my favorite thing about this book is mack’s characterization. not to get too personal but i related to mack’s life so much, most specifically with her way of coping with her mother’s cancer and her relationship with her parents. actually, mack’s entire family made so much sense to me, considering how young her parents are and what they’ve been through. it felt like i was reading a piece of my life, and while it was heavy at times, it also felt nice being represented that way.

while i’ve praised mack’s characterization, i also hate how she used charlie for her book. that whole plot made me very uncomfortable and for that reason i couldn’t give this book more than 3 stars. although i really enjoyed their relationship and mostly the friendship they built, it still felt too tense for me to fully enjoy.

thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc. this is an honest review based on my own opinions.

This was fun, easy, fast read. I liked this book. This book brook for a little my reading slump, and I recomend it.

3.5 stars

This was a beautiful sapphic closed-door romance between an optimistic coffee shop owner and her customer from out of town who can’t stop coming in for her black drip coffee, her bagel, and to work on her current novel. This story has everything— great side characters in Mack’s parents and Charlie’s BFF, Ben, great character development (aka my favorite thing when I’m consuming any kind of pop culture), and just a real natural flow to their relationship where you believe every second of it. All I want to do now is travel to my closest queer coffee shop and find a good scone and fall in love. Also, props for a queer story about the joys and not the anxiety behind being in the LGBTQIA+ community, which is always a plus in my book. 4.5/5 stars!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author of this book in return for my honest review.
It was a pretty light, good read besides Charlie bacgruond nothing bad happens in abook whicth is good if u want break from heavier novels or non fiction books. .

I appreciated Mac's parents embrassing Charlie, helping her, and becoming part of her family.


I really liked Charlie and Ben's friendship.


Also, if you love coffee-related puns, you might actually get them.

First time reading from this author and def will read more.

I loved the writing and just overall loved this book.

It was easy to follow and was def a cozy read. I love anything that is set in a coffee shop just makes it a feel good vibe book.

I feel the character build was awesome as you see the characters grow while reading the book The book will make you laugh, feel good and make you want to cry as well. Very good writing and will read more from the author.

Spoilers ahead:

I want to start by saying there were a lot of things to like about this book. I loved Charlie, and her relationship with Ben, and I liked the overall premise and some of the relationship between Charlie and Mack.

I had more conflicting feelings about Mack. She spends a lot of time feeling guilty for using Charlie's life stories for her book--but most of what we see throughout the story isn't that bad... and then at the end we see more and it's worse than I'd imagined. So her guilt felt overblown, and then the reveal made me lose all sympathy for her It also didn't feel like Mack grew or learned the lessons she needed to learn throughout the book. I also hated that she found out Charlie would feel violated if anyone used her for inspiration for a book--and then Mack slept with Charlie for the first time that night, without ever disclosing that she'd been doing just that. Overall, I just wanted better for Charlie. From that point on I just couldn't root for Mack, and the climax only added to that.

I also had some issues with how the publishing stuff worked out (the advance structure and rigid deadlines were very outdated (publishing hasn't worked like that in years) and that just pulled me out of the story a bit). I did, however, like the romance and the plot for most of the book, and I could definitely see someone else really liking this--up until the ending it was a solid 3-star read for me.

I feel lucky to have read this early I really liked it. It was a masterclass in showing not telling. The romance was meet-cute to swoon-worthy. The spice was more teasing but I think I preferred it to overly explicit. I didn’t like that they said ‘I love you’ after a month but all in all it was a great read.

Best enjoyed with a cup of coffee!

I absolutely loved this book. Great characters and an easy-to-follow plot make this book a perfect cozy read to enjoy while sipping some coffee or tea. Charlie is the owner of a struggling, queer-friendly coffee shop, and Mack is a thriller author who can’t seem to get her second book done. These two grow as people and become better for simply knowing one another (which is like objectively the best trope). This book will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will keep you hooked to the very end

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review

I have not read anything by Dana Hawkins before, so wanted to give this title a shot. It was a fun and quick read. I love the coffee shop setting. The two main characters were fun to get to know and the struggle they both go through is relatable. Thanks, Netgalley for the early access.

This review was made possible via an ARC through NetGalley

Not in the Plan by Dana Hawkins is a Sapphic contemporary romcom where coffee shop owner Charlie meets Mack, a writer dealing with writer’s block as she attempts to create her sophomore novel and Mack starts to take parts and pieces from Charlie’s life.

Charlie is divorced, struggling to pay her bills, and is trying to find some semblance of stability while Mack has run away from New York to Seattle because inspiration isn’t coming for her next book. Mack and Charlie are the classic opposites attract: Charlie needs a stable partner and home and Mack has never had a longtime partner. As they grow closer and Charlie starts to let Mack in, Mack adds more and more of Charlie’s history to her main character’s backstory without telling Charlie.

The two POVs feel very distinct with Mack’s sometimes drifting into the narration for the thriller novel she’s drafting and Charlie’s being more focused on humor and word play. It’s nice to read a book where you get a deep sense of who characters are and how they see the world.

Each chapter is a sweet coffee pun and there is genuine humor in the text. Humor is very often subjective, but I Iaughed out loud several times and I rarely laugh when reading.

I would recommend this to readers looking for an opposites attract Seattle-based Sapphic romcom.

A writer who has severe writer's block and a loom deadline finds inspiration in a gorgeous coffee shop owner... the only problem is that she is falling in love with her and hasn't told her she's used her in her book. Mack has to write a book, yet she's got nothing and the deadline for her next book is getting closer and closer. She escapes from New York to go to Seattle and visit her parents, yet while she's there she visits a cute coffee shop and meets the equally gorgeous coffee shop owner, Charlie. Charlie owns a coffee shop but she's been hiding a secret, the shop's nearly bankrupt and she doesn't know how to save it. Charlie and Mack keep fall for each other yet they are complete opposites. Charlie is an optimist and tends to fall fast while Mack is worrier who doesn't do relationships. However the more time they spend together the more the attraction between them grows... but Mack still has not told Charlie the truth about her book and when she finds out.... will they be able to make it work? This was a cute sapphic romance and I loved the sweet relationship between Charlie and Mack. They are both dealing with their own things yet were super supportive and sweet to each other. The overall story was a sweet one and I enjoyed the romance. I definitely think if you're looking for a quick and sweet romance read, this one would be perfect for you!

*Thanks Netgalley and Storm Publishing for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book was a cute story premise, but overall I found it very difficult to get through at times- it seemed like the plot was going slowly and then was sped up in the end of the book regarding the final major plot point .

Not In The Plan
By: Dana Hawkins

4 Stars

Charlie and Mack have such a cute love story. Charlie is a coffee shop owner. While Mack is a struggling writer. When they meet, the fireworks start flying, and they end up on a path that wasn't in either of their plans. Both have their issues, but it seems that when you have the right person, anything is possible.

This was my first cozy queer romance, and I really enjoyed it. Dana Hawkins brought such fun and lightness to this book while also tackling some difficult issues. It was romantic and funny, and yet, it did hold its serious bits. These just made the story and characters more realistic and relatable (Mack, especially, to me anyway). I have to add that I LOVE Mack's father. He reminds me of someone I may just know. Overall, this story was fun to read and well written as well, and I absolutely loved how it ended.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book. Unfortunatley, this wasn't for me.

When I requested this book from NetGalley, I knew there's a chance I won't like Mack secretly writing a story inspired by Charlie. And I was right. I was hoping the inspiration would have to do more with the cafe than Charlie herself, but no, There's a part pretty early on where Charlie calls Mack to ask what she's doing, and Mack's inner monolgue literally says "writing about you". So, it didn't sit well with me even more than I expected, and for some reason I didn't really connect to any of the characters.

Fantastic romance! Really enjoyed the love story and the character development, I found myself rooting for them straight away and wanting to know more about all of them. They were funny and sweet and the descriptions gave you just enough to leave something to the imagination. I loved the way that each chapter started with a drink and how it was all very linked to the coffee shop. My only qualm is would be the fact that the over charge on the work seems a bit of an easy exit and how did she not question it?! But I guess that is the whole point of it. Over all a very enjoyable love story and would definitely recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The first 30% kind of dragged and was very repetitive but when it started finding itself it was hard to put down.
Charlie and Mack have great chemistry and you want them to be together and be happy!
They’re both kind of a mess which is really comforting.
Mack’s parents are so wonderful and supportive!

I really didn’t like Charlie’s friend Ben. I can’t put my finger on why, but he just bothered me for some reason.

Overall, this was a beautiful book and I really did love Charlie and Mack.

Thank you to Dana Hawkins, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for sending “Not in the Plan” to me as an ARC!

Starting off the year with this book was incredible.
I’m sat in awe of the book I just read. What a remarkable and wonderful story.

The main characters were so well written. I love how deep their stories are and how much detail Dana was able to add to them. I’m also in awe of the writing. The vocabulary used in Mack’s inner dialogue and how distinct it was from Charlie’s, and even by how the sentences were formed, you can clearly tell the character is a writer - which is a detail I’m obsessed with.
The emotional depth was so good, the communication between the characters was incredible.

I don’t even know how to put into words how much I absolutely LOVE this book. Obsesseddddddd

This was so heartbreakingly beautiful!! Such a great story about love and trust, about how to overcome your past. To be ble to build lasting relationships that actually mean something. I found myself rooting for these two from the start!

I read this in one sitting, that’s how good this book is!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

posted on goodreads:

i was very lucky to receive a copy of this book through netgalley.

i honestly really liked the romance aspect of this book. it made me want to fall in love. i just think it was a bit predictable? it also starts a little slow with a bunch of information you’re not sure will be useful in the future. overall i really liked this book. it was the perfect roadtrip read.

Mack needs to break through her writer's block. Running away from her looming deadline, she goes to Seattle to stay with her parents for a while. Mack then meets Charlie, a beautiful coffee shop owner with problems of her own. Mack finally has inspiration for her story, but could it be something more?

I really enjoy a fun romcom, and this one also touches on more serious issues! I love the contrast between the characters: Mack, being a recluse and people-hater, and Charlie, being outgoing and excuding joy. The path of these characters getting to know each other and then getting to know each other 😉 was so delightful. All of the characters are enjoyable, especially Mack's parents who are heavily involved in the story.

Thank you to Storm Publishing for an e-arc of this one! All opinions are my own.