It had a cute beginning which I enjoyed and the trope had sounded quite nice. However I was a bit like after getting to the 30% to 40% mark. I felt like a lot was happening but nothing was quite as impactful as it should’ve been.

When We're Thirty" by Casey Dembowski

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"When We're Thirty" by Casey Dembowski is a refreshing and delightful read that beautifully captures the complexities and nuances of life at a more mature age. As someone who often reads books centered around younger characters, I absolutely loved that this story focused on characters in their thirties. It was a welcome change to see the challenges and triumphs of a more seasoned age group portrayed with such depth and authenticity.

The story follows Hannah and Will, two friends who made a pact in their early twenties to get married if they were both still single by the time they turned thirty. Fast forward to their thirtieth birthdays, and life has thrown them both its fair share of curveballs. Hannah, a successful event planner, is dealing with the aftermath of a broken engagement and the pressures of her demanding career. Will, on the other hand, is navigating the complexities of a failing start-up and the looming shadow of his father's expectations.

One of the standout aspects of this novel is the character development. Both Hannah and Will are incredibly well-rounded and relatable. Their struggles, whether professional or personal, are depicted with a realism that makes them feel like real people rather than fictional characters. I appreciated how their friendship evolved into something deeper, and how their shared history added layers to their relationship. Their journey from friends to lovers is heartfelt and genuine, filled with moments of vulnerability and growth.

The supporting characters also add richness to the story. Each one, from Hannah's supportive best friend to Will's demanding father, contributes to the narrative in meaningful ways. They help to highlight the main characters' strengths and weaknesses, and their interactions provide a broader perspective on the themes of love, friendship, and personal fulfillment.

Dembowski's writing style is engaging and immersive. She has a knack for balancing humor and emotion, making the story both entertaining and poignant. The dialogue is sharp and witty, and the pacing is just right, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish.

I also appreciated the realistic portrayal of the characters' professional lives. Too often, books gloss over the details of their characters' jobs, but Dembowski takes the time to delve into the intricacies of Hannah's event planning and Will's start-up struggles. This added a layer of authenticity to the story and made their successes and failures all the more impactful.

Another aspect I loved about "When We're Thirty" is how it addresses the societal pressures and expectations faced by individuals in their thirties. The characters' experiences resonated with me, and I found myself reflecting on my own life and the expectations I’ve encountered. It's refreshing to read a romance that doesn't shy away from these realities but instead embraces them, showing that it's never too late to find love or pursue your dreams.

In conclusion, "When We're Thirty" is a charming and insightful read that stands out for its mature and realistic portrayal of characters in their thirties. Casey Dembowski has crafted a story that is both heartwarming and thought-provoking, with characters that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance that is both relatable and inspiring. Thank you, Casey Dembowski, for writing such a wonderful story that speaks to the experiences of those of us who are a bit older and hopefully a bit wiser.

Cute and lovey dovey. I definitely fell in love with each and every character, as it was totally relatable and just what was needed for a pick me up.

Very well written book. Really enjoyed this author, would definitely read more by this author and recommend on my book IG

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

This love story was adorable! Love the pact premise and the characters were awesome. Wish there was a little more romance but loved the way you saw the couple in real life. Also, Hannah’s job was unique and interesting. Loved it!

I stopped reading contemporary romance novels around the time I requested this book and another. This wasn't fair to the authors to request and not read. I am sure both books were great I regret that I couldn't bring myself to read them.

Honestly, this was more like a 3.5 out of 5, but rounded up because why not? The storyline had so much potential, and the authentic fights made it that much more real, but it kind of just fizzled out. The ending had high hopes and it, too, fizzled out. There were tons of things that could have been expanded upon (their relationship in college, why they wouldn’t tell one another true feelings, his relationship with his family and how it came to be, his relationship with Madison and how it really fell apart) and several things that WERE expanded upon that just didn’t need to be (the awkward meetings and why the ex-girlfriend friended our main character, etc). Cute idea, just not the greatest execution. Loved the main characters as people, though!

I originally wasn't able to review this because I had my request accepted and then it was archived within a few days I had not downloaded it yet. I did review a finished copy and found it charming and funny. I just turned 31 myself so I enjoyed the humor of getting across the 30 milestone (or close to ) and the older characters who were more in my stage of life!

Cute fake dating + marriage pact trope, slowish burn while the leads realize their true feelings. Charming beach read!

Hannah and Will, both unlucky in love, decide to make good on their pact to marry at 30 if both were still single.

A contemporary romance with the marriage pact trope. The plot seemed a little slapdash. The wreck that messed up Hannah's knee supposedly had a huge impact on her life, but it was barely touched in the narrative. A shallow story.

Hannah feels stuck - she has a job she loves but leaves her with a tiny apartment and no health insurance, and her relationship is going nowhere. But then on her 30th birthday her college friend Will shows up out of nowhere with a ring and a reminder of their marriage pact from years ago. He needs a wife to prove himself in the family business and she needs health insurance, so why not try it? But in the process they remembered what they loved about each other…

I love a good marriage pact story and this one made me so happy! Both Will and Hannah were such great characters - I adored them individually and I loved them even more as a couple. Their friendship really set a solid foundation for a relationship. They were such a great team and really tried to make this fake marriage work even when loved ones didn’t support them or when things got tough. This was the cutest book and I can’t wait to read more from Casey Dembowski!

This was such a cute read! I was expecting to like it going into it but it turns out I loved this book! I finished it in one sitting! I cant wait to check out more books from this author!

4.5 stars

A charming, bingable rom-com about college friends who make a pact to get married at age thirty. This was such a fun and feel-good rom com, complete with a crazy ex-girlfriend and some amazingly supportive side character friends and family. Loved the focus on Hannah’s job as a journalist covering alternative and emo bands, because really… who doesn’t love Taking Back Sunday?! She and Will fit together so well and I loved their story! I’d love to see future stories about some side characters… Daniel, Kate, and even Jon?! More please!!!

Thanks to Red Adept Publishing for the copy of this ARC!

I received this arc for an honest review.

This is a story about two people that made a pact in college that if neither is married at thirty they would. Hannah is having her thirtieth birthday with some friends but nothing from her boyfriend. Her day actually sucks, including her knee which she injured and she has not been able to get it looked at because she does not have the proper insurance. Later that night Will shows up at her door and surprises her with a proposal. She tells him she needs time.
Later that night not being able to sleep she calls her boyfriend who actually showed up late and gave her two tickets to a concert for a band that Will actually got her to like in college, her boyfriend does not like said band so she thinks of Will. After calling and talking to her boyfriend and realizing that he does not see marriage in their future she tells Will yes.
So, now you would think of a simple story from here on out, no/ must sell it to family and friends. Their friends from college and her parents are saying it is about time. His family has doubts and why so fast. They each get what they promised she begins to get help for her knee, and Will looks to making it to the board at the family company. That is until a weekend in the Hamptons and Hannah finds out that the finance to Will’s brother and the person who has been doing her physical therapy was at one time Will’s girlfriend, big story behind that, so Hannah leaves.
Later Will leaves the family business for another job, Hannah is working in Boston which Will’s father had something to do about that, everything is just a big mess. It is not until she interviews the lead singer of the band that she and Will like that she can begin to think straight and maybe get her life back on track. See what happens, a very good story with some twists and turns with good characters.

I went in with high hopes for this book - the fake dating/marriage of convenience is one of my favorites, and it started out really fun... but it ended up being kind of choppy and just an OK read for me in the end. I feel like the author skipped over any chance of angst or swooning... it's like we knew the main characters were attracted to each other, but I never FELT it. I wanted to feel the wanting from them. If I had that it would have been a great read for me, but it wasn't there at all so I can't even talk myself into loving this one as much as I wanted to.

This book was such a cute, romantic comedy that had me falling in love wit the characters and rooting for them to find their happy. I was little weirded out at first, that Will had not seen Hannah in five years and just expected her to be all in on the wedding pact, but as the story played out, I began to love it!

This was such a treat to read. I’ve read many marriage pact plots and have truly enjoyed them.
This one is no exception. What I loved the most was the relationship and character development as Hannah and Will start to fall for each other. One needs health insurance the other needs to prove stability, fun banter, great secondary characters and gratifying ending.

I really enjoyed this marriage of convenience friends to lovers trope and I think you’ll enjoy Hannah and Will’s journey too.

I loved how the characters of this book were portrayed in this book. They were mature and lovely at the same time. The plot was amazing and I loved how the story unfolded.

Ever made a pact that if you do this, then that will happen?! @casey_dembowski takes a spin on the when we’re 30 trend and pulls it off with gusto. This book is the romantic comedy I needed when school has me exhausted. This is a book that’ll put a smile on your face and think about pacts you’ll make.

I wasn’t expecting to like this book - I think the title gave off a vibe of the book being more childish than it was. It was actually a well rounded read and fun!