital, Alfie Mack is learning to walk again after losing his leg in a car accident. He is completely full of life, mischief and fun and makes the ward more like home for everyone.
Alice moves in next to his bed on the ward, but keeps her curtains constantly closed and doesn't want to speak to anyone.
This is a challenge Alfie can't ignore!

And so this delightful book winds it way through the different characters on the ward, but mainly Alice and Alfie, as they recuperate their bodies, but also learn to face the mental trauma.

There are many laugh out loud moments, quite a few tears, and apart from slowing down a bit in the last third, I thought it was well paced and kept me engaged.

Recommended for those who like a character driven novel with a bit of humour and romance :)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Seeing reviews of this after I got approved, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book. Part of my reading process for any book I read, whether it's to review or solely for myself, is reading what other people have aid about it. No one would have prepared me for the emotions I found myself experiencing while reading this book, and how it was SO much more than just a romance novel. 3 stars only because at times I found it hard to connect with the story and characters, but I did really enjoy it.