Title: If I Never Met You

Author: Mhairi McFarlane

Genre: Romance

TW: Cheating, sexual assault

Buy: Indigo/Chapters here (Affiliate link)

Summary: If faking love is this easy… how do you know when it’s real?

When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility.

Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment—and jealousy—of their friends and colleagues. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend… 

My Thoughts:

I do not know how I discovered Mhairi McFarlane but I am super happy that I did. This book was a dramatic and fun ride.

It’s not an uncommon trope, the fake dating plot, in fact it’s one I’m very familiar with and enjoy quite a bit. The setting of this book helped too, taking me back to England, parts of which I have not seen for myself since I was 18 years old. The setting itself can be a character if it’s in the right place.

Laurie is not a perfect character, and sometimes she did come across as a bit whiny but I did feel for her as a person going through a real shake-up, which I have definitely done. I cannot even imagine having to work with someone who betrays you in such a way though, I’d go apeshit, for sure.

Jamie is ridiculously charming when he shouldn’t be. I know you’re supposed to like him but I did not want to. He seemed like a stereotype but I couldn’t help but become fond of him.

A good book about self discovery.