I found this book quite refreshing with a toxic relationship that is handled as such and the 00s setting. I enjoyed Louise and her character arc, the author truly managed to make her sympathetic to the reader despite being a home-wrecker. Would recommend

Overall this book was nothing I saw coming in terms of storyline. The book however was really well written and the characters were really well developed as well as their personalities. The character of Louise sometimes really did annoy me and I definitely wanted to scream sometimes. This book was not my typical read but the writing was really good. This book really does show you the importance of loving yourself first and self worth. I want to thank NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read the ARC for this book before it comes out.

3.5 🌟
I didn't see that coming follows our fmc, Louise as she embarks on an affair with married man Dan. Whilst the excitement and lust is strong to begin with, things certainly don't stay that way and the relationship becomes toxic and depressing.

There's a repetitive pattern throughout this book which I suppose is how it would be if you were in this situation?! The backwards/forwards became frustrating as the book progressed and Dan in particular made my blood boil. Dude definitely had issues! I felt for Louise alot, because although she wasn't blameless, I didn't really like how her friends treated her. She was clearly struggling & their judgemental attitudes were harsh at times.

I liked how messy this was tbh, because it made it feel real. The writing was good and kept me engaged. And there was a good amount of tension.

Whilst I loved that Louise got her HEA, I was disappointed with her actions when she saw Dan again! But all in all, a very enjoyable read.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I have mixed feelings about this book. Although the storyline was compelling and the book was written well, I loathed Dan (throughout) and struggled to connect with most of the supporting characters (initially). That said, Whitton created a sympathetic narrator in Louise and I rooted for her despite frustrating decisions she was making. I would like to read more by this author.

I didn’t see that coming. by Sarah Whitton

Genre/Type: Romance
Publish date 20 August 2024
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice: 🌶 .5
Series or standalone: Stand-alone
Themes: Infidelity, Friends to lovers, Alcoholism, Mental health
Triggers ⚠️ check for warnings

This book follows the characters Louise (always the bridesmaid never the bride) and Dan ( married man with 2 kids). They meet as strangers in a bar but cannot keep away from each other, This turns into very unhealthy obsession that can only lead down the wrong path. All Louise’s friend know that this is a bad idea but will Louise see it.
I did enjoy the book at times but I found this book to be very hard to finish and very repetitive and predictable up until the last chapter that finally had me guessing. You just wanted to give Louise a shake and say listen to your friends. The sudden flip to liking a different character could of been explored more feel like that whole character development seemed too short and sweet for me I wanted more. (Sorry trying not to give spoilers)


What did I like
The last chapter
Flint he’s lovely




What did I dislike
Could of gone into the friend to lover relationship a little more at the end.
Spice was very tame
Felt like the middle part of the book we were just going round in circles a bit



Read if your into
💎 Romance
💎 Forbidden relationships
💎 Friends to lovers
💎 Infidelity

I truly tried to anticipate it and I truly didn't see that ending coming, so the title is spot on - definitely one to keep reading until the last page.

I Didn't See That Coming isn't a typical romance novel. For the most part it deals with the relationship between the very single Louise and the very married Dan. Things start with a spark but they soon spiral, become obsessive and toxic, and both deal with significant consequences and mental health struggles. I do have one big gripe with this big chunk of the story, and ironically it's because it was portrayed in such a realistic way without sugarcoating the uglier aspects of infidelity. This is a well-written book with well-written characters - unfortunately all their flaws made them so unlikeable that I struggled to root for them at all. For example I wish there had been more redeeming qualities for Louise other than being the main character. It was painful to hear her inner voice say "I shouldn't do this" and the immediate line was her doing it. Girl, come on!

Overall, this was a story that kept me hooked until the end and what a rollercoaster it was! If you're into big, dramatic romances that take a lengthy detour before arriving to the right place, this one might be for you.

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

I received this book for free to read through NetGalley in return for an unedited review. Thanks to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner for allowing me to read this before publication in August.

Where to begin with this book… I have to echo the title of the novel here - I really didn’t see that coming.

This novel follows Louise navigate through her life as a single woman in her early thirties who somehow finds herself in a very toxic and tumultuous relationship. I found this book compelling but at times I found it to be a very tough read. As much sympathy as I had for Louise, I find I had more sympathy for her friends who tried to help her through this situation with a man who clearly did not respect her, let alone himself.

I went into this book expecting there to be more romance and less trickiness than there was - I found the title and book cover perhaps did not quite convey the tone of the book

While I did appreciate and enjoy the book, and was satisfied with how the plot ended, I did not find the ending wholly satisfying. I felt that the ending felt simultaneously rushed and dragged out. I found myself increasingly frustrated with the protagonist and it led me to feel that the character growth that had occurred in order for us to find ourselves at the end of the novel had been somewhat undermined. However, I do appreciate that this displayed just how deeply this toxic relationship impacted Louise and her life going forward.

The book is filled with many British cultural references and slang which I personally really enjoyed, although I know it’s not for everyone.

Overall I did enjoy the book, despite it being quite a hard read at times due to the sadness and at times frustration, mirrored by Louise’s friends, at seeing her repeatedly returning to a situation that was not good for her.

Louisa was trapped in the middle of an affair with Dan that although they both believed they found something special, it was not real life as evidenced by the fact that he would come over for a short period of time and leave to be back with his family. She wanted to believe so much that they were to be together that she fabricated a life and subsequently an obsession that he was one for her. However, a reader must ask about how less then he made her feel, how dependent she was on him for her own happiness, and how he really dictated her behavior. Her friends couldn't see her decline.any further and her constant referral to Dan as the love of her life. He was an idea and not a person. She found the man in Flint that loved her and everything she was. What they had as confirmed by their date nights was special and deserved to be recognized. Theirs was true rather than a hope that reiterated that what was meant to be., Louisa made the right choice.

I went into the book kinda expecting the friends-to-lovers trope and definitelly more romance but this was a completely different experience, and one for the better since I've never read a book from the mistress perspective before and found it quite interesting albeit often frustrating.

This is about a toxic relationship, wrong decisions and choices. It's a rollercoaster of emotions and full insightful observations, people showing their true colors and finding the strength to move on with the help of a strong friend group. There is a friends-to-lovers romance but it is definitely not the focus of the story and in my opinion felt so rushed and sloppily done - no chemistry between the characters whatsoever.

The book is filled with British slang, tons of music references (which I personally did not enjoy at all - too many and too often) and deep topics of life and love. Still, I wished the friends to lovers romance was explored more, but for a chick-lit/womens fiction novel, it was an okay debut and easy to fall into.

Louise finds herself entangled in a relationship with a married man, which is not my usual pick. A mistress trope is something I haven't explored before. However, I found myself deeply empathetic towards Louise. Despite knowing what she was getting into, her journey was a rollercoaster of emotions, navigating a toxic relationship you can't help but hope she'll escape.

Her friends are a strong support system throughout, even though they sometimes struggle to understand her situation.

The ending, while somewhat predictable in parts, was satisfying overall. I thoroughly enjoyed this departure from my usual "girl meets boy, they fall in love" stories.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the download!

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This one was on me. I should not have picked a book where the trope is girl falls for married man but I wanted to give it chance and see if it could change my mind. It did not. And it wasn’t even just the plot, I found Dan, the love interest, completely insufferable, annoying and childish. Louise should have just listened to her friends and not gone there.

A roller coaster of a love story, with the main fmc at 33 wanting a relationship so badly that she obsessively pursues one with a married man. Can I empathize, probably not. I just could not condone the relationship with Dan.

Flint was s stalwart hero through the book. Someone who the fmc could have loved if her blinders were not on.

Overall a decent book, but cheating and it's enablememt (whatever the reason) is not to my taste.

Enjoyable in some respects. The author does an excellent job of describing Oxford and the nights out there in the 00s, the bars, cigarettes and life, when the main character Louise meets Dan. However, some of the dialogue is slightly wooden, and seems designed to crowbar in amusing one-liners. The remarks by Louise addressed to herself also feel slightly disjointed.

The growth of their affair, and Louise's later obsession with Dan make slightly uncomfortable reading in places. It was obvious from the first introduction of Flint that she was going to end up with him, and I wanted to shake Louise and get her to realise he was there much earlier. Dan however is presented as a fully fleshed character, and although I couldn't sympathise with their affair the author describes very well the feelings and motivations of both.

The final chapter is definitely a satisfying ending.

A good by the pool/beach read on for holiday.

Cuando leí la sinopsis dude pedir ella ARC, pero la parte de Flint me hizo creer que no pasaría nada con Dan, me equivoque y fui una ilusa.

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Spoilers ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️


Louise se enamora de un hombre casado, decide tener una relación secreta (ni tan secreta porque sus amigos sabian), dice que se aman con locura y como se aman para ella eso justifica la infidelidad, es más la esposa debería dejarlo porque no lo merece.🙄

Dan es el típico infiel que dice que su matrimonio se terminó que sólo se queda por los hijos y Lousie es la típica amante que se la pasa criticando a la esposa y odiandola.

En los últimos capítulos muestran como ella recapacito y se casó con Flint, pero al pasar los años siente que su matrimonio esta estancado y un día se encuentra con Dan ¿y qué creen que pasó? Pues que se besan, ella huye porque si se quedaba sabía que se apostaría con el tipejo. Al llegar a su casa hace como que nada pasó, Dan le envía un mensaje pidiendo que se vieran una vez al año que porque estaban destinados a estar juntos y demás tonterías, ella le dice que no y toma el plan del tipejo para implementarlo con Flint para avivar su matrimonio. Fin.

No entiendo como Flint se pudo casar con alguien que está bien con ser la amante y o le ve lo malo de sus acciones, o sea en cualquier momento le puede ser infiel.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Woof. What a book.
This is not my typical fun, happy, charming or heartwarming read. In fact, it is difficult to read, but so so so well done.

Louise is 33, finds herself in a relationship with a married man. This is a toxic and roller coaster of a relationship. They say that being a reader of fiction makes you more empathetic, and this book is a good example of why. It is easy for me to judge people like Louise and to be angry at people that have made the choices she did. But as I read this, I was so rooting for her to find her confidence and to do the right thing. It was tragic in parts, but I felt like one of her girlfriends who alternated between encouraging her to l eave the idiot and accepting that she wasn't ready to do that.

The ending was a bit of a stretch for me, I don't think this could have ended in a better way, but it wasn't a truly satisfying ending. The tumultuous nature of a toxic relationship is well established here. It is an emotional book. I admit I requested it because I liked the blurb and the cover art. I am glad I read through to the end. We have all been in this kind of situation where a friend of ours won't give up a relationship with a person that is not right for them, and this is so difficult to support someone through.

Tough to read, but very well done. I really hope none of my friends or loved ones finds themselves in this kind of situation. If they do I might buy them this book for Christmas.
Thanks to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner for the ARC. Book to be published August 20, 2024.

This book surprised me! I started off disliking the main female character because 👋🏻hello👋🏻 home-wrecker?! However as I continued reading, I felt for her. She was in love with someone so bad for her but she couldn’t help herself. I started rooting for her and wanted to jump on the roller coaster she was on to hold her hand 😅.

If I ever had the chance to meet the author, I would love to ask her why did she set the book in that era (2005-2006) because I don’t think younger readers would appreciate the difficulty of long distance phone calls and phone bills, what with the ease of communication now.

What I took away from this book: easier said than done but we all need to learn to love ourselves first before we seek love and acceptance from someone else.

An easy compelling read and I encourage you to pick this book up when it comes out 20 August 2024!

This is been a really good book. I was sad it ended. I really hope I can read more of this authors work. Don’t miss out on this one. I think you’ll really enjoy it.