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 .

Thanks to Atria for sending me an advanced copy of this book! Here are my thoughts! ✨

I had a great time with this book! It was action packed, exciting, and kept me on my toes. Every time I thought I wouldn’t get another plot twist, I did. It was a wild ride from start to finish.

I loved Mac and her quick wit and sharp personality. She really made this book for me. I really enjoyed her chapters and what she brought to this duo. I honestly would’ve enjoyed a whole book from her perspective.

I will say that I definitely think I would’ve liked this book more if there was NO romance in it. I almost would’ve preferred them to have a purely platonic relationship. Their chemistry was strange. I didn’t love some of the comments this man made in his chapters whether about himself or Mac or other people. I had a hard time rooting for him as a love interest when he would have those moments. If it was purely platonic and playful then I don’t think those moments would’ve read as stilted and harsh. It would’ve been more of a joke between friends.

Otherwise, it’s a really fun read and I had a great time!!

In the vibrant city of Los Angeles, where palm trees sway and ambition courses through its veins, private investigators Jackson Jones and Mackenzie Cunningham operate their own firms, diligently unraveling mysteries with a keen eye for detail and unwavering determination. United by their race, thriving independence, and exceptional skills, they seem to have it all. Yet, when fate intertwines their paths on a missing persons case, their contrasting personalities ignite like oil and water, creating a volatile mix of tension and undeniable attraction. As they reluctantly join forces to solve the perplexing case, Jackson and Mackenzie find themselves ensnared in a web of deceit, where nothing is as it seems. The stakes rise when they realize they have been cunningly set up as scapegoats in a deadly game of murder. With no choice but to navigate the treacherous waters together, they embark on a whirlwind journey that takes them from the bustling streets of Century City to the sun-kissed shores of Malibu and beyond. Amidst the chaos and danger, sparks fly between Jackson and Mackenzie, creating an undeniable sizzle that neither can ignore. However, with a relentless army of killers hot on their trail, they must put their complicated feelings aside and focus on staying alive. In this witty, fast-paced, and swoon-worthy mystery, Pamela Samuels Young and Dwayne Alexander Smith weave a captivating tale of two private investigators caught in a whirlwind of danger, intrigue, and irresistible attraction.

I really enjoyed this "meet-cute" novel about two Private Investigators, both hired individually to find Ashley, a young woman whose mother is dying and desperately wants to see her daughter. But of course, nothing is as it appears to be and there is lots of action: car chases, credit card fraud, and mistaken identity. Yes, it sometimes feels "over the top" but it's a fun romp through the world of the ultra-wealthy as they attempt to manipulate others believing their money brings them credibility and power over everyone else!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

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

Fast paced romance/mystery told in alternating perspectives. Was predictable at times, the ending did have a twist. Perfect amount of thrilling storyline and slow burn romance!

I was expecting so much more from this so I am disappointed that it fell so flat for me. I did not care about the plot or the characters so that made it hard for me to care about overall...

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rival detectives trying to beat each other on a case. They start to become friends and quickly consider more, but the case takes a turn and they find themselves targeted but they don’t know why. Alternating point of view by two authors keeps the story moving and changes the voice just enough to allow us to learn more about the characters. A very quick entertaining read.

I really wanted to love this book, and I did enjoy aspects of it, but there was quite a bit of offensive language throughout that made me CRINGE. The characters both felt shallow and used language that wouldn’t be ok in real life. The romance never really developed for me. I really enjoyed the PI aspects of the story though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.
Pub date: 7/9/24

Unfortunately, this book was not my cup of tea. I read one third of the book, and have put it aside. I find the characters to be shallow. I haven't really been given a good reason to care about the missing girl. And, the competition between Jackson and Mackenzie is rather juvenile. If the characters had more depth, and the plot line more believable, I might have read more.

This was a fun change from my normal romcoms. Two rival PIs need to work together to solve a missing person’s case… and stay alive. I liked their competitive nature but also how they became friends along the way. Some violence but I don’t recall anything too graphic.

(I do have one comment for the authors, if possible to edit it? There is a comment during a fight seen when the main character makes a comment about the bad guy being on the spectrum and followed it up with a comment about him getting kicked in the head when he was born. I’m guessing this was not meant to be derogatory to people on the spectrum but you may want to adjust that wording to avoid coming across that way. Just my 2 cents!)

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Sounds Like a Plan to come out July 9, 2024.

Big thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the opportunity to read the arch!

Mackenzie and Jackson are private investigators hired to investigate a missing person case. Everyone is pitted against each other in an effort to win a cash prize, and the pair team up despite the building tension. During their investigation, Mackenzie and Jackson navigate through a winding web of complexities, leads of the helpful and unhelpful variety, and competition with a less-than-appealing third party.

This book was definitely a fun read; the entire time, I felt like I was watching a proper action movie! I like how the mystery wasn’t predictable and how they built it into quite the twist! This really developed the plot beyond the romance and kept you hooked for all the reveals. I love that the MMC was super easy-going and on the friendly side (single father! This needs to be mentioned more). Of course, I loved the badass WMC even more, especially since she got multiple opportunities to show how badass she really is. The tension between Mackenzie and Jackson was great; I will always love the enemies to lovers, or in this case, rivals-with-tension to lovers. However, be prepared for the mystery of the investigation to hold a little more of the plot than the romance itself.

If you want a romance that strays from the typical format while still having all the micro-tropes you love, this book is perfect for you.

This was a fun who-dun-it so the a slooooooow burn romance that doesn’t seem to materialize. I enjoyed the detective part of the story but wished the romance was more, overall a good popcorn novel. A solid 3

Thank you Netgalley for this arc! This book is fast paced, cozy, and has romantic elements. In this we follow Mackenzie and Jackson. Two opposites but two thrush together..

In the beginning I wasn’t totally sold, but by the end I came to a solid agreement on it. I would just want the plot to come together a bit faster

I was so disappointed in this book. there were multiple instances of fatphobic language used to describe other characters. at one point the male main character calls someone "fatso." Tt is 2024, we do not need to be publishing books with fatphobic language in them.

this was such an enjoyable read! fast-paced, tension filled, funny and charming characters..? definitely recommend this for the perfect amount of thrilling storyline and slow burn romance!

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book to read.

Sadly, I wish I hadn't wasted my time. Don't get me wrong, at about 40% through, I ended up getting a *little* sucked into the suspense so I skimmed the rest of the book to figure out what happened, what was going on, and what would end up happening with Jackson and Mackenzie but overall, I sadly wouldn't recommend this book.

I had high hopes because the premise seemed interesting and I love a good rivals to lovers story. But both characters were very underdeveloped. Their respective POVs were poorly written with very little depth, banter that never went anywhere, and nothing about them made me remotely like them whatsoever.

The mystery and story they were trying to solve also seemed very haphazardly put together, again with no depth and ideas/theories/storylines just thrown together. The ending, which had a little "twist," was still so childish and I found myself rolling my eyes so many times.

Unfortunately, this was not a good read for me.

Mackenzie Cunningham is a PI in Ingelwood trying to make a name for herself without her family’s money or support, Jackson Jones is also a PI but only caters to the wealthy. Both of them are contacted separately by a man wanting them to find a missing girl. Once they find out they were both contracted to find her it becomes a race to find the girl and get the big paycheck.

Rivals to lovers is only second to enemies to lovers in my book so instantly I like where this was going. And I thought it was so fun! A bit predictable but the chemistry and vibes were there. It felt very ready to be on screen and I would totally want to watch that movie or series. And hope there are more books to come 🤞

A little note: there were I think three lines that could have had a sensitivity reader… a little casual fat phobia and ableism. They didn’t make me write off the book but I did cringe 😬

First, I want to shout out the cover designer for this because it was one of the big reasons I was excited about the book. I thought the mystery was compelling and I was really kept guessing until the climax. That said, I did find it hard to suspend disbelief at the most gruesome plot points. And I was also disappointed that the characters felt underdeveloped, so it was difficult for me to become invested in the story.

This was a cute mystery, will they, wont they romance. The banter between the two characters was mostly enjoyable. The case they were solving hit all the right comedic/mystery beats. It was predictable while still being enjoyable. There’s room for improvement and seeds of a sequel have been planted.

Sounds like a Plan ended up being a good book. When initially started reading it, I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue. But realizing the story had to be built, I continued to read and I’m glad I did. We meet 2 PI’s, Mac and Jackson, who have both been hired to work on the same case to find someone and then the case goes left. And that is when the action and plot really start to get good. While Jackson and Mac figure out what is going on, they are fighting their attraction to each other. You should read this book if you are looking for a good suspenseful/mystery book.

Loved the ending and would love for this to be a series where they team up personally and professionally. I am definitely a fan now of this book duo and author duo!