This book got me out of my reading slump! It was a great balance of cute + drama + spice without getting triggering. The character dynamic felt real. One thing about contemporary romance books is that it can sometimes feel slow at some points but this did not. Without giving away spoilers, there are plenty of twists and turns in the latter half. 4.5⭐️

3.75 stars
This was a cute quick read. I did enjoy it, but it wasn't the most memorable book for me either.

The Next Best Fling is a fun, flirty romance with plenty of charm. The chemistry between the leads is spot-on, making it the perfect light read for a relaxing day.

It was messy, it was cute, it was fun. This is one of those books where you can pick it up and know that you're absolutely going to have a great time reading it. It hits all the vibes that it promises.

I will always support Latinx author I loved everything about this. It was funny. It was cute. It was everything that I needed. It was a very good pallet cleanser.

I went in blindly on this book, and even there was a lot I liked about it, it just wasn’t my favorite. I don’t know if it was the fact that I couldn’t connect completely with the characters or all the unnecessary drama.

I know this is the authors debut, so I may give her a chance in the future.

I enjoyed the trope of this book ( 2 people getting over other people and find each other). I do feel like i started to lose interest 30% through.

This was a run of the mill romance book for me, I liked it but it really doesn't stand out as a favorite.

This story was very good in terms of plus size representation. It is always a bit hard for the FMC to wonder if he really likes her because of her body but it is also so nice to see his point of view and how much he likes her! The romance was swoony and the plot was pretty good. Not my favorite but definitely one that I am glad I read :)

As a Texan and a librarian, I wanted to love this. I wanted to pick it up and fall in love, but I never got there. I didn't feel the connection between the two characters, and I felt like we needed more of Ben being a good friend to see how awful he also was. It felt like without that, I just questioned why she tolerated him at all. He just sucked. And her friend dating him? That's not your friend. It all felt messy and unrealistic.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I wanted to like this so much: a plus-size librarian, a sexy man, but it just wasn't great.

I loved the premise of this book. I'm a huge fan of fake dating and love a good cinnamon roll MMC. The story and characters, however, fell flat for me. It seemed like all they did was drink and then wonder why bad or unfortunate things kept happening to them. Thank you, NetGalley and Forever Publishing, for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this eARC! I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was well-paced. I think it's good for those who like books with messy plots. I think it may stall sometimes throughout the book but it picks back up. Overall, very enjoyable.

I'm so so so late on this but...

I loved The Next Best Fling! It was addicting and I couldn't put it down!

Thanks Forever for the digital copy in exchange for an honest reivew!

I can't believe I forgot to turn this in!

I loved The Next Best Fling! The was messy in the best way, and I couldn't stop reading because I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next!

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez is a fun, flirty rom-com that I totally couldn’t put down! It’s about a girl named Sophie who’s kind of over her past crushes and just wants to enjoy her life. When she meets this guy, Max, they start an unexpected fling that turns into something way more complicated (of course). Their chemistry is crazy, and I loved the back-and-forth between them.

What I liked most about this book is that it wasn’t just about the romance. Sophie’s figuring out who she is and what she wants, and I totally related to her journey. Max is charming but also kind of mysterious, which makes their connection even more interesting. There’s definitely some drama, but it’s the kind of light drama that keeps you hooked without feeling too heavy.

The writing is super easy to read, and there’s a perfect balance of humor and heart. It’s the kind of book you’d read if you want something fun but also a little deeper than just a typical love story.

Great read. I'm a librarian and honestly this felt like a fairly good representation of what it is like working in a library. Sports protagonists are not my go to but I enjoyed both protagonists. I wish there were fewer twists between the love interests but otherwise liked the book a lot.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Everyone sucks here!

I was so excited to finally get around to this eARC I received that promised plus size and Latina representation. Instead I got a whole cast of characters that had zero redeemable qualities. The MMC is basically a football bro who punches holes in dry wall every time he gets drunk (which is often). The FMC has been in love with her best friend--who is engaged and has been in a relationship for the last EIGHT YEARS. The "best friend" strings her along anyways. I can't stand to read about these people anymore. Their version of a HEA will just be awkward holidays where they can never be sure if their significant other cheated on them with their BIL/SIL.

Is it uncouth of me to rate and review my own book on here for the sake of my Netgalley percentage? Possibly. Is it even more uncouth that this review is four months late, at that? Um...most definitely. Dana, if you're reading this please don't yell at meeeeeeeeeee I'm just a baby author and it was Read Now what was I supposed to do NOT download it??????

I love this book. I read it a bajillion times. I also kinda hate it too, because I read it a bajillion times. Theo and Marcela will always have a special in place in my heart. Ben can rot. Should I dock a star for not writing Theo (or SOMEONE at least) giving him the punch in the face he deserves? Probably, but I'm too shallow for that so 5 stars it is.

Sorry again, I really hope no one reads this byeeeeeeeeeeeee

The Next Best Fling is the first book in the Librarians in Love series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Marcela was in love with her ex-boyfriend/best friend, Ben, but he was marrying someone else. Theo was in love with the bride, Alice, and he was also the Ben’s brother. Marcela ends up stopping Theo from ruining the wedding, and they end up fake dating.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel. I mean, since they were both in love with other people, and it kept being brought up while they were “dating” each other, I didn’t see how they’d fall in love. I actually loathed Marcela, because she just kept talking about Ben. He. Was. Married. And sure, he kept her around too, but she was (she thought) in love with him, and she could have potentially caused other woman drama.

Once Theo fell for Marcela? He was all in. And I loved that! He was so sweet, funny, and swoony.

Ben was a total a**hole, though. I mean, I really don’t understand why he was always interfering in Marcela’s life when he wasn’t in love with her. And I hated that she just went along with whatever he said. But at least, at the end, she finally put her foot down (after falling for Theo).

This was full of drama, but it was also cute and funny, at times.