I recently had the pleasure of reading When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa, and I must say, it was a delightful rom-com experience! The story revolves around best friends Javier Báez and Marisol Campos, who made a pact on the eve of their college graduation never to date someone the other doesn't approve of. Fast forward ten years, and Javi finds himself in a predicament when Mari announces her engagement to someone he hasn't even met. The chemistry between Javi and Mari is palpable, and the slow-burn tension kept me turning the pages. Javi's hilarious and often awkward attempts to derail Mari's engagement are both heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny. The witty and sharp writing style makes it a fun, fast read that perfectly balances heartwarming moments with humor. One of the highlights of the book is how it explores the complexities of friendship and love. Javi's determination to help Mari avert a potential disaster, even if it means ruffling some feathers, shows the depth of their bond. The story also beautifully captures the struggles of moving on and the fear of letting go of someone you care about deeply. Overall, this is a charming and entertaining read that will leave you rooting for a happy ending. If you're in the mood for a rom-com that mixes humor with heartfelt moments, this book is a must-read!

When Javi Dumped Mari

When done well, friends to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes. Author Mia Sosa told the story of best friends Javier Báez and Marisol Campos very, very well. She delivered chemistry, angst, family drama, longing, a sprinkle of spice, and laughs in an a perfectly paced romcom novel. I’d love to see story on screen as a limited series or movie.

#WhenJaviDumpedMari
#NetGalley

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is my first time reading a Mia Sosa book, and I had a good time!

This book stars Mari (Brazilian American) and Javi (Puerto Rican), who met in college ten years ago. They make a pact that they will only date someone with the other's approval, because they both suck at seeing the red flags in their dates. From the start, they both friend zone each other (even though I believe the "friend zone" is stupid and doesn't exist, lol). Even though they both feel sparks, they don't think a one night stand is worth the end of their friendship. Flash forward ten years, and Mari introduces Javi to her fiancé, who he didn't even know existed. They're getting married in six weeks, and Mari never asked him for his thoughts. Worse, Javi was planning on confessing his feelings for Mari!

The book kind of lost me when there were multiple consecutive flashback chapters. I felt like we focused more on the past than the present. Flashbacks are useful when characters have known each other for a long time, but sometimes all of that backstory can drag on. I became more invested in the story when the flashbacks were closer to the present timeline, like 2 years ago or 8 months ago.

If you like friends to lovers who have a long history, then this book is for you!

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy of this book!

Mari y Javi se conocieron en la universidad hace 11 años, han sido amigos durante 5 de esos años y siempre se han amado. Sin embargo, ella está cansada de esperar algo que sabe que nunca sucederá, por lo que decide seguir adelante con su vida y comprometerse con su novio. Javi, por su parte, estaba listo para declarar sus sentimientos, pero se lleva una gran decepción al descubrir que ya es demasiado tarde... ¿o no?





La calificación es totalmente para Mari. Me pareció un personaje carismático, inteligente, trabajadora y que lucha por lo que quiere. Al final, todo salió bien para ella y, aunque no quería que se quedara con Javi, me dio lo mismo porque ella estaba feliz.

Javi, en cambio, dejó mucho que desear. Nunca demostró que lucharía por su amor, y de hecho, era el primero en huir ante cualquier obstáculo.


El tema de los padres de Mari no tuvo un cierre satisfactorio, especialmente en lo relacionado con su madre.



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

You know how sometimes you pick up a book and it just makes you smile? That's exactly what happened when I dove into Mia Sosa's "When Javi Dumped Mari." Picture this: two best friends who made this adorable pact in college to be each other's relationship gatekeepers, and now, years later, it's completely backfiring in the most delicious way possible.

The story centers on Javi, who's finally getting his life together, when BAM! – Mari drops the bombshell that she's engaged to some guy he barely knows. Talk about a wake-up call! Now he's in this frantic race against time (six weeks to be exact) to stop the wedding, all while probably realizing he's been in love with her this whole time. Classic, right?

But here's what really got me – these characters feel like people you actually know. Javi's this theater-loving softie who's trying to play it cool while clearly freaking out inside, and Mari's this total boss entertainment lawyer who's done waiting around for something that might never happen. When they're together on the page, their back-and-forth is pure gold. It's like watching your two friends who are obviously perfect for each other but just won't get their act together!

Sosa really knows how to balance the laugh-out-loud moments with the heart-squeezing ones. Sure, the beginning takes its sweet time with college flashbacks, but once the wedding chaos kicks in? Pure entertainment. And don't even get me started on the side characters – they're like that group of friends and family who can't help but meddle because they care too much.

At its heart, this book is about that messy, beautiful journey of figuring out what (and who) you really want in life. If you're the kind of person who yells "Just kiss already!" at fictional characters or lives for those slow-burn romances where best friends finally realize they're in love, you're going to eat this up. It's got the same vibes as "The Worst Best Man" but with its own special charm that'll leave you grinning like a fool.

Trust me, this is the kind of book that'll make you believe in second chances – and probably make you want to text your best friend just to check in. You know, just in case?

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for sharing this delightful romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

3.5 ⭐

*+:｡.｡𝓦𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓯𝓲𝓽. 𝓦𝓮’𝓻𝓮 𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓺𝓾𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓸𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓹𝓲𝓮𝓬𝓮𝓼, 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓿𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓮𝓭𝓰𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓲𝓶𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓾𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓲𝓽 𝓽𝓸𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓮.”｡.｡:+*

This was my first Mia Sosa book, and I loved the Latina rep and culture so much. Admittedly, I don't like the dual timeline; it gets me distracted. I really wanted to slap Mari so many times throughout the book but it ended up great

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

𝕊𝕜𝕚𝕡 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤: 𝟚𝟚, 𝟛𝟘, 𝔼𝕡𝕚𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕦𝕖

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕿𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
🌸 𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂
🌸 𝙻𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚊 𝚁𝚎𝚙
🌸 𝙳𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝙿𝙾𝚅
🌸 𝙳𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

I received the eARC 💕 THANK YOU Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam

Mari and Javi agreed in college that neither would date anyone without the other’s approval. Well, Mari broke that pact by not only dating someone that she didn’t tell Javi about — she got engaged before Javi even knew the guy existed! To make matters worse, she dropped this on Javi the day he was going to confess how he felt about her.

The book basically follows Javi trying to find a flaw in Mari’s fiancé, or pretty much any reason to get this marriage shut down. It’s really cute, but in a grown up way.

Whereas going back and forth between flashbacks of the past and the present can be confusing or feel jumbled, I didn’t get that from this. The back and forth was almost seamless to me. Most of the characters were so likable. The story is very sweet and well-written. It may seem like it’s progressing a little slowly in the beginning, but the information you get during that time is pretty integral. It definitely picks up.

I would recommend this book for someone who is just looking for a cute, cozy romance without a whole bunch of trauma.

Mia Sosa never dissapoints. I thought this new adult book was heartwarming and joyous... and still giving us all the romance feels.

This was a really cute romance story! The romance was so cute and the banter was stop tier! I would highly recommend this book!

When Javi Dumped Mari is a Latinx twist to “When Harry Met Sally.”

Javi & Mari, best friends since college, previously made a pact to evaluate/approve each other’s potential romantic partners. There is a complicated history of chemistry between the BFFs, which is brought back to the surface when Mari gets engaged and sets a wedding date, completely side-stepping the BFF pact. As the man-of-honor, Javi’s top to-do-list item is to get Mari to see that her fiance (knock-off Pedro Pascal, lol) is not a good match for her.

If you enjoy second-chance, friends-to-lovers, and MMC who’s down-bad tropes, this one's for you! Not to mention the Latinx representation!

I was less invested in the details of the college years events, but around 40% we got to the good stuff (the now and 2 years ago happenings). It was frustrating how low Javi thought about himself, but it also made sense based on his history. This was a light and fun read, with some really funny and charming scenes! I love when romcoms can poke fun at the genre.

Solid 4 stars, I recommend!

Thanks to Putnam Books (Penguin Group), via NetGalley, for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Expected Pub date: 6/24/25

When I saw Mia Sosa was releasing a new book, I was super excited and then intrigued by the title. When Javi Dumped Mari started strong and immediately pulled me in. Then, the chapters set in the past started and it kind of lost me a bit. I will be the first to admit that I'm not someone who usually enjoys flashback chapters in second chance romances, so you can take this with a grain of salt. I didn't really enjoy getting to know how their friendship developed. I was more interested in the "Now" chapters. It wasn't until about 40% in and closer to the present timeline that I was invested 100% again. From that point on, I loved the story. Javi and Mari were perfect for each other. The wedding hijinks were fun and hilarious. I grew to love the characters, even when I thought they were idiots at time. The side characters were entertaining and added a lot to the story. I especially loved how everything wrapped up. Despite having some flashback reservations, this romance turned out to be one that made me smile in the end.

I loved, loved, loved When Javi Dumped Mari so much that I wish I could read it again for the first time! Mia Sosa is a gem and I absolutely love her writing. I’ve read a number of her books and honestly her writing just keeps getting better. This book is no exception. It truly had it all - from kick-my-feet laughing moments, scream at the screen moments, and “you better get it” spicy scenes - all culminating to the most satisfying HEA.

Thank you NetGalley, Mia Sosa and GP Putnam Son’s for providing me an e-ARC for this amazing book in exchange for my honest review.

I have been highly anticipating this read and dove right into it when I got the chance to review it. It did not disappoint! Trust me, it is SOOOO good!!

I am so happy that Mia Sosa has returned with another gem! When Javi Dumped Mari is a fresh and playful retelling of When Harry Met Sally that brims with charm, humor, and heart. From the first page, Javi and Mari's story had me hooked, showcasing the razor sharp wit, sizzling chemistry, and emotional depth that Sosa excels at weaving into her rom coms.

The premise is irresistible: Javi, the pining best friend who has waited a decade to confess his feelings, finds himself racing against the clock when Mari announces her engagement to someone else. Mari, on the other hand, is done waiting for Javi and is determined to build a life that aligns with her ambitions. The result? A deliciously messy, slow burn love story that had me laughing one moment and clutching my chest the next.

Sosa's characters are vibrant and layered. Javi is a swoony mix of vulnerability and determination, while Mari is a fierce, independent heroine who knows her worth. Their friendship turned love is packed with heartfelt moments, clever banter, and just the right amount of angst to keep you turning the pages. The "Pedro Pascal knockoff" fiancé adds an amusing layer of tension, while the supporting cast (including meddling friends and family) provides a rich backdrop of humor and wisdom.

Beyond the romance, When Javi Dumped Mari explores themes of self-discovery, loyalty, and the courage it takes to rewrite the script of your life. Sosa skillfully balances the comedy with emotional beats, making this more than just a feel good read—it’s a story that resonates.

Perfect for fans of The Worst Best Man or anyone who loves a second chance romance with high stakes, this book is a must read. Mia Sosa proves once again why she’s a powerhouse in the rom com genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mia Sosa, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the eARC of this book.

This book is a delightful rollercoaster of friendship, love, and hilarious miscommunication. The chemistry between Javi and Mari is chef’s kiss perfect. The slow-burn tension kept me turning pages, and Javi’s hilarious, often awkward attempts to derail Mari’s engagement are everything. The writing is witty and sharp, making it a fun, fast read. If you’re in the mood for a rom-com that mixes heartwarming moments with laugh-out-loud humor, this one will steal your heart (and leave you rooting for a happy ending).