Book Review: The No-Show by Beth O’Leary

About the Book:

Title: The No-Show

Author: Beth O’Leary

Page Length: 352

Publication Date: April 12, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Books

Synopsis: Three women who seemingly have nothing in common find that they’re involved with the same man in this smart new rom-com by Beth O’Leary, bestselling author of The Flatshare.

Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane is a soft-spoken volunteer for the local charity shop with zero sense of self-worth.

These three women are strangers who have only one thing in common: They’ve all been stood up on the same day, the very worst day to be stood up–Valentine’s Day. And, unbeknownst to them, they’ve all been stood up by the same man.

Once they’ve each forgiven him for standing them up, they let him back into their lives and are in serious danger of falling in love with a man who seems to have not just one or two but three women on the go….

Is there more to him than meets the eye? And will they each untangle the truth before they all get their hearts broken?

LINKS:   Goodreads   |    Amazon   |  Book Depository

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My Review:

A story about love, friendship, grief, and more, The No-Show follows three women who have been stood up by the same man on Valentine’s Day. As Miranda, Siobhan, and Jane each face their conflicting feelings for Joseph Carter, they learn that there is much more to this man than meets the eye.

Miranda, Jane, and Siobhan are all deftly developed protagonists, and I like that the chapters alternate between their points of view. They are unique with distinct voices, and I enjoyed all of their stories. Each goes through so much over the course of the novel, including mental health struggles, sexual harassment, family illness, career stress, relationship troubles, and more, and it was interesting to see how each dealt with the problems they faced. Of course, the one issue that they share is their relationship with Joseph Carter, since he is dating Miranda and Siobhan and fake-dating and friends with Jane.

Carter is also well-developed, though he is a bit of an enigma for a good amount of the book. A goofy, charming, handsome, nerd, Carter’s relationships with Siobhan, Jane, and Miranda are at the forefront of the novel, but you slowly learn bits and pieces about him and his life as the story unfolds.

I have to say, this book surprised me. I felt one way about a particular character, and then a surprise revelation changed all of my feelings. It made me stop and reexamine everything I thought about the characters and their situations. I found it deeply moving, emotional, and powerful, and it really made me think about things from a different perspective, which I loved.

Beth O’Leary has a gift for storytelling, and though this is my first book by the author, it certainly won’t be my last. The writing is fantastic, the pacing is great, the characters are relatable and dynamically developed, and the plot is engaging and unpredictable. Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read, romantic, moving, emotional, and much more poignant than I anticipated.

Special thanks to Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

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Rating:

Favorite Parts:

• The character development.

• The surprise twist.

• The themes and messages.

Recommendations:

I would recommend The No-Show to readers who enjoy contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, or romance.