‘The One Before the One’ is a beautiful story that had me reflecting on aspects of my life and “what-ifs”. This story follows Liv, who loses her boyfriend Kit after he disappears on a hike. She finds herself with the unique opportunity to relive the last week with him before he disappears to try and find out why he disappeared and if she can save him. There are multiple POVs throughout the book and a twist that dropped my jaw. I really enjoyed this book, thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.

This was such a great read! Excellent storyline, romance, mystery, and time travel. I always love stories with a dual point of view. Add it to your tbr!

This book was an intriguing read and does keep your attention throughout the whole novel, the author does well at combining romance, mystery, time travel and emotional upheavals. Reminiscent of One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The relationships were handled realistically based on the plot's situations and the time travel was well done keeping your attention with many twists, turns and clues. The ending was realistic and what would be expected in healthy relationship choices. Emotional reactions to those relationships were very mature and full of growth for the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for an e-ARC.

This is the first Emma Cooper book that I have read and I enjoyed it from start to finish! The one before the one follows Liv through the heartbreaking journey of her boyfriend going missing, but all is not as it seems. Suspenseful, surprising twists, lighthearted, poignant and a joy to read.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. It’s my first Emma Cooper read. I always love a good love story. I didn’t read the synopsis of the story; I just went in blind.

At first I was so confused by the time travel. I didn’t realize it was happening. When I did, I was disappointed because this wasn’t the type of book I’d typically choose to read.

Of course there were so many questions I as the reader had to ask myself. What happened to Kit? Why did James abandon Liv on their wedding day.

How did the necklace end up in James’ pocket?

I knew I had to finish the book. I felt obligated to read it all because I got an ARC. I felt I owed my time to Emma Cooper and see it though.

Boy, am I glad I did! I was originally going to give this book three stars, but as I went through, it quickly became a solid four star read for me. I was invested in Liv’s search for answers and I had to see how everything was connected.

The love story between Liv and James was so beautiful. I knew that they were fated to be together. There souls were connected on a level that wasn’t there in Liv’s relationship with Kit.

I’d definitely recommend reading this book! I’m glad I did!!

This is my first Emma Cooper novel, but it definitely won’t be the last. An intriguing and complex plot which captivated me and held my interest to the very last page. Excellent storyline, very well written with great characters . Loved it and highly recommend.

I was intrigued by the premise and hooked during the first half. I liked the plot twists, but the second half was slow. The ending gave me an overall liking. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy.

On Liv’s wedding day, she’s transported back to the day her ex boyfriend disappeared to learn why and where he went. Told from two perspectives and time, this is a wild ride! I started off loving Kit and being skeptical of Liv and James. Then, I fell in love with James’ character.

Not my typical genre, but I LOVED The one before The One!! It is so well written and the subject of time travel is fascinating!! Loved the characters and the way the story flowed. Highly recommend!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

Interesting concept, romance meets mystery. Liv travels back in time the morning of her wedding to figure out why her first love disappeared 7 years prior. Very unexpected twists and great character development! If you like Rebecca Serle or One Italian Summer, this has a similar vibe!

I really liked The One Before The One by Emma Cooper. I was taken by surprise. The whole concept of the time traveling to possibly get a second chance at love was done very well. I was not expecting the plot twist but I was hoping what happened was for a different reason. I was upset with one of the mmc. But when I really thought about it things like that actually do happen. So I could understand it.
I really liked Emma Cooper's writing style. It was easy to follow and kept my attention. I'll definitely be checking out her other books.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.
The One Before the One was very reminiscent of Jill Santolpolo and CJ Connolly books. I enjoyed it very much, The characters were great and the plot was amazing. The pace of the book kept me hooked. Highly recommend.

I received a free advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my favorite reads of 2024! I absolutely enjoyed every second. It moved quickly enough to keep me engaged but had enough suspense to keep me guessing. I loved the main character and related quite a bit to her personality and her inner dialogue. I enjoyed the commentary and perspective offered on different kinds of love.

Highly recommend.

4.5 stars.

Wow! What an amazing gem this book turned out to be. One part romance, one part magical realism, and one part mystery - combined to make a fantastic, interesting story I like one I’ve read before.

7 years ago, Kit, the love of Olivia’s life went missing. He went for a hike and never came back and was later presumed dead. Over the years, she fell in love with his brother, James, as they both grieved together. On the morning of her wedding day to James, Olivia finds a note that indicates Kit may be alive and that James may have known. As she leaves her hotel room to confront James, she is hurtled 7 years into the past and wakes up a week before Kit goes missing.

This story is told from multiple POVs and keeps you guessing at every turn. There are some fun twists. I loved all the characters- Liv, James, Kit, Ava…well,
maybe not Kit’s and James’ mom, Lynn, but that’s okay. 🙂

Definitely add this one to your TBR. It may not be on your radar, but it definitely should be!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this, it was both funny and sad in places, a really interesting plot and narrative that was well executed, the perfect holiday read!

Liv thought her life was over when her boyfriend, Kit, vanished on a hike. Seven years later, she’s about to marry someone new when she suddenly wakes up a week before Kit disappeared. Now, she’s determined to figure out what happened and maybe even change fate. This book is a wild ride with romance, mystery, and packs an emotional punch.. Liv’s journey through grief, love, and self-discovery will keep you hooked, and the twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat.

I absolutely loved this book, I didn’t know where the story was going to go in the end but it was great. The characters were great and the story captivating. By about 50% of the way through I struggled to put it down. Would definitely recommend, there were many twists and turns.

As someone whose birthday happens to fall on the wedding day in the book, I couldn’t help but feel an instant personal connection – what are the odds? I went into this read completely blind about the supernatural twist, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. The book is suspenseful, romantic, and thoroughly entertaining. I'm proudly Team James all the way!

One of my favorite moments was the plot twist involving the point of view – I won’t spoil it, but wow… genius-level writing. I was genuinely shocked by how cleverly it was executed.

That said, I feel there were a few aspects that could have been stronger which i shared in a private note with the publisher.

Despite some minor critiques, I’m giving it five stars because I devoured the book in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it from a subjective perspective. As an author myself (my book The Jade Necklace is currently on NetGalley), I understand the value of constructive feedback. Emma Cooper crafted a story that entertained me, and that’s ultimately what matters most.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

I really enjoyed reading this book and found after only around 15% I was hooked. The concept is very interesting and easily allows you to relate to the main character and those around her.

Liv’s reactions to the life she has experienced feel incredibly real and proportionate so, despite the fantasy/magical aspect in terms of time travel, at no point does it feel unreal. The switches between times and points of view are worked into the book so well, meaning there are no points where you feel lost or confused.

The book has the perfect amount of twists without giving you whiplash alongside a very healthy dose of cheesy romance.

I think the ending was maybe slightly prolonged with an epilogue from the point of view of a character I maybe wouldn’t have chosen, but overall I felt very satisfied with the direction the book took.

A very easy and addictive read which I’d definitely recommend and will look forward to reading more by this author!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! I absolutely loved it and I didn't expect most of the plot twists! It was so interesting to see liv to go back in time and find out what happened to kit and I was curious to see who she was gonna choose in the end. I wasn't disappointed, I'm just glad they're happy. If you love something with time travel and romance then this is for you.