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Off-Limits #1
The Best Wrong Move
Listening Length: 9 hours and 54 minutes
Every girl dreams of the perfect proposal.
And my boss thought it would be a ‘media moment’ if I proposed to my boyfriend, Rex, live on national TV.
With everyone watching.
Rex said no.
Now I’m a social media sensation for all the wrong reasons and hiding out in Hawaii.
But because the universe apparently hates me, so is Rex... with his supermodel new girlfriend!
To avoid total humiliation I need to find my own irresistible date.
And the gorgeous surfer who looks like he’s walked straight from the ocean and into my fantasies is the perfect solution.
He needs a distraction. I need help.
Dom is the perfect fake date and the heated looks between us are enough to convince everyone we’re in love.
But why are the fake sizzling kisses suddenly beginning to feel all too real...
Every girl dreams of the perfect proposal.
And my boss thought it would be a ‘media moment’ if I proposed to my boyfriend, Rex, live on national TV.
With everyone watching.
Rex said no.
Now I’m a social media sensation for all the wrong reasons and hiding out in Hawaii.
But because the universe apparently hates me, so is Rex... with his supermodel new girlfriend!
To avoid total humiliation I need to find my own irresistible date.
And the gorgeous surfer who looks like he’s walked straight from the ocean and into my fantasies is the perfect solution.
He needs a distraction. I need help.
Dom is the perfect fake date and the heated looks between us are enough to convince everyone we’re in love.
But why are the fake sizzling kisses suddenly beginning to feel all too real...
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published April 17, 2025
857 people are currently reading
1977 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 616 reviews
August 14, 2025
This book is 300 pages of ✨vibes✨ and very little else. Our leading lady proposes to her boyfriend on live TV - despite knowing he’s been emotionally checking out for weeks (but hey, coercive control is cute now, I guess?), doesn’t even want to marry him, and is only doing it for career points. Shockingly, he says no. And she’s heartbroken? Ma’am. What did you think was going to happen? If a man pulled this nonsense, we’d burn his fictional house down. But because it’s her, we’re meant to sympathise? Pass. And yes, he’s also cheating on her - so trash all round. But she didn’t know that when she staged this whole public meltdown.
Then, cut to Hawaii, where she and a hot billionaire fall in love approximately three minutes after making eye contact. It’s all vibes, no obstacles. Sure, her ex just happens to be staying next door with his new girlfriend, but that dramatic setup is wasted - it adds nothing but background noise. Another failed attempt at conflict? Turns out she’s a writer, his brother’s a director, will he like her ideas? Not the first pitch but immediately the next one and then they’re making a movie together. Yawn. The conflict is so thin you could sneeze through it. There’s no real tension, just easy wins and back-to-back cringe sex scenes that read like someone taught a chatbot about sex using only Hallmark movies and late-teen journal entries.
If you’re in the mood for plotless hot people having cringe-worthy sex with all the narrative stakes of a damp paper towel, congrats — you’ve found it. Otherwise? Flee. Flee now.
Then, cut to Hawaii, where she and a hot billionaire fall in love approximately three minutes after making eye contact. It’s all vibes, no obstacles. Sure, her ex just happens to be staying next door with his new girlfriend, but that dramatic setup is wasted - it adds nothing but background noise. Another failed attempt at conflict? Turns out she’s a writer, his brother’s a director, will he like her ideas? Not the first pitch but immediately the next one and then they’re making a movie together. Yawn. The conflict is so thin you could sneeze through it. There’s no real tension, just easy wins and back-to-back cringe sex scenes that read like someone taught a chatbot about sex using only Hallmark movies and late-teen journal entries.
If you’re in the mood for plotless hot people having cringe-worthy sex with all the narrative stakes of a damp paper towel, congrats — you’ve found it. Otherwise? Flee. Flee now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2025
i feel like 2 stars is too nice 😭 i liked ideas and some points in this book, but the execution and the characters (aside from juju, best girl) were god awful. rtc soon! i’m so behind on writing reviews, not sure when this one will come but im trying 😓 vet school is no joke when it comes to no free time lol
January 7, 2025
I would like to give a big thank you to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Lily Parker for the early copy of this adorable book!
This was such a sweet, wholesome read and such a breath of fresh air- I honestly had a tough time putting it down. It was one of the better rom-coms I have read in a while, with such an interesting and fun plot!
The story starts out with a bang, sucking you in right away and keeping your attention- even during the slow points. The story as a whole was well written, easy to follow and the characters were great- 🥹 Dom was everything! Although, I have to admit, his brother really creeped me out! The author also did a great job with the setting- truly making you feel like you are off in beautiful Hawaii (it was pretty depressing to look outside and see snow while reading this)! However, the only thing I will say, is that the story did feel overly sweet or almost too perfect at times- but that’s okay!
Overall, I think this is a great, quick read rom-com to put you in a happy, feel- good mood. I had a such a good time reading it and would definitely recommend it!
This was such a sweet, wholesome read and such a breath of fresh air- I honestly had a tough time putting it down. It was one of the better rom-coms I have read in a while, with such an interesting and fun plot!
The story starts out with a bang, sucking you in right away and keeping your attention- even during the slow points. The story as a whole was well written, easy to follow and the characters were great- 🥹 Dom was everything! Although, I have to admit, his brother really creeped me out! The author also did a great job with the setting- truly making you feel like you are off in beautiful Hawaii (it was pretty depressing to look outside and see snow while reading this)! However, the only thing I will say, is that the story did feel overly sweet or almost too perfect at times- but that’s okay!
Overall, I think this is a great, quick read rom-com to put you in a happy, feel- good mood. I had a such a good time reading it and would definitely recommend it!
October 19, 2025
A feel-good cute love story.
Olivia (Liv) follows through on an idea given by her producer to propose marriage to her boyfriend Rex live. To her shock, Rex refuses. The clip goes viral with people making nasty remarks about her. Liv takes a break from her job and books a townhouse in Hawaii on Airbnb for 8 weeks. A good-looking guy helps her open the stiff door on a hot day. She had not noticed while booking that this townhouse was to be shared with another tenant. As she is speaking to her friend Abby, she is shocked to see Rex out on the shared balcony. Rex is here with his current girlfriend Juju. Liv learns that Dom is the owner of the property and is also the person who helped her in. She relates her story and predicament to Dom. While initially she tries her best to cut short her stay, she then settles for the next best option with help from Dom – getting Rex to be jealous of their (initially) pretended proximity.
Most of the characters are likeable – Dom, Liv, Juju & Abby. There is a brief section with Dom’s brother Quinton & his wife Selma which feels very much forced. The later sections are poorly written and lack the novelty of the initial part of the story. There are needless twists as well towards the end.
A feel-good romance which you can get done with very quickly. There is a last bonus chapter from Dom's point of view, which does not add anything new. The third book in this series ('The Best Wild Idea') was brilliant; while this one was interesting, it is well short of that.
Olivia (Liv) follows through on an idea given by her producer to propose marriage to her boyfriend Rex live. To her shock, Rex refuses. The clip goes viral with people making nasty remarks about her. Liv takes a break from her job and books a townhouse in Hawaii on Airbnb for 8 weeks. A good-looking guy helps her open the stiff door on a hot day. She had not noticed while booking that this townhouse was to be shared with another tenant. As she is speaking to her friend Abby, she is shocked to see Rex out on the shared balcony. Rex is here with his current girlfriend Juju. Liv learns that Dom is the owner of the property and is also the person who helped her in. She relates her story and predicament to Dom. While initially she tries her best to cut short her stay, she then settles for the next best option with help from Dom – getting Rex to be jealous of their (initially) pretended proximity.
Most of the characters are likeable – Dom, Liv, Juju & Abby. There is a brief section with Dom’s brother Quinton & his wife Selma which feels very much forced. The later sections are poorly written and lack the novelty of the initial part of the story. There are needless twists as well towards the end.
A feel-good romance which you can get done with very quickly. There is a last bonus chapter from Dom's point of view, which does not add anything new. The third book in this series ('The Best Wild Idea') was brilliant; while this one was interesting, it is well short of that.
May 7, 2025
If Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a book
3,75 ⭐️ Audible 🎧
3,75 ⭐️ Audible 🎧
August 10, 2025
I personally believe even if all the setting, the writing, the plot twist was almost perfect yet the story didn't delivers it's true form correctly.
it's more like reading a wishful story straight out of a dream. which is good but doesn't live upto the reality expectations.
A TV show anchor getting dumped by proposing her bf while being live on tv, turned into a meme, to run from her life back in newyork and booking a trip to Hawaii to write her film script to start a new career. seems kind of dreamy.
only to end up meeting the owner of the Airbnb she rent there, turns out the Airbnb owner is younger brother of the Hollywood most popular director and a billionaire himself as well.
I like the humour placed in the story to make it look more realistic but still it doesn't add to the level I was expecting.
the story started out well no doubt there, but as it was going towards the ending I felt I can already predict it before coming to the final chapter.
there was no actual twist waiting at the end for me and that is something that makes me give it a 3 stars.
other than few things which I like to point out:-
characters - beautiful written but I would've appreciated more if given some more depth into MMC life.
Spice level - i would say 3 star but I personally liked reading the night they spend near the beach scene.
plot twist - as i already said there was nothing i didn't saw coming so obviously missing the plot twist.
overall story - from the first interaction between the main characters to the ending it was a well plotted story with little bit of comedy, romance, ex things, here and there some few more gestures done by MC yet I feel like something was missing to make it a perfect story.
it's too good to be true , all the lines the ones especially said by MC are way too good to believe them.
I honestly like when MC's are golden retriever type yet for some reason this particular MC didn't live upto my expectations.
and I'm still not sure if I wanna put this one to my favourite list or not.
it's more like reading a wishful story straight out of a dream. which is good but doesn't live upto the reality expectations.
A TV show anchor getting dumped by proposing her bf while being live on tv, turned into a meme, to run from her life back in newyork and booking a trip to Hawaii to write her film script to start a new career. seems kind of dreamy.
only to end up meeting the owner of the Airbnb she rent there, turns out the Airbnb owner is younger brother of the Hollywood most popular director and a billionaire himself as well.
I like the humour placed in the story to make it look more realistic but still it doesn't add to the level I was expecting.
the story started out well no doubt there, but as it was going towards the ending I felt I can already predict it before coming to the final chapter.
there was no actual twist waiting at the end for me and that is something that makes me give it a 3 stars.
other than few things which I like to point out:-
characters - beautiful written but I would've appreciated more if given some more depth into MMC life.
Spice level - i would say 3 star but I personally liked reading the night they spend near the beach scene.
plot twist - as i already said there was nothing i didn't saw coming so obviously missing the plot twist.
overall story - from the first interaction between the main characters to the ending it was a well plotted story with little bit of comedy, romance, ex things, here and there some few more gestures done by MC yet I feel like something was missing to make it a perfect story.
it's too good to be true , all the lines the ones especially said by MC are way too good to believe them.
I honestly like when MC's are golden retriever type yet for some reason this particular MC didn't live upto my expectations.
and I'm still not sure if I wanna put this one to my favourite list or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2025
A holiday romance with some sprinkles of fake dating.
I believed it would be a slow burn when I signed up for this. But it was my mistake to expect things beforehand. Overall, it was good writing except in some parts the dialogues or the inner monologue gave me second-hand embarrassment.
As for the plot development, I believe it would have been better if it was a slow burn then it would have given some more time for the characters to interact cuz at first the interactions were very less. I believe it wasn't enough and this caused the plot to be rushed. The character development, and the story development felt rushed.
As for Olivia and Dominic, they were cute together. Dom was nice and Olivia was decent.
The setting was very refreshing, the beachy-tropical vibes and the descriptions of sunset were very heartwarming. I loved those parts.
Overall, it was a fun read and I had a good time reading it.
Thank you so much, Lily Parker, the publishers and Netgalley for providing this ARC
I believed it would be a slow burn when I signed up for this. But it was my mistake to expect things beforehand. Overall, it was good writing except in some parts the dialogues or the inner monologue gave me second-hand embarrassment.
As for the plot development, I believe it would have been better if it was a slow burn then it would have given some more time for the characters to interact cuz at first the interactions were very less. I believe it wasn't enough and this caused the plot to be rushed. The character development, and the story development felt rushed.
As for Olivia and Dominic, they were cute together. Dom was nice and Olivia was decent.
The setting was very refreshing, the beachy-tropical vibes and the descriptions of sunset were very heartwarming. I loved those parts.
Overall, it was a fun read and I had a good time reading it.
Thank you so much, Lily Parker, the publishers and Netgalley for providing this ARC
May 19, 2025
A sexed-up contemporary romcom, riddled with slapstick and ridiculous coincidences
Olivia is a 20-something TV “journalist” who, at the urging of her ratings-hungry boss (and definitely not because of any sane career move), proposes to her live-in boyfriend, Rex, live on-air. Shocked when he says, no, she’s somehow even more shocked to discover afterward, when their relationship blows up, that he has been cheating on her for months.
After a video of her spectacular on-air implosion goes viral, Olivia’s boss offers her eight weeks of unpaid leave, to live down her humiliation. Olivia grabs at the offer, in spite of the fact that someone will need to cover her job during that time, which raises the risk of the fill-in becoming a permanent replacement. Olivia flees to Hawaii to write her very first screenplay. Because of course, if you’ve just torched your career and have limited savings, the obvious choice is to relocate to one of the most expensive and most distracting places on Earth and attempt to break into one of the most difficult creative industries.
From there, the story proceeds with an avalanche of wild coincidences:
1. Rex and his girlfriend have also rented the other half of the Hawaiian duplex Olivia is staying in.
2. The property owner, Dom, is a ripped surfing billionaire who just happens to be catching waves directly in front of the condo the day Olivia arrives.
3. Olivia ropes Dom into a fake-dating scheme to show Rex she’s totally over him. This somehow morphs into real sex, real feelings, and a fairytale career switch when Dom uses his billionaire clout to sell her screenplay.
Fake dating can be a fun trope when done well, but Dom’s romantic investment in Olivia, who is impulsive, naive, and shallow, never rings true. Their relationship is built on hot sex and not much else.
The book is told entirely in Olivia’s first-person point of view, except for a final, tacked-on chapter from Dom’s perspective. This means readers are stuck inside Olivia’s narcissistic thought loop for 90,000 words. That’s nearly twice the length this story needs. The 71 short chapters only exaggerate the sense of bloat. A leaner, 50,000-word version might have salvaged the pacing, if not the premise.
I received free access to the audiobook version of this novel through my Audible membership. The narrator offers as good a performance as could be expected, given the defects of the material she had to work with.
Olivia is a 20-something TV “journalist” who, at the urging of her ratings-hungry boss (and definitely not because of any sane career move), proposes to her live-in boyfriend, Rex, live on-air. Shocked when he says, no, she’s somehow even more shocked to discover afterward, when their relationship blows up, that he has been cheating on her for months.
After a video of her spectacular on-air implosion goes viral, Olivia’s boss offers her eight weeks of unpaid leave, to live down her humiliation. Olivia grabs at the offer, in spite of the fact that someone will need to cover her job during that time, which raises the risk of the fill-in becoming a permanent replacement. Olivia flees to Hawaii to write her very first screenplay. Because of course, if you’ve just torched your career and have limited savings, the obvious choice is to relocate to one of the most expensive and most distracting places on Earth and attempt to break into one of the most difficult creative industries.
From there, the story proceeds with an avalanche of wild coincidences:
1. Rex and his girlfriend have also rented the other half of the Hawaiian duplex Olivia is staying in.
2. The property owner, Dom, is a ripped surfing billionaire who just happens to be catching waves directly in front of the condo the day Olivia arrives.
3. Olivia ropes Dom into a fake-dating scheme to show Rex she’s totally over him. This somehow morphs into real sex, real feelings, and a fairytale career switch when Dom uses his billionaire clout to sell her screenplay.
Fake dating can be a fun trope when done well, but Dom’s romantic investment in Olivia, who is impulsive, naive, and shallow, never rings true. Their relationship is built on hot sex and not much else.
The book is told entirely in Olivia’s first-person point of view, except for a final, tacked-on chapter from Dom’s perspective. This means readers are stuck inside Olivia’s narcissistic thought loop for 90,000 words. That’s nearly twice the length this story needs. The 71 short chapters only exaggerate the sense of bloat. A leaner, 50,000-word version might have salvaged the pacing, if not the premise.
I received free access to the audiobook version of this novel through my Audible membership. The narrator offers as good a performance as could be expected, given the defects of the material she had to work with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2024
Love this book so much I got grumpy anytime anyone interrupted me!
The MMC is a golden retriever, but with dark hair. He is also so protective of the FMC’s feelings.
The FMC has been through the ringer! She is a huge reminder not to let others dictate your relationship or to judge yours against what others say it should be.
All is well in the end and set in a beautiful backdrop
But I’m gonna need this to be a series! I need juju to get her happy ending because she was basically an innocent bystander who got taken down and definitely the lovely over worked lawyer!
The MMC is a golden retriever, but with dark hair. He is also so protective of the FMC’s feelings.
The FMC has been through the ringer! She is a huge reminder not to let others dictate your relationship or to judge yours against what others say it should be.
All is well in the end and set in a beautiful backdrop
But I’m gonna need this to be a series! I need juju to get her happy ending because she was basically an innocent bystander who got taken down and definitely the lovely over worked lawyer!
October 24, 2025
ABSOLUTELY LOVED!! Lots of spice and loved the MMC he was so sweet. This book does not disappoint!! If you love strangers to lovers and fake dating tropes this one is perfect for you!! I love the summery feel of the Hawaii setting and found it to be the perfect book to give me those summer vibes. If you haven’t checked out Lily Parker’s books I highly recommend and I’m already started on her next book The Best Worst Mistake as we speak!!!
September 22, 2025
The first half of this book was a sold 4+ stars but that last half it went off the rails and not in a good way. I’m being generous with the 3 stars considering how it kind of fell apart. It had the potential to be a good book.
August 28, 2025
I really sweet rom-com with a life-changing embarrassing moment, turned into a series of events that leads FMC to right where she needed to be 💜 includes fake dating, forced proximity, secret billionaire tropes.🥰 A lot of building tension 3/5🌶
August 14, 2025
This was bad
April 15, 2025
#Review: *The best wrong move* - Lily Parker [18+]
4.4/5✨
3/5🌶️
The blurb of this book has definitely convinced me to sign up for it, loving those summer vibes. Thank you so much Lily for accepting me to be part of your team for this one!
Olivia was in a relationship with Rex and an idea her boss had will change her entire life. Why? Because she suggested to Olivia to pop the question for her boyfriend. That will only put her on the map with the most embarrassing moment, because he declined her proposal while being on live television. That ruined Olivia and that's why she wanted to be far away from all of that. So, that's how Olivia ended up to the most beautiful place, where everything was possible. Including finding someone who will steal her heart, even though she really didn't plan that.
Olivia had so many insecurities after that embarrassing event, so the whole change of scenery was the perfect thing for her. Meeting gorgeous Dom was definitely a plus, but he was a man full of secrets and surprises. These two have brought alive so many sweet, beautiful scenes and some pretty steamy.
I just loved the whole vacation vibes, being impossible not to imagine being there too while reading this book. The constant surprises from this story have truly kept me super curious about this book, never knowing what will pop next.
✨Tropes
#StartingOver
#FakeDating
#InstaLove
#StrangersToLovers
#Holiday
#SummerVibes
4.4/5✨
3/5🌶️
The blurb of this book has definitely convinced me to sign up for it, loving those summer vibes. Thank you so much Lily for accepting me to be part of your team for this one!
Olivia was in a relationship with Rex and an idea her boss had will change her entire life. Why? Because she suggested to Olivia to pop the question for her boyfriend. That will only put her on the map with the most embarrassing moment, because he declined her proposal while being on live television. That ruined Olivia and that's why she wanted to be far away from all of that. So, that's how Olivia ended up to the most beautiful place, where everything was possible. Including finding someone who will steal her heart, even though she really didn't plan that.
Olivia had so many insecurities after that embarrassing event, so the whole change of scenery was the perfect thing for her. Meeting gorgeous Dom was definitely a plus, but he was a man full of secrets and surprises. These two have brought alive so many sweet, beautiful scenes and some pretty steamy.
I just loved the whole vacation vibes, being impossible not to imagine being there too while reading this book. The constant surprises from this story have truly kept me super curious about this book, never knowing what will pop next.
✨Tropes
#StartingOver
#FakeDating
#InstaLove
#StrangersToLovers
#Holiday
#SummerVibes
July 14, 2025
This is a great summer read—funny, simple, cute, and full of romance! I listened to it as an audiobook, so it took me a little longer to finish, but I still really enjoyed it. Olivia and Dom are such adorable and well-written characters. I couldn’t stand Rex (Olivia’s ex), but Juju is the ultimate girls’ girl—she’s an icon.
Dom is the classic rich guy who keeps people at a distance because he’s been hurt before, but the instant attraction he feels for Olivia is undeniable. Olivia just wants to move on from her ex, but fate has other plans. She ends up booking an apartment right next to his—sharing a wall! I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes, but Dom definitely saves the day. Maybe not in the way Olivia expected at first, but honestly, who could say no to fake dating a guy like him?
At first, I wasn’t sure about Juju, but as the story went on, I liked her more and more. By the end, she really proved herself as a true girls’ girl by being honest with Olivia and supporting her. And I can’t forget Abby, Olivia’s best friend—she was always hyping Olivia up, supporting her from a distance, and even doing a proper background check on Dom. I absolutely loved her!
The timeline isn’t always clear and there are a few gaps, but you know the story takes place over eight weeks. There are also quite a few spicy scenes—at first, I thought it would just be some steamy kisses, but there are actually some sex scenes, not too much, but enough to heat things up.
Dom is the classic rich guy who keeps people at a distance because he’s been hurt before, but the instant attraction he feels for Olivia is undeniable. Olivia just wants to move on from her ex, but fate has other plans. She ends up booking an apartment right next to his—sharing a wall! I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes, but Dom definitely saves the day. Maybe not in the way Olivia expected at first, but honestly, who could say no to fake dating a guy like him?
At first, I wasn’t sure about Juju, but as the story went on, I liked her more and more. By the end, she really proved herself as a true girls’ girl by being honest with Olivia and supporting her. And I can’t forget Abby, Olivia’s best friend—she was always hyping Olivia up, supporting her from a distance, and even doing a proper background check on Dom. I absolutely loved her!
The timeline isn’t always clear and there are a few gaps, but you know the story takes place over eight weeks. There are also quite a few spicy scenes—at first, I thought it would just be some steamy kisses, but there are actually some sex scenes, not too much, but enough to heat things up.
January 4, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Olivia is a successful news anchor who works on a popular morning show. When her producer asks her to propose to her boyfriend on live television to get better ratings, she agrees. What she wasn’t expecting was for him to reject her on national tv. After going viral, she decides to lick her wounds and work towards her dream of becoming a screenwriter. So she heads off to Hawaii to spend eight weeks working on her script. Shortly after arriving she’s in for a shock because her new neighbor is the ex who dumped her on live tv and his new girlfriend. Lucky for her, the charming owner of the rental property, Dom, agrees to fake date her to show her ex she’s moved on. What starts off as fake dating quickly turns into something real. A lot can change in 8 weeks, but when the time on her lease is up and she has to return home to NY, Olivia has a choice to make: go back to her old life or start something new with Dom.
I loved this book. It’s so much fun and is a cute retelling of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Honestly, there was so much to love. Olivia and Dom are really sweet together, and you can’t help but root for them. I felt so much empathy for Olivia, and Ms. Parker really brings her to life. Her feelings are visceral, and you can’t help but go on the journey with her. She’s the type of friend you want to have. Her friendship with Abby was lovely and felt real.
The meet cute between Dom and Olivia was quirky and cute. Their relationship unfolds naturally, and I liked that they very quickly admit to each other that this is real for them. In fact the open communication between them throughout the book is sexy and honestly so refreshing. While there’s a slight miscommunication it’s quickly and realistically dealt with. There’s also no third act break up. These two are both invested and genuinely respect each other and hear each other out.
Oftentimes, romances have grand gestures that are meant to show the depths of love between the two MC’s, but what I loved about this book is that it’s all about the thoughtful, everyday gestures that shows you that someone was really listening to you and thinking about you. Those little details are what stand out and add to the romance in the novel.
Honestly, I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I’m excited to read more from Ms. Parker.
Olivia is a successful news anchor who works on a popular morning show. When her producer asks her to propose to her boyfriend on live television to get better ratings, she agrees. What she wasn’t expecting was for him to reject her on national tv. After going viral, she decides to lick her wounds and work towards her dream of becoming a screenwriter. So she heads off to Hawaii to spend eight weeks working on her script. Shortly after arriving she’s in for a shock because her new neighbor is the ex who dumped her on live tv and his new girlfriend. Lucky for her, the charming owner of the rental property, Dom, agrees to fake date her to show her ex she’s moved on. What starts off as fake dating quickly turns into something real. A lot can change in 8 weeks, but when the time on her lease is up and she has to return home to NY, Olivia has a choice to make: go back to her old life or start something new with Dom.
I loved this book. It’s so much fun and is a cute retelling of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Honestly, there was so much to love. Olivia and Dom are really sweet together, and you can’t help but root for them. I felt so much empathy for Olivia, and Ms. Parker really brings her to life. Her feelings are visceral, and you can’t help but go on the journey with her. She’s the type of friend you want to have. Her friendship with Abby was lovely and felt real.
The meet cute between Dom and Olivia was quirky and cute. Their relationship unfolds naturally, and I liked that they very quickly admit to each other that this is real for them. In fact the open communication between them throughout the book is sexy and honestly so refreshing. While there’s a slight miscommunication it’s quickly and realistically dealt with. There’s also no third act break up. These two are both invested and genuinely respect each other and hear each other out.
Oftentimes, romances have grand gestures that are meant to show the depths of love between the two MC’s, but what I loved about this book is that it’s all about the thoughtful, everyday gestures that shows you that someone was really listening to you and thinking about you. Those little details are what stand out and add to the romance in the novel.
Honestly, I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I’m excited to read more from Ms. Parker.
December 10, 2024
I'd like to thank NetGalley for letting me read this book. It was a real page-turner that I devoured in one sitting. While I'm not keen on books referencing TikTok, this one was only mentioned once at the beginning. I was drawn to Dom's character and the mystery surrounding him. The friends and side characters were great, but I felt we only scratched the surface of their stories. I'd have loved to see more scenes with them, especially exploring Olivia's friendships with the wives of Dom's friends. More Cliff scenes would have been fantastic too. On a separate note, I had to look up what a kaftan was, but that's a minor detail. All in all, I loved this book and can't recommend it enough.
April 8, 2025
4.5⭐️ (rounded to to 5)
I was fortunate enough to be given an arc from another debut author and so far I’m 3 for 3 on trying out these new authors in the last few weeks. This spicy rom com is one I definitely didn’t know I needed but am so glad I took a chance. I brought this on our mini vacation and it was the perfect place for these Hawaii vibes. I can not believe this was a debut novel. I laughed so many times, and was constantly cheering on Olivia as she fled New York to Hawaii to recover from her recent heartbreak and social media humiliation. Her meet cute with the “Airbnb guy” was so stinking cute and though we got the impression Dom would be the grumpy to her sunshine, I’m so glad he wasn’t written that way. He was such a sweetheart to her and slowly helped her heal at her own pace. There was quite a bit happening in this book but never too much that it felt scattered or irrelevant to the story line, nor drawn out which can happen often in a rom com. We touched on the miscommunication trope (my LEAST favorite trope) BUT the way it was written into the story, and with these characters, I think it may have salvaged the trope for me. Also, don’t let this sweet cover fool you, cause the spice 🌶️🌶️.I adored this one so much and I am so excited to see what big things this author is going to do once her first novel is out in the world in just a few short weeks!
I was fortunate enough to be given an arc from another debut author and so far I’m 3 for 3 on trying out these new authors in the last few weeks. This spicy rom com is one I definitely didn’t know I needed but am so glad I took a chance. I brought this on our mini vacation and it was the perfect place for these Hawaii vibes. I can not believe this was a debut novel. I laughed so many times, and was constantly cheering on Olivia as she fled New York to Hawaii to recover from her recent heartbreak and social media humiliation. Her meet cute with the “Airbnb guy” was so stinking cute and though we got the impression Dom would be the grumpy to her sunshine, I’m so glad he wasn’t written that way. He was such a sweetheart to her and slowly helped her heal at her own pace. There was quite a bit happening in this book but never too much that it felt scattered or irrelevant to the story line, nor drawn out which can happen often in a rom com. We touched on the miscommunication trope (my LEAST favorite trope) BUT the way it was written into the story, and with these characters, I think it may have salvaged the trope for me. Also, don’t let this sweet cover fool you, cause the spice 🌶️🌶️.I adored this one so much and I am so excited to see what big things this author is going to do once her first novel is out in the world in just a few short weeks!
September 4, 2025
Not a fan of this one. This is a fake dating story that didn't need to be a fake dating story. The couple were basically real dating from the get-go. After a stupid onscreen proposal goes awry, TV anchor Olivia runs to Hawaii to escape her viral fame and her now ex-boyfriend, only to find him (conveniently) staying on the other half of her AirBnB duplex. Never fear. Cam, the (conveniently) mega rich landlord of the place steps in to act as her hot new boyfriend. First of all, the whole premise of this story irritated me from the start. Who has the sort of life and funds where they can just jump out of their life for 8 weeks to hang out in Hawaii? And it isn't just Olivia. It's her ex as well ... who also has 8 weeks to hang out in Hawaii at the exact same time. Weird. The fake dating angle was unnecessary and stupid. The characters were ridiculous, and I was unsympathetic to their issues. Cam seemed to be dreamed out of a high school girls fantasy of who the perfect guy would be. There is no depth to this story. There is no humor. And the entire book is full of eye-rolling moments of insanity. Two stars because it wasn't the worst book in the world, but that's the best I can say here.
December 14, 2024
3.5⭐️
Olivia le propuso matrimonio a su novio, Rex, pero él la rechazó frente a miles de oyentes, ya que ocurrió en un programa de radio. La declaración se volvió viral y, de repente, Olivia se convirtió en el blanco de las burlas de todos. No podía ir a ningún lugar sin que la señalaran, así que decidió tomarse unas vacaciones. Para su mala suerte, su ex también decidió viajar al mismo lugar, y ahora son vecinos. Para empeorar las cosas, él no está solo. Olivia decide que no puede soportar dos meses viendo a Rex, así que le pide a su casero, Dom, que le devuelva el dinero. Sin embargo, él le propone un trato para demostrarle a su ex que ya lo ha superado: fingir ser novios, ella acepta y ahora podra disfrutar del mar hacer amigos y escribir el guion que siempre había dejado de lado
Lo de Juju era bastante evidente por las interacciones que tenía, y con el comentario sobre la Navidad, se confirmó que Rex era un tarado.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Olivia le propuso matrimonio a su novio, Rex, pero él la rechazó frente a miles de oyentes, ya que ocurrió en un programa de radio. La declaración se volvió viral y, de repente, Olivia se convirtió en el blanco de las burlas de todos. No podía ir a ningún lugar sin que la señalaran, así que decidió tomarse unas vacaciones. Para su mala suerte, su ex también decidió viajar al mismo lugar, y ahora son vecinos. Para empeorar las cosas, él no está solo. Olivia decide que no puede soportar dos meses viendo a Rex, así que le pide a su casero, Dom, que le devuelva el dinero. Sin embargo, él le propone un trato para demostrarle a su ex que ya lo ha superado: fingir ser novios, ella acepta y ahora podra disfrutar del mar hacer amigos y escribir el guion que siempre había dejado de lado
Lo de Juju era bastante evidente por las interacciones que tenía, y con el comentario sobre la Navidad, se confirmó que Rex era un tarado.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2025
Such a great debut! I loved the setting and felt like I was on vacation along with Olivia. I loved seeing the growth of her character and how she took that time to find herself and be happy. Dom was great! I loved how he was so willing to help Olivia from the very start. He was such a golden retriever and just so fun! The chemistry between these two was great! Rex and Lulu being next door added some drama that had me so invested and I loved getting to see how it all played out! I also enjoyed Dom’s brother and SIL’s appearance, although I was thinking “what is wrong with these people, there’s no way” 😅 I was happy to see that despite the way they acted towards Olivia, they were great people who only wanted the best for Dom! Overall, this was a sweet, spicy, and very entertaining story! I can’t wait to see what else is in store from this author! 💖
July 28, 2025
This was a cute, funny story. It was slightly predictable but definitely worth listening to!
March 8, 2025
I want to give a big thank you to Joffe Books and Lily Parker for an early #gifted copy of this novel in exchange for promotion and honest review.
This book hooked me in straight away before transitioning seamlessly into a vacay in Hawai’i. Everything was written well and found this easy to read during my mini slump. I did find Dom’s brother a bit weird, but understand why he was the way he was for the plot. Dom also lacked a bit of depth in comparison to Olivia, but it could’ve been because of the single POV. This is definitely a book to be enjoyed while on holidays or even in the summer!
This book hooked me in straight away before transitioning seamlessly into a vacay in Hawai’i. Everything was written well and found this easy to read during my mini slump. I did find Dom’s brother a bit weird, but understand why he was the way he was for the plot. Dom also lacked a bit of depth in comparison to Olivia, but it could’ve been because of the single POV. This is definitely a book to be enjoyed while on holidays or even in the summer!
January 20, 2026
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. This was low on angst and drama, which was good. There were some things that really didn’t make much sense but it ended on a good note. I did feel myself getting bored in the middle somewhere, but then I got over it.
April 5, 2025
well where do i even start with this book
Firstly, i would like to say i appreciate netgalley and the publisher giving me the opportunity to review this book before it comes out.
The book was certainly spicy and it does claim to be, however i do not particularly enjoy most spice but i can appreciate it sometimes when its well written but this was not, the chapters in the book was so short it sort of felt episodic when they got down to it because it would start out of nowhere and end before i even got my head around what was going on.
I did love the fmcs character traits and the plans she had for her life but i found it sort of funny we never learned what her plot was for the script even at 80% in especially since it was the whole reason she was in hawaii, i mean id probably not have cared all too much for it but i would’ve appreciated to know.
Also i fully do not know what she look like and don’t remember her name, there was like barely any descriptions of what she looked like but i figured out farther into the book that maybe that was perhaps because description is not this author’s strong point but rather she’s fantastic at conversational writing which i hear is hard to make work so kudos to her!!
JUJU MY GIRLLLL she was so cute idc idc especially at the beginning, but on the topic of her the characters names in this book were like so weird lol eg. Rex : dog name, JUJU : black magic, and the mmcs name is Dom… do i need to expand? oh and back the the spice scenes it was so weird to see her scream out the name Dom but yeah.
Although this book never claims to be slow burn, i expected less of an insta lovey feel but this is technically a novella i think so how slow could she really make the burn.
All things said i think the book is a fast an cozy read, it’s very easily digestible but this also makes it easily forgettable
Firstly, i would like to say i appreciate netgalley and the publisher giving me the opportunity to review this book before it comes out.
The book was certainly spicy and it does claim to be, however i do not particularly enjoy most spice but i can appreciate it sometimes when its well written but this was not, the chapters in the book was so short it sort of felt episodic when they got down to it because it would start out of nowhere and end before i even got my head around what was going on.
I did love the fmcs character traits and the plans she had for her life but i found it sort of funny we never learned what her plot was for the script even at 80% in especially since it was the whole reason she was in hawaii, i mean id probably not have cared all too much for it but i would’ve appreciated to know.
Also i fully do not know what she look like and don’t remember her name, there was like barely any descriptions of what she looked like but i figured out farther into the book that maybe that was perhaps because description is not this author’s strong point but rather she’s fantastic at conversational writing which i hear is hard to make work so kudos to her!!
JUJU MY GIRLLLL she was so cute idc idc especially at the beginning, but on the topic of her the characters names in this book were like so weird lol eg. Rex : dog name, JUJU : black magic, and the mmcs name is Dom… do i need to expand? oh and back the the spice scenes it was so weird to see her scream out the name Dom but yeah.
Although this book never claims to be slow burn, i expected less of an insta lovey feel but this is technically a novella i think so how slow could she really make the burn.
All things said i think the book is a fast an cozy read, it’s very easily digestible but this also makes it easily forgettable
December 28, 2024
I was in the mood for an cute romance with some drama and spice. Well im happy to say this book delivered just that!
I had an absolute good time reading this and was giggling and just so invested in our main characters development. And the tension, romance and spice was just amazing. Im not normally a fan of insta love, but in this book I absolutely loved that! Olivia goes through a journey of finding who she is and I absolutely love that, sometimes when things feel like the end of the world they actually open a door to something better and thats exactly what happened in this book!
Dom on the other hand... absolutely boyfriend material, he felt so kind and just gave me kinda golden retriever vibes which was cute. The chemistry between the two main characters is just delicious! I do feel like I would have loved to see a bit more about the side characters and their personalities. I also felt like maybe I would have enjoyed to see different sides of Dom. But i absolutely enjoyed reading this book!
I want to thank Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
I had an absolute good time reading this and was giggling and just so invested in our main characters development. And the tension, romance and spice was just amazing. Im not normally a fan of insta love, but in this book I absolutely loved that! Olivia goes through a journey of finding who she is and I absolutely love that, sometimes when things feel like the end of the world they actually open a door to something better and thats exactly what happened in this book!
Dom on the other hand... absolutely boyfriend material, he felt so kind and just gave me kinda golden retriever vibes which was cute. The chemistry between the two main characters is just delicious! I do feel like I would have loved to see a bit more about the side characters and their personalities. I also felt like maybe I would have enjoyed to see different sides of Dom. But i absolutely enjoyed reading this book!
I want to thank Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
December 21, 2024
Olivia just got rejected infront of milions of viewers after she proposed to her boyfriend and he said no . Now one later she took eight week sabbatical from work and travels to Hawaii so she can be away from all the public eye and start fresh . She always wanted to write a script for a movie so now is the opportunity to do it . When she arrives at her rnb the door is stuck and because she is wearing a sweater she is changing her clothes in the front yard she comes face to face with the most handsome surfer who helps her open the door . With her luck her neighbor is her ex with his new girlfriend . When Dom the surfer to turns up to be the owner of her rnb is there to fix the curtains , they agrre to pretend to be a couple . What happens when the pretent became real ?
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .
April 22, 2025
My Initial Thoughts
I was drawn into this straight away into this because it’s fake dating! Who is not down for that trope. The dilemma for Lily starts straight away, so instantly your invested in the plot and her story. The cover is so eye catching and the blurb peaks an interest to!
Plot
I love the plot for this, the fake-dating, the close proximity, the instant connection and how that connection was formed, that made me giggle so much! IYKYK!!!!
The only thing that would have made it better for me, was if this was dual POV BUTTTTT its amazing and just following Lily alone makes an adventure, with enough tension, plenty of spicy chapters, and those moments are rocking. I really enjoyed the finding yourself element that Lily had while away in Hawaii.
Characters
The characters are so loveable, unless of course its Rex and he’s self centred, useless ways…. The comedy in this had me laughing so hard at parts that involved him. Juju was the over the top friendly character was a sweet move but I so wish there was people like that still left in the real world, that’s why fictional is better right! Anyway onto the main characters, Lily I loved her development in her character as the story progresses, there was at one point I thought I might shed a tear but then there is Dom! I mean from the moment these to meet, you know there is going to be chemistry there and it doe not disappoint!
Recommend
I’d recommend this to everyone that loves a spicy romance with the fake dating trope!
Favourite Quotes
“It’s best to let this chapter of your life stay closed for good”
“Fate makes no mistakes. Just detours on the path to your final destiny.”
“Most of all, I need to free myself from myself. Me. My biggest critic of all. It’s okay to not get this right.”
“Your eyes. They’re my favourite colour. Like the ocean – when she’s feeling a bit feisty.”
Favourite Chapter/s
My favourite chapters, wow there was a few but they was chapters 15,26,31,36,41 and 52.
Summed up in one sentence
The perfect holiday, fake dating romance read, just what you need while sitting in your deckchair sipping cocktails.
Overall Wrap up
I really enjoyed this so much!
The comedy aspect never failed to make me laugh out loud, and chuckling away to myself throughout. I loved how the main characters developed, they both came out of themselves as the plot progressed! I think the only thing for me is I would have loved the fake dating to play out longer, but it felt right, their instant connection to one another.
Stars & Spice – 4 stars & 3.5 chilli spices.
Book Information – The Best Wrong Move By Lily Parker.
Genre – Rom-Com.
Pages – 331 pages.
Tropes –
Holiday romance.
Fake dating.
Instant connection.
Cinnamon roll MMC.
Available on Kindle Unlimited – Yes will be available from 24th April 2025.
Available Formats – Kindle and paperback.
Publishing Information – Due to be published on 24th April 2025 by Choc Lit.
Format in Which I Read – Kindle.
Where my copy come From – Zooloo’s Book Tours.
POVs – Single POV – Lily.
Single/Dual/Multiple Timelines – Single timeline.
1st or 3rd Person – 1st person.
HEA, HFN or Cliff hanger – HEA.
Series or Standalone – Book 1 in the Off Limits series.
Trigger Warnings – Please check content warnings before reading if necessary and please always remember that your mental health matters.
I was drawn into this straight away into this because it’s fake dating! Who is not down for that trope. The dilemma for Lily starts straight away, so instantly your invested in the plot and her story. The cover is so eye catching and the blurb peaks an interest to!
Plot
I love the plot for this, the fake-dating, the close proximity, the instant connection and how that connection was formed, that made me giggle so much! IYKYK!!!!
The only thing that would have made it better for me, was if this was dual POV BUTTTTT its amazing and just following Lily alone makes an adventure, with enough tension, plenty of spicy chapters, and those moments are rocking. I really enjoyed the finding yourself element that Lily had while away in Hawaii.
Characters
The characters are so loveable, unless of course its Rex and he’s self centred, useless ways…. The comedy in this had me laughing so hard at parts that involved him. Juju was the over the top friendly character was a sweet move but I so wish there was people like that still left in the real world, that’s why fictional is better right! Anyway onto the main characters, Lily I loved her development in her character as the story progresses, there was at one point I thought I might shed a tear but then there is Dom! I mean from the moment these to meet, you know there is going to be chemistry there and it doe not disappoint!
Recommend
I’d recommend this to everyone that loves a spicy romance with the fake dating trope!
Favourite Quotes
“It’s best to let this chapter of your life stay closed for good”
“Fate makes no mistakes. Just detours on the path to your final destiny.”
“Most of all, I need to free myself from myself. Me. My biggest critic of all. It’s okay to not get this right.”
“Your eyes. They’re my favourite colour. Like the ocean – when she’s feeling a bit feisty.”
Favourite Chapter/s
My favourite chapters, wow there was a few but they was chapters 15,26,31,36,41 and 52.
Summed up in one sentence
The perfect holiday, fake dating romance read, just what you need while sitting in your deckchair sipping cocktails.
Overall Wrap up
I really enjoyed this so much!
The comedy aspect never failed to make me laugh out loud, and chuckling away to myself throughout. I loved how the main characters developed, they both came out of themselves as the plot progressed! I think the only thing for me is I would have loved the fake dating to play out longer, but it felt right, their instant connection to one another.
Stars & Spice – 4 stars & 3.5 chilli spices.
Book Information – The Best Wrong Move By Lily Parker.
Genre – Rom-Com.
Pages – 331 pages.
Tropes –
Holiday romance.
Fake dating.
Instant connection.
Cinnamon roll MMC.
Available on Kindle Unlimited – Yes will be available from 24th April 2025.
Available Formats – Kindle and paperback.
Publishing Information – Due to be published on 24th April 2025 by Choc Lit.
Format in Which I Read – Kindle.
Where my copy come From – Zooloo’s Book Tours.
POVs – Single POV – Lily.
Single/Dual/Multiple Timelines – Single timeline.
1st or 3rd Person – 1st person.
HEA, HFN or Cliff hanger – HEA.
Series or Standalone – Book 1 in the Off Limits series.
Trigger Warnings – Please check content warnings before reading if necessary and please always remember that your mental health matters.
December 20, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! I devoured it in days during a very busy time in my life so that is a testament to how good the story is.
Lily Parker’s description of the lush Hawaiian setting is chef’s kiss! I could visual it all and I really felt like I was right there.
I love a MMC who is a golden retriever. There were so many moments that I wished he was real. The FMC has been through a lot but she is mature and takes everything in stride.
I won’t give anything away but the twist at the end is fabulous and the epilogue tied everything up nicely. If you want a book that will transport you to paradise with a swoony love story, this is a must read!
Lily Parker’s description of the lush Hawaiian setting is chef’s kiss! I could visual it all and I really felt like I was right there.
I love a MMC who is a golden retriever. There were so many moments that I wished he was real. The FMC has been through a lot but she is mature and takes everything in stride.
I won’t give anything away but the twist at the end is fabulous and the epilogue tied everything up nicely. If you want a book that will transport you to paradise with a swoony love story, this is a must read!
Read
September 18, 2025Includes: 8 week holiday trip, screenwriter, morning show host, dickhead ex, friends to lovers, fake dating, falls in love with the sea
Thank you to@zooloosbooktours for having me yet again, and being kind when I explained I enjoyed this book a lot! This was a perfect escape to the sunshine story, especially reading it in grey drizzly England. The vibrant descriptions of Hawaii were stunning to read about and it's definitely on my looong bucket list of places to visit. I dream about living near the sea one day, and the garden in this book that's overlooking the beach sounds like paradise
"I could stay right here forever and it would never get old."
Olivia was a hugely loveable character, you wanted her to have the happy loved up story she deserves. She gives off Pinterest beachy calm vibes, but also being extremely clumsy, awkward and funny at the same time. Her ex on the other hand was the opposite, but let's not waste words talking about him. Juju though deserves some love as she was just genuinely a lovely person and makes fab mai tais
I adored how Dom took Olivia under his wing and made sure she felt safe and wanted. The healthy communication and understanding of her situation was so good to read about, as well as the growing relationship between them both. He treats her like a queen, and after the awful guys in the past she's had to deal with it's much needed. Meeting Quinton and Selma was very interesting and I loved when a certain truth came out.
Very excited for Abby's story too!
Thank you to@zooloosbooktours for having me yet again, and being kind when I explained I enjoyed this book a lot! This was a perfect escape to the sunshine story, especially reading it in grey drizzly England. The vibrant descriptions of Hawaii were stunning to read about and it's definitely on my looong bucket list of places to visit. I dream about living near the sea one day, and the garden in this book that's overlooking the beach sounds like paradise
"I could stay right here forever and it would never get old."
Olivia was a hugely loveable character, you wanted her to have the happy loved up story she deserves. She gives off Pinterest beachy calm vibes, but also being extremely clumsy, awkward and funny at the same time. Her ex on the other hand was the opposite, but let's not waste words talking about him. Juju though deserves some love as she was just genuinely a lovely person and makes fab mai tais
I adored how Dom took Olivia under his wing and made sure she felt safe and wanted. The healthy communication and understanding of her situation was so good to read about, as well as the growing relationship between them both. He treats her like a queen, and after the awful guys in the past she's had to deal with it's much needed. Meeting Quinton and Selma was very interesting and I loved when a certain truth came out.
Very excited for Abby's story too!
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