This book was a darling Christmas read!!! Save it for December! You won’t regret it. Thanks NetGalley for my ARC! Will be recommending this sweet love story to all my friends around the holidays!!!

"Almost Perfect" is a delightful and heartwarming contemporary romance that captures the essence of love, personal growth, and the magic of the holiday season. With its well-drawn characters, relatable dilemmas, and a touch of Christmas spirit, this book offers a charming and enjoyable reading experience.

The story revolves around Dave Richardson, a bartender in his hometown of Rochester, who is at a crossroads in his life. Despite not living up to the grand expectations others had for him, he finds hope and a chance at love when Vivian Walters walks into his bar one fateful Wednesday night. Dave's journey from uncertainty to determination to become the man he aspires to be is a central theme of the narrative.

Vivian, or "V," is a driven and career-focused woman who values checklists and order in her life. Meeting Dave challenges her structured approach, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. The book skillfully explores the tension between her desire for control and her growing attraction to Dave, creating a believable and engaging romantic conflict.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, with their flaws and vulnerabilities adding depth to their personalities. Dave's genuine and caring nature contrasts with V's meticulous planning, creating a dynamic and endearing couple. Their interactions are filled with humor, tenderness, and undeniable passion, making their romance all the more captivating.

The holiday backdrop adds a touch of enchantment to the story, making it a perfect read for the Christmas season. The themes of family, love, and self-discovery are beautifully woven into the narrative, reminding readers of the importance of embracing life's unexpected twists and turns.

Overall, "Almost Perfect" is a heartwarming and feel-good romance that celebrates the transformative power of love. It's a story of two individuals learning to let go of their rigid expectations and take a chance on a connection that feels undeniably right. With its festive atmosphere, engaging characters, and a satisfying dose of romance, this book is a delightful addition to the holiday romance genre.

Loved this book! I shipped V and Dave from the start. Almost Perfect tells the story of V and Dave, a doctor and bartender, who didn't expect to have more than one weekend of fun together. Both main characters had a great set-up and the changes in points of view really helped you understand them. I only wish this ending was longer or included an epilogue. I wasn't ready to move on from V and Dave yet. I will definitely be checking out more books by E.F. Dodd!

Thank you to Sugar Beaver Books for the ARC for my honest review. Again, another romance novel that did not give me the swoons and was way too much friend banter that seemed nonsensical.

***Almost Perfect should appeal to new adult audiences. Unfortunately, this older reviewer struggled to find anything that got me emotionally invested in this romance. Dave, the bartender might have been fabulous at more sensual things but his character was woefully lacking in gumption for too long. Doctor Vivian certainly had career plans but life isn’t only a career. Things do finally change, but it was a struggle to finish. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley.

I love a good book that discusses and respects boundaries, not only in emotional relationships but also physical. I truly hated V's mom. Like she was not redeemable for me, she just really sucked.

This was a super cute read though.

It was fun to read. Loved the characters too. Enjoyed till the end. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a free e-book.

Almost Perfect is not the type of romance that appeals to me. The story revolves mainly around the immediate and intense sexual attraction/connection between the main characters V and Dave. Other than this, they seem to have no mutual interests and little else in common. There were pages and pages of detailed erotic encounters. Most of the conversations between the story characters were either boring, did little to promote the 'plot' or raunchy discussions about the sexual encounters. I never really got a sense of place or a real sense of either character's occupation even though this was elemental to the story.

For readers who enjoy this type of romance story, Almost Perfect is an easy read and there is good attention to detail in that respect. Thank you NetGalley and E F Dodd for the opportunity to read Almost Perfect in exchange for a review.

The love-at-first-sight and palpable attraction was off the charts! I love cozy romances, and this one falls in line with adorable leading characters! Their descriptions of each other from the very beginning showed how into each other they were, and the follow-through was such a fantastic story. No major drama. No end-of-the-world fuss. Just two people falling in love and doing so charmingly!

Almost Perfect....

This book was perfect! I absolutely loved it. It had a little bit of everything. Spice, humor, and the best of all... love.
I loved both 'V" (Doc) and Dave. Just loved them! You couldn't help but love V's friends either. I really disliked her mom to start with but she did come around! Also Dave's boss. He was horrible.
These two met at Tonic - the bar that Dave works at and it was an instant connection. It took courage for V to give away her number but I am so glad she did. From there, the two created an amazing relationship, even with some factors that weren't in their favor. In the end, they made it work.
I will most definitely read more from E.F. Dodd, this book was simply amazing!

This book was sweet. The characters are enjoyable and realistic, the family dynamics are fun and mostly healthy, the friendships strong. Perfect reading for a cool, fall evening when you want to curl up with something light and happy.

I’d describe this as a cozy romance. Low drama, no angst! Dodd didn’t use cheap tropes to raise the tension, both main characters ask each other challenging questions and while the characters avoided answering at times, it modeled normal, healthy relationship dynamics when facing challenges.


The steamy bits were a little drawn out. Lots of consent and boundary checking, which didn’t impact the steam level and is a really nice change from lots of mainstream romance. If anything, the amount of healthy communication about what was going on increased the steaminess.


Highlights:
– no angst, low drama, very relatable.
- Easy to read, good character growth

Lowlights:
- pretty simplistic. I kept waiting for big drama or high tension and what drama there was resolved quickly and in a very healthy adult way.
- The big gesture at the end seemed out of character, for both characters. Too soon, too fast!

Great book!!
Also really REALLY love the cover!!!


"Thank you so much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”