Just like Charlie, this book is like nothing I ever could have expected. So glad I picked this one up. A healthy amount of Taylor Swift song references!

I’ve seen some harsh criticism about the misogyny is tech aspect, but I think that’s literally a point and something that she is going to need time to overcome. I can definitely relate to working for a horrible person because you needed the income. Anyone who says “DNF misogyny!!” Is completely overlooking that Sloan was almost three months late on rent and couldn’t give the middle finger to such an ultimatum.

It was so unique to see a fake dating trope where one party actually had to hide the fake dating! Classic, predictable part associated with that, but I still really enjoyed it. The mutual healing from the exes was an important part of the story.

Part of this book was kind of giving Bachelor in Paradise but with just two people. The fun side date, a little trauma dump, falling in love so fast because you’re on vacation in a new place living luxuriously. Etc. It was so fun to read.

This book was spicy but more so in a tension/anticipation building type of way. Sloan makes Jake read a smutty part of her romance book to him, but on the same page there’s a “fade to the next morning.”

I mentioned that this book had a predictable aspect in it, but there’s also a plot twist I definitely could not have anticipated.

I read this in a day because it was fun, light hearted, and so romantic. I definitely want to read more from this author. I’ll leave you with my favorite quote from the book: Even if he had never cheated, he didn’t give me enough!


Loved. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you're in need of a lighthearted, fun read that will transport you to paradise, look no further. This book is a great escape for those looking for a cute love story with not a lot of substance. That sounds like a negative thing, but it's not really. I actually enjoyed the fact that this book was not heavy at all. That being said, while the couple in this book was cute to read about, I didn't really get the sense that they were actually falling in love at any point in the book. I didn't buy that in the span of a few short days, they could suddenly fall out of love with their exes and in love with each other. It wasn't the short amount of time that did this for me, but the lack of chemistry between the two leads.

Not back to the positive. Like I mentioned, I did enjoy the setting for this novel. Who doesn't want to read about cocktails by the beach and romantic dinners? The author set the scene very well and I definitely got a vacation vibe from reading this book. However, some chapters went on way too long for me and I felt myself growing bored. I wanted more intimate moments between the couple; more angst and drama. The reasons each person had for not wanting to be with the other just weren't compelling enough for me.

Overall, this is a decent new romance story that could be a great beach read or a palette cleanser after reading a very heavy book (am I the only one who needs books like this?) but it wasn't extremely memorable for me.

I wanted to like this..so much..but...

it was cute, had all of my favorite troupes; fake relationship, forced proximity, slow burn.

But in the end it was just cute. Just not as cute as I wanted it to be,

Thank you to netgalley for the arc. All opinons are my own.

Thank you @harperperennial @netgalley @booksparks #partner #sprc2024 #thenewclassic for the free copies of this book!

Neely does it again! This was a deliciously fun romp in the Caribbean involving a cute neighbor and revenge. Sloane is a woman in a man’s video gaming world. She finally gets her dream job after recently breaking up with her boyfriend. She is laser focused on her career as he cheated on her and she’s ready to put herself first.

In comes her hot next door neighbor, Charlie, who ends up offering her a free trip to Turks and Caicos as a ploy to try and create jealousy for his ex. He wants her back and what better way to do it by inviting his new pretend love interest! Sloane agrees to go but soon realizes maybe it wasn’t the best idea. Real feelings form and she finds herself getting off track for what she promised herself, to focus on her career. She knows she has to move on from her ex and she knows Charlie truly wants his ex back as well. Will they find a happy ending that satisfies them both? You’ll just have to grab a copy to see how this pans out!

I thought this one was a light, refreshing, summer read that is perfect to dive into this spring! It’s the ultimate chick lit involving the boy next door, a surprise vacation, and two easy to love characters! I love how they initially met…I found myself actually smiling through that scene! I liked that Sloane was relatable in the sense that she had struggled with finding her place with her career as well as she didn’t dive head first and kept some of herself more reserved. Overall this book was a sweet summertime romance that I can easily recommend!

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @harperperennial for an early copy of In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: March 19th, 2024

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/181110032-in-a-not-so-perfect-world?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZP7847fq0S&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

In a Not So Perfect World tells the story of two broken-hearted neighbors Charlie and Sloanne who embark on a vacation together, with Charlie hoping to make his ex-girlfriend jealous with bringing another woman on the vacation they were supposed to go to together, and Sloanne hoping to get some inspiration in developing a game for a company she’s interviewing for. The two fall quickly in love during their vacation, but I found that their chemistry was lacking, but the activities they had at the resort was quite entertaining.

I had some issues with the company Sloanne was applying for, particularly the unwritten and implied rule that she can never date and basically have any personal life while employed with them, which at first Sloanne was okay with until her time spent with Charlie made her realize what a bad idea it really was working for that company (it really took a guy for her to realize that she needs a work-life balance, I mean, come on). What I did like though, was Charlie encouraging her that she can do whatever she sets her mind on to, which included starting up her own gaming company.

An overall okay read with a slow-burn romance; I would recommend if you want a quick read.

4 stars!! and 3 hot peppers!

We've got fake dating, we've got only one bed, we've got forced proximity and a little bit of steam on a tropical getaway! This was so much more emotional and complex than what I was expecting it to be, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it! I think Sloane and Charlie both had some real feelings and complex problems that were relatable and made them super vulnerable and diverse characters. There was also a lot of really playful banter, which led up to a sexy night in paradise that I loved the concept of 😏

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review!

Sloan and Charlie did not disappoint in this fun, Caribbean romp of a book. It was a quick and easy read with lot of humor. If forced proximity, island settings and slow burn romance are your kind of tropes - then pick this one up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

I liked the beginning of this book, the way the two MCs meet, and the circumstances that lead to them vacationing together. It had some cute and funny moments. You can definitely tell there's physical attraction between Sloane and Charlie right away, and an interest to learn more about each other beyond that, too.

I was not a big fan of the clearly illegal, sexist interview Sloane went through (it felt so, so icky). The ending felt rushed and the problem seemed to be "resolved" in just a couple of paragraphs.

I understand it was a part of her character growth, but seeing how many times Sloane could have explained something out loud and didn't was frustrating. So much miscommunication, even when Charlie initiated/tried to initiate conversations.

It was a mostly fun read, and I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in vacation romances, supportive MMCs, fake dating, and healing from heartbreak.

I really enjoyed this book. The banter and spice between Sloane and Charlie were perfect. the writing was well executed. I also really enjoyed the growth between our two main characters. I did however wish that we see Sloane and Charlie getting engaged at the end instead of Tess. I would’ve loved to see another book about Tess and Nate.

This one is super cute! And a quick, easy read. I liked the video game programmer aspect of the female lead, and I didn't find the romance aspect too far-fetched.

Recommend: YES
Level: High

I thought this book was super fun. Felt like I was on vacation with the characters. Enjoyed the fake dating premise that turned into actual dating. Not the biggest fan of the forced proximity but I feel like it did work with the storyline. I vacation vibes were great and super cute. Also not the greatest fan of how the interview for a female gamer went initially even though I understand that that kind of thing probably still happens it was kinda icky to still see it portrayed that way. However by the ending it all works out for the better which I think is a big point of the main characters story. Just thought there could have been a better way to portray it. Overall great read nice pace. I’ve now read both her books and look forward to more.

A fake dating, forced proximity romance | Super lovable and relatable main characters | The Caribbean setting brings the perfect vacay vibes | Just the right amount of spice for me | The story feels like a warm hug | Somewhat predictable in all the right ways | Recommend to any romance lover
This review has been posted to Goodreads and Instagram
Thank you to Neely Tubati Alexander, Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, and Netgalley for providing this ARC.

This was a good adult contemporary romance, that I would definitely recommend to those who think it sounds interesting!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I’ll never say no to an opportunity to read a fake dating, forced-proximity, destination romance, so I was very excited to dive into In a Not So Perfect World! I love traveling to fun locations through books, and this one is set in a place I’ve been before (Turks & Caicos) so I could picture the water and the sand and the balmy breezes off the ocean. I initially had fun with this one. It was heartwarming and got me in the feels at times, but I also felt like things spiraled out of control and ultimately fizzled. Anyway, let’s discuss.

Right off the bat, things started strong for me. Sloane has a unique and sexy meet-cute with Charlie, who for some reason she doesn’t know is her super hot neighbor. Like, actual neighbor. Not a down the hall or one floor above kind of neighbor. She can see his door from her door. How does one miss a guy like Charlie?? They’re both reeling from recent break-ups and when he offers her his ex-girlfriend’s spot on his fancy tropical vacation (to make his ex jealous, of course) she reluctantly agrees to go, thinking it would be nice to get away from the possibility of running into her own ex. We’ve seen this premise before, so it’s obvious that shenanigans will ensue and the feelings will flow. This storyline is my kryptonite, and I quickly settled in. But things grew clunky for me as I read more.

I liked Charlie a lot and thought he was sweet and very caring. His punny t-shirts were very entertaining. Sloane wasn’t as easy to like. I wanted to see a strong woman challenge the norm in an often male-dominated sector of the business world, but she practically laid down and invited these guys at the video game company to wipe their feet on her. Watching her value herself so little was infuriating. I did LOVE her dog. Her dog is my favorite character in this book. Charlie and Sloane are cute together, and they have some very silly, chaotic interactions that I wish I had seen more of. When they got deep into their banter, I couldn’t contain my smiles. They have some purely golden moments. However, they got boring. I wanted to see these two spending more time enjoying the resort and sightseeing together than sitting on their balcony having the same conversations over and over again. There was a LOT of sitting around talking about their past struggles, and I did start to skim at times when things began to drag. The fake dating plot was seriously overshadowed and nearly wiped out completely because the emphasis was on their painful pasts instead of leaning into the fake dating and the forced-proximity tropes. I really enjoyed the connection they developed but, I can’t believe I’m saying this, when all was said and done I actually liked the friendship parts of their relationship much more than the romantic parts. The romance developed so slowly that when it finally happened it was all way too fast. It’s like they fell in love because this book is supposed to be a romance instead of general fiction, and I didn’t believe in it.

This might be a bit spoilery (maybe?), so stop reading here if you’re worried. The third-act break-up was so long that, again, the romance was unbelievable. I was getting Elsa feelings like… how do you fall in love with someone you just met and hardly know? A week-long vacation, followed by months of not even being on speaking terms does not a love story make. The ending is so messy. For all the conflict and drama that Sloane had to wade through, things were wrapped up too quickly and too perfectly. Like the romance, the ending came out of nowhere. There was so much more that could have been done to let Sloane really shatter the glass ceiling of video game design, but it all fizzled. I wanted more oomf from her. More power. I wanted to be jumping up and down, fist-pumping, and living vicariously through a strong woman that actually declared her worth and stuck it to a group of misogynistic, egotistical men. I wanted her to grow a spine, but she never did. At least, she didn’t on-page. She put up with so much crap and I never got the satisfaction of her telling anyone off about it. So much of what happens in the epilogue should have happened in the story, with details on how we got there. Instead, the ending seriously just happens and then an “oh, by the way, let me tie up some loose ends really quick” epilogue was slapped on at the end. “This happened and this happened and this happened…” NO!! As a reader, I want to see an ending happen. I don’t want to be told about it after it’s over. This issue right here is what made me give the book a much lower rating than I was planning. The last 15%-20% made the entire book plummet for me. All in all, this was not what I wanted.

One of my earliest reflections of In a Not So Perfect World was how much character there was in the first few chapters. These characters immediately enter the page with flair, unique qualities, and a characteristic of being memorable. I loved Sloane from the beginning. We always love a career driven video game developer who just wants to be taken seriously. To be given a shot. In a Not So Perfect World balances the toxic masculinity and sexism of the video game sphere with Sloane's desires to make a space, an impact, of her own.

A flirty, feel good vacation romance between Sloane, a South Asian American female video game designer recently dumped and Charlie, her hot neighbor who is also fresh off a breakup. When he proposes Sloane accompany him on a vacation for two to Turks and Caicos he had planned to go on with his former girlfriend, the two find themselves slowly falling in love while Sloane works on a designing a game to win a new job and finds out she's competing with her ex. I liked but didn't love this one. It was good on audio and a quick, light-hearted read. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this romantic Caribbean adventure! I always adore Neely's voice and this book lived up to Love Buzz! The fake dating was so well done, and I always love the forced proximity trope. A must-read for sure!

LOVED this one! Sharp dialogue, good pacing, a sense of humor, and plenty of spice. Tubati-Alexander writes so smoothly that it's easy to get lost in the narrative - the mark of a good book! Loved it.

I loved the push and pull in this book! I think it really worked well that when they were out of town it was pretty focused on the two of them with no distractions. The thing that frustrated me the most was what I felt was a false conflict with Catapult keeping her apart from Charlie. I am certainly not saying the world of video gaming is not horribly misogynistic. But even in this world it is not acceptable to so blatantly try to dictate your employees personal lives. So I hated that part. But everything else I loved.

"In a Not So Perfect World" by Neely Tubati Alexander is a delightful rom-com that effortlessly blends humor with heartfelt moments. The story follows Sloane Cooper, a talented video game designer who faces pressure to prioritize her career over romance. However, when she unexpectedly agrees to accompany her *super hot* neighbor, Charlie, on a vacation to Turks and Caicos, Sloane finds herself catching unexpected feelings. Sloane's plan to focus on her video game development during the trip is thrown off course as she navigates the complexities of love and career. Despite her initial reluctance, Sloane soon discovers that she may have found more than just a vacation companion in Charlie.

Neely Tubati Alexander skillfully tackles themes of balancing love and career, challenging unfair societal expectations placed on women, and overcoming heartbreak. What sets this rom-com apart is its ability to address these serious topics in a lighthearted and playful manner, without diminishing their importance.

Overall, "In a Not So Perfect World" is a charming read that will leave readers smiling. Alexander's witty writing and endearing characters make this book a must-read for fans of rom-coms.