Coffee & the Contingency Plan

by Jessica Costello

She’s got her whole life planned out, but she never saw him coming.

Valerie Boyd is ready to graduate. She’s spent the past three years, nose buried in her books, preparing for it. After she tosses that cap in the air, she’ll be on a plane headed anywhere but here–leaving the pain of her past behind.

When she drops into a seat next to her high school crush, Brody Ryan, on the first day of classes, the simple school year she’d envisioned starts looking pretty complicated.

Brody Ryan is the guy in the friend group everyone trusts for a good time. His senior year has snuck up on him, and with his father breathing down his neck about his future, he knows he needs to get it together. The problem is, he hasn’t got a clue where to start.

When they’re paired together for a school project, Val and Brody can’t agree on much besides their favorite coffee shop. But as they bicker over everything else, they also find themselves battling a mutual attraction. As Val grapples with the reasoning behind her future plans, Brody wonders how he could persuade her to make him a part of them.

Coffee & the Contingency Plan is an opposites-attract, college romance that follows a bookish, straight-A student and her goofy, takes-nothing-seriously classmate as they find harmony in their mutual coffee addiction and challenging each other to step out of their respective comfort zones. This standalone is the first in a series of novels that follows a group of friends in a small town as they navigate life and find love in a small town.

This book mentions previous death of a parent.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Rom Com, Contemporary Romance, College, Friends To Lovers, Chick Lit

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2022

About the author

Jessica Costello is a creative-minded adventure enthusiast who enjoys writing love stories that are sweet with a little heat and humor. She's living her own rom-com with her husband and their Mini Aussie in the Midwest.

She writes her books with a side of coffee and a playlist that consists of all genres and eras. She draws the most inspiration after a road trip toanywhere with an unobstructed view of the stars and sunrise--bonus points if that location is in the mountains.

Jessica takes pride in creating characters that find beauty in the ordinary as they go through real-life situations finding themselves--and love--in the pages of her books. Her love stories contain life lessons and difficult decisions that reflect everyday life, all while holding the promise of an eventual happily ever after.

Reviews

[rayhanah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the definition of cute and wholesome. I don't normally like books where one of them had a crush on the other, didn't act on it, and they reconnected in the future and fell in love, but this surprised me! I adored their teasy relationship and banter, how they balance each other out and stick up for one another when they need it most. This probably would've been 4 stars if not for the third act break up. It was all smooth sailing, and that pretty much ruined it for me. I just couldn't be bothered after. Overall it was a good debut, and I had fun reading it despite the dragged ending.

[buket · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks to jessica costello for the arc! 🥰 this was her debut novel and i'll be reading more of her books 🧚🏻‍♀️

✓ highschool crush
✓ sunshine cinnamon roll hero
✓ opposites attract
✓ slightly grumpy bookworm heroine

this was so cute! brody and val are made for each other ❤️ i loved their banter and flirting, they were very mature and most of the time talked about their problems.

val is obsessed with her future and doesn't know how to be in a relationship (i can totally relate to her) and brody has no clue what to do with his future. it was nice to see val get better with her trauma towards the end of the book and her mother's letter made me cry a little 😭

can't wait for the other books in the series! idk which one would be better bree&wes or hannah&miles book!!!!!😏🔥

[rcsecobalt · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3 stars

honestly this book had so much potential but it was so repetitive and predictable that i just couldn’t anymore. around 70 % i was just getting bored and had a hard time finishing it

[Alexa Kravitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf 62%

honestly just got bored. there were cute moments but mostly missed potential. also, sometimes the dialogue is just so clunky and unbelievable

[McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! it’s always so great when you find a main character that you can truly relate to. I think that val, the fmc, is the fictional version of me. I always find myself enneagram typing characters in books (that’s just who I am lol) and she is 100% a 6 like me. a big reason I loved this book so much was because of my ability to connect with her so well. the other reason was brody, the mmc, who was just the absolute bee’s knees. he’s a good one, friends! I also loved the side characters, which to me is very important!

I loved this story, I loved their “meet cute”, and I just adored the sweetness of it and the little bit of spice that was thrown in. both characters were dealing with baggage and I thought the way the author chose to write it was very realistic. I loved the author’s writing in general and I can’t wait to read her next book coming out in 2023 which will feature characters from this same world.

the reasons that this book lost a star from me are very specific. firstly, I didn’t love what the author chose to be the source of the problems that began for the couple toward the end of the book. knowing the fmc’s personality, it makes sense, but I didn’t like the way she dealt with it. I also don’t really enjoy when one of the main characters tells off the other’s parent(s). it makes me so uncomfortable lol. also, I normally wouldn’t bring this up, but it was too much to ignore. this book had many editing mistakes/typos/etc. many per chapter. it was definitely distracting and it made me have to go back and reread a couple times to make it make sense in my head.

overall, I really recommend this one if the issues I had are ones that you can look past! and if you think that you & I have similar personalities, you’ll also really love & relate to the fmc.

[Stacy Teet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet debut novel

Coffee & the Contingency Plan is a sweet college romance about a curly haired blonde with a serious love of coffee and office supplies and a former athlete trying to get his act together.

I love the way these two characters helped one another find their way through senior year. Brody convinces Val to take her nose out of the books long enough to enjoy the time they have left at school. While Val teaches Brody how to buckle down and get a little more serious in his classes.

They’re both blessed with some really great friends who make the book even more fun. While not technically a fall book, it works perfectly for the season since it covers Thanksgiving and winter break.

Looking forward to Costello’s next book featuring two side characters from this one.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

Thank you to Jessica Costello for an advanced copy of her debut novel! I love supporting Indie authors from the beginning, and was so excited to receive an advance copy!

Dual POV + friends-to-lovers + university setting + cinnamon roll = perfection

I loved Val & Brody so much. They were both relatable characters in such different ways. Especially how different their family lives were. You can't help but root for this couple!

Also the friend group was perfect. West, Bree & Hannah added so much to the story and I so hope to get more of their stories in future Costello novels!

My only complaint is the miscommunication in the middle of the book… I've been reading a lot of miscommunication romances lately and it's not my fave at all.

[Chloe Jewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an eARC copy of this book so first all Thankyou. 

Coffee & the Contingency Plan follows Val (Valerie) Boyd in her final year of studying. She has it all planned out; study hard, graduate and then leave this town and the past behind her. Only a simple accident draws the attention of her high school crush Brody Ryan and things become complicated even more so when they are assigned to work together for class during the semester.

I read this book over the course of two nights, I found it a quick read and enjoyable read with some lines that stood out to me. I enjoyed the MC’s growth throughout the book as well as the secondary characters ( hoping to read more on a few of them later on in other books). This book addresses sensitive subjects (please check warnings before reading) which felt to be written authentically and respectfully which is something i always appreciate from authors. It also contains humour from secondary characters and banter from the MC’s which makes the read a littler lighter.

“You deserve someone who doesn’t just want you to follow them. You deserve someone who will stand by your side as you walk together through life.”

I look forward to reading more books by Jessica in the future. 

Suggest reading if you enjoy
* Dual POV
* Forced proximity
* Collage romance
* Banter
* Nicknames
* Opposites attract
* Meddling friends
* Character growth
* Found Family
* supportive secondary characters

⚠️ Death of parents (off page), terminal illness (talked about on page throughout book), grief, trauma.

[Patrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Jessica Costello for the eARC of this book!

This was a fun, quick and easy read. I read it over the span of 2 days.

Val and Brody are seniors in college when they meet by chance and quickly fall for each other despite Val’s attempts to keep it friendly. Determined to knock down the walls she has up, Brody is diligent in his pursuit of Val.

Together, they tackle the inevitable question of what’s next while also navigating through grief and strained family relationships.

The book definitely follows the typical romcom format and is fairly predictable, but it also does a beautiful job of weaving in hard topics and handling them with grace.

Read if you love:
👩‍❤️‍👨 Young Love
👫⬆️ coming of age stories
👥 Dual POV
📚 classmates to lovers
😍 secret crushes
☕️ coffee

Definitely add this to your TBR when it comes out. I look forward to hopefully more of Jessica’s books in the future!

[Jessica Costello]

Ahh, it’s finally here!! Val & Brody are finally out in the world, and I couldn’t be happier to share them with you. I hope you love them as much as I do!

[Manasa Kannan · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF @ 74%
After a point, I did not feel like reading more because there was nothing holding me in the plot wanting to know more or wanting such and such characters together or see something unfold. The book was really nice, it had its nice moments and I loved it but it did not keep me hooked till the end is all.

[Andrea Wimmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I wait this long to read this beautiful book?

Y’all I’m in love! So so freaking in live with this book. It’s definitely what rom com dreams are made of. The perfect blend of funny, sweet, emotional and hot! Brody and Val had it all.

From the moment I started reading, the entire vibe of the book gave me “10 things I hate about you” energy. Even though this isn’t an enemies to lovers, Val and Brody’s banter, the awkward but yet so sweet moments during their friendship and the school setting that was so perfectly crafted screamed that movie to me.

I laughed out loud so many times and couldn’t stop smirking and blushing. Brody is definitely a guy I would’ve had a crush on in my student years. What a delicious flirt! My goodness! This man. I was instantly in love with him. He had a heart of gold and just needed to be loved as hard as he loved. The way he fell for Val was the most heart-melting thing ever! I couldn’t not root for him and his happy ending. Val was such a badass, sweet heroine. She broke my heart several times and even made me tear up with her backstory. Her healing journey hit home several times and found myself nodding many times as she discovered so much about herself.

I swear I swooned so hard through their friendship and developing this beautiful emotional and physical connection. I really loved seeing them defending and standing up for each other, figuring out their feelings and the logistics of their relationship. Even though it hurt at some point, the way they handled things was so healthy and I loved how they were able to work things through as a couple and a team that wanted to walk together on the same path.

Shout out to their amazing group of friends! I can’t wait to learn more about them in future books and to see Val and Brody again because I will love them forever.

5 solid stars to this amazing debut! Can’t wait to have it on my shelf and to read more of Jessica! I’ll be here swooning for a couple of days!

[Carlina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val is in her final year of college, and she knows exactly what she wants to do after graduation: be as far away from home as possible. Brody is always the life of the party, but not the greatest student. The two get paired up for a semester-long project, and through study sessions and coffee breaks, they fall for each other. Will this new development make Val rethink her future plans?

I was so happy to receive an eARC from the author! Thank you again, Jessica 💙

First off, I love when a book can really just transport you back to a different time in your life. When I was reading this book I felt like I was walking through my college campus along with Val, Brody, and the gang. The endless need for coffee, the long nights in the library, and the occasional drunken night out at the local bar…had me feeling very nostalgic 🤭

I also found myself really relating to Val in particular. All Val wants to do is run away from her past and to do that she thinks she needs to move cross country at the first possible chance. It’s funny cause I literally did that after graduation. I moved across the world, actually, and didn’t come back for 4 years. Senior year of college and the few years directly after that are such a weird time. I may not have gone through heart-shattering tragedies like Val did, but I understand her hesitancy in forming intense relationships and her need to just get out. I’m glad that Val found her strength in the end to do what felt right for her.

Now I need to talk about how much I loved Brody 💕I would describe him as the boyfriend in the group that all of your friends don’t mind having around cause he can hang with the girls just like he could hang with the guys. He treats everyone with kindness and always has a charming smile on his face. The patience and love he shows Val was so sweet to read, and I loved how he became pure comfort for her in every way possible.

I’m so excited to read more from this series cause I adored all the side characters so much. I need to know more about Hannah and Miles and Wes and Bree!!

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an arc of this book and did a happy dance when I downloaded it to my kindle!

Val lost her parents when she was in high school and now has her life planned out and just wants to move far away after college. Brody has always the life of the party and wanted to forge his own path in life, despite his father. After an awkward encounter and spilt coffee, these unlikely two are pared up for a school project. Val didn’t plan for Brody, will she deviate from her mapped out future?

Coffee and the Contingency Plan was such a cute read! Val and Brody bring out the best in each other. Brody is able to get Val out of her comfort zone and show how her there was more to life than studying. I love how protective Val is of Brody and helps him see that he has the potential to be a good student, it just takes some studying. Brody is so supportive of Val and is with her every step of the way when she visits her hometown.

This book had me laughing, crying and occasionally cursing out Brody and Val at times. I highly recommend it! I can’t wait to read more of her stories!

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew from the first line of this book, I was going to be absolutely in love. Romance AND coffee. MATCH. MADE. IN. HEAVEN. It’s giving Dual POV, Small Town Romance, Found Family.

This story follows Val and Brody. These characters go through so much character development, that you cannot help but fall in love with them and their stories. They each battle such strong pasts - grief, negativity, self hate, relationships, etc.

I felt Val was such a relatable character. It was such a quick and easy read for me because I found myself relating so much to Val.

Val and Brody really bring out the best in each other and due to that they grow and truly just make this story have the most lovable ending.

I laughed, I cried, and at times i was YELLING at our MCs for being stupid 😂

I am so thankful to Jessica Costello for sending me her eARC for an honest review! I immediately went to preorder a hard copy for my collection!

[Alex’s Annotations · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you Jessica Costello for the eARC!

This book was so good. It hurt me, made me laugh, made me cry, and made me squeal all in one book. I am literally obsessed with this and need you all to read it right now.

First of all, I loved all of the characters. I thought Val and Brody were very well developed characters and went together very well. I love how they both brought out the best in each other - Brody teaching Val to live life without a plan and her teaching him to settle down a little. I also thought both of their traumas were very real and relatable. It made both of them feel very fleshed out and made the book so much more enjoyable.

This book was super cute, a little heavy at times and definitely made me cry, and worth the read. Jessica did an amazing job with this one and I urge you all to check it out!

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy Pub Day, Jessica! This is a sweet friends-to-lovers, opposites-attract rom-com. Val is in her senior year of college, with a plan in place for her future. Graduate and get out of here, away from her home and the reminders of her parents, who both passed away. All was on track, until secret high school crush Brody walks into her favorite coffee shop. Cue a coffee spill, maybe a little flirting, and a total freak out. As fun as it was to finally talk to Brody, Val doesn't want anything disrupting her plan

Brody is not as set though - he can't stop thinking about Val! When they become project partners in class, their tentative (at least for Val..) friendship quickly turns to more and the feelings become harder and harder to ignore. But will Val be able to loosen her grip on her plans? Will Brody believe he can be more than the lazy student his dad thinks he is?

While there were some cute moments and some funny moments, this story did fall a little flat for me. It was pretty predictable, and I found myself frustrated at Val a lot for her stubbornness and poor communication with Brody a few times. I am looking forward to seeing what else Jessica writes, even if this one wasn't a total fave!

Thank you Jessica for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[anz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I truly hate to do this, giving it one star when I dnfed… especially when it is an indie author who I want to love so much! I feel like I am being so cruel, but I have to do it. So no hate to the author at all, but I have to give it 1 star.

but guys. They had a semi serious talk and then instead of the girl actually sharing all of her thoughts like he did, they went straight into sex. That’s a no from me. He was open and then she was like yeah that’s great, and then just poof.

To be honest also, I feel like absolutely nothing happened. I made it about 55% in and maybe more happened later but for the time being it was… not much happened?

and honestly I don’t do well with second hand embarrassment so this wasn’t the one for me!

That’s not to say it’s not good, it just want my cup of tea.

[Miranda Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome debut by Jessica! It's been a long time since I've read a romance with college-aged characters, and this one was handled so well.

Val and Brody both felt mature, but also believable for their age. I love the little details Jessica threw in to add depth to the characters, like Val's obsession with office supplies and Brody's hatred for olives. The romance was sweet, and developed at a nice pace for the story.

The character's hardships were woven in beautifully to add to the story, and I love the community of family and friends Val and Brody were surrounded by. Very much looking forward to Jessica's next book! Fingers crossed for a Hannah and Miles story. :)

[Rina Saha · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Behind every morning person is an addiction to coffee' & I am hooked forever with Val & Broody.
This book follows the journey of Val, a freckle faced girl with piercing amber eyes & blonde curls, a planner, who after some unplanned incidents of her life, strictly follows her routines & plans, to cope up with her loss & to pursue her pre planned career.Then enters Broody, a high school hottie, secret crush of many girls (including Val), sports enthusiast, believes in living the life to the fullest.Hence when these two collides in a coffee shop, both of their lives turns upside down.This book follows the swoony romance within the fold of a CONTINGENCY PLAN between Val & Broody, along with how the two messed up people helps to sort each other in a fiercely protective way, which will lead the reader to keep rooting for them till the end.Wes, Hannah,Bree are on of the best creation of this book.Last but not the least Thank You Jessica (the author), Bookfunnel & Netgalley for the ARC.Keep creating❤️📚

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid debut novel! I enjoyed this a lot. Meet-cute in a coffee shop, but she has had a crush on him since high school and he had no idea who she was. Some heavier topics like dealing with grief and strained relationships with parents. Adorable and wholesome 🥰

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/9/2023)! 🎁

[Athen | ardentlyathen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But you wake up every morning with a choice of what matters the most. And if you let me, I'm going to wake up every single day choosing you."

the ✨highlights✨
+ the nicknames!!
+ playful banter🙌🏼
+ high school crush turns guy falls first
+ the baseball butt collage photo 👀
+ study dates
+ doodles in margins

This book is such a sweet college romance but also has so much DEPTH to the characters! I loved Val and Brody so much and how they continually brought out the very best in each other. Once Brody got through Val's grumpy side, that is. Their story starts out with the cutest "meet-mess up" via spilled coffee with a side of "I can't believe this is happening right now with my high school crush" thrown in.

Val is entering her last year of college with a singular mindset: graduate and move on. Brody is entering his last year of college trying to figure out how he can make his dreams happen while dealing with his disapproving father. Val leaves their initial meeting without giving her name and with the hope of never seeing Brody again. So of course they're partnered up on a school assignment!

Brody annoys Val to no end, but she secretly loves it. And Val pushes Brody to be his best. They both truly bring out the best sides of each other.🥺 They both have family issues they're working through, but I loved that they were there for one another. You could see their friendship grow and then their relationship blossom from that. And I can't forget a round of applause for their friend group!!

A phenomenal start to this series and I can't wait to see what the next books have in store! Personally, I'm hoping Andrew gets a book.👀

Read if you like:
+ college romance
+ opposites attract
+ coffee houses and libraries
+ found family<3
+ a sunshine guy that wears glasses!

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

COFFEE & THE CONTINGENCY PLAN - JESSICA COSTELLO

ARC WAS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

RATING
⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.5 out of 5.

TW:

Parents 'death, grief, verbal abuse

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Val has her life all planned out. She is in her last year of college, already halfway out of the door and planning to move as far as she possibly could from the memories of the past. Brody is the total opposite – enjoying all the carefree and joyous moments college can offer, before eventually ending up like a failure – his dad’s words, not his.
Their paths couldn’t have been more different – up until a faithful morning, when she makes a complete fool out of herself by pouring coffee all over herself. He was nice enough to buy her a new one, and charming enough to make her blush, but not potent enough to make her waive from her goals and rules.
But as faith would have it, they get paired up on one of the most gruelling courses of the semester – instantly making them into project partners.
Brody is fastinated by Val – he is like a smitten, cute dog, with a bone to catch, trying to flirt his way into Val’s heart. Val is protective of her ways and essentially friend-zones him, but their banter and chemistry is apparent for anyone who has a chance to experience it.
Will Val let her guards down and let Brody in? Will their bickering and mutual attraction lead somewhere meaningful? As they both are struggling with the reality of growing up, their plans and rock solid reasons may be hard to protect from the other.

REVIEW

I was hooked from the first scene in the book! It wasn’t really in recent times, hen I read a college romance, and sometimes you forget all the bumbling the characters can go through, but oh, God, was this one cuteness overload!
I was grinning when we got our first introduction to Brody, his optimism and cheeky side came across the pages in heaps! Val and I have so many attributes in common, sometimes it felt like her thought process copied mine for certain situations!
This one is for sure more of a Gen Z romance – if there’s such a category - for various, awesome reasons. The characters have compassion and empathy towards each other, their insecurities and the way their communicate their shortcomings, validate their feelings.. It all seems like something that NA romances from a couple of years ago wouldn’t have covered this thoroughly.
Val and Brody's emotional maturation, the set-backs, their troubled home-life was fleshed out quite well, especially when it came to founding their shortcomings and the 'trouble in paradise' more believable.
I was a sucker for the non-traditional, found-family dynamics, the way both genders (boys and girls) supported each other, talked about issues! I have a feeling I will be very much so interested in the upcoming pairs from this small-town based friends group.

So, in conclusion:

Why should you read Coffee and the Contingency Plan?

• Golden retriever boy energy from Brody.
• Opposites attract: rule-follower girl and carefree boy.
• Friends-to-lovers
• New Adult, college romance
• Guy falls first!
• Found family and strong non-family ties to friends!
• Cuteness overload!

#coffeeandthecontingencyplan #advancedreaderscopy #jessicacostello #petraperusesbooks

[Paige Ribble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so honored to receive an ARC copy of Coffee & the Contingency Plan!
This was author Jessica Costello’s debut novel and she absolutely nailed it! This book is the first in a series of stories following a group of friends as they grow and find love.
In this first book we follow Val and Brody as they fight tensions and traumas from their pasts and find themselves leaning on each other as they really grow and find themselves (both alone and together) in their final year of College.
Val is your typical type A, have a plan and do not deviate, not a lick of spontaneity kind of girl. That is until she completely embarrasses herself in front of the guy she crushed on all through high school. He definitely didn’t notice her then but he’s made it clear that is no longer the case. She’s positive that she doesn’t have time for a happily ever after romance, so she’s determined to shut him down at every turn so she can just finish out her last year of school and move as far away as possible.
Brody looks like he’s your typical sporty jock on the outside ( which is totally accurate) BUT he’s got more than that inside. When an incident in the coffee shop leads him to Val, he’s intrigued and determined to get to know her better (even if she doesn’t immediately seem interested). When a chance pairing in one of their classes forces them together, can he use this time to break down her walls? Can Val shut him out like she tells herself she wants? Or will both of them find the things they least expected?
One of my favorite parts about this book is the story telling from both characters view points. I was really able to empathize and feel for each of the characters as they encountered obstacles and sweet moments. I also felt like it really helped me relate my life experience to the thoughts and feelings of each of the characters.
Jessica did a fabulous job balancing out this book with character description and development of the main characters as well as developing and giving snippets of characters that we may see in the following books in the series. (I seriously can’t wait!)
I can’t say enough good things about this book. Between the relatability and the full out laughter and swoon worthy moments that take place in this story, you really can’t go wrong picking up a copy and jumping in!

[HappyKT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: New Adult/College Romance

She is a college Senior focused on her goals of leaving her painful memories in her home town behind. He is the life of the party, charming and well liked by everyone who doesn't take his life or grades too seriously until a cute girl with freckles spills coffee on herself.

Val lost both her parents in High School. She went to live with her best friends family who she is still close to. After 3 years of school she is ready for one more year until she can get to the furthest city from her town and her pain. When the guy she had a crush on in High School runs into her in a coffee shop she feels the world shifting beneath her feet in an ominous way.

Brody has a complicated relationship with his father who wants him to take his degree seriously and end up pursuing a career Brody will hate. Trying to dissociate from the pressure, Brody would rather party than study, and his grades show it. When he meets a very cute girl in a coffee shop that wants nothing to do with him, he can feel his excitement building for the challenge.

Then end up being partners in a very difficult class. Brody convinces Val to help him study but it's just his attempt to spend time with her. Val has her walls built up high against any relationship and Brody isn't an exception. She does her best to keep him at arm's length knowing if she lets her guard down she will fall quickly. Brody is mesmerized by Val and is willing to be patient with her as long as she is willing to keep him around.

Dual POV, College Romance, spicy.

One day I'm going to take my own advice and stop reading New Adult stories but I keep hoping to find one that will change my mind. The MCs are mature adult types of college students for the most part. They are Seniors so the general vibe of these two is that they are mature enough for monogamy. Val carries trauma in her bones and it hurts her relationship with Brody. All he wants to do is be a permanent part of her world and she can't get out of her own way to enjoy it. Val punishes and sabotages their relationship with very little emotional maturity. Brody is head over heels and all in from the very beginning. The times when they are happy together are sweet but feel juvenile. 3rd quarter drama felt long and drawn out even though it was predictable. Sweet HEA and Epilogue.

[Taylor Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coffee & the Contingency Plan is an opposites-attract, college romance that follows a bookish, straight-A student and her goofy, takes-nothing-seriously classmate as they find harmony in their mutual coffee addiction and challenging each other to step out of their respective comfort zones. This standalone is the first in a series of novels that follows a group of friends in a small town as they navigate life and find love in a small town.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬. 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐲.”

This was another book that I went into blind and chose because of the cover. And boy did I do a great job! I never lost interest, every time I had time to read I hated putting it down and say “just one more chapter” probably 5 times! Oh and of course you know I love a book with dual POVs, I love hearing from both main characters, and each of these characters had their own issues so it was good to hear from both of them.

“𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞, 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐡𝐞𝐫.”

Val, she’s a hardworking, goal oriented control freak. Brody…well he’s the exact opposite. He’s a party boy that gets by on his looks and studies at the end of each semester. I love when opposites attract, I truly believe two people that have opposite qualities work out the best, you’re each other’s matching puzzle pieces. Their ups and downs will keep you hooked and you won’t be able to put this book down.

“𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐝𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬.”

There are so many supporting characters and you’ll fall in love with all of them just like I did, they were all crucial to this story. The ending, wow now that was a happy ever after and not just in the love department. Val and Brody really changed with their relationship, for the better. They both helped each other deal with their family issues and struggles and their future is going to be so bright together. I wouldn’t be mad about a book 2! Or a book about Bree and Wes because that would be hilarious!

“𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧, 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬.”

If you love an opposites attract book in a college setting than this is the book for you! This book will make you happy, sad and laugh out loud. I highly recommend this and can’t wait to read Jessica Costello’s next book!

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Coffee & The Contingency Plan
Author: Jessica Costello
Hero/Heroine: Brody & Val
Tropes: Friends to Lovers/Opposites Attract/College Romance

TW/CW: Death of parents, grief, toxic parental relationship,

THE GOOD 😀

You know when you see the cover of a book and think ‘that’s one I’d like to read’, this is what happened with Coffee & The Contingency Plan. Someone had shared it on their stories, I read the blurb and was immediately pulled in. Who doesn’t love a sweet college romance with a little Friends to Lovers/Opposites Attract thrown in??
Having harboured a crush on gorgeous baseball player Brody throughout high school and college, Val had resigned herself to only admire from afar. Catching his eye at her favourite coffee shop, Val suddenly finds herself on his radar. Also, their initial ‘meet cute’ was hilariously awkward and it made me love Val even more.
This was such a sweet love story and Brody and Val were endearing and so likeable. As well as the romance aspect of the book, I really enjoyed the depth of both characters and their backstory. Val, having lost her parents in high school, is still dealing with grief and is using college and her education as a form of escape. Brody, never having taken school very seriously, is feeling the pressure from his Dad, who constantly goes out of his way to make Brody feel as if he’s not good enough.
This was a really sweet, and at times steamy, love story and I found myself flying through the chapters dying to find out if these two gorgeous characters got their happy ending. A great debut from this author, I’m praying that Hannah and Miles story is next.

THE BAD ☹️

There’s usually at least one character in a book that I want to throw in the bin, however there wasn’t one in this instance. I mean Brady’s Dad is a bit of a pillock but he soon realises the error of his ways.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this to read. This is my honest review.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: A sweet and funny debut, looking forward to more from this author
STEAM LEVEL: 🔥🔥
STAR RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Eriza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't say I thoroughly enjoyed this book but I did enjoy it enough to finish reading it. There were missed potentials but this book had its moments.

I really liked how Val and Brody started off as friends or rather, study partners, which made their development pleasant to read and I liked how there was some sort of history between Val and Brody - they went to opposing schools and Val had a crush on Brody because she saw him playing against her school's team for baseball and thought he was cute. So the whole teenage crush thing was adorable and I liked that. There was also a meet-cute in the beginning of the book but what followed afterwards sort of felt off to me. The pacing felt off.

While I enjoyed reading the way their friendship developed, I thought their romantic feelings for each other grew rather quickly. Brody was already thinking about Val non stop after only meeting her once and don't get me wrong, I'm all for love at first sight but it just didn't really feel authentic to me considering that he didn't even know she existed unlike Val who had a crush on him prior to the meeting.

That being said, this book did have a slow burn to it and the whole 'will they won't they' thing going on and I enjoyed that. It was actually fun to see them navigate through their friendship while also trying their hardest to ignore their growing feelings for each other.

The supporting characters in this book added some depths to it as they each had their own stories. I knew Hannah would be getting her own story soon and I'm quite interested to see how things would go between her and Miles. Wes and Bree were pretty interesting too, I would've loved to read more of them.

All in all, this was a pleasant read for me. As I mentioned, the pacing was a bit off and some of the conversations came off rather stilted and not entirely believable. But other than that, it's a pretty good debut for Jessica Costello!

[alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I love you too, Val. I never stopped.”

I was lucky enough to be one of the few people selected to recieve an eARC of this book, for which I thank Jessica and everyone involved in the publishing process. But now, it’s time to discuss Coffee & The Contingency Plan.

I rated this book 3/5 stars. C&TCP was a lovely, light-hearted friends-to-lovers romance with elements of grief and familial trauma. Overall, it was an enjoyable, fast-paced read. But I did still have my problems with this book.

#1 - The repetition. Several times throughout the book, words would be repeated within a line of one another. Not common words, either - ones that seemed redundant being used several times.

#2 - The sentence length. Yes, this was an ARC, but still, many sentences seemed as though they would’ve been better off being broken up into multiple shorter ones. This was especially a problem with internal monologues - Val especially would often go on tangents, and the sentences in her POVs often ran on and on.

#3 - The predictability. Most romance books follow a similar structure. As an avid romance reader (and enjoyer), I can confirm this fact. But C&TCP really stuck to this mold. From the miscommunication trope leading to the third act breakup and the inevitable reconciliation, I knew every ‘twist’ before it happened.

Needless to say, though, I still enjoyed this book. Brody was an impeccable man who knew how incredible he was. The two of them had palpable chemistry, and I loved that he stood alongside her in the midst of her grief.

Thank you again to Jessica Costello for the eARC. Enjoy this delight of a novel, future readers!