This was a beautiful debut novel by Julie Soto. It was a good mix of plot and character development, and I really enjoyed how the story flowed. I loved how this story was a dual POV and flowed through past and present, which really helped understand the relationship between these characters.

The highlight of this book for me was definitely the writing! The writing in this book was amazing. I was able to see everything that was described in the book very clearly and I loved that. I felt like I was there with the characters at the weddings, and I loved how detailed some of the event planning in this book was. However, despite really loving this, I felt like the weddings were such a big topic in this book that it sometimes took the focus off the romance and the two MCs.

Overall, I liked the characters but I felt a bit annoyed with our FMC Ama at some points in the story. I loved how both characters were deeply invested in their careers and how they supported one another to be the best version of themselves, but their romance unfortunately was not the highlight of the book for me and it felt a bit strange at times.

This was a beautiful second chance romance and I loved the use of grumpy sunshine and forced proximity in this book, and I also really enjoyed that the characters in this book were complexe and had struggles to overcome. Overall, I enjoyed this book; the beginning had me hooked but I felt like as I read more, the story dragged on a bit for me and some of the pacing in this book didn’t feel consistent, and I lacked a bit of connection between the characters. I think this was a good book and I would recommend it to romance readers out there, especially ones who love the second chance romance trope.

Out July 11th, thank you @readforeverpub and @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review,

3.75⭐

One of the best romances I've read recently! Very full and fresh characters with a dynamic that is to die for. Ama is a wedding planner (that is, ironically, anti-marriage) that has scored a client that could be her big break, but everything could fall apart when she learns that she has to work with her ex-boyfriend Elliot, florist extraordinaire, whom she has not spoken to in two years. This story is told in both dual POV and interchanging of past and present where the reader learns how Ama and Elliot fell in love and how they ended up with broken hearts. I absolutely ate UP this story. I think I read it in one day. Ama and Elliot were both great characters that I was rooting for the entire time. Not to mention, the spice was a nice touch as well. Julie Soto has automatically become an auto-buy author for me. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

A truly good read.
I liked Ama’s tenacity and gumption as an entrepreneur. I also liked how creative she was and nudging her clients to think behind what they thought they could have. I hated her objequieness to Whitney. I cheered when the veneer was ripped off about that person.
Elliot was the real rock star of the story. He was such a sweetheart and one scene was so painful afterward, my heart hurt for him. He saved the day in so many ways when he could’ve just walked away. He is the ultimate sweetheart.
I liked the ending and was glad Ama quit tiptoeing through the tulip patch and wised up.

Wedding planner Ama is dead set against marriage after watching her mother get married--and divorced--fourteen times. She's finally planning a wedding for an influencer that has the potentially to jump-start her career, but the couple insists she works with Blooming, owned by her broody florist ex, Elliot. Told in alternating timelines (Elliot, years ago, when they first met; Ama, present day), we see how their first go-around ended and their reunion progresses.

I love, love, LOVED this book! I love the wedding planned-florist combo, I loved seeing both of them succeed professionally, and I thought the alternating time lines and perspectives worked surprisingly flawlessly. This couple is truly OTP, and brought both the heat and sweet I crave in a romance. I have no complaints and cannot wait for Soto's next novel.

Thanks to Forever for my eARC and finished copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

Ama is building a successful wedding planning business over the past few years. When a former client refers a famous social media influencer to Ama, Ama knows that this wedding is going to be the biggest event she’s ever planned. The only condition is that they use a particular florist who just happens to be Ama’s ex, Elliot.

Elliot is as surprised as Ama to learn that they are being teamed up for this wedding. His business is thriving and his next-level floral creations are gaining popularity but with no real social media presence, he’s limited his business to locals.

Told in dual perspectives and timelines, Ama and Elliot’s relationship turns from icy cold to steamy in a matter of a few days. The reader discovers these characters’ backstories and what happened to this couple a few years before. The book was both engaging and entertaining and the characters were likeable.

The wedding business is highly competitive and the reader is witness to this. I loved the descriptions of ideas for this wedding and the way it all comes together. This book would translate nicely onto film.

I recommend this book to those readers who appreciate contemporary romance.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).

This book is an IMMEDIATE YES! Love me a good Grumpy/Sunshine romance novel. Elliot is perfect, and AMA is so much fun. I couldn’t help but laugh at the crazy things she said throughout the book.

AMA is a wedding planner, she loves weddings and she’s also new to the business, she knows she needs to get that ONE wedding to put her in these famous magazines and then some, and she gets just that with Hazel and Jackie. We can’t leave out the 14 marriages her mom went through, YIKES WOMAN!!! and They also hired a florist already and it’s her ex Elliot who she hasn’t seen or spoken to in 2 years.

Elliot runs Blooming after his dad passed away, even though it wasn’t his dream to run the business, he knew that eventually he will. And he’s so damn good at it. I loved how we go back and forth between the countdown to this huge wedding, their relationship and NOW. We got to read more into Ama, and her fears, why didn’t they work out? And also we get these two beautiful brides trying to set them up, if only they knew they already have history.

The chemistry between them was inevitable, I loved how much of a SAP Elliot is, about flowers and about love and about Ama. And I can’t leave out the steamy scenes!!! But aside from that I loved how Elliot always had her back, and the support and love she has for everyone she works with, it was a very emotional read, I had to catch myself from tearing up, I loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I'm always down for a grumpy/sunshine romcon, and this one is absolutely delightful. I adored the MMC, Elliot, the grumpy, rude florist with a secret heart of gold; I loved Hazel and Jackie as a couple and as side characters; I loved Ama, the sunshine-y FMC who grows a lot during the story. I love how the story is not only told from dual POVs, but also from dual timelines, as it works really well to slowly unfurl this second-chance romance. Don't miss this one, out july 11th! Thank you to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

I heard a lot of hype about this book and it did not disappoint! Ama is a wedding planner and when a huge client comes in that could be Ama's big break, the only thing that may ruin it for her is that she now has to work with her ex-boyfriend. Told in the past and present tense, it was fun to see the relationship come together, fall apart, and then come back together again. I loved that the two still were professional with each other and never were concerned about their abilities to make the wedding the best it could be for their clients. I found out by reading the author's notes that the author is friends with Ali Hazelwood and writes fanfiction, in which you can see some elements in the story. There was no miscommunication trope used in the story which is always a plus!

Recommend if you like:
- Second Chance Romance
- Dual timelines
- Grumpy X Sunshine
- Workplace Romance

Thank you to Forever Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

IMMEDIATELY one of my favorite books of the year. The angst and tension and chemistry in this book is immaculate. Elliot is moody and brooding and grumpy and HOT and horny and SAD and I think he is the love of my life. Every single part of this book is so well thought out. Him being a florist and her being named after a flower just kills me. “Flowers are better than people”. I loved how the present timeline was in Ama’s POV and the past timeline was in Elliot’s POV until the timelines both reach the climax. I thought that was so interesting, cool, and vital way to tell the story, getting to see Elliot’s simultaneous brooding and simping in the past when they fall in love and Ama’s guilt and trauma in the present being forced to face Elliot and all the hurt she’s caused him (even though he obviously still loves her). For all of his hard edges, Elliot is so tender and soft-hearted. He takes such good care of Ama and is so preceptive of her even after all that has happened. I am going to be thinking about this book and them forever. I am now a forever fan of Julie Soto and can’t wait to see what she does next.

There are debuts and then there are debuts, and Julie Soto’s Forget Me Not is the latter. This is everything that I want in a second chance romance, and the narrative style is pitch perfect in establishing the framework of the story.

Told in dual POV, readers get the present timeline from Ama’s perspective and the past from Elliot’s… until those two timelines merge. But wow, was this approach effective.

As the story progresses, readers are trying to figure out what exactly happened between the two protagonists in the past, and how that informs the present. It is vital for the reader to see both perspectives, but it would have taken away from the reveals in the book had both characters been narrating the same past and present events. It makes the story feel earned in an authentic way, and not that the author was purposefully trying to bury information from the reader. That’s where dual POV can get you into trouble.

I thought the chemistry between Ama and Elliot was fantastic, and I enjoyed the ways in which they advocated for each other. I also loved how Elliot is just a huge softie underneath all of that grumpiness. That’s my personal kryptonite.

I can’t wait to see what Soto comes up with next. Her writing is top-tier.

A sincere thank you to Forever and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't completely sold when I started reading this, however, I am now a FOREVER fan of Julie Soto's work. It started a little slow for me- but it was worth the wait. This is perfect for Abby Jimenez (Yours Truly) and Helen Hoang( The Kiss Quotient) fans. The characters are strong - not just physically, funny and smart. It feels fresh and relatable. I give this 10/5 stars! (It has a lot of sparkle!)

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto is about Amma, a wedding planner, landing the big client couple of her dreams, but in turn, being forced to work with her ex, Elliot, a premier florist in Sacramento. Amma has commitment issues as her mother has been married 16 times and through flashbacks, we learn of her relationship with Elliot and how it ended.

I began reading this novel not liking Amma at all. She appeared to be a bossy, no-it-all character who has this absolutely ridiculous history of her mother being married 16 times. I almost could not even continue the novel when I read how many times she has been married (and divorced). How could any man even want to continue dating her after hearing a history like that? But I digress, I continued and it got better. Amma was less of a know-it-all and showed that she still had a lot of growth left within her and how she was still a insecure that she was in the shadow of her mentor Whitney.

Elliot, the "Grumpy" in this "Grumpy-Sunshine" romance did not show as much growth as Amma on the page. It was as we read his flashback chapters that we read the differences in his through process and feelings that we saw how he grew as a person, and the changes he was willing to make to be with Amma. The reader really develops a sense of empathy for Elliot as he gave up his dreams to continue running his family's florist shop, and further as we read the fallout from the relationship with Amma.

The writing was better than what you would expect from writers known for their fanfiction stories and the pacing was rather quick, so I never grew bored. As someone who doesn't like weddings (attending or planning) the sections describing the ridiculous things the couples wanted were cringy but I'm sure not out of the ordinary for what some people demand. Soto described the settings well so the reader could picture the venues fully decked out in florals. There is also LGBTQIA+ rep as the main clients of Amma/Elliot.

Overall, the story was hard for me to get into for the first 25%, but after that the story flowed well so long as I suspended my disbelief over a few details. This was an enjoyable, well-written romance with a very sweet ending.

It's super cute with a unique play on grumpy sunshine with great flashbacks that really demonstrate the changes in the main characters over the course of their relationship. This book effortlessly weaves together a story that will tug at your heartstrings, with themes of renewed appreciation for love, growth, and the beauty of forgiveness and moving forward.

The novel introduces us to a seemingly unlikely duo and two characters that seem to change tropes- which really helped move between the past and present day-gradually revealing the layers of their relationship and the challenges they faced. These flashbacks are the pillars of tension within the story, expertly building anticipation and leaving readers eager to uncover the full scope of their emotional journey.

One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its well-crafted character development. Their transformation throughout the story captures the journey from interest, hurt, and misunderstanding to one of healing and breaking cycles.

The dialogue is sharp and witty, the characters are well written, and the plot interesting, but can sometimes drag.

She’s a wedding planner, he’s a florist, and also the ex whose heart she broke. *cue gif of Mr. Burns saying Excellent*

Add this to your TBR it releases July 11 and will definitely be a fan favorite!

Melli’s Book Breakdown
🤍Second Chance Romance
🤍Grumpy/Sunshine
🤍Forced Proximity
🤍Tatted Hero
🤍Dual Timelines

Forget Me Not
Julie Soto

Genre: Romance
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Recommend: Yes!

So I was a little nervous going into this book, since Dual POV and Dual Timelines are usually not my favorite, but this book did them both in a way that was super refreshing–the male main character's POV was all in the past, and the female main character's POV was all in the present. It was super unique and I really enjoyed it! This book had the grumpiest take on grumpy x sunshine and I loved every second.

Read if you like...
–Grumpy x Sunshine
–Hates everyone but her
–Dual POV
–Second chance romance
–Forced proximity

This book was so cute, light and easy to read I absolutely loved it. As someone who loves weddings and wedding planning, I connected with the story and Ama right away. The pace was perfect and everything just flowed so well. The short snippets of the past gave us more insight on the situation between Elliot and Ama and liked them but I did not feel like they made the biggest difference on where it brings us in the end. We can see glimpses of what happened and the past just by the way Ama and Elliot are when they're together.

I found it interesting to see how much Ama questions herself and her work while everyone else can see everything for what it is and push her to see it herself. The banter between the MCs was funny, the relationships between Ama and her clients was sweet and we got to see even the hidden toxic relationship with Whitney. This book was entertaining and I really enjoyed it (especially the list 25%) and I would definitely recommend it and read it again.

I had such high hopes for this, but ultimately I was underwhelmed. While I do think it was ok, I felt myself wanting more. I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the main characters and found the story a bit repetitive towards the middle. Also, the story is told in past/present chapters which I believe I would’ve enjoyed more if we were given both of their POVs in these.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the ARC.

Forget Me Not is an absolutely wonderful second chance romance. Julie Soto takes all the emotions and all the pining, and combines them with forced proximity, great quips and lots of steam for a great book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wedding planner Ama and floral designer Elliot used to be great together, personally and professionally. But then emotions got too messy, and they stopped speaking. But when Ama gets to work on her dream wedding with a high profile influencer, the condition is that Elliot handles the floral design. To make matters worse, the two brides are certain the pair would be great together and tries to set them up. How can Ama keep her feelings under control when her attraction to Elliot is as strong as ever?

I adored this grumpy sunshine pair! I liked the way the author used the dual POV to show their feelings and their history; Ama is the present and Elliot is the past, so the reader can see all the angles. He is absolutely enamored with her, and she is clearly not over him. Their chemistry is off the charts, and there are plenty of great steamy scenes.

Another plus was how supportive Elliot is of Ama’s career. He knows how important it is to her, and has more confidence in her than she sometimes has in herself. And, I even found myself Googling flowers I’d never heard of so I could picture Elliot’s tattoos!

Forget Me Not is an emotional romance that I couldn’t put down. So much pining! So many feelings! Ama and Elliot are characters that will stay with me for a while, and I can’t wait to see what Julie Soto writes next.

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

💜Grumpy/Sunshine
💜Forced Proximity
💜Second Chance
💜Contemporary

I’m saying it now, this is going to be one of my top reads this year! This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I’ll definitely be reading more! I honestly picked this book for the hot tattooed guy on the cover and I was pleasantly surprised about everything this book is! I loved the writing style, the tropes, the banter, the spice, dual timeline, and the connection between Ama and Elliot! These two are couple goals! They had me laughing, crying and swooning! This was such a delightful read and I can’t wait to add the paperback to my shelf!

Dual POV is something you see a lot in romance now but having one perspective only focusing on the past while the other tells the current story was perfect. I feel like it really showed why Elliott was reacting the way he was without jumping back and forth between their perspectives in present time and it gave the book a nice pace. You got to understand their relationship as the current events were happening. I actually loved how much Ama’s POV focused on the wedding planning itself. It was really the driving force of the plot and it worked really well. I almost wish that we got to see more of her interactions with the brides. I also was so sad that we didn’t get to experience the wedding from Ama’s eyes after we spent the entire book preparing for it.