400 pages ~ ★★★★☆ ~ Netgalley eARC
A rehab hospital ward isn’t exactly a typical setting for a contemporary romance book and when Alfie and Alice find themselves in neighbouring beds they don’t exactly hit is off from day one. The premise is pretty heavy and some people could find that a bit off-putting but the book has over-riding themes of optimism Alfie has been on the ward for a while recovering from a car accident which resulted in him loosing a leg; newcomer Alice is a mystery to everyone except the nurses and refuses to speak or be seen by anyone. She’s found herself on the ward after being caught in a fire at her office where she was working into the night.
I found this to be a bit slow to start but once it got going I was hooked, I found myself really invested in both Alfie and Alice’s recoveries as well as their blossoming friendship and I’d really recommend this to anyone after a heart-warming romance in an original setting. Not only did the book have great characters in Alfie and Alice but the supporting characters, the other hospital patients, the nurses and the visitors they had on the ward all added to making this feel like a believable world, this was a great debut from Emily Houghton and I’d happily read any future releases from her.
Before I Saw You is out now in hardback, audio and e-book with the paperback due out in July. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy this in exchange for an honest review.
Complex Chaos 