WHEW! This book literally had legit all the tropes I am obsessed with!
The second chance that they never knew they were gonna have, while connecting through mutual grief....Stella and Ethan find themselves remembering the night that they shared their first kiss. Ethan wants to hate her SO BADLY, just like everyone else, because let's face it, she started dating his best friend!
We follow Stella and Ethan as they are both navigating their own grief, while also realizing their feelings for each other never even really went away. These characters had so much depth to them, which made them incredibly relatable, at least IMO. Stella is doing that while also trying to complete a bucket list made by her great aunt...in which she has one month to complete the 5 items to gain her inheritance. While Ethan is a gruff loner, he is very in tune with his feelings and as the novel progresses, we see the way that Ethan challenges Stella, while also showing her comfort along the way.
They complimented each other and made one another better along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC edition.

A second-chance, enemies to lovers romance read with foster kittens and a mandatory bucket list?! Sign me up! Stella is an advertising executive taking on a new opportunity that involves collaborating with a missed-opportunity-turned-second-chance. Stella's Aunt passed on a condition in her will for Stella and her sisters to complete their own adventure in the form of a bucket list carefully curated to things each of the girls needs.

Ethan is a grumpy ex-rugby player who spends his days with charity work as well as avoiding the apartment of his departed mother. Ethan has to work with Stella, the girl who, like everyone else, chose his best friend who always has it all. Ethan also becomes Stella's advisor for this special bucket list, and spends his time trying to avoid his deep attraction to her.

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I will say that this is one of my better reads for this year, with a rating of 4 stars. I enjoyed the back and forth between Stella and Ethan. I really loved the mandatory bucket list thing. Ethan becoming her advisor was exactly what she needed, and she helped him along the way with his memories and feelings of his mother. I sat in anticipation of waiting as the next item was able to be crossed off the list, and really liked getting to know more about her sister's lists at the end as well. And, this is described as an "interconnected standalone", so I absolutely will be reading the rest of this series. Well done.

I loved the writing style of this book. This book was also oozing with so many (of my personal favorite, may I add) tropes and they were all executed so well. I cannot say enough good things about this book- I cannot wait to read about Maddie’s story next!!

This was a really light-hearted and enjoyable read with delightful characters and a lot of depth. I really enjoyed the chemistry and banter between our two main characters.

This book was a good weekend read. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters and how they interacted together. I also enjoyed that it tackled difficult conversations such as death and abandonment. Showing the characters work through their feelings is something many people can relate to.

I adored everything about this book!
The plot had me hooked from the very first page.
Stella and Ethan were two lovable main characters who you just couldn't help but root for.
When Stella receives a bucket list she must complete, Ethan agrees to sign it all off. From trying to cheat her way through it, to eventually finding love, Stella goes through all the emotions and takes the reader along for her journey. Chrissy Hopewell has cemented her place in my fave authors!

Giving it a 2 star even though I DNFd it. I understand the appeal and I understand how people would like it, but I just couldn’t get on board. It felt very choppy, especially with how their backstories were put into it. It felt like no one was doing things, there would be two basic lines of action, four pages of random background that could’ve been spread out (like give me some mystery to this guy instead for finding out in chapter 1) and then two lines of dialogue and them moved on. We don’t need to know the character backstory right away. It also felt like there was no chemistry, they kiss once and she’s suddenly the only girl in the world for him and can’t stand to be in the same room as her, like get real, it ruined it. Give me pining, give me getting to know each other, not this instant love, Pacing was also very off. I’m sure it’ll appeal to someone but I couldn’t get past it.

was unable to give feedback on this one as I didn't get it downloaded before the archive date - Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for approving my request!

In "Unless It's You," Chrissy Hopewell tells a gripping story of love's transformational power, redemption, and second chances. This book, which is set in London, chronicles the journey of tough former professional rugby player Ethan Fraser and American advertising executive Stella Hart as they deal with forgiveness, grief, and unexpected desires.

In order to keep her inheritance from slipping through her fingers, Stella has a month to complete her late aunt's bucket list. The most difficult of all the absurd jobs is the one that involves locating the person who escaped. Little does Stella know, this quest will lead her to confront her past and rediscover a love she thought she had lost forever.

Hopewell skillfully crafts Stella and Ethan's dynamic, infusing their interactions with palpable tension and undeniable chemistry. The enemies-to-lovers trope adds depth to their relationship, as they grapple with unresolved emotions and conflicting loyalties. Despite their initial animosity, it becomes increasingly clear that beneath the surface lies a simmering attraction waiting to be ignited.

What sets "Unless It's You" apart is its nuanced portrayal of its characters' vulnerabilities and complexities. Stella's struggle to come to terms with her aunt's passing and her own insecurities is palpable, drawing readers into her emotional journey. Similarly, Ethan's stoic exterior belies a deeply wounded soul, haunted by the ghosts of his past. Together, they must confront their fears and confront the barriers standing in the way of their happiness.

"Unless It's You" is a must read for anyone who appreciates well-written love stories or is a fan of enemies-to-lovers tales. I am excitedly awaiting the release of the Hart Sisters trilogy's third book since Chrissy Hopewell has once again shown herself to be a superb storyteller.

This was a cute grumpy to love story. I enjoyed the banter, the will they or won't they vibe. It was just enough spice as well. Thank you for allowing me to review this ARC!

This was a funny, classic romance novel with lovable characters and a great story line. Hannah is an advertising executive who takes her work seriously. She and her two sisters have just been put on a bucket list mission that must be completed for them to inherate her aunt's estate holdings. Her aunt wants each sister to find what they might be missing in life. Things that she missed out on in her life - like the one who got away. Hannah thinks it's her ex-boyfriend, but could it be the guy she met a week before him? Ethan just happens to be the account she is assigned to work on - and the tension smolders when the two of them are together. Could it be that Ethan has all the answers to her aunt's bucket list? Maybe UNLESS she decides to ignore all the signs that fate is giving her.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This book had me at the mention of a bucket list! Stella and Ethan have history...the night they met there was an instant connection (some kissing) and hope for something more. Throw in a miscommunication trope which led Stella instead of pursuing a relationship with Ethan, ends up dating his best friend, Ben. Now Ben (still Ethan's best friend) is Stella's ex-boyfriend. And fate has brought the two to work together on a project. While they start off as enemies (due to miscommunication and hiding of true feelings over the years!) they eventually let their guard down as they share a similar grief. Ethan has recently lost his mother (not a good relationship) and Stella her aunt who left a bucket list she must do in order to get the family inheritance.

I enjoyed the reconnection between Stella and Ethan. Both had a lot of baggage to deal with, but their relationship felt organic and the way they supported each other. My heart really hurt for Ethan and his torment over following his heart which felt like betraying Ben. I know the book needs some angst, but I wish people would just talk to each other and quit assuming things...insert eye roll and deep sigh. I appreciated that while there was kind of another woman in the story she didn't turn into a major issue (other than assumptions made about her!)

This is my first book by this author, but I will check out other work...

3.5 stars

This was adorable and sweet! I loved her first romance, and this just improves upon that one. Loved the bucket list concept as well.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
I enjoyed this book, the word "shite" was used a lot.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a quick and easy read and a perfect romcom. full of tears of both sadness and laughter. I loved the characters and will definitely be reading the best of the series

Enemies to lovers? He falls first? Bucket list? You had me hooked right away.
This was a cute story!
One we can all relate where both characters want to love and be loved unconditionally.

Stella is an independent woman who is used to doit all by herself, without needing anywone's help. She believes it makes her stronger to be like that (even if through our story she realises the opposite really!). And she has to deppend on her ex's best friend to complete a bucket list left for her to get her inheritance. Ethan is a grumpy guy (to those who do not know him) and is in love with Stella, but since she is off limits it's easier to play the hating game.
I kept reading and reading rooting for them to realise that they were not a mistake! They were the real deal, and made for one another, but this story has some good angsty feelings, to make us suffer a little more! 🤭
This story makes us wonder if some things in life have a timing for them to happen. These two were clearly meant to be, but life and some miscomunications got in the way, and then it takes a lot of pining to get to their HEA but they surely get there..
I personally adored Ethan. All tough on the outside and gooye on the inside, with a heart of gold. I'm picturing in my head that scene where he has Nessie in his big hands.. the though of a big guy with a tiny kitten.. 🥰😍
Even though we has feelings for her first he respects her, and also tries to respect his best friend by not acting apon it. But love appens, and I'm glad it did, because they were good for one another.

I enjoyed Unless It's You by Chrissy Hopewell. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest and personal review. Happy Reading!

A bucket list with a timeline and an enemy to complete it with? That’s exactly why I requested this book on NetGalley, and it didn’t disappoint!

Stella and Ethan both go through tremendous growth in this story, and I loved it. A quote from the book perfectly sums it up: “He’s already changed me, but I’m still me, just a better version.”

It’s full of emotions I wasn’t expecting. While it’s definitely fun and easy to get into, there’s grief, anger, jealousy, and issues with self-esteem. It felt very rounded out in this way and not just a fluff piece. There’s plenty of banter and joy though, even when I wanted to scream at them for miscommunication.

I think the dual POV was so important for this story, we get a deeper understanding from each character and their backgrounds that led them to where they are. You grieve, cheer and get so invested in their lives that they feel like a friend. You want the best for them, even when times get tough or they make a mistake.

I fully intend to go back and read the first book in this series about Stella’s older sister, plus her younger sister’s story coming later this year. I can’t wait to fall in love with the Hart girls and the men they end up with!

✽The starting point of this story drew me in: 𝙵𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚋𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 ~ Stella’s late aunt wants her to live life fully, so she wrote her this bucket list in her will 🙌🏻

✽The challenge begins when 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹－𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 on her project and he somehow gets involved in said bucket list 🙃

✽𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴－𝘵𝘰－𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴 along with the 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 made this story so much fun to read.
❥ 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚊 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙴𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚝 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍.

✽𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬 are tackled along the way, mainly 𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑓 and the need to be surrounded by people who truly love you and are there for you: because Ethan too is dealing with the loss of his mom.

What didn’t work for me though was the 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (and 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐮𝐩) … I felt that it played a big role in the story and lead to unnecessary drama.

👉🏻If miscommunication doesn’t bother you, you’ll enjoy this romcom for sure ☺️