Don't Overthink This

In this very original debut novel by Kelly Piazza, Matteo 'Matty' Arvali's life in shambles. The love of his life (his best friend since childhood, Keelie Santiago) has broken up with him,  his parents kicked him out, and his brother took him home to detox "or else". Matt has succumbed to an opioid addiction and it has basically wrecked his life. 

After 5 months under the eagle-eyed watch of his brother Cris, and his newly achieved sobriety, He gets invited to his best friend's wedding. The caveat: he is only welcome if he is sober. This is the opportunity he has to prove himself that he craves his sober life more than he craves pills... and to regain Keeli's trust. Will Matty be strong enough to overcome the thoughts in his head and take control?

I'm in awe that this is a debut novel! Such an original way to tell a story! Told entirely through Matty's POV, we go with his on his journey of recovery (though he goes kicking and screaming). The story goes back and forth and we start piecing together Matty and Keelie's story, his depression, the tragic event in their lives that both of them had to deal with.

It's an unconventional romance novel, as it's told exclusively by the "hero". It's a second chance romance but focuses more on the journey Matty has to go through to get to his second chance than on the romance. We know they love each other. We just don't know if they can be together. 

I absolutely loved it! The subject of addiction is handled well, though I have no personal knowledge, but it feels real and raw. It's realistically uplifting. 

Possible Triggers: opioid addiction, recovery process, detoxing, depression, mental health issues, suicide,  intrusive thought and suicidal ideation



I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley, Foxglove Publishing and Kelly Piazza for the ARC.

A true original plot, done in a very clever and moving way.
What a wild ride. As a debut novel, Kelly Piazza knocked it out of the park.
This is an out of the ordinary romance, with a plot that is challenging, bold, and that you probably won't see very often.

Matty Arvali is an addict. He is throwing his life down the drain in exchange for the blissful high that his pills can get him. We embark on a journey where we really go down the rabbit hole of his issues, with his childhood friends and his family. All serve as background to where Matty is now. After hitting rock bottom his brother wants to be a light at the end of the tunnel and aid him in his recovery. When a friend from the past announces he's getting married and wants Matty as his best man, he finally has a chance to prove that he can win the battle against his addiction, and regain the trust of his loved ones, in special the love of his life - Keelie.

My only issue with Don't Overthink this is that I expected a bit more from the second half. The first part of this book is so intense, my expectations were set really high. The delivery is well done, but a tiny bit lacking.

Overall, the reconciliation and process of Matty's recovery felt a bit rushed after all the intense emotions constructed by Kelly Piazza.

Still, this was a stunning debut and a book that will stay with me for a long time.

I am absolutely in love with this book. “Don’t Overthink This” by Kelly Piazza was written so beautifully that I just could not put it down. I’ve read quite a few romance books. But this one was so captivating. Although it is a work of fiction, it still shows such a great insight of opioid addiction and how it can literally turn one’s life upside down. When we’re introduced to Matty, he has already relapsed heavily and lost most of his friendships and relationships, including his girlfriend Keelie. His love for her is so strong, that even though they’ve been separated for two years, he never forgets how loved he felt when he was with her.

In this story, it shows the struggle of trying to get sober. Matty goes on this self journey that he thinks he will never fall through with, until he finds out that he’ll be seeing Keelie again at their friends wedding. When he meets her again for the first time in two years, all those feelings come flooding back. He decides that he wants her back, he wants to become sober. Being sober showed him what he was truly missing out on. All those relationships he had ruined. He did not want that to happen again. If I could give this book more than five stars I would in a heartbeat. I read this book in e-book format and I loved it so much that I will definitely be getting a physical copy to keep once I can. I can’t wait to read more novels that this author has to offer!

The writing in this book was magnificent, it captivated me from the first chapter. While I don’t know first hand, the effects of addition, the way that Marty’s journey was written was so beautifully put. It didn’t sugarcoat the struggles and really let you see how much work and dedication Matty but into getting better. I truly enjoyed the opportunity to read this book, and am so surprised on how quickly it became a favorite. The characters; Matty, Kellie, Chris, Lex, Sam and even June, we’re so lovable. You really got to know and understand the characters and their love for Matty. The writing was beautiful and the story was so captivating.

This happened to be the very first arc that I have read and I couldn't be happier about it. The storyline really tugged on your heartstrings as you cheer on Matty, the struggling addict trying to figure out life without pills. When he gets a final chance to make things right between all his past relationships due to being invited to his best friend's wedding, you get to follow his journey into hopeful sobriety.
The opioid pandemic is a real problem and I love how this book touched on this subject and just how real it is among so many people.
I absolutely loved the characters and felt like the story was realistic in the way it dealt with trust and burning bridges. It is not easy to recover from addiction and I love how the author drew out these conversations between the characters.
If anything I wish I could read more about Matty and Em's relationship later on and how they work through her recent diagnosis. I truly cannot wait to read any and everything that Kelly Piazza comes out with whether it is following this storyline or another!
Overall, I think Kelly Piazza wrote a wonderful debut and I cannot wait to pick up the book once it is sold in stores so I can have it physically on my shelf. <3

If the main character of "Don't Overthink This" was a women, half of the comments on Goodreads would be like "This is not romance, this is womens fiction!". But the main character is a man, so whatever.

Matty i addicted to oxy and this has basically destroyed his life. He get's one final chance when his brother takes him in. Can he stay clean? Can he win his girlfriend back?

I can't recommend this novel highly enough. It made me feel stuff: I was shocked by the problems that come along with addiction, I was sad and cried, I was happy when thing finally went better.

Please read.

I got an ARC from NetGalley. Thank you!

This is Kelly Piazza's debut novel, and she nailed it!! This is a beautifully written second-chance novel that deals extensively with addiction. Matty and Keelie had been together for a long time until their relationship tragically ended. Matty had developed an oxy addiction, which contributed to the collapse of their relationship.

This story, however, is given in two parts. We see more of the then/now aspects in the first part. This section focuses on Matty's present situation. We see how he battles his addiction while attempting to get clean with the support of his brother. Which, as we all know, will not be simple. This section also includes information about his past. The second part takes place 5 months later, at Matty's best friend's wedding. This will be the first time he is alone after fighting to become clean. Matty's task will be made significantly more difficult by the fact that Keelie will be present at the wedding. This is his chance to make everything right again.

This is incredibly well written and reads pretty quickly. It's as if you're reading a raw emotional book that captivates you, and you can't put it down until you've finished it. You get to see Matty battle his thoughts and re-establish all of the relationships he lost due to his addiction. And I loved how, although these relationships were shattered, they never gave up on him, as evidenced by his attendance at this wedding. Of course, they were upset with him, but at the end of the day, they've always cared about Matty and would have gone to great lengths to save him. And you can tell just by reading this because every single one of them wanted to know how he was doing while he was trying to get clean. I don't know, I just enjoyed seeing how much they love him, even though they had every reason not to forgive him.

It is such a bittersweet love story. True love always wins.

I will stay that I wish we get to see more about Em. I’d love to read more about her.


𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸

Matty's story is raw and refreshing for this genre. Opioid addiction, as well as the effects it has on relationships, is extensively and accurately depicted. Moreover, the way we come to love Matty reinforces the fact that people are more than their addictions. You really root for Matty throughout the story. A fantastic book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Foxglove Publishing for providing me with this ARC.

An original plot, executed in a very clever and unique way. This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions.
Kelly Piazza's first debut novel, and god has she done so well! Both stunning and raw.

4 ⭐

I really enjoyed this one. I usually don't enjoy second chance romances but this one was written so beautifully and I teared up like 4 times.

The chemistry, the dialogue was superior and I'll definitely reread this one in the future/read again from this author.

I knew that this book was about Matteo's drug addiction but it was still way heavier than I expected. I do not think this should be marketed as a romance novel because the bulk of the book is about Matteo dealing with sobriety. I really liked the book though.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Don't Over Think This is an emotionally charged page turner. I was immediately pulled into these characters.

We start off meeting Matty an addict who has let drugs blow up his life. He is invited to a wedding of childhood friends where he will have to face his ex-girlfriend and the love of his life. With all the celebratory drinking and partying that goes with a wedding this is less than ideal. This book is a slow burn, steamy but not spicy.

I loved how the story wraps up.

My only gripe is we don't get a back story on where the addiction started for Matty.

If you are looking for a heavy, real life grit read that you can fully cheer on the characters, this is it.

Thank you Netgally and Foxglove Publishing for an advance reader copy of this book. This was my honest review.

Don't Overthink This is Kelly Piazza's debut novel - and what a debut it is.
Don't let the illustrated cover fool you; this is not your typical "romance" novel.
Matty and Keelie are life long friends whose close relationship turned into a beautiful love story... until that love story is destroyed by Matty's addiction to pills. This novel dives deep into the world of addiction and all of it's horrible consequences - for the addict and the addict's loved ones.
I don't want to give the whole story away, but Matty gets a second chance -- a second chance at life and a potential second chance to show Keelie that he deserves her trust and that he wants to win her back.

Piazza's accurate portrayal of addiction and the rippling effects that is has on the life of the addict and their loved ones is spot on. If a realistic look at addiction is a trigger - this one is not for you.
But fear not, Piazza balances this sadness with warm family relationships filled with support and love. I really enjoyed the relationship that Matty forges with his niece. The inclusion of Italian in the novel was also a nice touch as well. Piazza does a great job of creating a strong cast of major and minor characters that are interesting as well as entertaining. I look forward to reading future works by Kelly Piazza.

Okay, wow. First off, the raw honesty and reflection of addiction and those suffering with drug abuse is truly astonishing. It very accurately depicts what it's like and how those who suffer through addiction think and feel when they're going through it. I honestly had no clue if I would even enjoy this book. The messy side of drug abuse was clear in the first few chapters then the main character's development throughout the book just reminded me of a caterpillar turning into a majestic butterfly. So beautiful this example of addiction came out with a happy ending. The two main characters are beautifully written and blend together so well. All of the friends and family members are fun and relatable. I honestly enjoyed every bit of this book. Truly breathtaking! Raw honest addiction aspects, bit of romance, bit of sadness and a bit of sarcasm. You just can't go wrong with this book!

I received this ARC to review from the publishers and NetGalley. All comments above are solely my true opinion after reading this book.

This was an amazing book. I absolutely loved it and read it pretty much nonstop as soon as I saw I got the approval. This is a very well written story about addiction, redemption, love, and second chances. I enjoyed reading about Matty’s personal struggles and his growth throughout the book. The characters were well written, the plot was unlike what I usually read, and the story itself was very interesting. Thank you to NetGalley and do Foxglove Publishers for the ARC.

Don’t overthink this

I’m going to start with this quick little note: This is a love story that is not a romance. There is no swooning or forced one bed, no grumpy sunshine trope or any meet cute’s. This is a love story about a guy and a girl who have known each other for almost the entirety of their lives and have dated for basically a decade. It could fall under a “second chance” but like I said, there really isn’t any swooning / apology tour / etc.

Personal opinions: I really enjoyed this one & I feel like I say that a lot but this one made me laugh, made me cry, & it hit really close to home for me with the mental illness and addiction storylines. It might not be for you if you’re into all the tropes and bedazzle. Family plays a large role for both main characters (Matty & Keelie.) The first part of the book is all about Matty trying to get clean and we have flashbacks to when him and Keelie were together, the different memories they made, the things he misses the most. The second portion of the book, Matty and Keelie reunite for their friends wedding. It’s a slow burn but when you get the two of them in the same vicinity, the chemistry comes off the pages. Their friend group is pretty funny & sarcastic. Not a lot of people that struggle with addiction get to have a second chance with their friends, family, or spouses once those bridges have been burned multiple time and this book left me with a sense of hopefulness.

Thank you NetGalley & FoxGlove Publishing.

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀, 𝗘𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗔𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀, 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺.

I truly loved this book so much. Don’t Overthink This navigates the struggle of prescription pills and mental illness, it hit really close to home for me with the mental illness and addiction storylines. The author has done an amazing job of portraying addiction and the effects that is has on the life of the addict and their loved ones.

When we’re introduced to Matty, he has already relapsed heavily and lost most of his friendships and relationships, including his girlfriend Keelie. Now Matty has to decide: are the pills worth all this grief? When a friend's wedding means seeing his now ex-girlfriend, it might be the push Matty needs to finally get his life back on track.
Thank you Netgally and Foxglove Publishing for an advance reader copy of this book. This was my honest review.

This book was incredible, to put it simply. It was raw and real and absolutely gut wrenching. I think Kelly Piazza told this story so well when this topic isn't always handled in the best light in fictional writing. This story is a second chance romance that heavily focuses on the MC addiction to opioids. This story showed all of the internal struggles that someone suffering through addiction may go through, how it affects their family, friends and other loved ones as well as every other part of their life. I loved the characters in this, the two different families we got to see. I loved getting an inside look to the relationship between Matty and Keelie, and I loved the ending we got although I was bracing myself for something completely different. This story pulled me in and I couldn't put it down until I was finished, I absolutely recommend to anyone.

Thank you #Netgalley for an early read of #Don'tOverthinkThis in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Review
Thank you netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review :)

*TW: oxy addiction, mention of past suicide death that aren’t main characters
It’s not everyday where you will find a contemporary book that has a male character showcasing vulnerability in any aspect and it’s even rarer to see their struggles through their own eyes. In this book Kiana Piazza has perfectly tackled both!

We get to see Matteo's vulnerability through his own perspective –not through the love interest’s pov, which is a first!

Piazza depicts addiction and anxiety in an accurate way; while the book has humor and romance woven through it, we still get to experience the severity and reality of Matteo’s struggles. And if you’re worried if this book romanticizes mental illness, I can assure you that it doesn’t….at all. That being said, this book was an enjoyable read. It wasn’t too heavy to the point that I was sobbing heavily while reading….if anything I was laughing, swooning thanks to Matteo’s charming personality and italian and walking away with an updated view & awareness of addiction.

The side characters weren’t just comical relief. You are introduced to MANY people that are a part of the main character’s life and you get to see how they impact him through his journey.

The story is told through first person subjective and you get to hear Matteo’s inner dialogue which really adds to the story, especially through the more harder parts when his own mind betrays him during his triggers (through spirals and digressions). The story is told non-chronologically but mainly going forward chronologically if that makes sense. We get some chapters where we are going into the past, we get to see how Matteo and Keelie’s relationship started but some interesting things about Keelie’s family life and how it affected Matteo. Once again it is still told from Matteo’s experience.

If you’re looking for a feel good story with a second chance romance that still addresses some serious topics, this book is for you!

Review posted: 4/6/22 Posted: Goodreads

Representation: bipolar disorder, depression, panic attacks, anxiety, the use of prescribed medication as a helpful tool alongside consistent therapy, mental health/illness, Italian language,

To preface: I read this in one straight shot, from 11 pm to 3 am, despite knowing I have to get up for work at 8 in the morning. I think that says more than enough about how much I enjoyed Don't Overthink This.

As someone currently pursuing an M.A. in psychology, I went into this book hoping to see a realistic portrayal of addiction and that’s exactly what I found. Piazza doesn’t glamorize it—it’s shown to be something raw and ugly that ruins lives. And that is exactly what happens to the main character, Matty. Seeing his battle with addiction from inside of his head was eye-opening. It shows you how the disease affects your brain and makes you blind to what is right in front of you: how wonderful your life is and how many people love you. The portrayal of other mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, was also executed well.

A part of the story I really love is the flashbacks intertwine with the present. It simultaneously broke my heart and made me root for Matty’s sobriety more than I already was. I wanted him and Keelie to get back together, not just for his sake but for hers. I love that Piazza makes sure to also highlight how hard it is to love an addict and what that side of things looks like.

Seeing Matty fight his addiction and regain control over his life made me so happy. I almost cried tears of joy at the scene where he flushes his last pill down the toilet. Every time he recognized his destructive behaviors and was able to change them, the little cheerleaders in my head went wild. And then seeing him patch up his relationships, not just with Keelie, but with everyone else in his life... It was so heartwarming.

So yes, this book is a second chance romance. But it is also so, so much more than that.

P.S. I also have to say that I feel like I learned a lot from Adam, the therapist friend of Chris’ that Matty goes to see. I hope I can make my clients feel that comfortable someday. Also, my Italian heart was really happy to see all the Italian included in the story!