This promised to be a fun romp by two authors starring two rival Black PIs, Mackenzie (a woman) and Jackson (a man); the first few chapters had a very noir feel and were enjoyable enough. I was reading along and kind of enjoying this although Jackson’s near-constant sexism wasn’t particularly fun - I can read past a lot - when Chapter 5 hit me with a wallop: our cynical intrepid PI (Jackson, not Mackenzie) uses ChatGPT as an investigative tool. My friend, it does not give you actual data. It is a predictive text tool. It cannot give you investigative leads (which is what the author said it did). It is guessing at what word comes next in the sentence. The idea that an experienced and expert private investigator would make use of ChatGPT to perform his investigative work beggars belief. I kept reading for a bit after that (the editing is good and the plot moved swiftly), but I wasn’t enjoying the experience and I DNF’d at 20%.

3/5

This was a fun read, but it wasn't my favorite. I am typically an enthusiast for enemies to lovers, but this one was all enemies with very little love. I also was uncomfortable with the way Jackson talked to Mackenzie sometimes and belittled her abilities.

The PI plot did have a lot of twists that were entertaining and kept me on my toes, and I enjoyed some of the secondary characters.

If you like murder/thriller books with some romance-ish on the side, this one is for you!

DNFing at 46% approx. Chapter 28

I was super intrigued by the idea of this story and had a decently fun time with the plot/mystery but I absolutely hate Jackson. I think he’s misogynistic and super obnoxious. The idea of being in his POV every chapter was painful and once we get to the point where Jackson and Mackenzie team up more, I couldn’t even get through her POVs since he featured in them so much.

my feelings on this were constantly conflicting. i enjoyed some parts, and the mystery part of the story was fun to read and unravel with the characters.

but, there was some things i couldn't get over. and ultimately made me not enjoy it in the end.

1. for three-long paragraphs, jackson, the male main character, went on an internal monologue about how great ChatGPT is while signing up for it? like it really felt like i was reading a sponsorship.
2. there was some weird misogynistic undertones that really left me feeling gross. bleh. very blatant that it was written by a woman and a man.
3. there was a tasteless "joke" about someone being on the spectrum. i.e. basically the whole shtick of the joke was that being on spectrum made someone "stupid". like, no. ew. disgusting.

so, yeah this just wasn't for me.

Sounds Like a Plan follows two antagonists: Jackson and Mackenzie. They meet when they are hired for the same case as a private investigator, looking for missing women- and this case is urgent. Forced to work together, the two try their best to deny their spark and keep their head in the game.

Now, for my thoughts! I loved the action-packed aspect of this story, and how these crazy experiences bonded the characters. Both perspectives were fun to read, and it didn't feel like I was waiting for one to end! They have some great humor and chemistry between them. There are also several loveable side characters and development behind each of them.

Now, for what I didn't like. The fatphobia in this book is rampant and impossible to ignore. Classic trope here of 'good characters' being hot and skinny, and 'bad' characters being fat. It grossed me out as it was used as a punchline over and over again. On top of that, there is an ableist joke in here about a character being on "the spectrum." Also, for those who like spice, this book doesn't have that kind of payoff. This last point is completely objective, but the other two are not.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this advanced reader copy!

They are both private investigators who met because they were hired by the same person. Name a more romantic meet-cute, you won’t be able to! I loved every bit of this novel, despite some of the over the top situations. It was such a fun read. I need more of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for graciously giving me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest thought and opinion.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Jackson and MacKenzie both work for separate firms as private investigator. When there next case throws them together, tt brings the worst out of them. They will need each other to stay alive and solve the case. An ok read.

I so wanted to LOVE this book but I only mildly liked it. Which isn't bad but it wasn't the amazing experience I thought I'd get from the cover and description. But having said that it's still an enjoyable read and I am looking to more romances from this author in the future.

Jackson and Mackenzie are both private investigators who get hired for the same case. As they race each other to solve the case, twists and turns lead them to an action-packed adventure. I was pleasantly surprised by this novel as the suspense kept me intrigued and I ended up reading it all in one sitting. The romance in the novel is very slow burn but it fits perfectly in the storyline. I would recommend this novel to readers who want an action-packed book that keeps you guessing.

This was an awesome read! I enjoy the work of both authors , so putting them together was an ingenious idea. I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating perspectives as it gave the novel a unique flavor. The pacing proved to be appropriate for the story and there were bits of nuance that were unexpected.

I am looking forward to new entries into this series! Thank you for allowing me to read and review and advanced copy.

I really enjoyed this book, although I wouldn't market it as romance. The main characters had some tension, but nothing to write home about. I liked the writing style and the distinction between the two characters, since it was written by two different writers. They had great chemistry, and I would definitely read another book written by the duo. My biggest issue was the "are you on the spectrum" "joke" towards the end of the book. It was super unnecessary, even given context, and it brought the read down to 3 stars for me. Without that joke, I would have given at least a 3.5

I loved it! Private investigator mysteries are my favorite type of series. This was so fast paced and action packed that it felt like I was watching it play out on a TV show. Mac and Jackson are smooth together, their banter is fun and funny, and they both had really smart ideas on which way to proceed in the investigation. Great book!

—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Omg! This was so so good. I’m obssessed. This is gonna be the it romance of the summer. This couple was stunning. I fell in love with both of them. Their banter was out of this world. I loved this plotline so much. It was so unique.

This was such a delightful read! I'd describe this book as action packed with a little romance as part of the back story. I was familiar with Dwayne Alexander Smith and this book left me searching for more titles by both him and Pamela Samuels Young. I am hopeful that this is part one of a multi book series and I can't wait to see what the characters get into next. If you are looking for an engaging, exciting read, this is one for you!

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading both perspectives of Mackenzie and Jackson. Two black private investigators from totally opposite upbringings are assigned to the same missing persons case meet and partner up to find Ashley Cross…and try not be killed.

A fun and fast paced mystery romance. It was suspenseful but also had elements of humor. The storyline was predictable at times but I did enjoy the plot twist at the end. The main characters were well developed but I feel like the side characters could have had more depth such as Mac’s family and Jackson’s ex wife and daughter.

I was hooked at the beginning, then things slowed down, then the story picks up half way. Things definitely get hot and steamy with Mac and Jackson but some scenes and lines were super corny. This novel was jam packed with action: car chases, credit card fraud, mistaken identity, etc. There is some violence but nothing too graphic. I did feel like there were a few holes in the plot that I questioned but overall this is a good read.

Ahhhhh this was just such a great read. I just didn't want this book to end and I was sad to turn the last page. I'm so excited to see what's next from this author.

Sounds Like a Plan was a delightful romance that was both traditional and non-traditional in its plot structure. I enjoyed the banter between Mackenzie and Jackson tremendously. Thank you so much NetGalley & to Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith for the ARC.

Thank you to netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed this book,

I throughly enjoyed this reading. Though action packed and definitely eventful, I also found myself chuckling. Diversity and culture is something that has always been a four front in guiding my reading selections. The urban rad with current day references and familiarity made this the perfect light read. Way to go! I highly recommend “Sounds Like a Plan” to all avid readers. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this awesome read!

Enjoyable popcorn read. The characters were interesting and learned to work together so as not to be killed. Starts simply enough and then explodes with nonstop action. Inept badguys help the duo to squeak out of some situations, but lots of action keeps the story going to discover what is really happening. Enjoyable, fast paced read, thanks to publishers and NetGalley for an ARC .