Librarian Marcela has been in love with her best friend Ben for years, but when Ben gets engaged to Alice, it brings his ex-NFL player brother, Theo, into town. Turns out Theo has been in love with Alice and Marcela saves him from making a scene at the B&A’s engagement party. The pair begin to have a fling to get over their respective crushes, but it of course leads to feelings.

This is a debut novel from Gabriella and I found her writing style very easy to read. I loved that Marcela is Mexican-American, curvy, and a librarian. I adored the librarian / book aspects of the story, I wish I had liked the plot more. It’s unfortunate for this book that Emily Henry’s Funny Story came out a couple months before it and essentially tells the same story more masterfully. I found the drama between the two couples to come across as messy (think CW show) rather than tension-filled and distracting from the romance between Marcela and Theo. NGL I was ready for Marcela to be done with both Ben and Theo by the end of the book. I am interested to see where this series go and will read the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really really wanted to like this book; unfortunately a lot of the plot was messy and felt like all over the place.

I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC. I loved this book. I was so happy to read it! I knew as soon as i saw the cover it was going to be good!

The fmcs best friend (who she is in love with), is a total asshole, but his brother? A golden retriever. I felt so bad for both mcs in this whole book. No matter what they did, life wanted to crap on them. But, they figure it out together. And if that doesnt explain what love is, then i dont know what does. This book was super sweet, and also spicy. Theo was a refreshing character, especially as a football player. While his looks describe him as one, he is really just a big teddy bear, who would do anything for Marce. I enjoyed the conversations about trust in this book. It made me feel so much more connected to the characters.

TLDR: Theo is a big teddy bear, ex footballer who deserves everything and Marce is a sweet librarian who finally realizes what she deserves in her life, someone who chooses her. Add this to you TBR right now, and thank me later.

“Live that happily ever after we love to read about so much in books.”

I am such a sucker for romance books with a bookish FMC because it’s one of the ones I relate to so much and this one didn’t disappoint. Marcela was such a sweetheart and so relatable I adored her! I really loved her friendship with Angela, I always love seeing strong female friendship representation.

I’m normally not a huge fan of the love triangle trope but the idea of it being a love square was pretty intriguing to me. But I am a sucker for best friends brother so that definitely sucked me originally!

I really loved Theo as the MMC! He had such great chemistry and Marcela and him buying her books for her collection is literally the sweetest thing.

I’m so glad everything worked out for Theo, Marcela and Alice and Ben got what he deserved. I hated him from the very beginning and was praying he and Alice would break up.

This was such a great debut, I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Marcela and Ben, after a short period of dating in college, have been best friends for nearly a decade. Ben is newly engaged to his long-time girlfriend, Alice; former best friend to Marcela, and Marcela is doing all she can to not let her true feelings show. At their engagement party Marcela runs into Ben's older brother Theo, a man hell bent on stopping this engagement from going any further. In a pact to use each other to get over other people, Marcela and Theo quickly realize that the no-strings attached arrangement isn't as easy as it seemed.

I could relate to Marcela a lot, as a plus sized woman myself who married the equivalent to a young Justin Timberlake, I have struggled with self doubt and feelings of belongings throughout our marriage. I loved that author Gabriella Gamez didn't show all cards too quickly, which allowed the drama and built up to continue through the climax and into the falling action of the novel. She also didn't fall into the trap of making Theo too perfect which is a pet peeve of mine in romances.

My only dislike was the epilogue. In the romance genre a HEA is a guarantee, it's what makes the romance genre the romance genre and I'm not sure we got one. Maybe we see more of this in the next book in the series, and I'm just too early but I would have liked to see all of the characters in a more settled place.

Thank you Forever Books for the gifted ARC.

Unfortunately this was not the contemporary romance for me. I was so excited for this one as the FMC is plus size but her being upset that another character was proposing to his longtime partner (like 8 years???) just immediately made me not like her. We're too old to be this delusional. I think this bok has it's place but it's not on my shelf.

"The Next Best Fling" by Gabriella Gamez is a charming and spicy debut romance that delivers a delightful mix of humor, heart, and heat. Marcela Ortiz, a librarian with a secret crush on her best friend, finds herself entangled in a no-strings-attached relationship with Theo Young, an ex-NFL player and the older brother of the man she’s in love with. What starts as a convenient cover-up for their unrequited feelings quickly turns into a passionate and complicated romance.

Marcela has been pining for her best friend for years, but when he gets engaged, she knows it’s time to move on. Enter Theo, who drunkenly plans to confess his love for his brother’s fiancée at their engagement party. Marcela steps in to stop him, and one thing leads to another, leading everyone to believe they’ve hooked up. Needing a distraction from their respective heartaches, they decide to keep up the charade.

Theo is a cinnamon roll hero with a heart of gold. Despite his initial attraction to his brother's fiancée, his chemistry with Marcela is undeniable. Their relationship, filled with late-night bar escapades and steamy moments in library aisles, evolves from a simple rebound to something much deeper. Marcela’s journey from unrequited love to self-discovery and acceptance is both relatable and inspiring.

The book is a fun and breezy read, perfect for those who love a mix of humor and drama in their romances. Gamez does a great job of balancing the light-hearted moments with more serious themes, such as body image issues and family dynamics. Marcela’s insecurities about her plus-size figure are handled with sensitivity and realism, and Theo’s unwavering support and admiration for her are heartwarming.

However, the book isn’t without its flaws. The pacing can be uneven at times, with a slow start that picks up significantly in the second half. Some of the plot twists are predictable, and the resolution of the central conflict feels a bit rushed. Despite these minor issues, the story’s charm and the characters’ chemistry keep you hooked until the end.

Overall, "The Next Best Fling" is a sweet and engaging romance that will leave you smiling. Gabriella Gamez’s debut is a promising start, and I’m excited to see what she writes next. If you’re looking for a light, feel-good romance with a touch of spice, this book is definitely worth a read.

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the ARC!

I am a sucker for a librarian romance, and definitely not just because I am a librarian. I loved Marcela and Theo's romance, but I wanted them both to stop being so hung-up on their unrequited loves. Sometimes Marcela's turmoil over Ben was a little over the top and it made it hard to believe in her and Theo. Overall a good summer read for a debut.

The Next Best Fling gave off plenty of The Summer I Turned Pretty x My Best Friend's Wedding vibes. Marcela has been hung up on her ex boyfriend for almost 10 years but he's now engaged to his girlfriend. At their engagement party Marcela comes across her ex's brother, Theo and learned that he's in love with Alice and wants to break up their engagement. Not wanting that for either Ben or Alice, Marcela stops Theo and they come up with a plan to be each other's rebound. Nothing bad will happen, right? This book was slightly predictable but at the same time I was so frustrated with all of the main characters. I wanted to shake each and every one of that at one point or another throughout the story. The characters I did end up liking were Angela, Andy, and Marcela's mother. Most of the book was Marcela going through such internal turmoil over her feelings for Ben and if the feelings she started developing for Theo were real. The two big "secrets" didn't seem that big in my opinion and I actually wish we delved deeper into Ben's issues and seeing how he never takes responsibility for his own actions. Theo's date idea was the sweetest gesture in the entire story. A cute librarian love story for a debut author. I would be interested in reading future work by Gabriella.

The Next Best Fling
I love an original plot and boy ever will you get one with The Next Best Fling. Marcela has pined over her best friend Ben for ten years since he broke things off claiming they should just be friends. Marcela’s feelings have always been one sided and now Ben is marrying his long time girlfriend Alice. But when Marcela spies Ben’s brother Theo pacing outside the engagement party, she knows something is awry and prevents Theo from embarrassing himself by proclaiming his long time love for Alice. As the two slip away from the engagement party, is it any surprise that everyone assumes Theo and Marcela hooked up? And how bad would it be to allow that false assumption be considered truth? Better yet, Theo and Marcela can use each other to help get over their broken hearts by getting involved in between the sheets.

Let me say, these relationships are Messy with a capital M. That’s to be expected given the reason Marcela and Theo even start a relationship. But Gamez writes “mess” well and I definitely had BIG THOUGHTS about Ben and Alice. Initially they drove me bonkers as both seemed to never be able to stay out of Marcella and Theo’s relationship. One of the main love interests is also probably a narcissist, making this love square even funkier. There were times I really wanted to drop kick Ben (and Alice) for butting their heads in, but I loved Marcella and Theo and that made the stress of the love square worthwhile.

Theo. I never saw him coming and loved the planned date, loved the checking in with Marcela, loved the enthusiasm in the bedroom and for her body, loved the way he always listened and was never quick to judge. For a character who’s typecast as a retired Dallas Cowboy player, Theo surprised me at every turn. This is single POV from Marcela’s perspective so we only know what Theo’s thinking when it actually comes out of his mouth or through his actions. And because he is so good at expressing himself with BOTH, you didn’t even really need a dual POV. Marcela is a very likable protagonist as well and I was so happy to see her come to several conclusions about her friendship with Ben. The irony is that without dating Theo, she probably would have been pining for Ben forever. A few times it felt like Marcela’s thoughts were repetitive and I may not have always agreed with her decision to shield herself from love, but knowing her history with her father and prior love interests helped explain her reactions. I think this is a very strong debut that sets Gamez up for future successes and can’t wait to see what she writes next.

End thoughts: Pick up the book for the crazy plot, stay for the impeccable Theo who knows what book girlies want.

I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This started off cute and I loved the premise, but I just found it really hard to get through. I especially wanted to love it since it’s a debut from a diverse author, and also had a plus sized main character. My favorite thing about this was definitely Marcela. I found her to be relatable in the way she spoke about her body image issues, and also the way she spoke about her unrequited love. Those are things I think everyone has experienced at one point or another, and I found the portrayal to be really honest. I also loved that she was a librarian and the way she spoke about her love of books.

I just think my main gripe was all the secrets they kept from each other for no real reason. She hid the fact she was in love with Ben from Theo for way too long in my opinion, and it just frustrated me. It overshadowed their love story, but I didn’t really feel the chemistry from them anyway. I liked that they made each other better and Theo was cute in how much he liked her, but other than that Theo felt one-dimensional and I just didn’t believe their romance. Even though they were just hooking up and it wasn’t supposed to be serious, there was no tension or angst and it just left me feeling bored. She went back and forth about Ben so many times and it felt repetitive by the end. There also wasn’t a good resolution with him and Marcela or him and Theo and it felt like something was missing.

Ultimately I would give this author another chance because I really enjoyed the way some of the characters were written. This one was sadly just a miss for me.

Gimme a book with plus size rep ANY DAY!!! And set In Texas, with HEB and Whataburger references?! I loved that! BUTTTT this book was was painful to get through. The plot was silly to me and I felt SO much of the story was spent talking about Ben and her past with him over and over. It overshadowed the "love story" between Marcela and Theo. And I put it in quotes because the chemistry was non-existent. I personally don't like romances where the couple just hook up, it takes away from the angst and tension. Especially when there is no back story between the pair. It felt too much like The Summer I Turned Pretty, but not in a good way.

I had a really hard time putting this book down. The characters find themselves in such a complicated and yet realistic situation, and I kept wondering what would happen next. Marcela has been in love with Ben for ages, and he has just gotten engaged to another woman. Marcela knows something has to change, but she doesn't expect it to be Ben's older brother, Theo. She and Theo stumble into a team situation to support each other through the minefield that surrounds them. I loved Theo's honesty and Marcela's kindness. They make a very good couple.

I received this debut book from NetGalley as an ARC. These are my opinions. This was a fun read. I LOVED Theo, he was a flawed character but he was trying his best to be a good person. Marcela has been obsessed with her best friend since the went a few dates 10 years prior. She lacks the confidence in herself to realize that Ben is just keeping her around as a backup choice. I liked the progress of Marcela and Theo's realationship is felt genuie. They started off as fake dating/rebounding using each other and their feeling developed in a natural feeling way.

Librarian Marcela Ortiz has finally had to give up on her feelings for Ben Young when he asks her to approve an engagement ring…for his intended, Alice. Trying to be a good friend, she agrees to pick up Ben’s brother, Theo, from the airport. Theo has retired from the NFL and is unaware of Ben & Alice’s upcoming engagement. He wants to tell Alice of his feelings for her, but Marcela stops him from doing so knowing that it might destroy his relationship with his brother. Bringing Theo home with her was probably not the best idea, as their friends now believe she and Theo are involved. Can they help each other recover from their disappointment and perhaps find that love, for them, is not really lost forever? A pleasant second chance at romance with a touch of humor. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Forever Publishing, for letting me read an eARC of this book!
Release date is July 9, 2024.

I absolutely LOVED this book. The Next Best Fling begins when two broken hearts decide that the best way to get over their first loves is with a no-strings-attached relationship. Marcela is in love with her best friend, Ben who is engaged to another woman. Theo is in love with his brother's fiancée. Did I mention Theo is Ben's older brother?!

Marcela and Theo had undeniable chemistry and I was rooting for them since the beginning of their little fake dating arrangement. I loved the character growth as well as the exploration of familial dynamics displayed throughout the book & it made me absolutely invested in this story. I also enjoyed that Marcela is a librarian and we got to see a little bit of her work throughout the novel. I swooned seeing Theo and Marcela getting closer and getting to know each other better. Simply put: it made my heart so happy to read this book.
One of my fave romances of the year, I enthusiastically recommend you pick this one up!

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez
Librarians in Love series #1.
Contemporary romance. Cinnamon roll hero. 1st person, present tense from Marcela’s POV. Own voice, Mexican-American heritage.
Ex NFL football player Theo Young has retired and is back home in San Antonio, Texas expecting to coach football at a local high school. After a few drinks at the engagement party for his brother and fiancé, Theo decides it is the perfect time to tell his brother’s fiancée that he has loved her all since they were kids and won’t she reconsider marrying him instead of his brother?
Librarian Marcela Ortiz has been secretly in love with her best friend since college. Now that he’s engaged, Marcela knows she needs to move on. When Marcela hears Theo muttering to himself about confronting the bride-to-be, she takes action and gets him out of there to sleep off his drinking. They both seem to be in the same position - in love and needing to walk away. They take advantage of rumors to first, appear to be together, and then second, to find they have a lot in common and maybe actually act on their sizzling chemistry.

Neither Marcela nor Theo have been in a long term romantic relationship. Both have self confidence and self-image problems to work on, more so for Marcela as a curvy woman.

Marcela and I have a lot in common with the second bedroom library, donating books, excited to talk about books, Goodreads usage, and of course, body image. I liked how she overcame the uncomfortable and learned to be okay with herself although it was a little inconsistent in the story. I was happy when she started to realize that her friendship with Ben had problems.
Theo is adorable. He’s an athlete, looking forward to slowing down, and wants to please and make Marcela happy more than anything else. “He breaks out in a smile that rivals the sun.” He’s not afraid or hesitant to show his emotions.

It’s romantic, encouraging, and has a few very sexy bedroom scenes to ramp up the flames.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

A no strings attached relationship with the brother of the guy you're desperately in love with and who just so happens to be in love with his brother's fiancé. What could possibly go wrong?

This was such a fun read. I really enjoyed the characters and the romance. Personally, I loved Theo and Marcela together. Ben just got on my nerves way to much and was kind of an ass to Marcela. I appreciated the fact that she's a curvy gal. This wasn't the best book I've read but it was still a fun time and a perfect summer read!

Thank you so much to Forever and NetGalley for the e-arc! This beauty releases on July 9th so make sure to pick up a copy.

OH MY GOSH this felt like the most honest depiction of my feelings as a life-long plus size woman. There are so many other new and fresh takes in this romance but I'm still blown away by how Gabriella Gamez took the words right out of my mouth. Even the unspoken thoughts right out of my head. I had to look up the author's profile after the first chapter because had she not been a fellow big girl, it would have felt a little too sharp.

Also it's not ABOUT Marcella being plus size - she just is and the way it affects her relationship with her self and others arises naturally. Instead of being used as a trope, it felt like an honest part of her character. I was really impressed. AND Theo (her fling) doesn't magically cure her insecurities, he's just honestly and blatantly attracted to her. And she learns to trust in that. It's all written in Marcella's POV, so there's no male POV fetishizing or rationalizing his attraction. But Theo is a very open communicator so he says everything he feels. It was so refreshing to read.

So what's the book about? Marcella has been in love with her best friend Ben for years. But when he proposes to his girlfriend, she's paranoid that she's going to blow it all up. Very Mindy Project. Instead, she catches Ben's BROTHER about to confess his own feelings for Ben's fiancée. Marcella intercepts him and together they make a pact to keep each other from ruining this marriage. They'll be each other's rebounds until the feelings pass. As they secretly date, Theo's treatment of her starts to shine a light on the darker side of her relationship with Ben. There's deeper tension between the brothers and Ben's determination to keep her away from Theo has her questioning the one-sidedness of her attraction. Maybe there's a reason you shouldn't be friends with your ex?

The drama is exhilarating! There will be fights and confrontations. I was gasping and yelling at my kindle all night. Not to mention the sexual frustration as Theo and Marcella keep getting interrupted whenever they gave in to their attraction, so it really cut the spicy times in half. There's no cheating and despite the premise, I think Marcella really is a girl's girl in the end. You'll be satisfied with the resolution.

The Next Best Fling is emotionally, swoony, love story. These two love interests simply make each other better after years of constant heartbreak. They provide one another the patience to accept "I Love You," from the someone other than who they thought they needed to hear it. Together, they build trust, self-love and the feelings for what true love should feel like.

Theo Young should be everyone's new book boyfriend!

Thank you, Forever