The No-Show

Content warnings: sexual harassment, parent with dementia, grief, loss of a significant other

Jane, Miranda, and Siobhan are all in love with the same man.

Jane Miller is hiding in Winchester. She's lying to her family about living in London and is volunteering at a charity shop. Her fellow volunteers are like her family and she has no friends to speak of. Then she meets Joseph in a bakery; he's handsome, intelligent, and just as well-read as she is. They begin a book club of two and Jane develops feelings for Joseph even though she's promised herself she'll never love a man again.

Miranda Rosso is a tree surgeon in Surrey, and she loves her job working with a gardening crew. Her boyfriend is lawyer Carter, a fun and charming man that she enjoys spending time with until he stands her up for their Valentine's Day lunch. Miranda is committed to Carter and tries to squash her workplace crush on AJ.

Dubliner Siobhan Kelly is a life coach whose days are filled with counseling sessions, public speaking, and posting on social media. Her schedules are sometimes down to the minute, with each day full of her business and her brand. She's not looking for a relationship, but there's something about charismatic Joseph Carter that she's drawn to. She has their hookups penciled in for the first Friday of each month while she's in London. This works for busy Shiv, until she questions her feelings when he is a no-show for their Valentine's Day breakfast. She can't say no to Joseph, and it dredges up issues from her past she hasn't yet dealt with.

The three women's stories entwine until the reader gets a clearer picture of Joseph Carter's life, and where he is when he's not with each woman. He is awfully charming and the reader will find themselves loving him through his relationships. The three women's lives cross in unpredictable ways, and the reader may jump to the wrong conclusions about Joseph Carter.

This outstanding novel is a rollercoaster ride of the entire spectrum of human emotion while weaving in elements of mystery. Highly recommended for readers of romance and women's fiction.

Beth O'Leary is a former publisher and Sunday Times bestselling author who lives in the English countryside.

Publisher: Berkley

Length: 352 pages

Release Date: April 12, 2022

I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.