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Available
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Publication
Sourcebooks Casablanca (2023), 391 pages
Description
"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?"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member bibliovermis
It's hilarious, it's Christmas, it's While You Were Sleeping with gays in retail. Who could ask for anything more?! I'm going to reread this one as soon as the holiday lights go up. A perfect gem of a romance novel.
LibraryThing member clrichm
I’m not a great fan of romances in which the main conflict could be solved by one conversation, but this one did have a few extra layers of tension that would have necessitated a few more conversations than that. Still meant I spent most of the book in a state of moderate anxiety, which isn’t
I’ll say this: I adored the banter. A few lines had me actively putting down the book and jumping up to walk around in hysterical laughter. Jonathan’s family and Sam’s circle of colleagues were wildly entertaining, and there were an abundance of feel-good moments. All in all, I was definitely left with a good taste in my mouth, despite the trope not being to my tastes and the fact that the issue of Brian being a horrible employee was never addressed. I also think the ending might have felt more satisfying without the epilogue, which I get was meant to make clear that Jonathan and Sam worked through the conflict, but which felt too short to let things settle nicely. More of a quick footnote than a true epilogue.
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my favorite thing.I’ll say this: I adored the banter. A few lines had me actively putting down the book and jumping up to walk around in hysterical laughter. Jonathan’s family and Sam’s circle of colleagues were wildly entertaining, and there were an abundance of feel-good moments. All in all, I was definitely left with a good taste in my mouth, despite the trope not being to my tastes and the fact that the issue of Brian being a horrible employee was never addressed. I also think the ending might have felt more satisfying without the epilogue, which I get was meant to make clear that Jonathan and Sam worked through the conflict, but which felt too short to let things settle nicely. More of a quick footnote than a true epilogue.
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LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
Samwise manages a bed and bath retail store, employing a group of lovable misfits. The owner is Jonathan, a very uptight spreadsheet kind of guy who is unhappy with Sam as the store is not showing a profit. After a mishap with a shower stall, Sam ends up at Jonathan's mansion due to a concussion
This story is very much in the mode of Boyfriend Material, another Alexis Hall book that I love (let's be honest, I love all his books and look forward to them eagerly). These two guys are perfect for each other but must navigate their differences and Jonathan's family to find their romance.
There are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, and I reflected on some passages that go a little deeper. I loved the side characters, Jonathan's loud and boisterous family, the store crew in Sheffield, and Gollum the cat. The book is written from Sam's POV, and I enjoyed how his mind changed not only about Jonathan but also his life. It's a lovely romance, and I can't wait for the next in the series.
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and some fake amnesia. Sam needs to convince Jonathan not to fire him and his entire staff while Jonathan is intent on taking care of Sam so he doesn't sue him.This story is very much in the mode of Boyfriend Material, another Alexis Hall book that I love (let's be honest, I love all his books and look forward to them eagerly). These two guys are perfect for each other but must navigate their differences and Jonathan's family to find their romance.
There are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, and I reflected on some passages that go a little deeper. I loved the side characters, Jonathan's loud and boisterous family, the store crew in Sheffield, and Gollum the cat. The book is written from Sam's POV, and I enjoyed how his mind changed not only about Jonathan but also his life. It's a lovely romance, and I can't wait for the next in the series.
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LibraryThing member Okies
I was tempted to give up this audiobook (2023) early on because I didn't take to the lead character Sam Becker or the regional British accent adopted by narrator Will Watt who I'm pretty sure I've not heard before.
Sam works for Jonathan, managing one of Jonathan's bed and bath shops. They don't get
Just to get to this point we spent ages in the shop, the author having fun with Sam's commentary on the life of a bed shop manager!
Unfortunately it should have been more funny than it was to warrant this dallying. Maybe I just wasn't attuned to this humour.
I've adored some of Alexis Hall's novels - such as Waiting for the Flood (2015), and Pansies (2016), both from the Spires series. Despite some great moments, I took a long time to take to Sam or Jonathan, not to mention that it took forever for anything to happen between them such that the audiobook seemed like 16 hours not 8 hours.
Not enough happens, it's too drawn out, and while the writing is as masterful as I expect of Hall, after Waiting for the Flood my high expectations may have been set up to fail.
Sam works for Jonathan, managing one of Jonathan's bed and bath shops. They don't get
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on, and the situation disintegrates to the point that Sam ends up faking amnesia as part of his plan to protect he and his team from being sacked.Just to get to this point we spent ages in the shop, the author having fun with Sam's commentary on the life of a bed shop manager!
Unfortunately it should have been more funny than it was to warrant this dallying. Maybe I just wasn't attuned to this humour.
I've adored some of Alexis Hall's novels - such as Waiting for the Flood (2015), and Pansies (2016), both from the Spires series. Despite some great moments, I took a long time to take to Sam or Jonathan, not to mention that it took forever for anything to happen between them such that the audiobook seemed like 16 hours not 8 hours.
Not enough happens, it's too drawn out, and while the writing is as masterful as I expect of Hall, after Waiting for the Flood my high expectations may have been set up to fail.
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LibraryThing member CathyGeha
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall
So glad I didn’t give up on this book early on…I found it rambling and had trouble getting into it BUT when I finally did, I was totally invested and eager to find out why Sam and Jonathan had become as they were and what their backstories might be. I
This is a very British feeling rom-com with a loving rather wacky family provided by Jonathan and a diverse group of people that Sam was managing and working with. There were times I chuckled, other times I worried that I worried how things would work out, and times that I wanted to sit one or the other down and have a good talking to them.
This is a book that made me care about the outcome even though it was not easy to get into. I believe I would read another book by this author if the synopsis appealed to me and even though British rom-coms are not my favorite cup of tea ;)
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
So glad I didn’t give up on this book early on…I found it rambling and had trouble getting into it BUT when I finally did, I was totally invested and eager to find out why Sam and Jonathan had become as they were and what their backstories might be. I
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had trouble, at first seeing them together or even warming to them but…that began to change as I kept reading and by the end…was happy they had found and brought out the best in one another while also growing and becoming more comfortable in their own skin. This is a very British feeling rom-com with a loving rather wacky family provided by Jonathan and a diverse group of people that Sam was managing and working with. There were times I chuckled, other times I worried that I worried how things would work out, and times that I wanted to sit one or the other down and have a good talking to them.
This is a book that made me care about the outcome even though it was not easy to get into. I believe I would read another book by this author if the synopsis appealed to me and even though British rom-coms are not my favorite cup of tea ;)
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Sam is a flailing manager about to get fired by his boss, when an accident gives him a concussion. When his boss misinterprets his momentary confusion as amnesia, Sam decides to go along with it to give himself and his team time before the firing. His asshole boss takes him home to watch over him,
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and Sam gets sucked into a big family drama. Cue “oh no he’s hot.” Since it wasn’t sff, I was not super into it, but the banter was very bantery. Show Less
LibraryThing member Moshepit20
Do you ever read an entire book and reach the end and have absolutely no idea what happened the entire book? That was this book.
LibraryThing member Carol420
It's one of those books that will sneak up on you and before you know it you are halfway through and still have lots to learn. I found that I knew very little about Sam because he conceals so much... partly because he’s pretending to have amnesia so has to be careful about what he tells Jonathan,
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and partly because he’s deliberately locked away some very painful things he doesn’t want to think about. Alexis Hall does a great job of throwing around little hints throughout the story so that it’s not difficult to guess what Sam is running away from, but it still hits hard when it’s revealed near the end, and we finally fit together all the pieces and understand what Sam has been going through and why he is the way he is, especially concerning his job and the people he works with. I read it and enjoyed it, but it was only when I started to really think about it and go back through the highlights that I realized just how much the author had packed into what seemed, at first, to be a light-hearted story full of snarky talk, an ugly kitty and an oversized Christmas tree. Along with the romance, it's a story about connecting and re-connecting...about being true to yourself... and not being afraid to show that you care. One of the many things Alexis Hall does so well is to let his characters experience growth while remaining essentially the same people, and this was certainly true of Sam and Jonathan. Sam was still the upbeat guy that is so very prone to wearing his heart on his sleeve, and Jonathan is still the gruff, aloft, and anxious one...but they’ve found in one another, that "special someone" who complements them...who understands them...and who accepts them and loves them for who they are. They learn that together, they’re not necessarily different, but they are "better". I thought that the fake amnesia plot was a little shaky, and it went on too long, but it absolutely does NOT spoil the story. The book is a mixture of the "crazy and the meaningful" all wrapped up in a romance that's filled with humor that really works well. I consider this one to be a keeper. Show Less
LibraryThing member daplz
Funny and sweet. I enjoyed every chapter!
The main character of the story is originally from Liverpool, so the audiobook is read by Will Watt in a Scouse accent. It's a nice touch that adds character to the reading.
The main character of the story is originally from Liverpool, so the audiobook is read by Will Watt in a Scouse accent. It's a nice touch that adds character to the reading.
LibraryThing member OMBWarrior47
Even though I was disappointed by the last book I read from Alexis Hall, Husband Material, I decided to give this one a shot. It is a spinoff of a character who was introduced in Husband Material. I understand that it may be a part of another series that the author intends to continue called
I liked this book nearly as much as I liked Boyfriend Material. The characters take a while to warm up to. It seems like the author likes to write broody characters. Lucien and Oliver are very similar to Sam and Jonathan. Like with Boyfriend Material, it took me a while to warmup to the secondary partner. Oliver was nearly as dislikeable as Jonathan was.
The author had an interesting concept where the main character fakes having amnesia in order to try and save his job. His boss ends up taking care of him and they become a complicated couple. The book was interesting and kept me entertained until the end. I do not feel that there were any slow parts in the book. I would be interested in reading book 2 if Hall was willing to continue on with the series.
★★★★
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Material World.I liked this book nearly as much as I liked Boyfriend Material. The characters take a while to warm up to. It seems like the author likes to write broody characters. Lucien and Oliver are very similar to Sam and Jonathan. Like with Boyfriend Material, it took me a while to warmup to the secondary partner. Oliver was nearly as dislikeable as Jonathan was.
The author had an interesting concept where the main character fakes having amnesia in order to try and save his job. His boss ends up taking care of him and they become a complicated couple. The book was interesting and kept me entertained until the end. I do not feel that there were any slow parts in the book. I would be interested in reading book 2 if Hall was willing to continue on with the series.
★★★★
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Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Romance — 2024)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Romance — 2024)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — Hall of Fame — October 2023)
Language
Original publication date
2023-10-17
Local notes
Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam. It was a sentimental decision, and 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.