Adi Rocks Socks's Reviews > In Case You Missed It

4 stars

If you’re afraid someone will walk away from you if you tell them you love them, why on earth would you want to be with them in the first place?

In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk is a witty and light hearted love story about a woman who moves back in with her parents after losing her job in a foreign country.

Ros is 32 and broke, and is back in London after three years in the US. She accidentally sends a message to all her contacts, one of whom happens to be the douchebag who dumped her after finding out she was moving away. (Can’t you see, I’m already biased?)

Coming back to London is weird for Ros. Her parents are, as Ros says, undergoing a sexual renaissance, her childhood bedroom has been repurposed and she’s been relegated to the shed in her parents’ backyard, and her friends group has included a new member in the time she’s been gone — someone whom she just can’t get along with. (I’m Team John, FYI.)

At the core of it, In Case You Missed It is a love story, where Ros realises that looking at the past through rose tinted glasses (or in this case, Ros tinted glasses) unfairly romanticises things that happened, and that when you’re attached to the past, you don’t really have a shot at the present, let alone the future.

As promised in the blurb, Ros hooks up with her ex Patrick pretty soon, and to the average reader, it’s so obvious from the get go that she deserves so much better than this pretentious man who doesn’t value her or respect her time.

Kelk does a very wonderful job of portraying how Ros just couldn’t leave her past behind — it gave me the impression that Ros was clinging onto it bc everything else in her life had changed, and this was the one relic she could hold on to.

All of Ros’ friends hate Patrick, and yet, Ros can’t see him as anything short of being a god. She puts him on a pedestal and bends over backwards to please him; to have the same opinions as him so that they won’t ever fight. This struck very close to home, since I’ve had the same experience. The portrayal of the various characters is honesty one of the best parts of the book — Kelk is a master at this.

On the other hand, we have John. He’s nice, kind, polite and respectful, even though Ros initially doesn’t like him at all. He’s patient and sweet, and it’s obvious to the reader that he’s a good fit for Ros. And yet, those tinted glasses and (imo) a possible fear of the future maker her cling onto Patrick.

While I did not like Patrick, there were also times when he was extremely romantic and lovely. Things like these clearly conflicted Ros over whether he really was bad for her. He wasn’t abusive, but he was callous and very glib, and didn’t seem as invested in the relationship as Ros was.

The character development that Ros undergoes makes this book something more than just a love story. While chucking those tinted glasses in the bin is what she ends up doing, the journey is made all the enjoyable for readers with the witty narration, full of pop culture references. (As someone who’s guilty pleasure is KUWTK, I loved all those Kris Jenner references.)

I adored the side characters as well — Sumi, an Indian origin lawyer who’s a lesbian; Lucy, the strait laced one, married and with a baby on its way; and Adrian, the commitment-phobe who fancies his CrossFit teacher. We also have Ros’ parents adding both to the comic relief, and to the character transformation of Ros.

Someone reading this review might think this is a love triangle. I firmly believe it isn’t one. This was simply a story of Ros learning that what worked three years back might not work now, and that she deserves someone who loves her just the way she loves them.

Sex with someone you fancied like mad was great but sex between two people who fancy each other like mad AND really cared about one another? Another stratosphere.

Another thing I loved about the book is the ending — as expected, we do get a HEA romantically, but other things, such as Ros’ professional life doesn’t end very well for her. I liked how that reflected real life — all the loose ends in life don’t get tied up magically at the same moment — different things take different amounts of time. While we do see Ros attempting to bounce back in the end and in the epilogue, I like how Kelk left that as the disaster it was.

This book as marketed as being perfect for Sophie Kinsella fans, and while I adore a good Kinsella novel, I’d say this book had an intellectual depth to it which isn’t always present in Kinsella’s books.

This novel has cemented my status as a Lindsey Kelk fan, and I’m truly grateful for getting an ARC from HarperCollins via Edelweiss. If any of you folks at HC are reading this review — I’m sorry for how late this is — I genuinely thought that the “front list” date mentioned on Edelweiss was the date of publication — I’ve learnt my lesson now, though! Thanks for giving me a chance!

-x-

Reading updates:

‘Thanks for dinner,’ I called as I clung to the doorframe. Better that than nothing.

‘I’ll see you soon.’

‘You will,’ he replied. And it sounded like a promise.

59% -- I’m swooning! 😍 -- Sep 7

43% -- That moment when the ship you ship might actually sail.... SQUEAL!!! -- Sep 6

34% -- She's back together with her ex, Patrick, and they're going on another date. :/ But I like the banter Ros and Jack have; I just don't like Patrick. :/ -- Sep 4

16% -- Ros has moved back to London, accidentally announces her arrival to her entire contacts list, including her ex (as promised in the blurb). BUT... there's a character named John whom Ros is not off to a good start with. I can definitely sense chemistry there. (How they met is pretty hilarious!) Hoping it's John and Ros in the end! -- Sep 1

—

Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC! :)