Tropes:
Second Chance Romance
(ex-) best friend's brother

Josie is a very career-forward FMC who has major aspirations for her company but has let her personal life take the backseat for many years. When she suddenly meets Will again, it's clear that there are still feelings there. Can Josie have it all?

I empathized with Josie's dilemma - it can be hard deciding whether your personal relationship or ambitions should be your top priority. I was rooting for Josie to be successful and for her business to thrive, but I also loved Will for her and they clearly had such good chemistry. And Will didn't deserve to be second below her business. Will is literally the perfect book boyfriend. I thought he was so sweet - he unapologetically likes Josephine for who she is and doesn't try to change her in any way. He truly respects her and supports her, and he provides Josie with the unconditional love that she deserves. And I really wanted him to get the unconditional love he also deserves from Josie. This book focuses on Josie finding that perfect work-life balance, which I think a lot of people can relate to.
My favorite quote from the book: "Everything I think about is in reference to you."

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Man, I love Clare Gilmore so much! She deserves all the praise.

She writes such emotional and moving characters, the sweetest stories, I love it all. It's almost like literary fiction with romance subplots, kind of reminds me of Emily Henry that way! Most of all, I love the way this book talks about friendship and growing up. The friendship between Camila and Josie is heartwarming and the perfect representation of how special female friendships are. Not ashamed to say I cried a lot in this book! Not because it's sad necessarily, but because it evokes emotion.

osephine es una diseñadora que creo su empresa y ahora se centra en la parte comercial, es una adicta al trabajo por razones nada saludables. Cuando aparece alguien de su pasado, su mundo de pone de cabeza.

Will es un consultor, pero no ama su trabajo y cuando se reencuentra con Josie se replantea su vida.

Ellos se conocen de la secundaria, Josie fue mejor amiga de Zoe (hermana gemela de Will), pero cuando la hermana los descubrió besándose la hizo a un lado y dejaron de ser amigas porque pensó que la la había utilizado para llegar a su gemelo y que no quería su amistad, como antes ya había pasado por esa situación se cegó y no quiso escuchar sus disculpas. Las consecuencias me parecieron muy exageradas para un drama entre adolescentes que se pudo solucionar con una buena comunicación.

Josie tiene serios problema; todo el tiempo piensa que no vale la pena, que es tonta, fea, que nadie podría querer ser su amiga, que es mala persona, que no es suficiente lo que hace en el trabajo, etc. Cuando se entera que una de sus mejores amigas se va a ir a vivir a otro estado el primer pensamiento que tiene es que es su culpa porque no está siendo lo que la amiga quiere. Todo el libro estaba esperando que se diera cuenta lo peligroso que es vivir así, afortunadamente al final busco ayuda profesional.




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Josephine lost her best friend over Will Grant. So when he runs into her, literally, in Austin she’s definitely got her guard up. But she needs Will to help further her fashion startup. Josephine and Will grow close as they work together to build her company and the pair unravel their past together.

This is a sweet second chance romance with a highly anxious and motivated leading lady. And a charming leading man to round out the romance. Josephine has a lot of thoughts that really hit home for me, and it’s nice to see the representation of negative thought patterns in other high achieving women. I try to avoid workplace romances because of how invested I am in my career. So this was a first for me by this author, but this book has me itching to read her other books. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Josie (Josephine) and Will, who is the twin brother of Josie's high school best friend. Josie and Will have a history and have not spoken in years, and when they reconnect when they are adults, sparks fly. The connection between these two is perfect, Will is perfect, and there is just so much love between Will and Josie.

There was the perfect amount of tension, drama, friendship, love, and emotion throughout this entire book and I read it all in one sitting.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was another cute, fun read from Clare Gilmore! I liked Josie’s and Will’s story but felt like it was rushed at the end. It went from a slow burn to a rushed ending. I wanted a little more of Josie and Will together. We jumped a few months and I felt that took away from the story. But despite that, I read this very quickly because I was into the story. Will was a top notch book boyfriend.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks netgalley and the publisher for the arc! This was cute! It was a 3,5 stars for me. I enjoyed the second chance between Will and Josie and really liked Josie as the mc. She comes from a wealthy family and managed to get her brand up there but is still down to earth. She loves her job (maybe a bit too much), treats her company and coworkers well and puts herself last tbh. I liked seeing her change in that aspect and rekindling her friendships with new and old friends.
Sadly the spicy scenes put me out of the story and I couldn‘t really get behind how much Will loves her (kinda from the beginning) because even in the past they only had one moment together. The ending made me emotional! I loved how everything turned out.
I would love to read another book by this author because I liked the writing style and want to know what other stories she put out there.

I felt SO seen by this book. This book checked all of the boxes that I love in contemporary romance, but what really made this book special for me was the protagonist. Josie is a driven career woman, and as someone who considers myself to be the same, the idea of “not being able to have it all” really resonated with me. Her love interest, Will, was the perfect balance for banter and growing the relationship. I am now scouring for all of Clare Gilmore’s books and she will be an auto buy author for me!

Adorable! Josie and Will were cute together. They are both sunshiny. The lack of a third act break up was refreshing. I didn’t read her debut novel The Love Interest but now I want to go back and read it.

This is a beautiful book about love stories—not just the stellar romantic love between Josie and Will (my god, this man is so gone for her I was squealing the whole time), but also the love story between Josie and her best friend, Camila. This story of deep friendship and the way we can learn and grow from all forms of past relationships is what makes this book so special. I adored Love Interest, and Perfect Fit was a perfect follow up!

read if you like:
💙 light romances
👯 powerful women
📈 business romances
📍 Austin, Texas

summary:
I’m a big fan of light, fun romance books after a string of thrillers, and WOW this did not disappoint! This book is about Josephine, CEO of an apparel company, Revenant, based out of Austin. She is your typical boss lady, going a million miles a minute to expand and grow her company, while working with her best friend Camille, when one morning, she runs into (literally) a person from her past. Will, a New Yorker currently working as a consultant, reminds Josephine of her former life, a life that was simpler, slower and calmer. When this chance encounter leads to something more, Josephine wrestles with how to juggle everything, and what she really wants out of life.

Josephine might be one of my favorite characters ever from a book. She is smart, humble and self depreciating, and brutally honest about herself and the mistakes of her past. We learn a little less about Will, but get a sense of their chemistry from the early pages of the story. As you’d guess, the book is a classic will-they-won’t-they, set over the backdrop of an incredibly successful female executive just trying to be the happiest she can be. I love the traditional role reversal of the powerful man and the supportive woman, and how we become deeply attached to Josephine and rooting for her success. The plot moves quickly, and also serves as a bit of a love story to Austin, while also highlighting some other cities across the world in a fun and authentic way.

When I saw this was available as Read Now on NetGalley I ran to the website to download. I’ve been waiting for this book since I finally got to read Love Interest a few months ago. Clare Gilmore’s writing is just so good and she makes me fall in love with the characters from the very beginning. Obsessed is an understatement.

Perfect Fit was the perfect story. I loved it. My only wish is that it would have been duel POV. It would have been fun and nice to have Will's side as well. Will was simply great. He is the best book boyfriend there is. He simply wanted Josie to be happy. That was it. He would do anything for that happen. Josie was a strong independent fierce woman. She worked her butt off to get where she was but it was consuming her. It took running into Will again to make her realize this.
Clare Gilmore wrote this story so well. I will most defiantly read more from her! She knows how to capture the story perfectly.

This review is already lengthy, so I won't summarize it myself. If you're interested, the publisher provides a concise overview.

Josephine, or Josie, embodies sweetness and vulnerability while maintaining a facade of strength. Her character evokes a spectrum of emotions - love, empathy, admiration, and inspiration. Witnessing her journey, with its relatable insecurities and poignant growth, was deeply moving. I felt connected to her every step of the way.

Will Grant has secured a piece of my heart indefinitely. Rarely have I encountered a male protagonist as mature, flawed yet authentic, and thoroughly developed as him. His journey since high school, characterized by self-reflection, conviction, and clear communication, is commendable. He balances nurturing tendencies with respect for independence, creating a profoundly healthy dynamic with Josie. His steadfast presence demonstrates a genuine understanding of her.

The novel also beautifully explores the dynamics of friendship, illustrating how they can both disappoint and uplift, adapt to change, and endure loss. This enriches an already captivating narrative.

Clare Gilmore has cemented her status as an auto-buy author for me, and I eagerly anticipate adding this book to my collection. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another 5⭐️ read from Clare Gilmore?! Who’s surprised? Not me! She’s done it again.

Perfect Fit tells the story of Josephine Davis, girl boss and CEO of her clothing company based in Austin Texas, Revenant. Her business has been growing to the point where she needs a consultant - and of course the guy hired is none other than Will Grant, her ex-best friend’s twin brother. You know, the one she kissed one drunken night in high school that caused the aforementioned friendship to end. Now, although the two were far from friends, they must work together during one of the most stressful chapters of Josie’s life. Nothing could go wrong, right?

UGH. This book. These characters. I love them, I love them, I love them, and I want to jump into their world. Everyone needs a Cami as a best friend. I want to be as good of a person as Josie. I want to be hugged by Will’s sweet words.

Easy 5/5 for me, and a book I will definitely be rereading over and over again. Thank you to St Martin’s Press, Clare Gilmore, and NetGalley for the eARC.

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⋆
This is the second one by this author I’ve read, and the second one by her that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

Both books centered around a workplace romance, and it’s a trope she does well - there’s mutual respect, an appropriate power dynamic, and it adds an element of excitement that propels the story. In this case, it also had the element of a shared past / somewhat of a friends-to-lovers corner to it, that also added a little extra something. Open communication is also heavily featured amongst the characters within her books - both romantic and friendship - and as someone who intensely dislikes the miscommunication trope, I applaud the intentional nature and discussions surrounding communication within this book.

I find the female leads she writes are consistently well-rounded, strong, educated, capable, and hardworking characters, of which there can never be too many on paper or in reality. Featuring women in night corporate positions, and in this case founder and CEO, is so important and greatly appreciated by this reader.

This was a good blend of banter, spice, and romance and I had a hard time putting it down. I definitely recommend this book, as well as her other, and I look forward to reading whatever she puts out next.

~ 👩🏻‍🦰

The perfect rom com with all the feels! Clare Gilmore has done it again with your favorite tropes: high school enemies to adult lovers and best friend’s brother.

Josie has successfully worked her butt off to build her clothing brand Revenant. Sure, she doesn’t have much free time or a life outside of work but this is what she has always wanted….isn’t it? She’s trying to take her business to the next level and her investor suggests that she hire a consultant to help out. While driving to her meeting, Josie gets hit by a bicycler who is none other than Will Grant, her high school nemesis. But instead of being angry, she’s kind to him despite the accident and their history. And so starts their new journey where they need to realize what is more important love or work.

A must read romance where the past meets the present and the result is the perfect fit…..enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

There is something so special about Clare Gilmore’s writing. I remember being blown away by Love Interest and her sophomore novel might be even better! It has all the trappings of a romance, but it’s elevated into contemporary fiction territory with its overarching theme of: can a woman have it all? And does she want to?

I related to the career burnout - I think anyone who has been working relentlessly can relate to it, whether you are a CEO or not (I certainly am not!). And although the specific way Josie covered up her insecurities is not how I do it, I think most people are familiar with the desire to make it seem that their life is more put together than it really is.

But Will!! This man! Book boyfriend hall of fame. He’s supportive, he’s communicative, he gives her space but doesn’t disappear. He’s a man written by a woman and it shows!! I still love him. The tension! The slow burn! 10/10.

Anyways, this is a great read. 4.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Perfect Fit was a fun and quick read. It had the perfect banter between the main characters. It brought up serious life discussions from family relationships to friendships to love and made you connect with the characters and their journeys. Clare Gilmore is slowly becoming a staple in my bookshelf.

WILL GRANT IS THE BLUEPRINT. I cannot get over this man and all his acts of service 🫠 and Josie was very relatable. I loved this book so, so much.