Once in a Lifetime is super cute and a fun premise, albeit a relatively common one. Two people briefly meet in a coffee shop with an instant attraction and then coincidentally meet again later in the day. Seeing the second encounter as kismet, they plan to have dinner, but their meeting is foiled by a lack of directions and her need to catch a train. This sets the path for the rest of the novel where, despite their mutual draw and attraction toward each other things keep going wrong and they start to question whether their ‘once in a lifetime’ relationship will work.
I truly did enjoy the book but it got slow in some areas, which was unfortunate, and probably could have been several chapters shorter. There were also some overused tropes in the story that were frustrating to get through, but I think a lot of women’s fiction and romance readers are okay with some or most of these or writers wouldn’t keep including them.
I loved our side characters, especially the undergraduates and their brief side story. I laughed out loud when our MMC discovered what they were hiding.
The scene at Heathrow had me gritting my teeth with ‘will they/won’t they’ angst, which I loved. That scene was exceedingly well written.
The MMC’s side story with his research project was too in-depth for me, and I didn’t connect to it or care about it. I wasn’t reading Once in a Lifetime to learn about his fictional university research.
Overall, I adored this book and recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley, Claire McCauley, and Joffe Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really thought I would love this book. The cover is cute. The premise sounded right up my alley and perfect for rom-com lovers. However, it just moved at such a glacially-slow pace and I never could connect with the characters. This is my first book by this author -- I would give her one more shot in a future book.

What a fun story to get lost in. It was quite enjoyable, and I liked it was a light book to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. A sweet story!

5 stars. A slightly different romantic book that evoked a lot of emotions. I absolutely loved this.

Halley and Henry meet in Oxford, but do not have time to exchange contact information or otherwise get to know each other. However, Henry is left thinking about Halley and decides to look for her. Easier said than done!

Eventually they get in touch with each other and a beautiful love story begins. However, the circumstances seem to be against them - will they ever get to the same place, or was their meeting in Oxford a once-in-a-lifetime thing?

I thought Halley and Henry were characters that felt authentic. There was a lot of realism in the story, which I liked a lot.

I really enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down. The author has wonderfully captured the despair that you could read between the lines when the circumstances were not favorable for Halley and Henry's romance. At times I was almost desperate ("please, Universe, let them finally get together").

This was a very well built story and I sincerely recommend every romance lover to read it!

WHAT TO EXPECT:
* Dual pov
* Hea
* Slowburn
* The one that got away
* Third act: break up

Once in a Lifetime is very different from other romance books I've read and glad that I went for it and read it.

I enjoyed it and why a 3 ⭐, for me I did feel it was slow here and there but I kept going cause I really wanted to know if the characters got the chance again.
Loveable characters, not that much for me but then again it is different from what I'm used to read but the email conversations were enjoyable.

I wasn’t the right reader for this book. It moved slowly. This characters didn’t click with me. However, I would read another book by this author.

Title: Once in a Lifetime
Author: Claire McCauley
Rating: 5 Stars

This book was AMAZING! It followed a British man going through his post-doc fellowship, and an American woman finishing up her PhD. They meet by chance while she is visiting his college, and he vows to find her no matter what. 

This book had me laughing, crying, and “awww”-ing, the entire time I was reading. The banter of the main characters was my favorite part and were told mostly through email and text formats, which made them easy to follow. All of the side characters were very likable, and they felt so REAL. You learn so much about the characters, that they really come to life from the page. It felt like I was watching a real relationship blossom, and each character felt distinct in their own way. The writing and diction seemed to shift with each character’s response, which added to the realness of the characters.

This book did have some of the typical troupes, but it was handled very well. The drama in the book did not span an overly long time, and I never found myself bored in this book. By 25% in, the story was already rolling, which is what made this all the more enjoyable for me. All the loose ends get tied up at the end, although I will admit that I wished there was a little more to the ending.

If you enjoy long-distance romance, relatable characters, witty banter, fade-to-black spice, and “kick-your-feet because it's so cute” type of romance, you’ll enjoy this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once in a Lifetime by Claire McCauley
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 16 July 2024

During a happenstance meeting, American tourist Halley Hart inadvertently drenches Henry Inglis, a reserved academic. Their brief exchange includes a fleeting kiss and several chance encounters, but nonethless Halley departs without leaving any contact information. Despite their whirlwind day together, Henry finds himself unable to shake thoughts of Halley from his mind, all he has to remember her by is her name and a pair of sunglasses she left behind. With no alternative in sight, Henry resolves to email every Halley Hart in the world in his quest to find her.

I fell head over heels with the concept of this book! The storyline had me grinning from ear to ear and swooning with delight. I was completely captivated, devouring it all in one sitting.

The characters were utterly lovable, and the chemistry between them practically crackled off the page. The dialogue was playful and sparkling, with Halley's wit and relatability shining through, while Henry stole my heart as the ideal new book boyfriend.

Packed with humour, tension, and an unexpected twist, this story surpassed all my expectations. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone in search of a charming read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Joffe Books, and the author, Claire McCauley, for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Henry is a historian at Oxford University. Halley is finishing an astronomy phd at Stanford. Their meetcute happens when she visits Oxford on holiday, and then there is a series of meetcutes throughout a day, ending when Halley kisses Henry before rushing off. Henry ends up spamming every Halley Hart to find her.

There follows confused identities, missed connections and an eventual LDR. The emails are so well integrated with the storyline, and Claire McCauley writes with the same lightness and fun as the Wedding Hitch, but again incorporates some serious issues, which gives her characters emotional depth. They felt so real to me that I didn't want it to end. But this book is unputdownable, and I found myself racing through it . When I got there, the ending wasn't what I expected, but I found it perfect.

I love everything about this book but especially the Oxford setting, The houseboat. Adorable Henry, and the ways he signs off emails. Whipsmart Halley, who I want to be my best friend. Another Halley, who is wise and witty, who also gets a perfect ending.

Basically, Once in a Lifetime is achingly romantic in all the right ways, and so far it's my favourite romcom of 2024. I need a sequel please!!

Title: ONCE IN A LIFETIME by Claire McCauley
Release Date: July, 16th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

American tourist Halley Hart accidentally spills coffee on shy academic Henry Inglis in an Oxford café, sparking an instant connection. Despite sharing a fleeting kiss, Halley leaves abruptly, forgetting to exchange contact information.

Obsessed with finding her again, Henry embarks on a quest to locate her using only her name and a pair of sunglasses she left behind. Determined to reconnect with his elusive Halley, Henry sets out to email every person named Halley Hart in the world, hoping for a second chance at love.

I absolutely adored the concept of this book! The storyline had me grinning from ear to ear and swooning with delight. I found myself completely hooked, reading it all in one sitting.
The characters were so lovable, and the chemistry between them was palpable. The dialogue was flirty and sparkling, with Halley being incredibly funny and relatable, and Henry making for the perfect new book boyfriend. Filled with fun, tension, and a surprising twist, this story exceeded all my expectations.

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a delightful read!


Thank you to The Publisher Joffe Books ,The Author Claire McCauley & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

This book is absolutely stunning, and the cover immediately caught my eye. I love stories with almost-missed connections, and this one didn’t disappoint. Halley and Henry's chance meeting and fleeting kiss set off a charming quest to find each other again. Perfect for romance lovers, this uplifting and laugh-out-loud romcom is a must-add to your TBR for summer 2024.

What a beautiful beautiful book! The cover is STUNNING. I knew immediately I was going to want to read this one! I love a good one day esque love story especially one with an almost missed connection as well as the search to find someone! I’ll forward to sharing so m7ch more on this title but this is the perfect add to you TBR read for the romance lover!