“The One Before The One” by Emma Cooper is a refreshing and captivating story that takes a familiar concept—reliving the past—and spins it in a unique direction. While many books that explore this idea often focus on altering the past or chasing “what might have been,” Emma Cooper takes a different approach. She uses this theme to delve into self-discovery and uncovering the truth, making the story feel fresh and meaningful.

The plot begins with Kit, who left Liv seven years ago and let her believe he was dead. For Liv, Kit’s disappearance turned her world upside down, leaving her to rely on the one person she could trust: James, Kit’s older brother. Over time, their shared grief and search for Kit drew them closer, and they fell in love. But their relationship wasn’t without doubt. Some questioned whether Liv’s feelings for James were genuine or just a result of loneliness and heartbreak. Others speculated that James had always felt responsible for fixing Kit’s mistakes, and perhaps taking care of Liv was just another way to do so.

These complexities added layers to Liv and James’ story, making readers question the authenticity of their love. Liv, still haunted by her unresolved relationship with Kit, longed for closure. However, Kit’s sudden return on the day of her wedding to James only fueled her confusion. The storyline masterfully weaves the past and present, creating a compelling narrative about love, loss, and self-realization.

One of the highlights of the book is its use of dual POV. It added an element of mystery that kept me eagerly turning the pages. Emma Cooper really surprised me here. The way the truth unfolded was unexpected and perfectly executed. I found myself genuinely impressed by how cleverly she built the suspense and delivered the big reveal.

What I truly loved about The One Before The One was how it emphasized emotions and personal growth rather than relying on intimate scenes. The story’s strength lies in its characters and their struggles. It focused on Liv’s journey of self-discovery and coming to terms with what her heart truly wanted. The theme of redemption was also beautifully handled, showing that even flawed people can rise after falling and choose to be better.

Of course, I have to talk about James’ and Kit’s mom. Oh, how I disliked her! The way she treated James, blaming him for the past and favoring Kit, was incredibly frustrating. She became my least favorite character in the story, hands down!

The ending was deeply satisfying. Liv finally found clarity and followed her heart, making a decision that felt authentic and true to her character. James and Kit also had their arcs resolved in a way that felt just and well-deserved. It was the perfect conclusion to a heartfelt and complex story.

“The One Before The One” is a beautifully written book about love, loss, and finding your way after life’s curveballs. It’s emotional, thought-provoking, and incredibly well-executed. Emma Cooper has done a fantastic job, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes one of the standout reads of 2025. Highly recommended!

The One Before the One is a time-travel romance about a woman who was in love with Kit, who mysteriously disappears while hiking. Seven years later, she is about to marry his brother, James, but on her wedding day she is transported to approximately 5 days before Kit goes missing.

I had a fun time reading The One Before the One and enjoyed its exploration of the idea of first love, complicated familial relationships, expectations, and how we view those we are in love with while we are in a relationship with them and out of the relationship. While I enjoyed some of these ideas, I didn't think they were explored in depth enough and I had a hard time bonding with the characters until approximately 2/3 into the book - I think that the characters felt a little flat for me. I found the premise interesting, and was surprisingly wasn't able to guess some of the twists that happened. It was definitely a slow start, but I found myself invested in finding out about where Kit went and the intrigue behind his disappearance.

(Thank you to the Publishers and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for honest feedback).

Is she with the right brother? 🤔

What a gripping novel that I just could not stop reading!

Emma Cooper's The One Before the One was equal parts mystery/suspense and romance. I thought it was cleverly done, keeping me wondering and getting me emotionally invested in Liv's romantic connection with two brothers, golden boy risk taker Kit and his brother James. Kit's disappearance tears up his family and devastates Liv who has been with him for three years at that point, and for years she mourns him and wonders what happened. James helps her through her grief and eventually they become a couple, something that Kit's and James' mother just can't accept. This excellent read had plenty of emotional content and then the magic realism of a shock that sends Liv on a trip back in time to the week before Kit vanished added an extra level of complexity.

Cooper kept me surprised and guessing. The answer revealed late in the story is not something I had even contemplated! I like a plot that can fool me.

But my main interest was the romance and how Liv would handle her new insights into Kit's actions and James' feelings for her. I thought the outcome was the right one, totally lovely, affirming and topped off really well by the epilogue.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 1/14/25 with Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, Bookbub and Goodreads. To be shared on kobo when published.

I was kindly provided with the ARC of this book by NetGalley and the editors in exchange of an honest review, thank you ✨

4.5⭐️

When I first saw the cover of the book and read the blurb I thought this was a perfect story, that mostly would make me sob, but I WAS SO WRONG!!!

This was a perfect story of romance but also suspense and mystery, oh god I was dying when I read the first 4 chapters because I needed to know was everything happening (not saying much because don’t want to spoil anything) this was a rollercoaster and all my theories were wrong except from one and honestly was the only theory I cared about 🙂‍↔️ and I was worried about the ending because if Liv didn’t end up with the man I want it, I was throwing my phone away hahaha but it was a super cute and perfect ending for this story.

Also I just couldn’t put the book down! I was obsessed!! I just needed answers and oh how I love that one character whose name I won’t tell just to not spoil anything. This books was definitely a good surprise for me and it shows me that books definitely finds you at the right time ✨

I did not realize this novel involved time travel, but the author handled it well. Liv is preparing to be married, but finds herself transported back 7 years to the time her former boyfriend went missing. She has wondered all this time what happened, with.no answers. She now has the opportunity to go back. Will she decide to stay w her first love, or return home to the man she is to marry. Recommended for all public libraries.

‘The One Before The One’ by Emma Cooper is a beautiful, tragic, meaningful and at times shocking novel about Liv, who is about to marry her fiancé James when her world turns upside down and inside out… for the second time! Liv was with his brother, Kit, until one day out of the blue Kit disappeared without a trace. After three years of desperately looking for Kit, followed by four soul-searching years of loving James, Liv thinks she’s ready to move on, but life has other ideas.

Blending light science fiction (time travel) with heavy emotions and serious themes, this book is unique and captivating. I loved Liv as a character and her motivations resonated with me. I think readers are best going into the book blind so won’t say too much, but I very much enjoyed having the rug pulled out from underneath my feet and my breath taken away about two thirds of the way through!

Highly recommend this one and want others to read it just so I have someone to talk to about it, as the tale will live in my head a long while… Giving it 4.5 stars!

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Boldwood Books via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book felt incredibly special and profound. I loved the way Cooper weaved these then/now stories together and I honestly cannot wait for more from her!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The One Before The One" and all opinions expressed are my own. I love magical realism books. I definitely looked forward to reading this each day. Romance, grief, choices to make. Overall good book.

Wow. I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but it certainly wasn’t this. This story was such a unique mix of romance, mystery, and (sort of) fantasy. It was written in a way that felt like reading a love story built through mystery and fantasy, rather than a romance with mystery/fantasy subplots. The alternating POVs were absolutely brilliant and I truly was so shocked by the twist at the end of chapter 30. (my highlight there consists of “UM HELLO??? WHAT IS HAPPENING ???”) I absolutely loved this book and look forward to reading more from Emma Cooper!

I LOVED this book! The story had me hooked from the start and I just had to keep reading to find out more. The FMC Liv is very relatable and I really felt for her and all that she had been going through. I really liked the dual POV and I never suspected the surprise at the end of chapter 30. This was one of m favorite books in the past few months (and I read A LOT!). So let me tell you: if the blurb does appeal to you at all this book should be on your TBR - you will not e disappointed. It really is a great story!

I received a free copy of, The One Before the One, by Emma Cooper, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Liv has moved on since her boyfriend Kit disappeared seven years ago, she is getting married to James. This book was a little complicated. I did not for Kit at all.

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW

What an absolutely terrific read. It got me hook, line and sinker. ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!!!!!

I'm on an absolute high after reading it.

SIMPLY SUBLIME!!

Wow, wow, wow. I've dabbled in magical realism a few times before (hello Seven Year Slip and the Unmaking of June Farrow!), so I was pleasantly surprised to find another tale that bends the rules to tell its story. The beginning starts off a touch slow (for my taste), but before I knew it, I was eagerly flipping the pages to figure out how it was all going to end. And Chapter 30!!! OMGGGG.

This book starts with Liv as she is getting ready on her wedding day - only to slip back in time to seven years earlier and exactly a week prior to her previous boyfriend going missing. For seven years she has wondered what happened to him on that fateful day. And now with the chance to potentially change her future, she has a choice to make - does she want to stick with the first love of her life or would she rather go back to her current future?

Without getting into clear spoiler territory, I thought this novel did a great job at blending in the past and current state of Liv's life and untangling all of the hints that led to her boyfriend's disappearance - as well as how she met her current fiancé'.

Many thanks to Boldwook Books, NetGalley, and Emma Cooper for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

i actually loved everything about this 🩷 i was so excited when i got the ARC of this book and it did not disappoint. will be thinking about this one for a long time!

The synopsis of this book really intrigued me, and I’m thankful to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time wondering how it would play out, and what really happened to Kit. I love that it’s a love story and mystery combined and feel this book would appeal to a wide audience of readers.

Oh this book was great!

I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy and was explaining the plot to some mums that were asking what I was reading. I explained the intro and premise of this storyline and they had all whipped out their phones to add it to their 'To Be Read' list. This book would be a fabulous book club choice.

Imagine if you fell in love with two brothers for very different reasons. At two very different times.

This time slip works. Emma Cooper has written a great time travel novel and when I first realised what was happening I was nervous as the movie 'Groundhog Day' is one of my least favourite movies to ever watch...

Read it and recommend it to others!

I went into this book expecting one thing and getting something totally different which skews my rating a bit. I believed this book was to be similar like One True Loves or The Good Part and boy, was I incredibly wrong. Instead, a huge part of the plot is a mystery, with a bit of sci-fi.

I liked the characters and the enemies to lovers trope but would’ve enjoyed more of James and Liv’s story. I was also let down with Kit’s reasoning for his disappearance. It made sense but again, wasn’t the story I was expecting to read.

Definitely worth the read but didn’t quite strike gold for me.

Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange of my honest review!

I absolutely loved this book! I was instantly draw in to the story of Liv, Kit, and James. I was hooked by the plot and needed to know more. I was also really taken by surprise how much this book kept me guessing. The plot twist was fantastic, and I actually had no idea it was coming! I got about halfway through and had my whole perspective of each character and what I was reading flipped around! I don’t want to give too many details because I don’t want to spoil the twist- just pick this one up!

Livs boyfriend Kit disappears after the grief of losing him she ends up falling in love his brother James. The books starts on Livs wedding day before something happens. The book is filled with twist and turns and really hooks you in. Highly recommend. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this.

When someone is gone from your life and suddenly they are back, what would you do?

Olivia is about to marry James and everything seems to be going well at first. However, James is a brother of Kit, the person she used to date, whom disappeared seven years ago. Yet, all of a sudden, there is this evidence that shows Kit might still be alive. When one door opens and leads into the past, Liv finds herself facing Kit once more, days before his disappearance. I tried to like this book but failed, the problem may be just me because I am not really fond with the writing. It may work for someone else. I would say the premise is really intriguing though.