Slow Burn Romcom
10 Things That Never Happened
Material World
Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance, LGBTQ+ Romance
Sourcebooks Casablanca
October 17, 2023
Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook
400
"Brilliance on every single page."―CHRISTINA LAUREN, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, for Boyfriend Material
FAKE AMNESIA. REAL FEELINGS? REAL PROBLEMS. Sam Becker loves―or, okay, likes―his job. Sure, managing a bed and bath retailer isn't exactly glamorous, but it's good work and he gets on well with the band of misfits who keep the store running. He could see himself being content here for the long haul. Too bad, then, that the owner is an infuriating git.
Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam. It was a sentimental decision, and Jonathan didn't get where he is by following his heart. Determined to set things right, Jonathan orders Sam down to London for a difficult talk…only for a panicking Sam to trip, bump his head, and maybe accidentally imply he doesn't remember anything?
Faking amnesia seemed like a good idea when Sam was afraid he was getting sacked, but now he has to deal with the reality of Jonathan's guilt―as well as the unsettling fact that his surly boss might have a softer side to him. There's an unexpected freedom in getting a second shot at a first impression…but as Sam and Jonathan grow closer, can Sam really bring himself to tell the truth, or will their future be built entirely on one impulsive lie?
"The apotheosis of the rom-com."―Entertainment Weekly, A+ Review, for Boyfriend Material
"Delicious, ridiculous, and often poignant." ―Talia Hibbert, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, for Husband Material
"Every once in a while you read a book that you want to SCREAM FROM ROOFTOPS about. I'm screaming, people!"―Sonali Dev, award-winning author, for Boyfriend Material
“If our only hope is to actually get better at doing our jobs, we are mega, mega shafted.“
Samwise Eoin Becker, our narrator in 10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall, is one of my favorite characters ever. I had the busiest work period and got home exhausted every day, but reconnecting with sassy, dark, and messy Sam was the best part of my day.
“It probably says good things about modern Britain—or maybe just about modern Liverpool—that when I was growing up, I got way less shit for being gay than I got for being named after a hobbit.“
Sam is the manager of a bed and bath store that is not meeting sales expectations. His team is chaotic but loveable, so when the big boss, Jonathan, calls him to headquarters and threatens to fire the poorest performers, Sam is desperate to find a workaround. The solution “knocks him over” when Jonathan corners him into a walk-in shower, and Sam falls through the enclosure. When at the hospital to treat the resulting concussion, Sam takes advantage of a miscommunication and makes Jonathan believe he has amnesia. Scrappy Sam decides this will buy him time to break through “His Royal Dickishness” and save his team. But Sam didn’t think he would end up falling for Jonathan.
This is where the story falls apart a tiny bit. I found it hard to understand how the chemistry between Sam and Jonathan developed, and it made me really impatient. I loved reading from Sam’s perspective about how he got close to Jonathan and invaded every space in his life, but I am unsure I understand how he fell for him. This part dragged. I needed more connection, more chemistry, more mutual romantic or sexual tension.
HOWEVER…
The resolution to their love journey had me in happy tears. When they finally got together, I thought everything was pretty perfect, and I didn’t care that this book had such a slow burn and big leap.
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall was full of wit, banter, and the most loveable characters …except Jonathan, although he gets tons of points at the end.
P.S. Check out Bee Val’s review of Husband Material, also by Alexis Hall!
Darienne was 15 when her aunt gave her a copy of Princess by Jean Sasson, and she has been hooked on books ever since. Originally from Puerto Rico and now living in Maryland, she’s always looking to visit new coffee shops and bookstores. Her favorite genres include YA, spicy romcoms, and women’s fiction. Thanks to the Bees, she’s also now obsessed with romantasy series. Other loves include lavender lattes, sassy coffee mugs, sunrises, sleeping in, small-town charm, and big city lights. One day, she’ll write that book that lives in her head.
