The premise of The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist immediately intrigued me. I mean, what teenager wouldn’t want the chance to get to meet their favorite television character? It is just as fun as I hoped.

The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist is not just a run of the mill romance novel. One might expect it to go the way of Between the Lines by Jodie Picoult and have Ivy fall in love with a fictional character. Instead, Ivy is unsettled by Weston’s presence almost immediately. Gonzales sets up from the beginning that the real romance is between Ivy and her friend, Mack. The book opens with Ivy thinking about her crush on Mack. It is in this relationship where the reader will find the romance novel tropes – friends to enemies to lovers for example.

Gonzales does a great job creating the world of H-MAD. Of course, the television show doesn’t actually exist, but the reader gets enough detail to have a strong sense of the characters and major plot lines. Gonzales even brings in some typical fan debates into the story like whether Weston’s show girlfriend, Vanessa, is a worthwhile character. (Ivy is convinced she’s useless).

The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist has a very clear narrative voice, which I love. It is told in the first person from Ivy’s perspective and always feels like a teenager is speaking. The reader is fully in Ivy’s head, which makes it easy to empathize with her, even in the extraordinary circumstances. Ivy is dealing with such typical teenage problems – social drama, lies to her parents, romantic confusion. It feels so genuine and left me smiling.

I also appreciated the different kinds of LGBTQ+ representation present in this book. The main character is bisexual, and in fact, opens the book by saying that. Mack identifies herself as a lesbian. Henry, Ivy’s newer best friend, identifies as aromantic and asexual. There is certainly not enough aro or ace representation in books, and I was glad to see it here. Each of them has a totally different coming out experiences, which also feels very important to see represented.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Perfect Guy doesn’t exist, and I encourage you to check it out when it is published on March 26. I will also add that I loved Perfect on Paper by Gonzales as well and recommend you checking out her other work.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this book.

This wasn't what I was expecting when I started reading this - I came into it without reading any description of the book. It starts out normal, 2 high school best friends toe the line between being "just friends" and being more. But then a fight happens, and life goes on. Ivy, the main character of the novel, is a little worried about being alone while her parents are on vacation and still heartsick over the distance between her and her friend Mack. She is obsessed with a teenagers with power TV show, H-Mad, and starts to write fan fiction about it. When her parents are gone, she wishes she wasn't alone - and then she gets her wish! Only it's not a real person, it's one of the main characters of the TV show.

The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist is a unique take on friends to enemies to whatever. It's fun and a fast read. Ivy gets more and more wrapped up to keeping things under control when it becomes clear to the reader that it's anything but. I enjoyed it.

This was cute and fun and full of queer rep in the way I have come to expect from Sophie Gonzales and I absolutely loved it.
Imagine if your favorite fictional character came to life and played out all of your fanfic fantasies??? So good.

What I liked:
-Henry was an awesome best friend and was always very supportive of Ivy, like a best friend should be.
-Weston coming to life and following the fan fic storylines that Ivy wrote
-What Ivy learned about friendship

What I didn't like:
-Mack was the most unlikeable character and was not worthy of Ivy's time. Instead of listening to Ivy talk about her favorite show, Mack treated it as a chore and didn't even pretend to care. When Mack talked about volleyball and Ivy wasn't super interested, Ivy still listened because that's what best friends do.
-I wish Ivy had been more confident in herself

DNF at 21%. I don't think I am the target audience for this story anymore. I thought it sounded so cute, but the characters fell flat, and I got a little bored. I won't be widely reviewing this book because it wasn't a bad story; it just wasn't for me.

I really thought I would love this one. I had no idea it would be magical realism and that is not for me at all unfortunately. I pushed through but it didn't work for me at all. I was confused at some parts, the romance didn't feel real, I didn't quite grasp the whole concept.

I can see that it will work for so many people I was just not the targeted audience.

🎧 Thanks to the audiobook for making me finish this one as if I would've read it I probably would not have finished.

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley, @MacMillanaudio & @wednesdaybooks for my gifted ALC & ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Sophie’s books so I wasn’t surprised to enjoy this one!! As a fanfic lover, the concept of this story was fantastic and I think it was executed very well! I loved Ivy, Mac, & Henry so much and was super invested in their journeys! Honestly I would’ve loved even more Henry and more of Ivy & Mac’s relationship progression but it was just me wanting more of story! Also I think this concept would be fantastic as a horror novel so I’d love to see that! Overall, a really fun read!!

3.5 stars rounded up

Ivy writes fan fiction for a TV show. Her parents are going out of town and there's a crazy storm. Ivy wishes that Weston was there with her. The next morning Weston the fictional character is there with her. As she tries to hide him while at high school. We learn about her past friendship with Mack.

I didn't really find this book engaging. I wasn't excited to read/listen to it. The narrator did a good job. This book just wasn't my cup of tea.

Ivy was in love with her best friend Mack but it all fell apart when she started feeling Mack was more interested in her friends from the volleyball club than in her or her hobbies, to a point Mack called her favorite show boring. Cut to the present and as Ivy secretly still misses Mack, now her worst nemesis, she focuses her energy on idolizing the main character of that show, Weston. And maybe that was too much energy because one day she wakes up and the character has come to life.

3.5 rounded up

I love Sophie Gonzales. I'm always looking forward to her next work because no matter the plot she manages to keep me interested. However much that still happened here, if I were to compare, this is probably her weakest book. It's still good. Though part of the idea comes from the trope, she gave spins that worked very well. Also, even though a lot is happening, it didn't feel overwhelming. Each character could develop at their own time, and the plots, thicken.

Even while I was reading, I couldn't find out what exactly that didn't get me as excited. Unfortunately, you'll have to take my opinion as a mere feeling that something didn't connect. Something wasn't enough.

This story plays with fanfiction clichés and if any of you have ever been into fanfics, this will surely appeal to you. But that's far from being all that's going on, though it is very fun to read. Ivy and Mack's bitter lingering feelings, the idea of having everything you'd want, we get to think a lot while having that fun.

Even if it's not her best work so far, it's still great entertainment and far above your regular YA. I can't not recommend something Sophie Gonzales has written!


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

THE PERFECT GUY DOESN'T EXIST by Sophie Gonzales is a charming sapphic romcom with a funny fanfic element. The fanfic character comes to life in a hilarious way and forces the hero, Ivy, to work with her friend/crush-turned-enemy, Mack. Fanfic antics power the story with a heavy dose of comedy, and it ties together thematically with the romance plot in a lovely way.

When Ivy’s parents take a trip, Ivy is left home alone under the watchful eye of her neighbors. One stormy night later, Ivy wakes up to find that her favorite fanfiction character to write about has come to life and is in her house. As Ivy scrambles to uncover what is going on and why Weston is here, she must deal with her ex-best friend Mack with whom she never got closure. Ivy once had feelings for Mack and the situation with Weston brings all those feelings to the surface again. Can Ivy figure out what (and who) she really wants?

Sophie Gonzales is such a talented author! The premise for this book could have easily become too silly, but Gonzales creates a heartfelt and comedic story. Fanfiction hero Weston is delightfully obtuse and fulfills all the tropes. I really connected with Ivy and the way she used fanfiction to escape. Writing is Ivy’s safe place and a way for her to explore her identity. Ivy has excellent character growth and the pacing makes it difficult to put this down. Mack and Ivy have lots of sapphic tension and history between them. I loved the discussion and revelations about fanfiction. Gonzales crafts a beautiful portrayal of the power of stories and fanfiction. I also loved the hilarious dialogue from side characters like Henry.

Readers who enjoy Emma Lord, Gabe Cole Novoa, and Casey McQuiston should check out The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist.

Thank you to Sophie Gonzales, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Storygraph, Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book has a fun and interesting concept, where a fanfiction writer's favorite character somehow enters her real life. It explores how tropes translate into reality and how traits that seem perfect in one's imagination may not be quite as perfect outside of it. Consider picking up this book if the premise sounds intriguing!

THOUGHTS

It's been a long time since I actually, legitimately laughed out loud while reading a book. This book absolutely made me laugh. It's so incredibly stupid but in a very self-aware way. It's intentional. It's hilarious. I had a lot of fun reading this.


PROS
Fanfiction Fanatic: Sophie Gonzales has clearly read (and probably written) her fair share of fanfiction in her life. This book isn't afraid to dive into that niche. It feels really reminiscent of a bygone era in Internet culture, when fanfiction groups were much more active than they are today, and I appreciated that. This book nails the aesthetic, down to Ivy's unfortunate use of the word "orb" to describe Weston's eyes... and her questionable punctuation (that doesn't get in the way of her fanfiction success).

Friendship Fallout: This book starts with one looming question: the question about Mack. Mack and Ivy were best friends, and they had some sort of falling out. This book teases readers in just the right way, giving hints and nudges toward what could have happened all along the way. When we get that actual, final confrontation scene, everything comes to a head... and both sides seem kind of justified. It's irreconcilable, but... it doesn't have to be.

Actual LOL: I said it above, and I'll say it again here. This book made me actually laugh out loud. Each and every fanfiction twist, playing out in reality, was the perfect amount of tongue-in-cheek funny. From the exact wording of Weston's "soulmate tattoo" to the one-note tone of his changeable nature, everything was just funny. Stupid--incredibly stupid--but hilarious. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it was definitely mine.


CONS
Red Flags Much?: Now, I know the red flags are part of the point... but Ivy doesn't seem particularly alarmed by them. Even when she's recognizing that her fanfiction, in real life, doesn't really have the same dazzling, romantic quality as it does on the page, she doesn't seem to mind having Weston around. She even wants him to stay, and... I absolutely wouldn't want that, with how many problems he gives her. But that's just me.

Fictional: Also the point. I get it. I can hear the critics of this critique now. But at times, Weston skewed so hyperbolically fictional that he was hard to read.

Flat: Speaking of, Weston doesn't have much of a personality at all. Obviously, his character traits change depending on what fanfic he's acting out... but he also doesn't have a personality outside of these tropes. That's kind of the point, too, but I mean, it did make it harder to believe that Ivy would want to keep somebody so flat around all the time.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10
Fans of Emily Henry's Book Lovers will enjoy the way Sophie Gonzales plays with tropes and readerly expectations. Those who loved Sophie Gonzales's Perfect on Paper will like this new self-aware romance.

What a fun perfect read! This read was so well written and fast I couldn’t put it down and read and one sitting. The humor was spot on the banter was great and I really enjoyed the plot. It was different than a normal contemporary romance and I appreciate that more than anything. It was a little predictable but most books in this trope are but did not hinder my overall thoughts and recommendations to others

When Ivy’s parents leave on a business trip across the country, all she’s looking forward to is spending some time with her best friend Henry and watching their favourite television show, H-MAD (Hot, Magical and Deadly). Her plans go up in flames though when she wakes up to find her favourite fictional character, Weston come to life…and in her bed. Somehow, her favourite character has become part of her reality—but he’s not acting like the Weston she devotes multiple fanfics to. As Weston causes trouble, Ivy will have to rely on her best friend Henry and nemesis Mack – her ex-best friend and also ex-crush who broke off their friendship—to figure out what to do with Weston and perhaps how to get him back into his own universe.

Another fun rom-com by Sophie Gonzales to add to your TBRs immediately!

One huge bonus of this book is how self-aware it is. From the title of the show Weston jumps out from to all the AO3 references and excerpts from fanfics, this book is filled to the brim with nods to writers who make canon what we want to be canon in our favourite books, shows and movies.

I definitely went into this with too high expectations (my fault) so that is why the fanfic storyline left me a bit disappointed. I loved the premise, but it felt like we jumped over the excitement of finding your favourite character brought to life way too quickly and straight into sombreness and trying to figure out how to get rid of Weston. While I get that this is sort of expected because he is causing more trouble than he’s worth, I would have loved to spend a bit more time with him and how he would fit into Ivy’s world.

Similarly, I wasn’t too big a fan of the romance (a very subjective opinion here, I just think that Mack should have had to do more grovelling after how she treated Ivy and Henry and all the hurt she caused not to mention how inattentive she was whenever Ivy talked about something that meant a lot to her), but I know that readers will adore Mack and Ivy’s friends-to-enemies-to-allies-to-lovers romance. And Ivy is one of those characters you’ll relate to immediately with her messy vibes, her unbridled humour, and sassy snark. Huge shout out to Henry as well, who was an absolute gem and who deserves an entire book of his own.

Besides that though, I really enjoyed the commentary on the tropes we love to read in fiction about but which do not translate well into real life. What we think might be super swoonworthy comes across as creepy when you actually experience it and I loved Gonzales ruminating on that through her characters. Lest you think this is solely satire, it also reminds readers why we find so much comfort in fictional characters and their journeys and why escapism is such a sorely needed thing in our lives.

Sure to be a hit with anyone who’s ever wanted their favourite fictional character to come to life, The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist is a heartwarming yet hilarious love letter to fanfics and their writers.

I am a huge fan of Sophie Gonzales' previous work. I love her humor and the unique stories she crafts. This story was also unique, but kind of missed the mark for me. I imagine that a big reason I didn't love this one as much is that I am not a fanfic reader, which the story revolves around. Weston, a fanfic character, comes to life and proceeds to cause chaos. The story was sweet, silly, and cute, and will resonate with a younger YA audience. I will absolutely recommend it to my students!

3.5 stars rounded up!

I enjoyed the author's book Never Ever Getting Back Together, so I jumped on the chance to read this one. I don't think I was part of this book's target audience. But it's a lovely, fun book, and the fanfiction idea is very creative! Overall, a nice, light read.

This was a lot of fun, but I would say the romance aspect isn’t very prominent. It’s mostly “hey, fanfic is great for escapism, but it’d be so weird if that stuff happened in every day life.” Which is a GREAT plot! Sophie Gonzales always has such fun setups for her books, and I did enjoy the execution on this. I also love Henry’s acearo rep! As an aspec person, I love to see it.

Imagine what happens when the fanfic you write comes to life and comes to live in your house and turns your life upside down.
The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist by Sophie Gonzales was a cute story that focused on Ivy and her fictional character Weston that shows up when her parents are out of town. He may cause some problems, but friendships and relationships may repair and change with his help.

This was a cute story, but ultimately I don't think I was the target audience. It was well written, but I couldn't get into it and I think that's just because it's the age of the characters. Very middle grade/young adult and that's fine. Just didn't hit the sweet spot as I'm more the age of the parents that left Ivy at home. Would recommend to a reader 12-18.

Here are just some random thoughts about why this didn’t work for me:

-Weston - I mean I get it cause he was a fan fiction brought to life so he kinda was a giant baby but then him being able to mind control everyone..
-The plot - idk there was just too much happening. Mixed in with the past and present timeline too. Messy messy messy
-The romance - there was almost zero believability for me given the sheer pettiness behind why they stopped talking and then to deciding to be together.

I really like this author and will continue to read her work, but unfortunately this was a miss.