The No-Show

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For that reason, I felt like it was a bit of a slow burner to begin with, but I put that down to my erratic reading schedule more than the story itself. She first tells Joseph she has a boyfriend, so even though there are definite vibes between them, they are platonic. I loved every female character in this book, but I must admit my heart really did fall for Jane, the sweetest character with a lot of self-doubt and worry, I was really rooting for Janey and so the ending (if you’ve read the book) made my heart swell! He’s either a heartless bastard or the great guy he mostly appears to be, but how to reconcile the two? This book is pretty comparable to The Switch, but because of the problems I’ve mentioned with the plot, I think I’ll give it a straight B.

The No-Show: The utterly heart-warming new novel from the The No-Show: The utterly heart-warming new novel from the

The No Showis O’Leary’s savviest book to date (and dare I say her best), and although it’s not quite as ‘cosy’ as The Switch, it’s equally as heartwarming and joyful. The twist and the spoiler come out at you, and can I just ask who the hell decided to market this as a rom-con?The three main female characters were likable as were several secondary characters (especially Miranda’s sisters and the friends that Jane does end up making/realizing she had all along in the course of the book).

The No-Show - Incredible books from Quercus Books The No-Show - Incredible books from Quercus Books

I think both the cover and the descriptive copy are working deliberately to set up reader expectations for something this book doesn’t turn out to be. But it wasn’t a mystery, and I find it hard to apply the rules of a mystery to a book that while not a romance, had at its heart three romantic relationships. I liked all the female protagonists (even though I kind of wanted Jane to get over being a drip and deal with her trauma, whatever it was).I’m not sure she’s achieved that level of characterization (though I liked the heroine of The Roadtrip quite a bit). So because I did love the Flatshare, I don’t mind borrowing this one from the library, but I’ll only give it so many pages to rope me in before I take it back. I would have loved to spend more time with Jane’s 70-something gay friends, who were figuring out how to come out to their one living parent, and Miranda’s snarky twin sisters/roommates felt like they needed their own book.

The No-Show by Beth O’Leary - Dear Author REVIEW: The No-Show by Beth O’Leary - Dear Author

Jennie: Thanks and yeaaaaah, heavy-handed misdirection and blinking neon lights are some of the things I hated about her earlier books so I think you are correct. It’s a romance that feels like a mystery, where the puzzle is figuring out what the fuck is going on with all these relationships. In some ways, it felt a little different to the other books I’ve read from Beth and I can’t put my finger on why, perhaps because of the three-character perspective format and at times not feeling overly drawn to all its protagonists, but regardless it still stands as my favourite book of the year so far! But lingering questions remain for each of them, and the missed Valentine’s Day plants the seeds for a shift in Joseph’s relationships. The No-Show may appeal to readers who like relationship-driven fiction with laughs, angst, tension, and tragedy.Strong prose and characterization go a long way with her, though if they are combined with an unusual plot or setting, all the better.