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. The narration was done well. That said I would recommend the book I know there is an audience for it. I want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! It’s an opposites attract story. Two people that are very different pulled together by circumstance. I was instantly pulled into this story. I thought both narrators did a great job bringing this story to life. It was a bit long at times, but I really did enjoy the story. I loved the spicy! There was some humor and lots of heart. Overall, a good, romantic story! Huge thanks to dreamscape media and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this story.

I really enjoyed the experience of listening to this wonderfully written and narrated story. Margot is having a moment. She’s having a panic attack and needs to get out of the dress she’s wearing and run. That she in her wedding dress and moments before she’s supposed to walk down the aisle doesn’t matter. She needs out. She bolts and finally has to take stock and decide who she is, who she wants to be and how she wants to live her life. After a drunken night out with her sisters (supportive and also a little, maybe a lot judgmental, nosy, invasive, pushy.. all the normal sibling loving stuff) and post failed wedding she meets David, the bartender where the ladies went and one sister left her phone. He is in her words and her world, he is so not for her. His life and life experiences could not be more dissimilar and yet…..There is something that draws them together and they leave together for a much needed escape and to help each other find their way back to the lives they thought they wanted. It’s a creative, smart, funny, emotional journey of them figuring out who they are individually and how one decision can change everything and that sometimes you just have to stop worrying about what the rest of the world expects and wants from you to live your best and most fulfilled life.

3.5 stars!!

this book is a beautiful story about finding yourself. it’s about falling in love and out of love. it’s about doing what’s right for you regardless of what others will think.

i do think this book had a slow start but it was ultimately just setting the scene for the rest of the book. david and margot’s friendship development was amazing. they were exactly who the other needed when they met and they both helped each other see things in a new light. they had a lot of fun together and while things got messy towards the end it lead them to where they needed to be.

this book has 2 endings not gonna spoil what they were but it’s nice to see how a story can change based on a simple decision just like life. we all have multiple paths we can travel down but at the end of the day just one of them will be the one we actually choose. that was my favorite part of the book!!

i listened to this one on audio and loved the fmc’s narrator but didn’t love the mmc’s narrator as much (personal preference thing). both of them did a really good job portraying the characters!! my biggest complaint was how long this story was. i wish some of the filler was left out cause i think it could’ve been a quicker read with all the same points being met but overall i still really enjoyed it

A Perfect Story is about two heartbroken strangers, Margot and David. Margot is a wealthy executive who works for her father’s Company, lives in a beautiful apartment and is engaged to Filippo. In the day of their wedding, Margot has a panic attack and decides to run away from the wedding. The night after her should be wedding, her sisters take her out on the town. They end up in a bar where Margot meets David the bartender.
David is a sweet fun loving guy who was just broken up with by his girlfriend Idoia. David is instantly attracted to Margot but can tell he doesn’t stand a chance with her. Margot’s sister accidentally leaves her phone in the club and when Margot goes to get the next day, she runs into David and they start what becomes a truly unique friendship. Long story short, Margot decides to go on vacation in Greece after her ex-fiancé and family practically beg her to go and she chooses to take David with her. Together, Margot and David are trying to make their exes jealous enough to get them back. What starts out as innocent flirting quickly turns into true feelings for Margot and David. To say their relationship is complicated would be an understatement but they go through an emotional journey of discovering what love truly means to them and who they choose to love forever.

I listed to the audiobook that was narrated by Giordan Diaz and Stacy Gonzalez. I thought their voices perfectly fit each character and were enjoyable to listen to. While the book was narrated in English, the Spanish words and accent blended in beautifully and added a unique quality to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC. This was a sweet love story about following your heart and being true to yourself. I would call this story predictable but enjoyable. For a predictable romance novel I felt this was just too long—at over 18 hours I anticipated some plot twists which never came. But…. I still enjoyed this book!

So, I absolutely ADORED this book.... until the ending. I was so engrossed with this love story and loved it so much that I was recommending it as I read it. However, the ending had me disappointed. I am still giving it FIVE STARS because I really adored the love story. But I wish I had more closure. I needed more of an ending. Or maybe I am not understanding it? I don't want to write too much because I don't want to spoil it for anyone else.

I plan to watch the Netflix series, too. See if I get any more closure.

I really, really enjoyed this book. I really like both main characters - Margot and David. There was just so much to like.

This book was VERY, VERY spicy. VERY. So beware if you are not into that kind of thing.

The narrators Giordan Diaz and Stacy Gonzalez did an excellent job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advance listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed 𝗔 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗯𝘆 𝗘𝗹í𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 from the start. Margot Ortega’s journey from her almost-perfect life to her becoming a runaway bride, and her unexpected friendship with David Sánchez, the charming bartender, is beautifully depicted. The story’s setting and character evolution are remarkable, making me feel every emotion Margot and David experience. Their initial plan to help each other win back their exes leads to a deeper, more intimate bond, especially during their trip to Greece. While some parts of the story felt idealized and predictable, there were enough unexpected twists to keep me engaged. The quality of writing shines through, evoking laughter, sadness, and butterflies, making it a deeply emotional read. Elisabet Benavent's writing is enchanting, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

This is a fun, delightful and spicy read! If you like an adventure and some smut this is for you! I enjoyed this book in audiobook translated to english. I should also say I didn't know this was on Netflix and I have not seen the limited series. So this review is unbiased by any previous versions of this story.

Also thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca and Elisabet for the early release copy of this audiobook!

I loved the Narrators! Their translations and delivery of the story was 5 ⭐!

What to generally expect:
⭐ Different POVs of the two main characters
⭐ An overarching story of finding yourself and personal growth!
⭐ Strangers to friends to lovers
⭐ Age Gap
⭐ Opposites Attract

What I truly enjoyed about this book is the story of the main character taking time to say yes to things in life she wouldn't. I enjoyed the journey she takes of finding the REAL person she is. The journey of healing some past trauma from her moms verbal criticism through her life. The journey of her feeling free enough to be who she truly and deeply wants to be. I enjoyed the depth of all the characters. Including Margots mom and sisters. You truly end of wondering about all of them and how they got where they are individually, but you also end up cheering them on to figure out their individual paths in the world.

Now there were some things I wasn't a huge fan of. The first is more personal, which is the age gap. In this case the gap felt a bit juvenile. It rubs me the wrong way when adult women are written almost immature. Margot is a business woman and yet there were moments that felt more teenage/young adult than anything else. The ending was VERY confusing. In fact twice I had to go back to figure out what was going on. I actually thought the book had started over. The transition of the ending felt off because I thought it was his view point, so clarity on that would have been better.

All that to say I loved the premise of this story. I loved the idea of strangers finding each other, having an adventure together, finding themselves during it. Adding in the fact that they build a friendship that turns to a relationship. That story itself is emotional and you are truly rooting for them to find themselves at the end of it all.

Synopsis:
Margot Ortega always struggled to be the princess in her own fairytale: 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 Sánchez, 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 much-needed getaway creates an unexpected connection and depth of intimacy between two people who belong to two totally different worlds. 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 a life-altering decision.

🌼💼🍷A Perfect Story🍷💼🌼
If You Like:
🌼Romance
🌼Fake Dating
🌼FWB
🌼Opposites Attract
🌼All the Angst
🌼Finding Oneself
🌼Taking All the Chances
🌼Complex Family Dynamics
🌼Banter
🌼Tension/Slowish Burn
🌼Greek Getaways
🌼Anxiety/Mental Health Rep
🌼Heartstrings Being Tugged/Emotional
🌼Shower Shenanigans
🌼Public Shenanigans 🌶️👀
🌼Dual POV
🌼🌶️🌶️
🌼80’s Songs
🌼Netflix Adaptations
Then you’ll enjoy A Perfect story as much as I did. Stacy & Giordon did an amazing job with the audio as well! (Running to Netflix now to watch)
Narrators: Giordan Diaz & Stacy Gonzalez
Format: 🎧Audio
Time: 18hr 18min 1.25x
Listened on: NetGalley🎧
“Work can eat my cooter right now”
I forgot how funny the word cooter is💀💀💀
“How many lies are you capable of telling when you’re the one you’re telling them to.”
“I hope someone loves you the way I didn’t know how, that the whole world is yours. That you never remember me again. But, keep the songs. Okay?”
“That’s life, you get washing machined by waves taller than you. And it’s sink or swim u til you learn to ride them. The first big wave of my life is called Margo, and thanks to her I conquered the sea.”
#aperfectstory #ElísabetBenavent #ALC #netgalley #dreamscapemedia #romance #oppositesattract

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Elisabet Benavent for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first audio book and at first I wasn’t sure I’d get into it but then really enjoyed it. I did not enjoy the voice and accent for Fillipo but that was probably just my preference.

This was a Spanish book originally so there was some language, locations and terms used that I wasn’t very familiar with but I adjusted quickly to it.

This book is around two people who run into each other after bad breakups and find themselves drawn to each other and wanting to help each other out with their problems.

I didn’t realize this had two endings so I was really confused at the end! Although I enjoyed the perspective of two endings it left me feeling a little uneasy at how easily things could be different.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC

This was a slow, but sweet and adventurous story. Our fmc has just ran away from her wedding and decides to travel. Here she meets our mmc who has just been broken up with. For reasons they end up traveling together and learn to know each other. There's a fake relationship involved, but it never felt fake. Their feelings and shared moments were very present. The ending was interesting as well with two diffferent epilogues so the reader could choose which they preferred. My only minus was the length. I thought it was way too long which caused me to lose interest at times. Except for that it was a good summer book.

A Perfect Story follows Margot and David as they embark on a fake-dating vacation to escape their heartbreak. Margot, who had everything she thought she wanted in life, experiences a major setback on her wedding day. She meets David, a bartender, who suggests they pretend to be a couple to make their exes jealous. As they navigate their fake romance, their trip to Greece leads to unexpected intimacy and emotional challenges, forcing them to confront their true feelings and make life-changing decisions. A Perfect Story is a heartfelt tale of love, humor, and self-discovery.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for advanced access to the audio version. The audio is dual POV and both narrators were great!

Unfortunately, this audiobook was a miss for me. I really wanted to like it, but found the narration of the characters to be like nails on a chalkboard. I trying to push through, but once I saw that it was 18hrs long, for a romance, I just could not commit. It is very possible that the characters translate differently read as a book, but I am sorry to say that the audiobook was not for me.

4⭐️s. Dual POV. Opposites attract is this romantic story. Two people with issues from failed relationships bond over their similar sad eyes.

Margot is getting married. Everything she could ever want, she has. Until she has a panic attack and they have to call off the wedding. She decides to go out dancing and drinking with her sisters to help with the depression. There she meet a handsome bartender named David. David’s girlfriend just broke up with him because he wasn’t stable and successful. He notices Margot’s sad eyes and understands the emotion behind them. They form a bond and create a plan to make their exes jealous. But on a wonderful trip to Greece, the lines of friendship blur and their connection is harder and harder to ignore. The fear of going back to normal life weighs heavy and may be their breaking point just as they’re beginning.

Thanks so much for the ALC from @netgalley @dreamscape_media and @betacoqueta. You can get your copy now!! Always recommend checking with your local bookstores.
#theperfectstory #audiobook #netgalley #advancedlistenercopy #bookstagram

What a sweet, yet spicy book! This one has ALL the banter, and is just really fun to read! There were many moments that had me laughing out loud. If you’re looking for a really playful, easy read with a good amount of heat, this is a solid choice!

I listened to this on audio. This book has a dual POV, and the narrators were great! I had no issues following either of them, and they were both able to draw me into the story.

Overall, I’d give this 4 stars!

🧚🏻A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and author Elísabet Benevent for providing me with a free audio version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Elisabet Benavent has been on my tbr for a while now, I’ve watch most of her book adaptions on Netflix and have been wanting to read one of her books. This was an enjoyable read, rich girl/poor boy and fake dating to make an ex jealous with a Greek getaway. The MCs were strangers to friends to lovers and also there is an age gap. Lots of tropes that are very well represented and executed to perfection.

It is one of my favorite books in Spanish and I really liked reading and hearing the story in English and for everyone to get to know David and Margot. I am aware that for some it may be a very long book, but I have enjoyed it as if it were the first time I have read it. Plus, it's a little different to find stories with two alternative endings that everyone can choose from. I like that in other countries people can now know and read Elisabet Benavent.

The audiobook is spectacular, I like the narrations and voices that David and Margot have, I liked it even much more than the Spanish audio version.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

This book is getting solid reviews, but I feel like I must have listened to a different story. There were times I actually wanted to scratch my eyes out I was so annoyed. First and foremost.....this is simply too too long (this is primarily a romance and it was over 18 hours......I have no words). But....if the story had been solid and engaging, I might have been on board. Instead, the dialogue was painful and cringe worthy at times. The plot was slow and honestly just boring most of the time, and nothing really happens. And that ending.......bleck! Also, the way the narrator chose to voice some of the characters (particularly Patricia) was just painful to me as well. I heard that the adaptation has recently released or is about to release, and I could see that being a success with some solid screen writing.......especially since the settings across Europe would be beautiful on screen.