I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. At first, I really liked the main character, Ana. She seemed quirky and relatable in all the right ways, and reminded me of Jess from New Girl and Mindy from the Mindy Project. I also liked that it was set in New York City, and I liked any time the city was referenced throughout the book.
The plot, however, seemed to really be all over the place and chaotic (not in the best way). I had a hard time following the story which ultimately led me just not to care about what was happening. We were following her relationship drama which involved 4 separate interests…, her work drama which was confusing to me for some reason, and drama with her best friend’s wedding. It lacked a strong focus and felt like all 3 of these storylines were fighting to be the main one with none of them being the clear winner. Additionally I don’t think Ana’s character has any character development and in fact she seemed much different at the end and not in a good way. Speaking of the end, it was very abrupt and sudden. The middle part of the book dragged on and on only for the end to not really resolve anything.
I will say that I really love this cover though!!
Thank you for this ARC!

I was super hyped for this book because I felt like the plot was basically the story of my life. Girl meets boy, boy and girl date and then boy and girl break up. This book starts like any other romance, where the girl is down on her luck and wants to be in a relationship but none of the guys she meets is up to the standards of her "list." After a huge letdown at work, she decided to say yes to anyone who asks her out. This leads her to be in relationships with 4 different men. Throughout the book, we get to see her relationship develop and fizzle out with the men. Until she finds "the one."

I personally think this book was a little choppy and hard to follow. There were a lot of pieces of the book that were not threaded together and we were left with some time gaps that didn't make enough sense. I feel like it might have been better if the author focused on 2 or 3 boys relationships instead of the 5. Because on top of the romantic relationships, we get to read about the trouble the main character is having with her best friend, which also becomes sort of a plot hole. Overall, I liked the book and it would make a PERFECT beach read. However, if you're looking for a book that has a little more complexity than just a romance, I would skip this.

I really enjoyed the storyline of this Cuban American woman finding love in her 30s while navigating the workplace and friendships. I myself being Cuban American this story resonated with me all too well.

⭐️Rating: 3/5
✍🏼Author: Lisette Decos
📖Genre: Romance Comedy

::My thoughts::
Such a cute romcom! This story is about Ana, a reality tv producer who finds herself stuck in a rut- not sure where she wants to take the next chapter in her life. Suddenly, an opportunity comes knocking at her window. Now Ana, is ready to take on Manhattan and control of her life.

I thought this book was so fun, I loved the setting and theme centered around her job in reality tv. There were some really funny moments in this book too -and you cant help but love the characters.
I cant wait to read more from Lisette Decos!

*Thank you to the Author and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for my review.

There were some things I loved about this debut novel by Lissette Decos, and some things I didn’t care for quite as much. I absolutely loved this “behind the scenes” look at a television producer. And after I finished read the story, I realized that the author herself is a television producer, so she should know how to write a character who is the same! She did a great job with these aspects of the story. There were many moments that made me laugh out loud. And it was a pretty quick read!

What I didn’t care for as much was the romance aspect to the story. I didn’t love all of the characters, which may be why the romance was a miss for me.

Even for all of this, I still think this was a solid story. I just personally feel it would have been better as a women’s fiction story than a romance. I wanted to see Ana more in her role as television producer.

Ana has been a successful reality show producer helping couples have their perfect proposal despite a total lack of success in the dating pool. While helping her best friend plan her dream wedding she decides maybe it’s time to stop saying no to every guy who doesn’t fit her list for perfect guy requirements and start saying yes. To everyone.

But will relaxing her standards help her find happiness? Or was there a reason she had them in the first place.

This book did not do it for me. My main issue was I just didn’t like the female main character. I understand she likes to make lists but there were just too many of them. It was excessive and wasted a lot of time. Then there’s the disaster that is her dating life. There’s nothing wrong with a woman wanting to date around but my problem is she doesn’t tell any of the guys that she is seeing multiple people at the same time. Lying by omission is still lying and it honestly made me start to resent her. The final nail in the coffin for me with Ana was bringing back an old flame who did her dirty. Also she went on and on about how funny he was when all he did was flirt with other girls in front of her and do the robot….I’m not even joking that’s literally their first date. The fact that she would put herself in a position to be burned again and then be stunned by it just made me lose all respect for her.

No one in this book was likeable. I didn’t feel a genuine connection with any of the characters. Ana’s best friend was probably the worst though. She was selfish and somehow gaslighted Ana into apologizing to her after all the crap she pulled. And then I mostly felt sad for everyone Ana was stringing along while she tried to find herself. I was invested enough to finish it but because I kept hoping it would turn around. It didn’t. I can honestly say this has been my least favorite read of the year.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley for review.

Ana has a list of qualities that she doesn't want in a man and qualities that would make a perfect man. However, in order to feel like she has the perfect man, she feels like she needs to date 4 separate men - Phillip, Sam, Fernando, and TJ. Meanwhile, she's working on editing to a video she's producing with Richard - a rival per say... and trying to get the attention of Landon who she thinks IS the perfect man.

While Ana Takes Manhattan was a cute book, overall, it fell flat for me. None of the characters really felt memorable and the lack of chemistry made it difficult for me to really engage or feel connected to the story. I didn't feel any chemistry between Ana or the male characters. Her best friend, Gia, annoyed me. Overall - I felt like they were all characters with no personality and no character development. I think with better characters and better interactions, the story could have been a winner for me.

Thank you though to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ana Karina is a reality tv producer who orchestrates over-the-top proposals everyday. However, her own love life is lacking and she's looking for her own romance. She finds an old list she made in college with the four things she wanted in a man - a romantic talented artist who gave her butterflies and made her laugh. She decides to go out with four different guys who all embody one of the criteria on her list, hoping she'll feel fulfilled by each of the guys who have aspects of her dream man.

This was a pretty fun debut! It was a bit slow at times and more character than plot driven, but it was laugh-out-loud funny at times as well. I enjoyed Ana's growth throughout the book, though I wondered at times why she was dating some of the men when she didn't seem to like them all that much. Ana tells us at the beginning of the book that she thinks her REAL dream man is Landon, the best man in her best friend Gia's wedding, after only seeing a photo of him. She obsesses over him for most of the book, though she's never really spoken to him and doesn't make any effort to. Her fawning over Landon sort of threw me off because she seemed to want him so much, without knowing him at all or trying to form a relationship, even when she had the opportunity to attempt to do so.

Speaking of Gia, she was the worst! She was not an enjoyable character at all, flirting with other men when she was engaged and sending them photos of her in her wedding dress. She just did not seem like a good person, or even a very supportive friend to Ana. I wish we got to see more of Ana interacting with her family, especially her stepmother, as I felt that was an underutilized part of the narrative. There were a lot of scenes that felt unfinished, especially the date scenes with the various men Ana was seeing. I did enjoy the ending and who Ana ended up with, though it did feel a bit rushed and I wished we got more time with them.

Overall, this was a fun story! I would definitely put it in the contemporary/women's ficiton genre rather than romance; at the end of the day, the book was about Ana's growth rather than her relationships, and I did enjoy how she progressed as the book went on.

This was a DNF for me. I originally found myself interested because ANA TAKES MANHATTAN had been compared to books by favorite authors of mine (see Abby Jimenez, Alexis Daria, etc.) but knew within the first few chapters that this one would not work for me.

Giving it a three star because it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read, I just knew I would really dislike it if I read on. I hope other women's lit/romance readers will enjoy this one!

I really enjoyed reading "Ana Takes Manhattan," which releases yesterday. Her writing feels like a breath of fresh air and I can't wait to read more from her! 4.5⭐

Ana is a producer for a wedding reality show, even though her own love life is a mess. She has a good idea of what she does and doesn't want in a partner. Since finding all of those things in one person hasn't worked so far, she dates 4 different men who each tick one of the main boxes. Who will she go for in the end?

It was really subtle how Ana decided what she wanted and was able to figure out who she should be with - I loved the ending! This book had a great pace and Lisette's writing is witty and irreverent.

I really enjoyed the strong secondary relationships in the book, particularly with her father. I also thought her friendship with Gia was multi-faceted and how it developed was unexpected.

#AnaTakesManhattan:

Thank you @forever for my gifted copy!

Reading this book gave me a lot of self-reflection. Because 1. I make lists like they’re going out of style 2. I’m also a 30 something woman who swims in chaotic energy and 3. Grapes and running around the block on Nee Years is also a tradition of mine.

But alas, I am not her and she is not me because Ana girl, you made my head hurt. I felt like a lot of the conversations happening were superficial and immature. I also wanted to cut Gia out forever on page 4, but you know, we gotta have a bestie.

I did like Ana’s job and y’all know I’m a sucker for reality tv anything. I loved her job (ahem can we make that a real show plz) and her passion for it. She did have some growth in the end but I was looking for a bit more. There were lots of funny and laugh out loud moments, but overall this was a bit of a miss for me.

I am excited to see what Lissette Decos comes up with next because this book did have me thinking of Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next”

Thanks to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for the free eARC copy—all opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Steam: 🔥🔥 (0-5) kissing only but a little nudity

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 You had me at the title, the cover, the word Manhattan, & the ridiculously romcom book blurb!!
🤩 Richard! I want him and his homemade snacks! He kept me reading. I loved him from the moment I met him.
🤩 Romcom coming-of-age/finding herself.
🤩 Cuban-American author and female MC.
🤩 Proposal reality TV show.
🤩 The careers as a TV show director, producer, and editor are so interesting and intriguing.
🤩 Many characters but distinct and easy to keep track of.
🤩 Quirky and unique characters.
🤩 NYC—the adventures in and around Manhattan.

What I’m Wishing/ Dizzy About:
💫 I wish we got mored Richard and less of the other dudes, more workplace romance.
💫 My feels just weren’t there—longing and lusting were missing for me.
💫 The actual way Ana maneuvers seeing all the different guys at once felt weird—honesty would have been better.
💫 Maybe this was purposeful, but I didn’t enjoy Ana’s friendship with Gigi. Ana really got taken advantage of by her and her fiancé.

If you are looking for an easy and light read- I would definitely recommend this book. I loved the premise and of course NYC as the setting- always a perfect choice. The author (Lissette Decos) was also a producer for years on reality shows- so that makes the fun details that much more exciting!

Ana Takes Manhattan is all about discovering one’s self, making peace with flaws and mistakes, and figuring out what brings joy. Ana is convinced she knows what she wants in life and feels sorry for herself because she doesn’t have it. She puts herself outside of relationships, never opening up and getting close. She wears armor to protect her heart, and then is sad when her relationships with her family, her best friend, with men… let her down.

In a moment of self-pity, Ana discovers the list she made in college outlining the four traits of her perfect man. While she dreams that best man Landon is her ideal match, Ana doesn’t have the courage to go after him, so instead she dates four different men, each embodying one of her must have traits. I love that Ana recognizes the flaws in each, yet edits the dates in her mind to eliminate any issues. She knows it’s not really working but convinces herself that she’s trying.

Meanwhile Ana’s relationship with Gia is strained as she hides things from her. Ana also resents Gia because Gia has the perfect man (and perfect life) yet carelessly flirts with dozens of others. Personally, I did not like Gia nor her fiancé, who is using Ana to court a famous artist to his gallery. Ana loves Gia, but I don’t see it. Gia is self-absorbed and controlling. Ana knows this and still sees a best friend. Apparently Gia loves Ana too, but her actions don’t back that up. I disliked every scene where Gia and Ana interact.

As Ana moves through life dating four different men, she’s also trying to figure out her career. She’s been stagnant, working as a producer for a marriage proposal reality TV show, which is entering its final season. She’s been paired with a new editor, Richard, who doesn’t tick off any of the traits on her list. Their connection is the most real thing in Ana’s life, because Ana is herself around Richard. Their conversations are natural, whether teasing, productive, or serious. These scenes are the best in the book.

Ana is a mess; we witness Ana making mistakes and throwing pity parties. But we also see Ana growing and learning to love herself. Ana Takes Manhattan is an engaging journey of self-discovery.

My Rating: B/B-

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, cute and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and will look for more books by this author.

I was looking forward to this one - such a fascinating blurb!

I didn’t love it as much as I thought I was going to… it was cute, but you could definitely tell it was a debut novel. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. It definitely lacks a lot of the depth and complexity of seasoned authors, or quite a few other debut authors I’ve recently read. Still sweet and absolutely worth the read, but don’t go in expecting a life altering or deeply emotional book.

Ana has a job as a producer on a reality tv show about the perfect proposal. She gets teamed up with a new editor after her recent episode goes awry, and the two don’t have the best relationship, but have great chemistry putting the show together. In the meantime, Ana is trying to come up with new show ideas to pitch a new series - something to save her job. Richard, the new editor, leaves the studio to start his own new company, leaving Ana totally on her own… yet again everyone in her life moving on, new jobs, weddings, everything, while Ana seems stuck.

I recommend this for those looking for an easy and light read without much substance, thrilling and gripping storyline or any sort of drama or the typical details expected in a romance.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, and this is my honest feedback.

Thank you to Forever for the signed physical ARC of Ana Takes Manhattan that I won in a giveaway - as well as my NetGalley eARC. When I was in NYC earlier in the month, I made sure to bring this book along to grab a picture 😍 I’m a sucker for romance books set in NYC - are you??🏙️
Ana works as a reality TV producer, and her planning skills are A+, especially in terms of her list making. The book follows her journey to improve both her work life and her personal life. Work-wise, Ana’s plans for a surprise engagement on a series premiere hit a major snafu, so work isn’t going as well as it should be. And on the personal side, after her stepsister’s wedding but prior to her best friend’s wedding, Ana decides to invest more time and effort in her own love life, which hasn’t been a priority since being left heartbroken by a prior relationship.
As a list maker, I identified with Ana in the beginning of the book. I also enjoyed reading about Gia’s Brazilian family, as I recently returned from Rio. If I didn’t have this connection to Gia, I would have been more annoyed by her actions as Ana’s supposed best friend.Those frustrations aside, I laughed a lot while reading this one and I definitely recommend it if you like reading romcoms which have women’s fiction-style MC growth. This is the author’s debut, and I look forward to reading more! Thanks again to Forever for putting this book on my radar 😎 it’s available everywhere today

As a reality TV producer, Ana Karina loves her job arranging over the top marriage proposals. However, after one proposal goes awry, she can’t help but to think she’s missing something in her own life….love. In turn, she goes on a series of dates with men who check at least one of her boxes. Is there a fish in the sea that is NYC compatible for her?

I loved the setting of this book. NYC is such a magical place and books set here are catnip to me. I thought the main character, Ana, could’ve used more growth throughout the book and some of the characters felt younger than their age with their actions. Especially Gia - I thought she was undeserving of Ana’s friendship. Overall, this was a cute read with some fun laugh out loud moments and I would recommend for fans of women’s fiction with a romance brewing throughout.

I went into this expecting it to be perfectly satisfactory and that's exactly what it was. A solid three stars, this would be a great palate cleanser. The main character was a bit grating at first, and I was hoping to see some character growth but unfortunately that didn't happen. This one was entertaining enough, but not one that will stick with me.

Umm, so I struggled with this book. Quiet a bit. 3/5 stars overall.

I found the blurb of the story really intriguing, especially because of the Reality TV theme. The first 30 percent of the story progressed in a really charming manner ~ until Ana started acting really immature for her age. I need to connect with the main characters to properly enjoy a book, but sadly with Ana Takes Manhattan, that didn't happen. Both Ana and the supporting characters did unlikable stuffs that made me feel so... sad. I lost interest multiple times throughout the story, but I kept reading just because I wanted to see how the author wrapped things up + who Ana ended up with. The main friendship in the book felt really toxic to me as well. Women need to lift each other up... but Ana and Gia didn't, even though their story had so much potential!

The romance could have been developed and outlined better, but it was good nevertheless. The main love interest (the one who Ana ended up with) was thankfully a likable (enough) character, so that's a win!