#BlogTour- ‘The Day We Met’ by Roxie Cooper

About The Book….

‘The Day We Met’ by Roxie Cooper 

Stephanie and Jamie are meant to be. The problem is they’re both with other people…

Stephanie doesn’t believe in fate, true love or living happily ever after. She’s content enough being engaged to Matt. But then she meets Jamie, who understands her more than anyone else ever has.

Jamie is happily married to his childhood sweetheart Helen and believes in everything Stephanie doesn’t. So why does he have such a strong connection with Stephanie?

When Stephanie and Jamie meet one fateful weekend in 2006 it will change everything…

This review, for my spot on this Random Things Tour blogtour should be entitled ‘I’m not crying, you are!’

With apologies to both the author, publisher AND tour organiser I have literally eeked this book as much as possible-I did not want it to end! 

Jamie is an art tutor at a creative weekend-a get away from it, stay in a hotel and paint your feelings weekend to which Stephanie is treated by her fiance Matt. They hit it off and understand each other from the start and have no idea that their paths will continue to cross for the next ten years….

It looks like a big book, at 450 pages, but trust me, once you get started the story sucks you in  and you are completely engaged! Using pure talent and possibly some magic, Roxie Cooper has created 2 very distinct voices in Steph and Jamie. There are chapters which alternate between them, then the ones when they are together and she skillfully weaves them together for a seamless narrative that won’t let go.

None of the choices that these guys make are easy- they are either engaged or married when they meet, and then go on to have children with their respective partners over the ensuing ten years. Their spouses are not bad people, and that is what makes it so relatable when Jamie and Steph do cross paths, the guilt they feel is enormous.

But is their attraction based in getting what they want? Is it true love or just a distraction? Is it fate or a really cruel coincidence that flung them together? If it is fate then why is it throwing so many obstacles in  the way? Oh my heart, as a reader you vacillate between thinking they are selfish, then not selfish enough. The ballast in the story is Steph’s therapist,Jane, who cuts straight to the chase when Steph confesses her feelings for Jamie-

‘Why do you settle for being so blissfully happy only one weekend out of fifty-two in a year? Because you deserve to be happy every weekend…’

 You just want them all to be happy, Jamie and Helen , Steph and Matt, and you can’t see how this can resolve itself happily but what you have is a textured, layered and blissful book that has you racing to the end then turning the pages super slowly because you are near the end. Nothing in life is easy, we beat ourselves up daily for making poor decisions but we are only humans trying to navigate ourselves through some very difficult times. And this is reflected in the stories of Jamie and Steph.

Roxie has created a terrific cast in her debut novel, I love how she peels away their layers and also builds them up as circumstances change them over the course of a decade. It’s an incredible debut accompanied by a Spotify playlist (see link below).

All the key moments of the novel are marked by songs , and I would absolutely love to see more books with playlists ! What a great idea!

It is a brilliant read , I would 100% recommend it!

Spotify Playlist-https://open.spotify.com/user/penguinbooks/playlist/0mCROFM6o8DwGjmxVKx0Ae

About The Author….

Roxie Cooper lives in Yarm, a pretty little market town in the North-East.

After reading Classics at Newcastle University, she realised she needed a break from studying Latin, Ancient Greek and all that serious stuff, so naturally, she became a dancer in a nightclub (à la Coyote Ugly) for a few years before going to live in Australia.

When she returned, she swapped dancing on a bar, to practising at the Bar, and became a barrister for 7 years.

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