This book was sooo sad and beautiful! I shed a few tears whilst reading it and boy was it such a heartbreaking story.

Alfie and Alice meet in hospital after both having been in life changing accidents.
Their beds are next to each other but they have never seen each other as the curtain is always drawn.

As they get to know each other they realise there might be more to it than just friendship. But.. can you really fall in love with someone you’ve never seen?

This is Emily Houghton debut novel and what an incredible one it is!
Despite the sad subject it is a heartwarming and emotional read that will have you rooting for Alfie and Alice. The perspective switches from one to the other allowing us to get to know them.
There is also a host of supporting characters who are all very likeable from Alfie’s mum, to Sarah and Mr Peterson.
I gave the book four stars as I felt the ending was a bit rushed and it would have been nice if it had gone into a bit more detail (trying not to spoil it here).
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for letting me review this book.

I was first drawn in by the cover (the pink and yellow one) and blurb of Before I Saw You. The idea of two people tragically injured and building a friendship (later turning into love) while recovering side-by-side in hospital behind closed curtains seems incredibly sweet and such an amazing premise.

However, unfortunately, the story itself fell a little flat for me. It was very slow going and I really struggled to like either of the main characters. That being said, this book is very character driven and heavily relies on developing the communication between characters so it was really wonderful to see how the author was able to portray that.

This book was very different from the usual types of romances I read, so I definitely have a differing opinion on it. There were a few moments I liked and several that weren't my cup of tea; but overall, I'm glad to have picked it up and given it a go.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Random House UK and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

As a side note (and unrelated to the review of the actual story), the pink and yellow version of the book cover is quite misleading. The tragic accidents that occur for the main characters are about Alfie losing his leg and Alice having significant burns across her body. The pink and yellow cover does not show or even allude to these injuries and given that its a huge aspect of the story, I feel like it was a bit of a missed opportunity to further emphasise this book has diverse characters.

When I read the blurb for this book I liked the sound of it.

It is an easy read, predictable but that is alright. It was a bit slow and lacked real action and a lot of things didn't ring true to life. I think with a little more research it could have improved the book immensely.

I liked the book but didn't love it, it was just ok.

3 stars.

Alice Gunnersley is in the Moria Gladstone ward at St Francis hospital for rehabilitation after she was seriously injured after an office fire. There she meets Alfie Mack who has had his leg amputated after a car accident.
The story is about the relationship that develops between the pair after there beds are placed next to each other on the ward.

This is a very slow paced book and not much happens between the pair apart from a lot of talking through closed bed curtains.

I did not love this book and really struggled to finish it. Alice was very hard to like and Alfie was just an annoying brother type that won’t shut up. I just could not relate to the characters or the story.

I loved this book! It was funny, it made me cry and it had a great message - it’s not what you look like but who you are as a person that counts. I liked all of the characters and found this such an easy read. I liked flitting between the two characters and getting to know them both. The story ended really abruptly and I’m told that there is an epilogue that I’m missing so I’m looking forward to reading that to round off the story!

Before I Saw You is a well-written novel told from Alice and Alfie's perspectives. The two are long-term residents in a hospital and sleep a few feet apart, but have never met face-to-face. This character-driven novel follows them as they navigate their new lives and blossoming relationship.

The writing had a slightly cheesy, predictable Hallmark vibe, but I liked that they were complete opposites - Alfie was chatty while Alice was a more solitary character. However, I thought it was quite slow-paced and then the ending seemed unnecessarily abrupt. Overall, if you like stories like Me Before You and Five Feet Apart, I believe you'll enjoy Before I Saw You.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC - all opinions are my own.

A well-written, nice romantic easy-read, with well-drawn, memorable characters, short chapters alternating between the two main characters that make the pages go by quickly, and an ending that is, admittedly a little abrupt but very cinematic.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for review.

Book: Before I Saw You
Author: Emily Houghton
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

CAN YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN?

Alice and Alfie are strangers. But they sleep next to each other every night.
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TW: death, suicide, depression and negative self worth. Mentions of HP books.
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This is a cute book overall but with some seriously dark undertones. The two main characters have been in major accidents and the narrative explores their deepest, darkest thoughts and feelings whilst coming to terms with their situation.
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The book is told from the perspective of Alfie who's been in a car crash and Alice who escaped from a fire. They're in adjacent beds in hospital, but Alice wants to be left alone and refuses to speak or be seen. She is very bitter and rude to everyone (except the nurses), but over time, happy-go-lucky Alfie slowly manages to win her round and get her to speak.
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The whole book takes place inside the hospital ward, with various other patients and nurses alongside. I really liked Mr P and Nurse Angles. Their characters seemed to have such a warmth about them which resulted in a lot of funny banter in the ward, that I loved!

The book was a bit of a slow starter and at 80% I was just wanting it to be over as I felt it was dragging a lot. The book is pitched as a romance (?) but I just didn't feel this supposedly deep, "love" connection between Alfie and Alice. The end just kind of left us hanging as well! No romance actually happened in the book apart from a few late night conversations and holding hands? I feel very confused 😂

I would recommend this book to fans of Beth O'Leary (The Flat Share and The Switch) as it had similar vibes with Alice and Alfie getting to know each other for a long time before actually meeting each other and also the cute older characters in the hospital.

However I wouldn't pitch this as a rom-com book. I felt it was much more about mental health and the dark place your mind can go to after a life changing accident. I still enjoyed the book for the most part, it just wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be.

Thank you NetGalley and Transworld for the advanced copy.

This book was utterly stunning. It had me hooked from the get-go and from about half way through I was balling my eyes out. An emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, and so beautiful.

I read BEFORE I SAW YOU for the #Uplitathon weekend and oh....all the feels!! 🥰

Alice and Alfie are strangers. But they sleep next to each other every night....oh and how I feel in love with them both. I was invested in their stories and they felt like mates. Both are struggling to come to terms with life changing injuries and the author deals with this in a really compassionate and honest way. I liked how the narrative switched perspectives between the pair yet it never lost the flow of the story; the style really reminded me of The Flatshare.

I lost track of how many times I ugly cried 😭 classic me! 😂 The whole hospital gang were fabulous and I just love stories that leave you feeling hopeful and uplifted. And you can’t beat a bit of romance 😏 And Alfie!!!!🔥 I didn’t want it to end. Think I was in the mood for something emotional and life affirming.💕

I love a debut and this is a corker! Read it when you are in the mood for something uplifting and want a good cry.

“Our scars are simply the marks of our stories. They show we’ve lived our life, and most of all, that we have survived it.”

Before I Saw You; can you fall in love with someone you’ve never seen?

Published in hardback this week on Thursday 4th February, Before I Saw You is deemed to be one of the major romance debut novels of 2021. Written by Emily Houghton, this is a heart warming read that definitely has a romantic element running through it. It is also such an easy, lovely read that takes you to the core of the story straight away.

But for me, the true strength in this novel is it’s portrayal of the power of human connection, kindness and vulnerability. This novel also includes one of the most beautiful and profound statements I think I have ever read:

"Our scars are simply the marks of our stories. They show we’ve lived our life, and most of all that we have survived it. Don’t hide your story away in the shadows."

I love these words, and as a reader, really resonate with me.

Before I Saw You is the story of Alfie and Alice. They meet as patients in a rehabilitation hospital ward; Alfie has recently had his leg amputated after a traumatic accident and Alice’s body is badly burnt after being trapped in a fire. With their hospital beds side by side, Alfie and Alice tentatively begin to make a connection. They sleep next to each other, talk, argue, joke and at times flirt. But yet they never see each other as Alice insists that the curtain around her hospital bed remains closed. She doesn’t want anyone to see her, and as she tries to come to terms with her injuries as well as make sense of her feelings towards Alfie, she especially doesn’t want him to see her.

I know this seems to be heavy subject matter, but I swear it’s not. Skilfully Emily Houghton has created a joyful and heart warming read that has authenticity and depth. Straight away I was emotionally investing in Alfie and Alice. They are chalk and cheese – on the surface Alfie is a joker, always seeing the positive in situations and Alice is a workaholic who feels she does not need to rely on anyone but her self. But as the story develops and more about these lovely, likeable characters is revealed, we see that not all is what it seems.

Before I Saw You also profoundly explores that all consuming question – can you really fall in love with someone you’ve never seen…

I need to point out that this book does not make light of disability and trauma. As I am someone really quite involved in disability rights, I really commend and admire Emily Houghton’s emotionally intelligent portrayal of disability, injury and recovery.

I found myself racing through this book – it’s so easy and compelling to read. I enjoyed the whole story, but it was the last few chapters that really grabbed at my heart. I finished this book with tears streaming down my face.

Thank you Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to read and review Before I Saw You as part of the blog tour. If you want your heart to be warmed, read this book!

Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton is a romantic novel with a difference. Set on a ward in a rehabilitation hospital, the protagonists, Alice and Alfie, are in neighbouring beds but haven’t seen one another. Alice has been severely burned in a fire at her office and wants to remain hidden. She spends her days with the curtains pulled tight around her bed, only allowing medical staff to enter. Alfie, recovering from a devastating road traffic accident in which he lost his leg, is the life and soul of the ward and dedicates himself to bringing the almost mute Alice out of her shell.

Alice is a workaholic whose life, prior to the fire, is small. Her best friend lives in Australia, she is estranged from her parents and she lives to work rather than working to live. She carries mental scars from her childhood and the fire deepens these, causing her to teeter on the edge of depression. She has built metaphorical walls around herself and uses the curtains around her bed as a physical barrier. Even the reader is kept at a slight distance from her; she is almost impenetrable and slightly unlikeable at times but is slowly revealed to us as the wall is dismantled brick by brick.

Alfie is the complete opposite to Alice. He is outgoing, gregarious and has a strong bond with the other patients in the ward. He is warm and friendly and can’t initially understand why Alice would choose to remain silent and hide behind the curtains. It is through Alfie that we see the other patients and their challenges and difficulties and it his personality and caring nature which motivates them and keeps their spirits up.

They appear to be complete opposites but as Alfie penetrates Alice’s defences it becomes clear that they are more similar than they initially thought. There are some lovely moments where they reveal their hopes and fears and we really get to know them and root for their burgeoning relationship. Of course the path of true love never runs smoothly, especially when one of them doesn’t want to be seen.

Told from both of their perspectives (one of my favourite narrative structures) and filled with pathos and humour it skips along at a great pace. The ending felt a little rushed but it is a really good character led book which I really enjoyed reading and thought about long after I had finished it. It delves into a myriad of themes and examines vulnerability in both sexes, exploring mental health and emotional trauma in a sensitive and heartfelt way. Recommended.

I actually enjoyed this book more than I was anticipated, it wasn't the best book I have ever read but it was solid enough. The first few chapters were abit slow to get through but they soon picked up and made the story flow a lot more. I enjoyed our characters and the relationship between the two in the end it was so cute to read about.

Title: Before I Saw You
Author: Emily Houghton
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pages: 384
Rating: 4.5/5

A huge thank you to Emily Houghton, Penguin Random House and Random Things Tours for letting me read and review this lovely book.

Synopsis:

Alfie Mack has been recovering in hospital for months after an accident that resulted in the loss of his leg. Despite his own battles he brings lightness to the ward and the other patients are like family to him. When a new patient is moved into the bed next to him, he is delighted to have someone new to entertain.
Alice has been badly burnt and she can not bare to look at her disfigured face, keeping her curtains firmly closed at all times, she hides away from the world. This doesn’t stop Alfie trying to connect with her though, her silence only making him more determined. Slowly, he starts to bring her out of her shell, their friendship begins to blossom and Alife soon finds he is infatuated with Alice despite not seeing her, but will she ever allow herself to be seen?

Review:
After reading the description I knew I wanted to pick this book up because I was intrigued to see how it would develop because I loved the concept. The reviews looked promising too but I didn’t read any because I wanted to find out for myself and I was excited to do so. Let’s just say I was not disappointed!

I connected with the tone instantly and the author’s writing style. The jumps in perspectives of Alice and Alfie were easy to follow and clear and I really liked the pace in which the story moved at. It wasn’t rushed, just like recoveries can not be rushed.

I found all the characters in the book to be likeable, I was eager to see how Alice would develop, but the one who really stole my hear was Alfie. I loved his personality and adored the way in which he kept others going despite what he was going through himself. I honestly admired his strength both mentally and physically. Alfie’s outlook on life was amazing and I felt you could really learn a few things from him.

Both characters had their own stories, they were both intriguing stories and both very different. I enjoyed the fact the author painted a full picture of them both because this made them feel more real to me. I also found it quite powerful and clever that there was 1 main scene for the story throughout, to keep the reader’s attention with this in mind is quite admirable.

Before I Saw You was quite emotional in places, so the humour was a welcome breath of fresh air, I caught myself smiling a few times so thank you to the author for this. I was very eager to finish this book, simply because I wanted to see what would happen, but then I was rather gutted when I did finish.
This heart warming read, full of tender and sweet moments was not a in your face romance. It was a different kind of love story that tugged on my heart strings and I couldn’t put it back down once I started; it was devoured in one sitting. This is Emily’s debut novel but I will definitely be keeping my eye out for her in the future!

I was intrigued by the concept of this book and if you are looking for a romance novel with an unusual storyline, an easy read but one that will make you laugh and cry in equal measures, you will enjoy this.

Alice and Alfie have both been in life-changing accidents - Alice has been badly burned in an office fire, Alfie has lost a leg in a car accident. Recovering on the same rehab ward, they get to know each other - but Alice is so ashamed of her injuries she refuses to let anyone see her, so it is a relationship that develops entirely through conversation as she stays hidden behind her curtains.

Whilst billed as a romance, that feels in many ways like a side element of the story. Told from alternating points of view, Houghton does a good job of characterisation as Alice and Alfie both go on their own emotional journeys as they try and come to terms with what has happened, and we learn much about what has made them the people they are. There are also some great supporting characters really well brought to life - the other people in the ward (though I did struggle with the concept of a mixed ward in this day and age, as well as patients with such an apparently diverse range of illnesses all being in the same ward), as well as Nurse Angles, Alfie's well-meaning but slightly overbearing mum, and Alice's best friend who flies from Australia so see her.

Houghton impressively deals with some serious topics whilst at the same time injecting plenty of humour, without it ever feeling crass. My only frustration was that the ending felt somewhat rushed - having focused most of the book on the time in hospital, Alice and Alfie's return to normal life feels squeezed in and the ending seemed rather abrupt after such a long build up. That said, it was an enjoyable and heartwarming read, and I look forward to seeing what Houghton writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton

This is a sweet, romantic book about friendship, healing and falling in love, set on the rehabilitation ward of a hospital. It’s a light, enjoyable, easy read with a predictable but satisfying ending. The kind of book to read when you need a little bit of heart-warming in your life.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Random house for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Oh my goodness. Before I Saw You has my whole heart! Emily Houghton has written such a beautiful story that asks the question, can you fall in love with someone you’ve never actually seen?

Alfie and Alice were both such great characters with such tragic and interesting back stories that led them to their hospital beds next to each other. I love me a good dual narrative and this one did not let me down! Reading their thoughts alongside their conversations gave us such an insight to their characters and just made me love them even more. Plus the chapters were quite short which just meant that I always wanted to read ‘just one more’ and couldn’t put it down!

Although I loved both of our protagonists in this book, Alfie stole my heart that little bit more. I think everyone needs an Alfie in their lives. He’s just such a lovely person to be around and you know he’ll always be there for you if you need him. He’s just what Alice needs to help her through her recovery.

At first I was really torn whether to give this book a 4 or 5 star rating. I adored it but the ending felt too abrupt for me. But then I found out that other NetGalley readers had an epilogue on their copies and a friend sent me the epilogue to read and as soon as I read it I knew it was a 5 star read! That epilogue tied everything up just how I wanted it to, and gave it that perfect ending I thought I was missing. And yes...I obviously cried at this book, making it my first tear jerker read of 2021 👏🏼 😂

I had had my eye on this book for so long even though it’s not published yet, so thank you NetGalley for approving me for it, it was just what I expected and even more 💖

This book made me cry all of the tears. I’m not usually a big crier when reading but wow, there were so many emotional moments in this book I just could not keep the tears at bay. Read this one at home under a snugly blanket with tissues nearby. It is not one to read on the bus unless you’re cool with crying in public.

The plot:
Alfie and Alice are both staying in the hospital long term to recover from different injuries. Alfie has had one of his legs amputated from the knee and Alice has been badly burned in a fire.
Alice won’t let anyone see her choosing to stay separate from the rest of the ward by keeping her curtains closed but Alfie is determined to get to know the mysterious woman who occupies the bed next to him. Soon they both begin to wonder: can you have feelings for someone you’ve never laid eyes on?

My thoughts:
Before I Saw You has the POV split between Alice and Alfie which was crucial for this story. If we hadn’t been given the perspective from each side of the curtain I don’t think the bond developing between the characters would have felt as believable. I’ve seen this described as a romance but I wouldn’t class it as one. Although the book is centred on the forming between Alice and Alfie this begins as a tentative friendship and even that takes a long time to blossom. The book is just as much about their individual journeys towards both physical and mental recovery.

Overall I liked Alfie. He was determined to stay positive and to help the other patients through their time on the ward as best he could. There were a few times I thought he came across as bratty and immature and these instances made me struggle to like him as a potential partner for Alice even once he remembered to behave like an adult again. Alfie made me think of a Golden Retriever puppy: he was excited and meant well but needs to learn that charging into something headfirst isn’t always the best approach.

I found Alice to be a more relatable character. She comes across as cold and aloof but it’s only because she assumes she’s not wanted outside of her job and doesn’t feel comfortable forming connections with people. I think the author did a fantastic job in making Alice a likeable character to the reader even when the other characters didn’t like her yet. We got a front seat to her fears and insecurities and it showed that she was really just a lonely woman in need of companionship. Her social anxiety has only been made worse by the fact she is now afraid of her own reflection and watching her work through this pain was an emotional rollercoaster.

I would have liked to see a little bit more on the mental health journey of both Alfie and Alice towards the end. I thought it was shown well but one more scene for each of them could have shown the time and effort their individual journeys took. The author really took their time with the rest of the book and I felt the conclusion to the story was a little rushed in comparison.

I liked that the book ended where it did because the reader can make up their own mind about what happens to Alfie and Alice in the long run. I’m choosing to believe they end up together because I love happy endings.

It's very much a character driven story with not much actually happening. It's full of lovable characters though, each with their own strong personality.

The ending felt quick and could have done with a little bit more