I wanted to love it and it was a quick and easy read, but overall it didn’t quite hit the spot. I enjoyed the sex therapist aspect and Poppy working through her relationships with her family. Bonus points for the humour and a few of the side characters, like Jessie, who were really fun.

Unfortunately, I didn’t really see the chemistry between the FMC and MMC so I didn’t care about their relationship. A few of the smaller storylines felt a bit off and there were too many descriptive parts about mundane activities which felt a bit repetitive at times.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sharing this eARC in return for my review!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫.

Certainly not the genre I usually stick with. Even though the title sets the mood for the book, it was a surprise how small the romance part for our heroine was. This book concentrates directly on the family interactions and the role Poppy, being a professional therapist, comes to play in it.

I’ll recommend this book to people that doesn’t usually look for romance or want to deviate from it with a lighthearted read. This book concentrates more on family interactions and real life struggles. I recommend to pay close attention to all the characters and their relation with our heroine because it could get confusing sometimes. One character I enjoyed was Jessie, would have liked to have more of her in the story.

This book is something I usually wouldn’t go for but I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it because it made me want to try more from this author. This book was laidback and it kept me wanting to know more about the family dynamics.

🎬 I imagined Claudia Jessie as Poppy and Tom Ellis as Sam.

Thank you @NetGalley and @boldwoodbooks for sending this ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I'm going into this book knowing who the author is and what the cover looks like. I decided to skip reading the blurb of description in anticipation of reading and reviewing it blindly. I'm going to give thoughts WHILE reading and then overall thoughts, if you'd like to read my overall thoughts without spoilers then scroll to the bottom, if not enjoy my play-by-play thoughts.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Boldword Books for an advanced e-copy of this book in return for my review.**

Play-by-play thoughts 👇🏻

Straight off the bat talking sex toys. I think I'm going to enjoy this book 😂

Oh, I like that she's a sex/relationship therapist.

It broke after it barely being used.. albeit not in the intended purpose, but still 😂

Her and her sisters all have flower names, she's Poppy and then there's Rose and Lily. Why did the boy get a "normal" name?

"Answerphone" 😂 never heard it called that before.

Oooh I'd be the total opposite of what my mom said. She's a grown adult, she shouldn't have to hide who she is. Her mom just needs to get over it.

The amount of petty I would bring to this wedding week if my family made comments about my work..

The amount of toxicity in her family.. no thank you. As Elyse Myers says "I don't receive that"

Dan's parents clearly aren't upset about Poppy's job, why does it bother her family so much?

OMG, my eyes are going to get stuck in the back of my head with the eye rolling in doing as her family keeps talking about her job being so horrible. "Why couldn't you be an accountant or something?" 🙄

Does Lily interrupt Poppy answering questions intentionally every time or is it just conveniently?

Oooh. Rose getting feisty. I like it 😂 maybe she'll say something that will make Poppy look like a golden child.

Oh Stuart.. his introduction of Poppy is going to make her family mad.

I wonder if Rose and Steve are having marriage issues and that's why she's drinking so much??

Wow. I can't believe her mom tried to encourage Andrews wife to have an abortion because she got pregnant before marriage.

Ayyyy there's a girl with my name!! Jessie!

Ope, I called the marriage problems between Rose and Steve.

Poor Stuart thinks his ex-girlfriend orgasmed every time with just solely penetrative sex.. also, poor ex-girlfriend having to fake it every time..

Her mom seeing her vagina diagram and thinking it's an avocado had me rolling 😂😂

I always thought it'd be fun to learn to surf. But I'm terrified of falling off and getting hurt or sucked under the water.

Poppy having those fantasies about Sam is such a realistic thing, especially for a woman who has been sexually deprived for so long.

Rose and her unhealthy amount of paranoia... There could be many reasons that Steve is being distant.. like Poppy suggested, he could be going through a mid-life crisis, or he could be depressed.

Oh my! Olivia is only 10! Why is this Charlie boy in her class watching porn?

🤦🏼‍♀️ I'm really worried Poppy's family, mostly mom, is going to find out about her conversation with Olivia and get pissy. Even though she did handle it really well.

Poppy's anxiety about Steve being dead somewhere and Sarah popping pills is where my mind would have jumped after 20 minutes of them being gone.. it would have escalated WAY past that an hour and 20 minutes later.

🤦🏼‍♀️ Oh no! I'm pre-secondhand embarrassed for Freddie.. he's probably masterbating or something in the room, that's probably why he didn't answer when she knocked..

Oh no! I bet Sarah's ex sent those photos around to people..

Even worse, he's blackmailing her for videos of her probably performing sexual acts on herself since she feels disgusted just by thinking about it.

Oh my goodness, her mom being such a drama queen because her children stood up to her for Poppy. 🙄

"Downstairs insidies" ... How old is she again?? Using that kind of verbage to describe what I'm assuming is oral sex and fingering?

HER MOM THOUGHT SHE WATCHED PEOPLE HAVE SEX FOR WORK???? no wonder she was so disgusted by her job.

I'm so proud of Poppy and her mom for having that conversation. And I'm proud of Rose and Zoe for putting in the good words for her. Not that it should have been needed.

Oh no! What happened with Jessie? Car accident?

I feel like either Sam doesn't make it back for the wedding or he does and they just don't continue seeing each other once she's back home, since this is an (un) romantic comedy..

Hahaha, I really enjoyed Rose laying into Amy 😂

I agree with Rose, if Amy didn't discuss upgrading to the ugly pink limo then nobody else should have to pay for it.

Oh my goodness.. Steve's big secret definitely isn't as big and haunting as they made it seem. Yeah finding out that you're adopted at 30+ can be a big thing, but to be so secretive about it is ridiculous. Especially from your wife??

Wow. The length Steve's family went through to hide that his Aunty Kath was his mother. More so the length his grandparents went..

Okay, Amy's entitlement and thoughts on "adults are more important sometimes" than children.. baffling.. I hope for the sake of any future children, she doesn't procreate.

Even if Sam doesn't show up, I'd love to know what happened with Jessie and know that she's okay.

Awe, her mom is really trying to reconcile after being so horrible for years. It made me slightly emotional.

So cute that her mom felt the need to call her and come clean about her "friend"

I'm so thankful the author didn't leave us hanging on what happened with Jessie.

Awe, so they do end up together in the end!



*Overall thoughts*
I enjoyed following 33-year-old sex and relationship therapist Poppy while she spends her week with family celebrating her younger sisters upcoming nuptials. Poppy is a very likable character in my opinion and has been treated poorly by her family. I like the vacation fling she finds herself in, and I enjoyed her mending her relationship with her family members. 5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book.
This was an absolutely delightful book. It's short, cute, and fluffy. Our MC Poppy is a sex therapist (even though her family is kind of embarrassed by the field she's working in). They all meet to spend a week together before Poppy's younger sister gets married. During their weeklong stay, there's a lot of drama going on. And Poppy might just be the right person to solve their problems. But she doesn't only have to unravel her family's mess, she’s also deep in herself. She's just met the surfer/data scientist Sam and has to figure everything out that's going on there.

I adored this book. Being American, I am always fascinated with English authors. Their point of view on issues and topics is very interesting. Such was the case with this book. As much as it was a romance, it was a life book with other backstories all going on. The main character, Poppy, is simply wonderful. She is connected to all of these.... each in a different way and with wonderful outcomes for all. This certainly kept my interest and I definitely will be looking forward to more books from this author!!!

A very engaging read.
Poppy is 33 years old and a successful sex and relationship therapist. When Lily, her little sister, announces her marriage, Poppy is forced to spend a week at the beach house to prepare for the wedding. For her, spending a week with her family is a real nightmare because of her difficult relationship with her family. Poppy is often belittled because of the job she does, especially by her mother.
The living room is shaping up to be a disaster, but never would Poppy have imagined how much her family needed a professional figure to help each of them cope with their personal difficulties. Nor would she have expected to meet a terribly sexy man on the least romantic holiday ever.

I have never read anything by Phoebe MacLeod before and I must admit I was quite surprised by her writing style: smooth, funny, romantic and super appreciative.
Contrary to what you might think, the focus of this story is not the romance but the relationship dynamics about the (rather dramatic) relationship between Poppy and her family.
Romance takes a back seat.
The characters are well characterised. Poppy is my favourite character in the story. She is a very strong and genuine character and, despite the many criticisms of her career, she does not hesitate for a moment to extend a hand and help her family. Sam is another character that I enjoyed despite the fact that, in my opinion, he appears very little. He is very sweet and terribly sexy.
The relationship that develops between the two is cute. I would have preferred more scenes with Poppy and Sam and would probably have deepened the relationship between the two more. But, as already mentioned, the romance in this story is secondary.
I can only hope for a spin-off about the two.
The story has a nice ending, a tad predictable but nice.

An (Un) Romantic Comedy is the perfect book for those looking for something light, fresh, funny and engaging.


Definitely read more by this author.

Thank you to Phoebe MacLeod, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A few pages in and I was wondering if I was going to be able to finish this book. I'm not one to give up on a book and I'm really glad I didn't. Once Poppy got the the place where her family was gathering for the week before her youngest sister's wedding, the story got interesting. The family dynamics were relatable. Good story overall. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I was not sure what to expect with this book, but ended up truly enjoying it. The book was full of humor, self-identification, and feminism. Although I truly enjoyed this book, some of the humor throughout may not be for everyone!

Poppy is a sex therapist who has a strained relationship with her family. When she travels to the seaside for her sister's wedding week, she expects it to be a disaster - not realising that it will change everything.

This was such a lovely book. It has a little bit of romance, but the focus is actually on a woman being herself unapologetically and reconnecting with her family. The relationships were real and so sweet to read about. Phoebe MacLeod is quickly becoming an auto buy author, with books perfect for when I need a little pick-me-up filled with strong women.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Really enjoyed the new book, such a wonderful book on brilliant characters, hilarious situation and a fabulous ending. Really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was an enjoyable book. This is very much unromantic we the title suggests. This is packed full of humor from a sex therapist and her wild family. Be prepared that the humor in this book may not be for everyone. If you’re looking for a lighthearted quick comedy definitely check this one out.

I have read most of this authors backlist and jumped for joy when I got this ARC! I always enjoy her stories and love her writing. This was no exception! It was lighthearted and funny. I love having a main character who is in her 30's and as I navigate love in my 30s, it was great to read about!

I really like this story and the characters in it. Poppy was great with how she dealt with her family. I could totally use a Poppy epilogue though!

Communication is the key to all y’all!

Thank you Phoebe MacLeod, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books for this ARC. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise~

Unromantic is spot on because while this book had plenty of good components the romance was not one of them. The romance element felt completely forced and as a reader, I could not back it at all. The story of family reconciliation was actually really good though it felt like the plot was written entirely to promote sex positive PSAs which I don't disagree with at all but ... Was thinly veiled and not compelling. Better off skipping the romance and focusing on family and developing those relationships better.

Well, I don't know what I expected. It was exactly as titled. The author has a knack for comedy. However, the romance was lacking. There was no character relational development other than the main character and her brother. This book was mostly a walk thru of her day and honestly was kind of boring. She did this, she did that. There was no "pretty" writing, if you will.

And with as much talk about the main character being a relationship and sex therapist, it was a
F A D E T O B L A C K

I powered through to 3/4ths of the book but unfortunately, decided to DNF. Overall, 2/5 stars.

This was perfect! I was absolutely completely absorbed in this!
I just reviewed An (Un) Romantic Comedy by Phoebe MacLeod. #AnUnRomanticComedy #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

This Happy for Now story was cute, if not a little wordy at times.
Sex and relationship therapist, Poppy, comes home for her youngest sister’s wedding. Lily, the bride, is childish and overbearing. Rose, the older sister is just plain nasty and is drinking too much. Andrew, the oldest and only boy is way too competitive. And let’s not mention Mom who is snapping at everyone like a harpy because she wants the groom’s family to think they are the happiest and sanest family on earth.

Mom has never approved of Poppy’s career. Rose harbors a lot of resentment from their younger years and Andrew, as I said, is uber-competitive. For one week Poppy will have to endure these 4 and relive some things from her childhood she wishes would just go away.

Added to this mix is Sam, a surfer Poppy meets and mistakes first for a creep, then a pervert when she sees him surfing with a much younger girl – a teenager, really. When she finds out it's his daughter, her opinion turns and the two begin a somewhat unusual relationship.

The wedding plans progress and as they do, Poppy is called upon time after time for “sex” advice. Sometimes she just offers the advice – like to her nephew Freddie. At others, she provides real guidance, as with her niece Sarah.

The cast of characters was hard to keep up with at times, I have to admit.

I’ve never read anything by Pheobe Macleod before so I didn’t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised a few times. At others I thought the internal dialogue could have been dialed back a bit because it got really wordy.

3.5 stars for this one. Thanks, Netgalley for a sneak peek.

This was enjoyable enough - a light and easy read. I’m very confused about the relevance of the title though? There were several interesting sub plots but the romance storyline, the one with the most potential, didn’t get enough attention! I wished there had been an epilogue as well. It’s definitely the best of Phoebe McLeod’s books that I’ve read, though.

Poppy is a 33-year-old sexual and relationship therapist, and the black sheep of her family. When her little sister is about to get married, she has the (un)pleasurable experience of spending a week with the family at a beach house in preparation for the wedding. Poppy is dreading spending time with her sisters, nieces, nephews, and especially her mother. It quickly becomes obvious that even though no one in her family respects Poppy or her career, many of them are in need of professional help to navigate personal struggles.

I appreciated the unique storyline of the book. As the title suggests, this is not much of a romance story, but more of a story about Poppy and her family dynamics. Throughout the week, Poppy helps her family with sexual problems in marriage, a potential affair, bullying and blackmail of a high-school student, plus other controversial topics. She arrives at each conversation with an open mind and offers sound advice. Reading through the struggles often felt like attending my own therapy session.

While there is a romance storyline, it’s a side plot and not crucial to the main themes of the book. I never connected with Poppy’s love interest or felt invested in their relationship.

I completely disliked Poppy’s mother character. She would consistently slut shame her daughter and disrespect her in front of others. While I realize the mother character’s actions were key to the outcome of the book, I was heavily triggered by their interactions. At times I considered a DNF, but this is more of a reflection on me than the novel. I believe multiple characters were written with the intent of evoking emotion and helping us empathize with Poppy.

Read this if you like
🗣Therapy and talking through your problems
🏡Complex family dynamics
👸🏻Strong female main character

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story was magnificent, all the ups and downs and different nuances of family life were visited in this book, I couldn't put it down because I had to find out what happened next, well done!