I love a second chance romance and a fake dating trope and this has both!

Violet and Xavier’s story is so beautiful and I love the finding your purpose aspect of Xavier’s story too.

And as a recovering workaholic, I really identified with Violet.

I absolutely loved this book! The vivid writing brought every scene to life, making it play out like a perfect movie in my mind. I couldn't put it down and devoured it in just three days. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, feel-good romance that will have you blushing in public.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for providing me this Digital Advanced Readers Copy of the book!

🌟🌟🌟🌟

*The Partner Plot* by Kristina Forest is a delightful and engaging romantic comedy that explores themes of love, ambition, and the complexities of relationships. Forest’s writing is fresh and lively, capturing the whirlwind of emotions that come with navigating both personal and professional challenges.

The protagonists are relatable and well-developed, each facing their own dilemmas while trying to find a balance between their dreams and their hearts. The chemistry between them is palpable, and the witty banter adds a fun, playful energy to the story. Forest does an excellent job of portraying the ups and downs of romance, making readers root for the characters every step of the way.

The pacing is mostly brisk, keeping the plot moving forward with a series of engaging twists and turns. However, there are moments where certain plot developments feel a bit rushed, leaving me wanting more depth in certain areas. Despite this, the overall journey is satisfying and filled with heartwarming moments.

Overall, *The Partner Plot* is a charming read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance. With its blend of humor and heartfelt emotion, it’s a perfect choice for anyone looking for a lighthearted escape. I can’t wait to see what Forest comes up with next!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the review copy--all opinions are my own!

This was a delight. Kristina writes such lovable stories starring characters who feel like they could be your friends, they're so real and easy to root for. Both Violet and Xavier's individual growth journeys as well as their journey as a couple was touching and realistic and delivered such a wonderful balance of tender vulnerability and swoony joy. Can't wait for Iris's story!!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

boring - did not care for their dynamic or their character development - i dont know what else to say but no thanks

I’m not usually drawn to second-chance romances, but this one really won me over! Watching Violet and Xavier reconnect after so many years was such a pleasure. The whole accidental Vegas marriage setup was a fun twist, but it was their genuine chemistry and shared past that truly made the story shine. Violet’s mix of ambition and vulnerability made her incredibly relatable, and Xavier? He was a total sweetheart—so patient and understanding, especially when supporting Violet through her personal struggles.

What impressed me the most was how the conflict was grounded in real emotions. Violet’s hesitation to trust again after her heartbreak was so well portrayed, and Xavier’s growth from their past mistakes was both touching and believable. The slow-burn romance felt authentic, and their connection from their younger days flowed seamlessly into their current lives.

I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical about the “fake marriage” trope, but the author handled it brilliantly. It never felt like a gimmick, and it was a satisfying way for these two to find their way back to each other. The witty banter and the gradual build-up were spot on!

Overall, this book was a heartwarming surprise for someone like me who isn’t typically into second-chance romances. I’m excited to see what the author has in store next.

4 ✨

Tropes:

♡ Fake accidental marriage
♡ Second chance
♡ High school sweethearts
♡ Forced proximity
♡ City girl x small town guy
♡ One bed

This is my first Kristina Forest book and I loved it! I know this is the second book in her series about the three Greene sisters but since I never got around to reading the first one about Lily, I thought it wouldn’t matter if I just started with Violet first and then read Lily’s after and that turned out to be correct. Now I know things about The Neighbor Favor so I wasn’t complete in the dark when I started The Partner Plot and I’m so glad for that.

I love a good accidental marriage in Vegas story but this one took a different turn, in which Violet and Xavier were high school sweethearts and they actually didn’t get married for real, it was just pretend. But then when Violet, who’s a stylist for the stars, gets in an accident and hurts her foot, she moves back home to Willow Ridge and there she meets up with Xavier again. But they lie about being married for real to her parents, when Violet mentions in an interview that she married her high school hook sweetheart recently to get out of questions about her cheating ex-fiancé.

Everything about this book screamed second chance in the best way possible. Thea couple had a heart-wrenching breakup when they were young and they haven’t seen each other for almost a decade. They both also her big career plans, but only one of them reached them, so we also got the big city girl x small town boy trope which I also love.
Violet and Xavier were meant to be and it was just a matter of time before they found their way back to each other. It’s clear to see they only ever loved each other and any other people that came into their lives romantically were simply just replacements for one another. The love story in this book was very sweet and wholesome and I can’t wait to read Iris’ story.

Here’s the thing:

There are too many books and not enough time in the world. My ADD is outrageous, and if you can’t grip me in 2 chapters, I will lose the plot I fear. Now here we are still waiting for a review. Well, here is what I have right now. Even if I were to “choose not to review” it counts that ratio so let’s chat about it.

This was sadly a DNF for me. I could never get into the story. I’ve read others in the series but this one just lost my interest and couldn’t get back into it.

Is it too high fantasy? No. Did I dare dream of how book 1 was? Possibly. If I return I will provide additional updates and thoughts.

this was such a cute second chance, fake marriage of convenience type book. we get a dual pov, with a touch of a dual timeline showing stylist to the stars, Violet, and high school english teacher and assistant basketball coach, Xavier, as adults and their time together in high school. after a messy breakup in college, they reconnect many years later in vegas and wake up next to each other with wedding bands on and no recollection. they realize it was fake, but then violet gets asked questions about her awful ex during an interview and decided to say she ended up marrying her high school sweetheart, then the lie kept spiraling. it helped violet seem like she wasn’t bothered by anything her ex fiancé was doing, and it helped xavier show a potential boss that he could settle down. it was so lovely to see how it went from a fake marriage to them actually falling in love. it was done so beautifully and respectfully. i LOVED the scene of him taking care of her when she had food poisoning. the communication or lack thereof is one of the only reasons it didn’t hit a 5 star for me.

The Partner Plot by Kristina Forest is a second-chance, fake relationship romance with all the swoons.

Violet Greene and Xavier Wright were perfect together in high school. It’s almost love at first sight. The high school flashbacks so perfectly capture to dreamy optimism of teen years, with Violet’s plan to be a celebrity stylist and Xavier to be an NBA superstar. But what happens when only one person’s dreams comes true?

It’s been years since Violet and Xavier have seen each other but after a drunken fake marriage in Vegas leads to a fake relationship, they’re both left with some very real feelings. But the question becomes, can they make it work when their lives ending up being so different?

This book is fast-paced, romantic, and a perfect beach read! While this story does refer to the first book in the series, you could read it as a standalone as well. Plus, for those that don’t like it, there’s no third act breakup!

4.5/5

This was such a cute follow up to The Neighbor Favor! When I met Violet in TNF, I knew I would love her book and I was right! She’s such a strong FMC and I could relate to her a lot (people pleaser + burnout problems galore!).

Xavier is such a charming love interest! I love that he supports Violet and was always positively pushing her.

Their relationship was also very cute! I was never much for a second chance romance, but after this book, it really changed my mind! I love that they talked through their issues and that their love story very satisfying ending.

I can’t wait for more from Kristina Forest!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
This was a wonderful book and I'll be purchasing it for the library!

Short synopsis: After running into her high school sweet heart in Vegas (and pretend marrying him), Violet pretends to be married to him for a magazine article.

My thoughts: It took me an embarrassing amount of time to realize this is interconnected with The Neighbor Favor (which I adored), but this one was just as good!

I loved watching Violet and Xavier’s relationship re-develop as they got to know each other again. I loved how they were both so willing to bend to allow each other into their already established lives.

This was so much more than just a romance story. I absolutely loved the inside look into Violet’s career as a celebrity stylist, and how hard she worked to get where she was. I also loved that even though Xavier wasn’t able to follow his dreams of playing in the NBA he still found a way to follow his passion by coaching basketball.

I cannot wait for Iris’s story next!

Read if you love:
- Second chance romance
- High school sweethearts
- Fake marriage
- More than a romance
- Interconnected series

(catching up on reviews) - I was so excited to get my hands on Forest's newest release The Partner Plot after LOVING The Neighbor Favor. I really liked both characters separately and their relationships with side characters, but I didn't totally love them together. I think it is just because I didn't have enough scenes of them just being a couple without all of the drama. Hoping there is another book coming because I still love how Forest writes her MCs

What a cute premise. Not just a fake marriage, but a legally real but pretending to be in love marriage. I always like when an author takes a tried and true trope and pokes it just a little. A second chance romance that shows how strong the pull is to our first loves.

I smiled and rooted for Violet and Xavier. This one was spot on for the rom(ance) and the com(edy). I always wonder how it will play out when I read a new to me author in a favorite genre, but this one was a winner. I felt their chemistry and believed their reasons to hesitate to try again.

I flew through this one as it was engaging and easy to read. I'll definitely pick up the author's next book.

I love this book and even though the series isn't complete yet... The Partner Plot is my favorite. Violet was just my type of girl, I also loved that she worked on fashion. It was just a fun well written character. Xavier is the typical make lead in Rom-Com. Written fine and shy with little to no arrogance. A former basketball player turned teacher he gives all the small town boyfriend vibes you could wish for.

Kristina Forest just knows how to write that swoony romance that has your feet kicking. She writes romance so beautifully that it feels like these characters are people in real life. It’s the perfect blend of romance and a bit of spice and it’s super endearing. I enjoyed this a lot!

I don’t typically like second chance romances, but this one worked so well for me! Maybe because of the marriage of convenience trope. It was so fun and I’m definitely going to read The Neighbor Favor asap.

I loved the dual POV and the communication between our FMC and MMC! The chemistry was great.