Rating: 3*
‘Did you miss me?’ was a fun quick read, however I ended up skimming the majority of this book as I was bored with the first half. It seemed like there was too much information on Nells relationship with Gus, and not enough on Nell with Arthur - which is a shame because I thought their relationship was quite sweet, especially with the first love trope. I was just left feeling unsatisfied with the amount of content their relationship covered in the book. The ending also felt rather abrupt, but the epilogue was a sweet finish. Would recommend it if you’re looking for an easy, well written romcom to read, but for me personally there was nothing about this book that felt particularly special in comparison to the other romances I've read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review English Three and a half stars.
On paper Nell Mason should be happy, a successful divorce lawyer with prospects of partnership within the next six months, a long-term relationship with her partner Gus, a house in Clapham and money in the bank. What more could she ask? Maybe Gus won't set the world on fire but he's solvent, kind, and reliable, even if he does have a regrettable liking for German petnames.
Then her mother calls to say that Lord Drummond has died, the father of Nell's schoolgirl crush, Art(hur) Drummond, her brother's best friend. Nell, Art, and her brother Jake grew up together, it didn't matter that Art was the son of the landowner and Mr Mason worked for him, the Masons were in and out of Drummond Hall all day long and Art was in and out of the Masons' far less impressive semi-detached cottage just as often. Then Art broke Nell's heart and has been living in America with his wife and son pretty much ever since.
Although she's avoided anything and everything to do with Art ever since, Nell knows she will have to return for his father's funeral, especially since Jake can be guaranteed to weasel out of doing anything. But meeting Art again after all these years brings back all those hopes and dreams that Nell has suppressed for years, is the grass always greener or has she been settling for boring all these years?
I liked this but I felt that too many of the secondary characters were characters. Nell's brother was a wide-boy estate agent who acted like a teenager. Nell's mum leaves her father for a caricature, Nell's boss is a ghastly misogynist, her clients are foul, her father is oblivious, Gus is self-absorbed - it was all too much and too strong. It felt like these characters overshadowed the romance, which in itself had broken down because of a series of coincidences, and consequently the ending felt like bish-bash-bosh, the end. More comedy than romance, which meant that some of the story didn't hang true for me, if Nell works 12-14 hour days in London how can she take her Dad down the pub every night at 6pm when she is working from home, and go for a run every morning?
Recommended if you are looking for a good laugh about divorce lawyers (and their clients), London snobbery and parental disasters, not so much if you are looking for a touching romance.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. English Book starts with a praise of Sophia Money-Coutts as an « author who spent 5 years studying the British aristocracy » and you start reading until page 6 where bam! She « the author » makes Nell « the protagonist » say « she was a woman of my age called Ophelia who a had a single-digit IQ and spent most of her time deliberating over curtain patterns for their house in the Cotswolds. »
I am not gonna sit and read women writing shitty lines about women talking shit about women.
English Did You Miss Me? is an entertaining and compelling romance full of humour and wonderful characters. It is well written with a solid storyline and grabs your attention from the onset. Nell is a divorce lawyer and lives with her lawyer boyfriend of 11 years and they have fallen into a monotonous and predictable routine. Nell returns home to Northumberland to attend the funeral of Lord Drummond, the father of a boy she had a schoolgirl crush on. Her old feelings for Art begin to surface and the mystery surrounding what happened between them is intriguing and entices the reader to keep turning the pages.
There is a fabulous mix of characters of differing age groups. Nell is a great character, I enjoy a strong female lead and she is no exception. She’s ambitious, successful and has worked exceptionally hard to get where she is. Her ultimate goal is to become partner in the prestigious law firm she works for. I loved her humour and her thought processes are very ‘Bridget Jones’, particularly in the way she recounts some of the banal bedroom scenes. Her boyfriend, Gus, does not believe in marriage and has coerced her into the idea that marriage is not important and she goes along with it for the time being. She becomes obsessed with bridal magazines and it’s hilarious the way she furtively buys them hoping no one will see her. She has created quite a stockpile hidden in the spare bedroom which she peruses at every opportunity. I really wasn’t a huge fan of Gus, simply because he comes across as controlling and selfish and it is clear from the start he is not right for Nell. Although his pretentiousness is really amusing, with his love of fine wines and a special corkscrew that aerated the wine. My mouth was watering with his fancy cooking exploits and, although Nell might prefer pizza, I would definitely rather sample what Gus is cooking up!
This is the perfect summer read with a lovely balance of humour and romance which kept me thoroughly entertained. A quick and fun read that every romcom fan needs to pick up.
Thank you HQ for the proof copy for review.
TWISTED IN PAGES BLOG
English I’ve waited for this book so long, since I loved her previous books. And it was well worth my time, but I wasn’t as involved and immersed in the story as I would have liked to be. English
Nell Mason is extremely happy with her life – or at least, that’s what she tells herself. She’s lucky to have a high-powered job as a lawyer, even if it does come with an eccentric set of billionaire divorce clients. And she’s absolutely fine living with her sweet, if slightly dull, boyfriend Gus in their London flat where they have very sensible sex once (OK, sometimes twice) a week. She’s definitely not stuck in a rut.
But when Nell bumps into childhood friend and first love Arthur Drummond who broke her heart fifteen years ago, she’s more than a little shaken. The seemingly perfect life she’s worked so hard for starts to feel, well, less perfect. Maybe Nell’s been kidding herself all these years. Can she ever get over her first love? Did You Miss Me?
Kudos to Ms Sophia Money-Coutts! With her experience as a journalist and tracking down stories of the British aristocracy, she has a great pedigree and damn, this lady knows how to write! With humour and realism, and with relatable characters. Brava!
Thirtyish Nell succeeded in reaching the goal of leaving behind her childhood in an average Northumberland household. She got an education at uni and an Associate position in a prestigious London family law firm. Quite a step up for her!
It is the death of Nell’s father’s employer, Lord Drummond, which has brought her home. This simple act of respect is more complicated because Nell will be coming face to face with her unforgettable teenage first-love, the Lord’s son, Art. Once the author gets her teeth into Nell’s undying memories and peels back the repressed feelings she doesn’t even know she has, the amusing people from the village surround her with doubts, and plenty of wit. These characters are hilarious, stereotypes of small towns everywhere and shameless. What a hoot!
Sure, every woman like Nell keeps a cache of bridal magazines hidden under the bed in the spare room, don’t they? And her three best friends can be trusted to look out for her best interests, right?
Gus, without benefit of marriage, by choice, is the man of her dreams, yes? What can you say about misunderstandings that come from nowhere?
Well, ladies, this is chick-lit at its best, a rom-com to tempt you away from the horrible childhoods and psychological misfits of thrillers, and break out for a guilty pleasure of a read. English This is definately not my genre. Im a crime and thriller girl. I chose this book as I liked the plot. I didnt think I would be so invested in this book but yes Sophia you have moved me to expand my genre and look at other books . I will be reading your other books.
I could not stop reading this book. It was witty, with loads of laugh out loud moments. I connected especially with Nell and her family. Everyone in her family has a sense of humour.
I loved how the story unfolded where she returns home to where she grew up and catches up with old friends. The what if we all think about if what if I had done this.... Friendships and family play a huge part of this book. I am still thinking about this book even today after I have finished it.
Well done Sophia.!
English Sometimes the book I’m reading gives me a warm little buzz that I can’t stop thinking about and I’m a bit conflicted because I don’t want to put down but I don’t want to end either. This was one of those books, I absolutely loved it. It was witty and authentic - I actually spontaneously laughed out loud a few times reading this - with characters that I feel like I’ve got to know and love.
Nell is an absolute delight, as the central character, her wry observations and deliciously dark sense of humour really appealed to me. It was also a joy to read about a real relationship complete with the most painfully - and hilariously- accurate sex scenes I think I’ve ever read; I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to read something that doesn’t follow the usual conventions of an evil boyfriend and zany, crazy woman making daft decisions.
This was essentially a second chance story which is one of my favourite tropes at the best of times, but what made this special was the affection Nell had for her family, her childhood home and her friends. We didn’t get as much time with Art as I’d have liked, but I felt like I knew Nell well enough by the end to trust her judgement. I realise that makes me sound like a crazy person, but whatever. I just want to be her friend, I think we’d get on well.
Fabulous warm, witty and low angst complete story. Highly recommended. I also loved What Happens Now? by the same author, it’s one of my comfort reads I’ve returned to a few times, I’m so pleased this will join it on my favourite rereads list.
*Thanks to the publisher via netgalley for the arc.*
English Nell tells herself that she is happy with her boyfriend of eleven years, Gus. Both agreeing that marriage is not for them, the couple lead a satisfied life in London. As lawyers, they work long hours but sow the rewards with fancy dining, gadgets and weekend exhibitions around the city. Furthermore, Nell is chasing the next big promotion of work and I don’t blame her. Escaping from her boss, Gideon, in the office, would drive even the strongest of lawyer away! I admired Nell’s determination and grit, especially with the way he treats her.
However, when Nell has to return home to care for her dad after he has had an accident, her world does seem to turn upside down. Not only does Nell start to question how happy she is in her relationship with Gus, she is witness to her parents’ relationship altering. Being back home provokes childhood memories that Nell cannot ignore: her first love for Art and the emotions that came with it. Surely, she is happy in her safe relationship with Gus? And, why would she want to get married, especially as she works as a divorce lawyer?
Consequently, readers see Nell transform over the story. I liked reading about her childhood memories; they are embedded within the chapters and I thought this made the timeless seamless. Although the chapters are really lengthy in this book, I really did not notice, so absorbed was I in the novel.
Nell is a likeable character and I also enjoyed the community of her childhood village. There are plenty of witty conversations between the locals and I loved Nell’s commentary. Her dry humour definitely appealed and I think her character really stimulated the narrative. Furthermore, when Nell’s secret obsession is revealed, I could not help but chuckle: the way the writer presents it is so vivid and I could imagine Nell sneaky around the local shop in order not to be discovered. They are priceless scenes!
Whilst, on the surface, this is a book about first loves and relationships, I did not find it as sweet a story as I expected. I think this was because of the situation between Nell’s parents and also the work that Nell does as a divorce lawyer. I guess it made it more bitter-sweet, aided by the recollections of Nell’s love for Art. Nell has to look deeper to understand what she really wants from life and, although she enjoys the financial perks of being a lawyer, I wanted her to recognise how incorrect her work-life balance was. Indeed, her liaisons with Gus made my toes curl – Nell deserves so much better!
This was a lovely story that I felt immersed in from the beginning. It offered true escapism and was such an innocent, lovely read. Nell’s past is interesting and allows readers to understand her present behaviours. At the same time, I wanted her to find her happy-ever-after and allow her secret to make her happy. After all, surely we all deserve a slice of happiness and not just accept the ‘safe’ option?
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. English Thank you NetGalley and HQ Publishing for providing me access to this e book in exchange for an honest review.
One thing i did enjoy in this book was that i actually found Nell, the main character, agreeable and funny. Nell is the main character who has always dreamed of the big white dress wedding but has ended up spending more than a decade of her life with someone who thinks marriage isn’t worth it. I think what made Nell such a great character was the realistic writing which didn’t make her too perfect or untouchable. Another good thing about this book was that it was genuinely funny and did make me laugh near the beginning.
However, when reviews say this book is slow paced they are not lying. I was over half way through this book and the ‘love interest’ (childhood best friend Art who is married and doesn’t live in england) had only interacted 3 times. Due to the lack of interaction between the two characters it made the whole premise of this novel feel foolish because why would someone in a happy relationship be longing to be with someone who they’d spoken to about 3 times in the whole book?? On this note, it didn’t feel like Nell had any interest in either men of this book and it felt as if the author hated her, she basically never had any satisfying sex which made both romances/ships in this book dry and underwhelming. The book was also so slow paced that everything happened within the space of two chapters. In addition there was almost no ship development for Art and Nell, it was as if the author had run out of time and the book ended on a six month flash forward which was not a satisfactory end. I would not recommend this book and not would i buy myself a copy of this book. English
