I am a big fun of Sophia Money-Coutts’s novels and every summer I look forward to a new fun and romantic read from her. As I expected, Did You Miss Me? didn’t disappoint. It features a fun, likable, and realistic protagonist who is in a long-term relationship with a man who doesn’t believe is marriage, so she is keeping a huge secret from him (a huge stash of bridal magazines hidden in their guest room); she’s is working hard to become an associate in the law firm where she works, even if that means dealing with an annoying boss and avoiding the unwanted attention of a creepy client. Her life is planned and on schedule, until she meets her first love, the man she never forgot…
Entertaining, heart-warming, and captivating, I really enjoyed this novel and I am already looking forward to more incredible stories from this author.

As a big fan of Sophia’s previous novels I was very excited to dive into this one. Her characters I find relatable because they are nuanced and modern, without being cliche or irritating, and because they sometimes have difficult relationships between each other they feel real. I loved that this story was set outside of London, so many contemporary writers when considering a female protagonist in late 20’s or early 30’s only explore that urban life struggle, whereas Sophia flips that concept and it becomes a very prominent aspect to the story. I wish I had an Art character in my village growing up! The relationships in the book are interesting and well woven and I couldn’t put this story down. Would 100% recommend and would love to revisit via the audiobook!

Good story with interesting characters, although I did find it took a while for me to get into the story but I continued to read as I wanted to find out how things developed and turned out. A nice summer rom.com. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for an independent review.

Great read. Easy going and very enjoyable. The star character is definitely Nell’s Dad! Romantic and laugh out loud. This shouldn’t be missed. I love this authors books, they are always a treat to read and this one is no exception. Highly recommended!

Thank you Netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Oh I loved this book! Sophia Money-Coutts just knows how to write books that will reel me in and make sure I'm obsessed with the protagonist, this was no different with Nell. I also loved Nell's dad and his best pal Roy and their interactions at the local pub.

As I have felt after finishing every other book by Sophia, I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Plot: Nell Mason is extremely happy with her life – or at least, that’s what she tells herself. She’s absolutely fine living with her sweet, if slightly dull, boyfriend Gus in their London flat where they have very sensible sex once (OK, sometimes twice) a week. She’s definitely not stuck in a rut.

But when Nell bumps into childhood friend and first love Arthur Drummond who broke her heart fifteen years ago, she’s more than a little shaken. The seemingly perfect life she’s worked so hard for starts to feel, well, less perfect. Maybe Nell’s been kidding herself all these years. Can she ever get over her first love?

⭐ Money-Couts bring us a laugh-out-loud, swoon-worthy (Art) escapism one again! A must-read for all uplit fans!
⭐ Hilarious, I was laughing from the very first page! Nell's deliciously dark sense of humor really appealed to me & Gus's pet names never failed to put a smile on my face.
⭐ Every single character had their own vibrant personality & something unique to add to the story.
⭐ The writing is so effortless & engaging it was terribly hard to pit down.
⭐ That first love feeling is captured so intensely, the pages for your teenage love & heartbreak are inevitable.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Disclaimer: A huge thanks to NetGalley & HQ Stories for sending me this title for an honest & unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Likeable characters and an enjoyable summer read. It looks at at all relationships and then u start to re-evaluate your own! Defo worth a read

From the outside looking in Nell’s life seems pretty perfect. She has a successful job as a lawyer, working for a prestige company within London. Dealing with divorces every single day has certainly played a role in her reluctance to get married, add that to the fact that Gus believes that marriage is a waste of time, Nell has resigned herself to the fact she will never be a wife.

When Nell finds herself travelling back to Northumberland for the funeral of the previous Lord of the Manor, she has no idea how much things are going to change. Her Dad has found himself injured – with his leg broken in two places meaning he requires some extra help at home, especially now that her Mum has moved out of their family home too.

The death of Lord Drummond also means the return of his son Art who will take his place as the new Lord. This evokes some deeply buried emotions in Nell as Art was also her first love, and someone she hasn’t had to face since their break up all those years ago. As they are thrown into one another’s orbits once more we are given a deep insight into their lives in both the present and the past, alongside some secrets that have the potential to change everything.

As Nell is reminded of all that is out there in the world, she finds herself questioning whether or not the life she has been living in London is truly making her happy after all..

From the moment I started reading this book I found myself looking for any possible opportunity to dive back into the story and the lives of the characters we are introduced to along the way. I loved learning more about Nell and Art as individuals and the events throughout their lives that have shaped them into the people they are today. As the story progresses we are taken on an emotional rollercoaster alongside the characters as they learn to adapt to the changes that have occurred in their lives, from devastation to finding happiness in many different ways.

A beautifully written story that has you captivated to the end

I liked the writing style of this book. It's written as if the main character, Nell, is talking to the reader. Unfortunately, it didn't really grab me. The characters are well rounded and believable, there is nothing wrong with the story, it just wasn't for me. Thank you #netgalley.

Firstly thank you to @hqstories @netgalley and @sophiamcoutts for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. Secondly, apologies it’s a couple of days late. Life just got in the way. I really enjoyed this book. It was a light, easy, fun read and I really needed it. This is my absolute favourite genre so I was really excited to pick it up and I honestly had so many laugh out loud moments. I really liked Nell’s character but how on Earth did she stick Gus for 11 years?! He was really annoying!! He provided lots of cringe moments although they did make me giggle. I did really, really like Art though 😍 This book was the perfect end of Summer holiday read and my first book by this author but I have recently picked up a couple of her other books from the library so I’m excited for them. I definitely think this is one to pick up!

Nell Mason is extremely happy with her life – or at least, that’s what she tells herself. She’s lucky to have a high-powered job as a lawyer, even if it does come with an eccentric set of billionaire divorce clients. And she’s absolutely fine living with her sweet, if slightly dull, boyfriend Gus in their London flat where they have very sensible sex once (OK, sometimes twice) a week. She’s definitely not stuck in a rut.
But when Nell bumps into childhood friend and first love Arthur Drummond who broke her heart fifteen years ago, she’s more than a little shaken. The seemingly perfect life she’s worked so hard for starts to feel, well, less perfect. Maybe Nell’s been kidding herself all these years. Can she ever get over her first love?

Omg, I loved Nell. She was a fabulous character, who made the book for me.
This book gave me so many good vibes.
Reading this book, it is like a book of second chances. I could relate to Nell so much in the first few chapters of the book, working in the law firm, the mundane boyfriend, amongst other things. Luckily I dont have those things anymore! Putting myself in Nell’s shoes, I knew that she was going to be so much happier with her second chance. I laughed and related to this book so much.
My main point with this book is I felt that they ending was quite abrupt. I wanted so much more from the ending. However, that is sometimes how life is.

Some real good laugh out loud moments as Eleanor (Nell), high powered London divorce lawyer, returns to her home town in Northumberland to look after her dad when he breaks a leg. Life changing situations, misunderstandings and a chance to revisit the past. It might be a light hearted rom com, but there was plenty food for thought too. The image of Luigi, coffee shop owner and mum's love interest, will remain with me as a plumber from video games. Bev, the occupational therapist is in my mind as a buxom character from Open All Hours. The author told a very visual story!! A great way to escape for a day. Thank you. #netgalley #DidYouMissMe

Nell is a successful divorce lawyer in London. She is pretty happy with her life - her career is going well with promotion to Partner in the offing, her relationship with her boyfriend of 11 years Gus is a happy one, even if he is perhaps a little on the dull side. They aren’t married because Gus doesn’t believe in marriage - and she is fine with that, or so she claims. But if that's true, why does she have a hidden stash of wedding magazines?

She returns to her family home in Northumberland for a funeral where she encounters her first love, Art for the first time in years. When her dad has an accident, she finds herself spending even more time at home and soon begins to reflect on her life, as well as on what ifs and her feelings for Art. There are some fabulous characters in the book - Nell feels like a very real character who you can’t help but root for as she try to figure out what she really wants in life and her dry observations provide plenty of humour throughout the book. With a supporting cast full of eccentric, off the wall and entertaining characters, as well as several you love to hate, there is always something to entertain and whilst the storyline of second chances follows a well-trodden path, Money-Coutts skill lies in deftly combining a sprinkling of romance with plenty of humour to create a fun and hugely entertaining read.

Did You Miss Me was a really fun quick read, very light on the romance but definitely a book that makes you think about relationships and first loves and that first heartbreak.

I absolutely loved Nell right from the start she's funny and smart most definitely stuck in a bit of a rut with Gus but she always just felt really real to me, definitely a realistic character, I think the author did a fantastic job with the characters in here especially Nell, and the sex scenes with Gus what a hoot! Let's just say cringe.

I love books that have characters as lawyers for some reason they always interest me and Nell's job was great to read about but what I really loved most in here was the setting, I loved the village and all the resident's. I loved Nell's crazy family and friends and Art he always seemed such a better fit for Nell compared to Gus who really was such a stuck up snob who i didn't like at all, he's always throwing hissy fits in here, and just in general being really horrible about people, and poor Wilma!

I think if your looking for a very light romance that has some funny moments and a great cast of characters in a lovely little town then this is definitely one to pick up. Great writing, great characters just a great easy read.

Thank you so much to the publishers at netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review and for asking me to be part of the blog tour.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel.

The new Sophia Money Coutts novel is always a treat. I’ll come clean, these are not normally the kind of novels that I read but I so enjoy these.

The author’s real success for me is her ability to create likeable characters. I mean really likeable in that they are realistic and not the badly drawn chick lit heroines that these novels often contain. Here, Nell has a proper job, a normal family, and a nice boyfriend. She isn’t perfect, but neither is she the daffy halfwit that usually populate these stories. I genuinely liked her and was rooting for her all the way through. Similarly, there are a parade of secondary characters who are well drawn and provide much of the novel’s genuine humour.

The real skill of Did You Miss Me?, however, is in the plotting. I can usually see what is going to happen in rom-com novels and films from the word go, but not here. For quite a way into the novel I couldn’t really see what was going to happen – the boyfriend seemed so nice?!

Also: the twist. The big reveal is foreshadowed quite heavily and when it happened I thought “is that it?!”, and it wasn’t! I won’t say any more! Good stuff.

I look forward to the next SMC novel. She writes with the sense of decency and also fun that we all need right now.

Sophia Money-Coutts is one of those authors that I know I'll read everything by. I loved What Happens Now? and The Wish List and I feel the exact same way about Did You Miss Me?

Thirty-four year old Nell has been with boyfriend Gus for eleven years. Both of them are lawyers, Nell working with high profile divorce cases. They live in London and their routine is sort of monotonous by this stage. They have sex on a Friday morning before work and do the same thing every weekend.

Nell's father has an accident and she is brought back to her hometown of Northcliffe as she needs to look after him for a while. She crosses paths with Art, the boy (now man) that she was enamoured with as a teenager. He is now married and living in New York with his wife and teenage son but is back home for a couple of weeks following his father's death.

I love Money-Coutts's style of writing. We hear about Nell and Art's life together 15+ years ago and what exactly happened between them. The family dynamic between Nell, her parents and brother Jack is great too. She realises while being back at home that she enjoys the slow pace of life there, which is the complete opposite of her life in London. Being back in touch with Art and living this different life for a while makes her reassess things.

This book had me laughing out loud and I really cared about the characters.

I have enjoyed previous books by this author.

I loved this story.
Nell has a great life with Gus they’ve been together 11 years and have everything they want, they work hard to reap the rewards why would they want to ruin it by getting married.

Then Nell has to go back home to help as her dad is ill. It makes her rethink.

This is a light hearted book which is easy to read but also makes you think.

I loved the characters
It was well written. A great read

Nell tells herself that she is happy with her boyfriend of eleven years, Gus. Both agreeing that marriage is not for them, the couple lead a satisfied life in London. As lawyers, they work long hours but sow the rewards with fancy dining, gadgets and weekend exhibitions around the city. Furthermore, Nell is chasing the next big promotion of work and I don’t blame her. Escaping from her boss, Gideon, in the office, would drive even the strongest of lawyer away! I admired Nell’s determination and grit, especially with the way he treats her.

However, when Nell has to return home to care for her dad after he has had an accident, her world does seem to turn upside down. Not only does Nell start to question how happy she is in her relationship with Gus, she is witness to her parents’ relationship altering. Being back home provokes childhood memories that Nell cannot ignore: her first love for Art and the emotions that came with it. Surely, she is happy in her safe relationship with Gus? And, why would she want to get married, especially as she works as a divorce lawyer?

Consequently, readers see Nell transform over the story. I liked reading about her childhood memories; they are embedded within the chapters and I thought this made the timeless seamless. Although the chapters are really lengthy in this book, I really did not notice, so absorbed was I in the novel.

Nell is a likeable character and I also enjoyed the community of her childhood village. There are plenty of witty conversations between the locals and I loved Nell’s commentary. Her dry humour definitely appealed and I think her character really stimulated the narrative. Furthermore, when Nell’s secret obsession is revealed, I could not help but chuckle: the way the writer presents it is so vivid and I could imagine Nell sneaky around the local shop in order not to be discovered. They are priceless scenes!

Whilst, on the surface, this is a book about first loves and relationships, I did not find it as sweet a story as I expected. I think this was because of the situation between Nell’s parents and also the work that Nell does as a divorce lawyer. I guess it made it more bitter-sweet, aided by the recollections of Nell’s love for Art. Nell has to look deeper to understand what she really wants from life and, although she enjoys the financial perks of being a lawyer, I wanted her to recognise how incorrect her work-life balance was. Indeed, her liaisons with Gus made my toes curl – Nell deserves so much better!

This was a lovely story that I felt immersed in from the beginning. It offered true escapism and was such an innocent, lovely read. Nell’s past is interesting and allows readers to understand her present behaviours. At the same time, I wanted her to find her happy-ever-after and allow her secret to make her happy. After all, surely we all deserve a slice of happiness and not just accept the ‘safe’ option?

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A book about first love and second chances. I absolutely adored Nell. She thought her life was fine until she bumps into Arthur. She realizes that she has been kidding herself and maybe she isn't happy. A thoroughly enjoyable story about how you must seize the chance to be happy before it is too late.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ Publishing for providing me access to this e book in exchange for an honest review.
One thing i did enjoy in this book was that i actually found Nell, the main character, agreeable and funny. Nell is the main character who has always dreamed of the big white dress wedding but has ended up spending more than a decade of her life with someone who thinks marriage isn’t worth it. I think what made Nell such a great character was the realistic writing which didn’t make her too perfect or untouchable. Another good thing about this book was that it was genuinely funny and did make me laugh near the beginning.
However, when reviews say this book is slow paced they are not lying. I was over half way through this book and the ‘love interest’ (childhood best friend Art who is married and doesn’t live in england) had only interacted 3 times. Due to the lack of interaction between the two characters it made the whole premise of this novel feel foolish because why would someone in a happy relationship be longing to be with someone who they’d spoken to about 3 times in the whole book?? On this note, it didn’t feel like Nell had any interest in either men of this book and it felt as if the author hated her, she basically never had any satisfying sex which made both romances/ships in this book dry and underwhelming. The book was also so slow paced that everything happened within the space of two chapters. In addition there was almost no ship development for Art and Nell, it was as if the author had run out of time and the book ended on a six month flash forward which was not a satisfactory end. I would not recommend this book and not would i buy myself a copy of this book.