I Know How This Ends

After catching her fiancé cheating with her best friend, Margot is completely done with men. To prove her point, she sets herself up for a 20-date challenge—and on every single outing, she looks for something wrong. Spoiler: the guys make it pretty easy.Always eating at the same restaurant, she doesn’t even realize she has the same waiter each time… until he suggests he should be date #17. Henry is definitely not her usual type, but Margot reluctantly agrees. Things don’t go smoothly—especially when news of her ex’s engagement sends her running out on Henry before the date even begins.But then Margot experiences a vision—one filled with happiness and Henry by her side. That glimpse makes her want to try again. With each new vision, Margot feels more certain she’s finally on the right path… even if she has to keep those visions a secret.This was a sweet, fun read about second chances, unexpected love, and learning to trust again. I really enjoyed following Margot’s journey and watching her walls slowly come down.Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy—I’m sharing this review voluntarily.

I loved this book. I am in a position in my life where I possibly have some future forecasting for upcoming health dramas, and I was intrigued by the notion of following a fictional character who has to reconcile knowing bad things and good things are coming. I wanted to see how Margot handled the day to day with her visions. I thought that the author handled this topic spectacularly. The author hits notes on keeping perspective with the big picture as well as how to be present and enjoy the little things. Margot is quite the hot mess at the start of the story, almost to the point of painfulness. However, I though her story arc very well done and realistic and I really did learn to love her in all her mess as she learned to love herself. The friend group and the love interest were all delightful and well executed. Grandpa was almost a saint but the afterword explained that in a way that made me accepting. A very enjoyable read!

Holly Smale takes a leap into the complexities of destiny and self-acceptance with her newest novel, I Know How This Ends. This isn't your typical light-hearted romp; instead, it's a nuanced and emotionally rich exploration of what it means to live, love, and grow when you think you know exactly what's coming next.We're introduced to Margot Wayward, a woman who is unravelling after a decade-long relationship implosion. Her method of coping? Gleeful self-destruction. Margot is derailing her successful career, joyfully taking down men on dating apps, and living in a state of defiant chaos. It's a relatable, albeit heightened, portrayal of post-breakup purgatory that many readers will find both amusing and poignant.Then, an inexplicable vision shifts her chaotic world on its axis. Margot, a staunch non-believer in fate, finds herself face-to-face with a man she's never met – a man from her premonition. When that vision comes true, exactly as she'd foreseen it, with the single-dad Henry, her carefully constructed cynicism begins to crack. As her future continues to reveal itself, glimpse by uncanny glimpse, Margot is forced to confront an impossible reality: she knows exactly what's going to happen, and when. And there's nothing she can do to change any of it.What follows is a compelling exploration of what it means to live when your future is, quite literally, laid out before you. If every significant moment, every love, every turning point is already written, how does one find agency? How do you genuinely feel the present moment when you know its eventual outcome? Smale uses this speculative premise to dive deep into Margot's internal world. This is not a fast-paced book; instead, it allows for plenty of self-reflection, inviting the reader to truly inhabit Margot's perplexing journey.I Know How This Ends shines as an emotionally layered story, propelled less by external events and more by Margot's profound internal evolution. The characters are complex, flawed, and ihuman, making their struggles and triumphs feel authentic. It's a tale of growth that navigates themes of free will versus destiny, healing from heartbreak, and the courage it takes to open oneself up to love again, even when the path is eerily clear.For readers who appreciate character-driven narratives that delve into the human psyche, question free will, and offer a heartfelt journey of healing and self-discovery, I Know How This Ends promises a truly singular reading experience. It's a book that asks big questions and encourages you to ponder them long after the final page.

All of the stars (and clouds)!You know those books that you want to rush through to see what happens? Or, those books you want to read slowly to savor every single word? This was both - an exceptionally written story of love and loss, happiness and sadness, mistakes and forgiveness, healing and growth, all sprinkled with magical realism.The characters were all well-written, relatable, and felt like friends.Holly Smale, I see you, and I adore you. Thank you so much for this story.

“I Know How This Ends” is the second novel by Holly Smale I’ve had the pleasure to read. Like her first novel, “Cassandra in Reverse,” this novel is tremendously inventive and unique, full of clever twists, pivots, stops, starts, and do-overs. The difference here is that the protagonist, Margot, suddenly can see intermittent, fleeting glimpses of her future, and sometimes she doesn’t react well, adversely affecting herself and others.I received an advanced reader’s copy of the book from NetGalley. My review is voluntary. Although I found some of the plot predictable, the overwhelming majority of it was a complete and refreshing surprise. All of the characters were wonderfully lovable, except those we are meant not to like. They are richly drawn, fully rendered, three dimensional people with distinct personalities, for whom I cheered. I even shed tears as I read the last few pages, even as I knew how it would end.