How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle: A Novel

by Alissa DeRogatis

From Cosmopolitan's Cosmo Reads imprint and the author of the smash hit Call It What You Want comes a fresh, charming romcom about the chaos of dating in your twenties, the ache of a brutal breakup, and the hilarious lengths one romance writer will go to get her spark back—including staging her own meet-cutes. Perfect for fans of Katherine Center and Emily Henry’s Beach Read.

If you can’t write a good meet-cute, maybe you need to live one first…

Ainsley Green writes happily-ever-afters for a rabid fanbase of hopeless romantics. In real life? Her boyfriend just broke up with her, her editor wanted a new book yesterday and she’s starting to wonder if love actually exists beyond the pages of her favorite novels.

So when Lucas, Ainsley’s best friend and biggest cheerleader, insists the best cure for writer’s block is real-life inspiration, she’s ready to try anything. Enter: the meet-cute plan, a mission to take her head out of her heartbreak and force meet-cutes IRL to spark some new ideas. But as failed missions bumping into strangers at the airport and spilling coffee on men at the cafe result in nothing but embarrassment and stained clothing, Ainsley begins to wonder if maybe the romance she’s been chasing already has a leading man.

Because the truth about falling in love? It never goes according to plan.

Equal parts heartbreak, humor, and hope, How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle is a fresh, flirty send up of dating in the modern age and a reminder that love finds us when we stop performing and start living.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 4, 2026

About the author

Alissa DeRogatis is the author of the viral debut Call It What You Want and How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she writes stories about modern love, self- discovery, and the people who help us put ourselves back together. When she’s not reading, she’s rewatching her favorite rom- coms, curating sad-girl playlists, or hang- ing out with her dogs, Asher and Oliver.

Follow along with her on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alissaderog...

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@alissaderogatis

Reviews

[Larareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book sooo much! The slow-burn, friends to lovers romance was so well done!!! I actually don't really like this trope, but I adore how Alissa DeRogatis wrote about it.
This book is so much more than a romantic book, it's a book about finding love in all aspects of life, in loving yourself and recognizing every person in your life that's been there through good and bad.
I really liked Ainsley, even though she was a little annoying jn the beginning, but Lucas was the star here for me. He is the perfect book boyfriend!!!

[ahmeeka]

sourcebooks / cosmo reads I’ve been told by a very reliable source—pun unintended—that the best place to store an arc of this book is by sending it to me

[jensbooktok28 · Rating 4 out of 5]

How To Find Love in the Cereal Aisle ❤️‍🩹☺️📖💖✨
4/5 🌟

Since hearing about Alissa Derogatis’ new book, I have been so insanely excited about it. Call it What You Want was unbelievably relatable in so many different ways for me. I knew that happy ending or sad ending… I was going to love whatever she put out.

Obviously I don’t want to say too much, as it won’t be released until August, but I definitely want to talk about a few things. First of all, there are so many relatable parts of this book. Quotes, plot lines, her inner-dialogue. So many lines perfectly describing what love may look like, what heartbreak can look like, what friendship can look like. There so many other aspects besides romance that went into this book.

My favorite quote in this book (like literally tears starting forming IMMEDIATELY) was:

“Some friendships bend. Some friendships break. And some, if you’re lucky can even be rebuilt.”

Being a junior in high school, in a small town, with girls who aren’t the kindest can be hard, but this felt so refreshing to me. Nothing has to be permanent. Things can change in a multitude of ways and friendships are one of those things.

Of course. I will always eat up a friends to lovers. Who couldn’t? If there was one thing that could make this a 5 star read for me would be the possibility of having a couple more scenes where it feels like they were in love and were falling before they actually realized it. Just to show a little bit more yearning on Lucas’s part, but other than that, HTFLITCA got all A’s.

Lucas was precious. He was definitely hot in my imagination. I loved how he and Ainsley were always showing up for eachother (common theme throughout the novel). UGH Ainsley (love the name btw) was so funny and so personable. I could feel a personality throughout reading it. I feel like sometimes with books you don’t feel much regarding a characters personality or anything and they can feel flat, but through the dialogue and her interactions, you definitely can in this book.

Alissa. Girlllll. AMAZING. CHEFS KISS. 💋 🥹💖

Exceeded my standards. You made me cry happy tears, you made me cry sad tears, you made me smile, you made me feel bad. You made me feel everything. I feel like I was taught some MAJOR life lessons and just things to remember and keep in the back of my head. I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE the things you’ll do in the future. Like I can already see so much improvement from CIWYW. UGH IM JUST SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS BOOK.

A couple songs that I think could be related to this book that may interest you in reading it…

Labyrinth by Taylor Swift
The Only Exception by Paramore
I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
Ballad Of a Homeschool Girl by Olivia Rodrigo
CLEAN by Taylor Swift (capitalized for emphasis)
Fresh Out the Slammer
….. to be continued.

(Realizing I have to make a playlist right now.)

[Heaven Protsman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is better than the author's first, but still not there for me. The premise is fine, not original, but had promise. The entire thing, plot and characters, fell so insanely flat for me. I was waiting for the story to get a little "umph" and it never came. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

My compliments:
- The cover is cute
- I didn't mind Lucas
- Winston, god I love dachshunds
- Maddie is a great friend

My complaints:
- Extremely juvenile writing
- Excessive hand holding with the reader. Too much telling and not showing
- I am begging the author to stop repeating the same words and phrases. Say hydrangeas again
- Why do we need a pop culture reference every other paragraph?
- Characters were not fleshed out
- There were zero good qualities about the MC's ex and old friends, so genuinely, why were we supposed to care
- This author does not know how to use a semicolon
- I feel like the author wanted to do a spicy scene but it was so awkward and flat that maybe this should've been closed door

I had similar thoughts with the first book. I will not be reading anything else by this author, I've realized she's not for me. That's not to dissuade anyone else....if you need a really simple, quick read, this may work for you.

[Kelsey Zaporowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

**thank you to NetGalley for the ARC**

This was so adorable and honestly, I would have taken even more of it.

I loved the behind-the-scenes look at an author trying to figure out her next step.

Her friends and ex were kind of awful… but in a very realistic, 20s-growing-pains kind of way.

Favorite quote:

“Maybe the happy ending isn’t always about ending up with someone. Maybe the happy ending is about finding yourself, raising your standards, and never settling.”

[Paola Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like ever since I read Alissa DeRogatis’ debut novel Call It What You Want, I’ve been DYING for another book by her. CIWYW was a novel I related to sooooo much and felt so real. So the wait for this book has been KILLING me! 😩😂 (Big shoutout to NetGalley and Alissa for the ARC✨)
If you know me, you know I love a friends to lovers trope so bad. So so bad. Lol
I think all of us, if not most of us have been through a breakup you didn’t see coming that completely rocked your world. You found yourself creeping on their socials, seeing what their friends posts bc it just feels unreal to know someone can move on like your time together didn’t matter. You even sometimes find yourself comparing your timeline those around you…and this book felt like a hug to those of us who have been there. 🫶🏼 There were so many little reminders sprinkled throughout the entire book that made me think… I’m just a girl Alissa!!! 😩 But thank you bc I needed that!
I deff cried happy tears while reading this book!
.
.
Memorable quote:
"Maybe the happy ending isn't always about ending up with someone. Maybe the happy ending is about finding yourself, raising your standards, and never settling. Maybe it's the realization that you get to decide what happens next and your story doesn't have to read the same as everyone else's."
.
.
📚Book release: August 2026!

[Elizabeth Ann Hurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alissa!!!!! You did it again! I have so many thoughts; first of all related to this story especially Ainsley a little too much! As someone who shares similar goals of becoming an author I actually laughed at loud when she word vomited at the Q & A bc same bestie! This was such a fun, wholesome, relatable love story and so ruin the friendship coded! Getting to follow Ainsley as she re-finds herself and is forced to face her heartbreak in order to get to work on her new novel was such an adventure. Lucas was such a golden retriever, and continually met Ainsley where she was at, and such a wholesome book boyfriend! The slow burn, friends to lovers of it all was so beautifully written, and chef's kiss! Getting to follow Ainsley's journey to finding her perfect trope through her upcoming novel was so fun, I was laughing a little too hard because I could totally envision myself in the same spot! This book was all of the immaculate vibes I am always searching for in a rom com, I feel like Alissa had the perfect balance of real life, love, friendship, the realness of your twenties and finding and losing friends, and humor. SO GOOD! Thank you so much Net Galley, Cosmo Reads, and Alissa DeRogatis for this advanced readers copy!

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the pacing of this book. I thought the flashback chapters were entertaining and serve a good purpose because Ainsley starts to reflect on her “picture-perfect” relationship and some signs she missed the first time. I also loved her going viral for the absolutely hilarious failed meet-cutes. Even the Instagram handles were fun to read with all the pop culture references.

What I loved most about this book was Ainsley’s voice. She felt genuine and it was very realistic the time it took to come to terms with her breakup from Cole. While romance plays a large part in this book, it also focuses on self-discovery and dealing with feeling like you’re behind in life or not good enough.

This was the slowest of slow burns and I mean that in the best way possible. Lucas and Ainsley were adorable together but it felt organic and developed well considering the breakup aspect. I think this is about as good as it gets for friends-to-lovers! I am so glad I took my time reading this book because I did not want it to end. I got to reflect on how hard life in your twenties can be but you come out stronger in the end from all the great life lessons.

Thank you to Cosmo Reads and NetGalley for the ARC of How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle in exchange for my review.

[Liz | lizzuplans · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and enjoyable read!

The cute cover and fun title caught my attention but the book delivered with a very cute layered romance and engaging writing.

The story did take longer than I would have liked to to get up to speed, but once the meet cute disaster stories started appearing (with the ADORABLE faux social media comments, we stan), I was fully locked in and had such a fun time with this book.
The third act slowed down a bit again, but the last few chapters felt like a warm hug and gave me all the feels.

Also: “I pop into a tiny independent bookstore across the street. I don’t really need anything, but I leave with a notebook, a pen, and a new romance release.” IT ME.

All in all, easy to read, cute side characters (loved Maddie!) real emotion and a fab romance.

A solid 4 stars!

I received an ARC of this book (thanks!) and these are my own opinions.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing with Alissa, you can always count on her books to hit the deeper, more raw aspects of being a woman in today’s dating culture, friendships, and careers. While this story is about love, finding that spark again, and continuing to hope for your own HEA, at its core it’s a fun, engaging, and emotional tale of an author trying to make it in the world while being a heartbroken hopeless romantic, a woman and dream chaser.
I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with Ainsley Greene that way I did!
Proud of you, Alissa. Can’t wait to see what else you have in store.
*thank you to the author for sending me an early copy*

[Michaela Emrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Alissa's first book so I was happy to be able to download this early on NetGalley! This is an interesting twist on your traditional romance book...a romance author who just got her heart broken. I liked that our FMC is struggling with very real and honest emotions regarding her relationship, her friendships and her career. You get a front row seat to her trying to rebuild her life after the shock of a breakup she didn't see coming, but is exactly what she needed. The romance that unfolds is so sweet and genuine. I truly loved Lucas and the way he showed up for Ainsley. 

[Becca Kerschner · Rating 3 out of 5]

heartwarming love story that didn’t feel forced!!! took me a bit to get into but at around the 40% mark I was really into it and loved how the focus is on Ainsley’s journey as a person (the love story is just a bonus) but also would’ve loved some more scenes of Lucas and Ainsley being cute and coupley

[Karen Balint · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ⭐️

i really enjoyed this book. i don’t know if i liked it as much as the first one she wrote but i still enjoyed it. i liked the premise of the book and i think that the emotions that the main character went through are all real things that anyone can experience. i read this book in literally a couple of hours and enjoyed every minute of it

[Dominique Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC gifted in exchange for review
4.5 stars

Being honest, I didn’t like Ainsley at the beginning of this book. She frustrated me but I can admit now that she frustrated me because she reminded me of myself a few years ago. We were both so guilty of looking back on the past with rose colored glasses. Ainsley slow became my favorite character as I watched her grow, change and learn how to take those glasses off and be honest not just about the mistakes she made, but the fact that the relationships in her rear view weren’t as great and perfect as she was making them out to be. I feel both proud and protective of her by the end of this book. She deserved better from her so called friends but!! If everything didn’t crumble the way it did, she wouldn’t have found her voice outside of a relationship, she wouldn’t have taken a chance and risked it all to be with the one person who loved her with his whole heart from the very beginning. She wouldn’t have gone on the journey she did, wouldn’t have made the new friends she did and she wouldn’t appreciate her support system in the way she does now. Ainsley would have ended up stuck in a relationship that just didn’t fit quite right, that looked okay from the outside and if you squinted it could pass for perfect when it was far from that. Whether we admit it or not, we have at all at point or another fallen into the trap of comparing our stories and timelines to those of the people around us. That old adage that comparison is the thief of joy is very true, and sometimes trying to keep up with everyone else’s timelines gets us in trouble, staying a dead end relationship because everyone is happily paired off and being single feels like failure. It can be even more difficult when you’re surrounded by people with what feels like epic love stories.

Following along on her journey, I laughed, I cried, I cringed so hard I nearly pulled a muscle, and I swooned. I swooned so hard I might have come close to being reduced to a puddle of mush. There were times I wanted to shake her and be like “STAND UP GIRL! THAT MAN WAS MID AS HELL”.

This book is about so much more than romantic love, it’s about finding love in all aspects of your life, about recognizing the people that have been by your side through the good, the bad, the cringe and the ugly. It’s a story about finding your voice again after heartbreak. It’s okay to be messy, it’s okay to hurt, and it’s okay to mourn that relationship but it’s not okay to let that heartbreak stop you from letting love in again whether it’s family, a new friend or a new romantic partner. Love is a choice, with your family, with your friends, with your romantic partner and with your self. The ones who really love you choose to do so when it’s easy, when it’s convenient, but most importantly when it is hard, when it’s trying and difficult, when it would be easier to give up and walk away. This was a reminder to focus our attention on those people and not on the ones who walk away the second things get difficult.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Sourcebooks and Cosmo Reads for the ARC!

4.5 ⭐️ Oh girl, where do I start with this book?! Spoiler alert: I LOVED IT.

I adored Alissa's raw and vulnerable honesty in her debut, Call It What You Want, and was very excited to get more of that in her sophomore book. I wasn't shocked that her second book conveyed just as much honest and real emotions as CIWYW, but overall, this second book blew my expectations out of the water. While her debut was more women's fiction and less romance (it didn't have a happily ever after), her second, classified as a romance, made me swoon and laugh and tear up like any other romance novel has before. But on top of the typical romantic tropes and meet-cutes, it emphasized healing, self-forgiveness, and growth — true to Alissa's writing voice.

Alissa wrote Ainsley to be this heartbroken romance author — a character I found myself fascinated by. A heartbroken romance author? Sounds like an oxymoron to me. Because of that intriguing beat, every chapter, every word had me rooting for Ainsley — both professionally and personally. Ainsley's heartbreak felt so real and raw and relatable on paper. Like I was reading her journals. Alissa wrote with an honesty that you don't see from most romance authors. It felt authentic and true to her voice.

The romance itself, that happened between a certain friend of Ainsley's (who may be added to my list of favorite book boyfriends), was a slowwww burn — and I'm always down for a slow burn. The slow burn kept me glued to my Kindle, but it was Ainsley's growth that wrapped around my heart and never let go. Lucas, the friend, was the scene stealer. Literally. In one of the beats of the story, he was the "cameraman," often filming the behind the scenes of the meet cutes that Ainsley would go on for book inspiration. As I was rooting for Ainsley to resolve her heartbreak, I was also rooting for Ainsley and Lucas to finalllllllly get together and kiss. "Just kiss already," is probably a permanent part of my vernacular at this point.

Overall, I really loved this. I think that Alissa has a unique and authentic writing voice that doesn't and shouldn't go unnoticed in the romance book space. She's carving out a lane for herself to write raw, honest, and vulnerable love stories that may or may not have a typical happily ever after. She writes messy yet real love stories and honestly, the world needs more of those.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok- nothing to rain home about the premise. I thought sounded really good. Which was why I was very excited to get it. But I did not think the execution was that great- The main character Ainsley - she is a writer who has just released her second book and is about ready to go on stage for her book, signing.And she also is in the throwers of a breakup from her long term relationship- she doesn't know how to handle it. Not only did she lose her boyfriend, but she's seemingly has lost her bestie, surprise to the interwebbingof the friend group- she how's the finish her book tour?She goes to boston where she meets up with her best friend lucas( who is also at the original signing?You can see what we're going with is) finishing out with her hometown- she's not dealing with a breakup well and doesn't really know how she's going to write. The third one as the first one. She always had the story. And the second is about how her parents met. So she comes up with doing all these different tropes, so to speak, she meets a new friend at the dog park and with the help of her and lucas, they make videos and post them online - one thing I really liked about the book. Is it tells the story of the breakup backwards, like 1,XXX before breakup, then the next time they talk about the breakup. It's maybe 900 days before breakup then, it switches back to present tense. I did like that a style of writing but I thought the main character was insufferable. I thought she was whiny, i get where the writer was going with trying to explain. Why she was the way she was, but I wish they would have fleshed that out a little bit more. - the people in her life before we met her.In this book, pre breakup were all awful, including the boyfriend. - lucas's is a shining star that we can all see coming. And I loved the character of maddie.I definitely feel like she should get a book too.I would love to see more of her.And of course, Winston the dachshund is the best part - the book has good parts has humor but I just wish the character was flushed out a little bit more and I wish she wasn't so whiny and irritating.To be honest, it's a fine read palette cleanser.If you need one, just wasn't for me.

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

[Ashlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 - How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle had a solid foundation and realistic moments, but the execution was not for me. The book toggled between Ainsley's growth arc and a friends-to-lovers romance, failing to successfully develop either. Lucas was a golden retriever love interest who could do no wrong, leading the romance to feel cliché. Therefore, I would prefer to read a story centered around Ainsley, which encompassed the stronger points in the book. Overall, it's a cute and predictable story if that's what you're looking for!

Thank you NetGalley, Cosmo Reads, and Alissa DeRogatis for the ARC of this book.

What Worked for Me
I enjoyed that Ainsley was not perfect, and I'm sure many people can relate to looking back on a past relationship and doing a bit of self-loathing for not seeing the red flags. However, I liked that dwelling on the past allowed her to see what she needed in a future relationship.

What Didn't Work for Me
When I saw many of the chapters were dedicated to rehashing Ainsley and Cole's relationship, I thought, "Why are we spending pages on this loser?" I would have appreciated this setup more if there was more space dedicated to the good qualities of Cole and her friend group. Since it seemed like everyone around Ainsley was rude to her, it didn't make sense for her not to see the light earlier.
When it comes to romance, second chance and friends-to-lovers both have a trap of assuming the past. This book did a slightly better job showing how Lucas has stood up for Ainsley in the past, but all the pages wasted on Cole made it hard to develop a believable romance between Ainsley and Lucas. I also wasn't a fan of him always harboring feelings toward her, as that was unfair to his girlfriend. Book boyfriends who say and do all the right things also don't feel realistic.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

📕Book Review📕
This was a really entertaining story but also full of raw emotion, angsty details about a relationship’s downfall, important realizations about who we are, have always been and still are becoming. Ainsley was a complicated character (like most of us are) navigating people-pleasing including the ways she tried to please and convince herself that everyone and everything was ok. The constant loyal best friend, the ex (painted villain) who wasn’t as villainous when you learned the whole story made getting to know the main character (this was written in 1st POV). The side characters were reminders that friend break-ups sometimes hit just as deep as romantic ones. This was a slow burn for sure, but worth the journey to the HEA.

Therapist 👋 Take:
This one packed punch of relatable situations and feelings that made it easy to be drawn in. The dual timeline at times read like a forensic analysis of the unraveling of a relationship, the way friendships crumbled was hard to read but oh so relatable. When people choose the one who they know hurt you bc it makes them more comfortable, gives them connections they crave, or it’s too uncomfortable to sit with the idea of accepting what they’ve done it can crack us open and it’s often hard to repair relationships that do that kind of damage. The best part of this story was the existential journey of the main characters figuring out the story as it was being written, and s main character saving and finding herself and not waiting for a man/relationship to save her or tell her who she was.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Cosmo Reads for the opportunity to read and review early.

[Leila Heikkinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The BEST Valentine's Day binge read! When I tell you I about threw up when I received this ARC! Waiting til August would've been agonizing--and after reading I know that's true. This book, unsurprisingly, was INCREDIBLE. I adored Call It What You Want, and I was so excited to read Alissa's official debut into the romance genre. And she killed it! This friends-to-lovers was a slowww burn, but it felt so real and natural. I loved the dual timeline and of course all of the manufactured meet cutes. But my favorite parts of this book were the parts that were so characteristically Alissa--parts that continued from CIWYW into this romance--and those were her incredible, life-changing lines and the way personal growth was utmost even in a romance. We all loved CIWYW because it was relatable and healing, and I wasn't sure I'd relate to this book as much because I'm not in love. But I was WRONG. HTFLITCA is HEALING, RELATABLE, and BEAUTIFUL--and that's before you even consider the precious love story. Alissa writes with the depth of Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love, but also with the beautifully funny romance of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez. This is a book I will reread and cry over again, and so many of these quotes will stay with me long after I've closed the final page. For every heartbroken thought daughter, Alissa DeRogatis is back with another novel just for you--this time proving that love often appears where you least expect it.

[Daria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to netgally, Alissa DeRogatis, and Cosmo Reads for the e-arc of How To Find Love In The Cereal Aisle🩷

For staters this book is for the lovers of meet-cute, coming back to yourself after being lost in someone else, and choosing your own story.

We are following queen Ainsley as she has recently been faced with the heartbreak of the century, when her three year relationship ends. Ainsley is a romance author in dire need of needing to draft a story for her third novel. So when she decides to take up the ultimate meet cute challenge, we witness an author begin to believe in not just herself again, but her stories.

This book felt like such a warm hug to romance books, and being a woman navigating self worth and healing. I absolutely loved Call It What You Want, and you can absolutely see the talent shine through DeRogatis’ writing. She has a way of being so real with the reader that it isn’t overtly complicated, it simply is fact.

It was so cool have the dual timeline and watching how everything came to a head and still having Ainsley’s voice as she told the story of the past.

The love interest is an amazing man and I loved him DOWN! I hope we get a novella of those two because I know their story has so much to be read!

Overall this was sm more than romance and really was a book about the healing process and heartbreak, romantically or platonically. I truly can’t wait to see what Alissa does next, and I will be right there waiting to read it🩷

[Mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up really enjoying this one! It leaned a little more women's fiction than romance in my opinion (which was more than fine, I just wish my expectations were a little more set there but maybe I misread the blurb), but the slow-burn, friends-to-lovers was well-written, and that's coming from someone who doesn't tend to love that trope. Def recommend for a light, fun read!

Things I liked:
🥣The voice. Ainsley was a fun character to be inside of, and even when I found myself not rooting for her in some of her flashbacks, her realizing that she wasn't perfect and that she needed to work to be better made her super likable, redeeming all those times.
🥣Lucas was a cute MMC, and though I wished we could have seen more of him, I enjoyed all the scenes he was in
🥣The meet-cutes, omggggg, they were so fun. That's actually the reason I'm deducting a star, is just because I would have liked more. I was hoping there would be more of them, even if we didn't exactly see them on the page, but heard about more. And we just left the lumberjack hanging? Give him his book, jeez
🥣 Winston!! Such a cutie little dachshund
🥣I feel like this would be a banger audio (I didn't have the audio, just making a statement lol)

But overall, I had a good time, and I will be reading Alissa's other book!

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘. 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 ✮⋆˙

[Lexie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first ever Alissa DeRogatis book and I have to say I’m impressed. After finishing this I definitely have to go back and read her debut novel.

How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle I’ll be honest first caught my attention because I thought the title was hilarious. But this ended up being so much more than just a cute title. The book was a fun, rediscovering yourself romcom. Plus if you’re a book lover like me you’ll enjoy all the tropes that come out to play in this book. Our FMC Ainsley went through a rough breakup and since she’s an author trying to write her next book. She decides to initiate “meet-cute” tropes in public spaces. The book essentially makes fun of those tropes while also delivering them in true romcom magic. The story felt modern and relatable, especially with the way it explored dating burnout and the pressure to have everything put together.

I think what I loved most about this book was our MMC Lucas. I’m a sucker for a friends to lovers trope. And Lucas delivered on all fronts. The two of them together had amazing banter and chemistry. Plus I really appreciated that Lucas & Ainsley weren’t perfect. They had their messy moments paving the way for their relationship to feel genuine.

Overall, this is a super cute romcom that I think any book lover would enjoy!

[SubconsciousShelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Tender, Slow-Burn Reminder That Healing Is a Love Story

How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle is the kind of romcom that reminds you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place. It’s sweet, funny, and full of heart, but what really sets it apart is the emotional honesty woven through every chapter. Ainsley’s journey — from heartbreak and self-doubt to rediscovering her voice — felt so real that I kept pausing to breathe through the moments that hit a little too close to home.

Her chaotic, cringe‑cute attempts at staging meet‑cutes had me laughing, but it was her growth that kept me hooked. Watching her learn to stop minimizing her feelings and finally take up space was unexpectedly healing. And Lucas? The quiet, steady best friend who shows up every single time — their slow-burn shift from friendship to something deeper felt earned, tender, and deeply satisfying.

This isn’t just a love story; it’s a story about rebuilding yourself after disappointment, about choosing joy again, and about realizing that sometimes the love you’ve been searching for has been standing beside you all along. Charming, heartfelt, and emotionally resonant — this book gave me exactly what I needed.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Maddie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows Ainsley Green who is a romance author experiencing a fresh break up. While on tour for her newest book release, she is experiencing the worst case of writer’s block and the inability to believe in happily ever afters. Realizing that her book inspiration comes from meet cutes, she enlists her best friend Lucas’s help to help her experience some real life meet cutes in order to gain inspiration for her next book. But she soon realizes that maybe love may find her when she least expects it.

Okay, when I say I want a friends to lovers slow burn, THIS is what I mean! I want a TRUE best friends to lovers. One where she slowly develops feelings over time and it is like a bomb goes off in her brain showing exactly what’s in front of her! I loved the relationship between Lucas and Ainsley! It was so refreshing!

While I loved the plot of this story and the developing relationship in the book, I did feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of pop culture mentions in this book. It was cute, but got to be a bit much! Otherwise I really enjoyed this one! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Sam Walicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

IM GUSHING THIS DRAGGED ME RIGHT OUT OF MY SLUMP

4.5 Stars ⭐️

OBSESSED is an understatement 👏🏼 How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle was such a fun refreshing twist on the friends to lovers trope. Alissa has a gift for writing characters that feel like real people, with real problems. Reading this story felt like I was texting my best friend about her breakup. Despite romance being the main topic of the book I did love that we touched on friend breakups, heartbreak, finding love / self love again, and grief. Reading Ainsley’s story felt like I was talking to one of my best friends or a situation I could’ve seen myself in.

I loveeeeeeeeed seeing Lucas & Ainsley fall in love and realize their feelings for each other. All the side characters are enjoyable and added the perfect bits to the story.

Bits I loved in this story/chaotic thoughts and word vomit while reading🤭🥣💕 *chaotic SPOILERS*

- LUCAS !!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Giving when I get my hands on you by the new basement tapes 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭
- Ainsley : what the fuck is that this wasn’t supposed to be a love song sound on TikTok but that lmao
- Sloane cameo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok period queen in the TikTok comment section
- The username handles kill me
- THANKSGIVING SCENE YEAH U FEEL AT HOME BC THOSE R UR FUTURE INLAWS BBYGIRL GO CLIMB UR BEST FRIEND LIKE A TREE
- AH AH AH AH THE BAR THE BAR THE BAR
- Alissa … no I have chest pains at 85% FUCK ME & THIS DINER & THESE PANCAKES
- IM COMING TO THE COTTAGE (The writing retreat Airbnb but same fucking energy!!!!!!!)
- The sex scene … no like I’m foaming at the mouth for Lucas

Alissa is also a genius with all the nods in the book to her debut novel Call it What You Want. Despite being two separate novels I love feeling like they existed in the same universe.

Overall loved this book & Alissa’s writing cannot wait to see what else she comes up with!

Thank you NetGalley/Cosmo Reads for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Annie Hollon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I’ve never read a book by Alissa before this but had heard a lot of chatter regarding her previous work. That, paired with the boost from Cosmo Reads, had me excited to pick this early version up!

I think the premise for this romance is interesting and I liked the potential for Ainsley and Lucas, but the execution is not my personal preference.

The integration of all the different romance tropes and the expectations vs. reality experience you go through along with Ainsley had me laughing (and cringing) at times. These moments felt the strongest throughout the book.

The flashbacks did make for a nice break between the present, but overall, I found myself struggling with the pacing. At times, it dragged on and others, I had to go back and check how much time had passed between scenes. I also am more of a “show don’t tell” kind of reader, so I felt like there was a lot of hand holding that wasn’t necessary. The second half of the book was stronger to me, however I wished it’d been a smoother reading experience getting there. The characters also had a lot of potential, but I felt I didn’t get to spend enough time with a good chunk of them.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Thank you NetGalley and Alissa DeRogatis for the ARC opportunity**

First of all, I’m a sucker for romantic comedy. This book was exactly what it was supposed to be, a romcom, and I loved every second of it.

How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle was so cute and ridiculously easy to read through. The humor landed, the awkward moments felt real, and the whole thing was just incredibly relatable. I have been Ainsley several times 😭 The internal spiraling, the little everyday interactions, the “why did I just say that??” moments, all of it felt very human and made the characters so easy to root for.

I found myself smiling through most of this book because it never tried to be anything other than a feel good romantic comedy, and Alissa absolutely nailed that. Sometimes you don’t need angst or emotional devastation, you just want something that makes you happy while you’re reading it. This book delivered exactly that.

If you’re looking for a light, adorable romcom that will leave you in a good mood (and maybe make you look at the cereal aisle a little differently), this is definitely one to pick up. 5/5 no notes! 🩷

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

It's truly a treasure to start reading an author with their supposed "Sophomore Slump" but Alissa DeRogatis is championing her second book. Ainsley Green is the kind of character you feel like you know, and Cole (the ex) is a masterful look at your friend's ex boyfriend who you didn't know was all that bad until 2 years later when they lore drop in a cafe like it's no big deal. I loved the linear nature of the flashbacks, seeing Ainsley process each section of her relationship for what it was worth, and how it actually impacted her long term instead of in the moment. You get to see how he is as she works through it herself, the early memories with a loving fog over them and the bluntness of the end of their time together.

The thing I loved most about this was Maddie. The only successful "meet cute" that Ainsley does, is making a friend for the first time since college. No forced proximity of dorm room hallways, no workplace bonding, just a good old fashion meet cute. Without Maddie you just have a boyfriend girl, and it truly made such a difference even if she was in a slight deus ex machina role.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author, publisher & Netgalley for the ARC read. All opinions are my own.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I went into this. Something cute for sure. Let me just say, it completely exceeded those expectations. This story was relatable, funny, and hit the feels in all the right places. I enjoyed it so much that I finished it in a day, and I don’t usually do that. Let that be a testimony to my enjoyment.
I definitely found myself in Ainsley throughout the story. Specifically at the realizations that in hindsight things were different than what we perceived them as. I have benefited from this lesson myself. This book definitely made me rethink my perception of love, and I appreciate the nuance in the take of it. The main point that was drawn is that love is a choice, one you have to make every day. Heartbreak may also be messy, and that’s okay. I appreciate this book’s reminder of that.

Overall, I enjoyed every moment of this book. I’m definitely going to be recommending this book to friends when it comes out.

[Bethany Wouters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Cosmo Reads, for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have to admit, I was in a little bit of a reading rut before starting How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle, and I can say I'll probably end up in one again after finishing it, because how am I supposed to find another book as sweet and emotionally-provoking as this one ???

There were times, especially in the first half of the book, that made me want to punch Ainsley in the thigh from how frustrated I was with her for minimizing her thoughts and feelings and being unwilling to hear anyone out, but that impulse is because I am just like her in that way. Reading her growth throughout the book helped more than just the reading experience for me; it allowed me to understand that there is a time and place for letting your voice be heard, and that my thoughts and feelings matter, too.

This is a love story, yes, but it is also about a young woman's journey in heartbreak, and in finding herself again, but better.