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.

Thank you to NetGalley and Julie Soto for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely DEVOURED this book! What an amazing story. I was so drawn to Elliot and Ama. They’re ere both beautifully human, flawed and funny and resilient. There were times I wanted to shake Ama and times I wanted to shake Elliot, but mostly I just loved them. I love the duel timeline (and how it exactly marked out the days😭). The way it lined up really impacted the story. This book was also way spicier than I anticipated, but it worked with the book. The ending was just perfect.

Ama Torres is a wedding planner with substantial expertise from her own mother’s sixteen (!!) weddings. When she books the biggest wedding of her career for ultra famous influencer Hazel Rose, Ama has to come face to face with her former lover, Elliott Bloom. Elliott is the only florist talented enough to pull off Hazel, Jackie and Ama’s complicated vision but the animosity between them after their bad breakup threatens to derail the whole thing.

This book absolutely smashed any and all of my expectations. What a phenomenal debut that stands to be one of my favorite reads of the entire year. The tension building in both the now (Ama’s pov) and in the past (Elliott’s pov) is masterful. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for someone to make a move in both timelines.

Ama and Elliott drove each other bananas but also made each other better in all ways. Their back and forth banter was like watching a professional tennis match. I could not look away. I loved how much Elliott saw Ama, and knew what she needed even when she didn’t or when she was too stubborn to admit it. The meaning behind Elliott’s tattoos hit me so hard in the feels, especially the tattoo he gets in the two years, nine months, one week and three days they’re apart.

Everyone who loves a love story needs to read this, you won’t regret it! You must read this especially if you enjoy: 💒 impossibly fabulous weddings 💐 hot, broody florists 💍 sweetness and sunshine wedding planners 🍩 donuts 🥀 endangered and extinct flower tattoos ❤️‍🩹 second chance romance 🌲 Sacramento, the City of Trees 🌱 seeing the potential in people and places that most people miss

The hype is real, ya'll!

I loved this one!

Still sitting in my post book reading haze swoon after finishing this one with my morning coffee this morning.

Sometimes you just know, within the first few chapters, that a book is going to work for you. The writing style clicks, the storyline is on point (wedding planners are a win for me, whether it's books or movies, I just always jive with it) and the characters are just speaking to me like we are friends. This book is one of those and it's so refreshing because I haven't found that connection with a lot of romance books so far this year.

Second chance, grumpy vs sunshine, with an added social media/reality TV show mix in with a heavy emphasis on career and being a girl boss. Really liked Sadie as she's a hustler with her work, a realist about love (if not a little traumatized by her serial bride mother) and don't forget a lover of donuts, lol. Elliot is mysterious and broody, a man of few words, but creative as heck and loyal to a fault. I loved them together, even though they have some communication issues clouded by all their lust, and was rooting for them the whole way through. Highly recommend and look forward to more by this author!

Tropes: Second Chance, Grumpy x Sunshine, Forced Proximity

TW: Mention of Lung Cancer, Mention of Death, Mention of Sexual Harassment

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!!

Ama (Wedding Planner) and Elliot (Florist) are forced to work together on a high-profile celebrity wedding, despite the past that they had together (they use to date). Ama is not one for dating or relationships in general, and Elliot has his guard up because his heart has been broken plenty of times. That's until Elliot can't control his feelings for Ama....

As soon as I saw this cover, I knew I was going to love this book. This story is told in a Dual POV, and the author does an amazing job with capturing the perspectives of both characters -- going from the past to the present. What I really loved about this book is how realistic the author made these characters -- how Ama doesn't do relationships and how Elliot goes from protecting his heart to expressing his feelings to Ama and Ama running away. There were some tense and tearful moments, but everything came together so seamlessly. I read this book fairly quickly. Also, this was the author's DEBUT novel, and it blew me away! Highly recommend this book! I can't wait to see what the author writes next!!

this was so cute!!!! Ama, a wedding planner, gets her first opportunity at a high profile wedding on her own and has to work with her grumpy, tattooed, handsome, ex-boyfriend… who is the florist.

i loved how we get their past story through Elliot’s POV and their current situation through Ama’s POV until we meet up to the big wedding. they both worked around each other for years before finally colliding together and unable to deny their connection. but Ama was against relationships, commitment, and ultimately… Marriage. her mother has been married 16 different times, she has quite a handful of step-siblings and although she loves weddings, she only sees them as a party, nothing that should embody everlasting love.

i really loved this book, it was fast paced and to the point which was just what i needed for my book hangover! i need to add Julie Soto to my list of authors to check out because now i’m hooked.

I had very high hopes for this book. I had seen in floating around on Instagram, and it sounded perfect for me: a grumpy, florist MMC, and a sunshine, wedding planner FMC? YES PLEASE. I hate to say it, but this book didn't do it for me.

Here's the thing: Soto is an excellent writer. She writes sexual chemistry well, and her characters aren't stock. Had the book been written in a straightforward manner, this could easily be an excellent romance. The problem, for me, was the flashbacks. It's a second-chance romance (which I'm normally not fond of, but this one sounded promising), but the unusual method of storytelling in this book was confusing, and made me dislike the story. The story switches between past and present CONSTANTLY. I'd just begin to understand something, and then we'd be flung in the past. Over and over again. By the time we get caught up, the book is practically over. Listen, I'd like to think of myself as an educated person. I enjoy a little bit of a challenge to my romances, but this was just hard to read. Hell, even if we'd only been thrown back in time once or twice, I might could've handled it. However, this made the story impossible to get in to. I kept trying to catch up with the story and the characters and what they said and did--reading a romance should not be this strenuous, but it was.

Once again, had this book been written in a straightforward manner--and there weren't tons of flashbacks to understand the story--I think I would've really enjoyed it. The characters seemed fleshed out and interesting; I just wish I'd got to read their story in a more cohesive way. That's honestly a big part of the reason I hate second-chance romances. I don't get to be present for the first touch, kiss, etc. And doing that with this many flashbacks caused it to be clunkier than it needed to be. Julie Soto seems like a great writer, and as long as it isn't another second-chance romance with unnecessary plot set-ups, I will definitely read whatever else she writes.

Forget Me Not caught my interest with its alluring cover featuring the two main characters sharing an intimate caress. Elliot's tattooed arm also added to my curiosity. The synopsis also sounded promising, therefore I was hooked.

Unfortunately, the story of Ama and Elliot is ... disappointing. Their personalities do not shine through in a way that makes them feel like real individuals. They both are simply characters on paper. They fit in very stereotypical book character traits; Ama is hard-working but doubtful and fears commitment, while Elliott is the introverted, grumpy, secretly hopeless romantic guy. The lack of individuality in the characters makes it harder to feel the chemistry when they do eventually come together as lovers. Why do you they even love each other? When did they ever get to know each other outside of work? (except that one lousy date...) Why did Ama, after 5 years of being away from Elliot, all of a sudden decides that she does in fact want to get married to him and proposes out of the blue?

Forget Me Not lacked the magic, the butterflies, that a second chance romance would give a reader (me).

Kind regards to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy! All opinions and thoughts are my own.