Elisabet Benavent’s A Perfect Story is a dazzling blend of romance, humor, and heartfelt emotion that captures the intricacies of love, self-discovery, and second chances. At its core, the novel follows Margot and David, two seemingly mismatched individuals who embark on a mutual quest: helping each other win back their exes. What begins as a partnership rooted in practicality soon evolves into something deeper and more profound.

Benavent’s writing is rich and evocative, drawing readers into the lives of her protagonists with stunning emotional depth. The author masterfully balances lighthearted humor with moments of genuine poignancy, making readers laugh out loud one moment and reach for tissues the next. The chemistry between Margot and David is electric, and their journey from co-conspirators to soulmates is beautifully paced, allowing their relationship to unfold organically.

One of the novel’s standout features is its attention to detail. Benavent doesn’t just tell a story; she builds a world. From the bustling streets of their city to the small, intimate moments shared between characters, every scene is vividly painted, making the story feel immersive and authentic. Margot and David are not merely characters on a page; they’re fully realized individuals with complex emotions, flaws, and aspirations. Their inner struggles and personal growth are just as compelling as their romantic journey.

The narrative also explores deeper themes of identity, personal fulfillment, and the courage it takes to embrace love, even when it arrives in unexpected forms. Benavent challenges traditional notions of happily-ever-afters, offering instead a nuanced portrayal of what it means to find true happiness and connection.

Verdict:

A Perfect Story is a standout in the rom-com genre, delivering a perfect blend of humor, heartache, and hope. Elisabet Benavent’s beautifully crafted characters and emotionally resonant storytelling make this a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. Whether you’re in it for the laughs, the love, or the life lessons, this novel will captivate you from start to finish. If you’re searching for a story that will make you feel every laugh and tear, this is the one.

The Perfect Story by Elísabet Benavent is a captivating and thought-provoking contemporary romance. The story follows Margot, a woman seemingly living the perfect life until she questions everything on her wedding day. Benavent skillfully explores themes of self-discovery, societal pressures, and what it truly means to live a successful life. Through Margot’s journey of emotional turmoil and growth, the novel offers a refreshing perspective on love, career, and happiness. With humor, heart, and depth, this book is perfect for anyone seeking a meaningful, yet entertaining read.

This is a great story although i believe the translation was a little hard to read at times. The spice and emotional connection was brilliant. I do wish it was shorter, it took quite a while to get through this read.

*Now an original series from Netflix* *International bestseller* Two heartbroken people from totally different worlds go on a fake-dating vacation of a lifetime. What could possibly go wrong? Margot Ortiz de Zarate always struggled to be the princess in her own a successful career, a huge salary, a gorgeous apartment, and a perfect fiancé. But on her wedding day, she suffers a major panic attack and has to call it off. Devastated and ashamed, Margot decides to drown her sufferings in a mad night of alcohol and dancing. The next day, she goes back to the sleazy club to retrieve her sister's cell phone, and has a crazy encounter with David Sanchez Rodrigo, the handsome, fun-loving bartender who persuades her to pretend to be his new girlfriend in order to make his ex jealous. David recognizes the sadness in her eyes, and together they conspire to help each other get their exes back. Little do they know how much fun they'll have and how much they'll complicate their lives. A trip to Greece together that Margot sees as a way to get away from the pressures to pick up the pieces of her perfect life, creates an unexpected connection and depth of intimacy between two people who belong to two totally different worlds, with nothing at all in common. What starts as a simple escape for fun and adventure becomes complicated and devastating when the depth of their feelings pulls the two lovers in different directions and forces them to make life-altering decisions. Full of joy, angst, and heartfelt humor, A Perfect Story is perfect for fans


Loved it from start to finish.

A Perfect Story is an heartwarming contemporary romance that explores the complexities of love, healing, and the unexpected connections that can arise when two seemingly different worlds collide. In this captivating narrative, Elisabet Benavent takes readers on a journey through the lives of two heartbroken protagonists, each carrying the weight of their past experiences, who find themselves embarking on a fake dating arrangement that gradually evolves into something profoundly real.

The writing style is engaging, with vivid descriptions that bring the settings and characters to life. The dialogue sparkles with authenticity, showcasing the characters’ personalities and their evolving relationship dynamics. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for moments of introspection alongside the heartfelt and humorous exchanges.

It has been several months since I finished A Perfect Story and I haven’t been able to sit down and write its review until now. When I first picked this up, I wasn’t sure what to expect from A Perfect Story - perhaps a light fake dating romance based in Greece?

The story surrounds Margot and David, two strangers living in Madrid who are trying to win back their exes. At first, there was some fun fake dating between the main characters, and there were certainly parts that made me laugh. Then things become spicy when they decide to go on a whirlwind getaway to Greece. Despite its light premise, the author touches on a number of deep topics and did a wonderful job at illustrating the deep vulnerabilities that the characters were experiencing. Let me tell you - out of all the books I’ve read this year, this was the first book to make me cry. In the ending, the first part completely ripped my heart out, while the second part mended it back together. I loved the author’s take on showing us how our choices - as small as they can be - can lead our futures into completely different directions.

My main takeaway from this book was “without taking a risk and showing vulnerability, we can miss out on something beautiful”.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a great book!

I always wanted to read this author and I'm so glad I was finally able to put my hands on one of her books. This book was lovely, I really enjoyed it !!!!

Thank you Netgalley, Sourcebooks, and the author, Elísabet Benavent, for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was expecting to devour this book front to back within just a few days. It started off very strong, and funny. I liked that we'd get some narrator comments regarding the future of these characters every time they made a fundamental decision that changed the course of their lives. It felt very reminiscent of a telenovela (soap opera), which was both nostalgic and familiar. The character archetypes, the type of humour, and the plot structure would have kept my grandmother glued to the TV.

Having said that, I'm not fond of telenovelas, so ultimately this didn't work for me. It felt 100 pages too long, and the pace of the book was all over the place, sometimes too slow, some others too fast. The romantic build-up started nicely, but then sort of scrambled everywhere, and by the end of it, I just didn't care whether these people would end up together or not.

Another thing I did not enjoy was the nicknames and the banter. In the English translation, it just doesn't work. It was too much and I grew fatigued of their dialogue very quickly. But I can see how in the original language it would feel more natural.

If you like comedic telenovelas, this book could be for you. If, on the other hand, you do not like them, avoid this one at all costs. It will only make you realize why you hated telenovelas in the first place.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I loved loved loved this book! I flew through this book and didn’t want to put it down!

Margo meets David at a bar and he convinces her to play his fake girlfriend in a scheme to try to win back their exes. A trip to Greece turns their friendship into a lot more and soon decisions have to be made.

The spice was *chefs kiss*! There was plenty of it, but it didn’t take away from the plot. I loved seeing the growth Margot and David made and overall loved their characters! I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to seeing what’s next from Elizabeth Benavent!


📘: A Perfect Story by Elizabeth Benavent
🗓️: July 23, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Benavent, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC!

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

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

Wow. I just finished reading this and I’m trying not to cry anymore but if I think about Margot and David, I’ll start up again. This was exceptional. I don’t really have anything else to say that could do it justice.

A Perfect Story by Elisabet Benavent
Contemporary drama and romance.
Margot Ortiz de Zarate has a successful career, a huge salary, a gorgeous owned apartment, and a perfect fiancé. But on her wedding day, she suffers a panic attack and runs away. Margot and her sister spend the night drinking away her confusion. The next day, back at the bar to pick up a lost phone, she chats with their bartender from the night before and they become friends. David Sánchez Rodrigo convinces Margot they should fake date to make their exes jealous. A trip to Greece turns their friendship to lovers and defining what they ultimately want will require life-altering decisions.

Privileged meets working class as they both recover, fall in love and fight through their differences and feeling of uncertainty, jealousy, lust and obligation.
So much drama. So much steamy sex. 600 pages of a love story unironically unfiltered.
I’m not sure I would have survived the fighting or the depth of honesty.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley

Three, four...three, four stars...we are going to stay with four stars because it has such beautiful phrases and Elisabet Benavent has a beautiful way of writing how her characters feel each emotion that one cannot do anything other than carry their emotions with them and wish the best 
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Almost three stars because, ma'am! she writes anguish so well!...it makes me fall in love and believe that it is possible that I do not see the anguish and the parenthesis coming and the short paragraphs where there is sadness and nostalgia become deep in the heart of whoever reads it.
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Also those last chapters. I'm not going to give spoilers but let me give you some advice, if you love happy endings like me, read the last chapters with the letter B next to them. Those with the letter A are going to make a lot of sense but is not going to be the ending that every Romance reader loves, there’s no uplifting feelings in there, at least not for me
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I read it in order and after reading the letter A ones, I can't even appreciate the chance of the other ending. It wasn't credible to me. And what chapter A lacked was that David had courage, a last paragraph where he stopped being still and took her hand. I would have fallen for that! and this book would be five stars for me.
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but again, there is nostalgia, there is comedy, there are beautiful scenes in Greece, flowers, flavors and so much romance in the air that their story will have your heart in a tender place.
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Margarita, or Margot as her friends and family call her, is the heiress of a group of hotels, and is about to get married to an excellent match in everyone's eyes, as handsome as he is brilliant, but on her wedding day she experiences an anxiety attack. And under the pressure of all the people that surround her, she end up runing out of the church
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When her fiancé decides that the next step is to take the summer to think separately and embarks on a bachelor trip in the Mediterranean. Margarita begins to feel the weight of the consequences of her actions and her sisters try to make her feel better by taking her to bars where nobody is going to recognize her and she can let go and overcome her sadness. But instead she ends up meeting David
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Who, just like her, is going through the breakup of a relationship that he is willing to fix. Between two sad people who are willing to fight for their partner, only a great friendship can emerge, or that's what they believe until they discover that there is something more that the other can make them feel.
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About the translation, I have read Elisabet Benavent in Spanish, my first language, and I have to say that I was surprised by how well it was translated. I didn't feel any stumbling blocks, not a single word shocked me, and I felt that if I read it in its original language I would find myself with the same feelings and the same well written story.
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Thanks to Elisabet Benavent and Sourcebooks Casablanca for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

This book did not grab me and I ended up putting it down. I think there were too many characters introduced too quickly. A lot of them were also unlikeable. Thanks for the advanced copy.

This story's unique blend of romance, heartbreak, and humor really captured my attention. In an attempt to make their ex-partners jealous, their pretend dating plan takes them on an amazing trip to Greece. What began as a lighthearted distraction evolves into a meaningful connection, requiring both to confront their past and future. David and Margot have a great relationship, and the Mediterranean scenery just heightens their attraction. In order to live your best and most full life, sometimes you just have to stop thinking about what the rest of the world expects and wants from you. It's a creative, brilliant, humorous, and emotional journey as they discover who they are as individuals.

I want to thank NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I found this story funny, engaging ,and sweet that I couldn’t put it down! It was the perfect summer read that you can borrow at the beach and in which you can be transported in! I was definitely happy with this opportunity that netgalley has given me!

This story captivated me with its blend of humor, heartache, and romance. Margot Ortega’s seemingly perfect life unravels when a panic attack derails her wedding, leading her to David Sánchez, a charming bartender nursing his own wounds. Their fake-dating scheme, meant to make their exes jealous, takes them on a memorable trip to Greece. What starts as a fun distraction turns into a deep connection, forcing both to confront their past and future. The chemistry between Margot and David is electric, and the Mediterranean backdrop adds an extra layer of allure. This book is a delightful mix of witty banter, emotional depth, and a satisfying love story. Perfect for fans of heartfelt, opposites-attract romances.

I read and listened to A Perfect Story in English. While it translated well, as a Spanish speaker - I can’t help but wonder if I would’ve enjoyed this more in Spanish. I really couldn’t connect with any of the characters but I might’ve liked them more reading in Spanish.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc ebook and arc audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.

I've been thinking about what to write for this review and honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. While I enjoyed the read and wanted to see what happened to the main characters, I'm not totally sure how much I liked the book. At times the pacing and wording felt off, but I think that was because of it being a translation and tried not to judge the book by that. I also think the book was a little too long for the story it told and could've been done without being 600 pages and some of the side characters felt like they were extra and unnecessary. That said I would recommend the book I know there is an audience for it. I want to thank NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a sweet, yet spicy book!
Elísabet Benavent's novel "A Perfect Story" begins at a measured pace, but the narrative accelerates as Margot and David's lives intertwine. Their concocted dating scheme is ingeniously crafted, sparking an unmistakable chemistry between them.
Margot's journey from the idealized 'perfect princess' to a woman in pursuit of her joy resonates deeply. Meanwhile, David emerges as an enthralling figure of desire, ensuring the audience is invested in their unfolding love story.

The narrative's odyssey across Greece is bound to stir a longing for sun-drenched escapades, mirroring the fervor found in Margot and David's romantic saga.

The explicit scenes may disturb some readers, and the narrative's length may feel excessive at times. However, these are minor concerns considering the novel's overall charm. The conclusion is surprising and emotionally moving.
Despite occasional hiccups in the translation, "A Perfect Story" is recommended for those who enjoy a romantic comedy blending humor with heartfelt moments, promising to elicit laughter, tears, and the excitement of falling in love.