What a fun, realistic story! It tackled abuse and mental health in very positive ways. There were moments that I really didn’t like Chelsea but I could see why she was the way she was and it was so real. I loved how Bas just accepted her and wanted to love her.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I rate books at 1-3 stars I will submit the star rating without a review on Goodreads. I don’t post these review on my social media as I do not like to put out negative feedback and discourage others from reading. For me I didn’t vibe for with FMC, but that doesn’t mean others won’t.

This was a super cute and quick read. I felt like it was a bit cheesy at times and the characters could have been a little deeper. I loved the overall idea of this story but felt like we could have gotten more from the characters.
Overall, I do recommend this book for a cute, quick read.

This is such a great concept! Also the role reversal of her being the villain and him being the love struck character is such cool switch. Also, a huge fan of the setting being Greece instead of a cliche location like France, or Italy.

I had a hard time with this one just because I’m not a fan of books where they hookup pretty early on. The mmc was almost alarming into her very quickly.

I though that this book was really cute. The characters have a lot of emotional baggage to overcome to make their relationship work and, of course lack communication to make it happen. The checklist between the friends was a great meet-cute, and fun way to keep them interested in each other, and the dad joke are the best!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

The book skillfully balances fun and depth while addressing serious issues using a unique checklist narrative crafted by best friends Chelsea and Elizabeth. This approach not only shapes the story but also becomes an essential part of the plot. The dual point of view is a highlight, providing insights into the emotional journeys of both characters. Chelsea's traumatic history is handled with care, and Basil's patience in supporting her growth journey is commendable. While Chelsea's stubbornness, a result of her past, may challenge some readers, it adds to the authenticity of her character. The theme of self-discovery is powerful, leading both Chelsea and Basil to realize they are not defined by their parents' expectations or failures.

Thank you Amara, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for the arc!

Love this. Will give a better review at a later date but definitely 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️s.. thank you NetGalley for this opportunity. Mary Ann Marlowe for writing a fabulous book.

I adored this one night stand to friends to lovers dual POV romance! Chelsea doesn't trust love or relationships after growing up in a broken home with an abusive father and an alcoholic neglectful mother. She has deep trust issues and is working on herself in therapy.

Luckily her best friend Elizabeth is her rock and with a list of dares, the two challenge one another to expand their horizons and go outside their comfort zone. Dared to have an honest conversation with a stranger, Chelsea meets Bas, a Greek American chef who himself is floundering in a dead end career.

With electric chemistry these two have to figure out how to be there for one another without hurting each other. I loved the food, the puns, the Greek culture, the mental health rep and all the European travel in this tender, big-hearted and STEAMY romance! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Chelsea and Elizabeth are best friends who every year put together a challenge list of things to accomplish. For everything they check off, they add points and pick a vacation destination based on how many points they tally. When Chelsea challenges Elizabeth to flirt with a random man at the bar, she doesn’t expect to hit it off with his best friend, Bas. But Chelsea has commitment issues and a strong sense of wanderlust, so falling for Bas isn’t what she’s ready for, but maybe he’s the one who can make her finally want love and happiness.

This was a fun read! I enjoyed the list and challenges and how every chapter was titled with one. Marlowe did a great job of incorporating the list items into each chapter. The dual perspectives worked perfectly to get a good understanding of how both Chelsea and Bas were feeling as their relationship progressed. The pacing worked well, and I adored Bas’s character. What’s not to love? He was sweet, charming, a chef, and Greek! While both characters showed growth as the story progressed, I really struggled with Chelsea.

Chelsea. Chelsea. Chelsea. Oh how I wanted to shake you while reading this! I know her character was dealing with past trauma, but I really wanted her to get over herself. She was extremely self absorbed, and the way she handled their time in Greece made me so mad. Bas was a saint for sticking around as long as he did!

I loved the cover of this book, and I thought it was going to be set in Greece based off of it. I love books set in Greece, so I was a little disappointed it was set in Virginia, but was happy when Bas and Chelsea finally made it to Greece. The banter between Bas and Chelsea was great, and the chemistry between them was undeniable. There were definitely some spicy scenes, but my favorite part of this book was how Marlowe described the foods prepared by Bas and his family. My mouth was watering as I was reading it!

Thank you TLC Book Tours, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I just HAVE to start out by saying this best friend bucket list idea is SO good and SO fun. I've already texted my bestie asking if we can make one together. The female friendship is probably my favorite part o the whole book and I really enjoyed getting to see Chelsea and Elizabeth navigate life and love together. Unfortunately, I was less of a fan of the romance in this book and often felt annoyed when the MMCs were brought up. It was almost like they didn't bring out the best in the girls and the girls didn't bring out the best in them.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Hi Book Besties!💕🌻
I am so excited to share my review for Holding Out for a Gyro😍 By the lovely @mary_ann_marlowe
A Giant thank you to @entangled_publishing for the gifted ARC! This is a stand alone novel and I loved it! It does have some tricky themes so you should absolutely check out those trigger warnings before jumping in! Your mental health is always more important than a book.
The Dual POV in this was great, I enjoyed being able to keep up with everyone's emotions and to get that inside look on their perspectives. That best friend bond was also fantastic and so realistic! I loved that they could be real and push each other out of their comfort zones, so they can get out there and enjoy life . The Greek references were also top notch!

4 ⭐️/5
3 🌶️/5

A sweet love story between commitment-phobe Chelsea and catches-feelings-fast Bas. Their besties Elizabeth and Evan have a subplot romance with each other, which felt both fun and indulgent to have a two for one romance. If you’re into puns, you’ll enjoy the banter.

I loved how Chelsea took chance after chance with practicing her new honest and open self. I loved how Bas was so thoughtful and caring about Chelsea. Then came the major stumbling block between them - and Chelsea and Bas both have to face their default settings to decide if their relationship is worth nurturing. The ending wrapped up quicker than I would have preferred, but overall it was a good read.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts are my own and my review is voluntary.

I was pulled into this book by the description. I enjoyed the book though some of the parts fell flat.

I really liked the dual POVs and the list that Elizabeth and Chelsea have together. Basil was a good character but Chelsea left a little to be desired. I totally got where she was coming from with her family issues and I like that she is straight honest to Bas(as she needs to be). Everything ended well with Chelsea being able to open up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the e-ARC of this book. This review is my own opinion.

Funny, feel good book. I am not usually a fan of romance however the title of this book lured me in with how funny and quirky it was. And the rest of the book definitely did not disappoint. An absolute must read for any romcom lovers.

There was a lot to love about this book.
I adored Chelsea's journey with overcoming her past and I love how Bas didn't push her.
However, I found it weirdly hard to connect with the characters and sometimes I'd forget Chelsea's name.
It was definitely a good way to pass the time, though!
Oh, also I loved all the puns

I loved the way this book started with a best friends bucket list. And what really kept me going was the first challenge Chelsea and her best friend chose to do. Talk about jumping right in.
Chelsea and Elizabeth push each other to come out of their respective comfort zones and that is where the list comes in. Little did they know that one of the items would lead them to meet Bas and Evan and the story goes on from there. Chelsea has some trauma from her past that keeps her from going all in with Bas and they both work through their baggage throughout the book. Bas isn't completely sure if he's where he needs to be in life and this new thing with Chelsea is making it harder for him to decide what the next step is.
Chelsea is sure she can't ever be in a committed relationship, but she has to figure out whether Bas is the one she wants to give it a shot with.
I liked they way the characters developed throughout, the dual POV (I'm a sucker), and the friends relationships with each other.

Holding Out for a Gyro by Mary Ann Marlowe was a super fun, spicy, and humorous story.
This story does not disappoint.
This couple was so much fun watching them together. Chelsea and Basil are realistic, relatable and endearing individuals.
They were so loveable, their relationship and dynamic is entertaining and adorable.
I honestly didn't want to say goodbye to them at the end.
I smiled so much while reading this book. It was the kind of book that just makes you happy to read.

Huge thanks to Entangled: Amara, as well as to NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Holding Out for a Gyro!!

Holding Out for a Gyro by Mary Ann Marlowe
Contemporary romance. Alternating 1st person POV’s.
Chelsea Abbott and her best friend have a list of goals. Some of it is easy, some is stuff that scares you. Each crossed out line item gets points for vacations and traveling which Chelsea loves to do. Visit a museum, take a class, double date, forgive someone, have an authentic and open conversation with a stranger. Out for a drink, the two women approach a couple of men at the bar where Chelsea is going to be totally honest even if it terrifies here. She surprised when they hit it off and she ends up going home with him. But Chelsea is a one-time and done woman. No ties. No commitments. Even if it was the best night of her life, she’ll walk away.
Basil Stavros feels that he and Chelsea really connect and he sees a long term relationship between them. They live close to each other and between her coffee shop and picking up meals everyday where he works, they been crossing paths for months. He’s ready for more.

Chelsea has family issues and while she’s working on them with her therapist, it’s slow going. Bas wins her over with his food, his family, his enthusiasm and his heart. But she’s lived with her heart behind walls since she was young.
There is a lot of heat as they date and there is also a lot of angst as she struggles with her growing feelings, knowing she can’t trust him to stay. So very slow relationship building.

Confirmed romance guaranteed ending but you’ll have to wait until the very end. It is awesome when she figures out that love opens a lot of doors.

There are occasional humorous moments but I would not call it a comedy or romcom.
The below line though, had me chuckling and immediately marking it for sharing. He’s a chef.
“From 2pm to 3pm, I cut the faces off crabs and drenched them through cornmeal, contemplating the horrors that awaited me in hell if these guys were there, too.”

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

🇬🇷 Book Review 🇬🇷

Holding Out for a Gyro by Mary Ann Marlowe
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This book had a lot of potential. But there were some things I just didn’t love. There was a lot of telling and not enough showing. I want the dialogue and to be there when things happen, don’t just tell me about it later. I didn’t love the time jumps and the way she summarized what happened each day of their 30 day dating trial; just write it all out and let me experience it. And finally, there’s a huge miscommunication that leads to a silly breakup, and that trope is one of my pet peeves. All of that aside, I loved Basil. He’s a chef, he’s Greek, he’s sweet and he made a great romantic lead.
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My rating: ⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
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Read if you like:
▫️hookup to friends to lovers
▫️she’s damaged
▫️he’s a chef
▫️he falls first and harder
▫️dual POV
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Thank you to Entangled, NetGalley, and Mary Ann Marlowe for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.