Giving the warning now about “she’s pining after the wrong guy” because I know a lot of people hate that, usually myself included.

And even though I did a bit with this, I still really loved how much of Marcela’s growth away from him happened on the page. We, the reader, can see the red flags with Ben from page one. Seeing Marcela see them because they don’t exist in Theo makes it even more rewarding.

What would have made this book even better would have been even more of a complete trouncing of Ben, which is really saying something.

This was cute! I will definitely read the second one! I liked all the characters (except for the one we’re clearly not supposed to like) and appreciated the difficult conversations that were had.

Honestly, I love a fake dating trope. These two are such a great couple from the jump, and I love that they get together as a way to stop the other from making a huge mistake.

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez has a swoonworthy romantic story that any romance/rom-com lovers will be delighted to read!

There’s just something about two broken souls about to give up on love coming together and getting their own HEA. Although it took them a while to realize (the plot pacing was a bit slow), Marcella and Theo were a perfect fit for each other and once the light bulb came on, so did the spice and swoon. A great debut from the author. 3.5 stars

When she wants the groom and he wants the bride- maybe the actually want each other? That saying of “to get over someone, you should get under someone else” felt very matched to The Next Best Fling in all the best ways. She’s in love with her best friend but his soon to be wife is actually a really nice person, the brother of the groom is in love with the bride and is always the one to blame for things going wrong.

The banter was living large in this one, giving very 90s/early 00s romcom movie goodness. The uphill battle of some FMC confidence growth was equally infuriating and redeeming- seriously, we CAN have plus size characters who are JUST CONFIDENT AND NOT SELF PITYING. Is her struggle accurate to reality? Sure, I do think a lot of readers will make that connection but there was times of eye rolling from me that it felt a little too played up on the timid and self conscious notes.

So what’s good? I mean, I devoured this in an afternoon and was swooning at grand gestures while laughing at the dynamics of Theo and Marcie and wanting to punch Ben right in the face. Seriously, he’s such an unlikable character and it made me want to have a good ol sit down with Marcie to tell her he just isn’t it. Dude does not pass the vibe check.

Overall, a fun and exciting debut from Gamez, will keep my eyeballs and ear holes on a listen for future releases. Three cheers and thanks to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for my ARC, you can grab your copy now from your favorite book sellers ❤️

Quick Summary: A "love square" romance

My Review: The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez is book #1 in the Librarians in Love series. It was released in 2024.

About the Book: "Two broken hearts decide that the best way to get over their first loves is with a no-strings-attached relationship..."

In My Own Words: Unlucky in love underdogs find comfort in each other.

My Final Say: This was such an interesting story. There were a number of threads to pull on. At the center of it all, there were two bruised hearts, each of whom longed for a love of their own. Both individuals had to learn how to trust themselves as well as the other person in the fake to real love relationship.

The detailed playlist and discussion questions that were provided were appreciated.

Rating: 3.25/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 👍💬🍬

Thanks to the author, to the publisher (Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever), and to NetGalley for providing access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. I am grateful for the opportunity.

Oh. My. Goodness. This book was an *absolute* delight! From the very first page, I was completely hooked—whisked away into a world of lovable characters, heart-melting romance, and way more emotional depth than I was prepared for.

Let’s start with Marcela—our fiercely passionate youth librarian heroine who is basically a walking ray of sunshine. Her love for books and getting kids excited about reading? *Adorable*. And then we have Theo, the ridiculously charming, honest-to-a-fault leading man who had me swooning in *record* time. Seriously, where do I find one of him in real life?

What really makes this book shine, though, is how it balances all the fluffy, feel-good romance with *real* emotional weight. Yes, there’s chemistry (so much chemistry), but this story also tackles insecurities, change, and the messy process of figuring yourself out. And don’t even get me *started* on the emotional rollercoaster that is Theo’s brother, Ben. His personal struggles add such a raw, relatable layer to the story—I was *fully* invested.

Marcela and Theo’s relationship isn’t just about stolen glances and swoony moments (though, trust me, *plenty* of those exist). It feels *real*. It’s built on mutual respect, understanding, and those little moments that make your heart squeeze. I was rooting for them so hard I may have *actually* cheered out loud.

Gabriella Gamez knocked it out of the park with this debut. I devoured it in one sitting, and now I need *more*—like, yesterday. If you love romance with charm, depth, and characters who feel like *real people*, do yourself a favor and grab this book ASAP. Trust me, you’ll be just as enchanted as I was!

We love a librarian main character! Well I know I do, since I am one.
This book was just so cute. I do think Marcella was blind to her "best friend's" toxicity. He was just controlling and she was blind and infatuated and couldn't see or didn't want to. It took his brother coming into the picture for her to realise that. But I do love the fake dating trope. I'm just a sucker for it and this one was well done. The way the characters care for each other from the very start... Ugh, I wish I could read it again for the first time.
Definitely recommend this easy, fun, flirty read for a good time!

I loved Gabriella's writing style! It was quick to adapt to and get addicted to. This was one romance I devoured, and helped me realize Football player romances are also a great spice option! I found the fat rep great, and showed that both genders can have body image concerns. I will also pick up a book that has an author, bookstore owner, or librarian - and Marcela was a cute librarian. I will definitely pick up Gamez' next book!

This was a really cute romance. I did find that at time it felt slow, but overall really enjoyed it!

This one was cute. I really liked this one despite all the negative reviews I saw.
The plot gave us enough drama without doing too much. I enjoyed the fake dating between two people in love with a couple.

Overall this was a good debut and I’m looking forward to more by this author.

this is the epitome of a fine romance. there were parts I loved & parts I didn't so much enjoy. in the end, I'm left feeling very little about it in any way. I think this was a fun twist on a love triangle and explored complex relationships, but the amount of unnecessary secrets, lies, and self-sabotaging was frustrating. I'm left in the middle not feeling strongly about the story in any way. I would try out something else from this author!

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez is a super cute fake-dating romcom! This is one of those books that is just so easy to sink into; I really enjoyed the pacing and the mix of character-driven and plot-driven storylines.

Marcela and Theo are both dealing with unrequited love situations, while also feeling insecure about themselves (in different ways) and unsure about the future. These two characters were so relatable with vulnerabilities and worries that will speak to many readers.

The romance was on the spicier side, mixed in with the sweetest scenes. Theo is the most thoughtful fake boyfriend! I love how he supports Marcela’s library career, even when he’s forced into an impromptu dramatic reading at book club.

The Next Best Fling has a lot of body positivity, which I’m always here for. All bodies are good bodies and I love seeing different body types represented in books. There’s also diverse representation in ethnicity and sexuality. Gamez hit it out of the park with her debut!

I recommend this if you’re looking for a fake-dating romance that will have you swooning and laughing! I just found out this is book 1 in a series and I can’t wait to read another book by Gamez!

It was such an honor to have been able to read this book as an ARC. If you have wanted to read this book but haven’t gotten around to it, start right now!

This was cute and I really enjoyed it!

I’m so excited to read Angela’s story!

Thank you to Forever for the eARC in exchange for a review.

Firstly, I loooooove a book about books or librarians, and ESPECIALLY a librarian and love. Fun, flirty, destined to fail fake dating does anything but (fail) by my estimation and is a simmering enjoyable read. Give me angst and growth and and feels yes please!

I loved Gabriella Gamez’s The Next Best Fling. The story was so much more than I expected. For starters, it takes place in San Antonio, Texas. I can’t express how much I love this. I wasn’t expecting the romance between Marcela and Theo to be spicy (yeah, I didn’t really read the blurb). I wasn’t expecting to love them so much. They each have a heart of gold and reading about their hopes and dreams pulled at my heartstrings.

Marcela Ortiz has been secretly in love with Ben Young since they met and became best friends in college, ten years ago. She’s always hoped that one day Ben would realize that he was in love with her too. Alice Cho grew up with Theo and Ben. Theo has pretty much always had a thing for Alice but never told anyone. When Ben and Alice started dating in college, Theo pulled back a little from being so close to his younger brother. Seeing the two of them together was too painful for him. Now that Ben and Alice are engaged Marcela and Theo’s heartbreak is palpable. When Marcela hears a drunken Theo practicing his speech to confess his feelings, she intervenes and has him stay at her apartment to sleep it off. The next day when they show up to brunch together everyone assumes they are in fact together. Theo and Marcela decide to just go with it, never expecting faking feelings for each other to lead to real feelings.

I’ve never heard of a love square, but The Next Best Fling has one. I know this is a contemporary, slow-burn, he falls first romance, but I swear I kept expecting someone to die. There were some crazy and toxic moments in this story.

Surprisingly, I loved that some of the story was predictable. While at the same time, some things surprised me. Marcela and Theo definitely had to work really hard for their relationship. Which to me made things truly special.

I’m looking forward to reading more from Gabriella.

~ FAVORITE QUOTES ~

“Don’t waste your energy on things you can’t change.”

“All I can promise is to always be honest with you.”

“Call me whatever you want. As long as I get to call you mine.”

This is a spicy and irresistible debut romance and is the perfect blend of charm, chemistry, and a little bit of chaos! The story introduces us to Marcela, a sweet librarian with a big heart who’s been quietly nursing her unrequited love for years. When her best friend and longtime crush gets engaged, Marcela knows it's time to move on, but fate seems to have other plans for her. Enter Theo Young, the older brother of the groom-to-be and a man with his own complicated feelings. When a drunken mishap leads to a fake relationship between Theo and Marcela, sparks fly in the most unexpected and delightful ways.

Their "no-strings-attached" arrangement quickly evolves into something much deeper, and what starts as a way to distract themselves from their first loves turns into a sizzling rebound neither of them saw coming. The push and pull of their growing attraction had me laughing, swooning, and rooting for these two to figure it all out. With clever banter, tender moments, and plenty of spicy scenes, this book was such fun to read. Marcela and Theo's journey of self-discovery and love amidst the chaos of family dynamics and secrets is simply enchanting. It's sweet, spicy, and everything a romance lover could ask for!

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez!