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.

I loved this! It was so funny I was cackling out loud at parts, I loved how fast-paced it was, I loved the characters, and their friendships, and I just had so much FUN. Right now, very few things in the world feel fun, so I needed this.

My favorite part was the commentary about the value of platonic love, especially the aroace representation and the relationship between Henry and Ivy. I also loved Ivy and Mack, who obviously adored each other but were starting to grow apart to each of their dismay, and who come to realize that one person can't be everything in your life, and the healthiest relationships are ones that make up a whole web of friendships. Weston was hilarious, and I lost count of the number of fanfiction and trope references from him. He wasn't really a character, I guess, so much as he was... fanfiction itself, personified? Can fanfiction be a character? Somehow, it was, and it worked. You'll understand what I mean once you've read it, and I highly recommend you do!!!

For such a dumb book, this was deceptively smart, and I mean that as the highest compliment.

For a start, the satirical element was a masterclass in commentary and comedy. The author has mentioned on her socials that she was aiming for a sitcom vibe, and I think this came through perfectly in the book, with a seamless transition between the serious tone of the past, and the bonkers tone of the present. I had a thought while reading, and I saw another reviewer mention this too, that it almost reads as though Weston appearing onwards is actually fanfiction written by Ivy about her own life, in which all of her problems are solved and she is brought back together with the girl she never got over, Mack. Given the constant references to Ivy's tendency to self-insert in fanfiction, as well as the contrasting world rules between the two timelines, this is canon to me, though I think the story works just as well if you take it at face value.

Sitcom-style word rules, where everything is slightly elevated and zany, with over-the-top scenarios and reactions and fourth-wall-breaking (along with some moments of gravity where we get the much-needed character development) is so rare in books, and even more so in YA. The only other book I can think of with this specific tone is TJ Klune's The Extraordinaries. Personally, it's something I love, and a refreshing change of pace: truly unique stories are rare in traditional publishing these days!

This is a younger YA, so don't go in expecting spice or a heavy romance plot. Rather, the book excels in comedy, genius references to fanfic, distinct characters, an interesting exploration of friendship and what it means to rely on other people for our safety and happiness, and a sweet romance that will leave you smiling. This would be an excellent addition to any school library, or to the bookshelf of enjoyers of classic comedy movies and shows.

Okay. Listen. I understand that the "how?! and why?!" of it all of the basic plot-propellant of this novel—imaginary fanfic version of a character comes to life and the author of that fanfic has to deal with it; wackiness ensues—is secondary to the emotional growth of the characters and all. But we all agree this is an insane thing to happen in an otherwise normal world, right? And to just never address it! And never explain it!! And when all is said and done for all the characters to know about it to just massively shrug!!! I couldn't get past it, I'm sorry, it was just too weird for such an otherwise emotionally grounded book—if everything was like 40% wackier I could let it go, but the whole rest of the book was about like, wildly normal stuff and big, important feelings. Weird choices were made here!

Pretty fun concept, but I found the constant switch between past and present to be a little jarring. Well before the 50% mark, I had a clear enough picture about what had happened between Ivy and Mack in the past, so the past chapters just felt redundant. I have no doubt that some additional editing might clean this up a bit, but I think that unless the majority of the flashback chapters are removed, the tension and build-up in the present suffer.

The last few chapters were pretty fun though- I wish the conflict at the end had been explored for a bit longer because honestly that was creative and terrifying.

I didn't really connect with this book. I was interested in Sophie Gonzalez's work, but this one didn't appeal to me. Despite the intriguing concept, it failed to capture my attention. Mack and Ivy's friendship, with their continual petty disagreements, made them unlikable to me. The general tone sounded too young for my taste, which I believe is why it didn't resonate with me. It might appeal to a younger demographic, but it was not a good fit for me.