Series: Ever After Agency #4 (Standalone)
Publication Date: 12th Nov 2024
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/someonelikeyousocial
Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214540475-someone-like-you
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Romance
3.3 Stars
One Liner: A decent timepass read
Book Blurb:
What do you do when you realize you've
fallen for your best friend, but he sees you as the sister he never had? And to
make things worse, you're stuck in the middle of a matchmaking scheme to find
him someone else!
Best friends Gaby and Raff are inseparable and know
each other inside out. But with Raff's string of disastrous relationships and
his newfound fame as Britain’s Best Baker, it's time to enlist the Ever After
Agency to help him find true love.
At first, Gaby is all in – Raff is a catch, after
all. But as she secretly helps to find his perfect match, she’s hit with
unexpected pangs of jealousy. And before she can act on her feelings, Raff
falls for one of his dates.
Can Gaby keep her emotions in check, or will she
risk ruining their friendship to find out if Raff feels the same way?
Set in London and Seattle, this romantic
and festive romcom is perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Mhairi McFarlane, and
Lindsey Kelk.
***
My Thoughts:
The story comes in Gaby and Poppy’s first-person POVs.
This should work as a standalone (I haven’t read the
previous books). However, I was unprepared for Poppy’s POV in a story that
didn’t belong to her.
Firstly, the premise of friends-to-lovers with some
supposed third-party drama is not only interesting but has much potential to
explore the MCs’ friendship and the realization parts. Unfortunately, the book
succeeds only to a point.
The second half is decidedly better and more
entertaining than the first. Once the setting changes, the story ups the ante
with ease. The main reason for this is the focus on Gaby and Raffe even though
there are a bunch of people around them.
The first half takes time to establish the dynamic,
which is good but I was so annoyed by Freya (until she redeemed herself to an
extent). Also, I needed more of Aunt CiCi. She sounds wonderful!
The main characters are actually good. I could
empathize with both of them. However, the chapters with Poppy’s first-person
POV (especially the ones set away from the office) were irritating. All of it
could have been condensed and told to us in a couple of paragraphs. Her POV
should have been in the third person.
Instead of limiting Raffe’s POV to the prologue, it
should have been included more (at least 3 chapters) in between by replacing
Poppy’s home scenes. That would have given us more insight into his feelings
and the exact moment of realization. This part has been settled in a single
sentence.
I enjoyed meeting Gaby’s family a lot (even the
aunt, lol). Seeing how this ended, I feel they will feature in one of the
upcoming books as well. I might try that one just to meet them again. Lovely
family vibes with chaos, banter, love, and laughter.
Though the book explores another trope (forced
proximity), it doesn’t do much except make one of them feel sadder. This is
where Raffe’s POV would have elevated the narrative and later too in the
supermarket.
I wouldn’t really call this a romance read. It’s
more of a women’s fic with a bit of romance. The wait is long (which I don’t
mind) but the journey could have been better.
To summarize, Someone Like You is a sweet story
about not just love but also about family, friendships, and being there for
those who matter to you.
Thank you, Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood
Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about
the book.
#NetGalley
***
About the Author – Sandy Barker
As a traveller, I love exploring new places, outdoor
adventures, and eating and drinking like a local, and many of my travel
adventures have found homes in my novels.
Follow the Author:
Facebook: @SandyBarkerAuthor
Twitter: @SandyBarker
Instagram: @sandybarkerauthor
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/SandyBarkernews
***
This has been a stop on the #SomeoneLikeYou blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources. (@rararesources) Thanks for stopping by!
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