Not exactly what I had in mind is my first read from this author and although I persisted with the book and finished it it didn’t really grab me/entice me/or draw me in particularly!
Alfie and hazel were likeable characters and the dynamics of their flat share interesting at times although the lack of communication I found irritating and frustrating!
Many topics such as same sex marriages/relationships, donor insemmination, revenge porn and environmental issues were all tackled with tact and sensitivity,
The storyline progresses slowly initially but Definetly improves as the book progresses.
Thank you netgalley for this early read.

This book was entertaining enough, but it felt as if the author was trying too hard to tick all the boxes to make it "relevant" and a lot of realism was lost in the characters' seemingly endless virtue. I'm probably a bit older than the target audience for this book, and it really wasn't my thing.

"Not Exactly What I Had In Mind" by Kate Brook follows the perspectives of four people, whose lives intertwine. Main storyline is the one of Hazel and Alfie, roommates who hooked up on one occasion and seemingly want to be together but are way too unsure to pursue anything more beyond that. Plot B belongs to the lesbian married couple, Daria and Emily, the latter being Hazel's sister, who are trying to become parents.

Don't get me wrong, the novel is well-written, there is a clear path, there's Chekhov's gun and there are also couple of "buts".

First of all, Kate Brook really tried to create complex characters and mostly succeeded, except for Alfie, who is so virtuous and crystal clean that it's unbearable. I wondered why that was, as the author was not afraid to create moments of unlikability for all the other protagonists.

Second of all, the author feels comfortable writing elaborate sex scenes, except for lesbian intimacy. I assume it's either lack of such experience or imagination how sapphic sex could happen, but still, I found it odd, considering the plot lines seem quite progressive.

These were enough to lessen the pleasure of following the stories of the characters, hence the 3 stars rating.

This was a really intersting and thought provoking read that was also gripping. Well written with a ast of well developed characters that all shone in this novel and an engaging and compelling storyline. This book handed some really hard hitting issues but did it in a sensitive and empathetic way. I highly recommend this book

This is an absolutely brilliant read.
So much more than Hazel and Alfie (who are great characters in their own right) but a wider cast list that is just lovely. Yay for LGBTQ+ representation- always happy to see this. But also some really topical and difficult subject matters are raised to the fore here for the right reasons. It challenges the reader, shocks, but also shines a light to injustice. I like how Hazel's creativity is used in this read.. I preferred the second half to the first, and the final thirs this really came into its stride.
Dazzling.