This rom-com was absolutely adorable! It put a fresh spin on the friends-to-lovers trope, and I was on the edge of my seat, rooting for Javi and Mari to finally get together. Javi’s character development was so good—even though he kept getting in his own way (seriously, Javi, please!). The banter between them was top-tier—witty, funny, and full of charm. And that Elmo scene? I was crying laughing! I could picture it so vividly, like a scene straight out of a movie. The story just kept getting better and better, and I loved every second of it.

Highly recommend this one!

Big thanks to Penguin Publishing for the ARC! 🫶🏾

**The hyphens throughout the book were super distracting. I’m sure this will be fixed prior to print, but I wanted to point it out **

You had me at “When Harry Met Sally retelling.” Javi and Mari have the deepest love despite time and misunderstanding and I loved every minute of it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this best friends to lovers romance - the dual timeline helped the reader understand how Javi and Mari met and developed their awesome friendship. I loved their honesty around each other and always put their friendship first. Even when they both loved each other as young college grads, they put aside their own romantic feelings to make sure their friendship remained at the forefront. This was a slow burn but the ending was worth it!

This was a cute book. I enjoyed the premise of long time friends become lovers, but honestly wasn’t that into the book. I had a hard time keeping my attention to this book. I think it was the writing style.Jumping back and forth in to different time periods to the present day so many times kinda confused me. A cute book, but definitely would not reread.

4.25

Mia Sosa knows how to write a wedding-centered romance, and she proves it again with this one. I loved seeing Javi and Mari’s relationship unfold over time. The way their history was told made everything feel so real and emotional. A small part of me wished more of the story took place in the present, but I get why the focus was on their past and how it all led to that moment. The only thing I didn’t love was the wedding scene, but overall, this was such a fun read!

This is a very sexy friends to lovers story that starts with a memorable criminal activity meet-cute and navigates the flashback style story of Javi and Mari’s “almosts” and “what ifs.” The main characters are Dominican and Brazilian and their cultural backgrounds are beautifully written into the story. Mia Sosa knows how to write a pining love story with laugh out loud dialogue (“Mad max meets where the wild things are”) , sexy banter and a satisfying resolution of both internal and external conflict. Love this book!!!

The one thing that confused me was the section titles of Seed and Bloom…I didn’t see how that fit with the story.

In the ARC I read, I found the following errors or discrepancies:

Page 51 and 52 - She tells him to staple the flyer because she is too short, but then it read that she staples it when she says the you wear that label like a badge.

Page 95-96 - Javi gets out of the chair and goes to her when she teases him about the condoms but then a page later it says he gets out of the chair again. When did he sit back down?

Page 152 - “there’s” typo

Page 159 - In the third full paragraph, “know” should be “now”.

Page 194- The quotation mark is missing before “I’m officially dead.”

Page 300 - it says “be” when it should say “he” in “Why would be think otherwise”

“When Javi Dumped Mari” by Mia Sosa is a delightful friends-to-lovers romance that masterfully blends humor, heartfelt emotion, and cultural richness. The story follows Mari, a successful entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, and her best friend Javi, whose deep bond is tested when Mari announces her engagement to another man. Javi, realizing his true feelings, has a limited time to convince Mari that her impending marriage might be a mistake. Sosa’s storytelling shines with witty banter, palpable chemistry, and a vibrant portrayal of Latinx culture. The narrative alternates between past and present, providing a comprehensive view of their evolving relationship. Readers have praised the novel for its engaging characters and the perfect balance of humor and emotion. If you’re a fan of romantic comedies that offer depth and authenticity, this book is a must-read.  

Thank you so much to Putnam and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa.

Mari and Javi have been friends since they were in college together. They form an agreement that they will only date someone that the other approves of. At the beginning of the book, Javi is on the verge of confessing his long time feelings for Mari when he gets the news that she’s engaged and getting married in six weeks. Now, Javi has a very short amount of time to convince Mari not to get married while also being her man of honor.

I was so excited to get the approval for Mia Sosa’s next book! It had me hooked from the very beginning. I love Javi and Mari! This is another incredible friends to lovers romance to look forward to in 2025! We switch back and forth between the present and the past and oh my goodness - the mutual pining! If you love a mutual pining trope then this is definitely one to check out; it will give you all the feels.

I really liked this book. The changing POVs throughout initially made it a bit hard for me to get invested in the story, but as the book progressed I feel like it actually added a lot to get the narration of the character’s growth from them. I fell in love with Javi and Mari, and admired their growth both together, and independent of each other. I am looking forward to exploring other work by Mia Sosa. Overall, this was such a strong first ARC for 2025. Great way to start the year.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, Mia Sosa, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes when I started this one and I am happy to report it loved up to my high expectations! It's romantic and swoony, with characters that have great banter and dialogue. Loved it!

Javi and Mari met in college, and sparks flew immediately. However, Javi thought he wasn't good enough, and Mari kept those feelings on lock. This book follows them through their on-again/off-again friendsituationship until Mari blindsides Javi with her engagement to a rando from her law firm and asks him to be part of her bridal party. The story is told through flash backs and dual POV. Mia Sosa always writes good spice.

It was hard to piece this one together - why is Mari, a bad-ass independent B, jumping to marry this dude so quickly? The resolution to the final big conflict didn't make much sense. Nonetheless, I'll always read Mia Sosa, and it was a fun little jaunt.

A lovely tale of love, friendship, and friendship amid difficult family dynamics and self-doubt. I adore the writing of Mia Sosa. I was entertained and captivated by this book. At times, I genuinely burst out laughing, and at other times, my mouth fell open. I really liked this one and would suggest it to others.

MIA SOSA’S BACKKK. you do not understand my excitement when i saw she had a new release this year and dare i say it’s her best yet! steamy, sweet, unexpected, these fools stole my heart. i love a good baddie fmc and mari is no exception 🙂‍↕️

This was a sweet yet smoldering love story.

We're taken along for a story that flashes back and forth (masterfully) from past to present time. We get to see Mari and Javi's origin and how even though Javi "dumped" Mari, they still held a torch for each other. During all of this, there's the simmering pressure of Mari's upcoming nuptials to another man.

The ending felt a bit rushed, but I think that was only because so much time seemed to elapse before getting there.

An enjoyable book!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 ⭐️

I’ve loved Mia Sosa books in the past but this one wasn’t it for me. The title doesn’t fit at all and was forced in at the end. With the flashbacks, the pacing was really slow for a good majority of the book. And the biggest gripe of all was that I truly don’t think Mari was going to choose Javi until her hand was forced, and I just don’t find that romantic.

I will say that the book at least was gripping at the beginning and I was interested to see where it was going. The long flashback section kind of stopped that interest in its tracks.

this was my first book by this author and it did not disappoint me at all! it’s about these 2 bestfriends that made a pact to always be there for one another when it comes to be each others relationship interrogator!

this book was very slowburn and something i wasn’t expecting at all! i love the representation and the characters!

This book did the job of feeling like I was watching a 90s romcom. Like it was kind of cringey and I don't really know that it holds up, but all the beats just felt so nostalgic and perfect to me. The time slips were well done even though they were predictable, I just really had a great time reading this.

Overall: 4.25/5
Spice level: 2/5
Tropes: Friends to lovers, slow burn

I couldn't wait to read this! There was a definite slow burn, but it fits the plot. Mari is marrying someone other than Javi, so it takes some time to truly get them together, and most of the spice takes place in flashbacks of moments where they hooked up months prior to the scheduled wedding.

I loved their friendship though. They were so close from the very beginning but had this simmering undercurrent of chemistry between them.

I really liked how the flashbacks showed the strength and development of of the closeness between Javi and Mari.

There were moments I felt bad for Javi because he never felt he was good enough for Mari, hence why he kept her at a distance romantically.

I can't wait to see if other characters get their own stories!

A beautiful story and friendship and love, amidst challenging family dynamics and questioning one’s self. I love Mia Sosa’s writing… This book kept me intrigued and entertained. There were moments I literally laughed out loud, and then other moments my jaw dropped open. This is one I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend.

Mia Sosa’s When Javi Dumped Mari is a lively and heartwarming rom-com about heartbreak, self-discovery, and second chances. After Javi unexpectedly ends their relationship, Mari must navigate her newfound singlehood while rediscovering who she is outside of love. Sosa’s sharp wit and charming storytelling shine, with relatable characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and just the right amount of emotional depth. A delightful tale of resilience and unexpected romance that will leave readers rooting for Mari every step of the way.