I want to read every book that Julie Soto is going to write. It’s as simple as that. To say that I enjoyed this book would be an understatement, I adored it. Certain novels just seem to hit the mark for certain readers, well, this one hit me right in the heart.

A book is nothing without its characters, and Ama and Elliot were great characters. Other than working in the wedding industry, these two were opposites in every way. She was a bubbly, charismatic sweet tooth who was all about making a couple’s special day perfect. He was a brooding, grumpy man of few words who would rather eat dirt than sugar. Oh, but their chemistry was off the charts.

Ama’s goal was always to be a wedding planner and never a bride. She didn’t believe in the longevity of romantic relationships, her mother proved that point over and over…and over again.

Elliot wasn’t too experienced with relationships, but he believed that they could last. While he had a gruff exterior, he also had a vulnerable side that, I will confess, made my heart pitter-patter. He may have come across as rude and uninterested much of the time, but I don’t know, there was just something that I found endearing about him.

In my opinion, Forget Me Not was a perfect summer read. Okay, also the perfect fall, winter, and spring read. My point is, just read this book. It had great banter, plenty of humor (I actually laughed out loud), sizzling chemistry, and just an overall wonderful story.

*5 Stars

This book is still on my mind DAYS after reading which is always a good sign! Elliot is the owner of Bloom flowers and Ama is an up and coming wedding coordinator. Being forced to use Elliot as one of her vendors for an influencer’s wedding has Ama on edge because of course, they used to bang. I say that because Ama would NEVER admit that what they did was dating, let alone entering into a relationship with Elliot because commitment is strictly off limits for her. So banging it is. Elliott is the grump to Ama’s sunshine and yet this book was not tropey at all. I cannot put my finger on why I loved this book so much but I feel like I devoured it. And the more I read, the better and better it got. I think its uniqueness lies in the dual timelines: Elliot’s POV is firmly in the past and Ama’s is in the present. This allows the reader to see how Elliot falls for Ama and learns to love her (the past) while seeing the fear and awkwardness Ama has of working in the present day with Elliot as coworkers. The reader sees both MCs fears from these POVs and the tension builds as we work towards the “how will they handle their past now that they’re confronted with one another?” Being kept in the dark about what happened to Ama and Elliot keeps the anticipation of their interactions sizzling.

Which brings me to things I’m obsessed over:
-Elliot’s tattoos (like I actually Googled and looked up all of them)
-sex on a table with roses and dirt
-Love showing up when it counts
-All things flowers and wedding creativity
-FMC who asks for what she wants physically
-Ama’s gift to Elliot—SWOON!
-Really hot steamy scenes

I would hate to say more to ruin a good time, but definitely pick up this book if any of the above sounds interesting to you. Julie Soto is a force to be reckoned with! I received an advanced copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Well this was an amazing debut!

It’s a second chance romance between Ama, an up & coming wedding planner, and Elliot, her ex boyfriend and the florist already contracted to do the wedding Ama has just signed on to plan. It’s a well known influencer’s wedding that could launch her wedding planning career, so she’s forced to work beside the man who she shares a history with, which is unraveled through flashbacks as the book progresses.

Both characters were interesting and I liked Ama’s growth throughout the book, but the real winner for me here was Elliot. He comes across as grumpy and maybe a little rude but he’s so soft and gooey on the inside and is such a caretaker of Ama. He’s absolute book boyfriend material and I’m still swooning over the deliberate way he took care of Ama, even after she broke his heart. Also, he has a thigh tattoo.

Look, I’m not a fan in general of dual timelines (I lose interest when the timeline changes and I never feel like we get enough of them together in the present day because so much time is spent in the past) but I did appreciate that the past chapters were told from Elliot’s POV. He’s an outwardly stoic character so it was a much needed insight into what he was thinking.

The writing is light and funny but still emotional at times when it needed to be and it was honestly hard to believe this was a debut. There’s a good bit of steam, excellent supporting characters (I’m going to need Mar’s story next, thx), and a fun plot set around planning a splashy wedding.

Overall this was a really great read! Especially if you like dual timelines!

HOLY CRAP. This is tied with Yours Truly for my favorite read of the year so far. It was so dang good, and I saw EVERY SCENE like a movie in my mind. Incredible. Loved the wedding mischief, the dual timelines, Elliot is so DELICIOUSLY grumpy... their relationship evolution...and the spice? yummy. 5+++

Second chance romance featuring a wedding planner and a tattooed florist? Yes please 😍 Loved this debut ARC from @juliesotowrites —big thanks to @readforeverpub and @netgalley! Elliot Bloom is so swoony, y’all… like he’s so grumpy but also gets tattoos of extinct flowers 🌺🪻🌸 You will love him. I can’t wait to see what Julie Soto does next! Look out for this one on July 11th!

(Review originally posted on instagram @alyssaunabridged)

GO READ THIS!!

I loved this book. Ama is a badass wedding planner who is cute, personable and puts her 100% into the weddings she plans. Elliot is a grumpy florist who has a special touch and super creative mind. They worked amazing together... until Ama's fear of commitment and Elliot's want for more put a screeching halt to their relationship and business partnership.

It was so cool how this book was not only dual pov, but Elliot's chapters were in the past, showing us the memories and moments between the 2. The spice was phenomenal and I loved how Ama usually was the one teasing or "taking control".

The only thing I wish this book had was some more tension/longing visible between Ama and Elliot in the present day scenes. There were many scenes where Ama/Elliot still showed that they loved the other, but I wish there was more of that in the form of conversation/interaction. Regardless, this was a cute quick read that I will 100% recommend and can't wait to read more from Julie Soto.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an e-copy ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh. My. God. Y'all, this book??? PHENOMENAL. Infinity stars all around! Was there crack in this?? I'm quite literally obsessed with this book.

Some people know I'm not a fan of second chance romances (with a few exceptions) but this book completely changed my mind. The tension between Ama and Elliot throughout the whole book had me on my toes wanting more! The chapters were the perfect length and the dual pov/timelines flowed so easily that I didn't realize I was powering through it. I had to pace myself because I was obsessed with them and didn't want this story to end!!

Any time Elliot was grumpy (which was most of the time), I couldn't stop giggling and blushing because deep down he adores Ama so much. Even after the end of their relationship, he still would do anything for her. And his tattoos?? HOT. Also, the spice in this book?? DOUBLE HOT.

This quote alone should convince you to read this book:

"Tell me why you want to know."
"Because I want to know you. I want to know what you like, what you hate—even if it's me... I want to love what you love, even if it's instinct."

And another quote I really liked, because why not?
"No one should have to wait for happiness a second longer than they have to."
(I literally started tearing up)

It'll take me at least 3-5 business days or more to fully process how much I loved this book and I am already itching to read it again. This has quickly become a favorite of mine for the year and I can't wait for it to hit the shelves on July 11th! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing (Grand Central Publishing) for sending an arc for my honest opinions!

What to expect:
-second chance romance
-dual pov/timelines
-wedding planner/florist
-spice!!
-he falls first and hard

Quick Synopsis:
Ama and Elliot both work in the wedding industry and immediately there is a connection between them that they can't ignore. Ama, who is a wedding planner, is afraid of commitment from her mom constantly re-marrying (16 times to be exact). When Elliot's father passes away, he takes over the flower shop and has been intertwining his architectural work into his floral designs.
Years later after an abrupt breakup, they both have to work together on a celebrity wedding. This might be the wedding that kicks off Ama's business, but when her toxic ex-boss and a film crew come along on the journey, will her and Elliot be able work with their past creeping back in?

Loved this one so much! I am floored that this is a debut novel because it was so well done.

I loved the alternating timelines between Elliot’s interpretation of the past and Ama’s perspective of their current situation. You cannot help but want to know right away what went wrong between Elliott and Ama and why their relationship is so strained, when it seems so amazing.

Ama is on the cusp of a breakout with her wedding planning business and Elliott’s flower shop is integral to the success of her biggest wedding ever. The way they work together is flawless despite the animosity, and with every chapter you hope for reconciliation.

Elliott and Ama are opposites but support each other in the best ways. Together they are such a creative force and it was so fun to imagine this wedding along side them. They also have some steamy chemistry on occasion, although that is not a big focus of the story.

The ending of this story was just everything you wanted to happen! So wonderful!!

This dual timeline, second chance romance was unforgettable! I was immediately drawn to is because - HELLO LOOK at this COVER 😍 and it did NOT disappoint 💜

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

In this book we have the love story of Ama and Elliot. Ama is a happy, sweet wedding planner, running her own business and landing a celebrity wedding that will bring her a ton of exposure. Elliot, her ex, is a grumpy florist that the couple HAS TO have design their flowers.

We get the present day chapters in Ama’s POV, showing what it’s like to be near Elliot again. Elliot’s POV tells us what happens in the past, how they first fell for one another and what broke them apart.

This book was different and refreshing - I loved how each POV was a different timeline.

What you’ll find in Forget Me Not:
💐 Second chance
💐 Dual timeline
💐 Grumpy sunshine
💐 Wedding planner & Florist
💐 Forced proximity
💐 Opposites attract
💐 Tattooed hero
💐 Dual POV/first person

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own!

This book unfortunately didn’t hit the mark for me. I can see why everyone loves it, the premise of a florist hero and a wedding planner heroine is just lovely.
My personal opinion is that their relationship didn’t have a lot of emotional depth and relied on steam.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @readforeverpub for an early copy of Forget Me Not by Julie Soto. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Forget Me Not is a enemies to lovers, second chance romance between Ama and Elliot. Ama is a wedding planner who does not believe in marriage, with her mother’s marriages not lasting long, but she believed in weddings and finds them amazing. Elliot, meanwhile, is a florist who hated owning a flower shop, until he met Ama. Two years ago, they worked on a lot of weddings by day, and spent their nights together, until Ama broke his heart and never spoke to Elliot again. Now they’re working on a wedding that could make and break their careers after two years of now speaking to each other, and the two brides they’re working with are determined to set them up together not knowing their history.

I honestly felt that the first 80% of this novel felt too slow; I felt like that big chunk of the book was just the foundation and wasn’t giving on many details regardless of how it’s giving the present and past POVs. It took me a while to finish this and was so close to DNFing it, given that I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between Ama and Elliot at all except when they had sex; their attraction outside of sex felt too forced in the past, and they barely interacted in the present.

Some of the things I loved were the MCs individually. I enjoyed Ama’s determination and passion for each wedding she plans, down to the very last detail (I honestly felt like this could be a wedding planning novel, not a romance one 😅), and I enjoyed Elliot’s POV since his parts always come with the spiciest scenes. 🔥

This novel has a lot of potential, but I feel like the entirety of it is all over the place. Rating Forget Me Not ⭐⭐⭐ /5. Released last July 11th, 2023, and available to purchase from book retailers.

I really enjoyed the writing and the characters, but having it be dual POV and different timeliness was a little much for me personally. I think it really broke up the flow of the story. Regardless I liked it but didn't vibe with the style of storytelling.

I really enjoyed this book! The story was attention grabbing from the beginning. I loved the grumpy/Sunshine element. It took me a bit to get used to the dual time frame, but I thought it was really useful. The sex scenes were on point! I really enjoyed reading this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for this eARC. All opinions own.

Forget Me Not is a book that is on many "most anticipated" lists for this year and after reading it, I can definitely understand why. It definitely lived up to the hype and it absolutely deserves that praise.

Ama owns her own wedding planning business. Her interest in planning weddings began early and while she has worked on mostly smaller weddings, she has now been presented the opportunity to plan the wedding of a popular influencer and her fiancée. If she is able to land this wedding, it could potentially put her on the map of Sacramento wedding planners and get her name out there. The one complication with taking on the wedding is that Jackie and Hazel have already secured the florist and he happens to be someone that Ama knows well...her former lover.

Elliott inherited his family's flower shop and in order to take over the business, it meant he had to drop out of college and forego his dream of becoming an architect. Elliott is one of those that is super creative, a total grump on the exterior, but has a soft interior. He doesn't like donuts (who doesn't like donuts?!) and while he doesn't often say a whole lot, when he does speak up, what he has to say is important.

When Ama and Elliott begin working together again, it's clear the sparks are still there even though they broke up two years prior. Even though they are a good team, will they be able to be professional and work together? Can their relationship get a second chance as well?

I really enjoyed this book. It brought a smile to my face so many times! It was entertaining, well written and heartwarming. This is definitely one that is worth picking up!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Forget Me Not is a vibrant romance novel that is heartfelt and spicy. Soto establishes herself as a writer to watch in this space because I am already salivating for me.

I think this is going to be popular beach read this summer.
Ama (wedding planner) and Elliot (florist) have to work together for a high profile celebrity wedding. But Ama and Elliot have a past and working together again is forcing them to acknowledge that they still have a spark.
.
This book has ALL THE TROPES:
💐second chance romance
💐work place romance
💐grumpy x sunshine
💐close proximity
💐steamy
.
Forget Me Not is told in dual POVs as well has dual timelines. Ama’s chapters are in the present and Elliot’s chapters are in the past.

This was an entertaining read, I personally wanted a little more Ama and Elliot and maybe a bit less wedding planning.
.
Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I really loved this book! Forget Me Not is a story about a wedding planner never wants to get married and a florist who wanted to be an architect, set in Sacramento, CA, which I now really want to visit! You can tell when an author really knows the setting because you can feel the warmth and vividness of the place. There is a lesbian couple as supporting characters, who play a big role in the narrative, which I really appreciate. The strategy of two narrators going back and forth between past and present worked really well here. It gave the backstory in a very organic way. I loved Elliot and Ama so much separately, as people with issues who are also incredibly good at what they do. This book is a winner! I would recommend it to all my customers and I am looking forward to whatever Julie Soto writes next!

Make room for a new book boyfriend with Elliot Bloom.
Forget Me Not is equal measure swoon, steam, and sweetness. Plus humour, donuts, tattoos, and did I mention steam?
Thank you to Read Forever and Netgalley for my ARC for review!
Ama Torres is a wedding planner, semi-newly on her own in business and constantly seeking the perfect vision for her clients. She's grown up around weddings with her mother having been married 16 times.
Elliot Bloom inherited the Blooming flower shop from his father, and his creativity sets him apart in the industry. As does his attitude.
The story is told through current-day Ama, who has landed a career-making account for the famed Hazel Renee wedding, as well as Elliot three years prior during his and Ama's "unlabelled thing".
Forget Me Not could have been the typical grumpy/sunshine, but it's beyond that. It's not often I get so invested in rom-com characters.
I absolutely loved this book and will be singing author Julie Soto's praises - highly recommended!
For release on July 11.

Dear Ama...hi this is Dani. I know you're a fictional character but you & me. We've got a bone to pick. We are very similar. Marriage is a tough thing to grasp when you're mom has been married sixteen times. That's some crazy juice. It's hard to believe in a forever love when you're around that.

But ma'am...MA'AM...when a tatted dark haired angsty man proposes to you. The only answer is Y E S. Yes, I know you take FIVE years to learn that my man Elliot has the goods that you need and I can slightly forgive you but you're lucky you've got his heart twisted around your hardworking finger.

Sorry, I had to get that out of my system. It shocks me every time when a female main character will tell their dreamboat male love interests "nawh bye" in the rom-com's I read. Yes, it's from trauma. I get it. It's called an ARC! THATS WHAT MAKES IT A STORY! It's get the people going! But bros...if Elliot Bloom was like "marry me," I'd say bet.

He is immediately going into the bookish boyfriend hierarchy and I am not even mad about it. *insert spicy face emoji's here*(IFYKYK)

Clearly I came for the delightful romance and left for Elliot Bloom because I have already typed a solid three paragraphs about this fictional man so LETS TALK ABOUT THE STORY!! I loved this. The past and present POV switches between Ama and Elliot. The flowers! I will now and forever look up the meaning of a gifted flower. I can't look at them the same because of this book!

I thought it was so fun being able to follow a wedding planner's life. I have a lot of respect for Ama. I will say it forever. We stan female characters who are hardworking and independent af. I loved Ama's drive. She had a dream to have her own wedding planning business. She did everything to get it. I love that.

*fans face* I know were going back to Elliot but be ready...this was a spicy number that I did not know I needed in my life. My smut era game just elevated. Sorry not sorry. Thank you Julie Soto. She's a three out of five on the dani spice game so in "pepper" terms you're looking at a habanero.

Ice cream on the side of reading this one nerds.

Read this book, if you:
- Have a Pinterest board full of wedding ideas
- Watch TLC but for the wedding shows
- Love flowers
- You stan a SPICY MOMENT!!!
- A angsty MMC & a sunshine FMC is your fave
- A little tinsy bit of d r a m a

Thank you Forever Pub and Libro.fm for the early copy of this book! It made my heart swoon! Get your copy on July 11th and don't forget to support Julie Soto on all social platforms!

Ama Torres is determined to make it on her own as a wedding planner. So what if her Mom has been married and divorced so many times she can’t count, that just means she’s good at weddings right?

Elliott Bloom begrudgingly took over his Dad’s flower shop when his Dad got sick. He was studying to be an architect and this wasn’t really the path he saw for himself. Still, working with Ama is actually interesting and she isn’t thrown off by his anti-social skills and tattoos of extinct flowers.

Grumpy/sunshine. Second chance love. Influencer wedding. A wedding reality show. Cars that don’t work. And an evil ex boss named Whitney.

This is teed up to be a great TV series and Universal already grabbed the rights to it. Hmm, perhaps I need to Dreamcast this one??