As I had read and enjoyed her previous book, Annie Stanley, All at Sea, I was offered a copy of The Pre-Loved Club by the publisher. This is always a bit risky as you can’t guarantee that another book by the same author will have the same appeal. To be honest, I found the first half slow going, and could not find much empathy for the characters, but then something changed, and I read the rest in one sitting.
In alternating chapters, we follow the lives of Gemma and Ned, both from broken marriages, who meet at a support group. They don’t seem to have much in common, apart from the fact that their former partners are messing them around. They slowly form a bond of friendship, they support each other, and the reader is left wondering if their relationship will ever develop into something more. This long build-up is necessary as they have to come to terms with being single again and work out what went wrong with their relationships. Over the course of the book Gemma and Ned change for the better, grow in confidence and by the end they are ready to move on with their lives. After a slow start, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely read the next one by this author. Thanks to Mantle and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

Sue has created some really relate characters in Gemma and Ned.. the book is written in alternating chapters each dedicated to one of the main characters. Ned’s your typical straightforward bloke, Gemma more complex due to past histories. The book tackles moving on and all its associated challenges. Really enjoyed it.

The story of Ned and Gemma. Told from both points of view as they both navigate being single again, and not by choice. A great read.

I really liked that this book was written from the perspective of both main characters. It is a storyline of finding love again and learning to live your life again to your fullest when everything has fallen apart. It has some lovely heart warming moments, and funny moments too.

This was my first book by this author, although I will definitely be reading more. It’s a bittersweet romantic comedy featuring Ned and Gemma. Ned’s wife tells him it’s over whilst they are browsing in Ikea, and Gemma realises her marriage has ended when she finds a pair of women’s sunglasses in her husband’s glovebox. They both meet at a support group for single parents, although it’s safe to say they don’t really hit it off straight away. They do become friends though and we follow them through their journeys of love and life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had the right amount of reality, romance and humour – all in equal measures! The author’s writing is very clever, and I found myself connecting with so many of the characters and situations as they all seemed so genuine. Ned is a likeable character, although he seemed a bit “meh!” at the beginning and felt like he was being treated like a bit of a doormat, especially by his ex-wife. Gemma was great – honest and truthful, which didn’t always work in her favour though, but was an emotional mess thanks to her ex-husband. I liked their friendship together though; they worked well and shored each other up when either one of them needed a friend. I did find myself wondering however if they’d ever become more than just friends as I moved my way through the book.

The book flowed at a good pace, moving between Gemma and Ned’s stories. It was heart-warming and emotional at times, with plenty of funny moments to keep those serious situations from bogging you down too much! The storyline and characters are very easy to connect with and offered hope to all that it is possible to move on from a break-up! Would definitely recommend!

This was a good summer read with relatable characters, anyone new to dating after a split will certainly know what the characters are going through, very well written

A quick and easy read that I found myself picking up after a long day to unwind. The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It was a really nice summer read that I found to be very relatable.
The main characters, Ned and Gemma were nicely developed and felt very ‘real’ and they were easy to feel invested in them and what happened to them.
The author’s style of writing was smooth and flowed well, making it easy to read and digest,
The storyline was well paced and kept me interested all the way through.
Overall an enjoyable read that I would recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

This one kept me hooked and entertained until the last page… The characters each have these little pieces that make them such believable characters! This fabulous summer read is a gentle reminder love never gives up on anyone.

The Pre-Loved Club by Sue Teddern was highly entertaining and I enjoyed it.
WoW! What a sweet, funny, thought-provoking, warm-hearted story.
Teddern totally took me by surprise with this book.
The characters I fell hard for. Ned and Gemma are both extremely caring and super likable.
It was a fast read that had me warped around.
The Pre-Loved Club is funny and heartwarming while also tackling very real, difficult topics with grace.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Mantle,
Thank you for your generosity and gifting a copy of this approved eARC!

Very funny and insightful look at reentering the dating scene and coping with being a single parent.
This was a really feel good read and I loved the whole arc of Ned and Gemma’s friendship.

I loved Sue’s first book so was very happy to see this pop up on Netgalley. This is an easy fun romance for all of us who have been left wondering is there a light at the end of the tunnel and another chance at love after the break down of a relationship you thought was forever.

I enjoyed the dual narrative where the reader can see it from both a male and female perspective. Definitely recommend.

I loved it.
Although it's a romance, I think - like Sue's first book, All at Sea - that the tone of it is a little bit different from most romances. To me, as someone who - like the main characters - has been divorced and dated again and then found love, it feels a bit more real. And I love that in a book. I was really rooting for the characters all the way through and sped through the book as a result.
Hope Sue's getting on with the third book now as I can't wait to read it.

This was a great dual perspective read about two people slowly coming to terms with being single after long term relationships. Gemma lost her trust in her husband when she realised he’d been unfaithful but falling back out of love with him was much harder even though he’s now living with the other woman and their baby, Ned’s wife felt their relationship had run it’s course and since then he’s been hoping some space will have changed her perspective so he’s badly hurt when she tells him she’s moving in a new man.

Ned was a straightforward nice guy trying hard to still be a good dad, his best friend was actually more interesting in honesty as Ned was a bit too passive but he offered a good view of a decent guy just trying to understand where it all went wrong. Gemma was far more complex as her ex really messed her up emotionally and she’s also unhappy with work leaving her a negative and occasionally bitter character. Overall the pair offered a fresh insight to moving on and the challenges it offers as well as reflecting on what they’ve lost but also ultimately hope for the future.