This book was so sweet. It was a really quick and easy read, and as a plus-sized girl, I loved the representation. I found Marcella to be really challenging to understand at times because I was so desperate for her to say what she meant. I think the book balanced what could seem like miscommunication and emphasized our truths are our own to share.

Theo is a total dream boat. If you catch me drooling over blonde book boys, look the other direction. I loved his complex relationship dynamic with Ben and Alice (shout out to Alice for being a supportive girl’s girl in the end).

Overall, I had so much fun reading this and it was something I didn’t want to put down. If I had the time, I probably would have read it in one sitting.

This book is so cute. Its style is a be more tell than show at places where the exposition could have been a conversation, but it’s so adorable I’m not even mad about it. I enjoy the MCs and the fact that the girl isn’t another skinny white chick who think she’s big. I thought it went a little too back and forth with the "will they won't they." The guy she was in love with in the beginning was a total narcissist and had so many red flags it was a little unbelievable that she would like him to begin with - he gave serious ick to the point where it was obvious he was just a conduit to his brother which didn't seem as realistic.

I think this would have been better as a duel POV book instead of a single POV book as written. The jokes are funny, the spice is sexy, recommend to anyone who enjoys romance.

this book was honestly everything i needed after a stressful week of testing 😪 it was steamy, fun, and so romantic and the perfect romcom, filled with drama and grand gestures… and typically i’m not a grand gesture kind of girlie but i was kind of swayed.

the plot was like an exciting soap opera and i thoroughly enjoyed the realistic growth of the characters and seeing them grow on their own and together. the final climax actually had me on the edge of my seat and it was a joyous experience.

thankful for the arc and had so much fun reading it!!! 🩷☺️

This was a fun read. It was sweet, romantic, and had the right amount of angst and steam. I had a great time getting to know Marcela and Theo. The story kept me hooked and rooting for these two throughout. This was a great debut and I am excited to see what Gamez does next!

Marcela is in love with Ben, her best friend, who told her years ago that they were better as friends. Ben’s brother, Theo, is in love with Ben’s fiancée. Add in some fake dating and oh, this pulled me in like a warm hug 😊 And what a fantastic, well written story that made me visualize this couple and their journey so vividly.

Marcela, I adored - her passion for her job (librarian) was joyful to read.
Theo - was just wonderful.
Both of these characters were easy to like and root for.

What an amazing and fun to read debut novel this is from Ms. Gamez - I, for one, look forward to reading whatever she writes next.

And I agree with Marcela - homegrown tomatoes beat any grocery store tomato at all times.


Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the DRC

The Next Best Fling is such a cute novel with a plus-size girl librarian, Marcela Ortiz, and a hot ex-NFL player playing Theo Young, fake lovers to get over their long-term crush, but it turns into something fun and new for them. The spicy made me giggle and blush while reading, and it was sweet to see Marcela and Theo overcome their insecurities.

As a plus sized woman, I was enamored with the cover of ‘The Next Best Fling,’ but cautious on how body image would be handled. @gabbywritesalot completely blew away my expectations as it balances dramatic entanglements with a poignant exploration of self-love, trust, and the journey to find genuine affection amidst toxic bonds. The portrayal of Marcela’s body image was done with care and expertise, presenting plus-size insecurities with sensitivity and realism.

This book had all the makings for a great story and overall it was ok. although I really liked the main characters and the plot, it missed the mark for me. There was a bit of a love square going on and I was not loving that; it just felt a bit messy. I would read something by the author in the future though.

Sweet, Romantic, and Relatable

Out of all the main characters I’ve been introduced to, Marcella is the most relatable to me. Many of her fears are mine and I was gasping like it was a drama novel. The writing was more refined than some romances I have read and it was a nice pallet cleanser that didn’t feel like I was read something cheesy.

I read this as an advanced readers copy through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

I liked this one! It took me forever to get through - almost 2 weeks and felt the pacing at the beginning of the book was slooooooow but it paid off in the end. Seeing these two main characters work through their emotions and figuring it out was just so relatable. I also love books about librarians which is why this got moved up to the top of my TBR pile. I am looking forward to seeing where this series goes next! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

overall, i loved the plus size representation in this book! it was extremely realistic as she struggled with her confidence.

for a debut book, this was really good! the long term pining truly killed me though. i did enjoy the progression of the fake dating. it didn’t feel rushed at all. pacing of the relationship was really good!

I do wish it was a dual POV because Theo bored me a bit and seemed a tad bit flat.

I am straight up begging all book lovers to read this, there are scenes that are written specifically to knock you off your feet by swooning.

I adored this. It was so earnest in its messiness, but also so steadfast in its promise to produce happiness. It's delightfully hilarious and adorably endearing, and at its heart are two people terrified of being hurt, of losing what and who they love, and how they hold themselves together through bad decisions and lots of kissing. It's so good.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this arc! This book was a fun, easy read! It kept me engaged, and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the library representation! Can’t wait for others to get their hands on it!

Marcela and Theo are both trying to get over people who don’t love them back. They cdecide to ‘Fake Date’ to help Theo after almost ruining a wedding. The best way to get over someone is to get under someone new, right? It can be, just make sure to not catch feelings in the process.

I devoured this book so fast😭 I love the characters, the raw and honest way we got to see them handle their past and insecurities. I loved how much we see them grow as people and develop feelings for each other. Truly amazing!

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez is a delightful romantic comedy that offers readers a fun and entertaining escape. Gamez's witty dialogue and engaging characters keep the pages turning as we follow the adventures of the lovably flawed protagonist on her quest for love. While the plot may follow some familiar tropes, Gamez injects enough freshness and charm to keep readers invested until the very end. With its humor, heart, and steamy romance, The Next Best Fling is a thoroughly enjoyable read that earns its place on my bookshelf.

This book is one of the cutest debut romances I've read in a long time. The characters were unique and called out the tropes, which I always enjoy. Theo was a delight. I appreciated his honesty with Marcela and his cinnamon roll heart. His romantic gestures killed me!! Marcela has a lot of trauma and you see that reflected in her actions. I appreciated that things didn't get dragged out too long because of that. I hate when secrets cause huge issues later on and that was not the case here. I also appreciated that there was no woman on woman hate. Marcela and the bride aren't catty with one another and are very kind.
Ben was quite the character. I liked how you saw him the way Marcela did at the beginning but then as time goes on, you learn along with her what his real character is like.
As a librarian, it always makes me happy when main characters are librarians. Marcela being a teen librarian made me super squishy. I also appreciated her passion for the genre, the kids, diversity, and accessibility. She has the kind of attitude a lot of librarians have, which really fit.
This story is liker a delicious starbucks drink. Yeah, it tastes the same, but that's why I go back, every single time. I eagerly look forward to her next book in this series.
And I really really hope she picks one of Marcela's coworkers to be the main character....

You had me at librarian romance!

Now I’m not one for a love triangle (square?) trope, but I liked the characters in this book so much that that kind of made up for that. There were points throughout the book that I wondered whether Marcela would choose to be with Ben or Theo, but I was ultimately happy with the ending!

I am curious to see where this series goes when the second book gets released next year!

This book was really cute, and the angst was high! What could go wrong when one main character (Theo) is in love with his brother’s fiancée, and the other main character (Marcela) is in love with aforementioned fiancée’s betrothed, who has been her best friend for years?! They end up pretending to date and it gets messy af, but Marcela and Theo are undeniably adorable together.

There’s fake dating, familial drama, grand gestures, and some swoony chemistry! I will say that the will they/won’t they and miscommunication tropes made this feel a bit drawn out to me, but overall, the story was really sweet and I loved the emotional depth this book achieved.

I also just love a book with bookish moments (the female main character is a librarian and there are so many awesome things related to that)!

I’m looking forward to seeing where this series goes next!

3.75⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

the way i LITERALLY could not put this book down!

I absolutely adored Theo & Marcela. They had SO MUCH outstanding personal growth on both sides. I adored watching them grow separately and together. It was steamy, spicy, angsty, funny and heartwarming all at the same time. I loved that we got to see Alice, Theo and Marcela all make amends. I hate Ben. like with a passion, i was worried he would make a second come back and they’d make amends - i’m so glad we never saw him again 🙄


I so enjoyed the fact that our FMC was plus size and it wasn’t awkwardly and constantly thrown in your face. It was mentioned when she was having inner dialogue when she was uncomfortable about something or having self doubt which is normal. I related to her character so much and HATED Ben (again - hate him sm) when she realized he “sidelined” her because of the way she looked. like
boy bye.

loved this sm! I will absolutely be returning to this author for more stories!