I’ll be honest when I first saw this book and read the description, I wasn’t sure how much I would like it. I am glad to say I was mistaken with my initial reaction.
Ama and Elliot are a prime definition of grumpy sunshine. Elliot’s grump to Ama’s sunshine. Ama is a perfect example of what I would expect of a millennial wedding planner to be like, from her donut addiction to her beat up car that she doesn’t take care of. Elliot definitely enjoys flowers more than he does dealing with people but Elliot’s vulnerability throughout the story is what really makes the story for me. For all his grumpiness, he still seems so vulnerable when it comes to his thoughts and feelings about Ama.
If there was anything I’d change about the story, it would be how long it takes for Ama and Elliot to finally get back together. I loved getting the back story to how their relationship initially developed and how it broke off but I felt like the way they got back together seemed a bit rushed and I would’ve wanted to see more of them together in the present. I loved this story regardless of how it ended though, all the feel good second chance love story with great spice. I’m very interested in seeing what book Julie Soto will come out with next.
I’d like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the chance to read this book for an honest review.

Usually I’m not a fan of flashbacks, but it works here. We meet wedding planner Ama and florist Elliott, who had a past working and personal relationship. Ama is planning the biggest wedding of her career and has gi put aside her personal feelings to use Elliott’s floral shop for her clients. This was a fast paced and fun to read second chance romance.

The gorgeous cover was all I needed to pick this one up and give it a go. And wow, it was absolutely amazing and I loved every second I spent reading it. I love the intertwined timelines and being able to see what happened in the past from Elliot's POV. Elliot and Ama's relationship was one of the sweetest I have ever seen, the way they continuously pushed themselves to do better was incredible.

Also that spice?! AMAZING. I couldn't get enough tbh

I honestly added this book to my TBR because of the gorgeous cover - and I’m so glad I did, because I ended up staying for the equally beautiful story. I am a huge fan of dual POVs, but usually not a big fan of flash backs between the past and present. I find that usually timeline jumps usually have a hard time keeping my attention but that wasn’t the case with this book! I loved getting to see the past moments between Elliott and Ama, and they really added a lot to the story. Overall this was a great read and I would recommend it - especially if you are a fan of the grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, and he falls first tropes!

YES YES YES

I love a good second chance romance!

Forget Me Not was so freaking cute! A book about a wedding planner and a florist falling in love, only to break up and then reunite a few years later!? What else do you need?!

Ama and Elliot were adorable and I love them with all my heart!

(Also, Julie Soto is the author of The Auction!??? WOW)

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5 STARS

Forget Me Not is a wonderful story that sucked me in and didn’t let me go. It is a second chance romance between a wedding planner and a florist. It goes back from the past and present. I haven’t really liked when books do that lately, but it was not too bothering here. I do feel like there was more romance in the past and more women’s fiction in the present. I wish there was more romance or it was extended in the present. Even with that, I really liked the book and look forward to more from this author.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

After hearing about this book from several highly trusted friends, I bumped Forget Me Not up on my TBR. I started the audio on a driving day and was so invested in this second chance romance that I finished on my kindle as soon as I stopped driving around. This story of Ama and Elliot was written in two timelines and following their love story in both was emotional and engaging and so easy to sink into. I loved the setting of weddings and flowers. I liked how it felt like they were the only people in the story and that we got so much of them together. I am very excited to read whatever Soto comes up with next.

Ama’s mom has been married and divorced 16 times which means Ama loves planning the party but doesn’t believe that relationships last. She likes to keep it casual so it’s sweet to see her falling for quiet, grumpy Elliot with his sexy flower tattoos.

I loved Elliot’s flashback chapters and seeing how he wanted to take care of Ama from the beginning but was shy about sharing his feelings. And yowza - those spicy hookup scenes!

I fell for Ama and Elliot and was totally invested in their relationship as well as them teaming up to pull off a thoroughly kick-ass, high-profile wedding for a social media influencer.

You get:
Second chance romance
Workplace/close proximity romance
Just a hookup (or is it?)
Opposites attract - sunshine and grump
Dual POV
Dual timeline
Competence porn
He falls first/cinnamon roll
Debut of a fanfic writer

Let me just start by saying, for a debut book, this is outstanding.

I read this book because Ali Hazelwood recommended and promoted it and I love her work. I trusted her and i’m glad I did!

The story hooked me from the very beginning. The dynamic of the two characters is addictive. I usually don’t like books that have dual timelines but honestly, this one I really enjoyed. I think the dual timeline really worked and Julie did it well. There were never times I felt frustrated that we were switching timelines and I never got bored! Elliot’s character drew me in immediately. I love his love for flowers because of his dad. And I love Ama. (the mythology allusion made me love this story even more, it was so cute, and I ADORE mythology).

I think both characters complimented each other really well. Ama’s disdain for relationships was explained well and you could understand her underlying trauma. I think she’s a beautiful character and developed really well.

The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because I would have loved some more build up with the couple during the present. I felt like they went from hate to love with nothing in between. There was some angst and development but I think it could be developed further.

Other than that I genuinely loved this book. I read it in one day. I ATE THIS UP!! I am definitely going to be on the look out for future books by Julie, I can’t wait to see where she goes!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I saw someone on my Instagram post about this book and I immediately requested it. This second chance romance was all I could ask for to get me out of my reading slump.

Elliott and Amas story had me hooked from the beginning! I mean who doesn’t love a grumpy tattooed main character *swoon*

This might just be one of my favorite romances of 2023!!!! Everyone needs to read this when it comes out on July 11th!

Prepare yourself for a truly fresh (and spicy) take on the tropes you love: second chance and grumpy/sunshine.

Ama is a wedding planner with an ex, Elliot, who’s a florist. His POV is from the past and hers the present, slowly letting his see how their breakup played out then… and how things will go now.

We know immediately that Ama is going to be challenged by a relationship because of how she got into the business- her mother has been married and divorced more than a dozen times. When she mentions to a bride her future weddings (after the present one) I was in shock, but I can’t blame her for her perspective!

Elliot is grumpy and foul-mouthed… and fragile in a way that makes me love him? (I also love Ama.) The sexual tension is off the charts, and that their history spans *years* only makes this that much of a richer experience for me.

I bought their love. Their anger, their torn-open hearts over each other… when only their person can put them back together. I’m so invested that it’s ridiculous.

I highly recommend this for the romance lover and the romance skeptic! This was a breath of fresh air, and I am formally requesting updates on our Ama and Elliot. The readers deserve this. (If our kind author is willing to provide of course.)

Pick this one up. Seriously.

A grumpy tattooed florist with a soft little heart and a wedding planner that’s against marriage? Safe to say I was VERY intrigued and this book surpassed all of my expectations. The tension and drama and angst was just *chefs kiss* and the steamy scenes made me sweat. I love a good second chance romance if it’s done right and Julie Soto Did. It. Right. No notes. But I will be purchasing a physical copy and recommending to everyone I know.

This was so cute

Forget Me Not is the story of Ama Torres, a wedding planner who doesn't believe in marriage and Elliot Bloom, a brilliant florist. The two are forced to work together on a high profile wedding years after their own relationship ended...abruptly we'll say.

The book is told through dual points of view . I love how the present is told through Anna's perspective and the past perspective is Elliots.
I loved the grumpy/sunshine troupe and this was a great second chance romance.
This is going to be the perfect summer beach read

Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc. All opinions are my own.

4.25 Stars

This novel is written by the fanfiction author LovesBitca8 in her debut traditionally published novel, Forget Me Not, featuring what, I believe, is a ReyLo inspired novel, and was also just amazing.

Quick Synopsis: Ama is a wedding planner working for herself for 3 years after leaving a major wedding planning business where she learned all she knows. When she successfully wins the business of planning Instagram Influencer Star Hazel's wedding, she is surprised to learn the Florist they've selected for the wedding is none other than her former flame, Elliot. What follows is a second chance romance that switches back and forth between the past and the present.

Trigger Warning: Childhood trauma, death of a parent, toxic work environment, emotional manipulation

What I liked:
-I loved the characters. I feel like I don’t often say that, but I truly loved these two characters and I loved how they loved each other.
-I also love a second chance romance and this was a great one for sure.
-The grumpy florist character development was spectacular.
-QUALITY spice, my friends. Absolute quality.

What Is struggled with
-The ending felt a bit rushed to me and I wish I had gotten more. I wanted more interaction between Ethan and Ama in the present, because while I loved their past interactions, I wish I had more of that in the present.

I will read anything this author writes. Legitimately anything, although I am still working my way through their Dramione fanfic backlist. Thank God I still have that because her next book doesn’t come out until 2024 and I can’t wait that long.

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto is a delightful and heartwarming second-chance romance novel that will make readers swoon. The book follows the story of Ama Torres, a wedding planner who has never believed in marriage, and Elliot Bloom, a brooding florist who despises owning a flower shop, as they work together on a high-profile wedding after their past relationship ended abruptly. The novel is told through a dual point of view, with Ama's present perspective and Elliot's past perspective blending together seamlessly to create a vivid picture of their relationship.

The story is fast-paced and engrossing, with engaging characters and a cleverly constructed plot that keeps readers hooked until the very end. The author has done an excellent job of creating realistic and relatable characters, each with their own flaws and strengths. Ama is a strong and independent woman who has built a successful career on her own, while Elliot is a tattooed cinnamon roll of a man who is struggling to come to terms with his feelings for Ama.

The chemistry between Ama and Elliot is electric, and the scenes where they work together are both sizzling and heartwarming. The tension between them is palpable, and readers will find themselves rooting for them to overcome their past and find their way back to each other. The wedding planning drama adds a layer of excitement to the story, as the two brides who have hired them are determined to set them up without knowing their complicated history.

Overall, Forget Me Not is a charming and entertaining novel that will appeal to anyone who loves second-chance romances and wedding planning drama. With its engaging characters, clever plot, and steamy scenes, this book is sure to be a hit with readers who enjoy this genre. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and heartwarming read that will leave them feeling happy and satisfied

Forget Me Not was a great book and grabbed my attention from the very beginning. I liked all the characters and thought they were well developed. Great story! 4/5 stars

This was super fun and I tore through it - in retrospect I had a few quibbles, but overall, a great, fun read.

Things I loved:
- a heroine who is highly competent and excels at her job (I am pretty sick of rom coms that begin with a woman who is down and out, clueless, just got fired for some gross incompetency and lives are in total upheaval. We need fewer of those, and more of these, where our lead characters are on it and great at what they do.)
- the hot florist boyfriend who creates these incredible visual architectural flower installations (how great would this look in a movie version?!)
- the dual perspective and dual timeline worked really well here I thought (sometimes I'm not a fan of the dual timeline particularly when the BIG THING that drove them apart is built up to A LOT and then is anticlimactic -- I think there was a little bit of that here, ie. was not much of a surprise what drove them apart on their 1st go-round but it both timelines interspersed were still very engaging and page-turning to read.)
- the Jane Austen "Persuasion' vibes from the plot-line... (i.e. Elliot's declaration of the constancy of his love, that Ama accidentally overhears on the bluetooth). Loved it.

One quibble and 1 tiny wording thing:
- both characters did seem to run hot & cold/send mixed signals sometimes, that I just blew past in-the-moment; but in retrospect was a little hmmm about.
- pg. 236 "... I cant ever thank you enough for getting this wedding off its feet today..." -- I think should be 'off the ground' or 'on its feet' ?

One hilarious thing (perhaps of its time?):
- page 142 - "Where's the wedding?" "The four seasons" "The hotel? or Total Landscaping?"
HA!!! I feel like I know when this book was being written now; and laughed out loud at this... but I wonder if people will remember it next year...

Definitely a fun, great romcom read - better than a lot of the stuff that gets pushed at the front of bookstores currently.

Excuse TF out of me. This book had no right being as good as it was. I loved the plot, loved the dual timeline, loved the grumpy x sunshine dynamic. Ama and Elliot are SO CUTE together and I love how they were thrown back into business and working with each other. He’s grumpy but is so sweet and just needs a hug. And the flower tattoos. Perfection.

This book is everything I love in a romance. I’m not always a fan of books going back and forth between past and present but this absolutely worked for me. Forget Me Not has the grumpy / sunshine trope, he falls first, short chapters, alternating timelines and perspectives, and plenty of steam!

Ama is a wedding planner who doesn’t believe in marriage, but wants to help everyone throw the most fabulous party. Elliot is the grumpy florist, who inherited his fathers flower shop and is trying to find a way to make it his own. These two have a bit of history and haven’t spoken or been in the same room in years. They both have a great opportunity to work on a high profile wedding but the caveat is that the couple wants them both and they’re not open to any other vendors. They have to work in close proximity for eight months, can they be professional or will their past get in the way?

Thank you Netgalley and Forever for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. WOW. New favorite romance alert. This second chance, grumpy sunshine was the most well written romance I have read it so long. I absolutely ADORED Ama and Elliot. And also don’t mind me googling every flower and now wanting to decorate my entire house with floral arrangements.

The pace in this was perfect and the side characters were so good.

My heart. I’m swooning. Absolutely obsessed and cannot wait for my physical copy so I can shed tears on the actual pages and highlight every freaking word.