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Better Than I Planned
An adventurous novel about an event planner who takes on an impossible project that teaches her about selfish ambition, love, and what’s truly fulfilling.
Danielle Wang, a twenty-three-year-old from college town West Lafayette, Indiana, is fixated on a more glamorous life planning events in the city after she graduates. As her final semester in her masters program dawns, she eagerly hopes for an equally glamorous final assignment.
But when her advisor appoints her to a client who insists on unconventional means to launch his business, Danielle finds herself at a crossroads: satisfying her client means failing to impress her dream boss at Landmark, a chic event planning agency in Chicago. The burdens of her work lift slightly, however, after she meets Ian—a handsome engineer in his Ph.D. program, who offers to help her here and there.
Yet as the semester progresses, problems test her resolve. An unidentifiable person’s mysterious attempts to ruin Danielle’s event set her back. And her growing affection for Ian, despite her best efforts to avoid a fling before moving, jeopardizes her Chicago dreams.
Will Danielle cling to her longstanding post-grad vision, or possess the courage to yield to something better than she planned?
Danielle Wang, a twenty-three-year-old from college town West Lafayette, Indiana, is fixated on a more glamorous life planning events in the city after she graduates. As her final semester in her masters program dawns, she eagerly hopes for an equally glamorous final assignment.
But when her advisor appoints her to a client who insists on unconventional means to launch his business, Danielle finds herself at a crossroads: satisfying her client means failing to impress her dream boss at Landmark, a chic event planning agency in Chicago. The burdens of her work lift slightly, however, after she meets Ian—a handsome engineer in his Ph.D. program, who offers to help her here and there.
Yet as the semester progresses, problems test her resolve. An unidentifiable person’s mysterious attempts to ruin Danielle’s event set her back. And her growing affection for Ian, despite her best efforts to avoid a fling before moving, jeopardizes her Chicago dreams.
Will Danielle cling to her longstanding post-grad vision, or possess the courage to yield to something better than she planned?
297 pages, ebook
Published July 14, 2026
About the author
Tamara Wang
1 book5 followersTamara Wang earned her B.A. and M.A. in Communication from Purdue University. After working in the PR research sector for a few years, she became a stay-at-home mom. When she’s not chasing her toddler around, she can be found reading something intriguing, writing something cozy, baking bread, or enjoying the great outdoors. She lives with her husband and son in Indiana.
To stay up-to-date on her books, subscribe to her newsletter at tamarawangwrites.com, and follow her Instagram at tamarawangwrites.
To stay up-to-date on her books, subscribe to her newsletter at tamarawangwrites.com, and follow her Instagram at tamarawangwrites.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 15, 2026
ARC Reader Here:
Another phenomenal read from the Indie world!
Christian Themes. Romance on the horizon. And a surprise sprinkle of Mystery!
Danielle has one goal, and enlist help to make that happen.
Ian needs “test subjects” for his PhD project.
With Graduation, final projects, MVP awards, and a prized career up for grabs; this book gives drama, suspicion, and love a good run!
I loved that I could also see myself in Danielle. Her drive, tunnel vision, refusal to let anything derail her plans for the future… yeah I understand at the very depths of my soul!
Highly recommend— already have this is mind for a Christmas gift for a few people 😉
Another phenomenal read from the Indie world!
Christian Themes. Romance on the horizon. And a surprise sprinkle of Mystery!
Danielle has one goal, and enlist help to make that happen.
Ian needs “test subjects” for his PhD project.
With Graduation, final projects, MVP awards, and a prized career up for grabs; this book gives drama, suspicion, and love a good run!
I loved that I could also see myself in Danielle. Her drive, tunnel vision, refusal to let anything derail her plans for the future… yeah I understand at the very depths of my soul!
Highly recommend— already have this is mind for a Christmas gift for a few people 😉
Read
July 14, 2026A beautiful Christian message with relatable characters and a familiar Lafayette backdrop. ⭐⭐⭐
Better Than I Planned by Tamara Wang is an adventurous romcom/whodunit debut novel about an event planner who takes on an impossible project that teaches her about selfish ambition, love, and what's truly fulfilling.
For a debut novel, I was really surprised by Better Than I Planned and thought it was a great first book! I would definitely read Tamara’s next book.
I loved that at the heart of this book is the message that though you have a plan for yourself, God might have a different plan for your life, and what it looks like to submit to Him. I also loved how the gospel is so clearly portrayed; as a Christian, I truly appreciate this in the book, and I could tell that Tamara wanted to glorify God with her work. I felt Dani’s decision to delete her social media was amazing—as a woman who does not have social media myself, I was cheering her on! Dani’s vulnerability was so relatable for me, especially regarding her sins and failures. I loved Dani and Ian’s relationship; Ian was such a patient and understanding character. Dani grew a lot in this book, and I felt her character arc was satisfying. I live in Lafayette and just loved that the setting was so familiar to me.
While I liked the plot and characters, I don’t think the writing style was for me. The flow of the writing took a while for me to get into. I also felt like the story, especially the romance, was being told to me secondhand instead of being shown; therefore, I didn’t feel fully immersed in the romance. I felt there could have been more dialogue and banter. The timeline also started to speed up about halfway through, which kind of took me out of the story and took away from being able to see a budding romance. The grad student piece of the book was not relatable for me, but I can definitely see where it would be super relatable to someone who is or has been a grad student.
This book is for anyone looking for a clean romance that leans into Christian fiction in a well-done way. I also think any grad student would love this.
Better Than I Planned by Tamara Wang is an adventurous romcom/whodunit debut novel about an event planner who takes on an impossible project that teaches her about selfish ambition, love, and what's truly fulfilling.
For a debut novel, I was really surprised by Better Than I Planned and thought it was a great first book! I would definitely read Tamara’s next book.
I loved that at the heart of this book is the message that though you have a plan for yourself, God might have a different plan for your life, and what it looks like to submit to Him. I also loved how the gospel is so clearly portrayed; as a Christian, I truly appreciate this in the book, and I could tell that Tamara wanted to glorify God with her work. I felt Dani’s decision to delete her social media was amazing—as a woman who does not have social media myself, I was cheering her on! Dani’s vulnerability was so relatable for me, especially regarding her sins and failures. I loved Dani and Ian’s relationship; Ian was such a patient and understanding character. Dani grew a lot in this book, and I felt her character arc was satisfying. I live in Lafayette and just loved that the setting was so familiar to me.
While I liked the plot and characters, I don’t think the writing style was for me. The flow of the writing took a while for me to get into. I also felt like the story, especially the romance, was being told to me secondhand instead of being shown; therefore, I didn’t feel fully immersed in the romance. I felt there could have been more dialogue and banter. The timeline also started to speed up about halfway through, which kind of took me out of the story and took away from being able to see a budding romance. The grad student piece of the book was not relatable for me, but I can definitely see where it would be super relatable to someone who is or has been a grad student.
This book is for anyone looking for a clean romance that leans into Christian fiction in a well-done way. I also think any grad student would love this.
July 25, 2026
I received and read the Advanced Reader’s Copy
Better Than I Planned is written from the perspective of a graduate student who is doing her final project in her event planner education track. She is tasked with a unique event that is going to challenge her, and challenge her it does. She crosses paths with Ian, a doctorate student, and they both set out to help each other with their respective projects. Over the course of the book their feelings for each other grow.
I really enjoyed being able to experience a new career field. A student in event planning is not a common POV to experience and I was intrigued by that.
It was really refreshing to read a clean Christian romance. I didn’t love that the author would write a summary about dates or important moments in their relationship instead of letting the reader experience it. I was left wanting more dialogue and romantic build up.
I also found some of the events of the book unbelievable. Sometimes I just felt like there was a leap to a conclusion with little explanation on how the character got there. Another thing I found unbelievable was their final project being so “competitive” that a college girl would sabotage another student’s project by basically recruiting a hitman to plant a bomb. That is such a huge escalation. It was also odd that Ian hadn’t heard about it at all, even without a phone. Something like that would have made the news and gotten back to him. It also felt out of character for him to wait till the morning after he got back in town to see her after an event like that.
This is not a knock on other parts of the book, but the clearest parts were the spirituality aspect. The gospel was clear, the struggle with self was clear, and the walk with Christ was clear. It was a beautiful way to incorporate Christianity and it was so naturally mixed in. Truly my favorite part of this book. 10/10 execution.
With all that said, I did really enjoy this book. It was a very cute ending!! I would read another book by this author! If you’re looking for clean romance, with a slight mystery plot, with a very well orchestrated spirituality component, this is the book for you. :)
Better Than I Planned is written from the perspective of a graduate student who is doing her final project in her event planner education track. She is tasked with a unique event that is going to challenge her, and challenge her it does. She crosses paths with Ian, a doctorate student, and they both set out to help each other with their respective projects. Over the course of the book their feelings for each other grow.
I really enjoyed being able to experience a new career field. A student in event planning is not a common POV to experience and I was intrigued by that.
It was really refreshing to read a clean Christian romance. I didn’t love that the author would write a summary about dates or important moments in their relationship instead of letting the reader experience it. I was left wanting more dialogue and romantic build up.
I also found some of the events of the book unbelievable. Sometimes I just felt like there was a leap to a conclusion with little explanation on how the character got there. Another thing I found unbelievable was their final project being so “competitive” that a college girl would sabotage another student’s project by basically recruiting a hitman to plant a bomb. That is such a huge escalation. It was also odd that Ian hadn’t heard about it at all, even without a phone. Something like that would have made the news and gotten back to him. It also felt out of character for him to wait till the morning after he got back in town to see her after an event like that.
This is not a knock on other parts of the book, but the clearest parts were the spirituality aspect. The gospel was clear, the struggle with self was clear, and the walk with Christ was clear. It was a beautiful way to incorporate Christianity and it was so naturally mixed in. Truly my favorite part of this book. 10/10 execution.
With all that said, I did really enjoy this book. It was a very cute ending!! I would read another book by this author! If you’re looking for clean romance, with a slight mystery plot, with a very well orchestrated spirituality component, this is the book for you. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 17, 2026I’m much too biased to give a star rating. Pieces of this story was far too much like my own. I’m was a “townie,”majoring in HTM at Purdue, marrying a PhD, themed girls nights in my apartment, the climbing anxiety of the semester tearing at my heart…trying to decide if events were for me. Then handing it all to God. Thankfully, minus the mystery, the story naturally resonates with me. It was nostalgic for me.
I appreciated that the growth of Danielle happened naturally. Often times in Christian themed book we see unrealistic expectations of what growth looks like. Instead Dani’s thoughts become all consumed with people-pleasing, her future, and her troubles only to realize what she needed all along. It’s a more realistic and genuine storyline for a believer, though not to diminish the stories of swift change/recovery.
Overall, it’s an accurate representation of people-pleasure event planners. The mystery is compelling. The slow burn romance is sweet. We all could use someone like Ian, as a partner or friend.
It’s a leisurely read. Some might say it starts slow, I can see that, at the same time it’s an accurate representation of some event planners’ minds. The anxiety, slow build, the doubt before it all rises, chaos ensues, then all falls into place. In class, you learn who are the external processors, strict planners, and the internal—but social—processors. Knowing Dani’s mind pairs with her eventual enlightenment moment as she walks the paths of Happy Hollow. Therefore, the slow burn of it all only connects us to Dani further.
My Purdue obsessed self enjoy this book! :) It left me giddy, felt seen, and made me feel closer to my old home.
I appreciated that the growth of Danielle happened naturally. Often times in Christian themed book we see unrealistic expectations of what growth looks like. Instead Dani’s thoughts become all consumed with people-pleasing, her future, and her troubles only to realize what she needed all along. It’s a more realistic and genuine storyline for a believer, though not to diminish the stories of swift change/recovery.
Overall, it’s an accurate representation of people-pleasure event planners. The mystery is compelling. The slow burn romance is sweet. We all could use someone like Ian, as a partner or friend.
It’s a leisurely read. Some might say it starts slow, I can see that, at the same time it’s an accurate representation of some event planners’ minds. The anxiety, slow build, the doubt before it all rises, chaos ensues, then all falls into place. In class, you learn who are the external processors, strict planners, and the internal—but social—processors. Knowing Dani’s mind pairs with her eventual enlightenment moment as she walks the paths of Happy Hollow. Therefore, the slow burn of it all only connects us to Dani further.
My Purdue obsessed self enjoy this book! :) It left me giddy, felt seen, and made me feel closer to my old home.
July 22, 2026
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. --
I thought this was a really fun debut novel! It started a bit slow, but then it started building steam and I became very invested. I read the last ~65% in a matter of hours.
Danielle Wang is a grad student in event planning at Purdue. As she nears the end of her program, she reaches her final project (a capstone of sorts) where she must plan an event for a local business. Her assigned event isn't exactly what she was hoping for and, with her portfolio and future job prospects in mind, she is forced to choose between self-preservation and aggrandizement or truly meeting her client's wishes. To add to the stress, she encounters a series of unfortunate happenings that threaten to stop her progress altogether.
I really like Dani's character and that this novel hit on several themes - career/aspirations, personal and spiritual growth, romance, mystery, family bonds, and more... I think setting it in a college town where she both attends school and has family close by was smart. It showcases a variety of characters that impact and enrich Dani's life in different ways.
I thought the book contained a bit too much internal dialogue rather than character dialogue and action. However, I thought the premise of the book was incredibly creative; I loved that I haven't read anything like it before. I think the writing polish can certainly improve with future work, and I would look forward to reading more from this author.
This is a good book for anyone looking for clean Christian fiction/romance.
I thought this was a really fun debut novel! It started a bit slow, but then it started building steam and I became very invested. I read the last ~65% in a matter of hours.
Danielle Wang is a grad student in event planning at Purdue. As she nears the end of her program, she reaches her final project (a capstone of sorts) where she must plan an event for a local business. Her assigned event isn't exactly what she was hoping for and, with her portfolio and future job prospects in mind, she is forced to choose between self-preservation and aggrandizement or truly meeting her client's wishes. To add to the stress, she encounters a series of unfortunate happenings that threaten to stop her progress altogether.
I really like Dani's character and that this novel hit on several themes - career/aspirations, personal and spiritual growth, romance, mystery, family bonds, and more... I think setting it in a college town where she both attends school and has family close by was smart. It showcases a variety of characters that impact and enrich Dani's life in different ways.
I thought the book contained a bit too much internal dialogue rather than character dialogue and action. However, I thought the premise of the book was incredibly creative; I loved that I haven't read anything like it before. I think the writing polish can certainly improve with future work, and I would look forward to reading more from this author.
This is a good book for anyone looking for clean Christian fiction/romance.
July 14, 2026
Better than I Planned by Tamara Wang is a Christian fiction about a post grad student, Danielle, in an event planning program. She has goals to build her portfolio and secure a sought after position at a high scale event planning agency in Chicago post graduation. When her final project assignment isn’t the style she had hoped for, Dani becomes disheartened that everything she has worked for might not land her the competitive position her heart desires. Then, she meets Ian, an engineering PHD student who needs help with a survey project and offers to consult on Dani’s project in return. Their friendship threatens to be something more at the same time there seem to be intentional threats to Danielle’s final project.
Tamara’s debut novel has a sweet romance, fun mystery, Christian faith thread, strong family relationships and friendships, and main character personal growth. I really enjoyed this book!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tamara’s debut novel has a sweet romance, fun mystery, Christian faith thread, strong family relationships and friendships, and main character personal growth. I really enjoyed this book!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2026
Better Than I Planned, a debut novel from indie author Tamara Wang was a pleasant surprise. The story has it all: academia, a clean slow burn romance, and even a bit of a whodunnit mystery.
I loved that it was set in my town. The author mentions many specific businesses and attractions from the area, and although I wish the writing itself had been more atmospheric, it was so fun being familiar with the setting. I was fascinated by the world of professional event planning, and thought that made for a fun point of view.
Often Christian fiction can come off heavy handed or cheesy, but the main character‘s spiritual growth felt authentic and aided the plot rather than distracting from it.
There were some things that seemed far fetched, and I would have liked a bit more development of the side characters, but this was a fantastic debut and I look forward to reading more of Wang’s books in the future.
I loved that it was set in my town. The author mentions many specific businesses and attractions from the area, and although I wish the writing itself had been more atmospheric, it was so fun being familiar with the setting. I was fascinated by the world of professional event planning, and thought that made for a fun point of view.
Often Christian fiction can come off heavy handed or cheesy, but the main character‘s spiritual growth felt authentic and aided the plot rather than distracting from it.
There were some things that seemed far fetched, and I would have liked a bit more development of the side characters, but this was a fantastic debut and I look forward to reading more of Wang’s books in the future.
July 16, 2026
3.5, rounded up for a debut novel!
Better Than I Planned, Tamara Wang's debut novel, was a fun read. I'd recommend it for readers looking for a clean rom-com that shows clear spiritual growth, with a dash of mystery thrown in!
Better Than I Planned has a great sense of place. As a fellow Greyhouse and Happy Hollow frequenter, it was so fun to see the names and descriptions of places I know and love.
Dani's character and character development were well done. I enjoyed hearing about her family - especially her sister Meredith - and found her struggle to give up control realistic and relatable.
I found everything that had to do with event planning fascinating and engaging. I could have read about six more events that Dani planned.
I struggled a bit with the writing style. The author seemed to be telling instead of showing at times, especially when describing the romance.
I also didn't love that a character got away with a crime, while his friends were arrested. Instead of confessing his role to the police, he decides to forgive himself to resolve his guilt. That piece of the plot didn't sit well with me, and the resolution of the mystery didn't completely click in my mind either.
On the whole, I enjoyed the book, especially for the loving details of the protagonist and the setting, and I would look forward to reading whatever this author writes next!
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Better Than I Planned, Tamara Wang's debut novel, was a fun read. I'd recommend it for readers looking for a clean rom-com that shows clear spiritual growth, with a dash of mystery thrown in!
Better Than I Planned has a great sense of place. As a fellow Greyhouse and Happy Hollow frequenter, it was so fun to see the names and descriptions of places I know and love.
Dani's character and character development were well done. I enjoyed hearing about her family - especially her sister Meredith - and found her struggle to give up control realistic and relatable.
I found everything that had to do with event planning fascinating and engaging. I could have read about six more events that Dani planned.
I struggled a bit with the writing style. The author seemed to be telling instead of showing at times, especially when describing the romance.
I also didn't love that a character got away with a crime, while his friends were arrested. Instead of confessing his role to the police, he decides to forgive himself to resolve his guilt. That piece of the plot didn't sit well with me, and the resolution of the mystery didn't completely click in my mind either.
On the whole, I enjoyed the book, especially for the loving details of the protagonist and the setting, and I would look forward to reading whatever this author writes next!
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5/5⭐️
I’d consider myself an avid reader of clean and cozy romance novels and this book definitely fell right in that group. A few fun twists included an in depth look at a grad student’s day to day life as well as a bit of a mystery!
The book starts out developing Dani’s character, we get a sense of her personality and struggles. If you ever went to grad school or are currently in it, you may find her inner dialogue amusing and relatable as she spirals a bit about school stuff.
After about a third of the book, it really picks up and we learn more about the love interest and the mystery side of things begins. I ended up reading the last quarter of the book in one go because I had to find out what happened! Without spoiling, I found it to be a very satisfying ending and I’m glad the author chose that specific end because it was better than what I had predicted.
I found this book very cozy and easy to read which is what I always look for in this type of novel. It’d be fun to have some type of spin off like maybe the story of Hannah and her finance meeting! Or maybe Chelsea / Megan as a main character.
I’d consider myself an avid reader of clean and cozy romance novels and this book definitely fell right in that group. A few fun twists included an in depth look at a grad student’s day to day life as well as a bit of a mystery!
The book starts out developing Dani’s character, we get a sense of her personality and struggles. If you ever went to grad school or are currently in it, you may find her inner dialogue amusing and relatable as she spirals a bit about school stuff.
After about a third of the book, it really picks up and we learn more about the love interest and the mystery side of things begins. I ended up reading the last quarter of the book in one go because I had to find out what happened! Without spoiling, I found it to be a very satisfying ending and I’m glad the author chose that specific end because it was better than what I had predicted.
I found this book very cozy and easy to read which is what I always look for in this type of novel. It’d be fun to have some type of spin off like maybe the story of Hannah and her finance meeting! Or maybe Chelsea / Megan as a main character.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I would recommend this book for young adults interested in Christian fiction with light mystery and romance. The story really started to move around chapter 10, and I particularly enjoyed the last 2/3 of the novel. Many of the details were oddly similar to my real life experience, and I think that perspective slowed my ability to sink into the world that the author dutifully described. I would have liked more relational development between the characters as opposed to thorough detail of places and assignments. That being said, it all comes together in the end, and I realize why so many of the details were important. This book avoids common cliches in mystery and dating plot lines, which was refreshing. I’d never read a fiction book with a storyline of faith development and hope the author continues in this genre.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of Advanced Copy from Author
3.5 ⭐️/5
I went into this book expecting a light romcom, but was pleasantly surprised with a bit of mystery. It moved a little slow in the beginning, but the details of the character being the oldest daughter were so relatable! I never expected to feel convicted on surrendering control to God, but the author did a great job weaving that throughout the story.
I do wish there was more focus on the relationship development with the love interest and even some of her friends. Overall I’d recommend the read to anyone looking for a Christian friendly romance novel!
3.5 ⭐️/5
I went into this book expecting a light romcom, but was pleasantly surprised with a bit of mystery. It moved a little slow in the beginning, but the details of the character being the oldest daughter were so relatable! I never expected to feel convicted on surrendering control to God, but the author did a great job weaving that throughout the story.
I do wish there was more focus on the relationship development with the love interest and even some of her friends. Overall I’d recommend the read to anyone looking for a Christian friendly romance novel!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Better than I Planned was a comfy and joyful ride through the life of a college grad student. I loved the vivid descriptions of Danielle’s coffee shop haunts, campus walks, friends and homes. She was a little neurotic but highly relatable! There were so many fun metaphors that had me chuckling, and smiling to myself. The mystery woven throughout the second half had me guessing who might be behind it. An adult coming-of-age story that was thoroughly wholesome and encouraging!
Did Not Finish
July 25, 2026Was excited to read this as a Purdue fanatic, but I struggled to even make it through the first few chapters. I did just get finished reading what was probably my favorite book of the year so far, so my standards are currently very high, in all fairness.
July 18, 2026
New book out now!
I wrote it and loved it, and apparently I'm allowed to rate my own book, so why not? :)
I wrote it and loved it, and apparently I'm allowed to rate my own book, so why not? :)
July 26, 2026
I didn’t read any reviews before and went in blind because I saw it was based at Purdue. I had no clue this was Christian fiction but aside from that this was so bad and cheesy😭
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