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Not the Plan
An ambitious chief of staff risks her career and her heart when she falls hard for her new colleague in this steamy workplace romance from the author of Getting His Game Back.
After nearly a decade of experience in state politics, Isadora Maris is damn good at her job. Aggressive lobbyists and stonewalling senators are no match for her diplomacy and her unflappable commitment to her principles. If all goes according to her meticulous plan, she'll soon be managing her boss's successful campaign for U.S. representative and finally land her dream role: congressional aide in Washington, D.C., where she can really make a difference.
But Isadora's cool professionalism is knocked off-kilter when she meets Karim Sarda. Karim is gorgeous and brilliant and seems to share many of her ideals. So why is he working for the California senate's most detestable scumbag? Given their bosses' fierce political rivalry, Isadora finds she can't risk tarnishing her reputation by flirting with the enemy, and she's been betrayed enough times to want to keep people at a distance. So she deems Karim off-limits--no matter how flustered she feels whenever he enters the room.
Karim knows that struggle all too well: Still processing the wounds from his failed marriage, he's ready for a fresh start. But Karim can't hide his attraction to Isadora's commanding presence. Her strength is captivating, even as he recognizes something fragile beneath its surface.
When Karim and Isadora succumb to their undeniable chemistry, their initial desire blossoms into something more--something real. But if Karim's boss takes control of the California senate, everything Isadora worked for could be destroyed. Will workplace politics shatter their chance at love?
After nearly a decade of experience in state politics, Isadora Maris is damn good at her job. Aggressive lobbyists and stonewalling senators are no match for her diplomacy and her unflappable commitment to her principles. If all goes according to her meticulous plan, she'll soon be managing her boss's successful campaign for U.S. representative and finally land her dream role: congressional aide in Washington, D.C., where she can really make a difference.
But Isadora's cool professionalism is knocked off-kilter when she meets Karim Sarda. Karim is gorgeous and brilliant and seems to share many of her ideals. So why is he working for the California senate's most detestable scumbag? Given their bosses' fierce political rivalry, Isadora finds she can't risk tarnishing her reputation by flirting with the enemy, and she's been betrayed enough times to want to keep people at a distance. So she deems Karim off-limits--no matter how flustered she feels whenever he enters the room.
Karim knows that struggle all too well: Still processing the wounds from his failed marriage, he's ready for a fresh start. But Karim can't hide his attraction to Isadora's commanding presence. Her strength is captivating, even as he recognizes something fragile beneath its surface.
When Karim and Isadora succumb to their undeniable chemistry, their initial desire blossoms into something more--something real. But if Karim's boss takes control of the California senate, everything Isadora worked for could be destroyed. Will workplace politics shatter their chance at love?
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2023
62 people are currently reading
11017 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
August 13, 2022
A passionate love story in the middle of political rivalry! Two ambitious chiefs of staff working opposite teams to support the best U. S. representative! The forbidden and undeniably high chemistry between them can ruin everything they’ve worked for!
Isadora Maris is perfect at her job. She knows everything about senate politics, working so hard to support her candidate and dream a future in Washington D. C.
She closed her heart to any relationship even though her mother doesn’t stop whining that her younger cousin is getting married before her.
Her encounter with charming, demigod, shy Karim at the airport affects her more than she expected.
Karim wants to have a fresh start after a marriage filled with gaslighting, cheating, emotional abuse. His twin brother pushes him to give a second chance of love and he barely forgets his encounter with Isa, too.
When they realize they work for rivalries, they decide to stay away from each other even though the attraction is irresistible!
Isa is having dilemma between lusting for man working for the enemy and losing her last chance at love. But her hard won reputation may be ruined if her relationship will be found it. And what if the senate’s most detestable politician wins the race! That means her entire dreams will be destroyed forever!
Overall: I love both of the characters and their high chemistry. Giving my four political rivalries, enemies to lovers, running for president stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine/ Dell for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Isadora Maris is perfect at her job. She knows everything about senate politics, working so hard to support her candidate and dream a future in Washington D. C.
She closed her heart to any relationship even though her mother doesn’t stop whining that her younger cousin is getting married before her.
Her encounter with charming, demigod, shy Karim at the airport affects her more than she expected.
Karim wants to have a fresh start after a marriage filled with gaslighting, cheating, emotional abuse. His twin brother pushes him to give a second chance of love and he barely forgets his encounter with Isa, too.
When they realize they work for rivalries, they decide to stay away from each other even though the attraction is irresistible!
Isa is having dilemma between lusting for man working for the enemy and losing her last chance at love. But her hard won reputation may be ruined if her relationship will be found it. And what if the senate’s most detestable politician wins the race! That means her entire dreams will be destroyed forever!
Overall: I love both of the characters and their high chemistry. Giving my four political rivalries, enemies to lovers, running for president stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine/ Dell for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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March 2, 2023dnf @ 20%
i think this author has talent and i enjoyed the first book i read by her. but the hero in this one feels really similar to the hero in the last book. and frankly i'm just not in the mood to read something that feels so melancholy.
i think this author has talent and i enjoyed the first book i read by her. but the hero in this one feels really similar to the hero in the last book. and frankly i'm just not in the mood to read something that feels so melancholy.
February 5, 2023
Summary: When veteran chief of staff Isadora Maris “meet-cutes” new colleague Karim Sarda, she is determined to keep him at arms length to focus solely on her career ambitions. Their chemistry cannot be denied and as Karim slowly begins breaking down Isaora’s emotional walls, just as their their bosses political rivalry intensifies, their chance of love is threatened.
Thoughts: Having loved Fool Me Once, another political rom-com, I wanted to give this one a try - I mean look at its gorgeous cover. There were elements I really enjoyed about this book, including the amazing rep - reverse domestic abuse and PTSD caused by a mothers emotional abuse - by ultimately, I think this one just isn’t for me. The cutesy nicknames and the steam felt a bit forced to me. My biggest obstacle though was the subplot of the warring politician bosses that caused the story to drag quite a bit.
Read if you like:
•workplace romance
•forced proximity
•meet cutes
•steamy/Hallmark
Thank you Ballantine for my ARC and PRH Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Thoughts: Having loved Fool Me Once, another political rom-com, I wanted to give this one a try - I mean look at its gorgeous cover. There were elements I really enjoyed about this book, including the amazing rep - reverse domestic abuse and PTSD caused by a mothers emotional abuse - by ultimately, I think this one just isn’t for me. The cutesy nicknames and the steam felt a bit forced to me. My biggest obstacle though was the subplot of the warring politician bosses that caused the story to drag quite a bit.
Read if you like:
•workplace romance
•forced proximity
•meet cutes
•steamy/Hallmark
Thank you Ballantine for my ARC and PRH Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest review.
November 3, 2023
3-1/2 stars
This was a decently fun romance. I liked both Isadora and Karim, and the political part of the story was done really well, as their bosses are members of the same party so the story avoids polarization. It fits into the same niche as Talia Hibbert's books, dealing with emotional trauma and coping skills. I appreciated that Isadora's mother is very difficult and says terrible things, and Isadora is portrayed as accurately perceiving the difficulty and insults, unlike other books I've read where similar situations are twisted into "but it's really a show of love." (Love may be there, but it's not getting communicated well, and sometimes that's just the truth.)
It's weird, because the story was interesting and enjoyable, and Isadora and Karim have good chemistry, and I kept thinking I should like this better than I did. And yet it took me 2 weeks to finish it, which is why the rating is rounded down.
So this is sort of a lukewarm review for a book that I think probably deserves better. And yet I just never found myself living the story. I don't know if I'm just getting too old for romances, or what, because this has been my feeling about pretty much every romance I've read recently. Don't take it too personally, book!
Isadora, chief of staff for a California state representative, is too busy for love. But when hunky and funny Karim shows up, maybe she can at least have some fun. Karim has just gotten out of a painful marriage, but he's willing to let his guard down for Isadora. There's just one catch -- they work for rival politicians.
This was a decently fun romance. I liked both Isadora and Karim, and the political part of the story was done really well, as their bosses are members of the same party so the story avoids polarization. It fits into the same niche as Talia Hibbert's books, dealing with emotional trauma and coping skills. I appreciated that Isadora's mother is very difficult and says terrible things, and Isadora is portrayed as accurately perceiving the difficulty and insults, unlike other books I've read where similar situations are twisted into "but it's really a show of love." (Love may be there, but it's not getting communicated well, and sometimes that's just the truth.)
It's weird, because the story was interesting and enjoyable, and Isadora and Karim have good chemistry, and I kept thinking I should like this better than I did. And yet it took me 2 weeks to finish it, which is why the rating is rounded down.
So this is sort of a lukewarm review for a book that I think probably deserves better. And yet I just never found myself living the story. I don't know if I'm just getting too old for romances, or what, because this has been my feeling about pretty much every romance I've read recently. Don't take it too personally, book!
July 7, 2023
DNF @ 53%
I really tried to like this book and care about these characters but it just wasn’t happening. But I really loved their meet cute though.
I really tried to like this book and care about these characters but it just wasn’t happening. But I really loved their meet cute though.
July 27, 2022
another horror novel trying to pretend to be romance. No. Just No.
January 30, 2023
I enjoyed the author’s Getting His Game Back and was excited for her sophomore novel. This can be read as a stand alone but Karin Sarda, the male MC, is the twin brother of the other male MC. And both have appearances in each others stories. Karim is wanting to start over and relocates to California taking a job as aide to a state representative. He meets Isadora Maris first on a flight and later when they meet on the job. She has been working for her state senator for years. He is a leader and she plans to run his campaign and follow him to Washington when he runs for the US Congress. Isa knows the ins and outs of state politics. Karim works for a member of the same party but one who plays games and is interested in the money and prestige more than in what he can do for his district. Their bosses are political rivals.
Cadenet took a good romance and made it better with her first book by bringing in race diversity and talking about mental health issues (for men). In this book again there is race diversity. Isa is black and Karim mixed. Karim is trying to divorce his ex wife who he hasn’t seen in two years. She suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder and would not follow a treatment plan. His description and experiences give information about the disorder and I like how he uses on coping skills learned in therapy. Isa and Karim have sizzling attraction for each other which turns into steamy times. They try to keep it away from work. Isa’s mother may also have some mental health issues.
The good things in this book are offset by the fact that I’m really tired of politics. A lot of the interactions and potential conflicts deal the with sleaziness in politics and I didn’t enjoy that part of the storyline. I also didn’t like that technically Karim is married and in my mind not free to date. He is very honest and there is enthusiastic consent but I’d rather she was the first person to date after the divorce.
I still recommend the book especially for bringing awareness to less talked about mental health issues. Also kudos for the cute cover. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 Stars)
Cadenet took a good romance and made it better with her first book by bringing in race diversity and talking about mental health issues (for men). In this book again there is race diversity. Isa is black and Karim mixed. Karim is trying to divorce his ex wife who he hasn’t seen in two years. She suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder and would not follow a treatment plan. His description and experiences give information about the disorder and I like how he uses on coping skills learned in therapy. Isa and Karim have sizzling attraction for each other which turns into steamy times. They try to keep it away from work. Isa’s mother may also have some mental health issues.
The good things in this book are offset by the fact that I’m really tired of politics. A lot of the interactions and potential conflicts deal the with sleaziness in politics and I didn’t enjoy that part of the storyline. I also didn’t like that technically Karim is married and in my mind not free to date. He is very honest and there is enthusiastic consent but I’d rather she was the first person to date after the divorce.
I still recommend the book especially for bringing awareness to less talked about mental health issues. Also kudos for the cute cover. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 Stars)
September 21, 2022
This book was a fun love story about two legislative staffers from political enemies.
Isadora is ambitious and has closed herself off from all distractions, including love. While Karim is charming and has recently divorced his first wife after an abusive marriage. They initially meet in the airport where things go awry and sparks fly. Once they realize they work for enemies, they try to stay away from each other, but they find themselves working together to negotiate on a bill and cannot seem to stay away from one another.
I loved the meet cute! I also appreciated that both main characters struggling with complex situations and difficult pasts. It brought to light real issues of IPV and emotional abuse that are often ignored or not discussed. It also made their love story that much more real and swoon-worthy. However, I found the dialogue between the two main characters a bit contrived and too heavy-handed with the pet names and cringe jokes at times, which made some scenes drag on. The political jargon also made some scenes a bit dense, especially coming from a non-political background.
Overall, it’s a cute idea for a spicy political romance that was also a quick read. Thanks to NetGalley and Dell/Random House books for the advance copy!
Isadora is ambitious and has closed herself off from all distractions, including love. While Karim is charming and has recently divorced his first wife after an abusive marriage. They initially meet in the airport where things go awry and sparks fly. Once they realize they work for enemies, they try to stay away from each other, but they find themselves working together to negotiate on a bill and cannot seem to stay away from one another.
I loved the meet cute! I also appreciated that both main characters struggling with complex situations and difficult pasts. It brought to light real issues of IPV and emotional abuse that are often ignored or not discussed. It also made their love story that much more real and swoon-worthy. However, I found the dialogue between the two main characters a bit contrived and too heavy-handed with the pet names and cringe jokes at times, which made some scenes drag on. The political jargon also made some scenes a bit dense, especially coming from a non-political background.
Overall, it’s a cute idea for a spicy political romance that was also a quick read. Thanks to NetGalley and Dell/Random House books for the advance copy!
January 27, 2023
Political romances are my new favorite trope and this one was EXCELLENT! A dual POV, interracial, workplace romance between two political staffers. This was a bit of an opposites attract romance that catches both MCs unexpectedly as they find themselves falling the more they work together.
Steamy with great emotional depth! I loved how each of the MCs had their own baggage to work through - Karim is in the process of divorcing an emotionally and physically abusive ex, while Isadora has cPTSD and anxiety as a result of a lifetime of her mother's toxicity and narcissism (heavily implied her mother is bipolar or has borderline personality disorder).
Great on audio narrated by Zenzi Williams. Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley romance for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! Highly recommended for fans of other political romances like The last-minute first lady by Tinia Montford or The boyfriend candidate by Ashley Winstead.
Steamy with great emotional depth! I loved how each of the MCs had their own baggage to work through - Karim is in the process of divorcing an emotionally and physically abusive ex, while Isadora has cPTSD and anxiety as a result of a lifetime of her mother's toxicity and narcissism (heavily implied her mother is bipolar or has borderline personality disorder).
Great on audio narrated by Zenzi Williams. Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley romance for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! Highly recommended for fans of other political romances like The last-minute first lady by Tinia Montford or The boyfriend candidate by Ashley Winstead.
August 22, 2022
Isadora is the chief of staff to a potential US congressman is solely focused on becoming a congressional aide in DC. When she meets Karim her world gets turned upside down. Isadora can’t deny her attraction to Karim, the problem is he works for a political rival. Will she let go of all the potential conflicts of interest and follow her heart? Or will Karim end up tarnishing her political career? I really appreciate how this political love story sheds light on bipolar disorder and familial relationships as well as how both characters struggle and support each other in a healthy way!
September 25, 2022
Not the Plan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 2/7/23
Author: Gia de Cadenet
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Pages: 320
GR: 3.51
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Isadora Maris will soon be managing her boss's successful campaign for U.S. representative. Why is Karim Sarda working for the California senate's most detestable scumbag? Given their bosses' fierce political rivalry, Isadora finds she can't risk tarnishing her reputation by flirting with the enemy. So she deems Karim off-limits--no matter how flustered she feels whenever he enters the room. When Karim and Isadora succumb to their undeniable chemistry, their initial desire blossoms into something more--something real. But if Karim's boss takes control of the California senate, everything Isadora worked for could be destroyed. Will workplace politics shatter their chance at love?
My Thoughts: This is a classic spin on the enemies to lovers trope, one of my favorite. There is a bipolar disorder representation, which hits close to home as someone in my family struggles with this. Even with our MCs being in opposite political offices, you root for them the entire time because they are dynamic together. Isadora is a very strong and independent woman, while Karim is a sensitive man that is driven by passion. A good portion of the story focuses on past trauma and abuse, while these are hard and sensitive subjects, I believe the author approached them with grace and they were done beautifully. The characters were fleshed out with depth, witty banter, mad chemistry, and creatively woven throughout the story. The author’s writing was complex, intriguing, funny, political (but not too much), and kept me engaged the entire story. The amount of support and strength throughout the MCs was amazing and I l enjoyed reading this story. This does not release until February next year, but I do recommend preordering, if possible.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 2/7/23
Author: Gia de Cadenet
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Pages: 320
GR: 3.51
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Isadora Maris will soon be managing her boss's successful campaign for U.S. representative. Why is Karim Sarda working for the California senate's most detestable scumbag? Given their bosses' fierce political rivalry, Isadora finds she can't risk tarnishing her reputation by flirting with the enemy. So she deems Karim off-limits--no matter how flustered she feels whenever he enters the room. When Karim and Isadora succumb to their undeniable chemistry, their initial desire blossoms into something more--something real. But if Karim's boss takes control of the California senate, everything Isadora worked for could be destroyed. Will workplace politics shatter their chance at love?
My Thoughts: This is a classic spin on the enemies to lovers trope, one of my favorite. There is a bipolar disorder representation, which hits close to home as someone in my family struggles with this. Even with our MCs being in opposite political offices, you root for them the entire time because they are dynamic together. Isadora is a very strong and independent woman, while Karim is a sensitive man that is driven by passion. A good portion of the story focuses on past trauma and abuse, while these are hard and sensitive subjects, I believe the author approached them with grace and they were done beautifully. The characters were fleshed out with depth, witty banter, mad chemistry, and creatively woven throughout the story. The author’s writing was complex, intriguing, funny, political (but not too much), and kept me engaged the entire story. The amount of support and strength throughout the MCs was amazing and I l enjoyed reading this story. This does not release until February next year, but I do recommend preordering, if possible.
January 29, 2023
Many thanks to Ballantine & Random House books for this ARC and the opportunity to read “Not the Plan” before it’s official debut via NetGalley!
Star rating: 2/5
Isadora & Karim both work as staffers in the California Senate, and both come with their own traumatic past that they are working to heal from when they - literally - run into each other in the San Diego Airport and flirt their way through the flight to the state Capitol. HiJinx ensue when they meet (again) in Sacramento, where they learn they work for warring politicians.
The good: Author Gia De Cadenet set up a fun meet cute and I enjoyed the “will they or won’t they” back and forth after they’re put in predicament after predicament at work. I enjoyed the world that the author created, she did a great job framing the narrative of the political backstory (as someone whose job is very similar to Karim & Isa, it was nice to read a political story that mostly “got it right” on these details!). I enjoy reading books with diverse characters and appreciate the author’s attempt at bringing to light serious topics of emotional abuse and childhood trauma.
The parts I wish were different: I didn’t feel as invested in Karim & Isa as I wanted to - their chemistry wasn’t fully there for me. And while I feel the author did a great job in trying to create a believable political backstory, the anti-hero in this book felt like a caricature and the idea of a political sex scandal felt a bit overdone to me. It didn’t really keep my attention like I wished, I didn’t find myself eager to turn every page wondering what happened. One thing that particularly bothered me was that Karim insists on calling Isadora “beautiful” instead of her name for about 100 straight pages. The spicy scenes felt a bit long and sloppy, too, but for some folks they might hit what you’re looking for.
Overall, as someone who works in politics the story ultimately fell a bit flat, but I think if this isn’t your everyday line of work, you may be more interested than I was!
Star rating: 2/5
Isadora & Karim both work as staffers in the California Senate, and both come with their own traumatic past that they are working to heal from when they - literally - run into each other in the San Diego Airport and flirt their way through the flight to the state Capitol. HiJinx ensue when they meet (again) in Sacramento, where they learn they work for warring politicians.
The good: Author Gia De Cadenet set up a fun meet cute and I enjoyed the “will they or won’t they” back and forth after they’re put in predicament after predicament at work. I enjoyed the world that the author created, she did a great job framing the narrative of the political backstory (as someone whose job is very similar to Karim & Isa, it was nice to read a political story that mostly “got it right” on these details!). I enjoy reading books with diverse characters and appreciate the author’s attempt at bringing to light serious topics of emotional abuse and childhood trauma.
The parts I wish were different: I didn’t feel as invested in Karim & Isa as I wanted to - their chemistry wasn’t fully there for me. And while I feel the author did a great job in trying to create a believable political backstory, the anti-hero in this book felt like a caricature and the idea of a political sex scandal felt a bit overdone to me. It didn’t really keep my attention like I wished, I didn’t find myself eager to turn every page wondering what happened. One thing that particularly bothered me was that Karim insists on calling Isadora “beautiful” instead of her name for about 100 straight pages. The spicy scenes felt a bit long and sloppy, too, but for some folks they might hit what you’re looking for.
Overall, as someone who works in politics the story ultimately fell a bit flat, but I think if this isn’t your everyday line of work, you may be more interested than I was!
August 21, 2022
Isadora and Karim are well developed individual characters who come together on their own terms (political pun intended), in this smart and sexy sophomore novel from Gia de Cadenet. TW: mental and emotional abuse. If you like your romance with depth, then this one is for you! Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for my ARC!
November 5, 2023
A steamy romance full of drama and nefarious characters? Yes, please! Not the Plan is an intense and exciting ride, with some mental health rep to boot.
Isadora was so focused on her career that she didn't make time for her personal life. Then she met unbelievably gorgeous Karim, and the immediate mutual attraction was undeniable. It would have been the perfect meet cute at the airport, if they hadn't later found out that their bosses were bitter rivals, which really complicates things.
Isa and Karim's public policy discussions are interesting and thought-provoking. I just feel for them so much that their jobs are pitting them against each other! Also, to add to the level of chaos, enter Isadora's mom, who doesn't know the meaning of the word "boundaries."
Will Karim and Isadora's relationship survive the bitter rivalry of their employers, or will Julian's narcissism and unscrupulous tactics destroy their happiness?
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for my gifted ARC.
Isadora was so focused on her career that she didn't make time for her personal life. Then she met unbelievably gorgeous Karim, and the immediate mutual attraction was undeniable. It would have been the perfect meet cute at the airport, if they hadn't later found out that their bosses were bitter rivals, which really complicates things.
Isa and Karim's public policy discussions are interesting and thought-provoking. I just feel for them so much that their jobs are pitting them against each other! Also, to add to the level of chaos, enter Isadora's mom, who doesn't know the meaning of the word "boundaries."
Will Karim and Isadora's relationship survive the bitter rivalry of their employers, or will Julian's narcissism and unscrupulous tactics destroy their happiness?
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for my gifted ARC.
April 11, 2023
I enjoyed this a lot, I love politics so I’ll always be here for a career in politics plot. I thought the romance was so cute and there was a lot of depth and emotions in both main characters. There were serious issues tackled which I wasn’t expecting but it was important.
CW: emotional manipulative parent and a past manipulative relationship.
CW: emotional manipulative parent and a past manipulative relationship.
April 3, 2024
3/29/24- This book is the literary equivalent of an amateur cook outsourcing high-quality ingredients for a recipe only to end up botching it. All of the story's components were strong and even unique. The way those components were written fell...flat to say the least. This honestly could have been a 2 star read but I see the vision.
4/3/24- Update: I read some reviews that said that this book demonizes bpd, so I decided to scan the book again for myself. And there were so many times that bpd was either oversimplified, or just completely demonized. I just flat out missed it when I read the book? I only skim and miss things like that when I'm bored so that alone makes me think this was way worse than I thought lol. I understand that it's hard to strike a balance between complexity for a character who is suffering from a mental illness alongside complexity for a character who is being abused by a person who is suffering from mental illness. But if you're not going to leave each side of the scale with a touch of sympathy, I don't see the point in trying at all. New rating is two stars. I understand what the author was trying to go for, but that doesn't change what's on the page.
4/3/24- Update: I read some reviews that said that this book demonizes bpd, so I decided to scan the book again for myself. And there were so many times that bpd was either oversimplified, or just completely demonized. I just flat out missed it when I read the book? I only skim and miss things like that when I'm bored so that alone makes me think this was way worse than I thought lol. I understand that it's hard to strike a balance between complexity for a character who is suffering from a mental illness alongside complexity for a character who is being abused by a person who is suffering from mental illness. But if you're not going to leave each side of the scale with a touch of sympathy, I don't see the point in trying at all. New rating is two stars. I understand what the author was trying to go for, but that doesn't change what's on the page.
June 8, 2025
DNF
Too much ogling and I can’t get behind statements such as ‘straight men ruin everything’.
Too much ogling and I can’t get behind statements such as ‘straight men ruin everything’.
August 30, 2023
I struggled to push through this book and considered DNFing it a few times. Glancing back at my notes, I didn’t even have that much to say about it. I struggled with the underdeveloped writing style and the novel’s ability to bring up important conversations and topics, just to use them as plot devices and not actually engage with them. (I’m looking at you: misogyny, sexism, and mental health topics.)
I’ll start with the story element that stood out the most: the writing style and its simple nature. It took me a few chapters to adjust to the style because it was all telling and no showing. I found myself craving details to build up the narrative further—I wanted to see the settings and feel the emotions the characters had. Not having those concrete details was a huge, missed opportunity for this story. This also extended to the dialogue; it was often clunky, and the characters would talk to each other instead of past each other (like real people do).
Additionally, with this novel being in a political setting, it had an opportunity to explain and explore a political climate. Instead, the setting and minor characters (especially the antagonist, Julian) all felt like cartoonish, facsimile characters that added nothing original to the story. And that originality could have opened this novel up to broader social commentary, despite it being a romcom novel.
In the vein of this book starting broader conversations, there were many sensitive topics used as mere plot devices. I’m talking about the sexism in the workplace, misogyny, and mental health diagnoses that affected both Isadora and Karim’s relationships (Isadora, with her mother; Karim, with his ex-wife). All three of those things were used as plot devices—the sexism and misogyny were largely displayed by Julian, the antagonist, and went unchallenged. Even Karim had a few moments of blatant misogyny (like calling his ex-wife “arm candy”) that went unchallenged. As for the mental health issues, Karim’s ex-wife had borderline personality disorder (BPD), which is something Karim and Isadora (neither of whom are a psychologist or a doctor) attempted to diagnose Isadora’s mother with. While you should bring someone’s attention to potential diagnoses, the framing of it should have explored getting help from an actual professional. (Although I would like to note I do think the author did a decent job of showing and exploring Karim’s CPTSD from his relationship with his ex-wife.) Again, with all of these things, I wish there was deeper exploration of the mental health plotlines and actual challenges toward the workplace sexism and misogyny.
I haven’t read a novel by this author before and I’m not sure that I will read another one of hers again. Which is a result of the lack of details and poor handling of sensitive topics. If there had been more exploration and social commentary given, this novel could have shone.
Thank you to Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
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nikiashreads' Linktree
I’ll start with the story element that stood out the most: the writing style and its simple nature. It took me a few chapters to adjust to the style because it was all telling and no showing. I found myself craving details to build up the narrative further—I wanted to see the settings and feel the emotions the characters had. Not having those concrete details was a huge, missed opportunity for this story. This also extended to the dialogue; it was often clunky, and the characters would talk to each other instead of past each other (like real people do).
Additionally, with this novel being in a political setting, it had an opportunity to explain and explore a political climate. Instead, the setting and minor characters (especially the antagonist, Julian) all felt like cartoonish, facsimile characters that added nothing original to the story. And that originality could have opened this novel up to broader social commentary, despite it being a romcom novel.
In the vein of this book starting broader conversations, there were many sensitive topics used as mere plot devices. I’m talking about the sexism in the workplace, misogyny, and mental health diagnoses that affected both Isadora and Karim’s relationships (Isadora, with her mother; Karim, with his ex-wife). All three of those things were used as plot devices—the sexism and misogyny were largely displayed by Julian, the antagonist, and went unchallenged. Even Karim had a few moments of blatant misogyny (like calling his ex-wife “arm candy”) that went unchallenged. As for the mental health issues, Karim’s ex-wife had borderline personality disorder (BPD), which is something Karim and Isadora (neither of whom are a psychologist or a doctor) attempted to diagnose Isadora’s mother with. While you should bring someone’s attention to potential diagnoses, the framing of it should have explored getting help from an actual professional. (Although I would like to note I do think the author did a decent job of showing and exploring Karim’s CPTSD from his relationship with his ex-wife.) Again, with all of these things, I wish there was deeper exploration of the mental health plotlines and actual challenges toward the workplace sexism and misogyny.
I haven’t read a novel by this author before and I’m not sure that I will read another one of hers again. Which is a result of the lack of details and poor handling of sensitive topics. If there had been more exploration and social commentary given, this novel could have shone.
Thank you to Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
*~*~*~*~*
Connect with me on my socials!
nikiashreads' Linktree
January 17, 2023
Not the Plan is a political romance, with its protagonists falling for one another despite working for rival state senators. In addition to the need for secrecy this brings, both are dealing with abusive, toxic people in their lives (for him it's an ex-wife, for her it's her mother), working through their own trauma to figure out how to be someone who can thrive in a loving, healthy relationship.
All of which sounds great on paper, but alas... Not the Plan didn't work for me at all. I found the writing insipid and flat, the plot an ill-constructed mess, and the characters dull at best and two-dimensional (the bad guy is such a cartoon villain, I'm pretty sure he actually twirled his mustache at one point). Worst of all, considering this is a romance novel, the protagonists are just so unappealing. Mostly the male MC, Karim, who, for someone who's still psychologically recovering from an abusive, controlling ex, sure does an awful lot of controlling of the female MC, Isadora. (Karim says his ex used to tell him what he liked to eat...while basically telling Isadora to like a particular wine when she's already said she doesn't care for white wines. Things like that. They aren't romantic, they're manipulative and off-putting, and oddly hypocritical in this story.) Plus I'm not sure he knows Isadora's name, since he calls her "beautiful" or other obnoxious nicknames about ten times per page. On the other hand, when would he have gotten to know her tastes and preferences, or how she feels about cutesy nicknames, considering they barely ever talk about anything? I guess I have a different definition of "getting to know" someone than they do, because every time they mention it, it seems to be code for making out. We don't see this couple getting closer, finding out who the other is, falling in love - we see them being physically attracted to one another (and making Big Romantic Gestures that make me full-body cringe, honestly).
So... a flop on several levels. I wanted The West Wing + romance, but all I got was frustration.
Thanks to Dell for the advance review copy.
August 17, 2023
Brghhh. I wanted to like this one. I like politics! But I just felt so ??? about the entire thing. First of all the stakes could have been high but instead they sort of felt incredibly, incredibly low. This was framed as though it’s meant to be enemies to lovers or secret/forbidden romance but their competing bosses’ rivalry is depicted as so bland and inconsequential to me, plus her boss thinks it’s such a good idea and so important that at the one point where there’s sort of a crunch he’s like, to his employee, “well yeah my dreams of going to DC are quite possibly dead in the water but at least you and this guy you’ve just met can work things out which is more important”. Huh? Also to me they were framed as both being quite shy, uncertain, insecure/vulnerable people but then it was basically Insta-love and talking about their dirty dreams about each other the night after they kissed for the first time? It felt incongruous with both their personalities for them to be so sexually forward (not that there’s anything wrong with that in any event, but it just felt out of step with their personalities). Also I do not have BPD and no-one close to me has BPD so maybe it’s not for me to say but the fact that there were two just completely awful destructive nasty characters in the book and it was explained as “oh they have BPD” felt…somewhat vilifying of people with BPD. Of course no one should tolerate abusive relationships either but I felt it was somewhat framed as “this person sucks it’s their BPD”. I don’t know. I wanted to like this. I’m disappointed. It just didn’t work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2023
I was very intrigued by this concept. As someone who works in politics, and has done some work in CA state circles, I felt like this would be a good fit. I'm sorry to say I was wrong.
At the core, I think this book tried to do too much. I LOVED the meet-cute between Isadora and Karim. And even the early parts of the book, where they came across each other again was very enjoyable.
What I disliked, and what I thought distracted me from the core of the story was all of the madness between Karim and Isadora's bosses. While some of that would have been fine, I think the storyline went a bit too far and was just not enjoyable.
I appreciate that both Isadora and Karim brought their own baggage - with Isadora her relationship with her mother and with Karim his ex. But I felt like the discussions of these were inconsistent and because they often lacked depth,could be distracting.
At the core, I think this book tried to do too much. I LOVED the meet-cute between Isadora and Karim. And even the early parts of the book, where they came across each other again was very enjoyable.
What I disliked, and what I thought distracted me from the core of the story was all of the madness between Karim and Isadora's bosses. While some of that would have been fine, I think the storyline went a bit too far and was just not enjoyable.
I appreciate that both Isadora and Karim brought their own baggage - with Isadora her relationship with her mother and with Karim his ex. But I felt like the discussions of these were inconsistent and because they often lacked depth,could be distracting.
February 19, 2023
At first, I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy a political romance but I was pleasantly surprised by Karim and Isadora’s sizzling chemistry!
Besides the forbidden-like relationship between Karim and Isadora—you’ll find raunchy secrets, dirty lies, and scandal-worthy drama in this riveting read written by Gia.
I really resonated with Isadora’s estranged relationship with her mother and appreciate how much representation there was for mental health awareness. Karim being in therapy and feeling comfortable openly discussing it was significant to me. Just a heads up, some of the scenes in this book can be triggering, so please mentally prepare for that.
Much gratitude and special thanks to Netgalley & Random House Publishing for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
Besides the forbidden-like relationship between Karim and Isadora—you’ll find raunchy secrets, dirty lies, and scandal-worthy drama in this riveting read written by Gia.
I really resonated with Isadora’s estranged relationship with her mother and appreciate how much representation there was for mental health awareness. Karim being in therapy and feeling comfortable openly discussing it was significant to me. Just a heads up, some of the scenes in this book can be triggering, so please mentally prepare for that.
Much gratitude and special thanks to Netgalley & Random House Publishing for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
March 19, 2024
Annoyed at the low rating for this book, but everyone is entitled to their opinion 😪 Isadora and Karim had amazing chemistry, and I loved their relationship. This was a sexy, well-written romance set in the world of politics (always fun) that reminded me of some of Jasmine Guillory’s books.
May 22, 2024
dit was gewoon echt slecht I fear
slow burn maar wel binnen 100 paginas elkaar al beklimmen??
hebben deze mensen ook een persoonlijkheid of hebben ze alleen een goede jawline
slow burn maar wel binnen 100 paginas elkaar al beklimmen??
hebben deze mensen ook een persoonlijkheid of hebben ze alleen een goede jawline
July 9, 2023
NOT THE PLAN any Gia De Cadenet is a fun political romcom romp - a love story between two staffers in the opposing side of the political divide. The meet cute was fantastic - on a plane then going separate ways until they meet again.
I loved and enjoyed this quick read that had amazing chemistry. The characters were fun to read about with incredible backgrounds that brought depth to the story.
Fantastic!
I loved and enjoyed this quick read that had amazing chemistry. The characters were fun to read about with incredible backgrounds that brought depth to the story.
Fantastic!
February 10, 2023
A steamy workplace romance set in the political world as both MCs navigate working together as their interest and relationship ramp up.
I really enjoyed both of the MCs in this book independent of each other. Karim and Isadora are both wonderfully complex characters who are working through the process of healing from their own difficult pasts. There was so much depth, heart, and vulnerability that it was impossible not to root for them.
The pacing was definitely a little slow, but in a good way. Gia de Cadenet took the time to really develop the characters and set the scene before getting into the romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed both of the MCs in this book independent of each other. Karim and Isadora are both wonderfully complex characters who are working through the process of healing from their own difficult pasts. There was so much depth, heart, and vulnerability that it was impossible not to root for them.
The pacing was definitely a little slow, but in a good way. Gia de Cadenet took the time to really develop the characters and set the scene before getting into the romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 21, 2022
Mood: You want to be surprised by the amount of emotions you can have reading a romance in one sitting.
I really didn’t choose this book prepared to cry but HERE WE ARE.
Isadora & Karim are beautiful because they’re both the same kind of broken but need the other to heal.
Okay, Isadora & Karim have a chaotic meet cute that involves setting next to each other on a flight. For REASONS, neither of them tried to turn the meet cute into something more but that doesn’t stop them from then spending the next few weeks thinking of each other.
Isadora goes back to life as a chief of staff of a California senator and Karim starts getting settled into life as an aide as the legislative director of another California senator … which leads to him walking into her office one day. Only, he’s a Capulet and she’s a Montague. Yes, grown ass people have nicknamed themselves the Capulets and the Montagues and act accordingly petty. It’s actually more than petty because they work in politics aka for the people and actively undercut each other. So, you know, accurate.
They did eventually start an out-of-prying eyes friendship with heavy flirting energy turned more 😘 There’s also an underlying scheme that causes a lot of chaos (cough: 3rd act break up). There are a couple of BIG douchecanoes in this story. They weren’t just grimy to the MC & FMC but absolutely trash individuals. Ugh.
That’s the premise. Now, how it made me feel! Seriously, I did NOT think it was going to make me feel that much. Isadora and Karim both have sigificant relationships that are incredibly toxic. Karim is no longer in that relationship but it still very much dictates his actions. He opens up and shares his story with Isadora and she begins to recognize how toxic her (nonromantic) relationship is.
Eventhough Karim is no longer involved with his toxic partner, at first he doesn’t really know how to trust someone, including himself. I think I spent the first half of the book (probably more) with tears in my eyes over how poorly he thought of himself. It was a pleasure to see Isa validate and support him. It was a pleasure to see him do the same for Isa. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this and read it all over again! 🤗🤗🤗
I really didn’t choose this book prepared to cry but HERE WE ARE.
Isadora & Karim are beautiful because they’re both the same kind of broken but need the other to heal.
Okay, Isadora & Karim have a chaotic meet cute that involves setting next to each other on a flight. For REASONS, neither of them tried to turn the meet cute into something more but that doesn’t stop them from then spending the next few weeks thinking of each other.
Isadora goes back to life as a chief of staff of a California senator and Karim starts getting settled into life as an aide as the legislative director of another California senator … which leads to him walking into her office one day. Only, he’s a Capulet and she’s a Montague. Yes, grown ass people have nicknamed themselves the Capulets and the Montagues and act accordingly petty. It’s actually more than petty because they work in politics aka for the people and actively undercut each other. So, you know, accurate.
They did eventually start an out-of-prying eyes friendship with heavy flirting energy turned more 😘 There’s also an underlying scheme that causes a lot of chaos (cough: 3rd act break up). There are a couple of BIG douchecanoes in this story. They weren’t just grimy to the MC & FMC but absolutely trash individuals. Ugh.
That’s the premise. Now, how it made me feel! Seriously, I did NOT think it was going to make me feel that much. Isadora and Karim both have sigificant relationships that are incredibly toxic. Karim is no longer in that relationship but it still very much dictates his actions. He opens up and shares his story with Isadora and she begins to recognize how toxic her (nonromantic) relationship is.
Eventhough Karim is no longer involved with his toxic partner, at first he doesn’t really know how to trust someone, including himself. I think I spent the first half of the book (probably more) with tears in my eyes over how poorly he thought of himself. It was a pleasure to see Isa validate and support him. It was a pleasure to see him do the same for Isa. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this and read it all over again! 🤗🤗🤗
dnf
December 14, 2022After loving GETTING HIS GAME BACK last year, this breaks my heart but I couldn’t finish this one.
I assumed the politics would be present because it’s their job, but it was constant and I couldn’t understand half of it. If you studied politics then I guess you’ll do great but I was lost half of the time.
Also, there are some limits I never let books cross, and fatphobic comments is one of them. Seriously, I don’t care if you’re joking, just don’t. Telling someone (who was severely depressed in the first book, by the way) to go easy on the food because he’s getting soft is not a joke and I might be exaggerating but lines like that can totally ruin a book for me. It’s just not funny. There was another similar comment later, and I just can’t stand it.
Thanks to Dell and NetGalley for my ARC. Opinions are my own.
I assumed the politics would be present because it’s their job, but it was constant and I couldn’t understand half of it. If you studied politics then I guess you’ll do great but I was lost half of the time.
Also, there are some limits I never let books cross, and fatphobic comments is one of them. Seriously, I don’t care if you’re joking, just don’t. Telling someone (who was severely depressed in the first book, by the way) to go easy on the food because he’s getting soft is not a joke and I might be exaggerating but lines like that can totally ruin a book for me. It’s just not funny. There was another similar comment later, and I just can’t stand it.
Thanks to Dell and NetGalley for my ARC. Opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2022
*ARC Review*
My two favorite genres are romance and politics, so I was in thrilled when Ballantine Books granted my wish to read Not the Plan.
Let me tell you that it did not disappoint. The book starts with a delightful meet cute before getting into the meat of the story. Isadora and Karim work for rival legislators in California. They try to hide their attraction for each other for the sake of their work reputations until it is simply impossible. They are like magnets and just cannot stay away.
Despite being in rival offices, you still root for both characters the entire time. Isadora is the epitome of a strong independent woman, and Karim is a dream man filled with sensitivity and passion.
I was not expecting a major focus of the book to be on the trauma of emotional and verbal abuse from loved ones, but I thought it was discussed beautifully. The characters gave each other strength in their time of need and helped each other grow. It was really lovely.
The story is engaging, the romance starts early, and there is plenty of political drama.
This is a new favorite for me.
My two favorite genres are romance and politics, so I was in thrilled when Ballantine Books granted my wish to read Not the Plan.
Let me tell you that it did not disappoint. The book starts with a delightful meet cute before getting into the meat of the story. Isadora and Karim work for rival legislators in California. They try to hide their attraction for each other for the sake of their work reputations until it is simply impossible. They are like magnets and just cannot stay away.
Despite being in rival offices, you still root for both characters the entire time. Isadora is the epitome of a strong independent woman, and Karim is a dream man filled with sensitivity and passion.
I was not expecting a major focus of the book to be on the trauma of emotional and verbal abuse from loved ones, but I thought it was discussed beautifully. The characters gave each other strength in their time of need and helped each other grow. It was really lovely.
The story is engaging, the romance starts early, and there is plenty of political drama.
This is a new favorite for me.
May 28, 2023
DNF @ 42%.
The male main character’s ex is abusive towards him and turns out she has BPD and that’s the entire reason she treated him the way he did. Then the female main character realizes hey! All those bad traits! That must be what my mom has too!
BPD is a serious disorder a lot of people (including myself) struggle with and making all the unlikable characters in your story have it to explain their bad traits is awful. I cannot finish a book that demonizes people who struggle with serious mental health issues.
The male main character’s ex is abusive towards him and turns out she has BPD and that’s the entire reason she treated him the way he did. Then the female main character realizes hey! All those bad traits! That must be what my mom has too!
BPD is a serious disorder a lot of people (including myself) struggle with and making all the unlikable characters in your story have it to explain their bad traits is awful. I cannot finish a book that demonizes people who struggle with serious mental health issues.
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