Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) & net galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For a debut novel, I thought this book was really good! it was a super cute, and a really quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. But can we all agree that Ben sucks!?! I don't understand what Marcela ever saw in Ben or how they were even friends in the first place?? Theo >>

I really wish Theo and Marcela got over their crushes a little bit sooner because it made it hard to believe their chemistry. When you are crushing on someone for A WHOLE ASS DECADE, I find it hard to believe that the person has truly moved on to someone else to be honest.. However, while I had some issues with this book, I think for a debut novel, it was still very well written and entertaining. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read!

The Next Best Fling: ★★★☆☆ (3)

Pub date: available now!!

Book love. Curvy girl rep. Family drama. Broken hearts. Definite happy ending. Swoon!

✨ Five-Star Book Review: THE NEXT BEST FLING by Gabriella Gamez ✨

📸 Book with concha pastries and/or empanadas

Book Synopsis: Marcela and Theo are both pining for someone else, but their respective someones just got engaged. To get over their unrequited feelings, they team up, first as a cover from others in the engagement party, then as maybe something more.

My Take: Oh, wow! This book has drama, heat, and some of the sweetest, most romantic scenes ever, especially for book lovers. These two get together for all the wrong reasons, but have quite the journey and such a great ending. Definitely recommend.

Read THE NEXT BEST FLING for
💘 Friends-to-lovers feelings and spice
🏈 Ex-NFL player muscle
📚 Youth librarian joy
💗 Curvy girl rep
🥰 Body hang ups —> positivity
🎁 Grand gestures
💅🏼 Latina pride
🎭 So much family drama. So much chisme!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)

😘 Thanks to @ReadForever and @NetGalley for the eARC and finished copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. What a treat! Happy publication day @GabbyWritesALot 🥳

📷 Photo here is featuring a pink Mexican concha and two pumpkin empanadas. I absolutely adore empanadas, but have only known them as savory until now. Loving this new addition to my empanada vocabulary.

I loved this book! I stayed up past my bed time finishing it. It was so messy and dramatic but also had sweet romantic moments as well. Definitely would recommend to romance lovers and will read future releases from this author!

Curvy Girl, book love, fake dating,
No strings attached relationship, with some added spice…sign me up, always!!

The title of the series is perfect for this one too, Librarians in Love! Initially reading this one I felt for Marcella finding out her love was In love and proposing to someone else… ooof. But have no fear, there are other plans in store for her and I was here for it all! This was such a good romance novel, and I recommend this debut novel!

Thank you Forever Books for this swoony, great inclusive rep, romcom! I was all in for how this romance developed and really appreciated the thoughtful depth that Gamez wove into the story... She takes standard tropes, which we love (I can't say no to fake dating!) and uses her talents to also include themes on self growth, fat phobia/body inclusion, and bad/toxic relationships. Romcom books work best for me when there is more to the story than just the meet cute/tropes and instead a focus on how each character is person before and after the relationship, how a good relationship (even with missteps) works because it is based on respect and care, and also gives some strong development to other characters/good backstories. Gamez does this well and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I am also here for the movement in romcom books to male main characters who are really freeing themselves or are free from standard ways we define "male". GenX here to say it's nice to read books that have healthy emotional depth and sharing .

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

If that’s ⬆️ not enough to get you to read The Next Best Fling here’s some more 😉. Marcela has been in love with her best friend Ben for the last 10 years, however he just got engaged. Luckily for her, Theo (Ben’s brother) is also harboring unrequited love. He’s the perfect partner for a distraction and no strings fling!

These two were fantastic! How they end up in their no strings/rebound situationship felt very romcom and we loved it. Marcela is an FMC we can relate to and cheer for even if she frustrated us at times.

Theo is a grade A+ book boyfriend. He was so swoony and charming and knew how to communicate! Praise the lord! But how he makes Marcela not only feel special but love her body was sooo good! And his grand gesture!! Can we keep him?

It was a great to see the growth they go through not only individually but together. They supported each other and made the other better. It was so easy to love them and root for their happily ever after.

This is book is spicy, fun and romantic, not afraid to tackle some heavier topics (ie toxic relationships + fatphobia). Basically everything you’d want from a romcom! It is also a love letter to libraries and books which we loved. We can’t wait to read more from Gabriella and the Librarians in Love series!

Read if you like:
▪️Fake dating to rebounds to lovers
▪️Librarian heroine & ex-NFL player hero
▪️Best Friend’s Brother
▪️He falls first
▪️Plus size & Latine rep
▪️Flirty banter
▪️Plenty of spice

Thank you Net galley for this arc!

I ate this book up! When I say this book is messy it super messy!!! Marcella is a librarian who is in love with her best friend Ben the day she decides to tell him about her feelings he announces he is proposing to his girlfriend Alice. Just when her life can get any worse she over hears Theo Ben’s older brother drunk and talking to himself about telling Alice how he truly feels. Marcella stops him before he can sabotage the wedding and she and Theo find themselves in a fake dating situation. Knowing eachother situation Theo and Marcella decide to use each other as a rebound

Theo really is so sweet, open, kind and thoughtful. Marcella doesn’t have to tell him anything he’s so observant. yes even though he’s in love with Alice he treats Marcella to be honest I prefer him over Ben any day! With Ben everything is about competition with his brother he painted Theo like a bad guy but he really isn’t.

Marcella is such a sweetheart and I love that she is a librarian and has a book club for the teens her library! I’m so glad she came into her own and started standing her ground. Especially when she told Ben about himself towards his end

The Next Best fling is the summer romance to read this summer! I will most definitely be reading the authors next book.

I love the FMC really much. I love how much she loves books, her sense of humour, her loyalty with her friends. She was amazing and so fun to read.

I had a hard time reading about her one way love with her best friend. He's so full of red flags and I didn't love reading about how much he manipulated her.

I'm not a big fan of love triangle and this one is full of it.

But if you love this trope, you'll be serve. It's more like a square of love 😂.

Okay this was such a cute summer read! Theo is such a sweetie and I was happy to see this couple get their HEA! Great read for someone looking for a cozy and sweet love story.

PS: I hope Ben gets hit by a (fictional) bus🥹🫶🏾

This was a cute story if you enjoy fake dating. I really liked Theo and Marcela together as they truly brought out the best in each other and complemented each other nicely.

Unfortunately though I picked this book hoping for more Latinx culture and Spanish language and I was disappointed.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

When Marcela stops Theo from confessing his feelings for his brother’s soon-to-be wife, she doesn’t think the situation could get any more complicated.

The Next Best Fling is the first book in the Librarians in Love series and it can be read as a stand-alone. This spicy, contemporary romance contains open-door content.

The angst! The pining! In spite of the fact that both of the MCs are in love with other people at the start of the book, they have all the chemistry together. They balance each other well, especially once they start sorting out their own baggage. The plot was a lot more emotional than I was expecting.

The Next Best Fling is author Gabriella Gamez’s debut novel. I’m excited to see where she takes the rest of this series and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars, rounded up

The writing and premise are done very well! I really enjoyed the plus size representation and the very real back and forth plus size individuals feel (me, included).

The characters were well done too, but some of the conflicts just didn't resonate well with me personally. I was frustrated by Marcela's and Theo's communication standards. They didn't seem mature enough to be in this relationship. Ben was actually really well done, as much as I couldn't stand him! Angela was the true MVP. This is a real book friendship. She supported Marcela but also didn't put up with her nonsense (and there was some nonsense).

Overall, would have loved some more definitive character growth. The pacing also fell off for me about halfway through, but pacing is one of my big review factors.

I really enjoyed this debut romance. Gabriella Gamez created some beautifully flawed characters and a couple you want to root for. (As well as someone to hate, haha). I'm a sucker for books about books, so I loved the librarian aspect and book talk. The author's writing style was so easy to jump into, I was hooked from the start. Looking forward to reading more from her in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC.

Everyone pull out your party horns and shout a big congratulations to Gabriella Gamez for her debut release of “The Next Best Fling”!

Read if you 🩷:
* 📚 Librarians Finding Their IRL Romance
* 🤫 Fake Dating
* 💘 Love SQUARES!
* 🎀 Cosplaying As Your Favorite Protagonists

Marcela Ortiz has long been in love with her best friend, but his engagement forces her to move on. When she discovers that his brother, Theo Young, plans to confess his feelings to the bride-to-be, Marcela stops him, leading to a fake relationship that quickly turns real. As Marcela and Theo navigate their unexpected attraction, they face complicated emotions and family dynamics that challenge their budding romance.

Now, I may be biased because she’s a local author, but I had such a great time reading this one! For those who have spent time in San Antonio, it’s clear how “The Next Best Thing” includes a love note to the city. With multiple Whataburger visits, an evening at the River Walk, and date night outfits from La Cantera, any reader will feel transported to Texas (even if they can’t snag one of Marcela’s breakfast tacos with H-E-B tortillas).

Don’t fret if you’re not one to understand local references, as there‘s so much more of this book to enjoy! The chemistry between Marcela and Theo is hard to ignore, though their ending is a bit of tease. There were so many times I thought we had gotten to a conclusion, but the characters would take three steps back from their happily ever after! I will admit unscrambling the pieces of this love square will keep you plenty occupied if you love an unpredictable ending. I’m not one to miss plot twists in Romance novels, but there were a few moments that had even me surprised!

This was also the first Romance in some time that nailed their Plus-Size Representation. Most novels I pick up just mention the MC’s “curvy figure” once or twice, but Gamez is not one to shove this aspect of Marcela’s life aside. As someone who is not viewed in society as overweight, I highly respected this decision.

If you’re looking for a fake dating romance that keeps you on your toes, be sure to pick up “The Next Best Fling” by Gabriella Gamez today!

Thank you to Forever Romance for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I almost didn’t read/request this because of the premise/tropes but I did after all the great reviews. Unfortunately, I should’ve listened to my gut because this just wasn’t for me. I severely struggled with the drama, messiness & lack of communication. I think the author is talented. This just isn’t a premise that I enjoy reading personally. I would definitely try another of the author’s work though!

Thanks to NetGalley & Forever Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

2.5 stars

Because of my lower rating, I will not be sharing this anywhere else

This was such a fun, sweet (and spicy) debut novel! I had a great time reading it and loved how much depth was added in to a fake dating rom com. I loved the set up with them both being in love with the bride and groom and wanting to get over the other person and enjoyed the side characters and dynamics we got with friends and family.

The characters in this were enjoyable. Theo was perfection. So sweet and open with his feelings. He was great at communicating everything to Marcela and was such a supportive MMC. I really liked Marcela’s character too (yay librarians!) and found her character arc to be enjoyable, especially when she started realizing her worth. She had some abandonment issues from the past which made her a little closed off, and had her not communicating as well, so I did get a little annoyed with this. I don’t enjoy lack of communication/miscommunication, so this did make me struggle a little bit with her character, especially in the third act, but overall I enjoyed her as the FMC as well. The two did have great chemistry, so it did make up for a lot of the miscomm. Ben was such a punk and I hated him. It was hard at times to understand why she was friends with him for so long and let him control her like that, but I guess love makes us do weird things.

The plot overall was a lot of fun, but did get a little on the slow side nearer to the end. The third act breakup was predictable with their lack of communication, so again not my favorite trope but something that others can enjoy more than I do! There were also lots of grand gestures, so depending on how you feel about those, they are in here too!

If you’re looking a quick fake dating with extra drama, lots of sizzling chemistry, and a side character you want to punch in the face, definitely check this one out!

R E A D I F Y O U L I K E
📚 Librarian FMC
🏈 (Ex)-Professional Athlete MMC
📚 Fake Dating
🏈 Best Friend (and secret crush’s) Brother
📚 Latine Heroine
🏈 Allll the Pining and Tension

3.75/5 Stars

What a fun and messy book! I downloaded this on a whim on NetGalley a few months back because I thought the cover was so cute. This story reminded me of Funny Story because of the dynamic between the characters, but it was also different it its own way.

I actually really enjoyed this book, despite the messiness of the situations. If nothing else, it was super entertaining. But even more than that, I loved Theo, our male main character. He was such a sweet, lovely, cinnamon roll hero who really stole my heart.

My one qualm with the book that stopped me from awarding it a 5 star was our female main character, Marcella. And this was a 5 star until around the halfway point when Marcella began to leave a sour taste in my mouth. In the end, I didn't care for her at all. I didn't like her attitude or the way she treated Theo while he was working so hard to win her affection.

I did really enjoy the writing, so I will continue with this author's books!

I received this as an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Next Best Fling follows Marcela and Theo, who are in love with people they cannot be with–Marcela has harboured a crush on her best friend Ben for a decade, but he’s getting married to Alice, who Theo has pined for since childhood. Mess! On the night of the engagement party, Theo gets drunk and plans to make a scene until Marcela stops him and lets him stay with her for the night, which causes the wedding party to think they hooked up. They agree to be casual rebounds, but feelings inevitably develop and they must deal with how to get over their old crushes and respective insecurities. Through their relationship, the book explores abandonment and always coming second best, body image, and the struggle to feel desired.

Overall, this was a delightful read, with big emotions, a bit of spice, and juicy twists and turns. Marcela and Theo had good chemistry, and their relationship from strangers to friends to lovers developed at a good pace. I liked how they mirrored one another–they were the only ones who could truly understand what the other was going through, which I thought was done interestingly and with tons of angst. However, the drama became a bit excessive and suffocating, extending almost to the end of the novel as secrets were revealed and the leads navigated complicated and muddy emotions. While Marcela’s insecurities and fears–mainly forever coming second to Alice–stemmed from a believable and understandable place, they were overly repeated to the point where bringing them up became nonsensical after certain plot developments. At one point, I thought that maybe it would be best if they did not end up together! 😂

That being said, it was good–a breezy summer read, perfect for anyone who loves drama.

3.25⭐️

Bring on the love squares!! Forget about love triangles, love squares are the new thing.

Marcela is a YA librarian who's been in love with her best friend for years. The problem is Ben is recently engaged to her former friend, Alice. At the engagement party, Marcela is reunited with Ben's older brother, Theo. The prior encounters with Theo were less than stellar and this time Theo is ready to make one heck of an announcement. Before he can do it, Marcela rushes a drunk Theo from the party, but this causes more drama as everyone now things Theo and Marcela slept together. Oh the drama!!

I really enjoyed Gamez's debut novel. It had a good amount of spice and pining. I really loved all of the characters except Ben, who's definitely the most problematic character. I did thing the novel was a tad too long, but this could be my personal preference. Regardless I loved the friendship turned relationship that Theo and Marcela share. You can tell immediately how smitten Theo is with Marcela. I look forward to seeing what Gamez has in store with her next book publishing in 2025. I could see her easily becoming an auto-buy author for me.

Thank you to Forever Pub and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

This is a fun and very steamy romance about a curvy latinx woman who starts fake dating her best friend’s brother because she’s in love with her best friend, and the best friend’s brother is in love with his brother’s fiancée. If that sounds a little convoluted it’s because it is but in the best way (messy!). I was immediately rooting for Theo and Marcela and kept rooting for them through all the ups and downs of this book. It was also wonderful to see a super hot NFL player worship a curvy woman.