I’m so happy to say that I give The Flip Side by James Bailey a 5/5 star rating! This romantic comedy deals with the aftermath of a failed proposal and it was the one that got me out of a reading slump 🎉
Synopsis:
“One coin, one year, and one new shot at love. Josh thought he was doing everything right. He found a girl. They adopted a rabbit. He finally found the perfect moment to propose. She said no.
On the London Eye . . . On New Year’s Eve . . . Suspended 443ft in the air . . .
Now they’re awkwardly eating truffles and praying they’ll be back on the ground soon. Realizing he can’t be trusted to make his own decisions, Josh decides to spend a year putting his faith in, well, fate.
From now on, every decision will be made by the flip of a coin. And maybe, just maybe, the coin will help him find the girl of his dreams. After all, who says you can’t take a chance on love?
Hilarious, feel-good, and uplifting. A romantic comedy perfect for anyone who has ever failed at love“.
*spoiler-free book review
Why did I read this book?
I received an eARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Penguin Random House for an ARC of this book!
When I requested this book, what instantly grabbed my attention was the synopsis. Plus… the reviews on Goodreads at the time were really good and after reading a lot of fantasy, I wanted to read a contemporary novel.
Book Cover:
Author: James Bailey
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Date of Publication: November 17, 2020
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction
Number of pages: 384 (paperback)
Reading Experience?
I felt as if I was watching a British rom-com but it was all in my head. I read it in July but I feel like it is one of those books that you should read in December-January. Maybe this is because everything starts on New Year’s Eve…
Relatable Main Character?
Okay so, I can’t relate to the main character because I’m neither in my late twenties nor I have been in a long term relationship that then turned into a nightmare/disaster.
But apart from that, I find Josh (the MC) to be like Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother. Fate is not on his side but either way, he still is a hopeless romantic who has very “relatable” experiences and has a humour that goes along with it.
Also, I found it so funny/entertaining that he was flipping a coin for every decision he made during an entire year! The commitment!
Bonus: I love the friendship in this book!
Will YA readers like this book?
If you mostly read contemporary YA and if you love watching rom-coms (like me), then you’ll definitely like this! It has neither a very quick or really slow pace and just because the characters are not ‘young adult’ it shouldn’t mean that you should not at least give it a try.
Struggles?
There was this one scene that I found sad and at the same time unnecessary (almost towards the ending) but apart from that, no struggles!
A Cliché?
I wouldn’t think of this book as one but aren’t all romantic comedies in one way or another a cliché? It might be in some way predictable but it still is a heartwarming story
About the Author
James Bailey was born in Bristol, and currently lives and works in his home city. A graduate of King’s College London, James has previously carried the Olympic Torch, made a speech at the House of Commons, and worked as a red carpet reporter. The Flip Side is his debut novel. James can be found on Instagram @JamesBaileyWrites, and at www.JamesBaileyWrites.com
Book Links
Your thoughts?
Does this book sound like the type of novel you would enjoy?
Do you prefer watching or reading rom-coms?