Book Review: By Mistake (Poison & Wine) by Sigal Ehrlich

By Mistake is the first book in the Poison & Wine series by Sigal Ehrlich. There’s so much going on in Anna’s life. Teaching countless hours at the studio and nurturing the three major relationships of her life – her group of tight-knit friends, all while attempting to not screw up this whole adulthood thing leaves very little time to waste on yet another dating app. At this point, a relationship is off the menu. Being “self-partnered” is more than enough. A serious relationship has been crossed off Liam Brody’s list of goals, at least for the foreseeable future. Completing his residency and becoming a trauma surgeon is his only priority. Casual relationships, his friends, and books are the only things he’s willing to lose his precious free time to. When an accidental email starts a deep online connection, both Liam and Anna dive in with zero concern, because there’s really no harm in getting close to someone who you’ll never meet in real life, right? Wrong. When a turn of events brings their “safe” virtual connection to an unexpected face-to-face, Anna and Liam learn their online chemistry pales in comparison to the real deal. A realization that brings along the bazillion-dollar question – what do you do when you meet The One at the most impossibly wrong time?

By Mistake is a book that left me with mixed feelings. I loved the set up, the banter, and most of the characters. I thought the story had great potential, and that the friend groups for both Liam and Anna were interesting. I found myself greatly enamored of Anna and her friend group- particularly the level of honest they had with themselves and each other. I liked the conversations between Anna and Liam, and the way they got to know each other via e-mail and actually coming to care about each other as people first. I did find myself a little annoyed with Liam's friend group- even as he acknowledged the stereotypes and rude commentary in his head, he never really called them out and at the same time had some stereotypes that he applied the those around him as well. I did like that he took consent and protection seriously, but the fact that he was a busy man saving lives did not make him the golden child I think he was supposed to be. His 'teasing' Anna about her passion for eating clean and other things just rubbed me the wrong way. There were also time gaps, which is necessary sometimes, but it just felt like everyone was waiting for Liam to get his head together and ignoring their own needs/wants in the mean time. I liked the style and tone of the book, but I do not think I will be continuing the series even though the secondary characters were me favorite part of the story. 

By Mistake is an amusing contemporary romance that I think will speak to other readers more than I.