4.25 ⭐️
I loved this book so much!!! The second chance romance in here was EVERYTHING and I adored their relationship so much. If you’re looking for a cute romance with a loveable FMC/MMC this is for you!!

The Partner Plot is my first read by Kristina Forest (though a couple of her other books are already on my tbr shelf), and it was a great introduction into her work. I enjoyed reading this second change romance featuring Black love.

Though Violet has a career in fashion styling, the book felt very real, down to earth, and relatable. I appreciated that the main conflict revolved around insecurities surrounding time and career goals and not something incredibly toxic. I think so many people can relate to struggles with finding a balance between career and personal life, especially in your early to mid 20s.

Although Xavier's reasoning for breaking up with Violet was so incredibly frustrating, it was SO believable. It's human nature to make rash decisions in general and especially as a teen. But I could definitely respect his insecurities. Initially, I was thinking that something more dramatic happened when they broke up. Even though it didn't turn out to be super dramatic, I could understand why it would scar Violet as it did. That first real teenage heartbreak can really do a number on you.

The only complaint that I have is that the pacing seemed a bit off for the last about 15-20% of the book. Things started to go down hill for a bit, and I began to think that they may not get their HEA (which to me, would have made it even more real). I kept checking how many pages I had left, because it didn't feel that there was enough time for things to resolve organically in order for them to end up together. Because of that, the HEA seemed a bit rushed to me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read more from Kristina Forest. Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for an advanced copy! All opinions are my own.

Two themes I love FASHION… & BASKETBALL… say no more!

Love Love Love… Violet and Xavier, High school sweethearts with big career goals and plans of being together forever! Until long distance and a sport injury changes the forever part of their story… fast forward years later and a surprise run in, in Vegas and a night that neither one remembers the next day leads to a marriage of convenience and possibly a rekindled romance.

My favorite part in romances are following a character’s career path! In The Partner Plot you get to see this with both Violet as a successful celebrity stylist and Xavier a high school teacher and basketball coach.

I had no clue this was a follow up to THE NEIGHBOR FAVOR and I’m 💯 going to be checking that one out! THE PARTNER PLOT reads fully as a stand-alone but I’m looking forward to learning more about Violets sister Lily.

I listened to the audio and absolutely loved the narration of the alternating POV done by Aure Nash and Benjamin Charles!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group & PRH Audio for the gifted ALC

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[WILL POST THE REVIEW ON PLATFORM ONCE ACCEPTABLE] 3.5 Stars rounded to 4! Thank you, to the publisher, for this eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion!

I was already familiar with the author Kristina Forest based on her other works, namely “The Neighbor Favor” which touches on Lily, Violet’s younger sister love story with her love interest. So I was really excited to get the chance to dig into Violet’s story, especially after learning what we do in Lily’s book about Violet’s past relationship. The "Partner Plot" is a second-chance-fake-marriage trope love story.

I really enjoyed getting to know Violet and Xavier both as adults, and looking back to their time in high school and university through the dual point of view. Also loved the cameos from Violet’s siblings and some of the characters we met in “The Neighbor Favor.” I do wish Violet and Xavier’s love story had been developed a bit more but I still found myself glued to the book to see what would happen next. Overall, I continue to be a Kristina Forest fan. Cannot recommend this novel and her others as well. Looking forward to Iris’ story as well!

I would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary romance and adult fiction.

This book was very underwhelming. It wasn't like her first book. I think it had potential but because the two characters were high school sweethearts the premise wasn't as exciting as the last book. I will still read more from this author in the future. But I love the feeling that I got from the last book and this book I felt like didn't have that heart and soul that the previous book did. I felt like the book could have ended very early, but I am excited to see the spin-off for this one.

I, enjoyed the story of Violet and Xavier. I'm normally not a second romance type of girl, but I understood why the relationship ended and their journey back together was very sweet. I, do feel that the story was a tad bit long, but overall I enjoyed this cute story.

I really enjoyed THE NEIGHBOR FAVOR by this author. I picked it up because the plot had a lot of potential and seemed like a great marriage of convenience/second chance romance.

This book excels at quite a few things - I think the marriage of convenience aspect of this worked well and was entertaining but there needed to be a bit more angst/banter for this to feel like a true second chance romance. The romance at times felt secondary to their journey of self discovery and their careers and I definitely needed a bit more from the characters.

That being said, i LOVED the representation here and unapologetic blackness. So refreshing in a romance novel! i will definitely read more from this author.

This was a warm and wonderful second-chance romance. It was so cute and I loved these characters. The flirty banter was so sweet I absolutely adored the romance!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I liked this one. Maybe not as much as the first one. I liked that it talked about how much work two people would put in to make their relationship work. I liked that it mixed celebrity with the common person.

THE PARTNER PLOT by Kristina Forest is the second book I read by the author and I really enjoyed this book. The story was beautifully written. It was an incredible story that displayed second chance romance, vulnerability, strong women, and good man that support their women without harbouring resentment to them.

The characters were amazing especially Violet and Xavier. I enjoyed watching their journeys and growth throughout the read as well as them both find self love and self worth in themselves. As they both struggled with finding their place in this world. Something we all can relate to.

I loved the relationship and connection between Violet and Xavier. Their chemistry was incredible they were honestly made for each other. Their relationship felt natural and realistic and showcased amazing healthy communication between partners as they dealt with the challenges of live together.

Overall this was an enjoyable romance story

Did I enjoy this? Yes. I am all for a fake marriage trope and revisiting Violet, Lily & Iris from The Neighbor Favor was great. However, this one felt a little boring? There wasn’t anything that stood out or captivated me, it was just fine. It’s hard to say after reading the Neighbor Favor because I adored that one from start to finish. I liked this one too, but felt like it was missing something for me. I am curious to read the next book about Iris & Angel, I love a series on love, especially when it’s centered around siblings.

While I wasn’t wild about the circumstances that led to this “marriage of convenience” plot, I really liked the full circle element of this story of a couple who were high school sweethearts who found their way back to each other years later. I thought I’d land at 3.5 stars but I was rooting for Violet and Xavier so much by the end that it ended up being 4.

The cool thing about a second chance romance, where the first chance was in high school, is the character growth not just as individuals but as a couple. I loved the way they faced the inevitable third/fourth act conflict with grace and maturity.

DNF @ 44%

After LOVING The Neighbor Favor last year, I was so excited to continue on with Violet's story, but unfortunately this just wasn't working for me and I decided to DNF. While I love the Black representation in this series and the celebration of Black joy, this was too slow and just didn't grip my interest enough to keep going. Second chance romance is not my favorite trope, but. I thought that the fake marriage would offset that and be super fun. Sadly, it didn't make sense or work for me. The stakes just weren't high enough so it felt mean/stressful to lie to their families and pretend to be married. I also just wanted a bit more spark/momentum in the story. It was simply fine and I never felt myself reaching to pick it up, so it took me a full week to make it 44% in. While I set this down, I hope this works for others and will absolutely pick up Iris's story next.

Kristina Forest writes magic and I love it so much. I loved The Neighbor Favor and I already cannot wait for the next one!! I was SO HAPPY the entire time I read this book! It makes me so happy I love how she is able to write about all of the sweet things about the relationship while also writing how it feels to not get to where you thought you would, feeling stuck even when your life is good, never feeling like enough.

There is also something I love and hate about the guy getting hurt and then thinking he can never be worthy because his entire life changed in an instant, so he breaks up with his girl because he knows he’ll drag her down but doesn’t even stop to think about how much she loves him and would quite literally do anything for him. It HURTS when that’s the reason they initially break up but when they have all the realizations and come back together 😭😭

Violet and Xavier were WONDERFUL. I loved their story so much. Watching them find each other again, and then kind of throw themselves together to try and help their careers and then shift back into the familiar territory of being together but also being SO scared because they know if something goes wrong this time they won’t recover was done so well! They loved each other SO MUCH. Even after all this time and the hurt, they were meant to be.

I loved this book so so much! I preordered a paperback before I got the ARC and I cannot WAIT to have this on my selves!!

Thank you so much to Berkeley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I tried to read this one but it ended up being a do not finish for me. I couldn’t get into the storyline. Also I couldn’t get engaged with the main characters. Best of luck to the author on this book launch. I’m disappointed because I loved the first book in this series.

A romantic comedy that takes place in Vegas? Yes, please!

I have been living, laughing and loving alongside Xavier and Violet all morning and I have to say, I am really going to miss these two. I completely fell head over heels for Xavier. He was fun, sensitive and sexy!!!

The Partner Plot, is laugh out loud funny. Forest, took center stage when it came to delivering a blockbuster hit. I will be comparing every future RomCom, I read to this book!

Big thank you to Kristina Forest, Berkley and Netgalley, for allowing me the opportunity to read and review The Partner Plot, in exchange for an honest review.

Due out 2/27/2024, you do not want to miss this one!

Check out this teaser :

Two former high school sweethearts get a second chance in this marriage of convenience romance by Kristina Forest, author of The Neighbor Favor.

To Violet Greene, fashion is everything. As a successful celebrity stylist, she travels all over the world, living out her dreams. Professionally, she’s thriving, but her personal life is in shambles. After surviving a very public breakup with her ex-fiancé six months ago, Violet is now determined to focus on her career. But life hands her something—or rather, someone—that might derail everything…

Xavier Wright did not expect to run into his high school girlfriend Violet—the girl he once thought he’d marry—on a birthday trip to Vegas. As a high school teacher and basketball coach, he rarely leaves his New Jersey hometown, so what were the chances? But when the initial shock wears off, they decide to celebrate together. They feel young and reckless as they party the night away—and reckless they clearly were when the following morning, they wake up beside each other with rings on their fingers.

Their impulsive nuptials might be a blessing in disguise, though, when they realize that both of their careers could benefit from the marriage. So they play the part of a blissfully wedded couple. Yet when their passion comes hurling back, they realize their feelings are just as real as they were back when they were teens. But are their lives too different to stick it through or will they finally get a happy ending?

3.5 stars.

I really like the author's writing style. It was easy to follow along and the way she included Violet and Xavier's past into the story was done very well. There was some pretty good character development in this book. We can see how Violet and Xavier's relationship was slowly healing, even if they didn't verbally acknowledge it, and it was nice to read about how their journey was sort of coming full circle as they navigate how to be together despite their different career paths. However, I feel like there was more emphasis on their jobs and it took away from the romance aspect. I was definitely rooting for them as a couple and I love the way they actually communicated, but I would have loved to see more of them after they were officially together.

The Partner Plot is a second chance romance with a marriage of convenience bringing our couple back together. Violet and Xavier were the it couple in high school. Both with big dreams and aspirations though time and distance pulled them apart. When the two unexpectedly run into each other in Las Vegas, they easily reconnect. The two have chemistry and history. What is a trip to Vegas without getting accidentally married? The morning after finds them in bed together with wedding rings and a marriage certificate. Now that they have decided that staying married could help both of their careers, they have to face that they still have feelings for each other.

I enjoyed The Partner Plot. I found Violet and Xavier easy to like as individuals and as a couple. While this is a romance, it felt like that took a back seat throughout. I wanted a bit more couple chemistry and sweet moments. The story focuses heavily on both of their careers. The author used a dual POV to provide insight into what they are thinking and we also get to see how each of them has changed since high school. The best part is the lack of a forced third-act miscommunication. Couples that can set boundaries and communicate should be the standard.

Thank you Berkley Publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book better than Neighbor Favor; however, I don't think it should be considered a romance. It actually feels like theme of this book is: growth; identity as an adult outside of work; family and health. Romance was definitely there and I enjoyed the angst. I loved Vi & Xavier as a couple. I do wish that they made Xavier work to earn her trust back more and not so easy. 3.5 stars

This book is for all the second chance/fake married girlies. Things I liked about this book. I liked that it wasn’t a celeb romance, but was still on the fringe of celeb culture. I liked that the characters didn’t end up changing themselves completely for the other person. I liked that (for the most part) they talked things out like adults instead of just bottling everything up and then exploding all over each other.

So those are the positives. On the other hand, I didn’t love either of the romantic leads unfortunately. They felt deliberately obtuse as to what their issues were. Violet, you literally broke your ankle because you were basically sleepwalking to lunch—you’re obviously overworking yourself. And Xavier…I don’t want to be spoilery, but come on, my guy.

Overall, I thought this book was just okay. It’s not marked as part of a series on Goodreads, but becomes clear during the book that there was a first book about Lily and her current boyfriend. And it seems that a third is getting set up with Iris and looks to be maybe a celeb romance? So I might have to read it just for that.

Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.