I struggled in the beginning of this book to connect with the characters, it felt rushed and superficial. I really wanted to like Sloane because she has a STEM based career (love that), but I had to get halfway through the book until I started to enjoy what I was reading. I think I would have enjoyed the beginning of the book more if it wasn’t so linear and it jumped around a bit. The vacation part of the book was great. I would have loved to read more about Sloane’s career ending/beginning at the end of the book (trying to make this vague so as to not spoil the ending). Note - I would love to read a spin-off of the HR woman, she sounds fun and interesting!

This was an okay read. The premise, a trip to the Caribbean, posing as a couple, to get back at an ex had me intrigued. But diving into the story, there were a handful of things that were lacking. The subplot of the FMC interviewing for a gaming design job where she's expected to remain single had so many things wrong with it....a woman in STEM putting so much emphasis on a job with these types of hiring practices, I'm sorry, no. The trip that Sloane and Charlie went on had such promise, a little fake dating, beautiful scenery, and some fun food and activities but the hurt from each of their past relationships played such a huge role that it felt like it took away from playing up the fake dating, minimized them being able to communicate and just made things messy. The wrap up and conflict resolution was clunky and didn't feel super satisfying.

That being said, it was a quick fun read and I really wanted to see how everything was resolved. I also want to see Tess's story....I felt more invested in her romance than I did with Sloane 🙃

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, Harper Perennial for the ARC in exchange for my review!

I enjoyed this book but felt that it did drag at times. I think this is one that would've been really great with dual POVs, especially in the third act "breakup" when we don't hear much from Charlie. For the most part, it was cute and we saw a lot of character development with Sloane. However, the ending where she's thinking about how it may or may not work out kind of killed it for me, when she already made the whole spiel to Charlie about being in love with him and wanting him more than her job (and we just read a great epilogue of their relationship over the past year). For me it just cheapened the feel good HEA at that point. While it wasn't my favorite, it was a good story and had great banter, so it wasn't entirely a miss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC!

This book is a good fit for readers who enjoy lighthearted and emotional contemporary romance stories about pursuing career goals, overcoming heartbreak, and finding love in unexpected places.

I really enjoyed In a Not So Perfect World! It's a really fun & light summer read with a few of my favorite things: fake dating, forced proximity, a trip to paradise and a sweetheart of a MMC.

What I love so much about Neely Tubati Alexander's books is how normal her main characters are. I find myself shaking my head at choices and cheering on epiphanies the same way I do with people in my life. There's something relatable to the how human they are - flaws and all.

Sloane's internal dialogue is a bit repetitive in the beginning, but you get past it as the story heats up.

I found myself laughing out loud at some of the side characters - there are few things I love more than when inconsequential characters bring the unexpected funny.

All in all, I'd give it 4.5 stars! If you're looking for a fun Spring Break or vacation read or something to pull you out of a slump, look no further.

Special thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins & Neely Tubati Alexander for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy of this book!

Perspectives: woman in STEM, Indian American (AAPI)

After really enjoying Neely's debut LOVE BUZZ, I knew I had to read IN A NOT SO PERFECT WORLD. This book is absolutely no sophomore slump!

While this romance is really fun: a kiss with a stranger, an unexpected trip to Turks and Caicos, and some less-than-stellar exes, I also really loved all parts of the plot. Neely did such a good job with the friendships, jobs, and family expectations. As a woman in STEM, I loved the realistic portrayal of applying for jobs in a male-dominated field. Honestly, the expectations are just ridiculous and I have totally been in a similar situation before. This is a total win!

Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. There were a significant amount of plot details that were overall dramatically unbelievable to me- mainly centered around the details of the video game company as well as how quickly she “fell in love” with the male lead (Charlie). I appreciated the “Corporate America caters to the man” subplot, but it was so exaggerated that it made it a little cringeworthy, and fell really flat at the end. I also never felt extremely connected to the characters; Sloane, to me, was in no way likable and Charlie wasn’t super dreamy to me either, so it was difficult for me to even try to be invested in their overall character development. Overall, just a bit too predictable while simultaneously farfetched for my taste. I likely would have DNF’d about halfway through if I had just picked this up on my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

On the surface In a Not So Perfect World is a fun rom-com. Give me that fake dating in a tropical setting trope all day long. Look beyond that and you'll find a powerful allegory. Neely Tubati Alexander does an exceptional job of challenging conventions.

Things I loved:
- The turquoise waters, spectacular sunsets, and never ending rum punch. Paradise is my favorite place.
- Subtle gender role reversals: fear of flying and creepy crawly things, love of romance novels, hyper focus on career aspirations.
- Grand gesture(s). Why limit yourself to one?
- Challenging the belief that women can have a successful career or a vibrant personal life, but not both.

I hated the misogyny rampant throughout the book, but recognize that it remains a problem for women, especially in traditionally male-centric STEM careers. The author takes it on with humor and authenticity. I love that she is not afraid to take on stereotypes and blast them to smithereens. YAY!

This is a terrific choice if your goal is to disappear into a fun rom-com with witty banter and likable characters. It's also an excellent choice if you want all that with a side of badassery from your female main character. Like her first book, Love Buzz, this book is a winner.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

DNF at 35%. This might just be a case of picking this up at the wrong time but I’m just not getting into it. When I set the book down, I don’t want to pick it up again and for me that’s a sign to let it go. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

Adore everything Neely Tubati Alexander writes! It was so fun learning more about game design while being on vacation in paradise. And I got to watch the characters fall in love! Wins all around. In a Not So Perfect World gives us forced proximity, fake dating, sparkling banter, and a journey in self-discovery. Just like Love Buzz (Neely’s debut), I savored this one!

Quick easy read with a fake dating trope (which I love). Decent chemistry between the main characters made for an overall enjoyable read.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was a great slow burn with character development and plenty of swoon. My chief complaint is a bit of pacing issue. I felt that the story dragged along at a few points in the first portion of the book and at the "11th hour" it felt like Sloane was almost juggling too much at once. Alas, we still get our perfect happily ever after!

Another all star from this author! More than a romance, we get a deep look into Sloane’s life - her struggles, her work in STEM designing video games, the sexism she faces. Then we get her fun meet-cute with Charlie, fake dating, only one bed, slow burn, and delightful banter. Charlie takes Sloane on the honeymoon meant for his ex, and I adored watching them get to know each other. They each had their own issues to overcome, but the insane attraction they felt for each other wouldn’t be denied. Then we get to see them at home, back in the real world, and watch their relationship evolve from there. From beginning to end, this is not your typical rom-com. Sloane and Charlie are not your typical mcs, but that’s what I love about these types of books. Highly recommend if you like messy mcs, vacation vibes, video games, cute pets, strong friendships, and strangers to friends to lovers.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Sloane Cooper is working towards her dream job at a well known video game company. She gets an interview and for some reason promises the male head designers to remain single. Shouldn’t be an issue for Sloane since her ex did her wrong.

Cue Charlie, aka Sloane’s hot neighbor, who begs her to join him on a romantic getaway intended for him and his ex-girlfriend. The catch? Sloane must agree to fake date Charlie so he can get his ex back. Sloane says yes, but the trip benefits her just as much. She gets a free trip to a beautiful resort where she can focus on developing her game so she can snag her dream job.

Of course sparks fly in paradise but Sloane can’t let it go any further. She must stay on course and not let her unexpected feelings for her hot neighbor get in her way.

This story is refreshing and a breath of fresh air. It is a romance but also contemporary fiction because we get to see so much of who Sloane is and what she has been through with her ex. The romance was also different and doesn’t follow the typical storyline of romance books nowadays. We also saw parts of Charlie’s life that were unexpected. He is honestly a dream guy because of his warm super sweet heart. They balanced each other out so well and challenged each other in good ways.

There is also good representation for Sloane being a woman in a predominantly male field. The parts that are talked about are relatable because women are expected to give up so much and carry the emotional load most of the time. Charlie also spoke about breaking through the industry of acting. He’s known for his body and not much else. I love when authors sneak in related moments or subtlety speak about the issues in certain industries.

I loved this story and felt so warm after finishing it. The ending felt normal and their relationship trajectory was realistic. I can see these two characters existing in real life. I wish they did!

Read this book if you like…
🏝️Fake dating
🏝️Forced proximity
🏝️Women in tech representation
🏝A perfect summer read
🏝Funny cute moments

Thank you Harper Perennial and Netgalley for an ARC.

Overall I think this was a fun and light read, but I did find myself getting frustrated at certain times with her responses to the situations Sloane dealt with. Other than that, it was fun to see their relationship progress from strangers and how they learned more about each other.

"I learned quickly that video games are not only a great distraction and escape from the plagues of real life, but that many can teach you how to survive all sorts of possible disasters, regardless of how realistic or obscure."

Sloane Cooper is a late-twenty something who is super late on her rent, dealing with the emotions of her recent break up, and trying to make her dream come true in becoming a video game designer. When heartbreak hits Sloane good, her best friend Tess takes her out on the town to get over her man. Enter Charlie. Charlie is preparing for a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon for an ex-fiancé he still loves but left him for another man. After realizing they've known each other for longer than when they met, Charlie asks Sloane to accompany him on an all-expense paid vacation to Turks and Caicos. Sloane agrees, even though she has to design and build a video game in a final interview for the larger video game company during this trip.

We have forced proximity, slow-burn, one bed, and acquaintances to lovers as our tropes. I get really impatient when I romance books really drag out a slow-burn, but Neely Tubati Alexander made me ENJOY a slow-burn. There was fun, and funny, moments between Sloane and Charlie that had me laughing out loud. I really enjoyed Sloane's thought process at every twist and turn she encountered. I also enjoyed the connection these two characters developed in such a short period of time and how they were able to naturally open up to one another when they were ready. This novel is open door, but not explicit in comparison to other open door romance novels.

My only issue was that there were too many conflicts for Sloane at the end of the book that made it hard to follow, but it was able to resolve at the end. I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to coming novels from Neely.

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

In a Not-So-Perfect World
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

In a Not-So-Perfect World is a single POV fake dating romance centered on Sloane, an aspiring video game designer who has less than two weeks to design a game and nail the interview of her dreams. Her recently single neighbor Charlie convinces her to take his ex’s place on a prepaid trip. It’s a win-win: Charlie can try to make his ex jealous and Sloane can code and design in peace, distraction-free in paradise!

I loved watching Sloane and Charlie grow from strangers to friends to lovers, in a story that followed them on vacation and back home in their “real” lives. It was fun and funny, sweet and sexy, just an all-around delight to read!

Thank you to @netgalley , @harpercollins, and Neely Tubati-Alexander for a chance to read this fun and entertaining romance

📖 I received a gifted e-book copy in exchange for an honest review ✍🏻


Read dates: 02/02/2024- 02/05/2024
Goodreads review: 02/05/2024
Instagram review: 02/06/2024
Blog review: 03/19/2024

This is a sweet, fun read. A sort-of-friends-to-lovers romance with fake relationship/forced proximity vibes, it’s fun and entertaining with likeable characters and a slow-burning love story.

Sloane is a doomsday prepping gamer who is in the running for her dream job as a designer at a hugely successful video game company. With promises to her potential new bosses to remain single and without outside entanglements, she is sent away to design a new game within a week as part of the final part of her interview.

And then Charlie comes along. After an unexpected meet-cute, Charlie and Sloane learn that they are neighbours, and they’re about to get a whole lot closer when Charlie invites Sloane along on a tropical island holiday that he had booked for him and his ex-girlfriend. He wants to make her jealous, and asks Sloane to pose as his girlfriend for the week. Sloane figures she can use the week to design and build her game, plus she gets a holiday, so she agrees, and the two near-strangers/almost-friends head off for a week in a romantic resort.

This book is full of fun, chemistry-filled moments as Charlie and Sloane spend time together, laugh, play, and get to know each other. There are some really fun and sweet moments, and you can see behind the scenes that feelings are developing, and there’s a fantastic slow burn as they wrestle with their growing feelings for each other.

But Charlie is fresh off a break-up, and Sloane is still burned from her last relationship. Then there’s the general turmoil of her life at present, her interfering, demanding mother, and the stress of building her game, getting her dream job, and the terms of employment that she agreed to.

There’s a lot to overcome, and there is some drama to wade through before these two can get their HEA. I found it a bit frustrating, and wanted to give them both a push, but the romance does come - sweet, sexy and heartfelt - along with some character growth for both of them, and the story ends really nicely.

"I’d be inclined to say he changed me. But if I really look, I know that’s not true. He didn’t change me. He made me more deeply who I am and have been afraid to be."

This is a smart and fun read. A bit lighter on the romance than I usually prefer, but I enjoyed it.

3 stars.

An absolute delight of a book. I laughed out loud so many times, and found the dynamic between the heroine and hero utterly refreshing—no morally gray red-flag-waving men here, but rather a beautifully realistic portrayal of the kind of relationship we’d all be lucky to find in real life. I loved this, five stars ⭐️

I give this book 3.5 stars/5. I had to really suspend my disbelief that the female main character, Sloane, would put up with such blatant workplace (and personal) misogyny at the expense of breaking into her dream career, but I understand it was a plot point. It was nice that Sloane knew how talented she was, and Charlie consistently verbalized that. However, I just couldn't get over how hot and cold their relationship was, and it felt like given how much time they actually spent apart on this already short trip (alot), it didn't immerse me completely.

I was disappointed in the ending, as I felt like another character had a better HEA than the main characters. It took a bit of the wind out of the sails of the love story. I really liked the author's Taylor Swift references, and the dialogue was fresh and funny! Overall, I thought this was good, not great.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Perennial for the advanced EArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.