This was such a wonderful immersive experience! The audiobook was just amazing! It kept you on your toes and I literally finished this in a single day! The banter between friends, the sci-fi dream-boat coming to life, the sarcasm and daily struggles represented. This entire thing was a masterpiece and so so so so cute.
Would definitely recommend! One of my favorite reads this month.

Here are just some random thoughts about why this didn’t work for me:

-Weston - I mean I get it cause he was a fan fiction brought to life so he kinda was a giant baby but then him being able to mind control everyone..
-The plot - idk there was just too much happening. Mixed in with the past and present timeline too. Messy messy messy
-The romance - there was almost zero believability for me given the sheer pettiness behind why they stopped talking and then to deciding to be together.

I really like this author and will continue to read her work, but unfortunately this was a miss.

The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist by Sophie Gonzales
Narrator: Jeremy Carlisle Parker
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 3/26

So what happens when your fictional crush comes to life? That’s what we find out in this witty, queer, YA rom-com with a paranormal twist.

Ivy and Mack were best friends until a misunderstanding made them more like enemies. Now Ivy has a new best friend, Henry, who shares her love for H-MAD, a paranormal TV show with a super hot lead, Weston. One night, while her parents are out of town and a storm rages outside, Ivy wishes that her dream man (Weston) was there with her. When she wakes up in the morning, lo and behold, Weston is actually there! But he’s not acting exactly how his character on the show acts. He’s acting more like the version of himself that Ivy writes about in her fanfics.

I haven’t read much fanfiction, so many of the references went right over my head. But I’ve read other reviews that say that if you love fanfic, you will love this one.

Even with my minimal knowledge of fanfic tropes, etc., this book was still so much fun. I loved Ivy, Mack, and Henry, and their friendship chemistry really stole the show for me. The witty banter, snarky jabs, and snide remarks were well-timed and hilarious and endeared these characters to me.

The story is as heartfelt as it is humorous, as the author explores the idea of loneliness and how Ivy uses the power of storytelling to heal. Gonzales delicately intertwines the comedic with the poignant, offering moments of introspection amidst the chaos. As Ivy realizes that her "perfect guy" might not be so perfect after all, she learns valuable lessons about friendship, self-discovery, and the importance of embracing life's imperfections.

I listened to this on audio, and I loved the narration! Jeremy Carlisle Parker brought all of the characters to life, and I loved the tone and inflections used for each character.

Overall, this was a fun read! Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for my physical copy and Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

Read if you like:
*YA
*fanfic
*romance with paranormal elements
*friends to lovers
*pining
*single POV

This a really sweet YA romance. It has a lot of heart, fun and even some silliness. It's a must read for fanfic fans. It poses the question, what happens when your fanfics become real in your life. It's best to go in blind for this book. Just listen and enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advance listener copy. Jeremy Carlisle Parker was a great narrator. I highly recommend this audiobook, it's a love letter to fanfiction fans.

This one was okay, it was really the end that I didn’t love. The concept is pretty cool and makes sense but at the end it got kind of creepy before it finally got better. I did like that the main character really had to figure out what she truly wanted to fix everything.

🌀Synopsis
Ivy has the house to herself for a week while her parents are gone…which is pretty big for a high schooler. After getting in a fight with her now ex-best friend and neighbor Mack, Ivy is still struggling. Sure she has her friend Henry, but her life doesn’t feel complete.
Enter Weston. The main character of a fanfic she wrote who is in love with her. When he comes to life one day Ivy is scared but also intrigued. It feels nice to have someone who wants her around and who cares about her.
The only problem is he cares a little too much and she starts to not be able to trust him. When Mack catches him at her home and then again outside, the two come together to keep the secret from both of their parents. They’re able to actually talk about the things that happened and find a way to be friends and possibly more than friends again. Now, how to get rid of Weston?

3.5 stars

Transparently, it took me a little bit to get into this one, but staying the course paid off. This has some great messaging in the end.

Ivy, the m.c., is home alone for a week, which is super convenient when Weston, the focus of her fanfic!, appears in her bed one morning. There's clearly something magical happening in terms of the sudden appearance of a whole person (and shocking disappearance/reappearance of his new outfits, not to mention his intriguing use of mind control), but the romantic possibilities between them? Well, those are anything but magical. The shocking changes in Ivy's environment give her a great opportunity to assess her relationships - platonic and otherwise - and to come to the titular conclusion that 'the perfect guy doesn't exist,' even when you create him yourself!

I have mixed feelings about this one. While I loved the fanfic element and the messaging toward the end, this had - for me - a slow burn in the beginning and some generally creepy stuff relating to a guy suddenly appearing in Ivy's space. Readers really need to suspend disbelief - that's a central theme - and I had a hard time doing that at certain points.

Overall, this wasn't my favorite, but I enjoyed the read (listen) enough. I will recommend it to students who are looking for a nice fanfic infusion in their YA!

3.5 rounded up.

A fun YA queer romcom with a paranormal twist. Bisexual fanfic writer Ivy is home alone and lonely while her parents are on vacation, somehow one night she manifests one of her favorite fictional characters who suddenly becomes a big headache in her life. With the help of her best friend Henry and her ex-friend and former love interest, Mack, Ivy has to figure out how to get rid of this unwanted and increasingly troublesome 'guest.' Full of antics and a bit of second chance romance, this was an entertaining read and great on audio too. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is a book for fan fiction lovers. Such a good idea. It was a quick cheese romcom. It wasn’t my favorite by the author but I was still entertained.