Title: Not Exactly What I Had in Mind by Kate Brook
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Length: 350 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
An irresistible, funny, sharply observed debut novel in which two roommates, and two sisters, will learn that sometimes family–and love—find you in the most unexpected places
Hazel and Alfie have just moved in together as roommates. They’ve also just slept together, which was either a catastrophic mistake or the best decision of their lives–they aren’t quite sure yet. Whatever happens, they need to find a way to keep living together without too much drama or awkwardness, since neither of them can afford to move out of the apartment.
Then Hazel’s sister, Emily, and her wife, Daria, come for a visit, and Hazel’s and Alfie’s feelings about each other are pushed to the side in the whirlwind of their arrival. Recently returned from abroad, Emily and Daria are excited for a new life in a new town, and ready to start a family of their own.
As the lives of Hazel, Alfie, Emily, and Daria collide, a complicated chain of events begins to bind them all together, bringing joy and heartache, hope and anxiety, and reshaping their relationships in ways that no one quite predicted. Warm, clever, and devastatingly relatable, Not Exactly What I Had in Mind is by turns funny, heartbreaking, and a painfully true-to-life story about family, friends, and everything in between.
Review:
Not Exactly What I Had in Mind by Kate Brook is an engaging debut novel.
Flatmates Hazel Phillips and Alfie Berghan realize very quickly that sleeping together is probably not the smartest decision they have made. They agree it is a mistake not to be repeated and things are soon very awkward between them. Luckily, Hazel’s sister Emily and her wife Daria’s visit proves to be a much-needed distraction. Emily and Daria adore Alfie and a close-knit friendship is born.
A lack of communication prevents Hazel and Alfie from doing anything about their shared attraction. There are several near misses in which fear holds them back from confessing their feelings for one another. Instead, Hazel embarks on an ill-advised relationship with a man who is not exactly anyone’s favorite. She overlooks her boyfriend’s less than desirable attributes rather than find the courage to talk to Alfie.
Emily and Daria are relocating back to England after a few years away. They are at the point in their marriage where they are ready for children. Emily is excited for the pregnancy experience but does Daria share her enthusiasm? And then there is the question of who will help them achieve their goal. A solution presents itself, but are those involved making the right decision?
Not Exactly What I Had in Mind is a delightfully charming novel. The characters are appealing with relatable flaws. Despite utilizing the miscommunication trope, the storyline is very interesting and moves at a fast pace. The various relationships are intriguing and while some plot points are predictable, this does not lessen enjoyment in the unfolding story. Kate Brook closes her debut novel with a mostly satisfying epilogue but readers will be frustrated that not all the storylines are completely resolved.
