This is an open door romance with the fake dating and love triangle tropes (or a square?). Normally, I'm not really a fan of love triangles especially when it involves siblings but it didnt bother me here. I just thought Maricela and Theo were so adorable.

I'm definitely going to be looking out for more books in this series in the future!

4.5/5**

I loved this sooo much!!

I honestly didn’t know what to expect going in since I’ve read friends with benefits before but something about this book clicked with me and i enjoyed the banter of the characters and each of their backstories and how each of the characters have their own struggles and learning how to work through them.

Can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

*thank you to netgalley and the publishers for a e copy of this book**

Super cute romance, loved the spice. I think any book with a main character who loves books as much as me is a win in my books from the beginning.

*spoilers from here on*
I really enjoyed seeing Ben’s true side, but the whole breakup and Alice moving on part was so rushed and didn’t do much for me. Marcela also was a bit much when Theo was literally laying it all out about loving her and she still ran. A lil too indecisive for my liking.

Overall this was just okay for me. Even from the synopsis you can tell that it will be a messy story. I think the way things ultimately panned out just had me unable to believe that this couple would be able to make it work long term. I did love that the main character was a youth services librarian and all the little glimpses into that. If there is a future book with Angela as the main character I will 100% read that!

I might recommend this to some, but unfortunately I think there are plenty of better options out there.

REVIEW✨
The Next Best Fling
By Gabriella Gamez
••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• •••

I loved this book so much! It was super easy and a fast read, the writing was flawless and flowed effortlessly. It’s a story will lots of rich emotion, angsty, spice, personal growth, and about falling in love with patience and support. I really liked the meet cute for Marcella and Theo, using each other to get over their feelings for a couple that is getting married to each other. There is so much drama, which I loved so much! I personally think that Theo is a cinnamon roll male lead that totally melts your heart. I did find that some of the drama with Ben was a little unrealistic. But you’re rooting for Marcella and Theo anyway, so who cares. I loved the representation of plus sized female lead, it’s rare to see so I loved reading it. I highly suggest this book to anyone looking for a great romance novel.

Included in this book…
🌸 Long Time Crush’s Brother
🌸 Plus Sized Latina FMC
🌸 MMC is a retired NFL player
🌸 So Much Pining
🌸 Grand Gestures

Romance: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Plot points: 💥💥💥💥
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

As we all know I have been pining for this book since I heard about the series. And then I met the author at TLA and I knew it was going to be everything I wanted and more. And let me just tell you, I called it.

Ok so the first thing about this that sticks out to me is obviously the librarian, so I’ll start with the main characters. So Marcela is a librarian that has been in love with her best friend for over a decade. And he’s just announced that he’s getting married to their other mutual friend. And yes, it’s just as messy as it sounds lol It was so much going on in this book lol First off I was mad at her. Because 10 years?! GIRL. Why? She should have BEEN let that man go. But she is a librarian and I loved that about her, because obviously. She even was a YA librarian who read YA and I loved that. I loved even more so that she was talking about books in the book. If you know me, you know I’m a sucker for books about books so this was awesome.

As for Theo, he was also messy. He was the brother of Marcela’s crush/best friend but also the crush/best friend’s fiancée’s ex. Yes they made this really weird love square and even though I find triangles ridiculous, I was weirded out because I enjoyed this lol But other than that, I thought Theo was a bit clueless. I didn’t love him because when you’re in a situation like this, there’s no room for the person you actually do love to feel like you love them. Does that make sense? He should have been fucking crawling to her by the end of this book but he wasn’t and I didn’t like that. And I know you might say she didn’t want him to, but SHE DIDN’T WANT HIM TO BECAUSE HE WASN’T ACTUALLY ACTING LIKE HE WAS OVER THAT OTHER GIRL.

Ok so the plot tho was weird. It was fake dating, and they had the embarrassing thing that makes people start fake dating, but after that it was just a bunch of mess. I still can’t say for sure when they decided they were starting to like each other for real. It just felt like nothing was happening besides the trope. BUT the dates and their interactions were so cute! I really liked the one date they went on, but I won’t say because spoilers. But if you read this, you’ll know what I mean lol

This was cute! Definitely a solid debut. I will most definitely be on the lookout for the next book in this series. And yes as an Eagles fan, I read this a while ago and I’m STILL mad that out of two different football teams in this state, she chose THOSE EFFING GUYS. I hope we get to ignore them in the next book smh lol But I’ll be there to see it!

The literary call backs and Ben's swoony gestures made The Next Best Fling a "hit" for me!

Marcela has been in love with her best friend, Theo, for years now. Hearing that he's getting engaged and married fast to his sweetheart, she knows she needs to close that page of her heart. Tasked with picking up Theo's brother and spending time with him, she hears that he, Ben, is in love with Theo's fiance and wants to tell her. The solution? Pretend they are actually THE couple and "fake date." But when fake dating turns to actual feelings that Marcela didn't sign up for me, will she run away from the next best fling to occur in her life?

The Next Best Fling is an easy to read debut novel where immediately I could sense the attraction between Marcela and Ben. While I enjoyed the author's pacing and characters she put on the page, I hated Theo and his decisions in the later half of my read. This part seemed to be breezed over and added in to create another conflict for Marcela when she was already struggling with her heart. Something felt off for me there however; I adored the swoony gestures and overall man that was BEN. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and ADORE the librarian plus size representation.

Every scene has drinking: drinking in the present, drinking in a flashback, other people drinking, passing out from drinking. It's ALL that happened! And it wasn't a casual or occasional drink - every scene was way past drunk.

Blackout drunk on a Monday night right after work was the end for me. It didn't even add anything to the story! The only way this book could be turned around is by an intervention.

eARC provided via NetGalley for review.

This was a lot of fun. I liked seeing them fall in love and realize that they can be a good partner to someone. It was nice to see them open up to each other and be the most open that they've ever been. I'm looking forward to whatever this other writes next.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Thank you so much to Forever for a copy of this book!

When this book was announced, I knew that this had to be in my hands. As a plus size woman, I love being able to see a part of myself and others depicted on the cover. And also there won't be any guessing as to what the FMC looks like.

This book is hard for me to rate & review because there were a lot of aspects that I love about the book. I had no issues with Gamez's writing or with the pacing of the book it was more the inter mix of the relationships between the characters. I would have loved for Theo to be Ben's best friend or cousin who was hung up on some random girl as oppose to his fiancée and then they could have been a different conflict that came between them.

Despite the above, I love the relationship between Marcela and Theo. Their romantic relationship did not happen overnight (okay well maybe in a way it did) but they were linked together through the entanglement of having a crush on someone who was with someone else. I had to chuckle at them thinking that being with each other would help get over their crush which is equivalent to "let's get it out of our system." I was yelling at my book when it just seemed like they both (more so Marcela since we were in her head) was having a hard time severing her crush with Ben when Theo was right there. Theo had seemed to move on from Alice a lot sooner than Marcela did. And once again as the audience I was just screaming at the Marcela to open her eyes. Theo was super swoony especially in the 2nd half of the book - whewww!

Marcela did have share her insecurities which I thought was very honest in a way that I think most woman who are in a bigger body could relate to. I am glad that Theo made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman. There was a moment where she was going to have to bare all and he could sense her hesitation and he just came across so genuine telling her "I wouldn't be here if I didn't find you unbelievably sexy."

One thing that the author did that I felt was so smart and different compared to other authors who include playlists at the end is that she explained how that song correlated with the characters and at which parts. Often times I wonder when I look at playlists why the author chooses certain songs so this was perfect!

I paired my reading with the audiobook and I really liked the narration done by Ruby Corazon. It made the listening experience easy and I felt that she sounded like Marcela. If you are a romance audiobook listener, this was easy to follow along.

I need to look to see if Gamez has left any clues or announced who the next book in the series is going to focus on. I am really hoping we see a story with Angela as she was such a great side character and also her being asexual would be great representation in the romance genre.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early digital copy of this book. One of the things that first got my attention about this book is that the main character works at a library. When I saw that I was like, "Sign me up!" This book was even better than I thought it was going to be, and I had high hopes going in, as I had seen a lot of positive reviews for this one. It kind of reminded me of My Best Friend's Wedding with a twist, and I really enjoyed reading this one. There were plenty of moments when I found myself smiling ear to ear. If you are looking for a fun, flirty book that is entertaining and give you all the feels, look no further than The Next Best Fling!

I feel a bit conflicted about this one but there is overall, absolutely a lot to love!

Lets talk about the things I enjoyed: the plus-size rep, the librarian & general book love moments, the grand gestures, the themes of finding and trusting yourself as well as discovering what you deserve. I enjoyed the writing style and the spicy moments, as well as how naturally everything flowed together between these spicy moments and the heartfelt connection between Theo and Marcela.

I think what is really taking away from this story for me is very much a personal preference, and that is that the themes surrounding The0 & Marcela being stuck on their respective "best friends" went on for... too long. I had a hard time sinking into the romance between them because the presence of their feelings (or at the very least, confusion) about Ben & Alice felt like an elephant in the room in almost every single scene. I have no problem with this having been the premise, I just wish I had felt it falling away by the halfway mark in a big way, and even less present come the end. I don't consider myself to be someone who struggled with trust, but I found myself completely agreeing with Marcela's distrust in Theo's feelings for her sticking around even when he is in proximity to Alice, just because of how involved those feelings still were in the plot.

Ultimately, I'll still be keeping an eye on this author because I really liked so very much of the other aspects of this story. I just think the "in love with my best friend" bit took up too much space. Thank you to Forever & NetGalley for this eArc!

This one is so messy, but it was a super cute and engaging read! I absolutely related to Marcela and Angela with their vibrant personalities and deep friendship, and the chemistry between Marcela and Theo was off the charts. However, I have to say, Ben definitely needs therapy—he's a terrible person and added so much unnecessary drama. I loved that the story took place in San Antonio, Texas, and featured a Mexican American plus-size girly, which brought a refreshing and much-needed representation to the romance genre. Overall, a delightful 4-star read that kept me hooked from start to finish!

I loved it! First of all, I will always read a librarian romance(: And with an ex professional athlete? Yes, thank you. Marcela and Theo are just soooo good together and good for each other. I loved everything about their relationship except the guy who is the reason for their fling but I guess he's necessary. As I'm writing this I'm just thinking of a grand gesture moment and honestly, it was so good, all the book girlies are gonna love it! Theo is a cinnamon roll branded as a commitment phobic playboy and Marcela is a sweet, loyal friend with abandonment issues, who definitely does not do flings. What starts as a cover for Theo's feelings for the bride-to-be becomes a fling and then of course something more and the angst and tension throughout is fantastic. The book is light, fun and funny, a very easy read but also handles some serious issues really well, like insecurities, body shaming, family relationships, emotional cheating, etc. It's a cozy, comfort read but with plenty of depth and emotion. I recommend this to all romance readers, especially if you like romantic gestures, emotional growth, rebounds that turn into more, spiceeee, and tall hot athletes who will do anything to make their girl happy💗

fake dating
best friend's brother
librarian x ex-NFL player
plus size Latina fmc
he falls first
they make each other better💗
spice

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez is out now so go check it out!!

Thank you Forever for the digital ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 STARS!

I adored every single freakin' thing about "The Next Best Fling" by Gabriella Gamez. Fake dating! Plus size characters! Rebounds! Pining! Trauma! Connection! Spice! Angst! Messiness! Banter! Libraries! Mature conversations! Football! This book has everything I love all wrapped up in one delicious, scintillating, swoon-worthy package. Marcela and Theo are terrific characters with incredible chemistry. They feel realistic and lived-in, written in such a way that they feel like friends rather than fictional characters. I liked how their relationship developed slowly over time, and how they slowly (and quickly!) caught feelings for one another. I think this book strikes the right chord between being lighthearted and deep, tackling subjects and topics that won't please everyone (because some people are way too picky about their romance novels!), but certainly satisfied me. It takes a lot to surprise me, but a few things about this book made me drop my jaw. Protagonists actually *talking* about their problems?! Who could have thought!! I could not put this book down and finished it very quickly. An addicting debut novel from Gabriella Gamez! Cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gabriella Gamez, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

What a treat!

I'll be honest, when I first started reading The Next Best Fling, I thought this would be a three star read at best. But the further I read, the more I fell in love with Marcela and Theo. Their relationship development was so well done, and I love how understanding Theo was, even when Marcela thought she was screwing up. I haven't felt this emotionally connected to two characters in so long, I miss them already!

The Next Best Fling became an instant favorite, and if you like fake dating, friends with benefits, family drama, and the most delightful representation.... it'll be a favorite for you too!

Librarian Marcela is devastated when her friend Ben, who she’s been crushing on for years, tells her he’s getting engaged to his girlfriend Alice. She forces herself to go to their engagement party and spots Ben’s football player brother Theo. Theo’s been in love with Alice since they were in high school, and is determined to reveal his feelings at the party. But Marcela manages to talk drunk Theo down, and whisks him away to her apartment. When they show up to brunch together the next day, everyone assumes they hooked up. Then they kiss to keep up the pretense and—uh oh—it’s amazing. So Marcela and Theo decide to continue the farce and maybe help each other get over their unrequited love. But what happens when their plan works, and their feelings are a lot more than just a rebound?

I enjoyed this story a lot. I think the setup of “she has to stop him from breaking up his brother’s engagement and fake dating is the solution” is a fun one. Theo is a sweetheart who gets a bad rap from his family, especially Ben. Marcela is a realistic character, and her supportive friendship with her bestie Angela is fantastic. I also love the Latinx and curvy rep. And who doesn’t love a YA librarian?

I adore this premise, but I got frustrated with Marcela at times. Logically I know it’s all part of her character arc, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to clear up a variety of miscommunications much earlier on in the story. And, since Theo has plenty of issues of his own to work through, I would have liked to see his POV too.

The Next Best Thing is a creative premise and an ode to librarians everywhere. If you are a fan of complex family dynamics and, of course, fake dating, you’ll enjoy Gabriella Gamez’s steamy debut romance.

This rebound romance gets mighty messy when it becomes a "love square." I found the main character of this one very relatable, with her self-doubts and love of books, and her "fling" was everything you'd want in a partner. This is a fun romance that will take you away from the daily trudges of life.

This book was very cute, with both steamy moments and other moments filled with drama. Thank you Forever for an ARC of this book.

This book was really cute and an easy read! I adored the main characters and thought their dynamic was fun. I was very happy to see the inclusion of a curvy, plus sized FMC and an MMc that thought she was perfect. I especially loved that she was a librarian and all the bookish elements that involved - a date in a library? eeek!

The actual plot left a little to be desired, it felt overly dramatic and messy and not sure it needed to be. Marcela has been in love with her best friend Ben since they tried dating 9 years ago in college but he’s getting engaged and she wants to be supportive. When his brother comes to town and it comes to light that he’s in love with Ben’s fiancé Alice, the two broken hearted parties agree to be each others rebounds in order to not break up the happy couple. What starts as a rouse turns into more and soon there’s lots of conflicting feelings.

Overall, I liked the resolution and glad Alice got what she needed in the end and that Marcela and Theo got their happy ever after.

Vibes:
They’re each others rebounds
FWB
Fake dating
Best friends brother
Ex NFL player
Librarian
Family drama