Member Reviews
Overall this was an entertaining read but not something I’d rush to pick up again, in parts it felt unbelievable & didn’t quite grab my attention like I’d hoped.
Thank you so much @stormpublishing and @netgalley for the copy of this eARC!
This book was absolutely unputdownable! It’s a deeply moving tale about the strength of friendship, the complexities of love, and the healing power of forgiveness.
When Fabiola’s best friend, Liz, discovers she can’t have children and needs a surrogate, Fabiola volunteers to help. Having three kids of her own and smooth pregnancies in the past, she feels confident in offering this gift. However, as the journey progresses, Fabiola starts to question whether her actions are truly for Liz, or if her underlying motivations are tied to Liz’s husband, Peter—Fabiola’s childhood friend and first love.
Despite her well-laid plans, Fabiola soon realizes things aren’t as simple as she thought.
I absolutely fell in love with Fabiola’s children—Vivi, Ben, and Liam. Vivi’s behavior is a poignant reflection of the emotional strain in Fabiola and Aron’s household. This novel beautifully delves into themes of lost love, forgiveness, second chances, and the powerful journey of healing and reconciliation.
It’s a story about love that withstands time, betrayal, and the chance for redemption. I highly recommend Weaver’s novels—you won’t be disappointed.
Weaver’s writing is phenomenal, and I felt every emotion the characters went through. At times, the tension was so thick I could feel my heart racing. The ending was both surprising and satisfying. Ultimately, this is a beautifully written, emotional rollercoaster of a book that explores difficult decisions and feelings.
I love how good Caitlin Weaver is at writing complicated female protagonists, who you want to love as much as you want to smack them sometimes. I struggled with this book because of that. I didn’t really like the main character, and since it’s all written from her POV, at times I felt like the book was hard for me to get through.
I liked the book as a whole, but it all felt like it wrapped up a little too neatly at the end. It almost felt like there were no consequences for Fabiola’s bad behavior, although I was happy everything turned out okay in the end.
This book definitely showcases the ups and downs of both romantic relationships and female friendships beautifully. It also shows in devastating detail how hard it can be to be a parent when you didn’t have the best model growing up, or when you don’t feel like you’re on the same page as your partner.
I definitely recommend this book to fans of domestic dramas, and to people who love when other people’s lives are messy and dramatic. This book definitely satisfied that little part in me that loves other people’s drama!
I absolutely love Caitlin Weaver's book- she is the master of women-centric themes from multiple perspectives. The Perfect Plan is about two best friends, one of whom offers to be a surrogate for the other. A spur of the moment decision throws everything into question, including the status of the baby she is growing for her best friend.
I love Caitlin Weaver and will read everything she writes. I really loved her first two books and was so excited to dive right in to this one.
The Perfect Plan didn’t grab my attention right away. It took quite awhile to draw me in and become interesting. I did like the characters.
3 Stars
This book isn’t my typical genre, but one of my 2025 goals is to expand my reading palate, so I decided to give it a try. I should have paid closer attention to the description and realized cheating was a central theme—something I really dislike in stories. I personally don’t find it necessary and would have avoided the book had I known.
That said, I can’t deny the writing style is compelling and kept me turning the pages. The portrayal of the struggles of working motherhood and the complexities of marriage felt raw and authentic. The author did an excellent job of exploring those dynamics with depth and emotion.
While the storyline wasn’t for me, I can see how others might enjoy this heartfelt and tangled tale of love, friendship, and betrayal. If cheating isn’t a dealbreaker for you, it’s worth considering.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
"She wanted to give the ultimate gift. It became the ultimate betrayal." This gripping tagline perfectly sets the tone for a novel that dives deep into the complexities of love, loyalty, and the devastating consequences of good intentions gone wrong.
Fabiola is a protagonist who embodies the struggle of balancing the roles of daughter, wife, mother, and friend. Her life, built on the foundation of self-sacrifice and care for others, is thrown into chaos when her altruistic plan to help her best friend, Liz, spirals out of control. The novel masterfully explores Fabiola’s emotional journey as she navigates the fallout of a single reckless decision that threatens to destroy everything she holds dear.
The characters are richly drawn and deeply flawed, making their struggles and decisions feel authentic and heartbreaking. Liz’s longing for a family, Peter’s unresolved connection with Fabiola, and the unspoken tensions in Fabiola’s own marriage weave together a tapestry of relationships that feel both intimate and volatile.
The book also skillfully tackles the theme of promises—those made to loved ones, to ourselves, and the ones we fail to keep. As Fabiola faces impossible choices, the story raises thought-provoking questions about the boundaries of love and the cost of loyalty.
This novel is more than a tale of betrayal; it’s a raw and emotional exploration of the human heart. Perfect for readers who enjoy domestic dramas with morally complex characters, it will leave you questioning where your own loyalties would lie in Fabiola’s impossible situation.
A poignant, thought-provoking, and beautifully written story, this book will stay with you long after the final page.
This is a fantastic read. Very twisty and full of surprises from the first to the last page.
Loved it!!
☆ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: Available today on KU & the 'Zon!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ahhh, another home run from Caitlin Weaver. Caitlin's books are not talked about enough! Weaver manages to write accurately about serious life topics, in this book referencing estranged parents, toxic relationships, dynamics of friendships, betrayal, infertility, and various health issues. Although I have never experienced infertility, I did however have placenta previa with my first pregnancy and Weaver most definitely depicted that portion of the book accurately. There was some awesome pop culture references sprinkled throughout which I personally love!
Caitlin Weaver is great at building suspense in her novels and this is one I definitely recommend because I simply just could not put it down!
Thank you NetGalley, Caitlin Weaver and Storm Publishing for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I did not want to put it down. Highly recommend.
The Perfect Plan is the second book I’ve read by Caitlin Weaver, after loving her amazing book Things We Never Say. At first, I wasn’t sure if this one would live up to her earlier work, but it ended up surprising me with its depth and twists. By the end, it had totally won me over and earned a solid 4-star rating.
Weaver is so good at blending family drama, toxic relationships, and scandal into her stories. Sure, some parts of the plot were a bit predictable, but the fast pace and emotional rollercoaster kept me hooked. There were plenty of twists and turns, and even the moments I saw coming still hit hard because the emotions felt so real.
Fabiola, the main character, really stole the show for me. Her choices weren’t always great, but they came from a good place, which made her feel so human. Weaver writes her struggles so vividly that I could almost feel Fabiola’s self-doubt and guilt right alongside her. Despite her flaws, she was my favorite character, and I couldn’t help but root for her the whole way through.
If you’re planning to read this, my advice is: don’t read the blurb beforehand! It gives away a little too much, and the story is better when you go in without knowing everything.
One thing I really admire about Caitlin Weaver’s books is how she writes about women and their families in such a raw, real way. Her stories are fast-paced, easy to read, and packed with emotion. While The Perfect Plan didn’t quite hit the same high as Things We Never Say, it was still a fantastic read and one I’d definitely recommend if you’re into stories about love, betrayal, and all the messy parts of life.
This book made me upset. I found all the characters unlikable and couldn’t understand why any of them spent any time together. The main characters mind as very upsetting for me. I hated how everyone got pushed to the side for Peter who obviously did no feel the same. The only ones i could sorta vibe with were the kids.
I’ve enjoyed the author’s previous novels and The Perfect Plan was an equally compelling read.
Fabiola, Liz and Alice have been best friends since college, Fabiola is married with three children and comes up with the perfect plan to help Liz and her husband Peter have a baby. The novel centres around Fabiola, her own complicated relationship with her mother, the challenges of parenting a teenage daughter and her feelings for Peter.
The Perfect Plan is a gripping domestic drama that I raced through over the course of 24 hours. There were many times that I was frustrated with Fabiola and I did feel that the ending was a little neat. A recommended read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
Thanks for the ARC.
I was surprised this book was in Third pov, I have read from this author before and it was in first pov. I felt like since this book was centered around Fabiola it could’ve been in first pov.
This was such an interesting story I love when main characters are not perfect people. There were parts in the book I felt were repetitive, like how many time Fabiola was gonna open that email.
The only thing I truly dislike was the ending, I don’t think Fabiola deserved the ending she got.
Talk about messy! This book has deception, lies, affairs, secrets, and all the craziness that makes a domestic drama great! I could not put this book down!
Fabiola, Liz, and Alice are best friends and have been there for each other through thick and thin. When Liz decides she and her husband, Peter, are finally ready for a baby, Fabiola offers to be their surrogate. This seems like the perfect plan. The only issue is that Fabiola has never gotten over Peter. This, obviously, complicates things.
This book was so good! It's multi-layered, which adds a lot of intense drama. Fabiola is dealing with her pregnancy and her feelings towards Peter, issues within her marriage, shifts with her daughter, her relationship with her own mother.. it's all just a lot but SO good! I personally loved how the author made Fabiola an ethnic girl, being Jamaican and Peruvian. I'm Jamaican and Dominican, so I appreciated that. I also liked how she touched on a quite common complication during pregnancy- placenta previa. I found that section of the book very relatable, having gone through it myself during my first pregnancy. This is an overall great read, with lots of suspense, twists, and shockers throughout the book. A solid 4-star read!
Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Caitlin Weaver for this read!
4⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of The Perfect Plan.
Fabi and Liz have been friends for years and when Liz and her husband Peter look for a surrogate Fabi volunteers. It seems like the perfect plan until Fabi makes a choice that changes everything.
I really enjoyed this book. The storyline went a different direction than I thought but it was still good. I liked the writing style and the characters.
It does seem like the perfect plan. Fabiola loves having babies. Liz has been one of her best friends for 20 years and cannot carry a child. Why wouldn't Fabiola volunteer to be their surrogate?
Like me, I'm sure many of you can think of how many ways such a situation could blow up in their faces. Starting with the fact that Liz's husband Peter was once Fabiola's best friend and secret crush. And the fact that her husband Aron is not thrilled with the idea. Neither are their three children: Vivi (14) and twins Ben and Liam (9). The good news is that there is lots of drama and the ups and downs of Fabiola's pregnancy make for entertaining reading.
This is my third read by Caitlin Weaver and they have all been riveting. Some were not a fan of having this particular read being only from the perspective of Fabiola. Personally I enjoyed that as a change of pace in this newest title. Weaver has a gift for writing drama with strong female friendships and parenting challenges. She is now an auto read for me.
Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Caitlin Weaver discusses another family drama. Three friends who lived together during college continue their close friendship; they share all the secrets of their lives. Then, Fabiola gets herself trapped in a very, very big secret. As the time passes, she gets herself into a nest of lies. Will she be able to come clear and establish a new relationship with her friends?
The Perfect Plan by Caitlin Weaver delves deep into the topics of motherhood, friendship and surrogacy. This is set to be a thriller but I find it much more directed towards the women's lit, domestic drama genre. When Fabiola Butler's best friend Liz wants a baby she needs to use a surrogate. Fabiola has already had three healthy babies and she would do anything for Liz and her husband Peter so why doesn't Fabi become their surrogate? Peter just so happens to be Fabi's oldest friend and somewhat old flame. The history between Fabi and Peter make you wonder who exactly is Fabi doing this for? This story is filled with a lot but the main theme is the friendship between Liz and Fabi. I did feel like this one was hard somewhat to get into, and I felt there were a few side stories that got in the way or maybe not enough attention on. If a good domestic drama is your thing definitely check The Perfect Plan out.
Thank you to NetGalley, Caitlin Weaver, and Storm Publishing for this ARC. Expected publishing date is January 15th 2025.
Caitlin Weaver does it again!
I was thrilled to be provided with the opportunity to review this ARC and downloaded it immediately. While I had an idea of where this book was going, I was hooked on every word.
I found Caitlin’s ability to weave between past and present absolutely beautiful. The transitions were so clean, I was painting a vivid picture in my mind the whole time.
I had high hopes after ‘Such a Good Family’ and ‘Things We Never Say’ and they were met and then some.
Thank you Net Galley & Storm Publishing!