Ingrid and her BF have dated for 11 yrs and have never dated anyone else. When her little sister gets engaged- they decide to take a monthlong break and try dating other people before spending the rest of their lives together- and she already has someone in mind, her coworker, Macon.

The premise of the story was interesting, and it was well written and had a good cast of characters- who were all interesting themselves. But I have never read a romance book where the 2 leads have so little chemistry. I love good slowburn, but the vibe between them very much gave off platonic soulmates. I liked the other guys that she went out with better. I was very much not invested in the romantic relationship-and thought it was boring. I honestly thought the side plots/projects were a lot more interesting.

I did not like Ingrid, she was really self-absorbed, when she reached out to her friends it usually was because she needed something from them and didn’t seem to take much interest in their lives. I also thought it was kind of messed up how she treated the guys from her dating experiment. I also just thought she was boring (and I say this as also someone who loves staying home to read).

I was also confused by her spiral towards the middle of the book- the book starts with her and Cory already on their break, we don’t see them interact all that much and it seemed like both had checked out of the relationship ages ago. So, I was confused by the crisis she was going through. It was way too dramatic. This was the entirety of Ch 17
“And then my tears dried up, and I was empty.”
And in the subsequent chapter she kept referring to herself as a shell, like the “my shell did this,” “shell did that.” It was cringey.

I feel like Ingrid is a co-dependent person, she’s been with someone since she was like 18. And even when they're not together there’s still someone there, I don’t think she knows how to be by herself. And I don’t think this was addressed very well in the book.

It also should’ve been shorter, was way too long.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I've had this book on my shelf and I was 'Overdue' in reading it. Books come into your life for the right reason or season. I'm exploring the next chapter of my life so Ingrid's journey resonated with me.

I've lived in 20 plus apartment in NYC and years spent working abroad. Ingrid's living out of boxes existence reminded me of those suitcase years.. Ingrid and Macon's relationship has straddled the line between friends and lovers. Every time Ingrid is brave enough to voice her thoughts, he pulls back and she doesn't understand the mixed messaging.

When her life turns upside down, Ingrid takes steps towards achieving her dreams. Will their relationship dance turn a page or is it bound for a shattering conclusion?

I thought this was so funny. I enjoyed it so much. I was laughing out loud and getting second hand embarrassment from Ingrid's experiences. This was so cute I loved every second. The slow burn was insane. I just kept saying out loud, "Come on already!" I loved the bookstore and library. I also felt like I lived in this setting. I could see everything so perfectly. I definitely recommend this book.

Stephanie Perkins delivers a heartfelt, slow-burn romance in Overdue, a story that beautifully captures the complexities of love, self-discovery, and second chances. Set in the cozy mountain town of Ridgetop, North Carolina, this novel follows Ingrid Dahl, a warmhearted librarian whose seemingly stable eleven-year relationship takes an unexpected detour. When she and her longtime boyfriend, Cory, decide to take a one-month break to explore dating other people, Ingrid finds herself drawn to her grumpy yet irresistibly charming coworker, Macon—someone she never expected to truly connect with.

Stephanie crafts her characters with depth and warmth, making Ingrid’s journey both relatable and deeply engaging. Her emotional growth, from contentment to uncertainty and ultimately to self-awareness, is portrayed with authenticity and care. The chemistry between Ingrid and Macon builds beautifully, filled with longing and tension, making every interaction between them feel electric.

Beyond the romance, Overdue is also a love letter to new beginnings and the courage it takes to step into the unknown. Stephanie masterfully balances humor, heartache, and passion, weaving a story that feels as cozy as a favorite library nook. Ridgetop itself becomes a character, with its picturesque setting adding an extra layer of charm to Ingrid’s evolving love story.

With its engaging prose, swoon-worthy romance, and thoughtful exploration of relationships, Overdue is a book that lingers long after the final page. Fans of slow-burn love stories and heartwarming character journeys will find themselves utterly enchanted. Stephanie Perkins once again proves she has a gift for capturing the magic of falling in love—sometimes in the most unexpected places.

Review coming soon. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advance review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I didn't love the premise of taking a break from one's long term boyfriend, but that was maybe only a quarter of the story. In the rest of it, we watch Ingrid grow up. Overdue is a coming of age story (even though that age may be 30) and the slowest of slow burn romances. But I loved every un-put-down-able page.

Thanks to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

There are so many things about this book I enjoyed. So much so that it’s more of a 4.5⭐️ rating. But there was a couple things, that I didn’t enjoy.

But let’s start with the good:
-thank you to St Martin’s Publishing Group and the author for a digital ARC
-this book made me feel all the things- spending this year of Ingrid’s life with her you experience all kinds of moments with her: awkward, sweet, grief, confusion, beauty, inspiration and so much more. The writing really felt authentic to how life can be
-I laughed out loud numerous times
-my fav trope is within these pages- he fell first and pined hard
-it felt like a love letter to the places that house books- stores, libraries, home
-the fact that Ingrid has an a very good online friend! This is so real and not something I see reflected in pages very often
-the love story is truly so sweet and progresses so well

A couple things to mention:
-I had a really hard time with the starting premise of the book- the “break”- push through if you struggle with this too- it’s worth it!
-at times I found myself a bit annoyed with Ingrid.. but isn’t that authentic as well? She’s not perfect, she makes mistakes and has room to grow

This one isn’t out until October, but I recommend to anyone looking for a good love story or anyone who loves and appreciates all things books.

Review: I really enjoyed reading OVERDUE! Ingrid was a great main character, and while choices she made towards the beginning of the book frustrated me at times (I just wanted her to be happy, okay??), I also think that was kind of the point, for her to make a mess of things, so she could learn what she really wanted. And I was so happy for her at the end of the book! Macon! Where do I begin about Macon?? A grumpy (but not really), cinnamonroll introvert who I absolutely adored as the love interest. All of the supporting characters were really well done, and each added their own things to the book.

I think Stephanie Perkins is a really talented author, I loved her writing and how the story flowed. It was just really pleasant to read. I definitely look forward to reading more Adult books by her!

Also!! It's a solo POV novel! I do like duel POV romances, however I find I usually prefer solo, (Which is just my personal preference!) so it was a pleasant surprise for me when I realized it was told solely from Ingrid's perspective.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Saturday Books for the opportunity to read Overdue by Stephanie Perkins.

I went back and forth about if I would give this a five-star rating or not, but ultimately, it made me feel all the feels while I was reading, so five it is. I'm a sucker for a story about a book lover and this story had two! The premise was intriguing, Ingrid has been with her long-time boyfriend since they started college and neither have experienced being with anyone else. Given the point they are at, it only seems logical to take a break gain some of that missed experience and then get back together and proceed as planned (cause that seems like it will work...). Nothing ever goes according to plan. I loved the way the story was set up, chapters broken up into the months of the year. I don't feel like it is a spoiler to say that Ingrid and Cory obviously split, you catch that vibe very early on. Ingrid's feels for her long-time coworker, Macon, made him her first choice to be her "new experience" during the separation. Much to her dismay, he vehemently declines. As she moves on to find her way in the dating world that she has never experienced before, she realizes her feelings are deeper than she knew. Entering this new phase in her life, Ingrid makes some changes and pretty bold choices to open a business that could cost her everything. She finds herself helping Macon redecorate his homey little cottage (to her specifications, but still doesn't see that he is into her) to quitting her job at the library and having to leave her apartment for a tiny studio and opening her new bookstore with the help of some friends. Watching Ingrid and Macon sloooooowwly "fall" for each other was one of the reasons I waffled on giving this five-stars. It really was a bit slower paced that I would have wanted. I would have loved for them to realize how perfect they were together earlier on and seen a bit further into their future. Alas, I still loved their story and the bookseller/librarian couple won my heart.

So cute! I loved the story and the characters. Very well done! Will definitely recommend! I loved the setting and the details of being a librarian. It was a fun twist on dating.

I love Stephanie Perkins' YA stories, so i was interested in seeing what her adult writing was like - I am very glad that I picked this one up! This was such an interesting concept, and a fresh take. I really enjoyed my time in this world.

I loved the parts of this story set in the library with quirky patrons. Macon was my favorite character with his shy, nurturing ways and incredible garden.

The first few chapters were shocking. From the book description, I expected the couple would be casually dating others and exploring the strength of their relationship. I did not expect it to turn into a goal of sleeping with many partners and cheering each other on. Ick ick ick. Plus Ingrid treated the guys she dated terribly!

The book picked up mid-way through. I liked her relationship with her friends. But I did have a hard time following some of the dialogue due to grammar issues.

If you can get past the first four months, you’ll probably love the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

This book was delightful and a 5/5 for the second half, but maybe 2/5 for the first half, so I settled on 3/5. The beginning felt stunted and underdeveloped in a way that had it hard for me to get into, but once the transition happened to fixing up Macon’s house, it was a completely different novel and very enjoyable. I wish some of the elements were pulled into the first half. It felt literally like two separate novels woven together- enjoyable and great character development in the back section and I flew through the back half once things started clicking.

This was such an excellent and surprising love story. Such an enjoyable and quick read. I would highly recommend this for someone looking for a great romance.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like "Overdue" -- I’ve been a longtime fan of Stephanie Perkins’ YA romances, so I was excited to see her dive into adult fiction. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

The premise had potential: a librarian stuck in a long-term relationship, a moody coworker with slow-burn chemistry and a classic “what do I really want?” moment of reckoning. But the execution left a lot to be desired.

Ingrid, the main character, is supposedly almost 30 but reads like a teenager -- naive, immature and emotionally all over the place. Her choices throughout the book made it hard to root for her, and while I don’t mind flawed characters, it felt less like “realistic messiness” and more like aimless drama. And Macon, the love interest, just didn’t click for me. He was more awkward and off-putting than intriguing or charming. Their chemistry was supposed to be a slow burn, but by the time it started to simmer, I had already checked out.

The writing style also still felt very YA, which might appeal to some readers but didn’t quite match the themes or age range of the characters. And at over 400 pages, it was just waaaaay too long for the story it was trying to tell.

There were some solid moments -- the library setting was cozy and well done, and I could see glimpses of the Perkins magic I used to love. But overall, this one just didn’t land. I’m still curious to see what she writes next, but "Overdue" wasn’t it for me.

Regardless, thank you to Stephanie Perkins, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this story! East to follow along and had a relatable storyline. I really liked the characters.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Librarian Ingrid and her long-term boyfriend are on a break. The plan is to see other people, then reconvene after a month and get back together. She sees this break as the perfect opportunity to hit on her crush, Macon, who happens to also be her coworker, When he turns her down, Ingrid is crushed. She keeps replaying the fateful moment in her mind. What's worse, Macon keeps giving off vibes that he really is interested in Ingrid, but he's always holding back. One month becomes two, and Ingrid and her boyfriend realize that their relationship can't survive. Ingrid keeps spending more and more time with Macon. As her feelings continue to grow deeper, she wonders if she could have a future with Macon.

This was a sloooooow burn with a satisfying ending. I rated as 3.5 stars because while Ingrid could sometimes seem like her age, other times she seemed immature to me. Also, it seemed glaringly obvious to me why Macon initially turned Ingrid down, but she was so obsessed over not understanding why. She described him as a serial monogamist, yet couldn't make the connection as to why he wouldn't want a short-term fling with his coworker. Overall, this was a fun read. I enjoyed reading about Ingrid's business venture and the HEA ending.

I read so many great reviews about this book, and unfortunately for me, the book was way too slow for my liking. I understand the concept of a "slow burn" romance, but maaaaan, this book was so slow that it took me over a week to read when I typically read a book in a couple of days. I kept losing interest in the plot and I really disliked Macon's character (sorry for those who are Macon fans). I thought that he was standoffish and grumpy, not shy and loving like he was supposed to be. The only thing I enjoyed was the library and bookstore settings as I absolutely love books. But overall, this was not a hit for me.

Haven’t read a Stephanie Perkins book in forever. I was so excited to be approved for this one. I found the first half to be extremely slow, but I’m proud of pushing myself and finishing it. All in all it was as cute and an enjoyable read.

This is a slow-burn as it's meant to be, tremendously well done! It's always one of my favorite tropes in theory, but rarely is it executed to such extraordinary effect as it is here. Being in Ingrid's POV the entire time is the perfect choice, especially since Macon is so obviously down bad for her. We didn't need his POV to know how far gone he was, and it made it that much more delightful watching Ingrid start to get it.

I also really enjoyed that there were really two plots here - Ingrid's personal and professional journeys made total sense in concert with each other, and both stories felt so fully developed and thematically in line.

I just loved this so much. It had me kicking my feet and giggling from start to finish!

Five enthusiastic stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.