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Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton

 


SYNOPSIS

Alice and Alfie are strangers. But they sleep next to each other every night.

Alfie Mack has been in hospital for months recovering from an accident. A new face on the ward is about as exciting as life gets for him right now, so when someone moves into the bed next to him he's eager to make friends. But it quickly becomes clear that seeing his neighbour's face won't happen any time soon.

Alice Gunnersley has been badly burned and can't even look at herself yet, let alone allow anyone else to see her. Keeping the curtain around her bed firmly closed, it doesn't stop Alfie trying to get to know her. And gradually, as he slowly brings Alice out of her shell, might there even be potential for more?

REVIEW

Since turning the first page, I must have smiled over ten times reading the conversations between Alfie and Alice. The authenticity between these two characters who clearly had struggles were fascinating and overwhelming to read. I don't think that I've ever read a romance quite like this and to be honest, I don't think I ever truly will again.

Even as the majority of the plot is weaved into a hospital environment and the ins and outs of every day life there, somehow it is not morbid. The characters that live and work in these four walls are all riveting yet amusing. Whether that is the relationship between Alfie and Mr P, Ruby and the whole ward, Sarah and Alice, Mother Angel and Alfie or even Alfie and Alice. It is fascinating to see each dynamic played out on the page.

Compared to other romance books in the market, this book is fairly more dumbed down in terms of romantic moments, instead opting for heart-felt deep conversations and reminding everyone that it is ok to talk when you feel like you can't cope by yourself. This is a refreshing change from the usual formulaic tropes that we somehow have all come to accept in the romance genre.

However, would I consider this book to be a full-blown romance? Not really, but when is anything really full-blown romance. It is realistic and doesn't try and put itself in that category of romances that we all know are too high in terms of expectations. That is probably why one of the main aspects that I did like about this book is how there isn't any pressure for the main characters to be Instagram worthy people. I think we could all learn something from this book when it identifies that sometimes our scars make us the people that we are today, because of the stories that we have lived so far.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this story which I will be happily be talking about in the near future to all my fellow bookworms.

RATING: **** (FOUR STARS)

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