Before I Saw You

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Author: Emily Houghton
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: This is the kind of book that you finish in a single read. When you're feeling at your worst, like nothing in life is going according to plan, it's the kind of book that will show you how little your problems are compared to others. Emily Houghton's novel will then teach you how to stand up again. A beautiful read.

Alice has had an accident. Due to a mishap at work, she is now the recovering survivor of a raging fire - but, at a steep cost. Alfie was in an accident too - but, after months spent recovering, he is finally close to being released from the hospital's rehabilitation ward. When Alice is shifted to the bed next to Alfie, the pair strike a bizarre friendship... but, can you be friends with someone you have never even seen? How much does appearance matter really?

I loved the dynamic between Alice and Alfie! As the interactions between them grew, and they each slowly began to open up about the grief and loss in their lives, it almost felt like fate. Even though this is a work of fiction, it was endearing to see both the protagonists overcome their respective traumas and grow. (And did I mention that throughout the entire time they never even see each other's face? Not even once.)


Alice's journey from the vulnerable woman in the hospital to someone finally coming to terms with her situation was inspiring to read. Through her steady interactions with Alfie, we slowly get to see who Alice used to be before the accident, the events that her made that way, and the person she is slowly becoming as she opens up. It's almost like the accident was something that really needed to happen in Alice's life - the event made her realize that she needed help.

Another fantastic thing about this book was Emily Houghton's flowing writing style. Her words will literally make you hear the thoughts inside both characters' heads until you slowly begin to understand why they behave the way they do. It was because of this easy writing style that I was able to blitz through this book in the span of a day.

Some books just come to you at exactly the right moment in time - like a twist of fate, believe it or not. This is what Before I Saw You was to me. A huge shout out to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for lending me a copy of this ARC. It was a beautiful read. 

Emily Houghton's fantastic new novel will be out in February 2021!

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