Imperfect

Unwavering Love #1

by Ari Reavis

When a guy saves you from a horrible blind date, you don’t expect to end up dating him.

Mariah’s confusion over why a man is pretending to know her quickly fades once she realizes the handsome stranger winking at her is trying to save her. If she leaves with him, what might this night turn into?

Damir knows he can’t watch the beautiful woman across the restaurant cringe one more time without stepping in to help her. He promises he would take her on a much better date than the one she just left, but will she give him the chance to prove it?

He's got a past that corrupt people refuse to allow him to forget. She's come too far to get wrapped back up in the hardships she's escaped.

Can such an imperfect beginning turn into exactly what they both need?

This is a standalone romance.

Genres: Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

ebook

Published July 5, 2021

About the author

Ari Reavis is a wife and mother of seven. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, she enjoys staying in, devouring books and watching movies. Her kids are running around, her husband is trying to show her martial arts moves, and she's trying to write. Her day in a nutshell.

She publishes contemporary and fantasy romance. Her books, while filled with love, also deal with issues that affect many, from trauma and abuse, to mental illness and discrimination. With each book, she writes from the heart, because she feels that’s the way to capture the hearts of readers.

Connect with her on twitter @authorarireavis
On instagram @authorarireavis
On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AriReavisAuthor
And on her website https://arireavis.com

Reviews

[Shivani (shivsreads_ ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of suspense, injustice, hope and unrelenting love.

In Imperfect by Ari Reavis, Damir, our dashing hero with sexy hands (Mariah thinks so) rescues Mariah, our bold heroine with a heart of gold, from a horrible blind date by pretending to be her brother. He then promises her a much better date. That is the beginning of the beautiful relationship that they build. Both Mariah and Damir have had a tough past. They have come out of it as better and stronger individuals. Imperfect is the story of how two people fall in love and fight for that love in the direst of circumstances, as people from Damir’s past cause trouble for them.

The plot of the story is pretty fast paced. There is a suspense aspect involved which really keeps you glued to the book. The beginning of the story deals with the build in the relationship between Damir and Mariah. This is the first book that I have read in a while where the MCs do not develop feelings for each other after being somehow forced to spend time together. There aren’t too many out-of-the-way scenarios that throw these two together often. Sure, the meet cute is pretty rom-com-esque. But apart from that, we see them put in some real effort so as to meet and get to know each other better. It is a small thing, I know. But this one bit of realistic story telling had me love this book just a tad more. This beginning portion of the story has loads of sweet, swoony dates and steamy, sexy scenes.

Moving further into the story, we see that some people from Damir’s past refuse to believe that he has turned a new leaf. They incessantly turn up to cause problems for him. When this criminal injustice reaches its peak and leads to some distance between him and Mariah, we see the steadfast love that they harbor for each other. In these trying times, we see the love and support that Mariah receives from Damir, his parents, her brother and the love she gives Damir. We bear evidence to their iron will when they refuse to give up and continue to plan for the future they are determined to have together.

I loved Damir so much. He is the perfect hard working, strong, reliable and swoony hero. I loved his quiet confidence. I adored that he loved his parents. The fact that he ran an outreach program for ex-cons just added more points in his favor.
Mariah is a bold and caring grade school teacher who really wants to make a difference in her students’ lives. I loved the relationship she had with her brother and her students. I mostly admired her for the considerate and respectable human she had become despite all the trouble she had in her childhood.

I have to mention the masterpiece that is the cover. What a beauty guys!!!! I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover and all that. But seriously, I think 50% of my willingness to download the book was due to the sexy cover.

This story made me realize how easy it is for young people to go down a bad path and how hard it is to rehabilitate them even when they are willing to change. This story gives a gruesome account of how power can be misused when in the wrong hands. It made me believe in second chances when I read about how Damir had changed and how he was helping others change. It made me take a closer look at how hard it is for ex-cons to get re-acquainted with the world. In short, this book had me think about a lot of topics that are often overlooked.

One thing that I would have liked to see is more emotional connection to have been built between the MCs in the first half of the book. They went on quite a few dates and had their fun. But I felt that maybe the author could have gone deeper into their feelings or emotional bond. Nonetheless, this does not take away from the sentiment of the story as a whole.

Ari Reavis has, yet again, written a beautiful and poignant story for our unconventional hero and heroine. I strongly recommend you to add Imperfect to your tbr if you like stories that are a little dark, deal with some serious issues but also make you believe in unwavering love.

Special thanks to Netgalley and the author for sharing a digital reader copy of the book with me in exchange for my honest opinion.

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[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damir and Mariah were perfectly imperfect together. His past consisted of many mistakes and missteps, but his loving and supportive parents helped to steer him onto the right path. Now he's a successful contractor, giving back to the community.

Abuse and neglect haunted Mariah's past and it was with the love of her big brother that she was able to love and thrive.

On one seriously terrible first date, Damir comes to Mariah's rescue and his white knight behavior doesn't stop there. They quickly fall in love, discovering they both want the fugture the other envisions.

One major problem: the cops who harass Damir and won't allow him to move on from his past.

I enjoyed many elements of this story, such as...
* the easy chemistry between the characters
* how simple and sweet the secondary characters were
* the way the author illustrated the harassment Damir suffered

While I didn't find this book to be as suspenseful as it purported to be, I did find it entertaining so recommending it comes easy.

[Aminah Ahmad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is only the second book that I've read from this author, but once again, I've really enjoyed it. The story is fast paced and Damir is the sweetest, but that's no surprise given how good of an example his father is. I liked that there wasn't the usual back and forth of whether each character liked the other, they were both very confident about their feelings and weren't afraid to express that they wanted to keep seeing each other or put in the effort.

Both Mariah and Damir come from troubled backgrounds, but certain people in Damir's past don't seem to want to let him go, making his life even more difficult on a regular basis. My heart absolutely broke for the storyline with Stanley and what made it worse is how realistic it was. Unforunately, for a lot of people of colour, that's their everyday life, which absolutely sucks. Likewise, this made me really think about the stigma that gets attached to people if they get involved in some bad situations when they're younger, but then try to move away from that as they grow. One of the reasons why I really liked this was because it felt very current and I thought the whole situation was very realistic, but it was so nice to see Mariah want to continue the relationship and help it grow, because she knew what kind of man Damir was now.

The side characters in this were great too, Damir's parents made me laugh on a number of occasions and they were so sweet. I hope we get to see a book for Liam and Nia as well, if there isn't already one. The scene where they're having their photo taken and Liam frowns at Nia hiding her face was the cutest! Also, I'm not ashamed to admit that I had a little crying sesh whilst reading this book... Whether that's because it's my time of the month, or because some parts were so bittersweet/cute in this, who knows! loool (tell me I'm not the only one who cried for Matthew!?) Ngl though, I was kind of expecting it to turn out that Matthew's dad was Officer Miller, given what he said about him, but I'm glad Mariah was able to get through to him, the waterworks were in full flow when they had their conversation.

Overall, another great read from Ari Reavis. I liked the pace of this and the realism of the storyline. Likewise, I loved that this was a relatively fast burn and we got a lot of steamy scenes between the two, as a lot of books I've read recently have been much more slow burn!

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[Leonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise:
This romance follows Damir and Mariah who meet when the former saves the latter from a horrible date. They instantly hit it off and start a wonderful relationship where they have to face hard challenges, but never stop fighting for their love.

The positives:
↣ Damir and Mariah are a wonderful example of what a healthy relationship looks like. They treat each other with respect, they have no misunderstandings because they know how to communicate, they tell each other the truth even if it’s difficult and are always there for each other.
↣ At the 50% mark the book takes a turn that I did not expect, but it made the story so much more interesting. A suspenseful element was added and the rest of the book had me on the edge of my seat because of it.
↣ The characterization in this book was very refreshing. We had a half-Dominican heroine and a black hero. Mariah had faced many hardships in her childhood because of her abusive parents, but she came out even stronger and kinder because of it. Damir got caught up with the wrong people when he was younger, but with the help of his loving parents, he managed to turn his life around and now help others like him, who are struggling, find their way. They were both such loveable characters and together they made such a wholesome couple.

The negatives:
↣ I have come to realize that a story about a couple that is just happy and in love with no angst, no struggles and no drama is boring for me. The first half of the book was only about Damir and Mariah falling in love with not much else going on and the plot dragged because of it. I also felt like it was a bit insta-lovey with how fast they fell for each other.

Trigger warnings: talk of child abuse, police brutality, talk of drug dealing and drug abuse, stalking and harassment by a police officer

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Angie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Mariah and Damir. Mariah is on a date her brother Liam set up and she is not having a good time. Her date is making her cringe. Oh, thank god I found you." Mariah's eyes widen at the stranger rushing through the restaurant. Looking around for who he’s talking to, I blink up at him in shock and confusion when he stops at my table, palms coming to rest on it while he tries to catch his breath. “It’s Dad,” he pants. “He got rushed to the emergency room. Mom’s been trying to call your phone.” As Mariah opens her mouth to tell him she has absolutely no idea who he is, let alone his mom and dad, he winks at her, giving a little nod towards her date. She realized this man, this angel, is trying to save her from the absolute worst date she's ever been on. When she gets up to leave, her date wants to know about her half of the meal. Once outside, he asked if she would like to go and get a cup of coffee. She tells him that she didn't even know his name. He tells her he is Damir and she said she was Mariah. "Make it tea and you have a deal," she said. They start dating and things are going fine for them. Damir has problems with an Office Miller and Miller harasses Damir every chance he gets. Miller writes Damir tickets even when Damir isn't at the place on the ticket. Damir gets tickets parked at his apartment complex. Damir has picked Mariah up for dinner and he is pulled over by Miller and given a ticket for a broken headlight. Mariah looks at the headlights and both are working. She gets mad over the treatment from Miller. Miller keeps harassing Damir over nothing. Damir had gotten in trouble when he was a kid but now years later, he is keeping himself out of trouble. He has a program in which he helps others when no one else will. Damir is in his office at the construction site when he walks out and sees Miller and Higgins, another officer, and Ray a parole officer taking to Stanley, one of his workers. Ray is telling Stanley that there was a report that he is living with a drug dealer and he is dealing again. Stanley tells him that his sister's boyfriend is the dealer and he can't help who she lets into her apartment. Miller is with Ray when he talks to Stanley but Higgins stays near Damir. He tells Damir that they are going to catch him. Damir tells him that he hasn't done anything wrong. Damir had told Stanley that a drug test would clear him and had him take one with Ray. When they come back, Stanley said he was clean. When Miller and Higgins leave, Ray tells Damir that he needed to watch his back because those two were after him. Damir has just picked Mariah up for their date and are on their way to the restaurant when he is pulled over by Miller. Miller pulls Damir out of the car and told him he is under arrest for the murder of Stanley. Mariah is going crazy with what is happening with Damir. Two female officers are there and telling Mariah to calm down or she was going to jail. They tell her she needs to go to the station with him to answer some questions. She tells them she is not going anywhere with them. She gets into the car and drives off. A few streets over she has to pull over since she is crying so much. There is only one person who can tell her what is going to happen with Damir and that is her brother Liam. When she gets in touch with him, she tells him what has happened. He tells her that she won't be able to see him until after he sees the judge and is transferred to jail. He tells her that after he is in jail then he can have visitors. After she gets off the phone with Liam, she calls Damir's parents and tells them what just happened. They tell her that they are calling Terry, their lawyer, and then will be on their way to her. Terry doesn't get to see Damir until the next morning before he sees the judge. When Terry asks for bail, he is denied and told the trial date for two weeks away. Once Terry is done with Damir, he calls Mariah and Damir's parents and tells them when they can go and see Damir. Damir doesn't want his mother to see him in jail again. The last time he was in jail, he made a promise to his mother he would never be there again. When he sees her, he tells her he is sorry. She tells him he has nothing to be sorry for. He didn't do anything wrong. Damir meets with Terry and tells him all the things Miller had done to him. After Damir tells Terry about all the tickets, Terry asked: "Do you still have them?" Damir said that they were in his car in the glovebox. Terry tells him that he will check them all out. Terry asked "Where were you on the night of the murder? Damir tells him that he and Mariah were at dinner and then went back to her house and that was where he was all night. When Terry talked to Mariah, she tells him the same story. On the day of the preliminary hearing, the prosecutor speaks first. He lays out all the evidence against Damir. Damir's head snaps up when the prosecutor said that Miller spoke to Stanley on the night of his murder and he was told that Stanley was scared of Damir. “Your honor,” Terry interrupts. “This is the first time I’m hearing of Officer Miller giving any statement or even having spoken to the victim.” “We only obtained the statement last night, Your Honor,” the prosecutor explains. “I find it highly irregular that an officer would only come forward with that information the night before the preliminary hearing,” the judge states. “I can explain it to you, Your Honor,” Terry says. “I have evidence here of a long history of Officer Miller, and other officers, harassing my client. Most notably, Miller writing him false tickets. False ones, like the one written on the night of the murder my client is accused of.” The judge told Terry to go on.“My client, from the very beginning, has stated that he was at a restaurant and his girlfriend’s home, which is on the other side of town, on the night of Mr. Phillip’s murder. Which I have proof of, and I’m sure the prosecutor could have easily obtained as well.” “Why was his alibi not investigated?” the judge asks the prosecutor. “We only have the word of his girlfriend that they were together. This was not enough to…” “I have the receipt from the restaurant,” Terry holds it up. “Which my client paid with his debit card, and I have the footage of my client and his girlfriend coming and leaving.” “I wasn’t provided that from the detectives,” he finally says. “It appears there’s a lot the detectives failed to investigate,” the judge accuses. “Both of you approach the bench.” Damir watches as the judge, Terry, and the prosecutor go back and forth. Damir sees Terry give the judge different documents and sees the judge looking at them. After a while, the prosecutor's voice raised, complaining that it was the detectives, and not him, who missed certain facts about this case. A few minutes later, Terry and the prosecutor return to their tables. The judge adjourns for an hour to review what Terry has given him. Damri looks at his parents and Mariah and sees the hope on all their faces. He is taken to a room to wait for the judge to return to the bench. Terry comes into the room a few minutes and Damir asks him "So what was this new evidence?" Terry said “I got footage from the bowling alley of when he placed the handicap ticket on your car and there’s also a camera in front of your building. It shows Miller there on various mornings, putting tickets on your windshield, and sometimes just sitting outside your building overnight, for hours at a time. It’s clear he was stalking you.” When the judge comes back to the bench, he tells them I find it very disturbing to see the amount of things the detectives, at best, overlooked, and at worst, deliberately held back, from this case. So much, perhaps even too much to be considered a coincidence, of the evidence, seems to depend on the word of a single officer. And so what I’m going to do is have that officer come in and testify to it. And it will give Mr. Coles a chance to bring forth the evidence he’s shown to me regarding some most irregular behavior by the officer.” Terry asked the judge if he could bring in witnesses to testify as well Your Honor?” The judge tells him that as long as it was to do with Officer Miller's behavior and not the case. "Understood," Terry said. The judge said they were adjourned until tomorrow at nine am, at which time I expect to see officer Miller here.” “Your Honor, I can’t be sure Miller can be here with such short notice,” the prosecutor says. “You had better make sure. Court adjourned.” Damir thinks that what the judge said is good news, but he knows that Miller will be lying on the stand. Terry tells Damir that this is good. "It is?" Damri asks. “Yes. It’s actually what I wanted, a chance to tear Miller’s lies to shreds on the stand. Terry tells him that with the judge wanting Miller there to give his testimony gives me a chance to show the judge, with the officer’s own words, that he’s a liar and any evidence brought to the case through him has to be dismissed. Damir is taken back to the smaller room and expects to be taken to the larger room to wait with the other prisoners but Terry stops him and said “We’re waiting in here for the guard to bring the mail,” The guard looks at Damir and said, "He'll be here soon." When Damir gets the letters, he starts reading them. Terry tells him that the letters sent to Mariah went out two days before and if she doesn't get them within the next few days to let him know. He also tells him that he would be taken over to the police station since he had to be in court the next morning. Damir is worried about Miller or Higgins working that night. He is told that they weren't working. The next morning, the prosecutor asks his questions first. When it is Terry's turn, he tears into Miller. He wants to know why he went out of his patrol area. Terry proves that Miller gave Damir tickets for no reason at all. After Terry is done with Miller, the judge tells them that from what he can see, there is no evidence to charge Damri and the case dismissed. Terry asks the judge to dismiss with prejudice. The judge dismissed the case with prejudice. This means that Damir can't be tried again for the same thing. Terry tells him that he is going to meet him at the jail to make sure he is processed out quickly. Damir is taken back to his cell. When he gets there John said "So you're getting out. “Am I?” I question right back. “I’m still not completely sure.” He chuckles. “That disbelieving look on your face tells me you’re definitely leaving. Congratulations, I guess”—he waves his hand—“Or whatever you say when someone gets out of jail.” “Thanks. I… I don’t even know what to say.” John tells him to go home and marry that girl and move away so that he doesn't get put back in jail. “Thanks,” I say. “For just being someone I could talk to. For helping me not lose my mind while I was in here.” “Same here. Hopefully, I’ll see you on the outside soon.” “Whether you get convicted or not, you’ll have a job waiting with me when you get out.” He nods. “I appreciate that. Bye.” “Bye.” Damri is taken to a room where he is given back all his stuff and he changes back into the clothes he was in when he was arrested. Terry is waiting for him when he comes out. Damri thanks Terry for all he has done for him.
Will things work out for Mariah and Damri?
This was a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in The Unwavering Love Series and it is Mariah and Damir's story and omg what a great start to a new series. When Damir watched a woman on a blind date that looks quite painful he decides to help her by pretending to be her brother with a family emergency and that encounter changed both of there lives. Mariah was so glad when her blind date was interrupted by a wonderful man who came to her rescue and offered to take her on a date that she would never forget. This meeting changed both of there lives but it was not without it's own problems. There are twists and turns along the way and I couldn't put this book down as it took you on a roller coaster ride of emotions right from the start and you have to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next and what the outcome would be and it was also really addictive. This is the first book that I have read by Ari Reavis but definitely not the last as it was so well written and definitely worth reading and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future. I definitely recommend you read this book as Ari certainly knows how to keep her reader's attention and on the edge of their seats while reading her books.

I Voluntarily Reviewed an Arc Copy of this book.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two people from two different classes yet similar struggles. Mariah has wanted to be seen for herself, loved for herself, but she was a burden to her parents who often abused, neglected her only her brother took the time and now as an adult she is still looking and while out on a horrible date with a jerk of a man and can’t figure out how to walk away until a sexy man steps in to help her out. Damir sexy as all get out troublemaker comes from loving parents but made horrible choice most of his young adult life and trying to make peace with those choices by becoming a success, giving back to his community, so when he sees a jerk harassing a beautiful young woman deciding to step in to help her. After helping her out he asks her a date promising to be a much better date and she accepts, and the chemistry is insane finally she has something like what she has been wanting all her life. But, Damir has issues with the cops, or should I say the cops have issues with him as they can’t let go of the boy he was and accept the man he has become making all the right choices now but instead keeping harping on the choices he made as a teenager. I love the communication and total honesty between them, but will it lead to happiness?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imperfect was my first experience reading this author's work and it was more than I expected from reading the blurb. This isn't your typical contemporary romance and I say that in a good way. I absolutely loved how Damir and Mariah met and their feelings for each other throughout the book were palpable -- these two really adored each other and it was refreshing to read a love story that didn't have any miscommunications between the main couple. That's not saying they didn't have their problems throughout their journey! Without ruining the plot for anyone who reads it, their problems come in the form of criminal injustice. Ari Reavis does an excellent job in interweaving the topic of police brutality into the storyline without it feeling like you're watching a public service announcement. The legal aspects were also written really well. I loved Damir's parents and Mariah's brother -- every character was well-developed and added to the storyline. A suspenseful and thought-provoking read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

[Tiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5

Imperfect was much more than a love story. It's also a story of race, corruption, and injustice.

After being set up on a blind date gone wrong, Mariah is suddenly rescued by Damir, a stranger pretending to be her brother with a family emergency. The two instantly hit it off, sparking a connection that would eventually lead to more.

The main thing I wasn't a huge fan of was how fast paced this book was. I mean like two chapters in and they're basically in love. It kind of threw me off how quickly things happened. However, I do have to give props because Mariah and Damir were adorable together.

The author incorporates real life issues into the book which I appreciated because it's not something you see often in romance books. It gives us an insight into how unfair the justice system can truly be and how poorly many people are treated because of corrupt systems.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mariah meets Damir when he saves her from an awful date, this leads them to start their own wonderful relationship. This does not come without trouble though; Damir's past is determined to interfere with this couple's future.

This was a nice lil read, I had a good time. Both of our main characters were likable and I enjoyed following them throughout this book. I will say though, while the romance was definitely there, that wasn't really the part I was invested in with this book. It wasn't exactly a profound love story that got my heart racing and my stomach fluttering, but I still liked it well enough (even if there were sooo many boring and same-y sex scenes). What I liked most was learning about how Damir's past was still affecting his life, it was quite heart breaking at some points.

I definitely think this book is worth a read!

I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley

[Nix · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful stand-alone love story offering so much more than the usual boy meets girl, falls in love and live happily ever after.

The synopsis published online for this book is a great teaser, but the story offers so much more. Reavis is skilfully mixing love, suspense and criminal injustice. The characters, especially Damir and Mariah, but also Damir's parents, Mariah's brother and Terry the lawyer, are well developed and I was cheering for them all, whilst at the same time hoping Miller and Higgins would rot in jail.

I am looking forward to the next book in the Unwavering Love series. 

== advance reader copy via NetGalley ==

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This book was a beautiful story not only about the romance but about real world situations.
I adored how the author managed to show all this very hard topics in a real and relatable way and not made it over the top or not realistic.
The main characters were relatable and their chemistry was amazing.
The side characters were perfect for the story and I'd love to read more of them, especially from Liam and John.
Overall a wonderful book.

*Thank you to the author for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Hawkeye K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this author’s work. With a little tongue in cheek humor the story starts with a bad date set up by the heroine’s brother. Mariah has been set up on the worst date imaginable by her brother Liam. The siblings seem to have a great desire for one upmanship, as well as a great love for each other. The nice thing is that this date failure led to Mariah meeting Damir and we get to watch their relationship develop. We also get to know several other characters in the book. There is drama, tense moments, sadness, joy, and love. A well-rounded book for one’s reading pleasure.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read her brother's story first so some of time line was already known. I loved that her and her brother are constantly pranking each other, it shows the deep loved between them. The date Liam sets her up with is atrocious, where Damir comes to her rescue pretending to be her brother.

This opens the door for him to ask her out on a real date.

The chemistry between the two is awesome, but there is drama along the way, there are is a big bump in the road.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brittany bookish_britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by Ari, and I’ve really enjoyed giving another book of hers a shot!
Damir and Mariah certainly have a chance meeting that turns into a beautiful romance of their own very quickly! Every relationship has obstacles to overcome, and this story certainly did not stray away from some hard topics.
If you like insta-love with some added dramatic elements and angst and of course some spice…you should give it a read.

[J. Ockenhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever get mad at a prank again just think of Mariah and Damir because a prank turned into a life changer.

I love the idea of how they met. It moves fast after that. Both characters who need love and make the reader want them to have it. I received an ARC for an honest and voluntarily review.

[Indie · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it !!! love this duet !!! love Damir... and Mariah... this is their story... a fast paced drama... worst date ever !!! Liam so set this up !!! turns into best date ever !!! as Damir saves the day and gets the girl... a really sweet story...

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Manisha Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great read I love the characters . This book is a page Turner the storyline is great you won't regret reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hopefulromantik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damir has his life on track he has a fantastic career, amazing parents, and the woman of his dreams. Unfortunately for him his past always seems to creep up on him and ruin things when he least expects. As a young boy, he had more than his fair share of arrests and even though he has turned his life around, the cops who knew him still find a way to harass and threaten him because of his past records.

This was a fast read for me and I loved that the author addressed police brutality as well as the lack of justice in the justice system. I love romance novels that are able to intertwine other issues into their story and this book did that perfectly. However, the romance was not really there for me, although it was a steamy ready, I did not believe in their love, I felt that the two characters did not know each other that well and things happened quite fast between them. Even if the romance element was removed from the story I still think it would have been a good read because the issues that were addressed stands well on its own to make an amazing story.

*I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Merry One Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading this author and I am glad that I took the chance. This is a real life love story between two people that struggled growing up. Not in the same way, but experienced difficulties. Damir came from a loving family but made poor choices as a teen and during high school. Mariah did not have loving nor attentive parents, they were selfish. Her only saving grace was her brother Liam. This story chronicles their journey of meeting and how they grow together through life issues like poor choices, race, and past baggage. Read On!

[Jedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damir saved Mariah from a terrible blind date and the two of them hit it off. Both have had trying times in their lives and through the love of their family have continued to fight. This story is one of injustice, survival, family and love.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5/5 stars

I have so many mixed feelings about this story that I need to share!

The synopsis tells of a story of a guy and a girl who work their way through a new relationship despite all of their struggles and pasts coming back to haunt them. This book is a lot more than that! Honestly this story is a conversation starter.

With all that is going on in society today, police brutality is a huge topic of conversation and this book touches very highly on that. No matter what anyone feels on the subject, this story gives an example of someone who gets unfairly treated by police because of his past and shows how it effects every aspect of his life.

3 Things I loved about the story:
-We need more diversity in our stories and this definitely brought that!
-the love between Mariah and Damir will make your heart melt
-I loved the alternating point of views between Damir and Mariah! It brought great insight to the story.

2 Things That Weren’t My Favorite:
-it was all very fast. The relationship between them felt like it went from 0-100 in about 3 chapters!
-the point of view switches, but it doesn’t indicate whose point of view it is at the head of the chapter and that would be nice to have!

Overall, it was a very interesting read and I am happy with how it all ended!




I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley

[Jessica Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

Mariah was on a terrible date when a stranger walked up pretending to be her brother. Little did she know that night that stranger would become her whole world.

Imperfect is a meet cute/insta love book based around Damir and Mariah who meet in a restaurant during Mariah’s awful date. Typically I am drawn to more fantasy or dark romance type books but I really loved seeing this one play out. Damir is an African American man who struggled as a teen with the law. Mariah is half Dominican and dealt with abusive parents and moved out with her brother at 14 years old. I appreciated being able to dive into the struggles of POC as I am not a member of their community.

Damir has to battle some prejudices with the local police department and gets arrested for a murder he had nothing to do with, but Mariah stood by his side through everything.

The spice in this book is very well done and it didn’t feel forced or in bad places. I absolutely loved the letter 😂!

[_chroniclesofabookworm_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

💥Overall opinion:
I really liked this book. It started out a little slow, but once it picked up, I zoomed through the rest of it!

⚡️POV:
Dual - MMC & FMC

🖤Brief Summary:
Damir saves Mariah from a horrible blind date, and ends up dating him. He's got a past that corrupt people refuse to allow him to forget and she's come too far to get wrapped back up in the hardships she's escaped.

💋Tropes:
Meet Cute
Dark Past
Insta-Love/Lust
Suspense
Surprise Pregnancy

💣Main Character Rating:
Damir - 4⭐️ - he was a protective, charming, cinnamon roll character from day one and it worked so well for this story. I feel like his stubbornness through a lot of this book, made it harder on himself in the end.
Mariah - 4⭐️ - she was the perfect balance to his character. She had a past just like he did and I feel like that's what made them work so well. I also loved the relationship between her and her brother with all the pranks. I wish we got more of who she is/was as a person/character and her background.

🥵Spice
1.5/5

🚫Closure:
This book had romance, comedy, suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat, and so much more! It's the first book I've read by the author, but it won't be my last!

⭐️Overall Rating:
4 freaking stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Danee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Damir and Mariah. Both have a backpack. Mariah has endured abuse and neglect. Damir had a past full of missteps and mistakes. And because he had wonderful and supportive parents who helped him choose the right path and stay.

Damir and Mariah get to know each other when he comes to her rescue during a horrific first date she's on. They soon fall in love with each other and learn to discover each other and what they both have in mind for the future and what they want is what they have in mind for the other.

The storyline and build-up is beautiful. The chemistry and passion between them is palpable. The author has articulated the characters and their characters well and also came out clearly. I thought it was a nice book to read.
This story is more than just the usual boy meets girl. Perfect, but then again not.
This book is highly recommended.


I have received an Advance Review Copy of this book through Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deborah G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the blurb, I was not expecting the story to take such a serious turn & delve deep into the topics of prejudice, injustice or corruption. Also, the writing style & conversations were a bit too simple & sweet for my taste & was convinced this would be a DNF. Thankfully, the author's jump into an extremely significant storyline changed my mind.

Damir & Mariah were kind & caring people who quickly fell in love after he saved her from a disastrous blind date. I'm not usually a fan of the insta-love trope, but it worked here. What tugged at my heart was how quickly Damir's parents & Mariah's brother banned together to support their relationship as well as fight the indefensible accusations generated by the malice of one person from Damir's past.

I'm so happy I didn't give up on this author, the quick pace of her writing & an absorbing plotline.
A great read!

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so good to read. I love the story line and background stories of both main characters. The way Damir and Mariah meet will have you laughing so hard. Also such a good meet up have not read that type of meet in a book. The story behind Mariah is so beautiful and amazing the healing she went through. Her story was so close to my heart when it came to why she become a teacher. This was one of the reasons why I wanted to become a teacher. The crap Damir went through with the Cops really was so messed up and frustrating it will have you angry at the harassment he went through. The big moment had me crying and caring so much for Mariah and Damir. How Damir parents love Mariah is so sweet amazing since she only has her brother. The spice in this book is so good and well written.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I need this to be a Hallmark or lifetime movie. Imperfect is a story of suspense, love, injustice but most of all it’s about learning to spread your wings and learning to fly. Damir and Mariah are the couple you hope to be. When I started reading I fell and I mean I fell hard for how sweet Damir is. Mariah is such a sweet soul. I admire them both so much for being such an important reminder in that despite your past you can have a beautiful future. Ari you have told a story that not only made me cry but made me smile and reminded me that there can be good despite what you have been through. I look forward to reading more from you in the future.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read

This book was amazing just so beautifully written. It is my first book by this author and will definitely be reading more of her work. The way she incorporated the romance with real life situations that happen and didn't shy away from them. She managed for them to seem so realistic and not far fetched. The MC'S were very relatable and it was so easy to see how much chemistry they had. Loved everything about this book! Highly recommend it.

[Hollie Senn Bookish Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow!!!! Imperfectly PERFECT!!!!!

Mariah and Damir’s story is one heck of a ride!!! The suspense of this story of I needed to know what was happening was so intense.. This story will have you in all your emotions and then some!!! Completely was lost in there world… ARI did an amazing job at really gripping from the first page til the end.. definitely looking forward to more and will definitely read more by this author..