Not Exactly What I Had in Mind, Kate Brook
Not Exactly What I Had in Mind, Kate Brook
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Not Exactly What I Had in Mind

Author: Kate Brook

Narrator: Charly Cave

Unabridged: 8 hr 27 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 06/28/2022


Synopsis

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.

About The Author

Kate Brook lives and works in London. She has a PhD in French Literature and Visual Art from King’s College London, and a master's in European Literature and Culture from the University of Cambridge. Her short-form writing has been published in The Fiction Pool and The Real Story. Not Exactly What I Had in Mind is her debut novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Michael on May 31, 2022

Not Exactly What I Expected To Read… …and I mean that in the best possible way! My emotions are all over the land! I didn’t want it to end, and was sad when it did! Hazel is a 20-something who just had sex with Alfie. The problem is, he’s one of her two roommates. How awkward if they start developing......more

Goodreads review by Susanne on October 09, 2022

The title of this book says it all: This was Not Exactly What I Had in Mind. Furthermore, this was Not Exactly What I Was Looking For and Not Exactly What I Wanted, either. Oh my. This book. It left me vexed and not in a good way. First, it the sex. Can I say ICK?! It happened early (and too often (at......more

Goodreads review by Meaghan on May 08, 2022

For most of this book, I didn't understand why it already had such a low rating on Goodreads already. The writing was funny, I generally liked most of the characters, and I found myself cheering along most of them on their various journeys. Sure, there's a lot of angst and pining from certain POVs,......more

Goodreads review by Marian on June 05, 2023

Creo que se tratan temas muy trascendentes sin la profundidad que me gusta. El cambio climático, la maternidad, la ciber venganza. Me parece que quedó en mitad de camino entre una obra con bajada de línea pro feminista, pro veganista y un romance moderno. Definitivamente no me convenció, entretiene,......more

Goodreads review by Ashley on June 30, 2022

*Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.* That was something. Let me start by saying that this is NOT a rom-com in my opinion, which I think lead me to a great deal of my dislike, because I went into it expecting s......more


Quotes

“I adored this bookfresh, funny and thought provoking, I fell in love with the characters and did not want it to end.” Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year and Just Haven’t Met You Yet

“Brook’s enjoyable debut tackles the messiness of love and family… Heartfelt and entertaining.” ―Publishers Weekly

“A charming peek inside the messy world of modern dating, blending hard-hitting realities with frivolous fun. Fans of Jamie Brenner and Hannah McKinnon will appreciate Brook's celebration of the chosen family of roommates, coworkers, and friends who provide steady footing in an unstable world.” ―Booklist

"Brook’s ability to balance humor with explorations of heartbreak, anxiety, and betrayal is admirable....an entertaining tale from start to finish, with characters you’ll miss right after finishing the epilogue."―Kirkus

“A clever and insightful take on what love and family mean in the twenty-first century.” ―Nicola Gill, author of We Are Family and The Neighbors

“Captures the intricacies of modern relationships with undeniable skill, heaps of humour and a style that fans of Sally Rooney will love. Captivating and addictively complex, this novel is full of an unshakable tension that is a delight to get entangled in.” ―Ashley Hickson-Lovence, author of Your Show