This book was messy AF and I LOVED it. I’m not usually a fan of love triangles/squared and heavy angst, but this book just worked for me. There was just the right amount of angst for me. I really liked the writing style, it flowed really nicely and I flew through the book! I loved all the characters (except Ben, he can go right in the garbage). I really liked the relationship between Marcela and Theo, and how their relationship evolved from a rebound fling to something deeper. Also, Theo is peak book boyfriend material. We stan a supportive cinnamon roll hero. All in all, I really enjoyed this book. The only real complaint is that we only got Marcela’s point of view, I personally prefer dual P.O.V when reading romance. I will definitely pick up whatever the author writes in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing the ARC.

This book was sweet and also a tad painful, but in a really good way.

Marcela has been in love with her ex-boyfriend turned best friend for over 10 years, hoping for the day when he would realize that he wanted to be with her instead of his longtime girlfriend. When Ben ends up engaged, she finds herself in a very compromising position with Ben's older brother, Theo, who has a destructive secret of his own. In an effort to help each other move past their respective feelings, they end up in a not-real-at-first fling that might actually be the best thing that ever happened to both of them.

The tension in this book is immaculate. Everything about this story is wrapped up in this blanket of who the reader is able to trust, which version of the story is the truth. You have Marcela, who has been hurt for years over her father's abandonment and has been in a somewhat twisted co-dependent relationship with Ben. You have Theo, who has has harbored feelings for Ben's fiancée for most of his life and a not so great relationship with his brother. They come together and realize that there's chemistry and honesty, because neither one expects anything from the other. And if it helps them get over their feelings, then that's just a cherry on the cake.

But it's messy. It's complicated. Despite their honesty with each other, there are still many secrets kept close to the chest. Feelings still get hurt even when it's unintentional. Relationships end just as new ones are beginning. Everything comes to a head and true motivations are revealed. And all of it feels so real. This is not a clear-cut romantic comedy, where everyone gets a happy resolution. Even the main characters lose something in favor of gaining something else. The emotional nature of this book hits you hard, and you're not sure who it is you want to root for until the very end.

Excellent read, especially if you're into something that has a bit more emotional depth than your average rom-com.

I just… wow! I can’t believe it’s done, I feel like I want to go back and read it all again!

The Next Best Fling was sweet and is one of those books that makes you feel just a little bit different when you’re done. I could have read 10 epilogues.! I just want to keep seeing Theo and Marcela happy.

Both characters had a lot to work through before they got to that HEA. Abandonment issues, family resentment and unrequited love were all challenges for Theo and Marcela to overcome. I really appreciated that Gabriella Gamez didn’t make it easy for these two to come together and that the progression of their relationship felt natural. Bent but not broken is how I would describe them!

Theo was the best golden retriever MC and must be protected! He was thoughtful, honest, kind and didn’t hide his feelings from Marcela - if they were good or bad.

Marcela had a lot of history to work through and was a great example of how you have to keep putting the work in even when you think you’re ok. She was a fantastic FMC! The plus size perspective and representation was handled with care and I thought was very realistic. You can be confident and still have insecurities, but Marcela also didn’t dwell or fixate on the insecurities.

I’ll be recommending this to any romance reader and can’t wait to check out Gabriella’s next release!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central) Publishing, and Gabriella Gamez for an early copy. These are my honest thoughts.

We all know how this story goes, but it doesn’t take any enjoyment away from reading the journey! The premise of this one is interesting— the two embark on a rebound fling because they are each in love with a half of a soon-to-be married couple.
Marcela has been in love with Ben for years after they dated, and he has kept her close. All this time, he has been dating Alice, who used to be close with Marcela. She keeps hoping that one day the two will end.
Theo is Ben’s brother and former NFL player, and in love with Alice. Has been since they were kids.
So this marriage hurts for both Theo and Marcela. But while the two embark on a fling, they find that what they have with each other is…a lot better.
I wouldn’t necessarily call it miscommunication, as the two did talk out their feelings quite a bit and Theo was actually more forthcoming about things than I expected. But Marcela has some insecurities about her weight and looks and also that he might try to go for Alice if she ever became available. Which fair enough. As a curvy Latina myself, and lover of books, I really related to this main character and it was wonderful to see her find a love that was perfect for her. Being strung along, especially for a decade, hurts and I completely understand where she was coming from. But honestly… Theo was the better catch anyway ;)

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the e-galley!

This was cute! It wasn't crazy groundbreaking for me, so I wouldn't say it was fantastic but it was a solid, classic romance book. Characters were good, plot was fun. I wish there had been more librarian elements in it, which might just be me, but I find it so interesting. I would've liked to see more of that.

wow umm I am conflicted with the main character Marcela in the beginning she was not very likable the way she spoke about body images and ect did trigger me and then her catching feelings for a male character that is in a relationship is sort of ew. But after reading more and more I did fall in love with her character at first our girl Marcela was struggling finding solutions to certain things no spoilers but again (conflicted) then again putting yourself out there is not an easy solution to give to a mc. But again the character growth was spectacular.

now this is AN AMAZING DEBUT and the cover has been all over my socials and i am happy to say the BANTER, the smut was good, the crazy work environment while crazy and ALL over the place it is in some ways realistic, and lastly the ended was good to was it 100% how i wanted it to pan out for some characters no but i am happy with it. lastly i liked that the women involved were not too argumentative (regardless of the situation and at play)

overall good debut

Marcela has been quietly hoping for a second chance with Ben, even though he’s been with someone else for years.
Similarly, Theo has been secretly pining for Alice - his brother’s now fiancé - for even longer.
Ben and Alice have eyes only for each other - good thing for them, since they’re about to be married.

Less good for the broken hearted Marcela and Theo, but after stopping him from making a drunken declaration at the couple’s engagement party, she gains some clarity of her own.

When the general assumption is that Theo and Marcela hooked up, they decide it’s better to go with that than risk people realizing the truth of their feelings about Ben and Alice.
Leading to an old favorite trope - fake dating!

I like a book that grabs my attention from the start, and this one did! The fake dating being less entirely fake and more of a hot fling is nice too. It made me cheer harder for the relationship to turn real, even if there were rocky patches.
Overall I was interested in all the characters, which is great when the side characters are so important to the story. I can’t say I *loved* all of them because there was toxicity with Ben that gave me the ick (and frustrated me that he wasn’t called out for it each time) but they were all compelling in their own ways.
I did side eye Marcela for being a librarian who takes home bags of books without checking them out first (why??!!) And maybe I wish we had some of Theo’s POV? I was desperate to see inside his head at times.
The way things wrap up though? So satisfying! Loved it

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC!

Okay omg this book..

It's hard for me to rate this because some of it was heavy on the internalized fatphobia and clear projection of her insecurities. I'm fat. I live it. I don't want to spend 300 pages inside the head of someone that's constantly worried about whether or not people will care about her weight.

On the other hand, soooo many romance books with fat leads written by fat authors read as like fan-fiction the author wrote about themselves (if that makes sense), AND THIS WAS NOT THAT!!!!! One example in particular that I can think of off the top of my head is Amy Award's The Cock Around the Block. It just sounded like she was fantasizing about what she wishes men would say to her to the point that it felt like the MMC was fetishizing the FMC's fatness. That sounds so mean, but it's just how I felt while reading it.

The Next Best Fling, though, felt much more realistic in terms of how a partner will look at one another in a HEALTHY relationship. Plus I just love me a big, sexy football player. I do wish we got to see more of him at his new job as a coach at the school, but the author would've had to put his POV in the book to make it happen, I think.

If you can’t have the one you loved, fake date someone else. From the start Marcela and Theo seem doomed together, after all they’re both in love with one half of an engaged couple, but Gabriella flawlessly makes you fall in love not only with these characters separately, but also together in their fake relationship. I loved watching these characters develop throughout the story, but also found Marcela irritable towards the end of the book. Seeing a character with trust issues essentially self-sabotage herself made me relate with her to an extent but also made me just want to shake some sense into her. After reading this book I know one thing for certain: everyone needs an Angela in their life. Angela is the best friend who is your fiercest protector, but is also not afraid to put you in your place and I loved seeing that in a character. I cannot wait for Gabriella’s next book to come out.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fake relationship between two people who are in love with other people who happen to be engaged sounded interesting, but this ended up being messier than I even thought it would be from that summary. I never felt any chemistry between any of the people. The main characters Marcella and Theo had a push and pull dynamic that was just tiresome. Everything felt drawn out for no reason.

I really liked this book. I liked that it explored complicated feelings as well as relationships with families and friends. I really loved Marcela and Theo together. I thought they had great chemistry. The spicy scenes were really great. They way they communicated was fantastic. I wish we got a little more time with them when they knew their feelings for each other. I liked the journey of them figuring themselves and their relationship out but I just wanted a little more of them. Theo's grand gesture did make me cry. It was everything a big book lover wants. Overall this was a really sweet book.

What a cute book! Marcela is a librarian who has harbored feelings for her best friend for yearsss. When she attends that friend's engagement party, she stumbles upon her friend's brother, Theo, gearing up to confess his feelings for his brither's fiance. Drama! Marcela keeps Theo from causing a ruckus, and it's assumed that they started hooking up. So why not just go with the assumption and help each other get over the newly engaged couple, right?

There is a lot to love in this book: caring friendships, fake-ish dating, people trying to get their life together and be their best self, a date in a library, good best friends, terrible best friends, and a sweet ending. If you are looking for a sweet romance that gives a villain what they deserve, then you should pick up this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever for the e-ARC!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows two people who decide to start a fling to get over their broken hearts.

This book is described as spicy and charming but I didn't really find it charming, just spicy. There are plenty of people who like spicy books but I do not. I don't mind spice if there is more to the story than just spice but this one just felt too spicy for me.

It was not a bad book, it just wasn't my taste and I bet there is an audience for this book.

Holy cats, am I in love with Marcela and Theo!

The following brought me to this book:
- Location was not NYC
- Curvy FMC
- Cinnamon roll MMC
- A lot of spicy scenes
- Librarians were involved (I'm a librarian)

Marcela is in love with Ben who is engaged to Alice. Marcela stops Theo, Ben's brother, from declaring his love to Alice at Ben and Alice's engagement party. Marcela and Theo become each others rebounds on the idea that Marcela and Theo will put this love quadrangle to rest.

But there is so much more than figuring out love: we've got trust issues, body issues, hint of best friends to lovers, love bombing, gender and sexual identities, and familial relationships to start. You <i>kinda</i> know where the book is going or how the characters are going to react based on what you've already read but there were some scenes that really surprised me. For example, Theo knows Marcela's heart belongs to someone but he doesn't know who because she's never opened up to him about it for fear Theo will think badly of her. But when he finds out Marcela's in love with Ben, I expected him to cut her down, leave her jilted, anything to show his displeasure <i>but yet</i>, Theo lets Marcela have her big cry in his closet and they talk about it. Like rational adults. I was, for the lack of a better word, shocked about the turn out of that scene which is so sad that in today's world that simple kindness is surprising.

I was so into this book that I was reading it on my phone during the opening act when I was at the concert the other night. When we got home from the show, I did my nightly chores and told my husband I was going back to my book before bed. I was determined to <i>not</i> sleep until the book was finished. I have succeeded.

I read a lot of contemporary romances and most of them are good but Gamez really kicks it up a notch with her writing, pacing, and plotting. I knock off .25 (so 4.75/5 rating) off because near the end, while Marcela makes the right choice, how she gets there makes me want to throttle the ever living heck out of her. I get <i>why</i> Marcela is written that way but still, annoying.

I'm thrilled this is a series (advert at the end of the book says the next one is coming summer 2025) and I'm hoping Gamez will pick up Angela or Erica for the next "librarian in love." Based on the clues Gamez has dropped in <i>The Next Best Fling</i>, I'm thinking it's Angela.

Gamez's books is perfect for the Emily Henry or Ali Hazelwood fans in your life (or in your life).

Thank you Forever Publishing for giving me the opportunity to enjoy Marcela and Theo. I loved their chemistry even though they were each others rebounds that started as fake dating. I LOVED everyone's reactions to them dating, especially Ben and Alice. Marcela is a Mexican plus size librarian, which I loved, there are only a few times I get a glimpse of my culture and/or my appearance in a book. The Mexican culture is well described and written. I enjoyed Marcela's family so much. In the other hand, Theo is an NFL player who recently decided to retire. They might be pinning in each other's love interest but these two had more chemistry with each other than they ever had with their love interest.

In overall, it was a sweet reading with enough spice to make it great.

Marcela has been in love with her best friend Ben for as long as she can remember and Ben is now newly engaged to Alice.... and when Marcela meets Ben's brother Theo and finds out that he's been in love with Alice all along, we've got a love square on our hands as both Marcela and Theo decide to rebound with each other. Marcela is a librarian and has been in love with her best friend Ben for years, they once dated in college, but after an incident where he couldn't lift her because she is "heavier" he told her they were better off friends. Marcela has been secretly harboring a crush and desperately hoping that Ben will return her feelings, yet when he tells her he is proposing to his long time girlfriend Alice, Marcela can only wish and hope that the engagement is called off. When they ask her to pick up Ben's estranged NFL Player older brother, Marcela can't help but say yes. Yet to her great surprise on the night of the engagement party she overhears a drunkTheo getting ready to ask Alice to call off the wedding and to leave Ben... and to tell her he's been in love iwth her ever since they were young. Marcela stops Theo and he opens to her... yet she doesn't tell him that she's also been obsessed and secretly in love with Ben... that they are both going through the same pain and twisted love. Instead Theo and Marcela begin to feel a spark between each other and decide to rebound with one another and to try out a non serious relationship to just see if they can help each other move on. Yet Ben is determined to keep Marcela away from Ben, and as Theo's feelings become more real Marcela's guilt at keeping her secret love for his brother gnaws at her.... and when it all comes out i the open can she finally admit that she might actually be in love with Theo and that he is the one for her or will her insecurities make her lose her chance at the one guy who's willing to see her for her and love her. Messy relationships, complicated feelings, and secrets all come to a head in this complex romance. It's such a fun and messy read and would absolutely make a fantastic rom com movie. I had fun reading it and I adored Theo so much, he really adored Marcela and wore his heart on his sleeve.

Release Date: July 9,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Rating: 4.5/5

❀ Thank you Forever Publishing and Gabriella Gamez for the ARC. ❀

When I say I devoured this book I mean I DEVOURED this book. I read it in a day and a half. I was glued to the pages wanting to get more of Marcela and Theo. Their dynamic and chemistry was just so freaking good! The way they both share their interests and the other makes it their mission to care and implement it in their lives. You can honestly tell that these two complement each other perfectly.

The plot also had me intrigued with everyone’s reactions to Marcela and Theo “dating.” Loved the themes in the book and that they were actually acknowledged. There’s even an ace side character! I also loved Marcela’s love for books and libraries (HE ASKS HER FOR A RECOMMENDATION). Such a cute read, a page turner and would definitely recommend to try out!

❀ Tropes: Friends-to-Lovers/ Fake Dating/ Best Friends Brother/ Forced Proximity/ Rebounds-to-Lovers/ No-Strings/

❀ Themes: Plus Size FMC/ Mexican FMC/ Interacial romance/ Librarian + Ex NFL

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(3.5)

Librarian Marcela Ortiz has loved her best friend for years, but when he gets engaged, she knows it’s time to move on. Theo Young, ex-NFL player and brother of her crush, complicates things. Pretending to be a couple, they discover a rebound romance filled with chemistry, complications, and unexpected feelings.

“He wants the bride, she wants the groom. But what if all they really wants… is each other? Blegh.”

There were parts I really connected with the characters amongst moment that simply fell flat. Because of the emotional angsty drive of pining for someone you cannot have, it was easy to feel sympathy for both Theo and Marcela and root for them to find joy. Marcela was also a fantastic representation of what it looks like to embody self confidence yet anguish at knowing others likely see her differently. Theo lost me partway through the book. Him and his brother, Ben, consistently gave off loosery vibes and I couldn’t get over how insecure they both acted because of jealousy. This is a romance of unassuming connection after restless infatuation.

Thank you @foreverpub @netgalley for the eARC 🤍

Perfect for you if you like:
Love squares + family drama + unrequited love
Characters dealing with jealousy and insecurity
Lifetime movie vibes (or my Best Friend’s Wedding)

Similar to:
Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein (Did not finish 😬)
Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey

⛔️chapters 18, 22 & 31 contain explicit romance scenes (open door)
⚠️explicit language, previous parental abandonment, toxic friendships, fatphobia

Poor Marcela trying to do the right thing only to get caught up with Theo double the trouble but thank goodness it worked out for the best.

Gabriella Gamez’s debut novel, The Next best Fling is an addictive and fun rom-com and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

The cover is what drew me to this book. I’m pretty sure any romance bookworm swoons at the idea of the hero kissing the heroine against a bookshelf at a library. If you like your romances on the slightly more angsty, drama-filled side, this book will be for you. I like this book, even though love triangles or, in this case, a love square are my least favourite tropes. There is some major pining going on in this book. Both Marcela and Theo have deep, unrequited feelings for Ben (Theo’s brother and Marcela’s best friend) and Alice, who are newly engaged. As you can imagine, this book has plenty of drama, which I think is to be expected when a romance has a love square in it. I thought Gabriella did a great job at taking the love triangle/square trope and making it her own unique thing. There are some predictable moments in this book, which isn’t a bad thing. But she also added this uniqueness to the story by taking a couple of the characters and putting this spin on them that I wasn’t expecting. Their character started out very stereotypical and changed into something more as the story progressed.

I loved Marcela; she is a gorgeous, curvy heroine who adores books and eating delicious food. Marcela feels stuck in her life because she is still harbouring some major feelings for Ben. This secret crush means she hasn’t been able to form any deep romantic attachments with any other guy. Well, that is until Theo walks into her life. Marcela is a relatable and real character. Anyone who is curvy (and fabulous) probably knows how strong those insecure feelings can be when it comes to how we feel about our bodies. I know I am one of them. Marcela’s struggles with loving her body was so relatable to me, and I loved how Theo made her feel like an absolute goddess. Marcela’s growth in this story is centred around her feelings for Ben and her growing feelings for Theo. Sorry, I know that is slightly vague, but I can’t really go into too much detail about Marcela’s growth without giving away spoilers. But I can say I loved her journey and I was rooting for her the entire time.

Theo was a delight right from the beginning. I thought he was going to be this cocky broody football player, but he wasn’t. He was a big softy with a giving heart and so unsure of what his future would look like. He definitely falls first and harder when it comes to his relationship with Marcela. He truly adores her, and his grand gesture at the end of the book made my heart melt.

The romance in this book is chaotic and messy at times but in a good way. There are a lot of big emotions in this book and that often means things aren’t going to be neat and tidy. I like Theo and Marcela together; they may have fallen in love with each other a little too quickly to make it believable. If you are a fan of fake dating, best friend’s brother, cinnamon roll hero, he falls first, love squared, and pining, then you will enjoy this story. When friends and family believe that Theo and Marcela are in a relationship, they decide that pretending that they are in a relationship might be the best way to get over the feelings they have for Ben and Alice. They become friends, and that friendship turns into a friend-with-benefits situation. Theo and Marcela have great chemistry, and even though I felt that the whole falling head over heels in love with each other happened a little fast, I was ok with it because I wanted them to be together. The spice is great, and the sexual tension between Theo and Marcela is built up perfectly.

The Next Best Fling is a sizzling romance that will satisfy any romance bookworm.