Some of you know that when I was working I used to fly off to Jersey every six weeks or so to do some consultancy work in the schools there. With that in mind, how could I resist taking part in the blog tour for Just Haven’t Met You Yet, set in Jersey? Add in the fact that I absolutely adored Sophie Cousen’s This Time Next Year (my review of which you’ll find here) and which was one of my Books of the Year in 2020 and I’m thrilled to participate by sharing my review. My enormous thanks to Rachel Kennedy for inviting me to participate. I also spoke about Just Haven’t Met You Yet in an online event you can find here.

Published in paperback yesterday, 11th November 2021 by Penguin Random House imprint Arrow (now Century), Just Haven’t Met You Yet is available for purchase through these links.

Just Haven’t Met You Yet

Tell me the story of how you two met…

Laura has built a career out of interviewing people about their epic real life love stories.

When she picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport, Laura wonders if this could be the start of something that’s written in the stars.

From piano sheet-music to a battered copy of her favourite book, Laura finds in the bag evidence of everything she could hope for in a partner.

If Laura’s job has taught her anything it’s that when it comes to love, you can’t let opportunity pass you by. Now Laura is determined to track down the owner of the suitcase, and her own happy ending.

But what if fate has other ideas?

My Review of Just Haven’t Met You Yet

Laura’s off to Jersey for work.

Just Haven’t Met You Yet is a brilliant escapist read with a wonderful balance of romance and humour to lift the spirits and entertain thoroughly. I really enjoyed it.

The Jersey setting is wonderful. Without getting bogged down in extraneous detail, Sophie Cousens brings the island to life to the extent that, having visited the island over 70 times already, she had made me want to return immediately. The references to weird spellings and pronunciations, the glorious bays and fabulous food, the intimacy of everyone knowing everyone else, the country lanes and the driving etiquette are perfectly conveyed, bringing the setting to glorious life.

And it’s a smashing story with all the elements a reader hopes for in a rom-com. Moments of physical humour are balanced against witty dialogue and emotional intensity so that the narrative has the ability to make the reader laugh and find a tear in their eye. As a result I found Just Haven’t Met You Yet totally engaging. It’s one of those stories where I find myself wondering how the characters are doing now I’ve finished reading.

It’s Laura who is the lynchpin of the action. She’s a wonderful creation. Romantic, with unrealistic attitudes to life, accident prone and liable to find herself in awkward situations, she embodies warmth, vivacity, and the basic human desire to love and be loved in return. I was desperate for her to have her happy every after ending, but you’ll need to read Just Haven’t Met You Yet to see if she does! The more minor characters add depth and texture and Gerry in particular takes Just Haven’t Met You Yet beyond the expectations of this genre. The changes in his life are those many of us, or those we love, are facing so that he truly tugs at the heartstrings.

Underneath the witty story and engaging people, however, are themes that impact on the reader more profoundly than might at first be realised. The ways in which we allow ourselves to be defined by our past, by our professions, by others and by habit is woven throughout the narrative so that I finished reading Just Haven’t Met You Yet determined to take greater control over my own life. I hadn’t expected quite such a profound response to what is, essentially a light and entertaining book. I think this illustrates enormous skill from Sophie Cousens.

I loved Just Haven’t Met You Yet because it allowed me to travel and meet new people from the comfort of my own home. Sophie Cousens made me care about every one of the people I met along the way, even Suki. Even better, Just Haven’t Met You Yet is a perfect example of the rom-com genre that brings a smile to the face and leaves the reader feeling happier than when they started reading. What could be better than that?

About Sophie Cousens

Sophie Cousens is a writer of romantic fiction based in Jersey, where Just Haven’t Met You Yetis set. Her previous novel published by Arrow, This Time Next Year, has reached huge success in the UK, having sold 150,000 copies across all formats in just six months. This Time Next Year has also achieved huge success in the US as a New York Times bestseller and Good Morning America Book Club pick.

Sophie previously worked in TV in London for over twelve years, producing The Graham Norton Show, Big Brother and Ant and Dec. Sophie has also previously published an eBook only romantic comedy novel How To Get Ahead In Television which was shortlisted for the 2015 Romantic Novelist Association Awards. She relocated from London to Jersey and balances her writing career with working for an arts charity, taking care of her two small children and enjoying small island life.

You can follow Sophie on Twitter @SophieCous and Instagram.