Fun and fast paced, Mia Sosa manages to make chemistry spark between Lina and Max from the very start. They are ADORABLE together. I loved how integral Lina’s family is to the story, and her reasoning for keeping her emotions under lock and key. There’s a lot of internalized pressure to live up to the sacrifices the generation before you made and I’m glad that an own voices author added that to a witty rom com.

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa- Look, I think y’all should just go ahead and get this book. I think you will not be disappointed. It is funny, sexy, fast-paced, and emotional.

Lina, the heroine, is a wedding planner. When the book opens she gets jilted on the day of her wedding. Her almost brother in law, Max, is the one who delivers the news. Fast forward three years and Lina and Max are forced to work together. Lina is not happy about this, but she also recognizes that Max is handsome. Lina plays some pranks on him as payback for what she thinks is the part he played in the destruction of her wedding. The pranks were never too mean though, which was great for me.

Max is kind of wonderful and maybe I have a serious case of heart eyes for him. Max SEES Lina and it was lovely.

“But you encouraged him to?” Lina’s mother asks. “I suppose. Maybe this won’t make sense, but I was a jack— jerk, I was an immature jerk back then. Listen, let me say my piece and then you can pick me apart all you want. I’ll take it.” She nods and motions for me to come forward with a flick of her fingers, as though she’s a character in a martial arts movie challenging her next opponent. The gesture confirms what I suspected: If I don’t talk my way out of this, she will kick my ass. I take a deep breath and do what I do best— identify a theme and sell it. “I don’t see any point in rehashing the past. Suffice it to say that if my brother truly loved Lina, he either wouldn’t have left her at the metaphorical altar or he would have found his way back to her.” I swivel around to speak to Lina directly. “Assuming you would have wanted him back, that is.” To her mother, I say, “But here’s what I know today. My brother’s a decent guy. He isn’t mean, he’s rarely rude to anyone except me, and he doesn’t fuss. I expect he’ll make a fine father and husband one day. But being in this family’s presence for less than an hour tells me that my brother wouldn’t have been Lina’s perfect match. You’d want her to have someone full of life like all of you. You’d want someone who would absolutely adore her. Who’d make her take down her bun and forget herself even for just a few minutes. Who’d make her cry, but only for the sappiest reasons.”

Lina has some issues with accepting love. Max has issues feeling like second best. They work them out. Oh and there is a scene where there is only one bed!

I hope that helped convince you to add this book to your TBR (if it isn’t there already). This book will rightly end up on lots of favorite lists later this year.

Grade: A

When I first finished it yesterday, I put it as four stars. But then I spent the rest of the night and today thinking about this book and just had to bump it up to 5 stars

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. It's funny and cute and sexy, oh my god is it sexy, and THE DRAMA.

I love everything about this. If you love the funny and swoon-y contemporary romances, this is NOT one to skip over. I mean, look at that cover first of all.

What I loved about this book:
- dual POV. I love getting both characters thoughts and feelings in a romance
- the humor. I was laughing my ass off at times
- the cultural appreciation! Our main character is first generation Brazilian and very proud of where she comes from. That shows quite often throughout this book.
- the steamy scenes. yeah
- the pacing
- work drama!
- Dean is the quirky and often ridiculous best friend

What I didn't love about this book:
- it ended

I adored this book! Lina and Max were both fantastic characters. This was a unique twist to the romance genre and it was super well written. I definitely recommend this one.

This was a quick, enjoyable read. I will definitely recommend it for people wanting a nice rom-com in a book. The only issue I had is that I didn't understand the Portuguese that was used and felt at times I was missing something.

i've read a couple other books by mia sosa and i enjoyed them, so when i saw this on netgalley i didn't hesitate to request. plus, that cover, so cute right? also, enemies to lovers, sign.me.up.
but.... it was a bit of a bummer. i really struggled to get into it, hence it being 2 weeks after it was published that i finished it.
first off, the reason lina dislikes max is... silly. what on earth could he have said to 'make' his brother leave her? (i know, later it comes out, but that's what she thought for 3 years and what i thought for 85% of the book, so ugh). he didn't *do* anything, why is she soooo mad? i get being mad in general, but i'm a bitch and even i couldn't have sustained that much animosity to someone who didn't actually do anything to me. perhaps if they had been friends beforehand, or even if they'd bickered/fought beforehand - anything to establish a relationship before the wedding that didn't happen, then i would have felt like the anger 3 years later was more justified.
that did annoy me quite a bit, but on top of that, i just didn't feel anything for either of the characters or their relationship. the first sex scene came out of nowhere to me - i mean, i saw where it was going with the car and the only one bed but i don't think there was enough build up at all, the pacing was so off. i wasn't ready for it because i feel like it came out of nowhere. and then the scenes themselves were kind of cringey and i ended up skimming/skipping most of them.
the conflict at the end... it just annoyed me, honestly.
other than that, it was just fine. i considered dnf'ing a few times not because it was bad, but because i just didn't care. which is a super bummer. lots of people loved it. i've enjoyed her other books. but this one just wasn't for me.

Listening to the audio of THE WORST BEST MAN was a pleasure for my ears and a delight for my heart. And not only did I enjoy a lovely and romantic adventure watching Max and Lina fall in love, I actually laughed and could see this entire novel thrown on to the big screen basically beat for beat. And while there are super big feelings, emotions, and hurdles for our couple to deal with, the story never lost its hope and lightness. There are no unexpected deaths, illnesses, or babies. Just grown-ups with jobs and families and feelings and their work to deal with all of these things. Plus, the sexy times are delicious yet also had the couple laughing and not being super serious all the time, which was lovely to see depicted. Showing lovers laughing together over silly things that sometimes happen during sex is so important, because it can't all be mind-blowing intensity all the time.

Best of all, the entire cast of characters, including the ex who jilted Lina and is a jerk to his brother Max, are completely fleshed out. This world Sosa has created is super fun and I cannot wait for more stories!

Discrete had always been Lina’s motto. Lina is a few feet away ready to troubleshoot any mishaps threatening to ruin Bliss’s wedding day. Lina was the wedding planner. Her job was to bring the couple’s vision to life, no matter how wonky that vision may be. Lina was not averse to voicing her concerns if the situation calls for it but in the end she can’t stop the couple’s choices. That’s not to say Lina didn’t appreciate the unexpected. Justine was Lina’s assistant and best friend. When Lina was to marry on her wedding day Andrew called it off and left his brother Max to tell Lina. MAx and his brother Andrew were that close but something Max had said when he was drunk and they were out drinking made Andrew and runs out on their wedding the day of the wedding. Somehow Lina blamed Max more than Andrew. Lina was interviewing for a wedding concierge but she was to put with Max who was a marketing expert.
I enjoyed reading this book.I didn’t really want to put this down. I liked the plot and the pace. It was different for a woman to fall for her ex fiance who jilted her at the altar and max was the one to tell her. But it was a definite twist for sure. I loved how supportive and protective Lina’s family could be. I felt bad that Lina had guarded her heart after Andrew but I definitely understood. Also that she now made safe options but again I could understand. I really liked the man Max had grown into. Lina and Max had hot chemistry. They also developed a great friendship first. I would like to have seen more of Max's family. I wondered why Max’s mom encouraged Max and Andrew to compete against each other. I would have also liked an epilogue. But I did like the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it.

Wasn’t very wild about this one. The characters fell flat and the plot couldn’t sustain my interest. Overall, meh.

***I received a copy through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***

This book was funny, cute, and everything a good rom-com should be. I loved Max and Lina’s storyline, even while being a little predictable. Surprisingly, I wish Andrew would have been involved in the plot a little more to make things more interesting. But overall, this was a good read. Looking forward to hearing Dean’s story in 2021!

I enjoyed this cute rom-com by Mia Sosa, The Worst Best Man.

Lina is a Wedding planner who once got dumped on her wedding day by her fiancé Andrew. Well, actually his brother Max told her the bad news.
So now 3 years later she’s planning other people’s weddings and gets a job offer that she can’t refuse to look into.
But when both her ex fiancé and his brother walk through the doors, she has to think quick and decides to lie about their past.
When Lina chooses to work with Max on the pitch to become a big hotels new in-house wedding planner, she has to ask herself.: Does she want revenge or closure. And when did Andrews little brother get so handsome....

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

A cute story about a jilted bride who is forced to work with her ex and his brother on an opportunity of a lifetime. Lina is a wedding planner even after her own wedding never happened. She has a great reputation throwing excellent weddings and planning for every last detail. Even creating fake eyebrows for a groom who had his shaved off. When shes approached by a hotel owner with a potential new job being a wedding coordinator at her hotel she is excited to take an interview. But the interview has strings attached, those strings include working with her ex's brother to help create a pitch to seal the position, against the ex himself. The two enemies slowly grow closer and they soon turn into something neither of them expected.

I tried a few times to get into it, but I just couldn’t. The characters seemed too angry to be likable and the plot was a little cheesy for me.

I went into this book with high hopes, but for good reason. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten caught up in a good rom-com read. So, when I read the synopsis for The Worst Best Man, I was hoping for all the love, all the laughs, and alllllll of the drama. I mean, imagine a wedding planner getting stood up at the altar by an absolute jerk and being told the wedding is off by his brother. Not only is the bride stood up, she is given the bad news by this brother that is “allegedly” the cause of our runaway groom’s actions. And get this: fast forward 3 years and our wedding-planner-slash-jilted-bride-left-at-the-altar unexpectedly meets with the brother again and must work with him for a major job opportunity. This is the kind of crazy that rom-coms are made of, right? And I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of the enemies-turned-lovers romance trope, so I went into this book hoping Carolina and Max were gonna seriously deliver the drama on this one.

Ladies and gentlemen, Caroline and Max did not disappoint. Yes, this is a typical romance. We knew sparks were gonna eventually fly between these two. We knew this was gonna be a conflict of interest for them both because Caroline was once Max’s brother Andrew’s fiancee. Messy at it’s finest, I know. But let’s suspend our judgment for a minute to get to know these two as characters. Caroline is smart, driven, and ambitious. She just might be a little jaded and has walls up to the third degree. But that happens sometimes when we try to present our best selves to the world without being seen as too emotional or vulnerable, especially as women of color. So I feel you, Caroline. I feel you. Then there’s Max. Sweet, adorable, and swoon-worthy Max. He’s cute, compassionate, and says all the right things. He’s definitely the book boyfriend of your dreams in all the right ways. But he has this complex about measuring up to his brother that jostles with his confidence a bit. Max seems to be in this never-ending competition with his big brother Andrew. So you can just about imagine how complicated and messy everything becomes when Caroline and Max stop holding back on the feelings both of them have developed while working together. Caroline allows herself to be seen by Max in ways she’s never shown anyone and Max stops comparing himself to his brother long enough to appreciate the blossoming “something” he feels for Caroline as a woman, not his brother’s ex. Eventually these feelings are gonna start spilling out and affecting everything happening around them, though. We all know that is coming.

However, I was all the way here for the “love thing” that became Caroline and Max. I enjoyed the moments they spent together. I enjoyed learning more about Brazilian culture through our Afro-Latina heroine, Caroline. And I wanted to taste every single thing Caroline gushed about because the way this lady experienced food was something serious. This woman’s relationship with well-prepared Brazilian cuisine was so intimate, I damn near salivated each time she enjoyed a meal. I guess I am also making it very obvious here that I love characters that love food as much as I do. I also love how Caroline’s family shows up for her. I love how strong her friendships are. And I love that she isn’t perfect. Neither was Max. Their situation wasn’t ideal. But love isn’t always black and white. Sometimes, love comes with sifting through those grays. And in The Worst Best Man, readers see characters who don’t mind sifting through grays.

I enjoyed The Worst Best Man so much that I couldn’t wait to settle the house and the children at night to get caught up in this world that Caroline and Max had created inside of my mind. I recommend this read to any fan of romantic comedy, but especially for those of us who have to sneak in our romance while the little ones are left to their own devices. Max and Caroline will make you blush a few times, ladies and gentlemen. And I was not mad at all about it.

Major thanks to HarperCollins/ Avon and Netgalley for an ARC of The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more! It was funny, sweet, romantic, and steamy. I loved watching their relationship develop and seeing how the overcame their past. This book was fast paced enough to keep my interested, but slow enough that their relationship didn't feel rushed.

the worst best man is an all-around delight, and it starts with the sparkling chemistry between our two leads. lina santos has her reasons for hating max hartley. most of them having to do with the fact that she blames him for the fact that she was left at the altar three years ago. and if that weren't bad enough, the fact that she was a wedding planner left at the altar only makes it worse.

when max and lina are forced to collaborate on a project, sparks fly. but soon the two find themselves drawn to each other in unexpected ways. but with all the baggage between them is there any way for the fire between them to grow?

it gets plenty hot is all i'll say. this is just a delightful read.

**the worst best man will publish on february 4, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/harper collins (avon) in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first book from this author, and so far I really love what I've read from her! This book has a little bit of everything - drama, comedy, chemistry and romance. It's a stand-alone enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy, and well worth the read. Lina is left at the alter by Andrew and his brother Max is the bearer of the bad news. Years later, Max and Lina end up partnered together in a bid to further their careers, and Lina is finding out that you really shouldn't hate the messenger.

There was a lot to like about this book: feisty Lina and honorable Max, in good taste practical jokes, fun dialog, slow-burning chemistry, crazy family members - the list goes on! But one of my favorite parts of this book was all of the Brazilian/Portuguese culture. Lina's heritage is so important to her, and I loved how the author made it a focus of the book.

I would definitely recommend picking this book up for a fun HEA read.

Note: I gratefully received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ratings (out of of 5):
Heart: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
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When Carolina (Lina) Santos gets left at the alter, her groom doesn’t even have the stones to tell her he’s leaving. Instead, he sends his brother, Max. Years later, Lina is a successful wedding planner who is about to land the opportunity of a lifetime. The catch? The interview involves teamwork with - who would have thought - Max Hartwell. There’s a fine line between love and hate and while Lina plots how to punish Max for convincing her groom to bolt, she realizes that while Max was the bearer of bad news on her wedding day, there are things she’d rather do to the messenger than shoot him.
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I LOVE a good enemies to lovers plot, friends, and @miasosaromance knocked it out of the park. It was different from the usual E2L romcom, however, in that Max never *really* dislikes Lina. That is mostly one sided. Rather, throughout all her many pranks and punishments, he’s trying to figure her out - falling hard and fast all the while. This makes for a fun and fresh take on the trope.
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At first, we think Lina is a complete ice queen, but the reader learns alongside Max that she is anything but and that beneath that hard exterior beats the heart of someone who has been wounded deeply. (As always, right?) I loved her. Max is a Labrador Retriever in every sense and it’s precious. Sexy and sweet, that man.
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I LOVED the beautiful weaving of Brazilian culture throughout this novel, as well as the interactions with Lina’s family. In some ways, this element had a similar vibe to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which I mean as a big compliment. The characters are vibrant and fun and I felt like I knew them by the end.
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If you’re looking for a diverse, one-of-a-kind romcom with a cast of big personalities, lots of heart and humor, and the kind of sexual tension that will have you screaming “Just kiss already!” at your kindle, do not miss this book.
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Kiss and Tell:
No selfish lovers in this book, friends, and good communication. So many almost-kisses, sexy *actual kissing*, hand play, oral, and p&v penetration all feature in unique and fun ways and I loved every moment.

I received an ARC of this for an honest review-although I didn't finish it before the release date! I enjoyed this romance-it's really awesome to have mulicultural characters in the genre! I wish this book had an epilogue, I felt like the ending was rushed.

Real Deal Reads: 20 Best Books of 2020 - Want a frothy and fun romance for February? Lina is a wedding planner who was once left at the altar (gulp). Now she’s stuck collaborating on a career-making opportunity with none other than Max, her former fiancé’s brother. Yes, the one who encouraged his brother to ditch Lina in the first place! Will their project be a success, or will they kill each other first? Or will they suddenly discover they’re perfect for each other?