perfect fit is about josie, the CEO of an up and coming clothing company about to open its first brick and mortar store, and will, a consultant from new york who is hired to help her company out. josie is will's sister's ex-best friend from high school, and will and josie have a sudden run-in with one another years after the incident that broke zoe and josie's friendship.

overall, this was an easy read. josie, her understanding of her work, and her relationship with camila and her friends was my favorite part of this story. josie shies away from the typical descriptions of being a girl boss and doesn’t want to fall into this stereotype of a “female CEO” but not for the reasons you’d think. I like that it’s a nuanced take. josie is so self-aware and so sweet, constantly putting others before herself, and i was happy that she finally learned not to. i loved reading about austin as as the setting for the story. i noticed this is in love interest (clare gilmore's first novel) as well, but she has a way of making the city that the story is set in a character in of itself.

at some points in the story, I thought the dialogue was just too cheesy, especially considering that josie and will had barely known each for an entire school year back in high school, before they met again 9 years later. i think i had a hard time with how quickly they fell for each other again. it just didn’t seem that believable. however, as the story went on i warmed up to their relationship. i found the ending to be too abrupt, i understand what the author was trying to go for, but it was just strange to me.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. This was a romance following, Josie, a 27 year old fashion CEO dealing with career burnout and Will, her high school best friend’s brother who is back in her life as her consultant. The thing that kept me from liking this book more was that sometimes the romance took a back seat to Josie’s career. The central plot felt centered around her job, instead of the romance. While I certainly believe romance books need plot outside the romance, this book went too far in the other direction for me. I didn’t feel connected to the career storyline and wanted to hear more about Will instead.

4.75 stars!!

i thought this book was SO CUTE & so entertaining!!! i was hooked from the very first page!! it's a fun story between two people who knew each other in high school & are reunited & end up working together... and all the complications that come with it. highly enjoyable. very bingeable. cute, swoony & funny. but also so heartfelt! it really touches on the struggle of finding yourself, figuring out your career and being content in who you are. all things most people struggle with. your heart will feel heavy & hurt at parts BUT MAN it will also feel SO full!!!

will grant can have my heart. he LOVES so good & is this steady wholesome supporting presence but also...HOT. like i love him !!!! half my notes from this one are OMG, CUTE, THIS MANNNN... so like you should read it. sold on clare's writing & will be reading all of her books from now on. i loved.

thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the eARC! this is my honest review.

Josie is a young CEO with a clothing company. Now she is also planning her best friend's bachelorette party as well as trying to launch her first clothing store.
She has to work with Will, who just happens to be the twin brother of a former best friend.
A cute romance.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

The way I adored this book so much! I loved Gilmore's debut and this one even more! She writes interesting careers for our main characters which makes for lovely background to a romance that has such a swoony male lead. I just only wish she had more books to read!

"Perfect Fit" by Clare Gilmore was an adorable romance with an important message about real self-care and embracing change. Josie is a 28 year old CEO of a fashion company who as fate would have it literally crashes into the boy who ruined the end of her high school career. Will Grant will stop at nothing to make that up to Josie so he begs to work as her consultant for her company's upcoming environmental certification. The sparks fly from the minute they reconnect on page and it never lets up.

I was giddy reading most of this book. Will Grant was such a sweet character, but at point I cringed too. It was a good balance though. Josie was frustrating at parts, but her character growth at the end makes up for it. I think many readers will really love this story. I did have an issue finishing the book. I loved it when I was reading it, but took long breaks between reading sessions so whatever was holding me back is making me question my overall rating. I would say 3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for this eARC!!

This book was sooo good! The characters went together so well. The pacing was great. The tropes were done in a way that wasn’t annoying. Sometimes best friends brother can be cringy and this was not. Read this book!

“Everything I think about is in reference to you.” Will and Josie have become one of my top book couples of all time. Not to mention, Will is now on my book boyfriend list!

I loved, loved this book! This is one of my top books so far this year, and is now one of my favorite rom-coms of all time. I truly can’t wait for everyone to read this book!

The story is just so beautifully written. You see Josie go through all emotions women typically go-through – from thinking she is an imposter, to pleasing everyone, anxiety, etc. I truly loved her character and loved watching & allowing herself to grow.

And sweet Will! Goodness, what a man! He was always honest with Josie and just wants the best for her!!

Their relationship was so beautiful to read. They actually communicated! Not to mention the witty, sarcastic banter – LOVED IT! They were so honest about all their feelings and any reservations they had about each other.

Do yourself a favor and read this book! It is absolutely amazing, and I couldn’t recommend it more!
Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martins Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Loved everything about this book!
Unique plot, relatable characters, great development!!
And Will is really just the perfect book boyfriend!

Josephine is a boss base, owner of her own business in Austen, TX and looking to climb the ladder and improve her reach with her business. However, an investor wants her to hire a consultant to help her reach her goals. . . And she was not expecting that person to be Will, the older brother of her ex-best friend 🤯

I love a brother of best friend trope, forced proximity and a little bit of enemies to lovers. The author did a wonderful job weaving in more heavy topics such a burnout, belonging and following your dreams both personal and professional.

The chemistry between Josephine and Will was tangible and I loved their development personally and as couple throughout this novel.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book. This book has my whole heart. I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this! It really just sucks you in and makes you never want to leave. In my opinion, those are the best books and I couldn't get enough.

I enjoyed this book with bonus points to a romance book that didn't force a third act breakup just to keep the story moving. Will was an amazing male lead, who had met Josie senior year of high school and a shared kiss that caused more than typical teen drama lead them on separate paths. They met by accident, literally, 9 years later and Will helps Josie see there's more to life than work without the Hallmark cheese.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved. Obsessed. Five Stars. Clare Gilmore delivers another knockout with her latest novel! Josephine is the ultimate girl boss, building her company, Revenent, from scratch while still in college. Now at 28, she's a thriving CEO with big dreams—opening a storefront, pursuing B Corp certification, and managing a growing team of employees. But when Will Grant, the man who turned her high school years upside down, re-enters her life as a consultant, sparks fly—both from their shared past and undeniable chemistry. Though they can't stand each other at first, their connection is electric and soon evolves into something deeper. As Josephine balances the pressures of her company and personal life, she faces the ultimate question: can she allow herself to be vulnerable and open to love? This story is packed with tension, witty banter, and heartfelt moments, making it a must-read for fans of smart, ambitious heroines and slow-burn romance.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the relationship between Josie and Will. Their past with each other played such an important role in their future. I liked how they spent half the book trying to avoid their feelings and keep it professional. This one was sweet, spice, and filled with humor.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a free advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This book was just what I needed to get me out of my reading slump. I loved the characters and the writing style. This author will definitely stay on my radar for future reads.

Perfect Fit is a perfectly heartfelt and emotional romance - and more than just a second chance romance, too. Clare Gilmore is perfecting our strong leading ladies - Josephine has dealt with a lot in her 26 years to make her the person she is today, but with her rise to CEO of her own company comes a strong case of imposter syndrome and addiction to the grind. Josie's reconnection with Will Grant comes at the perfect time as the burnout is setting in. Will Grant shows so much love and support that if he isn't everyone's dream man after reading, they read the wrong book! The fact that they have a short shared history makes their second chance that much better, but that it also comes with some clarity and reconciliation with his sister, Zoe, makes it that much more impactful for our heroine. I did have to keep reminding myself that they were both 26 - through their experiences and growth and maturity, I kept wanting them to be older. Their open communication, even with their humor interlaced, when talking about their feelings and reservations about any sort of relationship was just what I didn't know I needed with this book. I could have done with a fraction less of the pop culture references, but when our heroine is a CEO of a fashion brand, these anecdotes still fit into the story! So if you're looking for a fantastic romance with even better friendships and a tiny love note to Austin, Texas, go ahead and pick this one up! 
Thank you to Clare Gilmore, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I am definitely not the right demographic for this one. I could not connect with a single character. I disliked Josie most of all; I don't even know what Will saw in her. I loved this author's previous novel, Love Interest, so I was excited to receive this ARC but should have DNF'd it. I struggled to make it through the book. Too much of the story was about her business - yes, we get it, she's spent 7 years building her business, but at times I felt like I was in a business class, and I had zero interest in her world. And the ending felt like something was missing.

Perfect Fit
4.25 ⭐️

This was such a cute romcom about a workaholic MC!

Josie is CEO of the clothing company she’s built and on her way to a meeting with a consultant when a cyclist runs into her car. Somehow, her ex-best friend’s brother is catapulted into her life. As she continues faster and faster with work, she starts to see glimpses of what it could be if she slowed down.

I thought this was such a sweet story. Will was a genuine delight and I loved the lack of third act breakup, while still having space for Josie to grow. Definitely worth a read!

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC of Perfect Fit, coming in October!

This was fine. A little too tropey for my tastes, but that could be seen in the synopsis so I’m honestly not sure why I requested this. I do like tropes too, this just felt like too much. I actually couldn’t go past 50% in this book. It’s not that something happened, just every time I picked it up it felt like a chore, and I eventually gave up. I really wanted to like this, I did, but I just couldn’t get through it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥 - open door


"... you’re a revenant, Josephine.... and if you fall apart again, you’ll put yourself back together again. Because you’re strong. The only difference is from now on, I’ll be there, if you want me to, to hold your broken pieces.”

_____

This is the romance book I didn't know I neeeeded. I started this with absolutely zero knowledge about it, and I. LOVED. IT.

Clare's writing is raw and real and natural. Don't let the adorable cover fool you, this story has a depth and vulnerability that reminds me a bit of Emily Henry. I connected to the characters from the start and absolutely fell in love! It's the first book in a long while to bring me to tears.

Apart from being one of the sweetest second chance stories (more like a long ago missed opportunity), it touched on topics like females in entrepreneurial leadership, toxic social expectations, learning from mistakes, and the importance of friendship.

Just trust me on this one and READ THIS BOOK.

THINGS TO LOVE:
+ workplace romance
+ second chance
+ meet crash
+ fashion entrepreneurship
+ slow burn
+ tension
+ using her full name as a nickname
+ he takes care of her when she's sick
+ healthy communication
+ romantic friendship
+ female friendship
+ acts of service

🖤 favorite quotes 🖤

“That’s just it. You didn’t become very important to me. You became what’s most important.”

"Together, we add up to one hundred percent. I can meet you more than halfway. I’ll meet you at the seventy percent, eighty percent, ninety percent mark on your worst days if I have to, because I know you’re giving me everything you can."

"YOU are the good feeling.”

_____

{a gigantic thank you to Clare Gilmore and NetGalley or the early copy!! 10/29/24}