Sweet with likable and unique characters. I maybe didn't get all the relationship development I would have preferred, but the attachment styles were definitely fleshed out. All the Seattle references are a highlight.

From the very beginning, I was invested in the characters. There was so much character development and connection throughout the story. I think it can be difficult to get a sapphic relationship correct, but this seemed to hit everything. The coffee shop setting is one of my favorite places for a story to take place. The pacing of the story was good, and I never felt like there was a chapter that slowed it down. Overall, I highly recommend this book! I am getting more into who I am and discovering more sapphic stories being published is so exciting to me!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

mack is struggling, she has a deadline for her next book but she has writers block and is so way behind she is panicking, on a whim she goes home to her parents in seattle

charlie runs a coffee shop but not any other coffee shop, she has made it different so that people can feel comfortable there, children can go and listen to stories read to them by drag queens, she hopes to make a difference but charlie is running on empty, she has so many bills she cant keep on top of, it is only a matter of time before she is forced to close

mack stumbles across charlies coffee shop and is instantly charmed by it all but mostly by charlie it also helps that charlie is comfortable in her surroundings and can talk to anyone, everyone has a story and its whilst there that macks writers block starts to unblock by using some of charlies own stories

charlie wont mind would she....

well have to say i thoroughly enjoyed how this storyline played out....i fell into this book and devoured it in one day... such was the way the author made all the characters believable and likeable, cant wait to read more from this author

I absolutely LOVED this book. I received this ARC and thoroughly enjoyed every second.

The characters were well thought out and easily lovable. The storyline was also fantastic.

I would happily read more of Dana Hawkins' novels!

The romance aspect was sweet and I loved the way the main characters approached their relationship.

Fantastic read! Would absolutely read it again.

Please read this book if you enjoy cute wlw romance books!!! The author did an amazing job building this story and making the characters relatable. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Let me just say this book is such a cute little romance! It follows the story of Mack a bestselling author with writers-block and Charlie a small coffee shop owner struggling to pay her bills.

Overall I think the book is perfect for people who prefer the fluffy aspects of relationships over the spicy parts. Don’t get me wrong there are some parts that make it not a completely clean romance but, it’s pretty tame.

I love that this book is dual pov because we really get to see deeply into both of the characters lives and see how they feel in the moment. The characters are very human they both have their flaws and make mistakes but they grow from them.

I also really enjoy the small details like the chapter titles and how they are drink orders and show how the characters are feeling through everything. Along with the quotes from Mack’s book throughout the chapters it really add to the story.

It was an okay book but ultimately I had too many issues with it to give it 3 Stars.
The characters lacked depth and it didn’t help that they also overcame their issues way too quickly. Charlie stopped being anxiously attached after like a day. The main conflict was also resolved so quickly and felt too easy. The whole inspiration aspect felt overall very silly, like Mack just put Charlie’s stories word for word into her manuscript? Without changing anything? Instead of changing some aspects? And the ‘inspiration’ that Mack got from Charlie was so weird?? wdym she couldn’t come up with “child is scared of thunderstorms” on her own?
There were too many descriptions within one sentence and every time one adjective would have been enough since the other descriptors didn’t add any new aspects, they were just repetitions. Both main characters also had the same voice as the narrator, which didn’t help the lack of depth. But apart from that the writing was fine.
The lack of visual distinction between the novel itself and Mack's novel was very confusing since it switched mid chapter.
Overall I think that I just dislike books with characters who are authors and constantly talk/think about writing, I just tend to find them cringey.
If you do not care about all those aspects I mentioned earlier, this might be a fun read for you!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This was a sweet little queer romance with two very likable protagonists, and enough real-life drama to make them seem like more realistic characters. The secondary characters were also cute, including the city of Seattle!

I loved the character of Charlie and really want to visit her coffee shop- it sounds amazing! However, for me the romance was marred by the fact that Mack started the relationship with a lie and then seemingly escalated it long beyond what was decent once she realised her feelings. For me this was unacceptable behaviour- even in a fictional character!
That aside it is a lovely story, particularly with Mack's parents stepping up to support Charlie when she needs it the most.

I always had a weak for books that take place around coffee shops and bookshops. hence the reason why I wanted to read this book!

'not in the plan' follows the story of nearly bankrupt cofee shop owner, Charlie, and Mack, a writer with a writer's block. slowly but surely, they gravitate towards each other and new feelings start to bloom.

this book was a fun and cosy read. there wasn't much depth in it and more felt like 'feelgood'-book. the plot was a little cliché, but i didn't expect otherwise. it fit the story perfectly.

if you are looking for a book that is sapphic, has feelgood-book vibes and is an easy read? then this is a perfect book for you!

I have mixed feelings about this one but overall it's a decent little romance. My issues with it are probably more personal more than anything else - I hated that Mack was lying to Charlie the whole time and I KNOW she did stop but idk I do feel like she carried on using Charlie for content much longer than necessary (it also didn't feel super clear when she stopped until Mack told Charlie at the end) and because I knew Mack wasn't being honest it made it really hard for me to root for them as a couple. Aside from this choice, I did like Mack as a person and I really enjoyed Charlie as a character, and honestly, my heart hurts a lot for her.

But my absolute fav part of this book was Charlie's relationship with Mack's parents, it was just so lovely seeing her get to experience the kind of love and support she never received from her own family.

Thank you to Netgally and Storm Publishing for an e-arc in exchange for a honest review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️
☕🧁📖👩‍💻☂️

Not In the Plan is a cute New Adult Sapphic Romcom about a cafe owner, Charlie, and an author, Mack who meet because Mack finds Charlie's cafe because she got lost when driving around Seattle. Because of the meet-cute, Mack, who was having writer's block, now has inspiration again. Charlie, who is going through some money issues and still struggling with trust after her divorce from her ex-wife, is suddenly finding that she likes this new customer more and more, and the feelings go far beyond that of just a customer.

Both women are going through their issues - Mack, having just come back to visit her parents after a year is feeling guilty for both avoiding her mum with her being sick with cancer, but also struggling with the fact that she has to write this book that she's already spent the advance on. She has a secret she can't tell her parents, which eats away at her. Things start to get a little easier the more she spends with Charlie, but when she realizes that Charlie would hate the one thing that Mack is doing, she doesn't know what to do.
Charlie is struggling with money and keeping her business afloat. She has to pay back contractors and keeps getting phone calls, mail, and emails about final notices. She started her business on her own, and she has a great best friend, Ben, who supports her, but it isn't until a storm hits that Mack decides to get her dad to help and things get easier for her.

The relationship between these two is beyond cute. They both have their quirks, but you definitely can tell that they will learn from each other and grow together no matter what. I absolutely loved how everything played out between them, I just wished Mack had told her rather than having to find out, but at least the letter made up for it all.

This book felt real, with real emotions, fears, and struggles. I loved how there was another story in the book as well, with Mack's book. I would read the heck out of that. I loved Mack's parents, absolutely supportive and hilarious and so cool. I loved the fact that they were teen parents, and they were written to be successful and full of life and love.

Loved this debut. I can't wait to read more from Dana Hawkins.

Thanks to Storm publishing and NetGalley for a copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

"Not in the Plan" by Dana Hawkins is a really fun exploration of the Grumpy/Sunshine trope. All of it fueled by LOTS and LOTS of coffee. The novel centers around Mack, a stressed-out writer seeking inspiration in Seattle, and Charlie, an optimistic coffee shop owner recovering from heartbreak. The chemistry between the two MCs felt a little insta-love, but I think it works for this book.

It was sad, and it was funny, and witty, and there are just so many other wonderful adjectives to describe this story. Overall, I didn't expect to cry a few times while reading the book, and while the third act breakup is very easy to spot, I think still that it was written in a way that works and in a way that allows readers to take a ride on this slow burn amazing rollercoaster.

Can we also talk about Dana Hawkins and the writing in this book? She is quickly becoming one of my favorite new writers, and I just love the way she writes the characters. Her voice is beautiful and captivating. She also made the various "fade to black" scenes surprisingly steamy, even though they were fade to black scenes!

All in all, "Not in the Plan," had super charming characters, sweet romance, and captivating writing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dana Hawkins and Storm Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked Charlie's character, but found the story slow-paced and predictable. Hawkins sets the scene well.

I want to start off this review with a thank you to both netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!

Onto my review, I unfortunately didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would when reading the description… like a coffee shop lover and a writer would be a match made in heaven. I think I just read this book while in a slump :/ but I didn’t really enjoy how Mack would use poor Charlie as writing material without her knowing, idk feels icky to me. This book would definitely categorize as a slow burn and they eventually get there! Might just have been in a slump and might try again later!

This was a sweet romance between Charlie (barista/coffee shop owner) and Mack (writer). I enjoyed the inner monologue and thought the characters were well developed. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Not in the Plan is an adorable sapphic romance that pays tribute to the city of Seattle as it’s backdrop. Mack, a NYC author suffering from writer’s block, finds herself settling into a local Seattle coffee shop when on a trip to visit her parents. During this caffeine-fueled visit, she finds her muse in Charlie, the coffee shop’s owner. With her writer’s block suddenly cured by the beautiful red head, Mack finds herself befriending, and eventually falling in love with, Charlie. What follows is a heartwarming story of finding a partner that inspires you, but without losing yourself in the relationship.

I loved this story as a sweet sapphic romance! I would absolutely recommend this book as a cute Valentine’s day read! Thanks to #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for a free ARC of #NotInThePlan by #DanaHawkins for an honest, spoiler-free review!

This book was cute cute cute!!! I absolutely loved the how relatable the characters were especially Mack, who has to start over from square one…we’ve all been there a done that in some way!


4.35⭐️

Special thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Found it a bit slow to begin with but then I couldn’t put it down. Very addictive and I loved Mack. Thanks for a great read.

Thank you to Net galley and Dana Hawkins for an e-arc. This book was a warm hug. I love Mack very much. In fact, Mack supremacy!

This book, people! It grabs you from page one and keeps you glued to each chapter. It’s vulnerable, it’s breathtaking, it’s everything you want in a sapphic romance.
I received an advanced copy for free from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Mack is at her wits end. After writing a best selling book, she needs to deliver on her new contract. If only the words would come. In a desperate attempt to get her creative juices flowing again, she leaves New York to visit het parents in Seatle. Parents she hasn’t visited in over a year. Since her mother got sick with breast cancer, Mack did everything to avoid seeing her fight the disease while getting reduces to a shell of her former self. While visiting is long overdue, Mack still wants to keep her problems to herself, not wanting to burden her parents and feeling guilty for leaving them in their time of need. While aimlessly driving around an unfamiliar city, she ends up in a charming neighborhood coffeeshop. The shop might be charming, but the owner..phew..she literally takes her breath away. Sitting at the coffeeshop the words she so desperately chased start flowing. Coffee goddess Charlie is her muse.
 
Charlie has come along way but she’s still struggling, getting back to a semblance of herself after her divorce left her heartbroken and empty. Building her own coffeeshop from the ground up should have given her a sense of pride, but the bills keep piling up and she is this close to losing everything all over again. When an intriguing new customer enters her shop, Charlie can’t help herself. She wants to know everything about this woman that is so different from herself. Mack turns out to be one of her favorite authors and the fact that she seems as interested in Charlie as Charlie is in her, is scary as hell. On the one hand she wants to explore everything that is Mack, but on the other hand she is terrified to revert to the old codependent, insecure woman her marriage turned her into.
 
I loved, loved this story. Hawkins has a way to let her words seep into your skin and let them marinate there. You can’t help but feel everything Mack and Charlie are feeling even if their experiences are different from your own. The vulnerability they both display while growing an indestructible connection is so special, you actually feel honored that you get to read their story.
 
The relationship Mack has with her parents is wonderful. They support each other through everything and it is so heartwarming to see that, even if Mack retreated into herself while her mom was sick, her mom understands her behavior and if possible, loves her even more for it. The experience of growing up with a loving family is a stark contrast to Charlie’s youth growing up with an absent mother and an alcoholic father. Mack’s parents engulf her in their circle from moment one. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time to feel Charlie experience that kind of unconditional love for the first time and learn how to trust it.
 
Of course Mack screws up big time and ends up almost losing everything. I won’t go into details here, but be assured you will feel all the feels and will end up wanting to physically force these two women back together.
Ok, I will stop ranting now about this absolutely stunning story. Please, promise me, you put this one at the top of your TBR!