Religion is not my thing, and maybe it plays a huge role in someone else's life - so maybe they will find this book relatable. For me, it was a miss in this front.

Other than that, I liked everything else. It was a solid 3 stars.

"Formula for a Perfect Life" by Christy Hayes aims to deliver a heartwarming tale of unexpected romance and life's unplanned moments, but it struggles to hit the mark. The novel's premise, which revolves around two college students navigating the consequences of a one-night stand, has potential for depth and character development. However, the execution is hampered by predictable plotlines and characters who lack the complexity necessary to fully engage the reader's empathy and interest. While Hayes attempts to weave themes of forgiveness, responsibility, and love into the narrative, these elements often feel forced and underexplored. Ultimately, "Formula for a Perfect Life" falls short of delivering the emotional impact and nuanced storytelling that fans of the genre might expect, making it a somewhat disappointing read.

2 stars

A cute and quick read. It wasn't my favorite romance, but it was entertaining and funny. I may have to try this author out again.

The story felt pretty realistic but it wasn't my favorite read of the year. I finished it but I felt as if it was missing something. It was a cute and quick read for the new adult audience.

Unfortunately, I didn't finish "Formula for a Perfect Life." I didn't realize religion was a theme in this story and there is definitely a space for Christian fiction in the literary world. However, it doesn't make it on my TBR. I'm not religious and don't have any interest in reading about it.

The plot for Formula for a Perfect Life pulled me in easily. A surprise pregnancy with someone who isn’t your boyfriend and all of the what if’s that go along with it made this an interesting and realistic story. The details of the unplanned pregnancy were well-thought out and real. The characters, while relatable, left more to be desired. Overall, a good, honest, and raw book.

I didn't know this was a Christian novel, so it's totally my fault for not researching further before asking an ARC

This was such a cute book! Not per definition something special, and it was quite predictable in some aspects, but it didn't annoy me. The subject of the plot itself was also new for me to read about in a new adult. The characters also really grew on me, they really tried their best to make the right decisions and to make the best out of the situation.

A one night stand leads to an unplanned pregnancy and I loved every minute of it. I loved following the drama and lives of Ben and Kayla.

This book was just not for me. The characters felt bland and boring and the story was okay but just not for me.

Thank you for the ARC. This was a pretty easy and quick read, but just not my taste. The handling of the unexpected pregnancy was good, but the story felt a bit all over the place.

IMPORTANT!! THIS BOOK IS THE FIRST ONE IN A SERIES OF CHRISTIAN ROMANCES

I decided to read this story because it has one of the tropes that I enjoy reading the most in this type of romance novel: Surprise pregnancy!
Especially if the father is not the girl's boyfriend, and all the drama of "now we have a son, what do we do?" comes together. What I did not expect was that it was part of a saga of Christian books, which I discovered once I finished the book. Apart from the fact that the novel is full of references to god (obvious) I really enjoyed the relationship of the main characters, Kayla and Ben, and how their worlds come together and their decisions guide them to become a family (sorry for the joke, but a good Christian family)
Being a Christian novel, there are certain values ​​that are criticized in this story, especially of people outside the protagonist, such as: Virgin until marriage, against abortion ... etc. I did not share the thoughts of this novel, especially around abortion, but I put it down to the fact that the author wanted to project the beliefs of a believing family, so I let it pass, since at no time did they criticize the values ​​of others. I mean, "I couldn't do that", but not that it was wrong.
In this novel, the family is very important. The support you can receive from your family is superior to anything, but it is also healthy to know when your family is not good for you.

In general, I really liked it and it has entertained me, which was what I was looking for.

Thank you for the free review copy Netgalley
I’ll be honest, this book wasn’t really for me. It sounded good but it frustrated me. It was well written though but just not for me

DNF.
I hated the characters and their story which was so unrealistic in my opinion and that's why I decided not to finish this book.

I liked the plot of the story but I felt like the characters were a bit unrealistic and one-dimensional. It was a quick read with a satisfying ending.

Sadly this one wasn't for me. I was hoping to love it so much more but sadly it fell short. I am however obsessed with the cover.

This was a decent read. It was light and quick to read. The characters were likable. There were religious undertones, but that doesn’t bother me. Overall not bad.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Formula For a Perfect Life by Christy Hayes is an unconventional romance. The characters lives are far from perfect. The book takes them through the journey of figuring out their lives after an unexpected pregnancy. Readers of contemporary romance will enjoy this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for this E-arc.

I'm DNF-ing this book at 13%, which I don't usually do as I prefer to give chances or set something aside until I can get back to it. However, there are a few things that have me scratching my head or just uncertain how I feel about wanting to continue this any further. Such as being a senior, in college mind you, and there is a Spring Formal mentioned when that isn't a college thing. Also, again, even if it is early in the book and I'm sure it's the author's intentions, I don't mesh well with Kayla, our main character.

An authentic and heartwarming take on dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. Whilst the topic is a serious one, Christy Hayes handles it with a perfect balance of grace and humourthat twists this tale into a delectable, fun and heartwarming read. A really enjoyable story with interesting characters that it is easy to connect with.