Bel's career is going well, she's living the London life and then her life suddenly takes a tumble - literally. When Bel wakes up in hospital following an unexpected fall into a pub cellar, she realises that her life isn't quite what she thought it was. Who does she have to turn to for support? Where does she really belong?

In Poorna Bell's novel, we join Bel as she tries to reconnect with people, leave some of her past behind and work out what, and who, really matters to her. This book was an enjoyable mix of humour and introspection with a few tears thrown in. An enjoyable place to spend a few hours.

Bel is a young executive navigating life's troubles until, distracted by her phone, she walks straight into the open cellar of a pub. Crashing 10 feet to the ground, Bel wakes up in hospital, disoriented and unsure about what has happened, to find that her ex boyfriend has been called - because he is her emergency contact. Distanced from her family and with few real friends, Bel is at sea about who to call to confide in. Forced to reassess her life she finds that she is not happy - single, barely tolerant of her family, with a job she isn't happy with and colleagues that she doesn't like, she miserably scrolls through her friends list realising there is no one to call.

And then she finds inspiration and looks up her best friend from childhood. Ama and Bel haven't spoken since they were 16 and fell out during their first holiday without parents. Ama is pleased to hear from Bel and the years seem to slip away - until Ama invited their other friends, Marina and Ling, to her hen do. Blindsided, Bel is forced to confront exactly that happened all those years ago and how this has impacted on every part of her life since then.

Reunited with her sister, Devi, Bel starts to build bridges, make changes and try to enjoy her life more by cutting out the toxic people and things that don't enhance her life. Pleasingly, the story doesn't end where you think it will and serves as a reminded that we don't need everything to feel happy.

This is a pleasing read and one that kept me coming back to it several times throughout the day. It is a cosy read and the characters are flawed and that is what makes them so relatable.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I bloody loved this! I didn't know what to expect, having never read anything by Poorna Bell before however what a plotline.
Truly engaging and it was actually refreshing that the main character didn't have this whole romantic happy ever after but had a happy ever after in other aspects of her life.

The characters in general were well developed and I loved how diverse they all were.

The book covers some sensitive topics such as racism and sexuality, they are handled really well. It also covers friendship and relationships. The Book was easy to relate to and I really enjoyed it!

Kudos to the author!!

This book had some good issues. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

In Case of Emergency confounded all my expectations. I assumed it would be a fairly standard rom-com with a happily-ever-after ending. But no. It was much more complex than that and a very enjoyable read. Bel is forced to confront her past and re-assess her life and the choices she has made after surviving a potentially fatal accident. It's a thought-provoking read and I imagine that most readers will relate to some of the issues that Bel has to deal with.

This is the first time reading this author, loved it so much that hopefully it won’t be the last! Liked the aspect of the novel. Loved the characters too.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Poorna Bell, although I have listened to many podcasts, and it certainly won’t be the last, enjoyable characters that you can relate to and an engaging storyline. Would recommend.

After reading Poorna’s autobiographical novel, Stronger, I was intrigued to read a novel by her.
Bel is a British brown woman, working hard and living alone in London far away from her family and friends that she grew up with. She is single and enjoying dating whilst living an independent life, until she suffers an accident. This event forces the hospital summons her “in case of emergency” person and Bel can’t quite ebeliev who is stood in front of her hospital bed….
Told in dual timelines of the present day and her youthful estrangement from the friends she grew up with, this is a story of growth and journeying after the traumatic event that causes Bel to evaluate the life she is living.
I devoured this gem of a book and was rooting for Bel throughout. Would recommend.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy.

This was a great book and I loved the main character. Bel has an unfortunate accident one day and her “in case of emergency” person turn out to be an ex boyfriend she has not seen for years. What follows is the realisation that things need to change in Bel’s life but where does she start? With her mum & dad? Sister, niece, friends she’s not spoken to in 20 years? This is a lovely gentle read that does touch on some tough subjects but in a very calm and gentle manner, unlike some of Bel’s rants and rages. Great escapism.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Poorna Bell and it certainly won’t be the last, enjoyable characters that you can relate to and an engaging storyline

I loved this book. Bell is an accomplished writer with a great future ahead of her. Full review will feature in my book column.

Absolutely brilliant!!! An Asian Bridget jones!! This book will make you smile and pull your heart strings in all directions! It will also make you reflect on your life choices and relationships through the eyes of 30 something Bel. I really loved it and read it in one sitting which resulted in a very short night sleep but definitely worth it!

I really enjoyed this book, it was well written with an engaging and compelling plotline and well developed characters some of which were really relatable and likeable - others not so much. The book deals with some sensitive issues such as racism, which is handled really well, but it is also much more than that. there are heart-wrenching moments for sure but there are also moments that are heart-warming, uplifting and funny.
A really good book that I would recommend and I will be looking for more from the author.

A beautiful, sensitive and thought provoking novel about love, family, racism and friendship. Poorna depicts very vividly the insensitive and often unconscious racism suffered by second generation immigrants and the conflicts experienced between inherited and adopted cultures. But this book is far more than this; it is an exploration of love and friendship in all their forms. It is certainly much more than a rom com. Indeed, romantic love takes a second seat to the complicated and enduring love between family and friends. A book about mistakes, misconceptions, misunderstandings and redemption. Second chances are possible and are very worthwhile. A very positive and life asserting novel.

Let me start by saying that I think that this is a solid idea for a book, and something I could potentially see myself enjoying in the future, but as of now, I don't think I can see myself finishing it before the publication date, so, for now, this book is, unfortunately, a DNF.

It is not fair to rate it any less than this, and 3 is middle ground, and other member reviews will change it significantly.

I will update accordingly if I return to it before publication.