I couldn't get into this one, unfortunately. There was too much swearing and it got on my nerves.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Great book, I loved this read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Former It-Girl fashion editor Jenna Jones is 40, she wants children in her future, her long term engagement has ended and she has been fired from Darling magazine.
Desperate for a second chance she begs her arch nemesis for a job at StyleZine.com but soon realises she's in way over her head. Surrounded by digital-savvy millennials half her age, she doesn't even understand what "twittering" is and she's pretending to still be a fashion somebody when she is in fact broke.
To make matters even worse, she has been thrown into working very closely with the very off-limits Eric Combs - who she can barely look at without turning to jelly.

Tia Williams is a very strong character writer, you feel like you know these people and get really invested.
I liked that the penultimate chapter ended with a bit of realness to it.
I liked less that the last chapter tied everything up with a pretty bow after a very romcom, cliched chance meeting at a park.
Loved the setting of the online magazine world in which this was set.
A cracking read that had the feels of The Bold Type for me.

Having heard such incredible things about Tia Williams other book, Seven Days In June, I was really excited to read this.
It definitely gave me The Devil Wears Prada vibes, in a very good way. Also, something about the story reminded me of the TV show Younger too. So, I have a feeling if you already liked either of these, you will enjoy this.
It was a really captivating story that I couldn't put down.
I also really enjoyed the romance between Jenna and Eric.
If you aren't particularly interested in fashion, some of this may alienate the average reader but I did like it.
I will certainly be keeping an eye out for what Tia Williams does next and will be going back to read Seven Days In June ASAP too.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 STARS

*Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus for the ARC*

I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to put into words my love for this book but I’m going to try my best.

‘The Perfect Find’ follows 40-year-old Jenna Jones trying to return to her life in New York and the fashion world after her long-time fiancé told her he no longer wanted marriage and babies, and she retreated to Virginia to mourn the life she had planned.

I went into this pretty much blind and I would so recommend you do too.

This is my second Tia Williams (if you haven’t read Seven Days in June, you should absolutely get on that) and I think she’s incapable of writing anything but soulmates. Like truly, fated, made-for-each-other soulmates.
The love and understanding Eric and Jenna have for each other is indescribable. I love them so much I could (and did) cry.

This has been firmly added to my all time favourites, and I will absolutely be picking up the paperback - this book makes me want to start annotating.

I just love them so much I am not ok.

This book gave me slight Devil Wears Prada vibes, especially Darcy because she reminds me a bit of Miranda Priestly but not as fierce. The trope in this is almost enemies to lovers but it’s closer to lovers to enemies to friends to lovers!

I did find the dinner party really hard to keep track off because there were a lot of characters and too much dialogue so I couldn’t work out who was talking and when. But when Eric started arguing with Jimmy and stuck up for Jenna, that was hot. I’m not sure if the magazine articles were needed either. I see how they’re relevant because it’s the column that Jenna writes during the book but also, I didn’t want to read them.

I’m glad I got to read this before release because I adored Seven Days In June!

Reading more relationship/romance! This is a great book by @tiawilliamswrites that centres around a certain spark between Jenna and Eric. Coupled with their age difference, and the fact that Eric is Jenna's nemesis boss' son (oh yes!), this is one funny and sweet book. Jenna begrudgingly returns to work for her old nemesis, Darcy Vale, on an online magazine. Sacrificing her humility and wages for a shot back on the world if fashion in the early 2010s, Jenna very slowly finds her feet as well as Eric. He is very young, good-looking and a talented film maker.

Jenna’s relationships and fumbling around the many millennials who seem to be from another timezone is rather funny, and I loved her almost shopping experience at Target! The chemistry between Jenna and Eric is built really well, and there seemed to be a lot of fun creating both of these characters in relation to their emerging but hidden relationship. Darcy was the perfect villain – full of revenge, and someone who prioritised no-one but herself.

The whole story plays on the book's title really well, and as I read this, the connection became stronger.There were so many “perfect finds” throughout the book, from the cute outfits and connections Jenna made through the office girls, the connection between Jenna and Eric – here is a lot of kismet that seems to occur and be [played out, and I think that is what makes this book what it is. It is light hearted and serious at times, but the events happening where and when they need to all make sense, and were all fun to read.

Having absolutely adored Seven Days in June I had high hopes for The Perfect Find but having found out it was actually released in 2016, I was a bit concerned that this might not be as good, given it’s lack of publicity. Boy was I wrong. This was absolutely fantastic and was a cross between Devil Wears Prada and The Idea of You and I loved it. The dynamic between Eric and Jenna was brilliant and the character development was spot on. I had read mixed reviews about the ending but for me it was pretty perfect. I cannot wait to read more from Williams in the future.

40 year old Jenna Jones had it all, the million dollar lifestyle, the perfect fiancé and her dream career as a high profile fashion editor, but she walked away from it all. Now she’s back, with a second chance in the business is she really going to throw it all away for the 23 year old videographer with a dangerous smile?

I don’t know how I feel about this book, I didn’t know anything about it before going in and think I would have benefitted from reading the synopsis first. I liked the perspective of the age gap trope, it’s often an older guy so I found it refreshing that Eric was the younger party in the relationship. Jenna really annoyed me though, she knows what she wants and also knows she can’t have it with Eric, but doesn’t communicate this until the very end of the book. It just felt like all of the build up and emotions were wasted. I loved Eric’s character, in some aspects Williams portrayal made him come across quite immature but his character development was one of the highlights for me. I really did enjoy the epilogue, I think it really tied up the story and left me satisfied.

I hope there’s a final edit before re-release because the sentence structure of this book, and the typos are awful.

During the first chapter of 'A Perfect Find', I was convinced I wasn't going to enjoy it. But it didn't take long to realise that I was wrong. Totally wrong.

This book was wonderful. The storyline, the characters, the film & fashion references, the language… All of it was delicious & captivating. Given it's humour, sweet moments & sauciness, it quickly became very easy to devour each page & always left me wanting more.

Above all of that, it was impossible to not fall & root for Jenna & Eric. If there was ever a relationship I'd ship so hard, it'd be theirs! I loved them & felt that their ending was the perfect one that could have been written for them (anything else & it just wouldn't have worked).

'A Perfect Find' was exactly as the title suggests & I'm just gutted that I've finished it!

Thank you to Net Galley, Tia Williams & Quercus Books for allowing me to read & review the re-release copy of 'A Perfect Find'; all views are honest & my own.

This was a fun book to read. The main character was relatable, a grown woman in her forties and not a naïve young woman. The banter between the 2 was also very good, so all in all the book was very enjoyable.

Not quite sure if I liked the ending, but that's more on me than on the book.

Jenna Jones once had it all. A successful partner, an amazing house and lifestyle, and a great career. Yet when she finds her fiancé never planned on marrying her or having the family, that she so desired, Jenna left that life behind. Desperate for work, she begs her arch nemesis Darcy Vale for a job at StyleZine.com, only to find herself crazy about Eric Combs, a twenty year old videographer. The one problem is that she is 40+ and Eric is so off limits.

I loved this book and found myself reading this long into the night. Eric is such an old soul, living in the body of a young man, that Jenna finds hard to resist. Yet the two together defy the age barrier, and I wanted them to work out. This book cannot be dismissed as simply a romance, as Jenna's story will resonate as life goes by so quickly, and dreams can be lost along the way. Darcy Vale is wicked, and yet her 'evilness' makes Eric all the more wonderful, as he had to grow up stronger and wiser, as a consequence.
This is one book, that i will definitely reread!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was attracted to this book as it’s written by the same author as Seven Days of June, which I know has received high praise both critics of and on bookstagram. Whilst I wasn’t initially enthralled with the storyline, my enjoyment did increase when I got to know the characters to a greater level.

It turns out that this story is not exactly a new released, it was released initially in 2016, but is being reprinted following the success of Seven Days in June.

The Perfect Find tells the story of Jenna and Eric. Two people that aren’t supposed to be together but obviously were so perfectly made for each other and had a chemistry that was undeniable. There are many obstacles in their way: the huge age gap, the mother of Eric (also the boss of both of them) and so they have to keep their relationship a secret. They help each other massively professionally and personally, but it’s all in secret.

I didn’t think I’d like this story initially because of the age gap, but after persevering I actually found the romance really sweet. It was well written to show how extremely into each other they are. Williams writes some adorable, swoon-worthy lines that are every romance fans dream. Also, the spice scenes are REAL. If you’re not into spice, I wouldn’t recommend this book because it’s quite intense.

Also the book in general was like a feel-good fun rom com of the time. It’s predominately set in 2012 and is very reminiscent of the chick flicks at the time. It gave similar vibes to fashion movies like the Devil Wears Prada, mixed with a story of forbidden romance.

Unfortunately, the ending for me was rather disappointing, which is why I had to give it a 3 stars overall when my enjoyment was about 4* after the initial 20%. Perhaps, you could argue that the ending was realistic but who needs realism!!! Give the readers the ending they crave!

In The perfect find we meet Jenna Jones who is a former fashion editor, in her forties, who is broke, has been dumped by her fiance, fired from her job and in desperate need of starting over. With literally no other options Jenna has to beg her arch nemesis Darcy Vale for a role at her new online magazine. But Jenna is out of her depth and things get even messier as Jenna meets Eric who is off limits, but completely gorgeous and Jenna just can't resist him.

The book was well written. However I didn't really gel with it and it was really got me.

‘The Perfect Find’ follows Jenna Jones as she navigates her new life after the breakdown of a long-term relationship and an abrupt exit from her previous job at Darling magazine. Jenna must adapt to a new position where social media engagement and a mastery of hashtags are considered essential skills, whilst managing her attraction to StyleZine.com’s new videographer – who is off-limits for a number of reasons.

I did things a little backwards and read Williams’s ‘Seven Days in June’ before ‘The Perfect Find’, as the synopsis of the former was more appealing. ‘Seven Days in June’ ended up being one of my favourite books of 2021, so I had high hopes for the re-release of ‘The Perfect Find’. However, whilst the book is well-written and the characters are engaging and well-formed, I struggled to feel invested in the relationship between Jenna and Eric.

When we are first introduced to Jenna, she comes across as likeable, upfront, and competent, even though she is still finding her feet in her new role. She speaks candidly to her new boss/former frenemy, and is unafraid to shut down her ex’s advances when he tries to rekindle their relationship with an invitation to coffee. Unfortunately, the first couple of chapters are Jenna at her most likable.

The closer Jenna and Eric grew, the more frustrated I became with their behaviour. At the start of the novel, Jenna confidently tells her ex, Brain, that she’s not interested in “pretending you didn’t ruin my life” but chooses to ignore Eric’s red flags. It’s established right from the synopsis that their age gap is a key source of conflict in the novel, but I guess I did expect a greater level of maturity from Eric in order to understand his appeal to someone like Jenna. I don’t see the appeal in someone whose idea of an apology is:

“I apologize, too. That was a horrible thing to say. But it’s like, you make me horrible.”

Similarly, Jenna’s personality disintegrates as the novel progresses:

“Guys, when he comes over, I barely let him leave the room without me. I cling to him like a pygmy marmoset.”
“That’s healthy,” muttered Elodie.

Quite frankly, I’m with Elodie here.

It’s clear that the relationship is the central focus of the novel, which makes it more disappointing that I couldn’t get on board with it. I would have loved to see more of the process behind Jenna’s work success, but Jenna and Eric’s ‘The Perfect Find’ concept is conceived in one sentence and then declared an established success by the next. However, these jumps are fairly common throughout the novel, and would benefit from some editing: the paragraphing choices often have you lurching around through time and space, which interrupts the flow of otherwise good quality writing.

Overall, the book is fine. I wouldn’t read it again, but I wasn’t tempted to DNF it. There’s a great diversity of characters, there’s some witty dialogue, and Williams’s knowledge of the world of fashion shines through. However, I couldn’t invest in the relationship, and … well, the less said about the ending the better.

With thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for my ARC.

This book, unfortunately, was not for me. It was filled with tropes that I just don't vibe with and I really didn't enjoy the way the ending played out. I do love Tia Williams writing style, so I would definitely check out her other works. It was just that the plot and characters weren't it for me.

Tia Williams', The Perfect Find is the PERFECT summer read!
It follows the story of Jenna Jones.
A strong 40-something, badass black woman who manages to regain her confidence after a long-term relationship and her former glorious job in the New York fashion industry.
After she ends her relationship with her long-time boyfriend, she takes a break from the city and her career.
She comes back to work in New York for her former professional nemesis, Darcy, and finds herself having to learn how the fashion editing game has changed...

'I studied you all night... I have a PhD in Jenna Jones now'

I absolutely loved The Perfect Find. Tia Williams writting is so fun and light to read. It was the same in 'Seven Days in June', which I also loved.
The book included quite a bit of substance beyond a steamy love story. It addresses race, ageism, and classism both in relationships and at work.
The story between Eric and Jenna felt nuanced and complex rather than cliche and predictable like you will find in most romance novels.
The Perfect Find is being adapted into a Netflix movie starring Gabrielle Union, can't wait!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for allowing me the opportunity to get an early copy of this novel!

She's 40, he's in his early twenties and her bosses (who hates her) son. They try and fight their attraction to each other but it's impossible.
When I was reading this book I honestly had no idea how it was going to end and then when I read the ending I was still shocked! The ending was so emotional too. This is the second book I've read by Tia Williams and it's just as good as 7 days in June!

I really struggled to get into this book, I think for me it was the writing and I just did not find it all that engaging. I also just did not like the characters. On the other hand, I did enjoy reading from the perspective of a middle aged women, as this isn't super common.

A lovely book with a great cast of characters. Beautifully written and I got really invested in the story. I would highly recommend reading this one.