This is a tough one for me. I think I'm to much of a realist to fully escape into this story. Then there was the sister's boyfriend thing that I didn't particularly care for. It did however keep my attention all the way through. So from the perspective of how well the writing was done including character and story development it was very well done.

This story started off a bit standard but then took a sharp left turn. I enjoyed that twist however I did find some of the characters to be a bit self absorbed.

Ohh this was so adorable 😩
Girl meets boy, boy is in a relatively new relationship, turns out it's with girl's sister....

Valerie meets her dream guy, Jake, only to discover he's already in a relationship with her sister. They both quash their feelings for the sake of sister. But, when Jake lands Valerie the perfect job working in a private boat, there's only one problem,... Jake works there too.
Disaster strikes and the twosome are forced to become closer than their comfortable with and face up to their feelings.

This was a stinking adorable book and I absolutely loved it! Can't recommend enough!

4.2 stars

4 stars,

I have to start this review, with the acknowledgment of some poor reviews based upon the "cheating" in this book. I am disappointed in those that leave a review like that without even truly giving the book a chance. Especially for some of those people that left the reviews, hadn't even gotten to the crux of the moment where "cheating", if you can even call it that, happened when there is not much more of the finality of a relationship than what Val and Jake experienced. Did Val fantasize? Yes, she did. Hell, I am pretty sure I would have too. Val and Kylie both met Jake within days of each other. When Val first started fantasizing she didn't even know he was dating her sister. I would have found it hard to just stop when for weeks before I had no idea who he was to my sister. I know I have done it in real life, with a friend's boyfriend, not knowing who he was. I think what frustrates me the most is that the people are not even taking into consideration the hard work that went into this book. Instead, they are basing the reviews off of hypothetical cheating.

I wouldn't even call this cheating as they were in a situation that they didn't even know if they would ever find that "life" that they had left. Not giving spoilers, but there isn't much more isolated than these two could find themselves in. I actually liked that they tried to fight this attraction for each other as long as they did. They discussed the ramifications of this. It wasn't willy nilly and to just get their rocks off, and screw whomever they hurt.

My issues with this book were not the areas that others had issues with, it was in the details, such as carving out bowls, lack of concern with Pregnancy (which would have been a BIG issue for me considering where they were and that there wasn't any medical help, the lack of encounters with natural wildlife, and finally the ridiculousness of Kylie. What did she really think was going to happen? I was expecting more of the details to be something along the lines of the book by Pepper Winters, Unseen Messages. That being said, I still really enjoyed this book and the characters. My advice on this book is that reading is a singular journey and is up to individual preferences. Those preferences don't give someone the luxury to bash a person's hard work, especially when they are doing something that the majority of people cannot do on a good day so if you are adventurous jump in and go on a new journey in finding love, even if that love is discovered in unexpected places.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review. I've read a bunch of Stephens' books before, having loved the Thoughtless series with Kellan Kyle. I'm not sure if any new character could top the rock star. The cheating aspect was a little cringey considering the relationship Jake started with Valerie's younger sister Kylie just before they met at a coffee shop. Valerie is finishing culinary school and Jake is apprenticing for a captain of a yacht. (Bosun? Deckhand? Stephens doesn't really say) Jake helps get Valerie a job as a chef's assistant. I was hoping for more of a Below Deck type story but was surprised to see where it went. It just didn't seem very realistic. I do understand given the circumstances how Valerie and Jake can't fight their attraction any longer, but I didn't get the "feels" like when I 'stan' a couple. I found some elements totally unrealistic but it was a quick and easy read.

I wish this story took a different turn from the beginning. It was obvious that Jake and Valerie had chemistry from the start. If he would have broken it off with Kylie from the start all of the drama could have been avoided. I however was not expecting the story to have a sort of shipwrecked vibe. My main issue was Valerie though. I didn't care for her and just couldn't connect. She kept this whole back and forth thing going knowing that she was was doing was wrong. If she cared so much about her sister, why not be up front about it from the start? The ending was wrapped up nice in this neat little bow almost as if nothing happened. I'm sorry I just was not a fan of this.

Arc provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3,5 stars
wanted to love this book. I love SC Stephens books. But I had 2 things holding me back. One, the relationship with Jake felt wrong. And two, some of the book reminded me of another book which is one of my all time favorite books. (On The Island).

FIrst of all, I would like to say that I immensely enjoyed the story. The plot was truly well done. I read the whole story in one go, it kept me captivated until the very end. I would describe it as kinda "Cast away" meets culinary deliciousness. Valerie graduates from culinary school and is in search of a job to one day fulfill her dream of opening her own restaurant. She meets Jack...the man of her dreams in a coffee shop but he is taken. Taken by no one other than her own sister. What a mess. She tries to avoid him/them but her daydreams about him still continue. When he tells there is a job opening on the same yacht he is working, it´s the best opportunity for her to learn from the best. She just would have to avoid him some more. What she hasn´t predicted was the yacht sinking in the middle of a storm. Thankfully Jake rescues them both. When they land in the middle of nowhere on a tropical island they have to survive with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. They learn to depend on one another and survive. What they didn´t count on was fall in love with no idea if they ever will get rescued. What happens if they ever get rescued? Will they ever?
Find out for yourself. I loved every second of this story.

**3.75 Stars**

I went into this book blind like I do most books because I think it makes for a better reading experience, so this one turned out to be very intriguing. Valerie meets Jake in a cafe and they share a moment/connection that Valerie can't stop thinking about. Unfortunately for her, she later sees him again, but it is when he brought to a dinner at her parent's house as her sister's boyfriend. While she is completed devastated, she knows he is off-limits at this point, aside from maybe in her dreams and fantasies.

Things get a tad bit trickier when Valerie takes a new job as an assistant chef on a boat that Jake also works on. Things go from tricky to traumatic to somewhat scandalous when there is a storm and Valerie and Jake have to fight for their lives, which simultaneously has the added effect of pushing them together, when perhaps they were both doing everything they could to maintain their distance and not blur any lines and boundaries.

I overall found the story line to be very interesting, even if maybe not fully realistic at times. But hey, I read to escape reality, so there is that. I think Jake and Valerie had some seriously amazing chemistry. I read the story in one sitting and was invested in the characters and finding out if they were going to get their HEA and how it was going to end.

I have conflicted feelings about this book. After finishing the book, I think it sits at a solid 2.5 / 5 stars for me, which I rounded up to 3 stars.

Something Like Perfect is a story about Valerie, who meets the "perfect guy" in a coffee shop, only to find out that Jake is her sister's new boyfriend shortly after. Their lives are complicated when Jake gives her the opportunity of a lifetime to work with an experienced chef. It comes at the perfect time, as she's struggling to find a first job after culinary school. After that, the complications compound, and a number of twists throw their lives on a different course from what they've intended.

Lines are blurred, and whether or not you support the characters' decisions through the rest of the book is based a lot on your views of relationships and cheating. The story made me uncomfortable at times, and I had a hard time connecting with Valerie as much as I wanted to. I love character-driven stories, and I wanted more of that from Something Like Perfect. If the author had included some more of Jake's point of view, it would have given a depth to the story that is missing with the current narrative.

I've never read a book by S.C. Stephens before, and I found the writing style to be easy to understand and captivating. Despite my discomfort, I had trouble putting the book down and finished it in a little over 24 hours. I give credit for that to the writing style. I look forward to reading other books by S.C. Stephens in the future, but this is one that I don't need to read again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars.....

I don't even know where to start. I love SC Stephens and the Thoughtless series is a go to favorite for me, so I was extremely excited to be gifted an ARC for her new book.

After a drunken night Valerie needs coffee (like we all do) and if the recipient of a "pay it forward" act from one of the most beautiful green eyed men she's ever seen. But sadly, he is taken.
Val hasn't been able to get Jake out of her head, even trying to recreate her footsteps at the coffee shop, until he walks into her life once again, if her parents kitchen.... with her sister.

Jake and Val do all they can to resist their attraction to each other and remain friends. Jake even goes as far as to give her a dream job on the cruise ship he pilots as assistant chef.
This is a dream job Val absolutely cannot turn down, and on the excursion, the ship hits a massive storm leaving Jake and Val the only survivors trapped on an island with little to no salvation in sight.
Our couple does everything they can to survive and also honor their relationships back home, but how long can you push away feelings and desire when you are the only two people left?

This book ended better than I thought and I enjoyed it for the most part but the premiss of the story just wasn't for me. Now I know I said I loved the thoughtless series and there was cheating, but "something like perfect" felt forced and pushy in cheating with your sisters boyfriend.
Yes I wanted them together but the whole time I just felt so.... off....

Hoping to see more of SC Stephens bc I won't be giving up on her story telling anytime soon, this one just wasn't for me.
Thank you netgallery and author for my copy!

I was in the mood for a quick summertime read and Something Like Perfect definitely fit the bill. This fast paced read did a great job combining romance with adventure! S.C. Stephens kept me on the hook the entire way through — so much so that I finished this book in one sitting!! I found both the main characters endearing (even if I wanted to shake them at times lol) and I was a surprised by some twists and turns — love that! As per usual, I look forward to reading anything and everything S.C. Stephens comes out with in the future!

3 1/2 Stars

There was instant chemistry between Valerie and Jake from the first time they met, but Jake was Valerie’s sister’s boyfriend. When Jake gets Valerie a job on the yacht he works on, he never thought that the yacht would sink in the ocean and that Valerie and him would be the only people to survive. They were stranded on a deserted island for months and finally gave into their feelings. Will they spend the rest of their lives on the island? Or will they be rescued and go back to their real lives?

Although cheating plots don’t upset me, I really found this one in bad taste. And I found the stranded on a deserted island part unrealistic. But I did like the characters ... they were caught between a rock and a hard place and tried to stay away from each other, but the universe had a different idea.

I received an early copy courtesy of Montlake Romance through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Ithis book was a very sweet loving book where you could read it in a day or two. Two sisters In love with the same guy and then something happens that totally turns there life around..if you have read this author before you will,Ike this book two.

Today is Valerie's best friends birthday and they are celebrating. She is going to culinary school. The group of friends is going to a club. Valerie meets a hot guy but he ends up being her sister's boyfriend. Valerie graduated from culinary school. The temptation to kiss Jake is strong.Jake helps Valerie find a job.The action quickly picked up.Some of the details of being on the island was boring.i understood but wanting to be with her sister's boyfriend was a turn off.

Something Like Perfect by S.C. Stephens a five-star read that will spilt opinion. I will start off by saying that if you can’t handle cheating under any circumstance then this isn’t the read for you, but If you believe that circumstances and situations may lead further than anyone ever expected then give it a go as you will fall so deeply in love. This story took me on such an emotional journey, I was right there with Valerie wishing she didn’t feel the way she did, stuck between a rock and a hard place, love or your sibling, a choice you should never have to make, but we all know life doesn’t always go the way we planned it. Jake will break you, but in a good way, and that is where I will leave him. Honestly I didn’t know if I was going to enjoy this, I read a couple of the reviews and almost dreaded reading it, but then I started it and it took me to places I didn’t dream it would, and I ended up loving every minute. So if I can ask one thing, its put all of your pre-judged ideas aside of what this story will be, and forget all about siblings and falling in love with the same man, and just dive in and swim through this amazing story.

So in the beginning I kept cringing. I wanted to stop reading. I did stop reading. I’d put it down and then read a little more, put it down and read a little more... you get the picture. Then I cheated. I read how it ended. I truly don’t think I could have made it through the book without cheating. My heart couldn’t take it. I’m not into love triangles and that’s kinda this story. But different. Horrible explanation...

Give this one a chance.
And try not to cheat like me.

3.5-4 stars. Some parts of this is very reminiscent of the Thoughtless series, in that angsty love triangle way. Valerie is human, so she’s not perfect but she tries her best. She makes both good decisions and bad decisions. The timing between she and Jake is just not the right time. While I liked the writing, some parts needed a bit more elaboration, but then it also kept the plot from dwelling too long in any one aspect. It definitely kept my attention. There was a completely unexpected trajectory in the middle of the book, which made things both interesting and complicated. I wouldn’t have minded more exploration of feelings, especially from Jake, since Valerie was a bit too transparent. And because love triangles are messy, this is no exception and there was drama, yet after everything, the ending felt rather tidy.

2.5 stars

I knew I was getting into an unholy mess with this book and that blurb but what started off as a eating popcorn watching events unfold, quickly moved to a ridiculous plot peppered with unbelievable convenience. I enjoyed SC Stephens last survival story but this one did not work at all for me. Only forge forward into this book if you are okay with cheating, it’s up there in the blurb and its a pretty taboo take on that trope. I can flow with this trope but it still felt a bit icky to me and I think that’s down to how the story was told and the characterisation.

I’m going to start with what I liked and then move to what didn’t work for me. This is a short book, just over 200 pages, it was quick to read and hard to put down. A bit like a crash unfolding that you cannot look away from. The time passed as I just read from front to back. So, you could say this was gripping. There was definite chemistry between the two MCs but when it came to chemistry playing out fully, I didn’t feel much.

What didn’t work for me was the story or rather the story direction. The way that the author took this to an almost ridiculous scenario moved me from like to almost writing it off. I can flow with a bit of fantastical licence but this story went deep into impossibility for me. I felt this more so, once the MCs were coming to the end of the book and the big awful situation was over. There was too much convenience in everything to do with the plot and the story felt rushed. I can’t help thinking with another 150 pages or so, this could have been fleshed out so much better.

I know SC Stephens can write a great book in the tropes that SOMETHING LIKE PERFECT hit but on this occasion it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Montlake Romance for the early review copy.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the eArc to review*

Valerie, finishing culinary school, discovers the love of her life when she is hungover in a coffee shop, and he pays for her coffee. The only thing is, he;s her sister's boyfriend.

I actually enjoyed this. I'm not a romance reader typically so I was sceptical, but I was looking to try something new and didn't hate the book at all.

Some parts of the story were a bit far fetched, but it didn't stop me from wanting to read on.

I didn't mind the character of Valerie, and would have preferred some chapters from Jake's perspective, as for a long time he's just 'Kylie's boyfriend'.

This was a quick, enjoyable read, and I would be interested in reading more from the author.