This book was just okay for me I loved the synopsis when I read it but the story itself just fell a bit flat for me

Sara Manning is a first time author for me. First few chapters were a delight, so I knew it would be a good read for me. Good characters, which made for an excellent read.

First of all I would just like to thank NetGalley, Sarra Manning and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC of "The Man of Her Dreams” in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book was just not for me. I didn’t enjoy the writing, the characters felt flat and two dimensional, and the dialogue was slightly cringe-worthy at times.

I had to DNF at 48%. To be perfectly honest with you, someone spoiled the ending for me before I began reading and I’m actually quite glad that was the case. Purely because I’m really not a fan of the trope that 90% of the book consists of.

So yeah, not really much else to say about this. It was definitely a let down for me because the concept sounded so nice.

However this is purely personal preference and I know most people who’ve read it so far have really enjoyed it. So please don’t let this review dissuade you, it’s merely my opinion.

Sadly this was a DNF for me. I did enjoy the parts I read, but then it got to the endless sex scenes and I soon got fed up as the story was put on hold for many descriptive sex scenes that made it feel as though I was just reading a porno, and so the story so far had just been roleplay

This was a great book. I enjoyed it, deeply.
Loved, loved Esme. Just a great Main character.
I am not really sold on Theo, but all in all a good one

I enjoyed this, my first read by Sara Manning. It was a pleasure getting to know Esme, though I did find her sister and friends a bit annoying. Esmes meeting of Theo is funny and sexy and you will it to work out for them both, no spoilers if it did! I’d recommend you read it to find out for yourself. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this early copy.

I really enjoyed her writing style and it's so easy and funny to read. However the actual plot was a bit silly and I felt half way into the book there was not much going on.

I'm also disappointed in all the buzz words and current feminist phrasing being used. We got hit over the head with the fact that men are in general not great. I think readers can easily read between the lines and not everything has to hit you straight in the face for the reader to understand what is going on.

I will continue reading and buying Sarra Mannings books because she has written some of my favourite novels

Yet another absolute triumph by this author - I adored it! A story that pulls you right in from the start, and you are rooting for our heroine Esme all of the way through the story - emotional, poignant and heartwarming - 5 stars!

Sarra Manning is always a valeur sûre for me and this does not disappoint. I really enjoyed yhe structure of the book, and how while the reader is privvy to some of what is actually going on, there are still some surprises right to the very end. I liked Theo but if anything, he showed me that actually I do like my male leads a little flawed (Nick, for example). The ending was perfectly rounded up, though I would love to know what happens next!
A great read, and I can't wait for Sarra's next book

What a wonderful book. It's hard to review without giving spoilers but this played out beautifully and the ending was perfect.
A book that makes you reflect on are you happy or are you just muddling along with old hurts still influencing your current situation.
Sarra Manning has once again played a blinder!

Thank you to NetGallery for offering me this ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I must say this book really reinstated with me because I have an overactive imagination and so does the main character. I have to admit the whole time you wanted to turn to the next page and find out more about them and find out if they are going to end up together.

The book is about a couple who have met through extraordinary circumstances and the whole time while reading I was thinking is this real or a hallucination because of how unusual the two of them were and how quickly it went from 0 to 100 but not in an overly pushy way and not in a fake way but rather in a more ‘mutual pain’ bonding then and bringing them together.

I don’t want to bring too many spoilers together but the author has written the book in such a way that you aren’t the only who ends up wondering if the male main character is made up all the while leaving you hopeful that he isn’t because of how sweet and caring their story is together.

The ending was out of this world, the book took you to the highest places and then brought you all the way down to earth and then back up again. Honestly the twists and turns just made you want to read more and a little part of me hopes that there will be another book in this series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a dreamer and who believes in happy endings. Despite it being an ARC I have decided to buy the hardback book for myself as well when it comes out.

A difficult relationship with her warring parents, an older sibling she has never clicked with, and a disastrous marriage that only lasted two years have all taught Esme that is is better not to rely on others for your happiness. Eight years on from the acrimonious divorce that broke her, Esme cannot bring herself to trust men, relying on escaping into her daydreams - the only place where the ideal man actually exists.

After going through a traumatic wisdom tooth extraction, Esme is feeling grim when she has to pretend to be cheerful at yet another hen night, but something about this one is different... she finds herself opening up about her 'dream man' and wishing for him in a new age crystal ceremony.

When later that night she gets into a accident and has to go to hospital to have a head wound stitched together, she meets a man who might just be what she has been looking for all along. Theo is handsome, sexy, kind, and seriously hot. He really is 'the man of her dreams', and he is attracted to her too. Has Esme somehow manifested her Mr Right?

I absolutely loved this twist on the boy-meets-girl rom-com from Sarra Manning, who is rapidly becoming one of my favourite romance writers. Esme feels she has been let down by her family and the men in her life, and finds it very difficult to allow herself to let her vulnerabilities show. She spends a lot of time day dreaming about the perfect man, and knows exactly what she wants him to be like, so she is astounded when Theo drops into her life in a most unexpected way.

As the story progresses, and Esme gives her heart and soul to Theo, Manning tells their tale with oodles of seriously emotional heft and bags of humour. It goes without saying that the course of true love does not run smooth, but Manning flips all the ususal tropes in the most original and affecting way, and then throws in the most delicious ending to bring everything full-circle to a truly wonderful conclusion.

Themes of family, heartache, and second chances run through this gorgeous book. It is definitley a slow-burn tale, but Manning keeps you fully invested in Esme's journey from start to finish, and leaves you with a heartwarming finale full of hope. I adored it.

Ohhhh I love Sarra Manning. Her books are so reliably good, and The Man of Her Dreams is no exception.
Esme is a great heroine- funny and realistic, someone who you would want to be friends with. Theo isn’t my favourite Manning hero (I still love Vaughan from Unsticky) but he’s pretty high up there. As ever, the supporting cast are just as well recognised as the main characters, and her ability to wrap things up beautifully is unparalleled.
A joy

what a fun book! no spoilers but it has me guessing right until the doctors appointment happened. a great storyline and a fab ending that didn’t disappoint.
would recommend

Esme was such a fantastic lead for a story. I really enjoyed the cast of the characters. The jokes were on point which I founds funny. Although the pace of the book was OK then slowed then was good again. I did overall enjoy it

This was a very emotional read with an interesting twist about Esme and how she meets the man of her dreams Theo. Worth a read 3 ⭐️

Esme is involved in an accident where she receives a bump to the head and goes to hospital where she meets Theo, who has also sustained an injury. What follows is a surprising, funny, interesting and unusual tale of the next few days in Esme’s life, where we see her navigate through family problems, a disastrous friend’s wedding and a new relationship. Has she really met the man of her dreams or is everything going to come crashing down? I enjoyed finding out!

Absolutely loved this. It feels like a standard romcom to start with, disorganised Esme had her heart broken in a messy divorce and has vowed never to let a man get close to her again. She has her friends, her own business, an acrimonious relationship with her sister but gets to see her beloved niblings - fairly standard set up, and nothing wrong with that.
Esme spends an evening at a holistic hen do vision boarding her ideal man (who sounds pretty lush). The same night she is hit by a bike, ending up in a hospital admission to get her head injury looked at. She has to share a cubicle with a stranger- and hello! There he is, tall, dark, handsome, broken nosed James Stewart lookalike. Could the universe have delivered him in super record time?
Esme finds herself trusting Theo (the hospital stranger) in ways that she thought she never could again, opening up about the divorce, other relationships, the situation with her own family, and much much more. Theo is pretty wonderful, listens without judging, gives her space to talk or be still, and when the two of them admit that they both fancy the other one - wham bam and thank you mam.
As days pass, and Esme goes back to work, or sees her friends, she finds herself opening up more with them, being honest with her mum and sister, and enjoying the freedom. She's also questioning the timing about meeting Theo and whether she has manifested him somehow.
I had a few theories about what was going to happen but am happy to confess that I didnt guess the actual reason for Theo appearing quite so fortuitously.
A lovely read - a solid 4.5 stars from me (rounded up to 5)

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I am a big fan of Sarra Manning - Guitar Girl was one of the first YA books I read (a long time ago!) and I have re-read Unsticky so many times.

Have to say this though - Sarra Manning has knocked it out of the park with this one! I absolutely loved it, could not put it down, and it was read in less than a day.

The main character Esme was a great mix of lovable and flawed. She has had such a tough time and when Theo walks into her life I really did feel so happy for her - she deserves it!

But this book is so much more about just meeting the man of your dreams, and it was also about coming to terms with your past and moving forwards. It was a really bittersweet, emotional read at times (the last 60 pages I was in tears) and yet also managed to be genuinely funny and have a great amount of romance.

A great, well rounded book - thank you so much

This book had me from the book title and I'm so glad I asked for it. Can you dream your prefect man? Esme didn't think so until Theo comes along. This a sweet book that you get you thinking what would that dream man be like if you didn't already have that perfect one. I enjoyed my first Sara book and will be looking out for more.