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The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist
He's her type on paper, but what happens when he steps off the page?
While Ivy has the house to herself for a week, she plans to binge-watch her favourite TV show and throw herself into her fanfiction writing. Until she wakes up to find the very handsome but very fictional main character in her bedroom.
Somehow, Ivy has brought Weston to life, and he's convinced they are soulmates. But this dream-come-true crush quickly causes some very real problems. To get rid of him, Ivy must team up with her ex-best friend and sworn enemy, Mack. And with Mack back in her life, Ivy starts to wonder if her 'perfect soulmate' might have been someone else all along...
While Ivy has the house to herself for a week, she plans to binge-watch her favourite TV show and throw herself into her fanfiction writing. Until she wakes up to find the very handsome but very fictional main character in her bedroom.
Somehow, Ivy has brought Weston to life, and he's convinced they are soulmates. But this dream-come-true crush quickly causes some very real problems. To get rid of him, Ivy must team up with her ex-best friend and sworn enemy, Mack. And with Mack back in her life, Ivy starts to wonder if her 'perfect soulmate' might have been someone else all along...
292 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2024
74 people are currently reading
16447 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Gonzales
11 books3,492 followersSophie Gonzales writes young adult queer contemporary fiction with memorable characters, biting wit and endless heart.
She is the author of THE LAW OF INERTIA, ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTATED and PERFECT ON PAPER. IF THIS GETS (co-written with Cale Dietrich) is forthcoming in Fall 2021 from Wednesday Books / Macmillan.
When she isn’t writing, Sophie can be found ice skating, performing in musical theatre, and practicing the piano. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia where she works as a psychologist.
She is represented by Jessica Mileo of Inkwell Management.
She is the author of THE LAW OF INERTIA, ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTATED and PERFECT ON PAPER. IF THIS GETS (co-written with Cale Dietrich) is forthcoming in Fall 2021 from Wednesday Books / Macmillan.
When she isn’t writing, Sophie can be found ice skating, performing in musical theatre, and practicing the piano. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia where she works as a psychologist.
She is represented by Jessica Mileo of Inkwell Management.
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August 15, 2023
I love fanfiction.
When I was eleven years old, I made my first attempt at writing—a fanfic book I posted online. For about two years I wrote fanfiction, and while I moved onto original fiction for my own writing, I continued—and continue—to consume fanfics. They’re my happy place—they allow me to dive back into my favourite stories in a new light, and rewrite the endings I can’t bear as canon, and simply sit with familiar characters I don’t want to let go of yet.
TPGDE is my love letter to fanfics, fandoms and romance stories. The stories that raised me, and the stories that continue to inspire and alight me today. The tropes that I adore, and the ones that are kind of hilarious when you think about them, and those that are both at once. While this isn’t a fanfic itself, this book couldn’t exist without them. If you’re a fanfic reader or writer—you’re my people, and I hope you enjoy this book. I wrote it for you!
When I was eleven years old, I made my first attempt at writing—a fanfic book I posted online. For about two years I wrote fanfiction, and while I moved onto original fiction for my own writing, I continued—and continue—to consume fanfics. They’re my happy place—they allow me to dive back into my favourite stories in a new light, and rewrite the endings I can’t bear as canon, and simply sit with familiar characters I don’t want to let go of yet.
TPGDE is my love letter to fanfics, fandoms and romance stories. The stories that raised me, and the stories that continue to inspire and alight me today. The tropes that I adore, and the ones that are kind of hilarious when you think about them, and those that are both at once. While this isn’t a fanfic itself, this book couldn’t exist without them. If you’re a fanfic reader or writer—you’re my people, and I hope you enjoy this book. I wrote it for you!
August 15, 2023
Could this be my new favorite romcom??
Yes. Yes it's my new favorite romcom.
In the perfect guy doesn't exist, Sophie Gonzales demonstrates that she's a master of satire. As someone who cut my teeth on fanfiction, this book was written for us. There isn't a trope she doesn't lampoon, and the amount of blink-and-you'll-miss-it references make me tempted to start it all over again from the top.
When Ivy's parents go on a business trip across the country, she's looking forward to hanging out with her best friend Henry and watching their favorite show, H-MAD (Hot, Magical and Deadly. If you want an indication of just how self-aware and glib this book is, that's all you need to know). Her plans go slightly awry when she wakes up to find that she somehow accidentally brought the main character of H-MAD, Weston, to life. Only he doesn't act exactly like the Weston from H-MAD. He sort of reminds her of . . . the version of Weston she writes in her fanfics. Ivy has to rely on not only Henry, but Mack--her ex-best friend and ex-crush--to hide Weston and figure out what to do with him.
As I mentioned, this book is heavy on the satire, and it's flipping hilarious as a result. My favorite scenes are the ones that center Mack, Ivy and Henry, because the chemistry those had was off the charts. Speaking of off-the-charts, the romance between Ivy and Mack had me kicking my feet and screaming into my pillow, which is funny because I'm usually a fan of smut, and this book is on the younger side of ya without any smut in sight. But there's plenty of angst and longing to make up for it. The stand out character for me was the super sarcastic Henry. As for Weston, he was the perfect amount of off-the-wall ridiculous.
My favorite part of the book, though, was the razor sharp commentary on the tropes we find romantic, and how we find comfort in fictional romance by inserting ourselves into it, but often by imagining scenarios that we wouldn't actually enjoy in reality. But if it sounds like it's ripping into the romance genre, rest assured, it isn't. The book actually strikes the perfect balance of examining romance, fanfic and fandom, and what purpose it serves in our lives, while poking fun at the more ludicrous parts of it.
Honestly 10x better than I expected based on the premise, and I was excited based on the premise. GO LESBIANS!!!!!!!!!!
Yes. Yes it's my new favorite romcom.
In the perfect guy doesn't exist, Sophie Gonzales demonstrates that she's a master of satire. As someone who cut my teeth on fanfiction, this book was written for us. There isn't a trope she doesn't lampoon, and the amount of blink-and-you'll-miss-it references make me tempted to start it all over again from the top.
When Ivy's parents go on a business trip across the country, she's looking forward to hanging out with her best friend Henry and watching their favorite show, H-MAD (Hot, Magical and Deadly. If you want an indication of just how self-aware and glib this book is, that's all you need to know). Her plans go slightly awry when she wakes up to find that she somehow accidentally brought the main character of H-MAD, Weston, to life. Only he doesn't act exactly like the Weston from H-MAD. He sort of reminds her of . . . the version of Weston she writes in her fanfics. Ivy has to rely on not only Henry, but Mack--her ex-best friend and ex-crush--to hide Weston and figure out what to do with him.
As I mentioned, this book is heavy on the satire, and it's flipping hilarious as a result. My favorite scenes are the ones that center Mack, Ivy and Henry, because the chemistry those had was off the charts. Speaking of off-the-charts, the romance between Ivy and Mack had me kicking my feet and screaming into my pillow, which is funny because I'm usually a fan of smut, and this book is on the younger side of ya without any smut in sight. But there's plenty of angst and longing to make up for it. The stand out character for me was the super sarcastic Henry. As for Weston, he was the perfect amount of off-the-wall ridiculous.
My favorite part of the book, though, was the razor sharp commentary on the tropes we find romantic, and how we find comfort in fictional romance by inserting ourselves into it, but often by imagining scenarios that we wouldn't actually enjoy in reality. But if it sounds like it's ripping into the romance genre, rest assured, it isn't. The book actually strikes the perfect balance of examining romance, fanfic and fandom, and what purpose it serves in our lives, while poking fun at the more ludicrous parts of it.
Honestly 10x better than I expected based on the premise, and I was excited based on the premise. GO LESBIANS!!!!!!!!!!
April 6, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!
This book follows Ivy, a fangirl who literally wishes her favourite fictional character (Weston) into existence, and ends up having to deal with all of the problems that arise from that. The story is just so much fun! I really enjoyed seeing Ivy, her best friend Henry, and her ex-best-friend/crush Mack trying to figure out what happened, and how to keep Weston hidden. It was silly, but so charming and fun!
Additionally, this book is very meta and self-aware. Sophie Gonzales has clearly been in the fandom world for a long time, so this book is filled with nods to fan culture, little quips at cheesy fanfic scenarios, and jokes about ridiculous tropes. If you’ve been in a fandom or read fanfiction growing up you’ll definitely find the references amusing.
I really liked the characters! The MC, Ivy, is very anxious and stubborn, and deeply afraid of loneliness. But she is also very funny and caring and, deep down, she just wants to be loved. Ivy is such a realistic and well-balanced character, and her flaws never felt annoying; they felt real. The LI Mack was also very flawed, but very nice, too. It was so easy to see both Ivy and Mack’s sides, and the reason for their friendship to end was very understandable. I applaud Sophie Gonzales for writing a friendship-ending conflict that feels realistic, but also makes you sympathize with both sides!
I will say: unfortunately, I didn’t really care about their romance. 🫤 The basis for the whole romance was the fact that Ivy already liked Mack before the book started, but since WE never really got to see that crush develop, it was hard for me to fully care about the romance. That’s not to say it was bad! Not at all! I still enjoyed their tension and their moments together, but I just never fully fell in love with their love. However, the romance wasn’t really the main thing in this story, so it was all good! 🙂
Ivy’s bff Henry was just a delight (and also aroace!!!!!!! aroace rep LET’S GOOOOOOOO)!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Weston was mostly a plot device (his personality literally changed depending on what Ivy had written in her fanfics lol) BUT I think he was really well implemented into the story! I liked seeing his dynamic with the other characters, and I enjoyed how he inadvertently helped Ivy grow. And I think the message of this book is really well implemented, and very positive for the target audience.
Regarding the writing: I was scared that the dual timeline wouldn’t be a good choice, but Sophie Gonzales did a great job weaving them together. The chapters were just the right length and I was never bored; this story just flows really well! I’m also very thankful that the author didn’t leave the reveal of Ivy and Mack’s fight until the very end. I mean, we only SEE it at the end, but we find out what happened early on in the book. I think if she’d only revealed it in the end it would’ve built up too much anticipation and it would’ve fallen flat. But since it was all revealed early on, the “Past” chapters let us see Ivy and Mack’s tension growing, without being annoyed that the reasoning for their friendship ending wasn’t clear. 10/10 for not making us wait, Sophie!
Long story short: this is a really enjoyable book with a very fun plot, and realistic and relatable characters. If you’re looking specifically for romance, I’d recommend Sophie’s other books, as they focus a bit more on the romantic relationships, when compared to this one. But this was still a super fun story that I’d definitely recommend!
(review written on 26/04/2023)
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(17/01/2024) - GUYS I JUST GOT AN ARC OF THIS BOOK I'M CRYING KICKING SCREAMING AND SHAKING RIGHT NOW AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
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(16/04/2023) - omg the title changed from "Careful What You Wish For" to "The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist" :o
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(11/12/2021) - at this point i'd read Sophie Gonzales' shopping list and i'd probably give it 5 stars.
This book follows Ivy, a fangirl who literally wishes her favourite fictional character (Weston) into existence, and ends up having to deal with all of the problems that arise from that. The story is just so much fun! I really enjoyed seeing Ivy, her best friend Henry, and her ex-best-friend/crush Mack trying to figure out what happened, and how to keep Weston hidden. It was silly, but so charming and fun!
Additionally, this book is very meta and self-aware. Sophie Gonzales has clearly been in the fandom world for a long time, so this book is filled with nods to fan culture, little quips at cheesy fanfic scenarios, and jokes about ridiculous tropes. If you’ve been in a fandom or read fanfiction growing up you’ll definitely find the references amusing.
I really liked the characters! The MC, Ivy, is very anxious and stubborn, and deeply afraid of loneliness. But she is also very funny and caring and, deep down, she just wants to be loved. Ivy is such a realistic and well-balanced character, and her flaws never felt annoying; they felt real. The LI Mack was also very flawed, but very nice, too. It was so easy to see both Ivy and Mack’s sides, and the reason for their friendship to end was very understandable. I applaud Sophie Gonzales for writing a friendship-ending conflict that feels realistic, but also makes you sympathize with both sides!
I will say: unfortunately, I didn’t really care about their romance. 🫤 The basis for the whole romance was the fact that Ivy already liked Mack before the book started, but since WE never really got to see that crush develop, it was hard for me to fully care about the romance. That’s not to say it was bad! Not at all! I still enjoyed their tension and their moments together, but I just never fully fell in love with their love. However, the romance wasn’t really the main thing in this story, so it was all good! 🙂
Ivy’s bff Henry was just a delight (and also aroace!!!!!!! aroace rep LET’S GOOOOOOOO)!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Weston was mostly a plot device (his personality literally changed depending on what Ivy had written in her fanfics lol) BUT I think he was really well implemented into the story! I liked seeing his dynamic with the other characters, and I enjoyed how he inadvertently helped Ivy grow. And I think the message of this book is really well implemented, and very positive for the target audience.
Regarding the writing: I was scared that the dual timeline wouldn’t be a good choice, but Sophie Gonzales did a great job weaving them together. The chapters were just the right length and I was never bored; this story just flows really well! I’m also very thankful that the author didn’t leave the reveal of Ivy and Mack’s fight until the very end. I mean, we only SEE it at the end, but we find out what happened early on in the book. I think if she’d only revealed it in the end it would’ve built up too much anticipation and it would’ve fallen flat. But since it was all revealed early on, the “Past” chapters let us see Ivy and Mack’s tension growing, without being annoyed that the reasoning for their friendship ending wasn’t clear. 10/10 for not making us wait, Sophie!
Long story short: this is a really enjoyable book with a very fun plot, and realistic and relatable characters. If you’re looking specifically for romance, I’d recommend Sophie’s other books, as they focus a bit more on the romantic relationships, when compared to this one. But this was still a super fun story that I’d definitely recommend!
(review written on 26/04/2023)
---------
(17/01/2024) - GUYS I JUST GOT AN ARC OF THIS BOOK I'M CRYING KICKING SCREAMING AND SHAKING RIGHT NOW AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
---------
(16/04/2023) - omg the title changed from "Careful What You Wish For" to "The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist" :o
---------
(11/12/2021) - at this point i'd read Sophie Gonzales' shopping list and i'd probably give it 5 stars.
August 28, 2024
if you’ve ever had a fanfic era, this book is for you!
in my 4am befuddledness (i swear this happened with itgo & negbt too, why am i always staying up til morning reading sophie’s books in one sitting??) the best way i can describe this book is “a fanfic within a story”. (okay okay but you bet I needed to read this book as SOON as i was approved!)
it’s dual timeline, and i don’t know if it’s just me, but one half feels like a story story and the other half a fanfic, which is something i never knew i needed till now
like, this gives me allll the fanfic reading feels! like i am still in full denial that i was once (okay okay and still am) a fanfic girly but after reading this… i’m like… yep i have definitely read fanfics featuring all these tropes mentioned
since it’s probably far *far* too early to say anything spoilery about the book, i’ll mention a couple things i loved about it instead! so if you want to go into this book knowing nothing, you’ve been warned!
firstly, ivy is a VIBE. i love slightly disastrous mcs and between ivy and weston i have all the “oh my god what the heck but i love” feels! but also, i just love the slightly disfunctional but completely amazing main trio. just andjdjdbd
i also absolutely love love love the friendship psych (??) undertones- especially everything relating to hobbies and how people view each other- abdjdjdjd my heart ACHES for mack, because god I know what it feels like when the thing I can’t say happened. like i’m pretty sure it’s not even a large part of the book, but it just resonated with me. i dunno, i’m just a lil’ social psych nerd and their whole relationship is hella fun to analyse. like the fanficcy bits were fun but if there was one thing i wanted more of, it’d be this!
ALSO WE CAN’T FORGET ALL THE FANFIC REFERENCES!!! LITERALLY TOO MANY TO LIST.
there’s this part in the middle of the book that is literally my favourite thing ever, all i can say is, I’M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO THINKS LIKE THIS! also the fact that this book’s got the magic of making what seems like simple plots hit deeper than you expect - there’s so many bits i’ve highlighted being like oh my god I RELATE
anyways, i must sleep. i’m terrified to read this review in the morning
thank you so so much wednesday books + netgalley for the e-arc! totally worth the lack of sleep from reading it in one sitting and i’m so freaking honoured to be an early reader!
in my 4am befuddledness (i swear this happened with itgo & negbt too, why am i always staying up til morning reading sophie’s books in one sitting??) the best way i can describe this book is “a fanfic within a story”. (okay okay but you bet I needed to read this book as SOON as i was approved!)
it’s dual timeline, and i don’t know if it’s just me, but one half feels like a story story and the other half a fanfic, which is something i never knew i needed till now
like, this gives me allll the fanfic reading feels! like i am still in full denial that i was once (okay okay and still am) a fanfic girly but after reading this… i’m like… yep i have definitely read fanfics featuring all these tropes mentioned
since it’s probably far *far* too early to say anything spoilery about the book, i’ll mention a couple things i loved about it instead! so if you want to go into this book knowing nothing, you’ve been warned!
firstly, ivy is a VIBE. i love slightly disastrous mcs and between ivy and weston i have all the “oh my god what the heck but i love” feels! but also, i just love the slightly disfunctional but completely amazing main trio. just andjdjdbd
i also absolutely love love love the friendship psych (??) undertones- especially everything relating to hobbies and how people view each other- abdjdjdjd my heart ACHES for mack, because god I know what it feels like when the thing I can’t say happened. like i’m pretty sure it’s not even a large part of the book, but it just resonated with me. i dunno, i’m just a lil’ social psych nerd and their whole relationship is hella fun to analyse. like the fanficcy bits were fun but if there was one thing i wanted more of, it’d be this!
ALSO WE CAN’T FORGET ALL THE FANFIC REFERENCES!!! LITERALLY TOO MANY TO LIST.
there’s this part in the middle of the book that is literally my favourite thing ever, all i can say is, I’M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO THINKS LIKE THIS! also the fact that this book’s got the magic of making what seems like simple plots hit deeper than you expect - there’s so many bits i’ve highlighted being like oh my god I RELATE
anyways, i must sleep. i’m terrified to read this review in the morning
thank you so so much wednesday books + netgalley for the e-arc! totally worth the lack of sleep from reading it in one sitting and i’m so freaking honoured to be an early reader!
March 31, 2024
2.5/5 stars
I'm saying this as an avid fanfic reader and occasional fanfic writer, this book was one of the stupidest things I've ever read. seriously. I'm so thoroughly annoyed because we could have ivy and mack's drifting apart and getting together again just FINE without it. not to mention how annoying ivy is, like, I lost count of how many times I needed to smack her stupid head. as per usual the side characters (henry and mack) and the friendship/romance plotlines are the saving graces of this book.
I'm saying this as an avid fanfic reader and occasional fanfic writer, this book was one of the stupidest things I've ever read. seriously. I'm so thoroughly annoyed because we could have ivy and mack's drifting apart and getting together again just FINE without it. not to mention how annoying ivy is, like, I lost count of how many times I needed to smack her stupid head. as per usual the side characters (henry and mack) and the friendship/romance plotlines are the saving graces of this book.
September 2, 2023
Six. For. Six.
Sophie Gonzales has released six books (at the time I'm writing this review, this specific one isn't out yet but it will be in March!!). I have now read all six. And every single one of them has been 5 stars.
This one in particular, I can almost guarantee to end up being the MOST fun YA Contemporary (with some light magic) released in 2024. It was hilarious, from start to finish, but definitely not lacking in Sophie Gonzales' signature emotion that is mixed in either. I praise this in every single one of her books, but it's true again here- the friendship dynamics are messy and REAL. I find some authors struggle with creating relationship dynamics that are complicated without veering into ridiculous territory. Gonzales does no such thing, and it's always such a wonderful experience reading how her characters come to terms with their relationships and feelings.
The plot is different from her other books, with some magic thrown in this time. It was hilarious watching all these fanfiction tropes play out in different ways and magical occurrences happening left and right.
This is easily one of my favourite books of the year, and I will be sure to grab a copy when it comes out next year. I'd recommend anyone who is a fanfiction lover, a romcom lover, or just a general YA lover to do the same!
Sophie Gonzales has released six books (at the time I'm writing this review, this specific one isn't out yet but it will be in March!!). I have now read all six. And every single one of them has been 5 stars.
This one in particular, I can almost guarantee to end up being the MOST fun YA Contemporary (with some light magic) released in 2024. It was hilarious, from start to finish, but definitely not lacking in Sophie Gonzales' signature emotion that is mixed in either. I praise this in every single one of her books, but it's true again here- the friendship dynamics are messy and REAL. I find some authors struggle with creating relationship dynamics that are complicated without veering into ridiculous territory. Gonzales does no such thing, and it's always such a wonderful experience reading how her characters come to terms with their relationships and feelings.
The plot is different from her other books, with some magic thrown in this time. It was hilarious watching all these fanfiction tropes play out in different ways and magical occurrences happening left and right.
This is easily one of my favourite books of the year, and I will be sure to grab a copy when it comes out next year. I'd recommend anyone who is a fanfiction lover, a romcom lover, or just a general YA lover to do the same!
September 20, 2023
Ivy and Mack were best friends until they faced a devastating friendship breakup. A year later, Ivy has a new best friend, who shares her love for H-MAD, a fantasy TV show reminiscent of the vampire diaries, teen wolf, shadowhunters, etc etc. But when Ivy accidentally wishes the main character of H-MAD to life while writing a self-insert fanfic where exactly this happens, she needs both Henry and Mack's help to figure out what to do with the magical fictional character who now lives in her house.
On the scale of magical realism-type stories, where one end are the stories that "explain" the magic (usually with a mystical enchanted object, often going down the uncomfortable route of the mystical BIPOC trope ((think "cursed indigenous artefact, fortune cookies, cursed African earrings... seeing a pattern?)), and the other end are stories like Groundhog Day and Before I Fall, this one falls in the latter end of the spectrum.
Like Groundhog Day (the OG of magical realism what-ifs as far as I’m concerned), the book doesn’t spend too much time on exactly what caused the fictional character to come to life, and the book is the better for it. Rather than getting caught up in nonsensical explanations for “why” an impossible scenario happened, the characters spend some time trying to figure out the cause (one character weakly suggests global warming as a possibility, given the strange behavior of the storm raging during the fated "wish"), but ultimately the book steers away from the contemporary fantasy genre and stays firmly within the contemporary. The "why" is far less important than the "what": discovering the rules of the magic, and figuring out how to solve the conundrum the characters are in. After reading multiple books where the narrative becomes too concerned with explaining the unexplainable, this was a breath of fresh air, allowing the story to focus instead on the whacky scenarios the impossible situation created.
Self-aware, witty, and with a plethora of affectionate references to beloved fanfiction tropes (gentle ribbing is perhaps the best way to describe it), this book was a total romp from start to finish. The author deftly weaves a narrative that has perfect pacing, all the while carefully introducing and threading in the mystery of Ivy and Mack's friendship breakup with a dual timeline that perfectly complements the events between past and present chapters. For a novel that leans so heavily into the ridiculous and wild, it's a surprisingly sensitive and wise look at escaping loneliness through stories, and the negative consequences of denying our own pain.
On the scale of magical realism-type stories, where one end are the stories that "explain" the magic (usually with a mystical enchanted object, often going down the uncomfortable route of the mystical BIPOC trope ((think "cursed indigenous artefact, fortune cookies, cursed African earrings... seeing a pattern?)), and the other end are stories like Groundhog Day and Before I Fall, this one falls in the latter end of the spectrum.
Like Groundhog Day (the OG of magical realism what-ifs as far as I’m concerned), the book doesn’t spend too much time on exactly what caused the fictional character to come to life, and the book is the better for it. Rather than getting caught up in nonsensical explanations for “why” an impossible scenario happened, the characters spend some time trying to figure out the cause (one character weakly suggests global warming as a possibility, given the strange behavior of the storm raging during the fated "wish"), but ultimately the book steers away from the contemporary fantasy genre and stays firmly within the contemporary. The "why" is far less important than the "what": discovering the rules of the magic, and figuring out how to solve the conundrum the characters are in. After reading multiple books where the narrative becomes too concerned with explaining the unexplainable, this was a breath of fresh air, allowing the story to focus instead on the whacky scenarios the impossible situation created.
Self-aware, witty, and with a plethora of affectionate references to beloved fanfiction tropes (gentle ribbing is perhaps the best way to describe it), this book was a total romp from start to finish. The author deftly weaves a narrative that has perfect pacing, all the while carefully introducing and threading in the mystery of Ivy and Mack's friendship breakup with a dual timeline that perfectly complements the events between past and present chapters. For a novel that leans so heavily into the ridiculous and wild, it's a surprisingly sensitive and wise look at escaping loneliness through stories, and the negative consequences of denying our own pain.
August 3, 2024
3.5-4 ⭐️ Fanfic writer Ivy Winslow brings her favorite tv show character to life. But what starts out as a gift, soon turns to chaos as he begins to create real world problems for her and her relationships.
This is the second book I have read from Sophie Gonzales and her LGBTQ rep in YA is among the best out there. Her stories are inclusive, age appropriate and entertaining; her characters fully developed and relatable. While this book felt a little over the top at times, I still enjoyed it and will continue to read anything she writes.
Read if you like:
• fanfic
• rom-coms
• first crushes
• friendship fiction
• dual timelines
Thank you Wednesday Books and MacMillan Audio for the gifted copy.
This is the second book I have read from Sophie Gonzales and her LGBTQ rep in YA is among the best out there. Her stories are inclusive, age appropriate and entertaining; her characters fully developed and relatable. While this book felt a little over the top at times, I still enjoyed it and will continue to read anything she writes.
Read if you like:
• fanfic
• rom-coms
• first crushes
• friendship fiction
• dual timelines
Thank you Wednesday Books and MacMillan Audio for the gifted copy.
March 19, 2024
Ivy's looking forward to a few things when her parents go out of town—eating all the junk food she wants, watching her favorite show with her best friend...and maybe writing a bit more fanfiction about that same show. What she doesn't expect, though, is to wake up with a lead character from that show in her bed. Not the actor—the character. And it's both exactly what she had imagined and not what she wants at all...
If you were ever big into fanfiction—or if you read the entirety of the Protectors of the Plot Continuum more than once—this one is for you. It's obvious throughout that Gonzales has a lot of love and respect for fanfiction, and I'm here for that, but my favorite thing about the book, hands down, is how unabashedly terrible Ivy's own fanfiction is:
He was so hot! His windswept, ice-blue waves were messy, like they'd been styled by the wind. His beautiful glowing orbs were extraordinarily wide and soulful. His biceps were visible through the thin cotton of his shirt.
"Weston!" Ivy cried, her heart coming to a shuddering halt. "Is it really you?" (loc. 373*)
I've read so many novels about incredibly talented teenagers who are winning contests and scoring book deals and so on and so forth—and it is just deeply refreshing to read about someone who is doing something she loves, mostly getting comments to the tune of 'please work on your spelling and grammar', and carrying on anyway.
Weston scooped her up into a hug, and it was easy for him, like she was a doll he could toss around. But of course, Weston wouldn't do that, because he knew she was a human who needed to be cherished. But he could toss her if he wanted to. But he didn't want to. (loc. 382)
The trouble, Ivy finds, is that what is so romantic and swoon-worthy in her head does not always, ah, translate to real life. I find it hilarious that there's still so much of her manifested Weston that she finds romantic throughout the book—with time and experience and so on, Ivy might turn into a more critical viewer and writer, but for the time being she's a teenager and enjoying herself and that's enough. It makes for an entertaining, tongue-in-cheek read, and I'm here for it.
Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
If you were ever big into fanfiction—or if you read the entirety of the Protectors of the Plot Continuum more than once—this one is for you. It's obvious throughout that Gonzales has a lot of love and respect for fanfiction, and I'm here for that, but my favorite thing about the book, hands down, is how unabashedly terrible Ivy's own fanfiction is:
He was so hot! His windswept, ice-blue waves were messy, like they'd been styled by the wind. His beautiful glowing orbs were extraordinarily wide and soulful. His biceps were visible through the thin cotton of his shirt.
"Weston!" Ivy cried, her heart coming to a shuddering halt. "Is it really you?" (loc. 373*)
I've read so many novels about incredibly talented teenagers who are winning contests and scoring book deals and so on and so forth—and it is just deeply refreshing to read about someone who is doing something she loves, mostly getting comments to the tune of 'please work on your spelling and grammar', and carrying on anyway.
Weston scooped her up into a hug, and it was easy for him, like she was a doll he could toss around. But of course, Weston wouldn't do that, because he knew she was a human who needed to be cherished. But he could toss her if he wanted to. But he didn't want to. (loc. 382)
The trouble, Ivy finds, is that what is so romantic and swoon-worthy in her head does not always, ah, translate to real life. I find it hilarious that there's still so much of her manifested Weston that she finds romantic throughout the book—with time and experience and so on, Ivy might turn into a more critical viewer and writer, but for the time being she's a teenager and enjoying herself and that's enough. It makes for an entertaining, tongue-in-cheek read, and I'm here for it.
Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
May 10, 2024
Although in theory this book sounded great, the execution didn't grab me as much as I'd hoped. This is a YA with a BFFs to enemies to girlfriends subplot, with the main plot focusing on how the protagonist Ivy suddenly wakes up to find her fanfic version of Weston, the hero of her fav fantasy TV show, has come to life, with funny and then more serious consequences. I liked the material about the friend breakup and almost wished Ivy and Mac didn't get together, as there are so few stories that focus just on (queer!) friendship!
August 28, 2023
think of ur fave romance book. quick! ok, you got it? now imagine ur book bf comes to life and is heads over heels in love with u. all of our dreams, right? but i KNOW some of u girlies were thinking about haunting adeline or penelope douglas. calling all the dark romance readers here. do we ACTUALLY want that love in real life? i mean, maybe 🤣😉
the main character is a wattpad girlie, a fanfiction writer of her fave fantasy tv show. she loves this character so much she literally wishes him into existence (relatable, right?). all of our favourite tropes come to life (coffeeshop au, enemies to lovers, soulmate au, just one bed, jealousy, etc etc). she starts to think that maybe she actually never wanted this.
now i love enemies to lovers but i swear to god if some SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAN has the AUDACITY to come up to me and start blatantly insulting me, someone's gonna get hurt (ok so probably me). if someone outright comes up to me, having just met me, and tells me they hate me, i would just straight up cry. and probably apologize to them. so maybe i'm just not fit for this trope sighhh there goes all my dreams.
anyway if u wanna see how some of your favourite tropes would fare in the real world, have a read.
"There's only one bed," Weston says. "And I'm furious about it, because the last thing I would ever want to do is sleep anywhere near you."
"But if I sleep down there, it's significantly harder for us to accidentally give in to our latent desires and kiss in the night!"
thank u st. martins and netgalley for surprising me with this book that id literally been following religiously on instagram to see when it would come out.
the main character is a wattpad girlie, a fanfiction writer of her fave fantasy tv show. she loves this character so much she literally wishes him into existence (relatable, right?). all of our favourite tropes come to life (coffeeshop au, enemies to lovers, soulmate au, just one bed, jealousy, etc etc). she starts to think that maybe she actually never wanted this.
now i love enemies to lovers but i swear to god if some SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAN has the AUDACITY to come up to me and start blatantly insulting me, someone's gonna get hurt (ok so probably me). if someone outright comes up to me, having just met me, and tells me they hate me, i would just straight up cry. and probably apologize to them. so maybe i'm just not fit for this trope sighhh there goes all my dreams.
anyway if u wanna see how some of your favourite tropes would fare in the real world, have a read.
"There's only one bed," Weston says. "And I'm furious about it, because the last thing I would ever want to do is sleep anywhere near you."
"But if I sleep down there, it's significantly harder for us to accidentally give in to our latent desires and kiss in the night!"
thank u st. martins and netgalley for surprising me with this book that id literally been following religiously on instagram to see when it would come out.
April 8, 2024
4.25 ★
I read this in one sitting. So much fun. I felt so connected to the characters and the storyline. I loved all the representation in this book♡︎. The characters felt so relatable and overall this was a very entertaining and enjoyable read.
☼ ☼ ☼
The only thing I didn't care for was…THE ROMANCE! And that played a big part in this rating. I just did not like a certain character and I don’t think they had much growth.
☼ Short Synopsis ☼
The fmc (Ivy) writes fanfic✍︎︎ about her (Y/N) and Weston (TV show: H-MAD). Then BOOM💣 Ivy wakes up one morning after a thunderstorm☔︎︎ and she sees Weston in her bed(fully clothed this is YA). Weston is playing the part of her fanfics. She has multiple about him, so every day he has the personality and storyline of a different fanfic. Weston actually might not be the “perfect guy” her mind made up. So she gets together with her best friend (Henry) and her ex-best friend (Mack) to help her decide what to do with Weston. Later Ivy starts to wonder if there really is a perfect guy…or girl☝︎︎.
I read this in one sitting. So much fun. I felt so connected to the characters and the storyline. I loved all the representation in this book♡︎. The characters felt so relatable and overall this was a very entertaining and enjoyable read.
☼ ☼ ☼
The only thing I didn't care for was…THE ROMANCE! And that played a big part in this rating. I just did not like a certain character and I don’t think they had much growth.
☼ Short Synopsis ☼
The fmc (Ivy) writes fanfic✍︎︎ about her (Y/N) and Weston (TV show: H-MAD). Then BOOM💣 Ivy wakes up one morning after a thunderstorm☔︎︎ and she sees Weston in her bed
February 22, 2024
i’m too old for this shit
April 9, 2024
No review in support of the SMP Marketing Boycott. I received an ALC from Macmillan Audio.
July 18, 2025
3,5⭐️
J'ai adoré le pitch, j'ai trouvé que c'était peut-être un petit étrangement construit au niveau du rythme que ça donnait au récit... mais j'ai passé un chouette moment de lecture avec cette autrice qui ne déçoit jamais avec ses romances queer pleine de douceur et d'humour !
J'ai adoré le pitch, j'ai trouvé que c'était peut-être un petit étrangement construit au niveau du rythme que ça donnait au récit... mais j'ai passé un chouette moment de lecture avec cette autrice qui ne déçoit jamais avec ses romances queer pleine de douceur et d'humour !
Want to read
October 29, 2020SAPPHIC FANFIC WRITER?????????? I NEED PLS
I would read anything Sophie Gonzales writes, but like,,,,,,,,,, this premise is especially god tier
I would read anything Sophie Gonzales writes, but like,,,,,,,,,, this premise is especially god tier
March 28, 2024
This was a really fun YA story! I loved 90s movies where kids made a wish and the next they it was somehow granted, like 30 over night or Big, so this was a really cool idea.
I liked the alternating timelines between now and back when Ivy and Mack were best friends, it gave us a better idea how their fight happened.
Sadly I have to say that when it all came out it was pretty underwhelming for me to be honest. I think Mack was acting unnecessarily mean in the past and also now. I didn’t like her a lot so it was hard to make me root for their romance.
Then it all turned into kind of a horror, with Weston getting all psycho, and the story lost me a bit.
Overall I think this was a fun read, I just kind of expected more of the story.
I liked the alternating timelines between now and back when Ivy and Mack were best friends, it gave us a better idea how their fight happened.
Sadly I have to say that when it all came out it was pretty underwhelming for me to be honest. I think Mack was acting unnecessarily mean in the past and also now. I didn’t like her a lot so it was hard to make me root for their romance.
Then it all turned into kind of a horror, with Weston getting all psycho, and the story lost me a bit.
Overall I think this was a fun read, I just kind of expected more of the story.
April 28, 2024
oh this was a BLAST!! i don't think i've ever laughed so much while reading a book!!
May 17, 2024
I’m a huge fan of Sophie Gonzales books and when I saw that Venessa Kelley would be creating the cover for The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist, it was like my two worlds were colliding. Looking at the finished book now, I still can’t believe this beauty is mine! It perfectly captures the characters, including Weston on the television screen, as I saw them in my head. 😍
The story is told from alternating times, now and the past, splitting what we know, what we learn and helping us figure out what happened between Ivy and her (ex) best friend Mack. From the beginning, we know she’s a loner who’s really deep into a certain superhero fandom (H-MAD) to the point of writing fanfic.
When her family leaves on a trip, Ivy opts to stay home alone so that she doesn’t miss school, but she doesn’t have any friends to sleep over with. After a storm rolls through their town, she wakes up with a stranger in her bed. No one has the key to her house, so in her mind, it must be a creepy stalker or a burglar… which turns out to be wrong on both counts.
It’s her favorite character from H-MAD, Weston. Not the actor who plays him, the actual character… sans his super powers, but alive and in the flesh. Her fanfic has come to life.
This was a best friends to rivals to lovers sapphic romance, so you know I was going to enjoy the story overall. I’m always here for the queer books. It had great rep, including Henry, her AroAce bestie, Mack, her lesbian ex bestie, and Ivy, our bisexual MC.
There were some great parts that made me lol. There were also some super cringe parts, which I think will almost always be the case when you have a book that deals with fanfic.🤷🏻♂️ I wouldn’t change my experience for the world.
The story is told from alternating times, now and the past, splitting what we know, what we learn and helping us figure out what happened between Ivy and her (ex) best friend Mack. From the beginning, we know she’s a loner who’s really deep into a certain superhero fandom (H-MAD) to the point of writing fanfic.
When her family leaves on a trip, Ivy opts to stay home alone so that she doesn’t miss school, but she doesn’t have any friends to sleep over with. After a storm rolls through their town, she wakes up with a stranger in her bed. No one has the key to her house, so in her mind, it must be a creepy stalker or a burglar… which turns out to be wrong on both counts.
It’s her favorite character from H-MAD, Weston. Not the actor who plays him, the actual character… sans his super powers, but alive and in the flesh. Her fanfic has come to life.
This was a best friends to rivals to lovers sapphic romance, so you know I was going to enjoy the story overall. I’m always here for the queer books. It had great rep, including Henry, her AroAce bestie, Mack, her lesbian ex bestie, and Ivy, our bisexual MC.
There were some great parts that made me lol. There were also some super cringe parts, which I think will almost always be the case when you have a book that deals with fanfic.🤷🏻♂️ I wouldn’t change my experience for the world.
August 23, 2025
oh to alter the very fabric of reality for a fictional character though i have to say the glowing blue eyes and blue hair is truly an unhinged combo
February 21, 2024
1 Sentence Summary: Ivy has a harmless obsession with the TV show H-MAD, but when the fanfiction she wrote about her favorite character somehow brings him to life, it’s not so harmless anymore, and she's forced to team up with her ex-best friend Mack to figure out what to do.
My Thoughts: This was SO GOOD and SO FUNNY. I was seriously dying of laughter. And I loved the dual timeline!
All the characters were amazing and Ivy had a lot of great growth and development over the course of the book. The romance was cute too! We love a good friends-to-enemies-to-lovers. Ivy and Mack were pretty good at communicating by the end, which I liked. And Ivy and Henry’s friendship was so wholesome.
The entire concept of a fanfiction character coming to life was so creative and hilarious. Omg some of the things the character Weston did had me cackling. It’s so true that the tropes we enjoy in stories are usually not as romantic in real life haha.
This was such a fun, well written, enjoyable read. I read it in basically one sitting because it was too good to put down. A definite pick-me-up romcom full of wild hijinks and emotions and longing and satire and silliness. Sophie Gonzales has done it again!
Recommend to: People who enjoy YA romance, bisexual representation, laughing a lot, and fanfiction.
(Warnings: swearing)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
My Thoughts: This was SO GOOD and SO FUNNY. I was seriously dying of laughter. And I loved the dual timeline!
All the characters were amazing and Ivy had a lot of great growth and development over the course of the book. The romance was cute too! We love a good friends-to-enemies-to-lovers. Ivy and Mack were pretty good at communicating by the end, which I liked. And Ivy and Henry’s friendship was so wholesome.
The entire concept of a fanfiction character coming to life was so creative and hilarious. Omg some of the things the character Weston did had me cackling. It’s so true that the tropes we enjoy in stories are usually not as romantic in real life haha.
This was such a fun, well written, enjoyable read. I read it in basically one sitting because it was too good to put down. A definite pick-me-up romcom full of wild hijinks and emotions and longing and satire and silliness. Sophie Gonzales has done it again!
Recommend to: People who enjoy YA romance, bisexual representation, laughing a lot, and fanfiction.
(Warnings: swearing)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
March 17, 2024
Content warnings: none?
Rep: Ivy (MC) is cis, white, and bisexual. Mack (SC) is cis, Black and lesbian. Henry (SC) is cis, and AroAce. Weston is cis, white, and heterosexual.
This was a nice, easy read.
I adored the plot, the characters, and the silliness of Weston's existence.
The past aspect at the start of each chapter was really well done and played into the story really well.
This book was just absolutely delightful.
This is really for anyone who enjoys a bit of fanfic and may have indulged in a bit of y/n or self-insert fanfic in their time. Zero shame here, of course. Fanfic is incredible.
An easy 4 stars from me.
Rep: Ivy (MC) is cis, white, and bisexual. Mack (SC) is cis, Black and lesbian. Henry (SC) is cis, and AroAce. Weston is cis, white, and heterosexual.
This was a nice, easy read.
I adored the plot, the characters, and the silliness of Weston's existence.
The past aspect at the start of each chapter was really well done and played into the story really well.
This book was just absolutely delightful.
This is really for anyone who enjoys a bit of fanfic and may have indulged in a bit of y/n or self-insert fanfic in their time. Zero shame here, of course. Fanfic is incredible.
An easy 4 stars from me.
March 16, 2024
3.75 ⭐
such a fun silly little YA rom-com!! this would make a really fun quirky movie.
wholesome and adorable just like Sophie's other books!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!!
such a fun silly little YA rom-com!! this would make a really fun quirky movie.
wholesome and adorable just like Sophie's other books!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!!
Want to read
February 23, 2022"16-year-old fanfic writer Ivy must turn to her arch-enemy for help when she accidentally manifests one of her favorite TV characters into existence, and ends up falling for the girl she thought she hated."
AHHH ADHKFSD I NEED THIS RIGHT NOW.
January 17, 2024
3.5* A cute, chaotic and wonderfully cheesy love letter to fanfiction. While this wasn’t my favourite of Sophie Gonzales’s books, it was nonetheless an incredibly fun, entertaining read and one I enjoyed my time with.
September 3, 2023
thank you to netgalley/the marketing coordinator at St. Martin's Press (??? wild) for the early copy! as always, an honest review, blah blah blah.
Ivy Winslow's parents are gone for the week. most teens might throw a rager, but Ivy's planning to spend the whole time binging her favorite fantasy tv show with her best friend, Henry, and writing self-insert fanfiction about it. (respect.) her plans come to a screeching halt the very first day when she wakes up to the main character of that show in her bed. as in, the fictional main character, Weston, man of her dreams... in her bed. and he's totally in love with her.
as perfect as this sounds, it quickly goes awry and she is forced to team up with current-best-friend Henry and former-best-friendslash former crush Mack to figure out how Weston got here, what he's going to do here, and either figure out how to keep him here or send him away.... forever.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. and I will be honest, I thought the premise sounded kind of dorky and cringy at first... like, okay, we've all dreamed of our favorite characters coming to life, but that would be a disaster in reality, right? but this book was honestly hilarious, and it took all of my hesitations into consideration by the end. plus, I also really appreciated the inclusion of an aroace character in the main cast!
it was a little silly, and yeah, a little cringy, but in the enjoyable, teenagers-are-kind-of-cringy-because-I'm-22-now way. it skews a little young in my opinion, so don't expect the characters to be uber mature. they're teenagers, with teenager problems. (besides the whole, "my favorite character came to life and is in love with me" thing, but whatever.)
this is the second book of SG's that I've read an ARC of and really enjoyed! I'm really grateful I got the chance to read this early because based on the synopsis, I probably wouldn't have picked it up on my own. I definitely recommend buying a copy in March!
Ivy Winslow's parents are gone for the week. most teens might throw a rager, but Ivy's planning to spend the whole time binging her favorite fantasy tv show with her best friend, Henry, and writing self-insert fanfiction about it. (respect.) her plans come to a screeching halt the very first day when she wakes up to the main character of that show in her bed. as in, the fictional main character, Weston, man of her dreams... in her bed. and he's totally in love with her.
as perfect as this sounds, it quickly goes awry and she is forced to team up with current-best-friend Henry and former-best-friend
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. and I will be honest, I thought the premise sounded kind of dorky and cringy at first... like, okay, we've all dreamed of our favorite characters coming to life, but that would be a disaster in reality, right? but this book was honestly hilarious, and it took all of my hesitations into consideration by the end. plus, I also really appreciated the inclusion of an aroace character in the main cast!
it was a little silly, and yeah, a little cringy, but in the enjoyable, teenagers-are-kind-of-cringy-because-I'm-22-now way. it skews a little young in my opinion, so don't expect the characters to be uber mature. they're teenagers, with teenager problems. (besides the whole, "my favorite character came to life and is in love with me" thing, but whatever.)
this is the second book of SG's that I've read an ARC of and really enjoyed! I'm really grateful I got the chance to read this early because based on the synopsis, I probably wouldn't have picked it up on my own. I definitely recommend buying a copy in March!
December 11, 2023
This was so much fun! The first thing I want to mention is that while this is a rom-com, the emphasis is on the com. In fact, I found it somewhat unique in comparison with other YA contemporaries I’ve read recently in that the tone is over-the-top ridiculous and light, allowing space for unrealistic reactions and situations that a more grounded contemporary can't. Think more like Family Guy or South Park (I don’t mean in terms of raunchiness or inappropriateness, but more ridiculous situations that characters take in their stride, which is where the humor and satire truly stem from). The closest book I’ve read to this is In Other Lands by Sarah Reese Brennan.
This is definitely on the younger-ya side, which is a feature not a bug. As someone who’s been mourning the severe lack of younger ya over the last few years, especially when it comes to sapphic rep, I’m thrilled we’re getting a quality addition for those transitional readers! Though I’m in my 20s and enjoyed this thoroughly myself. I don’t want to spoil too much about the plot, but I thought this was a surprisingly smart and fun lampooning of romance and fanfic tropes (always taking care to laugh with, not at, them, though the author comes from fanfic so this didn’t surprise me at all). I loved the romance, the friendships, the excellent representation, but most of all I loved the hijinks and just escaping into a nonsense world for a few days. There’s not a lot like this book out there right now, and I hope more come out!
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is definitely on the younger-ya side, which is a feature not a bug. As someone who’s been mourning the severe lack of younger ya over the last few years, especially when it comes to sapphic rep, I’m thrilled we’re getting a quality addition for those transitional readers! Though I’m in my 20s and enjoyed this thoroughly myself. I don’t want to spoil too much about the plot, but I thought this was a surprisingly smart and fun lampooning of romance and fanfic tropes (always taking care to laugh with, not at, them, though the author comes from fanfic so this didn’t surprise me at all). I loved the romance, the friendships, the excellent representation, but most of all I loved the hijinks and just escaping into a nonsense world for a few days. There’s not a lot like this book out there right now, and I hope more come out!
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2025
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW:
3.3
I am a big fan of Sophie Gonzales, so I wanted to like this much more than I did. But, well, they can't all be winners, right?
Here's what I did like:
The very fan fic based plot line allows for a lot of silliness that I'm sure Gonzales had fun with, and I could see a lot of other people also having fun wit. There's tons of tropes to dive through both in the way of antics and in the way of dismantling & analyzing.
I also do love Henry with my whole heart and soul, he is a baby and any story he is in would immediately become readable.
Gonzales is great at balancing tension & stakes in a way where nothing feels too dramatic or too thin. You can always see why these people are in these situations, like why this friendship would have splintered, while still having enough love there to have never felt like a shut door.
However, this book is very, very thin. It's a fluff book, plain and simple, which is just not my thing.
There's no real time given to resolve the negative relationships or to grow towards characterization, because there's not much time for anything but said trope antics.
That also means the concept behind the story is used until it's worn thin, because it's doing all the supporting work. Because there's little else going on, the concept is eeked out, dragging the story on so that you spend half the book with the very clear story line going on and the MC somehow not being able to figure out. Which is exausting.
TW:
3.3
I am a big fan of Sophie Gonzales, so I wanted to like this much more than I did. But, well, they can't all be winners, right?
Here's what I did like:
The very fan fic based plot line allows for a lot of silliness that I'm sure Gonzales had fun with, and I could see a lot of other people also having fun wit. There's tons of tropes to dive through both in the way of antics and in the way of dismantling & analyzing.
I also do love Henry with my whole heart and soul, he is a baby and any story he is in would immediately become readable.
Gonzales is great at balancing tension & stakes in a way where nothing feels too dramatic or too thin. You can always see why these people are in these situations, like why this friendship would have splintered, while still having enough love there to have never felt like a shut door.
However, this book is very, very thin. It's a fluff book, plain and simple, which is just not my thing.
There's no real time given to resolve the negative relationships or to grow towards characterization, because there's not much time for anything but said trope antics.
That also means the concept behind the story is used until it's worn thin, because it's doing all the supporting work. Because there's little else going on, the concept is eeked out, dragging the story on so that you spend half the book with the very clear story line going on and the MC somehow not being able to figure out. Which is exausting.
April 4, 2024
For anyone that loves a fictional character, wouldn't you love for them to come to life? And if they say they love you and just want to make you happy, even better! That's what happens to Ivy and everything seems amazing, until things get complicated and she has to decide what (or who) she really wants.
This was cute and I enjoyed the funny references to popular romance tropes, like enemies to lovers and one bed. The story doesn't take itself too seriously and is easy to get through in one or two sittings.
I did think Ivy was pretty immature, she truly didn't see how mean she was being to Mack and thought she was the victim in this. I also thought some things were pretty obvious, but Ivy was determined not to see herself at fault and it took too long to get there. Maybe the characters should have been aged down a little because it felt more like junior high drama.
While this wasn't my favorite of Gonzales' books, I think people will enjoy the fandom aspects and humorous bits sprinkled in.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.
This was cute and I enjoyed the funny references to popular romance tropes, like enemies to lovers and one bed. The story doesn't take itself too seriously and is easy to get through in one or two sittings.
I did think Ivy was pretty immature, she truly didn't see how mean she was being to Mack and thought she was the victim in this. I also thought some things were pretty obvious, but Ivy was determined not to see herself at fault and it took too long to get there. Maybe the characters should have been aged down a little because it felt more like junior high drama.
While this wasn't my favorite of Gonzales' books, I think people will enjoy the fandom aspects and humorous bits sprinkled in.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.
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