The Plus-One List: A Novel

by Amy Ewing

From New York Times bestselling author Amy Ewing comes a steamy new vacation romance perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s The Paradise Problem.

Eloise, who struggles with anxiety, strongly prefers the company of her senior rescue dogs to people. But when her best friend announces she’s getting married in Mexico City and every guest must have a date, the pressure is on. Using an exclusive “plus-one list,” Eloise winds up with Agustín, a charming journalist and immigrant who recently moved to New York City from Mexico.

Agustín is on a mission to write the article of his career, but to do that, he’ll need to snag an interview with a man who’s proven impossible to track down. His only chance is to catch the source unaware at the upcoming “wedding of the century.” At first, being Eloise’s plus-one seems like the perfect solution, a purely transactional arrangement. Eloise is not looking for romance, and Agustín sees no need to tell her about his true motives for coming to the wedding.

As they play tourists in Agustín’s hometown, sampling smoky cocktails and delicious street food and meeting his family, Eloise slowly comes out of her shell. Suddenly, her blossoming trust in Agustín starts to grow into something deeper. But if Agustín wants to keep that trust, he’ll need to come clean—before their fragile connection is broken forever.

The Plus-One List is a deeply vulnerable and intimate romance novel that will make readers long for a dazzlingly romantic summer vacation.

Genres: Romance, Adult

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

As the daughter of a librarian, books were a crucial part of Amy Ewing's childhood.
She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, and her young adult fantasy novel The Jewel became a New York Times and international bestseller.
She is the author of The Jewel triology, The Cerulean, and The Irish Goodbye, her debut novel for adults. Her next adult romance, The Plus-One List, will be published in October 2026.

Reviews

[SookandBooks]

The Plus One List is a dual POV fake dating(ish) romance. Eloise manages her severe anxiety by keeping her circle small and her life routine- she has her best friend Rachel and her rescue dogs and doesn’t need anyone else. Except, apparently, a plus one for Rachel’s extravagant wedding. Journalist Augustín is working on a story that means a lot to him, but can’t get it published without an interview with a hard to pin down source. He knows his interviewee will be a guest at a high profile wedding, and manages to get himself added to the Plus One list as a potential date for any guests looking. Eloise and Augustín connect and, while she’s determined to keep their arrangement as transactional as possible, he finds a way to get through her anxiety and help brighten her world, broadening her small circle.

This was such a sweet story. I thought that Eloise’s severe anxiety was well represented and I adored The Pack, her group of senior rescue dogs who all needed some extra love and care. I loved that Augustín took the time to find out how to best help her without being pushy or delivering well intentioned but useless platitudes. I really enjoyed the found family aspect as Eloise allowed her world to open up a bit. All in all a really well done story!

[Bethany]

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the advance copy of The Plus One List.

This was such a wonderfully adorable, feel good romance.

The multicultural aspects were amazing and the incredible descriptions of each setting really gave this a unique vibe that I truly enjoyed. The characters, the atmosphere, the food, the family all came together to add to the story.

I loved the way the relationship between Agustin & Eloise developed. Their story was the type of fun, flirty, slow burn that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Agustin was the perfect green flag MMC

The 9th floor New York neighbors were the exact type of quirky & unexpectedly friendly bunch that Eloise didn’t know she needed and I loved the way they all came together.

And the dogs! Oh, how I loved the dogs! Eloise’s pack of rescued seniors were the true stars of story 🐾🐾🐾🐾

[Gal Wohlen]

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝘀-𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 – 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
4/5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

If I say I didn't cry myself to sleep finishing this book, I would be lying.

Time and time again, I've said I've seen myself in the FMC, but what Eloise and I have in common isn't exactly easy to deal with. And while my social anxiety isn't as incapacitating as hers (I mean, I can still talk to strangers from time to time without having a major panic attack), the way she portrayed her anxiety as a Wheel of Fortune spinning between “everyone hates me” and “I will embarrass myself, and it will haunt me for the rest of eternity” was painfully accurate.

Eloise doesn't have anyone. She's a total hermit and doesn't even know the people who live on her building floor. She has her dogs, the dogs nobody else wants because they're old or have medical complications (because yes, apparently even dogs can have diabetes), and her best friend, Rachel.

So, when Rachel gets engaged to her Mexican boyfriend, a series of (un)fortunate events begins to unfold. It's honestly beyond me how she became besties with an influencer like Rachel, but here we are.

Apparently, because Mexicans are superstitious (we are😂), everyone attending the wedding has to bring a partner or a curse falls upon the newlyweds. Cue: the plus-one list. A list of all the singles who are available. And that's how Eloise ends up matched with Agustín, another Mexican guy.

And Agustín? Perfect. Amazing. Hot. Obviously🤭

He has his own reasons for wanting to attend the wedding, but he soon realizes that Eloise is an amazing person and decides to help her navigate her social anxiety. The patience he has with her is truly special. Little by little, Eloise comes out of her shell, but what I appreciated most was that her progress didn't magically “cure” her anxiety.

As someone who deals with anxiety every day, I know that progress doesn't mean it suddenly disappears. There is always more work to do, and sometimes we raise the bar for ourselves so high that we forget how far we've already come. Having a support network can make all the difference, and Agustín was exactly that for Eloise.

And yes, it definitely helped that I imagined him as Adam Rodriguez from Criminal Minds🤤

On the other hand, the detail with which Mexico was described? I can only say: extremely well done.

The streets, the food (I will never say no to real tacos), the way people live in my city... it all felt so incredibly familiar that I experienced an almost painful longing to return to my Mexico querido. The homesickness hit HARD.

Mexico has so much to offer, and this book captured it beautifully. It felt like being transported back home for a little while.

I won't lie, reading a book this heavy, especially one dealing with something I experience myself, wasn't always easy. There were moments when it hurt.

But it also gave me a different perspective on how much I've grown and how much I've battled my own anxiety, especially after everything I've experienced this year.

And maybe most importantly, it reminded me that my anxiety doesn't define me.

We are so much more than our conditions, and we should be proud of every little step we take, whether it feels big or insignificant at the time.

Sometimes, simply realizing how far you've come is enough🤍

[Megan megmakestimetoread]

I thought Amy Ewing's Irish Goodbye was a cute book so I was excited to read her follow up The Plus One List. It's a great premise, a woman with anxiety needs a plus one to her best friends wedding and interviews strangers for the job. Along the way they build a friendship, but he is keeping his reasons for being on the list secret.

The relationship between Eloise and Augustin was so sweet. They fell into friendship by truly seeing each other and meeting them where they were at. I love that Augustin never pitied Eloise, just saw parts of her she didn't trust to be there. I love that Ewing made Eloise's apartment building "The Archer" into a small-town community- after all they say Manhattan is "the world's biggest small town." The cast of characters in the apartment were all vibrant and specific. I love that through Augustin's search for medicine for Eloise, he opened up all of their worlds.

The mental health of it all... As a therapist I had some problems with the diagnosis and the lack of adequate care Eloise seemed to receive. It is true that avoidance maintains and increases anxiety- so Eloise's agoraphobia and panic would be highly maintained in her choices. However, this condition is so treatable and therapy available virtually, so it broke my heart that she felt therapy unhelpful/ didn't have a great treatment team. Augustin being a safe person that helped her make small changes in her socialization actually is exposure therapy and does work. Him allowing her to panic, see that she was ok enough, and reinforcing her coping skills is a highly effective treatment. I love his patience with her and the slow way he realized he was falling for her.

I loved...
found family in her building
steadfast friendship with Rachel
Augustin's family- esp the minions and his abuelita
feeling like I was in CDMX with them because of the descriptions that activated all my senses

I didn't love... (spoilers)
a break-up that should've been an argument - this drives me crazy!!!! yeah they deserved to fight- there was a lie of omission, but this is not a reason to break up. I won't say it's inauthentic to how my therapy clients act- but let's do better guys. Fighting happens- let's work through things. No grand gesture needed. I love that reading helps our brains learn emotion regulation and problem solving- so let's teach folks to fight and work through!

All and all this book was a cozy, sweet read. The pacing was slow to start, but worth it after the set up. Then the end went like- snap- super quick. This is a cute end of summer/early fall read. 3.75- rounded to 4 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Alcove Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Christina]

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me with an eARC of *The Plus-One List* in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a genuinely sweet, easy-to-enjoy romance, and what worked best for me was that it had enough emotional substance underneath all of the cute moments to keep it from feeling overly fluffy.

Eloise is much more comfortable with her senior rescue dogs than she is with people, so when her best friend’s destination wedding in Mexico City requires everyone to bring a plus-one, she ends up choosing Agustín from a very literal “plus-one list.”

Which is already ridiculous enough that obviously I was interested.

Their arrangement begins as something practical and transactional, but naturally, because this is a romance novel and we all know how this works, feelings eventually become involved.

What I really liked was the way Agustín treated Eloise’s anxiety. He never felt like he was trying to fix her or force her into becoming a completely different person. Instead, he learned how to support her, paid attention to what she needed, and helped her feel comfortable enough to experience things on her own terms.

And apparently I am very easy to win over with a competent, emotionally aware man who simply pays attention.

Their relationship developed in a way that felt sweet and believable, and I especially enjoyed watching Eloise slowly let more people into her life. The romance is obviously central to the story, but I also really liked the found-family element, the destination-wedding setting, and, most importantly, the senior rescue dogs doing a significant amount of the emotional heavy lifting.

My biggest hesitation was Agustín keeping his true reason for attending the wedding from Eloise. I understood why the story needed the conflict, but it definitely had me thinking, “Perhaps we could communicate before this inevitably explodes?”

As expected, secrets in romance novels are rarely famous for resolving themselves peacefully.

Still, I really enjoyed the emotional development between the two of them, and I appreciated that both characters had lives, fears, and struggles outside of simply finding a relationship.

Overall, this was warm, romantic, funny, and just emotional enough. A really enjoyable plus-one/fake-date style romance with a supportive MMC, found family, destination-wedding chaos, and an FMC whose growth felt meaningful without requiring her to completely change who she was.

Also: senior rescue dogs.

Honestly, you had me there.

[Brittney]

The Plus-One List • Amy Ewing

One phrase: fake date, real feelings, rescue dogs 🐶💕

This was such a cute and easy summer read.

The Plus-One List follows Eloise, a woman with social anxiety who would honestly rather stay home with her senior rescue dogs than attend a lavish wedding in Mexico City. But when her best friend announces that every guest needs to bring a date, Eloise reluctantly uses an exclusive plus one list.

Enter Agustín, a charming journalist who recently moved to New York City from Mexico.

At first, their arrangement is practical. Eloise needs a date. Agustín needs access to the wedding for a career making interview. Neither of them is supposed to catch feelings.

Naturally, feelings arrive anyway.

I really liked that the romance grew alongside the characters’ personal struggles instead of taking over the entire story. Eloise’s anxiety felt like a genuine part of who she is, not just something tossed in for conflict, and I loved seeing her slowly come out of her shell.

Agustín was such an easy book boyfriend to love. His optimism, patience, and support for Eloise were so sweet, and I loved the way he helped her feel safe enough to try. His hidden agenda adds tension, but it never overwhelmed the heart of the story.

The Mexico City setting was also such a highlight. The food, the cocktails, the family chaos, the tourist moments, all of it gave the book so much warmth and personality.

But the true stars?

The senior rescue dogs.

They had their own little personalities and quirks, and I smiled every time they showed up. I also loved Eloise’s neighbors and the way they became a kind of found family for her. Those relationships made the story feel even softer and more comforting.

✨ Tropes and vibes:
💕 plus one arrangement
✈️ vacation romance
🇲🇽 Mexico City setting
🐶 senior rescue dogs
🫶 anxiety rep
📰 journalist MMC
🌮 street food dates
🍹 smoky cocktails
👨‍👩‍👧 big family chaos
🏡 neighbor found family
🌤 coming out of her shell
💞 soft summer romance

📚 Read this if you like:
Vacation romance, fake date energy, anxious heroines, optimistic book boyfriends, Mexico City settings, rescue dogs with personality, found family neighbors, family chaos, and romances that feel warm, sweet, and easy to sink into.

This was fun, tender, summery, and made even better by the senior rescue dogs.

#ThePlusOneList #AmyEwing #VacationRomance #ContemporaryRomance #BookReview

[Lauren (lololovesthings)]

4 stars.

I did not expect to like "The Plus-One List" by Amy Ewing as much as I did! Quite realistic, if you ask me. If you've never experienced anxiety of any kind, if you've never experienced specific kinds of trauma, you might think certain things about Eloise (FMC) and the way she acts. I totally understood her as someone who experiences anxiety daily. This book is a great example of not just social anxiety. itself, but how it manifests itself in every facet of someone's life. I love how selfless Eloise was in her quest to save dogs that no one else seems to want because they are old or grumpy or incontinent, etc. I loved her endless dedication to her pups and providing them a wonderful life for as long as they have left. Honestly, I have thought about doing that in my life, and this sort of gives me a template for what it might be like! The way she loved those dogs was so, so sweet and wonderful. Each one had a special personality, and I loved reading about each of the members of The Pack! I hated how her past shaped how she was in the present, and I felt so bad for her growing up without parents or guardians to show her love and affection. Agustín (MMC) was such a lovely, wonderful, patient, kind MMC (minus the one glaring issue - the lie about his grandfather). I enjoyed seeing him slowly come to care for her, giving her the room to freak out if she needed to, giving her the grace to be herself, giving her the strength to know she can do things despite her anxiety telling her she can't. It was so easy to get invested in them getting together! Also, how fiercely he came to adore her dogs! Swoon!! I loved their journey to Mexico for Eloise's best friend's wedding. The scenes in this trip are full of vibrant culture, incredibly detailed descriptions of settings and food and dogs and buildings. This book is the perfect mix of humor, dog shenanigans, anxiety representation, romance, and character growth. I found this to be mostly fast-paced (maybe a little *too* fast-paced by the end!), a quick read to be sure.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Ewing, and Alcove Press for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[P.J.]

Eloise suffers from anxiety and struggles to "be normal." Her parents died when she was really young and her uncle became her guardian. They lived together quietly and she eventually inherited their home. She feels safe with the senior dogs she fosters and her best friend since childhood, Rachel. Unfortunately for her, Rachel is getting married - to the son of a wealthy family in Mexico City. Aside of Eloise's concern that her friendship with Rachel will change dramatically, she's also been asked to give a speech at this GIANT wedding. And, due to the family believing in a curse, every person at the wedding must have a date. After being introduced to the "plus-one list," Eloise ends up choosing Agustin.

Agustin is a reporter from Mexico who is living in New York to try and make it. He had gotten himself added to the plus-one list when he learned that he needed to at least ask for a statement from a family member he didn't even realize he had in order to get his article published in his dream paper. He's tried many other ways to get to him and failed so the wedding is his last hope.

The chapters alternate between Eloise's and Agustin's POVs. Where Eloise is anxious, Agustin is optimistic. This made for a really nice contrast in the chapters. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book! It's a feel good story and, while I had hoped maybe we could skip the third act breakup/issue, it was handled in a much more realistic way than most. Not only did I love the main characters, Eloise's dogs - "The Pack" - and her neighbors were all done so well. I love a kooky character and this book was filled with them. I adored the Mexico City setting - although the descriptions did make me want to return. Overall, this was just a wonderful feel-good story.

Thanks to Netgalley, Alcove Press, and Amy Ewing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[S]

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the advance copy.

The Plus-One List was such an enjoyable romance. It had all the things I tend to like in this genre—fake dating, plenty of banter, characters who slowly let their walls down, and a relationship that felt like it grew through genuinely getting to know each other rather than just instant attraction.

I really liked Eloise and Agustín together. Their chemistry felt natural, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop while they each worked through their own insecurities. I also appreciated that Eloise's anxiety was part of her story without becoming the whole story. It added depth to her character and made her feel very real.

One of my favourite parts was the Mexico City setting. It wasn't just somewhere the story happened to take place—it felt woven into the novel through the food, family, celebrations, and atmosphere, which made it feel much more immersive.

It didn't become an all-time favourite romance, but I had a genuinely good time reading it. The storyline follows some familiar romance beats, but they're handled with warmth and enough emotional depth that I stayed invested the whole way through.

If you enjoy fake dating, destination weddings, slow-burn romance, and characters who help each other grow into more confident versions of themselves, I think this is well worth picking up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.75 stars

[Jen Lindsey]

3.5/5 ⭐️

Eloise has been living with high anxiety for most of her life. She doesn't go out if at all possible, doesn't know her neighbors, and has one friend Rachel and her rescue dogs. Rachel is getting married and Eloise needs to travel to Mexico and give a speech at a large wedding. She needs a plus one, and Agustín has just been added to the list and is in desperate need to attend this wedding. Their first few meetings didn't go over well, but Agustín was persistent. He won over her neighbors, Rachel, and finally Eloise. They have a slow burn relationship that begins as a transaction, that then turns into Agustín being her safe person , friend, and confidant, and then to a person she loved and was her home. Agustín needs to connect with a long lost family member to secure an interview for an article, but as much as he wants this closure for himself and his family, he needs to protect and keep Eloise safe and happy just as much. Agustín was so caring and helped Eloise grow and start really living through nurturing and patience and love.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Plus-One List in exchange for an honest review. The writing style was hard for me to connect with at first, but I love how understanding and care the author took with Eloise's condition and how good Agustín was for her.

[midnightblue | Baraah]

4.75 ⭐️

It’s wild to be able to live in someone else’s head, in a Generalized anxiety disorder head. This book is different in every way, Eloise is a beautiful soul and I wonder how many people feel the same way as her and we people live around them without noticing them and it’s sad.
I loved her friendship with Rachel it’s so pure and perfect, to have a friend like that that holds you whenever you want and need and to know you that deeply!
And when Eloise met Agustin what a perfectly imperfect relationship, the friendship and the yearning to each other and the way it felt so natural.
I loved the cultural aspect I got to learn about Mexican culture and it was so beautiful.
And how I can forget the dogs 🐕 in love🥹

And it made me 😭 emotional ♥️🥹


Thankful for the author Amy Ewing for this book, for the rising the awareness of GAD. Thankful Alcove Press and Netgalley for an eARC .

Quotes I loved:

“The only way to make change, to give power to the powerless and a voice to the voiceless, is to get loud.”

“Our hearts aren't glass jars that measure love precisely. They're more like sponges that can absorb and grow and expand as more and more love comes into our lives.”

“the truth is, people are messy. People are complicated.”

“I want to live a life in full color. You're my color. You're all the colors."

[Steph Reads]

3.5⭐️

Looking for a sweet, warm escape? The Plus-One List delivers all the vacation romance vibes, complete with the bright, vibrant setting of Mexico City!

What to Expect:
• Tropes: Fake dating to real feelings, slow burn, vacation romance, found family
• Vibe: Fun, flirty, anxious FMC x optimistic, easy-to-love MMC
• Rep: Multicultural rep & authentic portrayal of anxiety
• Bonus Points: Hilarious family chaos, rescue dogs with distinct personalities, and unforgettable neighbours who steal the show! 😍

Agustín is instantly charming—the kind of optimistic MMC you can’t help but fall for right alongside the anxious FMC. Their dynamic was warm, sweet, and wonderfully low-stress to read through. Add in the heartwarming found-family elements with the neighbours and a pack of adorable rescue dogs, and there is a lot to love here.

While it was a good, lighthearted read, it landed at a 3.5 stars for me. I struggled a bit with the pacing at times, and I found myself wishing for a little extra depth and punch to really push it over the top.

If you're in the mood for a cosy, easy-breezy romance filled with heart, it’s definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Melanie Green]

Money Hungry Mama follows Eloise, a woman with social anxiety who would much rather spend time with her senior rescue dogs than attend a lavish wedding in Mexico City. When every guest is required to bring a date, she reluctantly uses an exclusive plus-one list and is matched with Agustín, a journalist who has his own secret reason for attending the celebration. Their arrangement begins as a practical solution but becomes much more complicated as they explore Mexico City together, sharing street food, meeting family, and slowly lowering their guard.

I liked that the romance grows alongside the characters' personal struggles instead of overshadowing them. Eloise's anxiety feels like a genuine part of who she is rather than a plot device, and Agustín's hidden agenda creates believable tension without overwhelming the relationship. The setting adds plenty of warmth and personality, especially during the scenes spent exploring the city together. My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy.

[Jess (lucky.bookclub) Hilbert]

Mexico City absolutely shines in The Plus One List. The food, the atmosphere, and all those little details made me want to immediately book a trip and eat everything in sight. 😂

Unfortunately, the romance itself didn’t work nearly as well for me. I struggled to connect with Eloise and Agustin, and the story felt much longer and more repetitive than I wanted it to be. There were some sweet moments between them, but I kept wishing everything would move along a little more naturally.

I do think this will find its readers, especially anyone looking for a slow-moving romance with an extremely anxious FMC, lots of family dynamics, and a setting that really takes center stage. For me, though, the setting was ultimately what I enjoyed most. 💛

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tammy Bertrand]

This was such a cute story. It is a dual POV fake dating story. The FMC, Eloise, was relatable with her anxiety issues.  I thought it was well written. I absolutely loved The Pack, her group of senior rescue dogs with some issues of their own. I loved the way Augustin and Eloise's relationship was portrayed. He was not pushy and took the time to understand her anxiety despite having his own reasons for wanting to be at the wedding, definitely green flag type of guy! I also loved the found family in her apartment building.  The characters in the apartment were all brilliantly written. Overall this was a fun read.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Nikki]

This was a really cute book. The senior rescue dogs were my absolute favorite part of the story. They had their own personalities and quirks and made me smile every time they popped up. I also loved the the neighbors in Eloise’s apartment and how they helped her to come out of her shell and became family. Agustín was an easy book boyfriend to love. I loved his endless optimism and support for Eloise and how much he helped her to overcome her anxiety. I also really enjoyed the details of Mexico City and everything that went along with it, including Agustin’s crazy family. Overall, this was a fun and easy summer read.

[Cait Sully]

This was such an interesting theme! I thought the Plus One List was such a cool concept - if this isn't a real thing someone should patent it lol.

I really enjoyed Eloise and Agustin. They were both great characters, and I also loved the dogs! 🙃

My favorite part of this book was all the Mexican culture and food. The food descriptions made me hungry throughout the book! The author did such a beautiful job bringing the Mexican culture, food and traditions to life.

I do wish there had been a little more connection built between Eloise & Agustin but overall this was a cute read!

Thank you to LibraryThing and the publisher for the ARC!

[Zoe Lipman]

3.25/5

This cover really got my attention. I don't know why, but I dig the pool floaties.

This sounded like a lot of fun, like it would be entertaining and dramatic. But sadly, I found the characters to be a bit too flat. They made it hard to get super invested in the story.

I liked the overall premise, but I didn't find it as interesting as it could've been/as I was expecting.

As I like to say, I think it needed a little more oomph.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[TinieeBookstack]

Ik it’s kinda cliche to say, but I didn’t expect to get attached to this book this much.

Eloise has social anxiety and she doesn’t let people into her little world. But everything changes, right?

I really loved the self-growth throughout the story. Not everyone or everything is perfect and that’s life, right? “Perfectly imperfect.”

The friendship in this book was sooo gooodd. Like, this is what best friends are supposed to be.

If you’re looking for a contemporary romance with a slow burn, the one-bed trope and a beautiful self-growth journey, go for it!

[Andrea C]

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the E - ARC of this book.

This book had me right at the beginning with the senior dogs. I love dogs sooo much and it was really nice addition to novel to have a thought about these abandoned ones.
Back to the story :) Eloise and Augustin were really good team together. I liked Eloise, but I loved Augustin so much...oh this man was incredible and the mexican vibes and food...
It was really nice romance with fake dating trope and it was very easy to read.
Totally recommend.
3,5 stars from me

[Jen Nagy]

4.5 stars I loved this story! The author did a beautiful job building these very likable characters. I found myself cheering for Eloise as she tackled her social anxiety. The stories from the pack of her senior dogs had me laughing out loud. Her quirky neighbors end up being a fun support system and of course the very lovable Agustin- he’s the best. The mix of culture and characters was a delight!

Thank you to NetGalley for the early read!

[Rachel]

⭐️⭐️⭐️3/5 stars

This was a sweet feel good romance. I enjoyed the multicultural aspect and all of the food descriptions. The dogs and all of the neighbors on the 9th floor made it special. Even though her anxiety felt a bit like an excuse for being a bad friend at times, it still wrapped up as a cozy, enjoyable read.

Thank you to Librarything and Alcove Press for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin Watt]

4.5/5 ⭐️
I could not put this book down! Anxiety rep, NYC, geriatric dogs, and more. Definitely a slow burn that I could not get enough of. I love the progression of their relationship, and Eloise’s growth throughout. Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Courtney]

The cover and concept drew my interest in this book. Overall it was a good story but it didn’t leave a lasting impression. I feel like it needed a little something else but I just can’t put my finger on what.

I liked reading about Eloise’s experience with anxiety, and that will probably be how I remember this book. “The one with the anxiety and the dogs.”

[Alyssa Knappenberger]

The characters in this book didn't really leave much of an impression with me. I didn't find myself interested in reading their story, and the book seemed like it would be a fun summer read based on the cover, but I did jot get that vibe. I do appreciate the anxiety representation in the book though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Macy]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I really enjoyed Eloise and Agustin. I always love a book where the MMC falls first and adores her. Eloise’s character did a really good job at showing the struggles of living with anxiety but sometimes I felt myself getting anxious too!

[The Weaver]

This is a maybe. This book made me question things that I’m not sure on how I would rate the book. I wasn’t a fan of the book. I did like that it felt cozy and the diversity in it.

[Lindsey]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Some books feel like a warm hug, and The Plus One was exactly that.

From the very first chapter, I fell in love with this story. Eloise’s anxiety felt so authentic and compassionate, never defining who she was but instead showing how she navigates the world. As someone who appreciates honest mental health representation, this one completely won me over.

And can we talk about the senior rescue dogs? They absolutely stole my heart. Every scene with them added so much warmth and personality that I found myself smiling every time they appeared.

The relationship between Eloise and Agustín developed so naturally. I loved watching two people who were each carrying their own worries slowly find comfort, trust, and joy together. Their chemistry was sweet without feeling rushed, and getting to experience Mexico City through Agustín’s eyes made the setting feel vibrant, cozy, and full of life. I was craving the street food and wanted to tag along on every adventure.

But what really made this book special was the sense of found family. Every character felt like someone I’d want to spend more time with, and by the end I realized I didn’t just love the romance—I loved the entire group. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to any of them.

This was heartfelt, funny, comforting, and full of hope. I genuinely could not put it down, and when I finished, I wasn’t ready for it to end.

If you love fake dating, anxiety representation that feels real, adorable rescue dogs, found family, and romances that leave your heart completely full, don’t skip this one.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced arc!! ❤️

[Tanmeet Samra]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I would give this book 4 stars rounded up. It was a very pleasant read and I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did! The characters were so lovely, including the background characters and everyone was so wholesome and lovely. I did like that situations weren’t drawn out and this book had a very healthy pace to the story (unlike how some books have dramatic breakups and it takes a few chapters to resolve - which is annoying for me). This book also made me want to travel to Mexico and made me very hungry lol. Overall, I thought this book was very well done and I would read more books by this author! Grab a margarita, err, shall I say a mezcal and a taco and read this book!

[Sarah Martinez]

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘭𝘶𝘴-𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵 by Amy Ewing

This was a pretty decent book, though I didn’t like how emotions felt through by both main characters throughout the book were suddenly, neatly resolved within the last twenty or so pages.

DISLIKES:
- Joe Rogan reference 😒 Stop making things political - this wasn’t even necessary to advance the story or description of Eloise’s mindset. Take it out.
- Didn’t appreciate Augustín’s irreverence toward the church and especially toward God


I have included some cautions below this line, which could be considered spoilers. Please do not read further if you wish for your reading experience to be completely unspoiled.
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CAUTIONS: POTENTIALLY UPSETTING OCCURRENCES IN THIS BOOK:

opening sequence refers to pet euthanasia, death of a pet just prior to start of book offpage

•𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.•