Actual rating 3.5 stars

Love and friendship can blossom in the most unusual of circumstances and Before I Saw You questions whether it’s possible to fall in love without meeting face to face. Welcome to the rehabilitation ward at St Francis hospital where Alfie Mack is recuperating from a life changing injury, a cheeky upbeat chappie who has assumed the role of ward comedian, booster of morale and friend to the likes of elderly Mr Peterson. His favourite nurse, Nurse Angles believes he is just the man to coax his newly arrived neighbour in the next cubicle back to life. Alice Gunnersley hasn’t spoken since her admittance to hospital following her injuries sustained during an office fire and her arrival on the rehabilitation ward is received with much curiosity. The blue curtains surrounding Alice’s cubicle and dividing her off from the rest of her fellow patients are permanently closed. No one, apart from the nurses is allowed to breach her privacy. Yet Alfie Mack, full of banter and responsible for much of the camaraderie amongst the folk on this ward is unused to silence. His natural curiosity means he starts conversing with Alice, despite her lack of response and as you will discover his perseverance to engage with Alice slowly begins to pay off.

I absolutely loved Alfie and his witty repartee with the grumpy Mr Peterson. His positivity and relentless good cheer make him a favourite amongst patient and staff alike and he’s a character you can easily warm to. Yet underneath all his good humour lies a man devastated and haunted by the tragedy that has cost him a leg ( thankfully not also an arm!) compelling him to try and fix and save anyone who crosses his path. With Alice he has his work cut out but if anyone is up for the challenge it’s Alfie. With his fondness for puzzles and love of Harry Potter plus an insatiable appetite, Alfie is going to pull out all the stops to encourage Alice back into the land of the living. Mostly through late night conversations the reader learns more of both Alfie and Alice’s past and the giant hurdles they need to overcome in their journeys back to ‘normality’ whilst witnessing a tentative and beautiful relationship develop, albeit through closed curtains. You can expect the usual mix of likeable characters, great friendships, love, humour and angst in what is a fairly predictable storyline. So far so good.

Having immediately warned to the characters on the Moira Gladstone ward I was expecting great things from this novel, convinced the storyline was worthy of at least 4 stars. Unfortunately much of the initial lightheartedness and the humorous banter between the patients fell away so that the sole focus is on Alfie and Alice, their conversations taking on an air of repetitiveness and dare I say a touch too self pitying tone? As other characters such as Mr Peterson and Sharon fade into the background the reader is left with only the saintly guardian angel Nurse Angles and Alice’s best friend Sarah to provide some relief from the intensity of this couple’s developing and often strained relationship but even their empathy and kindness becomes cloying. The same can even be said for Janet Mack, Alfie’s mother, with her excessive baking and delivery of Sunday roasts. If Alfie and Alice ever reach a point where they are ready for discharge, diabetes might just be the death of them! I appreciate these characters are designed to alleviate the seriousness of the hurdles our two protagonists face as an amputee and a burns victim and to a certain extent it does work. However the narrative seems to stall at this point trapping Alfie and Alice in a loop of either deep meaningful conversations or a complete absence of communication altogether which I’m afraid to say I found a trifle boring. I think because of this the motivational and inspirational tone that runs through the storyline loses its strength, instead becoming rather trite. At this point I was urging the author to execute the much longed for face to face meeting to move the storyline along. From the very beginning there is always that question looming of whether Alice will ever summon up the courage to draw back that blue curtain and properly see the man behind all the love, humour, kindness and support. In my opinion the author builds up this ‘tension’ beyond a reasonable length of time so I found my patience with this pair was at breaking point. The abrupt and hasty ending left me with mixed feelings, wondering if it been worth the wait which is a shame as potentially this storyline has the power to tug at your heartstrings. I desperately wanted to say I loved this unusual love story but sadly it failed to press all the emotional buttons for me. Maybe there’s another story in the pipeline for Alfie and Alice? Part of me hopes so as I felt their journey was only just beginning. Before I Saw You is a sweet, humorous and at times emotional novel whose overwhelming message is that beauty comes from within;what matters most is what’s on the inside and ultimately that’s a lesson both Alfie and Alice come to learn together, even if they are permanently separated by a piece of blue fabric! If you’re looking for an emotional yet heartwarming page turner as your next read then this could be the book for you. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, and Bantam Press for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton is one of the sweetest romance novels I have read in a while. I have been reading so many Historical Fiction lately that it has been tearing my heart out and leaving me melancholic afterward. Not that I am complaining.. But this one was a welcome change.. It tells us the story of two people who fall in love as they are recuperating in the hospital from life-threatening accidents. Life brings them joy and love in unsuspecting and unexpected places. Who would imagine love is possible while in recovery at the hospital, without even seeing each other?? Not me!! But that is exactly what happens to Alfie Mack and Alice Gunnersley.

Everything about this story was just so good. I loved all the characters and their relationships. Most of them had great dynamics, and the interactions were fun, entertaining, and full of joy. The camaraderie in the ward is something to be around. The overall atmosphere in the hospital is not something you would see normally. It was a highlight for me in this story. Charming, is the word that comes to mind when I think of the story.

The book is slower-paced, taking time to establish the setting, characters, and also relationships. The author does take her time in developing the perfect setting for a love story to flourish. I loved that about this book. I didn't mind the pacing or the slow growth of the relationship. The story is focused on building an emotional connection rather than on a physical bond.

I have given the book 4 stars, and I wish the ending was written differently. I would have loved seeing the two in the future to see how their relationship progressed. Maybe, that's just me. But if you love slow-paced and slow-burn books with excellent focus on characters, you will love this book. I recommend checking it out and decide for yourself if it's the right book for you. I really enjoyed this charming story about Alfie and Alice.

This novel had an interesting premise and drew me in the further I got into it. It is the story of Alfie and Alice, both who have suffered horrific accidents resulting in injury and loss and how they come to terms with themselves and others. It is well written and the characters are well drawn. I enjoyed it very much. Well worth a read. Thanks to Penguin Random House UK and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

This is a lovely read that managed to dodge being cheesy and succeed at being heartwarming. Told alternately from the points of view of hospital patients Alfie and Alice as they come to terms with their life changing injuries and their different ways of dealing - or not - with their lives and futures now. Alfie is a lovely cheeky chappy spreading joy amongst his fellow patients on the rehabilitation ward whereas Alice just wants to hide from the world, I loved the complexity of both characters and the way their characters gradually interacted, both are characters that stay with you after the story ends and you wish you could find out how they move on.

Amazing! Completely compelling and utterly absorbing. I was engrossed from start to finish. The strength of feeling between the characters coming from the page was palpable. I was in two minds before reading if it would be a book for me but I can categorically say it is. I cannot wait for more from this promising author.

Thank you Netgalley

I really liked this book. It did drag on a bit though. And then the ending where he finally gets to see her, was all a bit of an anticlimax for me. I wanted to know everything!!!!! And it gave me, well not much at all really. I liked the characters and the idea of the story line, but for me it kinda took a long time to end up with nothing. This review doesn’t really mirror the stars I gave it, I did enjoy reading the book and the concept of the book, I just didn’t like the way it ended, and sometimes it felt drawn out.

Imma be honest this whole premise was very romantic even though there was tragedy at the main foreground

Okay . . . Yes, an okay read, but I was underwhelmed. It's a lovely premise - falling in love without seeing each other, but I'm not sure the author did enough to convince me that the couple fell in love. They both had a lot of issues and I question how healthy this relationship would be in reality. Also, the pace dragged, and we didn't actually get much time with the couple at the end. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so this book overall was so good! Admittedly I was a little disappointed as I feel these chapters could of been packed out so much more as the relationships felt rushed and could of gone so much further, sad how it ended as I would of liked to see a bit of there reveal go a little further, but honestly it was a great book! I did cry as I felt some parts just tugged on my heartstrings. It made me think about people who are actually put in that situation and would love to go around and be a friend to these people on the wards with the amount of giggles and tears are cried! Fantastic

It is difficult to believe that a novel set mainly in a rehabilitation ward can be funny, tragic, heart breaking and emotionally brutally honest all at the same time. It's also a great read.

The main characters, Alfie and Alice, initially so different, yet both changed by their horrific accidents. Both try coping in different ways yet neither finding the perfect way of accepting their injuries and their loss.. The way they are perceived by the minor characters and how they react to them was emotionally hard o read. But, this is not a morbid read, it is funny and heart-warming and an insightful look at human emotions.
This sensitive book is not my go to read, but I am very glad I read it.

The story - ⭐⭐⭐
The writing - ⭐⭐⭐
Overall - ⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed the characters in this one but I felt like they weren't really developed enough. I think there were relationships and moments that could have developed further and the ending felt rushed to me.

Definitely a feel good kinda story though!

Fave quote - 'On his dot-to-dot, she’d carefully and very artistically joined the dots to spell the word ‘arsehole’.'

Fave moment - The back and forth between Alfie and Mr Peterson. In fact the whole banter between all of the patients, it felt really realistic that they would band together and take the piss out of each other as a way to cope with their illnesses and longterm stays in the hospital.

I thought that this was a lovely little story. An endearing read that made me think about how I would cope in similar circumstances. Alice wasn't particularly likeable before the accident that saw her in the same ward as the adorable Alfie so there was no reason to expect her to be likeable afterwards. But the whole thing was well written and the ending was perfect . I think we need a sequel! With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this title

I really enjoyed this book. Such a positive, life-affirming book that no matter what, life is always worth living and that people are fundamentally good and kind.

Alfie Mack has been on the rehab ward for a few months recovering from an accident. Life isn't that exciting on a hospital ward but when he is told that someone is moving into the bed next to his, he is keen to meet the new resident.

Alice has been badly burned in an accident at work and won't even look at herself. She keeps the curtain around her bed firmly closed and won't even speak.

Alfie sees this as a challenge. As he is coming to terms with the ways in which his life has now changed, he wants nothing more than to help his neighbour.
The other characters bring so much to the story. I don't really want to call them secondary as they really are so much more than that.
We meet other patients on the ward, Alfie's mum who brings enough food to feed the entire NHS on her visits and Nurses Angles is the nurse / mother hen that I just adored.

As Alfie and Alice become friends, they counsel and heal each other mentally while the NHS concentrates on the physical aspect of their needs.

The author has done an amazing job in keeping this real. It would have been so easy to inject very unrealistic situations to keep the feeling light, but the setting and the trauma that these two characters have been through doesn't really lend itself to nonsense. That's not to say that there aren't moments of lightness and fun - there are plenty - but without making it all too sickly sweet.

I hope for this book to be a massive hit in 2021 because it really deserves to be.

Read this in one day. It's a nice easy chick-lit read about two people who are in the recovery ward of a hospital. It's quite sweet but can get a little dark sometimes but there wasn't as much romance as I thought. Yeah there's sweet moments but that's fine, not every book needs to be bursting with romance.
It's a splash of fresh water reading this. Highly recommend

Reviewed on good reads too

Is love really blind?

Before I Saw You is a book about two strangers Alice and Alfie who have been through traumatic experiences which landed them in hospital in the beds next to each other.

Alice has been in a accident which has damaged the side of her face and she refuses to open her cubicle curtains so nobody can see her. She refuses to talk to anyone at first, even the doctors and nurses.

Alfie is a cheeky happy go-lucky guy in the bed on the other side of the curtain. However his accident involved him having his leg amputated. He strikes a friendship with Alice, coaxing her to talk little by little. He gains Alice's trust but they have never physically seen each other.

Before I Saw You, had great characters who were relatable to real life. Alice the stubborn, workaholic and Alfie the friendly happy guy who tries to make everyone smile.

The story did keep me guessing, Emily Jayne Houghton created some wonderful characters and the dialogue in the story going back and forth was a good read. However I felt a little frustrated with the story with it being set in one placement- the hospital. I felt it focused so much of the story setting and it became a little tiring.

I did enjoy reading the story and the ending felt like it definitely had something more to give so maybe there will be a sequel in the future.

This isn't normally the kind of book I would reach for, but it was a magical read.
Charming, emotional - you really root for the young Alice and Alfie.
A wonderful debut novel.

‘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.'- this is one quote which I would love to remember.

Alfie Mack has been in hospital for months recovering from an accident. So when a new patient is put in the bed beside him, he's eager for someone different to talk to. A new face on the ward is about as exciting as life gets for him right now.

Alice has been badly burned and can't bear to look at herself yet, let alone allow anyone else see her. She insists on keeping the curtain around her bed firmly closed at all times.

But that doesn't stop Alfie trying to be friends. And gradually, as he slowly brings Alice slowly out of her shell, there might even be potential for something more?

I actually liked and enjoyed this book even though it kind of unreal at times.

It was fun to read the interactions between all the characters especially it was lovely to see their friendship and bonding. Nurse Angles a.k.a Mother Angel was amazing but for me, Alfie is the star of this book. His personality was so likable and positive, I feel I might have to learn a few things from him about how to stay positive and happy while going through a tough time. His conversations with Mr Peterson were so enjoyable.

Initially when I read the book, I didn’t like Alice much and I found her grumpy and was annoyed at how she was behaving. But then as I thought more about it, I felt that I was being slightly harsh and that it’s not that easy to go through what she was facing. Being a burn victim and seeing your entire life change is definitely not an easy experience.

The ending was on expected lines but it happened just a bit too fast. I wish there was epilogue to know a bit more and obtain a sense of completion to the story.

Nevertheless, an enjoyable read.

Thank You to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for this ARC!

3.5

I think I would have liked this more if each chapter had the date on it, as I found it quite confusing how much time had past in a number of spots, especially with the feelings both had for one another.
I mostly like how slow it was, but the ending just fizzled away for me, I wanted more time with both characters. It definitely could have done with an epilogue or a final chapter a few months/a year later. The discussion and both characters' processes with psychologically healing were interesting to read.

Alfie's chapters, his character, and inner thoughts were better done than Alice's. We got told a lot of how great/amazing Alice was through other characters, and while she did have mental health challenges and low self-esteem (ish...) we could have SEEN more of this amazing character through her interactions with others on the ward, or through stories of her past. She just didn't really come across as the character the author wanted her to....I still enjoyed her character and her inner thoughts, just more could have been done with it.

A simple heartwarming story with human kindness at its core (I wouldn't particularly call it a romance novel, it is just a contemporary read).

I received an e-arc of this book on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Alfie and Alice. Two people recovering from severe, life changing accidents in hospital. After her accident, Alice wakes in the ICU confused and scared. She learns what happened and is moved onto a ward to continue her recovery - where Alfie is already staying. Alice stays hidden behind curtains at all times but that doesn’t stop Alfie from reaching out and trying to start a friendship with her: a way to introduce her to the group on the ward and support one another with their recovery.

This book isn’t your average love story & I love that. For the majority of this book Alfie and Alice grow their friendship and while being flirty, are never exactly a relationship either. They clearly care for one another even though they’ve never even seen each other. They have challenges and differences, causing a temporary break in their relationship when situations happen that cause heartbreak and anger. However they come back together and help each other through recovery and further treatment. Promises mean that they never see each other, even when one of them goes through a terrifying time and their lives go separate ways resulting in no contact for a while. Life outside of the hospital is challenging for them both, a moment where they could of supported each other, but they shut themselves off from everyone and struggled through until others around them tried to help them.

Normally I don’t particularly like romance because it’s so cliche and obvious how it will end. While this was obvious how it would end, I really enjoyed the aspect of them falling in love having never seen each other. They accept each other’s scars without ever having seen them, love based purely on personality not appearance. They even have time apart after leaving the hospital yet life leads to them coming back together and they get their happy ending.

A gorgeous, unique tale with some real moments of painful tenderness. I really loved these characters & enjoyed reading it.