I’m so excited to be sharing my review today as part of the Virtual Book Tour hosted by Zooloo’s Book Tours, running from 8 to 14 December 2025.
A huge thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of this tour and for kindly providing a digital copy for review. It’s always a pleasure to join one of their tours!
Follow along with the Schedule as the tour continues!
As always, this review reflects my honest thoughts.
Book Description
No Chance
Love, Trains and Everything in Between
by Gareth Alun ThomasIn the summer of 1985, Will Evans sets off interrailing with one goal: win the heart of Ruby, the girl he’s been hopelessly in love with since university.
But with bad timing, bad jokes, and a rival named Tom Bellows, Will’s chances are slim. As they journey through cities, cultures, and chaos, Will must navigate more than train timetables – like growing up, letting go, and learning what love really means.
Funny, heartfelt, and painfully relatable, No Chance is a nostalgic coming-of-age story for anyone who has ever loved too hard, too soon.
No Chance by Gareth Alun Thomas
Published on 12 November 2025
Published by by Blossom Spring Publishing
ISBN: 978-1917938204
You can find the book on Amazon and Goodreads
The Author – Gareth Alun Thomas
Gareth Thomas was born in Dinas Powys, just outside Cardiff but now lives in Blackwood in the Welsh valleys. He has worked for over 34 years for the NHS as a Biomedical Scientist and has recently retired and returned to work part time. Working part time Gareth finally had time to write his first novel, something that he always wanted to do. When his parents passed away Gareth and his brothers had to clear the house. He came across an old diary he had written when he went travelling with five friends across Europe on an interrail ticket. Using this diary as a template Gareth finally wrote and completed his first novel, “No chance.”
Gareth has been happily married to Amanda for over thirty years and they have three children together, two girls and a boy. In his spare time Gareth enjoys walking the dog, travelling and playing the guitar as well as cooking for the family.
You can follow Gareth on Instagram @garethalun5
My Review
No Chance is an absolute delight — warm, funny, and written with a charm that instantly pulled me back into the summer of 1985. Gareth Alun Thomas captures the feeling of youth, hope, and messy first love with such authenticity that it feels less like fiction and more like being handed someone’s treasured memories.
What I loved most was how effortlessly the story stirred up moments from my own past. The songs, the cultural nods, the sense of possibility that comes with being young and on the move — all of it sparked vivid flashes of times gone by. It wasn’t that Will’s experiences matched my own, but rather that the writing opened a door to memories I hadn’t visited in years.
The prose has a wonderfully intimate, almost letter-like quality, as if the author is speaking directly to the reader. It’s engaging, heartfelt, and beautifully paced, with humour and emotional depth woven through every chapter.
A great fun read, brilliantly written, and rich with nostalgia — a coming-of-age story that lingers long after you put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This review may also appear on my social media and selected book platforms. All links are correct at the time of posting.
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