What a sweet and quirky story! This romantic novel, set in the 1980's, follows Mimi as she navigates various paths available to her. Mimi is a likeable free-spirit who believes in the power of her magical blue skirt. It secured her a job, an older man who adores her, and a triumph for her students. When her boyfriends ex-wife has a stroke and he must go and care for her- what's Mimi to do? Follow him, of course and continue to make a life together. Only- it's not that easy. His grown daughters don't want her there and it seems neither does he. She could go back to New York City or she could work on building a new life in New Haven. Which will she do? And will it work?
I received an advance copy in exchange for my review.
#LetsPretendThisWillWork #NetGalley

this book surprised me every step of the way.
first off, with mimi who wasn't interesting to me at first but grew on me as i read one until she ultimately buried herself in my heart, her roots twisting and turning around it.
secondly, with how unpredictable it was. every single time i thought i knew what was going to happen next, it just didn't. it kept me interested, never bored.
and thirdly, with how much i can hate a love interest. ren deserves nothing good to ever happen to him.
would've been 5 stars if i didn't hate ren so much and if there was a bit more of the family mimi found for herself near the end of the book.

I loved Maddie Dawson's book "Matchmaking for Beginners," so I jumped at the chance to read her new book. "Let's Pretend This Will Work" by Maddie Dawson is a heartwarming story about a woman's search for happiness and true love.

Mimi Perkins's life-changing journey isn’t all syrupy-sweet, but it sure is plateful and magical. The thirty-something Mimi Perkins from Manhattan is longing for love and a family to call her own. So, when her lover Ren Yardley, a divorced fellow teacher, proposes to her, she agrees despite some misgivings. Her psychic predicted a positive turn in her life after all. Oh yes, she goes to a psychic and believes that a magical skirt she bought in a thrift shop gives her luck.

When Ren gets the shocking news that his ex-wife has been in a debilitating car accident, he rushes to take care of her in their home in New Haven with the help of their two daughters. When Mimi is fired from her teaching position and loses her apartment on the same day, Ren suggests she move to New Haven so she can be near him. She does so, which was brave of her. However, Ren doesn't have much time for her, being too busy with his family's issues. Mimi finds a new lease on life as she makes friends with the parents who run the daycare facility beneath her apartment. Now, all she has to do is figure out her next move.

I enjoyed the book very much. It started slow but then picked up the pace. The book takes place in 1982, which was odd to me at first, but it gives the book a flavor of simpler (and better?) times. While the heroine was refreshing, I found her too naive and too eager to please others. She made some foolish choices in her life, and a few times I wanted to shake her and knock some sense into her. I was glad she finally stopped trying to be someone she was not and grew a backbone.

The writing in this book flows nicely. It's paced well, and the quirky characters were great. The author has a nice writing style and does a good job of fleshing out the characters. I liked the message of the story: that we should be ourselves, not change who we are, or live by the expectations of others. It was a sweet read from start to finish, so I rate it 4 out of 5 stars. It’s a lovely novel about bereavement, yearning for love, and finding your place in life. I would recommend this heartwarming novel to those who enjoy stories about healing, finding oneself, and love.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.