Mack and Ivy, once inseparable friends, find their bond shattered in a dramatic friendship breakup. A year on, Ivy has a brand new best friend who shares her passion for Hot, Magical and Deadly, a fantasy TV series with a marvelously self aware name. In an unexpected twist, Ivy, while penning a self-insert fanfic, unintentionally brings the main character of the show to life. Now, she desperately needs help from both her new friend Henry and her estranged friend Mack to handle the magical character who's taken up residence in her home.

This story stands out with its self-aware humor, affectionate nods to fanfiction tropes, and a well-paced narrative. It smartly intertwines the mystery of Ivy and Mack's past friendship fallout through a dual timeline, which I found enriched the story's present events. I also found the slight tonal shift between the two timelines worked incredibly well, with the "past" timeline being more grounded in reality, and the "present" almost reading like a self-insert wish fulfilment fanfic, complete with zany rules and over the top scenarios. The story thoughtfully addresses themes like escaping loneliness through storytelling, how to navigate friendships when your interests are diverging, feeling rejected and unwanted and how that can make you clingy and insecure, and accepting behavior that's not okay in exchange for feeling wanted.

One of the best books of the year for me! Hilarious, heartfelt, fast-paced, smart, amazing characters. The relationships were the standout for me here with beautiful commentary about the value of platonic love between Ivy and Henry (the scene where Henry discusses being ace and Ivy is scrambling to make his coming out experience as special as it was for her made my eyes wet) and an excellent development arc between Mack and Ivy, who very believably go from close friends who don’t have the tools needed to navigate their changing friendship, to ex best friends, to lovers who finally understand where they went wrong. The sarcastic humor in here was also right up my alley and the fanfic references were 10/10.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although I’ve enjoyed other books by Sophie Gonzales, this one was a miss for me. I’ve read a book about fan fiction before, but this one felt like I needed to have watched the fictional show to appreciate it. The fan fiction writing felt juvenile and wasn’t interesting. I also didn’t buy the whole bringing a character to life aspect. We were supposed to believe that she really liked this guy and wanted him to exist, but there was not enough actual build up to suggest that. It was also mentioned how attached to him she was, but she never showed anything but annoyance with him. There was no chemistry with any of the characters and I just couldn’t become invested in their plight. Maybe I’m missing something, but the dots just did not connect for me.

This was a really cute and easy read! I would say it hits more of a younger YA audience but that does not change the fact that it's a good story! I enjoyed the past scenes and all the scenes with Mack and Ivy, while their issues felt a bit juvenile - this is bang on for how a lot of younger teenagers act. The scenes with Weston were a little hit or miss for me, some were really good and others did end up feeling a little silly. My favourite thing was probably seeing how both Ivy and Mack grew from their past mistakes, we love some nice character development.

It's also clear Sophie has a great understanding of the world of fanfic and is part of that community - which helps a lot as it means there are none of those vibes where an author just tries to co-opt something that's hip with the kids but doesn't fully understand it. Sophie is undoubtedly one of us!!!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Sophie for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

This story was off the wall bonkers in the best way! As a fanfic lover and closet-writer, I thought the references to fanfic tropes and lines (soulmates, coffeeshop AU, ABO, hurt/comfort, y/n, hate to love, only one bed) were genius level lampooning. Down to blink and you'll miss it asides / references such as:

I go to leave, but Weston grabs my arm to stop them. “Just tell me one thing,” he says gravely. “Have either of them even once told you they see the way I look at you?”
“What?”
“You know, like . . . ‘I see the way he looks at you, Ivy. He doesn’t hate you. Not at all.’ ”

Had me dying. I loved the bonkers tone, the way the story didn't take itself too seriously, the characters, the representation (bi, lesbian and ace as well as BIPOC characters), the friendship, the sweet sapphic love story, As always in sophie gonzales books, I especially appreciated how the arguments that took place weren't a matter of anyone being in the wrong as much as they are an exploration of how different perspectives can view the same situation differently, and also how distance and maturity can help you rebuild broken friendships once the negative emotions have chilled and you get some perspective on things. It's a fantastic lesson for young readers. Recommended for ages 13+ (some swearing, no sexual content, minor references to attempted violence. Characters are 15 and 16 years old).

3.5 stars rounded up. I am a HUGE Sophie Gonzales fan, I've loved all her previous books. But this one... did not hit for me. I definitely didn't expect how zany this one would be -- Ivy loves to write fan fic about her favorite tv show, H-MAD and wakes up one day after a thunderstorm and the main character from H-MAD, Weston, shows up the next day and is in love with her. Ivy is forced to reunite with her former best friend Mack and her current best friend Henry to try and figure out how her fan fiction has come to life. It's written in two timelines -- the past before Ivy and Mack fought and friend broke up and the status quo. The jumping between the two timelines isn't seamless. And the conflict between Ivy and Mack is largely based on miscommunication -- which can really work as a YA trope (bc what high schooler is good at communicating) but it bordered on the extreme in this one.

I could see other people really liking this one. I wasn't expecting the heavy fantasy themes in what appeared to be a normal YA book and could never quite recover. But just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it isn't for you!

I was not prepared for how off the rails this story would be. When I read the synopsis I made assumptions that were way off base but I rather loved how unhinged this book got. I loved the characters a lot. I loved the way the story was told where each chapter oscillated between the current storyline and the past where Ivy and Mack's falling apart took place. The ace rep was great.

This was a fun read. The cover really made me think about what the book was about and I felt drawn in for every page.

70/100 or 3.50 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute. I think teenagers will love this story. Reading it as an adult took away some of the enjoyment, since I'm not the target audience, but this was still fun! It was an interesting twist to a contemporary teen romance book. Also, the LGBTQIA+ representation felt realistic and was well done overall.

In The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist we find ourselves following the nerdy, slightly anxious, unsure Ivy, a fanfic writer who is obsessed with a vampire-diaries esque TV show, who somehow accidentally brings the main character of the show to life through her fanfiction.

What makes this novel a 5 star? Sophie Gonzales's unparalleled sense of humor steals the show for me yet again. Gonzales is one of my go-to authors when I want to laugh out loud and not simply smile or chuckle and this book is no exception. From the insanity associated with Weston (the fanfic character), Ivy’s self-deprecation, Henry’s sarcasm, Mack’s wit, and the farcical nature of the plot, there’s no shortage of laughs. This, combined with some very funny commentary on fanfic tropes and a very sweet friends to enemies to friends to lovers romance, sneaks this one under the line at the last minute for one of my top reads of the year.

This was so much fun! The first thing I want to mention is that while this is a rom-com, the emphasis is on the com. In fact, I found it somewhat unique in comparison with other YA contemporaries I’ve read recently in that the tone is over-the-top ridiculous and light, allowing space for unrealistic reactions and situations that a more grounded contemporary can't. Think more like Family Guy or South Park (I don’t mean in terms of raunchiness or inappropriateness, but more ridiculous situations that characters take in their stride, which is where the humor and satire truly stem from). The closest book I’ve read to this is In Other Lands by Sarah Reese Brennan.

This is definitely on the younger-ya side, which is a feature not a bug. As someone who’s been mourning the severe lack of younger ya over the last few years, especially when it comes to sapphic rep, I’m thrilled we’re getting a quality addition for those transitional readers! Though I’m in my 20s and enjoyed this thoroughly myself. I don’t want to spoil too much about the plot, but I thought this was a surprisingly smart and fun lampooning of romance and fanfic tropes (always taking care to laugh with, not at, them, though the author comes from fanfic so this didn’t surprise me at all). I loved the romance, the friendships, the excellent representation, but most of all I loved the hijinks and just escaping into a nonsense world for a few days. There’s not a lot like this book out there right now, and I hope more come out!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun read but for me I found it to just be not the right type of writing. I didn't really relate to anyone, but still, I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advance electronic copy of the title for an honest review.

Having read two books by this author before, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this one. To be honest, it wasn't my favorite. While I am aware of fan fiction, I haven't read much of it, so I didn't fully understand the premise of the book. In fact, it took me quite a while to get that it was a fantasy of sorts. And then I had some mixed feelings about the directions that it took. Had a brief Stepford flashback.

What I enjoyed most was the relationships between the teenagers, and between the kids and their parents. Mostly not perfect, often truly annoying, they were real. And it is the characters created by Gonzales that will keep me coming back to check out what she comes up with next!

This was such a fun premise! I love the idea of her dream guy from her fanfiction coming to life and being madly in love with her and her having to figure out what to do with that situation. The novel delved into a lot more detail about the practicalities of the situation then I would have ever have thought to consider, which added a lot of realism to the story. While I liked these details, I wish it was pulled back a bit to deal more with the emotional arc between the main character and her supposed love interest, as well as how the situation affected her friendships. I didn't totally love how we got past the premise of running out of fanfics and would honestly rather have spent more of this time exploring the relationships without adding more worldbuilding rules into the situation, but that could be a personal preference! I loved the friendship story we got into more in the latter half of the book and would have loved to explore it even earlier. I was also so excited to see the aroace rep! Overall, a really original premise and a fun read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ivy is thrilled to have the house to herself while her parents go on a work trip. She’s ready to hang out with her best friend, Henry, and binge their favorite TV show, H-MAD– as long as she can avoid her neighbor and ex-best friend/crush, Mack. But her plans are turned upside down when she wakes up to find the main character of H-MAD, Weston, in her room. Somehow, Ivy’s fanfiction stories have come to life, and Weston claims to be Ivy’s soulmate. Now, Ivy finds herself teaming up with Henry and Mack, before anyone else finds out about Weston.

Sophie Gonzales has quickly become one of my go-to authors (I will forever rant about how incredible Perfect in Paper is). I don’t generally consider myself a fan of romance, but there’s just something about her books.

That being said, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to finish this book. Not that there’s anything wrong with it– but I am not necessarily the right audience for it. I have never been a fanfiction reader or writer. As mentioned above, romance isn’t really my thing. So a romance book about a fanfiction character coming to life isn’t really for me. However, I gave it another try and ended up binging it in two days.

I really related to Ivy in a lot of ways. Ivy is still struggling with the demise of her friendship with Mack, and she’s reluctant to seek out new friendships. She’s been hurt before, so why go through that again? I also appreciated the exploration of different types of friends– those who you share numerous interests with, and those who you don’t.

If I were a fanfiction enthusiast, I’m sure I would have enjoyed the different tropes that are played out. Unfortunately, some were just so cheesy and cringey for me. But, I’m sure they are delightful for a lot of other readers. Although I will admit the enemies to lovers part was pretty great.

Overall, as a book about overcoming differences and maintaining friendships, this is a good book. As a fanfiction-inspired romance story, it’s not my cup of tea, but still a fun read.

Sophie Gonzales is fast becoming an auto-buy YA author for me, and I was immediately sold on "The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist" on premise alone. It has a IRL fanfiction trope, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers and found family (as BFFs). The writing, true to Gonzales' style, is as well-written and compelling as ever that drew me into this fun novel. Although, there was something that just felt off to me. It felt a little slow to start and a little unexplained and unexpected "woo-woo" supernatural phenomena at play. I just wanted answers for most of the book, sorry not sorry. Personally, I just didn't vibe with "The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist" as much I as I did Gonzales' previous novels, but that doesn't take away her talents as an author.

I loved this book! I devoured it in only a few sittings and wish there was more to read. The story line was paced very well and the characters were easy to love!

4.2 rounded down to 4/5

"The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist" by Sophie Gonzales is a delightful romcom that doubles as a love letter to fanfiction and fandoms. Ivy Winslow's week of freedom takes an unexpected turn when Weston, the fictional main character of her favorite TV show, materializes in her bedroom, claiming to be her soul mate. What follows is a hilarious exploration of romance tropes and their real-world consequences.

The novel cleverly satirizes fanfiction culture and the romantic tropes that fans often indulge in. Ivy's realization that the tropes she adores in her stories are less romantic in reality adds a humorous layer to the narrative. The book embraces its romcom identity, making it a perfect read for fans of the genre.

The dynamic between Ivy and Mack, her former best friend-turned-enemy, adds depth to the story. The romance that develops between them is both heartwarming and entertaining. Henry, Ivy's sarcastic best friend, adds another layer of humor to the narrative, making the book a well-rounded comedy.

Weston, the fictional character brought to life, strikes the right balance of ridiculousness, contributing to the satire woven throughout the story. The commentary on romantic tropes and the comfort readers find in fictional romance, inserting themselves into the narrative, is a clever and insightful aspect of the book.

In conclusion, "The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist" is a romcom that shines in its satirical take on fanfiction, romance tropes, and fandom culture. With its witty humor, endearing characters, and clever commentary, Sophie Gonzales delivers an engaging and entertaining read for fans of romantic comedies and those immersed in the world of fanfiction.

I’ve never been one for self-insert fanfic, but this was such a good twist on it! And we love a sapphically ever after.

The chapters switch between past and present, allowing the reader to piece the whole story between Mack and Ivy together as the book continues. And while there are certainly fantastical elements, this is very much a YA, slice-of-life rom com. Plus, so much awesome rep! Lesbian, bi, and aroace, as well as open discussions about Black athletes in predominantly white sports & why billionaires are evil.

Very cute! I’m not a fanfic girly so I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did! The tropes were cute and the message was sweet. I think I would have liked a little more tension with Mack or maybe a little more reason why they like each other. It was a little juvenile but perfect for a YA!