Okay, where to start?



First off I would like to thank Read Forever Publishing for giving me an early copy for an honest review and I can honestly say this was one of my favorite romances of 2023 so far!



This second chance romance involves Ama, a wedding planner with a no-marriage rule for herself, and Elliot, a florist who has a softer heart than one would think under his brooding, floral tattoo exterior.



I found myself smiling, laughing, and on the edge of my seat when reading about these two. In some ways, they couldn’t be more different from one another. Ama loves donuts, Elliot hates anything sweet. Ama is talkative and Elliot is quiet. Something that is majorly the same between these two? The tension between them. This is a cute, edge-of-your-seat romance that will not disappoint!



Read if you like:
Second chance romance
SunshineXGrumpy
Opposites attract
Broody Male lead
Weddings
Flowers
Henley shirts

(This is the review I posted on my Goodreads)

This one surprised me!
I really enjoyed Soto’s writing, and I love that the story compelled me to keep reading despite such an unlikeable MC and a subject matter I’m not interested in (wedding industry). Absolutely loved Elliot, an ACTUAL grump (I feel like the grump label gets tossed around waaaay too much lately to describe characters that are merely… quiet?), and loved the dual-timelines/dual-narrators. I’d love to read more from this author.

Gosh, this book was incredible. I can definitely tell the author got her start in fan fiction, and I mean that in the most complimentary way. I think fan fiction writers approach characterization really well - they seem to want the reader to buy into the characters more than plot, which is exactly what I want from those stories. Ama is an incredible main character - she's a mess but it didn't feel like the manic pixie dream girl kind of way. The mistakes she made were so endearing and understandable. I also loved how sexually empowered she is! I don't really like dual timeline books, but it was okay here. I wish we'd gotten some of present Elliot's perspective but I respect the author's wishes on that. I can't wait for pub day so I can have a copy of this on my shelf!

As a longtime reader of Julie Soto's fanfiction, I adore her writing and was so excited to be able to support her as a published author!

This story was so lovely, and if you enjoy her fanfics, you will love the romance between Ama and Elliot. It's a second chance grumpy/sunshine romance with witty banter, top tier smut, and a dual point of view.

Forget Me Not features a queer wedding as a main aspect of the plot - which I loved. Overall, the story felt so REAL - I could easily imagine each and every scene in my head as I was reading.

Ama and Elliot are the perfect amount of quirky yet lovable and by the end of their story, I felt as if I knew them both personally. The writing is enthralling and quick paced and had me kicking my feet with joy.

The story has the perfect amount of plot and romance interwoven together to keep you engaged. I cannot recommend Forget Me Not enough!

I breezed through this one! It was the perfect balance of light and heavy, exactly how I like my contemporary romance reads. Forget Me Not utilized a lot of literary devices I enjoy: dual POV, dual timelines, second chance romance, grumpy/sunshine, he fell first, and a wedding-centric plot.

The way dual POV was used was so creative, with Elliot’s POV being in the past timeline and Ama’s POV being in the present. I really enjoyed the romance here. And boy, was their chemistry sizzling! Elliot was a very endearing cinnamon roll hero, though I do wish we got to understand a bit more about his character rather than just an introverted, tattooed florist. Don’t get me wrong though, he was totally swoon-worthy. Ama was not my favorite FMC, but likable enough and I do feel I really got to know/understand her character. I was hoping for something a bit more profound from Ama’s mother (a woman who has been married 16 times), because I still didn’t really get what was going on with that lady other than she must really love love and a party.

The ending was super cute and cheesy. The side characters all added to the story (wouldn’t mind a Mar and/or Michael book!). The smut was spicy and well written. The romantic conflict of the story didn’t have me pulling my hair out, and, as a person who doesn’t want to get married, it was actually pretty relatable in this day and age. Ama’s personal growth as a wedding planner and how she dealt with some work issues was probably my favorite part of the story. Overall, highly recommend to fans of contemporary romance. I have a feeling this is going to be a big hit!

Y’all this is one of the cutest romance books I have ever read! I’ll admit I don’t read a lot of romance. I’m definitely more of a fantasy person who’s been loving reading more horror and romance books lately, and this one is definitely a top contender for fav of 2023.

I’ll admit the thing that drew me to this one was the cover. It’s stunning! From the colors to the illustration, just look at it! 😍 But I fell in love with this story. The grumpy/sunshine, 2nd chance love is everything I love when it comes to romance. Ama is sweet and feisty but so on her game, and Elliot is the brooding, tattooed hottie who has a sweet spot for flowers. These characters were so entertaining and raw and I just love them both so much. 😭 This book is giving me “The Wedding Planner” vibes and I’m living for it, and I had so much fun looking up all the flowers mentioned in this book while reading. Another thing I adored is how this book is laid out. I am so here for the dual POV’s, seeing things through the eyes of our MMC is always a huge bonus. Not to mention the flashbacks to the beginning of Ama and Elliots relationship were so pivotal in understanding all the anxiety, hurt and tension between our two protagonists. This really fleshed out our characters and made their relationship so much more real and heartfelt. I also felt that the conflicts seems very authentic. From the parental trauma/issues to our “villain” who shall remain nameless to avoid spoilers, it all felt very real.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fun and cute romance with great and realistic characters you are going to fall in love with and root for. 😊🖤 Thank you @ReadForeverPub and @Netgalley for this ARC. “Forget Me Not” is out July 11th!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This one is definitely one I’ll recommend it was soooo stinking cute. The wedding planning, all the floral talk and vibes, the broody MMC, all the boss girl energy… it was so much fun. This book was perfect for the spring time, and will be a must read when wedding season starts. Also, the villain in the story … so easy to hate. I just really liked how the characters were written.

This story was romantic, steamy, and had plenty of drama. I recommend this for fans of Tessa Bailey. As far as spice goes, I’d say this is a 3 out of 5.

Thank you NetGalley & Forever Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

4.5/5 stars. This was so good. I absolutely loved the wedding planning storyline and how that played into Elliot and Ama’s relationship. This was obviously a romance but it was also sort of a story about Ama’s growth in her career as a wedding planner and I loved to read about it. I took half a star off because I only wish we had seen a LITTLE more of the emotional side of Elliot and Ama’s relationship. But other than that, I adored this book and can’t wait to get a physical copy!

Hi. I’m here to tell you this is the romance book to beat for 2023, folks. This is THE book of the year.

Julie Soto! How does one write a book that reads as smooth as butter? One minute you’re starting this book and then BAM! Before you know it, you’ve finished it in less than a day. WHAT IS IN THIS?! HOW DID YOU MAKE A BOOK THIS GOOD, JULIE?!

Ama and Elliot. I could sing their praises forever and ever. I love a good second chance romance AND the grumpy/sunshine trope. Good lord it felt like Ama and Elliot slid into love instead of falling hard and fast. The two of them as separate characters and also as a couple? Unbelievably good. The angst was INCREDIBLE. The flashbacks were done so well and the SPICE! I was blushing and giggling while these two were going at it

Don’t even get me started on Elliot’s flower tattoos!!!! I simply cannot handle the tattoos and the meaning behind them. Julie Soto had me sobbing. I was a goner.

I feel as though I will revisit this book forever and ever. Just reread my favorite parts and favorite lines like this one: “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 extinct.” HELLO?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! So good and beautiful and stunning.

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto is definitely a new favorite of mine. Thank you to Forever Publishing (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I’ve read about some grumps but Elliot takes the cake. Haha, the wedding cake. Ugh he’s so cold and petulant. Anyway, this was brilliant - perfectly balanced in all the ways.

There was something unique about this book, but I can’t quite put my finger on it! The backstory was perfectly composed as the plot bounces between present day and the past, the slow burn was perfectly timed, and the side characters were just developed enough. Dual POV is usually a win for me, and this is how it’s done well 👏🏼 Read this in one sitting because I couldn’t stop.

Lovers of Emily Henry and Tarah DeWitt are gonna lose it over this. The 🔥 steam is perfection and I will be considering no other opinions on the matter. Amazing. I'm obsessed.

-dual POV (then/now flashbacks)
-second chance romance
-strong female lead
-wedding planner and tattooed florist
-surprisingly steamy

While I didn’t LOOOVE this, i found myself bored at time and thinking get to the point. But I still recommend to all the romance lovers out there.

Wow! I was not expecting to get pulled in to this story like I did.

Ama is a young wedding planner, striking it out on her own after working under one of the biggest and best in her area and helping her mom plan her numerous weddings.

Elliott is an architecture student turned florist after his father leaves his floral shop to him after his passing.

Elliott is the brooding, doesn't say much type. Ama is outgoing and always down for a sugar rush as long as it doesn't have peanuts involved.

Of course their crosses path and an immediate attraction is formed, but Ama doesn't do long term and this leads to an ultimate rift.

After years of avoiding each other, they come together for one of the biggest weddings of the year and the tension is high.

Great for fans of steamy contemporary romances.

4.5/5

I’ve been a fan of Julie’s Rights and Wrongs Fanfiction series as Lovesbitca8. I could not contain my joy when I found out she had a book coming out. A lot of people will be able to love and discover her writing. She has the perfect mix between complex loveable characters, fun plots, and some spice. Her writing is easy to read and never feel laborious. I hope for many other books to come. I can’t say one thing constructively except that I wanted more but I think it’s perfect as is. I can’t wait to hand sell this book and connect with customers. I don’t often get to staff pick books because they are obscure and we don’t have a lot but this one I can feel confident in doing so.

Okay wow. I saw this recommended for people who love Roy Kent and Elliot filled ever Roy filled hole in my heart. I loved this story deeply. I cried like a baby at the HEA and I am already preordering a copy to put right up on my favorites shelf. Nothing but love, read this asap.

"In mythology, Amaryllis fell in love with a - man who loved flowers..."

Ok, can we just have a moment for the cover real quick? Because that is exactly why I needed to read this book and now own it...since spoiler: I loved it!

I couldn't believe this was a debut novel! A second chance romance based in Sacramento between a sunshine wedding planner, Ama, and grumpy cinnamon roll florist, Elliot, who's all bark but no bite especially when it comes to Ama. Did you know that Amaryllyis means "to sparkle?" had to google that one and I would definitely agree with our heroine's personality. She truly a spunky go getter who was passionate about her job and obsessed with donuts. I would describe Elliot has a grumpy hero that definitely wears his heart on his sleeve that notices ALL THE details. The chemistry was palpable and the floral references had my heart SWOONING (esp towards the end iykyk!!!).

Read if you like:
• Dual POV
• Past and present timeline
• Second chance romance
• Grumpy (cinnamon roll) x sunshine
• He falls first & hard
• Spicy scenes (hey my girl takes the initiative and it's in HIS POV... which was so different and fun!)

I would have loved to seen more of Elliot in the present POV and a few chapters of them actually together. I wish there was a bit more of them towards the end together because I would have read another 50 pages of them... just being them. Overall, a sweet spicy second chance romance that will definitely be joining my shelves. I will definitely be reading more from you Julie!!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review - publishes 7/11/2023!

“A wedding is not a marriage. Marriages will never be perfect. They’re always a work in progress. But weddings? Weddings are just a moment in time, striving to be perfect. Let me make you a perfect moment, Eloise.”

I really loved our two MC's: they were unique and so enjoyable to read about and because of them, this felt like a fresh spin on wedding romcoms for me. Plus the moment I picked this up I was hooked, the writing is so easily digestible and I found myself needing answers about things that happened! (This is me trying not to spoil anything)

I enjoyed the dual POV's a lot and the different timelines were a nice way to execute the second chance romance trope as well. I think the only thing I would have loved to see was Ama grow to move past things more in the book. There was a lot of focus on wedding details, but I think if there was more focus on Ama wanting to move past things instead of not believing the signs of a potential reconciliation between her and Elliot, that would have helped me feel even more for the couple. But overall I really had a fun time reading this and i'm eager to read whatever Julie Soto writes next.

So if you are looking for a wedding planner romance read with a different take then this is a fun book to pick up!

4/5 ⭐

My biggest mistake with this book was starting it at 10am at night. Because you *KNOW* I didn't sleep. So I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC, but I'd also like to hold them responsible for the bags under my eyes this week.

Holy wow I am in love with this book. GIVE ME MORE JULIE SOTO. An angsty florist with flower tattoos? A boss babe wedding planner with a big heart? I absolutely devoured this book, and I know it's one I'll re-read many times to come.

Buy the book. Do it. Thank me later. Also do not blame me when you get the urge to get a flower tattoo ASAP.

“You may think everything ends one day, but you haven’t had ‘everything’ with me.”

Elliot Bloom is the grumpy yet secret retriever I never knew I needed. He must be protected at all costs, especially against family heirloom bathtubs.

“I have five rules for planning a successful wedding. (Lies. I’m sure there are more, but if I said, “I have seventy-six rules—sit back,” I think I would have lost you.)”

It’s been a while since a book had me in a chokehold, so much so that I stayed up wayyyyyyy too late reading. I simply couldn’t put this down. I was so invested in Hazel & Jackie’s wedding, I had to know WHAT Ama did to walk away from Elliott and I NEEDED more of Elliot’s POV chapters that show us just how far gone he was for Ama.

“A wedding is not a marriage. Marriages will never be perfect. They’re always a work in progress. But weddings? Weddings are just a moment in time, striving to be perfect.”

I loved the push and pull here of the tension filled present with the steamy and lust filled past. What I often dislike about second chapter romances is that we often don’t get enough of the first go around to feel invested in rekindling the past vs treating it as a new relationship. With Forget Me Not, that wasn’t the case. I could not only see how Elliott fell for Ama and lost himself in their passion, but also see how Ama began to embed herself into his life, into a joint life, without even realizing it. It was organic and sweet, even as it blatantly contradicted her purported stance on relationships.

The steam was a pleasant surprise and I thought was used well to advance the intimacy and romance, not just thrown in for entertainment. I will say I didn’t ultimately get the point with Ama’s mother and her marriages, her one statement towards the end about it doesn’t really make sense to me but..oh well.

This was such a great time and felt like a breath of fresh air in a way that’s hard to explain. It takes some of my favorite parts of all those wedding planner and wedding movies, but adds in a soft male vulnerability that I find it often lacking. I can’t recommend this enough and the audiobook was a true joy to listen to.

Forget Me Not is the perfect grumpy sunshine book. It got me out of a reading slump with its dual POV chapters that alternate between past and present.

It follows Ama, a wedding planner, and Elliot, a florist, who are working together on a star wedding. There are flower references, dramatic moments, and heart wrenching ones too.

Wow what a stunning debut!! As a fanfic reader (not a reader of Julie Soto's work though) I really love how more and more fanfic authors are being traditionally published. They just get it done.

This book has a lot of what I don't like in books. It's a second chance romance with a dual timeline and yet everything worked so well here. Having Elliot's chapters be the past and Ama's being the present I think is what made it work for me.

This book was ridiculously readable. I did not want to stop reading it. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about when I could get back to reading it. It was easy to fall into the story and root for the characters.

My only complaint was I didn't like the ending entirely. My qualm witch second chance romances is I rarely believe the couple has overcome their differences and will last and Julie Soto didn't entirely make me believe they resolved their past issues. SPOILER - Ama just basically is suddenly fine with a relationship? I just wanted more from both of them on this front.

I also adored the wedding(s) setting(s). Seeing Elliot and Ama work together was *fire emoji*. Them orchestrating the wedding at the end was iconic. I love seeing a couple where they work well together and bring out the best in each other and Elliot and Ama do just that.

Overall, I really loved this book and had a blast reading it.