100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery 🚀 Thank you for supporting our 100% NZ-owned bookstore ❤️

This Wasn't Meant to Happen

4.39 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 244 ratings, 52 reviews)
Brief Description
'A beautiful, brave, important book… filled with light, hope and so much love' Sunday Times Bestseller Paige Toon This Wasn't Meant to Happen. But it did. Sofie Jensen knows the safest way to live is by staying in control. And she knows that love can come... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2499
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

'A beautiful, brave, important book…filled with light, hope and so much love' Sunday Times Bestseller Paige Toon

–-

This wasn’t meant to happen. But it did.

A heartbreaking story about love and grief for 2025

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
'A beautiful, brave, important book… filled with light, hope and so much love' Sunday Times Bestseller Paige Toon

This Wasn't Meant to Happen. But it did.

Sofie Jensen knows the safest way to live is by staying in control. And she knows that love can come with a cost.

But what she doesn’t know is that one unexpected moment will change everything. Because meeting Rory and falling in love wasn’t part of the plan. Neither was becoming pregnant or losing her baby.

Sofie doesn’t know how she’ll survive this kind of grief – but she knows life will never be the same again...

Told with quiet strength and breathtaking honesty, This Wasn't Meant to Happen is a powerful portrait of love, grief and the tender, complicated path back to hope.

'Oh my heart. This is a book that lands deeply' Sunday Times Bestseller Giovanna Fletcher 💛💛💛

Readers love This Wasn't Meant to Happen:

Earth-shatteringly brilliant. Heartbreaking and hopeful in equal measure’ Zoë Folbigg, author of One Note

'Tender and raw, brave and inspiring, this important, beautiful book has love woven through every line. I loved it.’ Cathy Bramley

'This was the most beautiful book. It was illuminating. It’s a gift to both those who have experienced baby loss and those who want to know how to love and support them. Most importantly, This Wasn't Meant to Happen is an incredibly compelling novel about the power of love.’ Katy Regan

'A big, sweeping novel about love and loss and the beauty that comes from both. Heartbreaking and healing in equal measure.’ Cesca Major, Reese's Book Club author of Maybe Next Time

'This beautiful book shines a much-needed light on a subject that so many are afraid of. It was such an honour to read; I held my breath, rooted for Sofie and lost myself in the pages. Thank you Ali; needed by so many, including me.’ Elle Wright, author of Ask Me His Name

'Heartfelt and uplifting – yet without ever glossing over the rougher, rawer edges of grief. Ali Harris has created a rare and special story.’ Jennie Agg, author of Life, Almost: Miscarriage, misconceptions, and a search for answers from the brink of motherhood

'I recommend getting some tissues ready because I went through two whole boxes.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An absolutely heartbreakingly, beautiful story that is impossible to put down. An absolute must-read.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A beautiful and heart-wrenching read. Ali Harris handles such a sensitive topic with the utmost care and consideration.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A deeply emotional and inspiring book.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A difficult subject but beautifully written. This is a book to be read with a box of tissues on hand.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Full of emotions, courage, bravery, heartache and hope.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An absolute emotional rollercoaster of a story that will have you reaching for the tissue box multiple times but will also leave your heart full by the end. Best book I've read this year by far.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An emotional heartbreaking read… what comes shining through is the immeasurable love in the face of adversity.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'As someone who has suffered a pregnancy loss it made me feel seen.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A beautifully written, suspenseful, and emotionally charged novel that will stay with you long after the last page. Ali Harris has definitely earned a place on my list of must-read authors!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Words can’t describe how much of an impact this book has. The grief, heartbreak, love and friendships truly make it such a beautiful yet soul destroying story. This is a book I feel will stay with me for life.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008708467

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 11 September 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: One More Chapter

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Ali Harris lives in Cambridge with her husband and three children. She has a degree in Performing Arts and cites theatre as her third love - after her family and books. There's not a musical she's seen (and she's seen many!) that she hasn't loved. Prior to having children, Ali was a journalist and wrote for a variety of women's magazines including Glamour, Cosmo, Red, Stylist and ELLE. She is the author of three previous novels, including Sunday Times bestsellers Miracle on Regent Street and The First Last Kiss, as well as Written In The Stars. Her upcoming novel was written after a prolonged break following the loss of her baby girl, late in pregnancy.

More from Romance

View all
  • The Deal
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Deal now for the perfect fake-dating romance! She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy . . . Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Foxx
    New Release
    Foxx
    The third in a motorcycle dark romance series from self-published sensation and author of the beloved Silver Pines series, Paisley Hope. Aiden Foxx runs the Disciples of Sin motorcycle club with strict control and zero tolerance for weakness. A former Navy SEAL turned outlaw king, he lives by one rule - trust no one. Then Mia Tyler walks into his...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Someday Garden
    New Release
    The Someday Garden
    The BRAND-NEW magical rom-com from Ashley Poston, bestselling author of The Seven Year Slip, now!💖 ‘Ashley Poston writes really beautiful love stories with just a sprinkling of magic’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Proud to say that I've never met an Ashley Poston book that wasn't a five-star read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ * Sophie Drear never expected to fall in love. But over a summer in...
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Tempting Venom
    New Release
    Tempting Venom
    Tempting Venom is the third in a dark hockey romance series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Legacy of Gods series. When two ruthless enemies collide. My name is Preston Armstrong, and I'm the most depraved bastard you'll ever meet. I take what I want, ruin what I don't, and live exactly how I please....
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Restitution
    From USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation comes the gripping, steamy dark romance series that everyone is talking about!'Filled with TENSION, HEARTBREAK and ELECTRIC CHEMISTRY. This one will tear your heart right out of your chest before tossing it back in and sewing you up' No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver'Leigh Rivers is THE QUEEN OF...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Break Me
    A sexy, scandalous romance from global sensation and multi-million copy bestseller, Tillie Cole... Born and raised a Texas cowgirl, Hallie Oakley is the most skilled showjumper on Team USA. And she has just one goal in mind - an Olympic gold medal. But to achieve this, she must train with the most prestigious facility in the world - Golden Oaks....
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Fever Dream
    From #1 New York Times bestselling author Elsie Silver comes a small-town, forbidden, rivals-to-lovers romance, the first book in the brand-new Western romance series Emerald Lake. Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. He’s looking for a paycheck to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2699
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Harvest Season
    From the No.1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver comes the second book in the devilishly steamy Seasons of Carnage trilogy where dark romantic comedy meets thrilling suspense - and where love is ripe for ruin 🌊🌹🔪💋 It's time to reap what you sow. Cape Carnage is blooming with secrets, and they're ready to harvest. But every time Nolan...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Kings of Kearny
    From the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Lights Out comes a dark and steamy motorcycle club romance, perfect for fans of Paisley Hope. Jakob Larson is going to be the death of me. That's what I think every time he strides into my bar. The Kings of Kearny run this small Texas town, and Jakob is their...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Rumours and Whiskey
    A scorching, emotional, suspenseful romance about secrets, second chances, and the kind of love that hits harder than whiskey – from the beloved author of the Bourbon Boys series. In Rumor, Tennessee, the Crowne women are at the centre of every whisper of salacious gossip. Everyone knows you can count on them for a shot of whiskey and a wild...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    The Storm Weaver
    'I crave the Shadow Weaver, her darkness, her fire, her soul, but I am the storm that could destroy her.' SHE CONTROLS THE SHADOWS.PEOPLE FEAR HER POWER.BUT HE CALLS THE LIGHTNING.AND TOGETHER, THEY ARE THE PERFECT STORM... Caris is no longer just the local sword maker: she's the late queen's daughter and one ofthe most powerful Weavers to have ever lived....
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Player's Promise
    It was supposed to be one night. Fate had other plans . . . Anna isn't looking for love. Fresh out of a divorce, she needs an escape. One reckless night of fun - and the gorgeous Irishman who buys her a drink at the bar promises exactly that. No last names, no strings, just fireworks. Liam is used to...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.