The Do-Over

by Sharon M. Peterson

“Look, you’re a nice girl but I don’t think we should see each other anymore.” The voicemail ends and I freeze in the dentist’s chair as I realize… I’ve just been dumped on live radio.

It took the most humiliating break-up for me to see that my life is in serious need of a do-over. Cue my anti New Year’s resolutions that even I can’t fail at:
1. Stop dating. (Men are the worst.)
2. Stop trying to lose weight. (I’m never giving up chocolate.)
3. Stop working so hard. (Selling mortgages is not my dream career.)
4. Stop trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. (Start living my best life.)
5. Stop trying to please my mother. (It’s not possible.)

But it turns out number five is harder than I thought, as she begins her campaign to get me back with my ex. So, what’s the perfect solution to keep her out of my love life? An imaginary boyfriend—at least he was supposed to be imaginary until I blurted out my neighbor’s name…

Nate, the bad boy next door with gorgeous hazel eyes, a razor-sharp jawline and a mysterious scar, might be hot, but he’s definitely not my boyfriend. Now all I need to do is stick to my resolutions while also keeping my interfering family away from my non-existent lover who has no idea that we’re fake dating. What could possibly go wrong?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Rom Com, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Book Club

335 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2022

About the author

Sharon M. Peterson is a former middle school teacher and has the personality to prove it. One of her favorite quotes is from Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath: “It was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials.” She strives to tackle life that way and create characters who do the same. She lives in Washington with her husband and four children, including two autistic sons. She has two cats, one dog, one Russian tortoise, one tattoo, and an intense fear of poodles (don’t ask). She can usually be found hunched over her computer, creating characters and stories she hopes you’ll love as much as she does.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I truly had so much fun during my reading journey.

This book’s secret weapon is absolutely Mimi who stole the show as the sweetest, wisest, funniest grandma! Mimi-sm rules are opening quotes of each chapter that are entertaining, inspirational showing the character’s great sense of humor!

Perci Mayfield is well portrayed character you can easily resonate and feel for!

She’s getting through the worst year of her life because of inner circle!

She’s being publicly humiliated and dumped on the radio by her boyfriend. She’s trapped at a family business she wants to quit. And she deals with her family members including her mother who keeps making irritating comments about her appearance. She’s wearing clothes and hair style which gets approval of her mother. But enough is enough! She’s sick of being people pleaser! She has to find her way out of her trepidations by making wise choices set herself free.

One night, when she’s hanging with her best friend Matthias, she forms a resolution list after being fueled with booze and jalapeño poppers. That list is a manifesto of taking no shit! She will free herself from people’s negative comments including family and stop dating!

I loved to see transformation and evolving of Perci! That liberation process was even more exciting than her blooming love story with gold hearted neighbor Nate!

Perci was interesting character with unusual perspective. I enjoyed her sarcastic comments!

The book’s plus side body representation was perfect! The messages to embrace your own qualities and learning to love yourself were also powerful.

Absolutely another feelgood, though provoking, heart warming reading that I highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐
Genre ~ contemporary fiction
Setting ~ Texas
Publication date ~ August 1, 2022
Est Page Count ~ 330 (48 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 18 minutes
Narrator ~ Elise Roth
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ debut, awful mother, curvy girl, fake dating, single parent, friends to lovers, slow burn, no steamage

Perci (28) is a people pleaser, but she's ready to make a change when she's publicly humiliated by being dumped on the radio.

Each chapter begins with a funny Mimi~ism. My favorites are:
"A good friend'll help ya bury the body. A great friend knows how much rat poison you'll need."
"Silence may be golden, but duct tape is silver and it's real cheap."
Besides these nuggets of wisdom, Mimi was a great grandma to have on your side.

I winced every time Perci's mom opened her mouth because I just knew a rude comment would come out. She's someone who is always worried about what someone thinks of her. Always has something to say about Perci's weight, love life and life decisions. She even still picks out her clothes! A real annoying meddler. Perci has had enough and has no choice but to pretend she is dating her unhandsome neighbor, Nate. Good thing he goes along with the plan.

Nate is raising 8 year old, Lilah. She's a great kid that knows fun facts like "kangaroos can't fart". I didn't know I needed to know this, but now I'm thrilled I do and you do, too. Nate is a pretty sweet guy and I can't even be mad at him for the 3rd act breakup because I can relate with him on this aspect personally.

Perci has a wonderful best friend, Mathias. He's so supportive and gives good advice. I'm glad he found his own happiness, too.

Overall, I really liked this debut. Light on the romance, which I didn't hate because it's more about personal growth and learning to love yourself for who you are.

Yay for checking off one from the backlog!

Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.

Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

[Dab · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book feels like like an extended version of the Dove Real Beauty ad; it’s full of positive vibes and feel-good, heartwarming humor.

Perci is in her late twenties but not really a grownup grownup yet; she works at her dad’s company and allows her mom to pick out her clothes, meals and boyfriends. However, after a series of rather unfortunate events triggered by her pathetic, mom-approved boyfriend breaking up with her (on the radio!!!), she decides to stop trying to please everyone around her and start living her own life.

Her journey of self-discovery is full of mishaps and awkward moments that had me laughing out loud more than once. Perci could be Bridget Jones’s younger sister; struggling with her weight and overbearing mother, all while being incredibly funny. Ultimately she also lives up to Bridget's theory, that the best way to find a boyfriend is to feel whole without one 😁.

What confused me was, that this book is advertised as a rom-com and I do not see it as such. While there is a lot of good comedy, the romance is not the main focus but rather a PG-13 sub plot. It doesn’t even start until like 50-60%.
This is a well written story with a relatable heroine, that is remarkable in its own right. Classifying it as a romance makes the pacing feel off and generally puts the book at a disadvantage.

The short quotes opening every chapter were the perfect finishing touch and I absolutely adored them. I wish we all had a grandma Mimi in our lives.

Recommended with your favorite ice cream and/or a girly drink and Elsa singing “Let it go” in the background.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review, it totally made my day 😁.

[Travelogged Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I will not try to lose weight. I will not try to be more confident. I will not put more effort into my job. I will not date. I will not try to be a better daughter and sister."

This was the first book I read by the author and I loved everything right from the cover and the writing style to the thoughtfully plotted characters and the story line. I loved to see Nate & Perci together but I feel like this book was more focused on her individual life and struggles which is why the romance dulled in comparison. Nate's personality wasn't well described, even his past was just glossed over which made me feel disappointed. But the plot kept me engaged regardless and whenever Perci & Nate interacted, I could feel the chemistry between them. I just hated Perci's parents so much and absolutely anything that came out of their mouths, pissed me off so much. But their behaviour finally pushed Perci to stand up for herself (even if it was for a short while) and I was really glad when she started speaking up more. Overall, the book had some depth and character growth. Perci's grandma Mimi was my favourite character along with an adorable little surprise addition that isn't revealed in the blurb. I recommend reading this book if you're into reading about a curvy heroine who is confident in her own skin and does not want to change.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

[Shauni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a delight to read. Perci is the oldest of two girls. While her younger sister Phee is the tall and beautiful one, Perci often feels inadequate by her shorter and fuller figure. But I grew to adore her kind and quirky nature.

After she is dumped by her boyfriend over the radio, Perci must pick up the pieces of her broken heart. But along the way, she discovers her own inner strength and the things that bring her joy, even with the disapproval of her hovering mother.

My favorite characters were Mimi, Perci's eccentric grandmother, and Lilah, the daughter of Perci's handsome next door neighbor. Both characters brought charm and humor to the story. I adored Lilah's obsession with birds, as well as her relationship with her father. The romance that grows between Perci and Nate was sweet, but it wasn't my favorite part of the book. I really loved the relationships Perci develops with her family and Lilah. I also adored Perci's bond with her pet fish, Sal. That made me laugh. There were just some really great dynamics going on.

I felt a connection to Perci on an almost painful level. I empathized with her insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. I chuckled at her impulsive nature and cried when she was treated unfairly because of her size. I found myself cheering her on when she found her own path to happiness.

This was such a great book. So much more than just a romance. I highly recommend it.

The Do-Over will be released on August 1, 2022.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me a digital copy of this book.

[Kelly Kosinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book from this author, really enjoyed it!

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediately hooked by the humour and characters in this one. I seriously could not put it down. A special shoutout is needed for sassy grandma Mimi and her hilarious life lessons beginning each chapter.

Perci was such a joy. I was cheering for her so hard. After getting dumped on live radio while sitting in the dentist chair, Perci creates a New Year's anti-resolution list to combat her feelings of failure.

Heavily burdened by the opinions of others (especially the body-shaming toxicity from her mother), I loved seeing Perci transition into a version of herself who no longer cares what people think. Woo!

Lots of messages of self-love in this one! And a fake-dating romance that wonderfully enhanced the story.

The subtle flirty banter between Perci and single dad / neighbour Nate turned me to goo! I equally loved the relationship Perci develops with his confident, bird obsessed daughter. She was so fun.

Whatever Sharon M. Peterson releases next, I will 100% be picking it up!

(heat level: kissing only)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t generously give out 5 star ratings but this book is everything. The writing style was perfection, the flow of the story kept me intrigued, and I didn’t want to put this book down. I found myself chuckling, swooning, and crying while devouring the book in practically one sitting. (Seriously - 20% to 100% because I couldn’t put it down)

Perci Mayfield finds herself boyfriendless, jobless, and with a mother that makes her feel worthless compared to her sister. Thanks to her best friend, she sets out to find the “new Perci” and along the way find a new friend, Nate, who while pretending to be her fake boyfriend, ends up actually dating him.

The relationship between Perci and Nate was so enjoyable to read. Perci was so relatable and the family dynamics is one that I think a lot of readers could relate to as well. More so, I loved the character development over the course of the story. The family realizing how toxic that they were being, but understanding that things can change - not overnight, but realistically over the course of time.

Huge Kudos to Sharon M Peterson on your debut book - I can’t wait for future releases!
Thank you to #NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tina ♥ Bookaholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eigentlich bin ich schon 1-2 Wochen mit dem Buch fertig, aber ich konnte mich jetzt erst zur Rezension durchringen. Irgendwie habe ich mir mehr von dem Buch erhofft, aber die erste Hälfte, habe ich ständig überlegt, ob ich nicht doch noch abbrechen soll, da die Hauptfigur Percy einfach so eine leidende Figur war, die den Hintern nicht hochbekommen und sich lieber in ihrem Leid gesuhlt hat, ohne den Mund bei ihrer Mutter oder sonst wo aufzubekommen. Das wurde sicherlich noch durch die Hörbuchsprecherin verstärkt, die Percy eine sehr helle, leise Stimme verpasst hat, was einfach nicht mein Ding ist. Ich mag starke Persönlichkeiten, die vielleicht mal zerbrochen sind - eh normal, aber die innere Stärke beweisen, für sich einstehen und nach einem inneren Struggle wieder aufstehen und weitermachen. Aber diesem passiven Gejammere kann ich gar nichts abgewinnen, daher hatten ich und das Buch keine gute Beziehung.
Zwar wurde es dann besser und auch ein Typ kam ein bisschen dazu, damit es eine kleine Romanze gab, aber die fand wirklich nur sehr am Rande vor. Daher auch hier eine Pleite für mich, da ich eigentlich mit einer witzigen Romance gerechnet habe.... aber ne, das habe ich dann doch nicht bekommen. Deswegen nur 2,5 Punkte und - reading at own risk

[Sally Hanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really sweet. Lots to love about it all - the storyline was totally believable, the writing was good - especially the writing about emotional reactions - the main character was very easy to step into, and all was wrapped up very well. I also loved all the tiny details about clothes, food, grumpy coworkers, and more.

Of note - a good read for moms and their teenage girls to enjoy reading together. A 4.5 from me.

[W.R. Gingell]

it sounded like my cup of tea but didn't work for me :(

[Christl Bücher NewsWelt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mehr Drama und Selbstmitleid als Komödie und von romance bekommt man hier auch nur einen minimal zarten Hauch mit. Es zieht sich ordentlich und ein mieser, schlechter Moment Jagd dem nächsten. Das Selbstbewusstsein der prota, eh schon im Keller, sinkt während der ersten 85% auf -100… es gab vl 3 witzige Szenen. Alles andere eher bedrückend. Der Schluss kam dann viel zu schnell. War viel zu abrupt zu Ende und ja..

Es ist halt definitiv kein RomCom, es ist nicht cozy, und zu 90% nicht romantisch. Es ist eher ein Familien Drama und ein selbstfindungsbuch über eine Protagonistin die null Selbstbewusstsein hat und es sehr viel übers dick sein geht. Es war oft so bedrückend, dass ich kurz Pause machen musste und mein eigenes Selbstbewusstsein kurz checken musste, weil ich dachte es ist mir abhanden gekommen. Da waren Szenen dabei die gibt’s gar nicht! Ihre Mutter ihr Vater … ihr bester Freund … der einzige Licht Blick war die kleine die auf Vögel steht 🤣🤣

Wäre es anders vermarktet worden hätte ich mich wohl noch eher auf das Buch einlassen können. Aber ROMCOM- Genre bedingt bekommt das Buch nur 1 Stern.
Gesamt bekommt es 2 Sterne.

Wer also ein emotionales Buch sucht, wo jeder nie das sagt was er wirklich denkt, eine Mutter ihre Tochter von Kindheit an klein hält und ihr das Gefühl gibt nicht gut genug zu sein-und zu dick, eine Protagonistin die selbst von sich gar nichts hält und hauptsächlich klein, deprimiert und dick ist (und ständig Eis ist und Alkohol trinkt wenn sie traurig ist, was sie immer ist) ein bester Freund der nur am Anfang präsent war, und dann irgendwie überall war nur nicht in der Stadt, eine romance Geschichte die gesamt vl 4 Seiten ausmacht, also dann ist man hier genau richtig.

Plus Punkte - das Kind. Teilweise die Message was gegen Ende rüber kommt und die 2-3 Szenen die echt süß sind.

[Tahera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun!!

Not only was it well written with interesting characters and situations but the delightful narration by Elise Roth livened up the entire book to a whole new notch! Grandma Mimi definitely stole the show with her funny and sassy wise cracks and all chapters begin with a healthy dose of Mimi-ism.

I absolutely loved every minute of listening to this audiobook!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture Audio and the author Sharon M. Peterson for the audio Arc of the book.

[Sharon Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I wrote it.
Yes, I love it.
And I would like someone just like Mimi to adopt me as a granddaughter and teach me how to walk in high heels properly and wear animal print.

Anyway. I hope you love it too and that you have your very own "Mimi." That one person who is always on your side, even if they don't agree with you all the time, and can also make a mean peach cobbler AND do it looking fabulous.

Better yet, go be someone else Mimi!

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW 

Review for 'The Do-Over' by Sharon M. Peterson. 

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Samantha M. Peterson, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous 

Publication date 1st August 2022.

This is Samantha M. Peterson's debut novel. 

I was originally drawn to this book by its  eye catching unique cover and intriguing as well as hilarious sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'A completely addictive, feel-good rom-com perfect for fans of TikTok sensations The Love Hypothesis, The Unhoneymooners, and Sarah Adams.' I am a huge fan of Sarah Adams so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture  that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 48 chapters. The chapters are short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in the USA 🇺🇸 

This book is written in first person perspective and the main protagonist is Perci Mayfield. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them.  

OMG!!!! I CANNOT REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I LAUGHED SO MUCH AND FELT SO GOOD BECAUSE OF A BOOK!!!

What an absolutely page turning, refreshing, laugh a MINUTE, emotional and amazing read!!!! It is perfectly written to hook the reader in and the title, cover and synopsis is perfect for the storyline. 

I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this book which got me hook, line and sinker!! I absolutely devoured it in one reading and was completely absorbed throughout!! I loved that it feels that Perci is talking directly to me over a cup of tea at the kitchen table. I couldn't stop laughing from the first page to the end. I adore the fact that although there are quite sad moments and emotional times that within minutes Perci or Mimi has you laughing until you are in tears again. This book is a complete breathe of fresh air and is the perfect mix of 'Bridesmaids' and 'The Hangover' and 'Bridget Jones Diaries' but funnier!!!! I genuinely couldn't recommend this book any more!!!! This is the most hilarious book I have read this year. If you are looking for a light hearted read filled with romance, alcohol, love, comedy, friendship, family and so, so much more you are in the right place!! I absolutely adored the quotes/sayings from Mimi some which made me laugh out loud and others that had me deep in thought! I thought the plus size body representation and inspiration of being happy in your own body was absolutely fantastic and much needed in these times when all we see around us are adverts and programmes with slimmer ladies and not enough representations of larger sized people in romances especially. This book is thought provoking and feel good filled with positive vibes and humour!!! I loved the way it ended and it is such a heart warming page turner I'm tempted to read it all over again!!!

It is shocking to think this is Sharon's first book when it is an absolute page turner and written perfectly!!! I was devastated when I came to the end of this book and really hope that Sharon is writing her next success as I am writing this!! 

I read approximately half of this book on kindle and listened to approximately half on audio book. I must also give a huge congratulations to the narrator Elise Roth who not only brought the storyline to life by really portraying the emotions through his voice but by doing absolutely fantastic impressions of males and females with different accents so a HUGE congratulations Elise!! I cannot imagine that this was anywhere near an easy feat!!! I am looking forward to discovering more books read by yourself as you definitely have a perfect "book" voice!! I sometimes struggle to absorb the storyline through an audio book but if you are the same as me I can promise you will not have that problem with this amazing narrator!!


The characters were all an eclectic mix and each one of them were realistic and strong. I was completely invested in them especially Perci who I thought was absolute hilarious and who I absolutely LOVED getting to know!!! Perci teaches womwn everywhere to live life to their fullest and to love themselves as they are. I loved watching Perci's personality transformation and character growth throughout the book and she is definitely a character I won't be forgetting anytime soon. I adored her relationship with the Sal who, even though he is a fish and can't talk, made me laugh on several occasions just by swimming in his bowl!! Brent and Joel Allen were both absolute ends of bells!! I could not stand the low life idiots who didn't have dress senses, loved themselves and don't deserve a relationship with a flea let alone any of the fantastic women in this book!!! I absolutely LOVED and ADORED Mimi who was larger than life and reminds me such of my beautiful Gran who was also larger than life and would say it as it is!!! Her quoted were hilarious and thought provoking and I'm tempted to print them up and put them all over my house!!! Mathias was another absolutely amazing larger than life character who was an amazing friend at times and then others was a right div but still a huge lovable one!!! My heart went out to him at times. Whether you love them or hate them each of these characters come together perfectly to make this an absolutely epic page turner!!!


If you have never read this book you, my friend, are SERIOUSLY missing out!! This is a book you will never forget and will have tears streaming down your face in laughter and will make you feel amazing!! 


A MASSIVE WELL DONE to Sharon on a HUGE success!!! I loved every page of your book and I cannot wait to read more of your future books. I would love to see this turned into a series along with becoming a top hit movie!! Congratulations you are now one my favorite romcom authors!! Here's to your next success 🥂 

Overall a laugh a minute, thought provoking, heart warming, feel good and addictive genuine page turner that will have you crying with laughter and happiness. 

Genres covered in this book include Women's Fiction, Romance, Humour, Romantic Comedy, General Humourous Fiction and Comedy amongst others. 

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'The Love Hypothesis', 'The Unhoneymooners', Sarah Adams, Mark David Woollard, Bridget Jones and anyone looking for a feel good, heartwarming page turner!!

335 pages/ 9 hours 18 minutes audiobook reading time. 

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!! This book is £18.29 on audionook. 

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook. 

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews 

#TheDoOver #Bookouture #SharonMPeterson #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour

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[Beccabeccabooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was super cute and a whole lot of fun!!

Our champion Perci Mayfield is in a desperate need to overhaul her life. In her twenty eight years, Perci really hadn't broken free of her family and their expectations. There's little wonder why she continually views herself as a failure, especially when her jerk of a boyfriend dumps her on live radio.

Luckily, she has two cheerleaders in her corner. Best friend Mathias and grandmother, the freaking awesome Mimi.

It's Mathias who convinces Perci to write an anti-New Years Resolution list. Out goes Old Perci, and welcome New Perci!! Over the year, Perci becomes more assertive, more confident and even nabs herself a (fake) boyfriend who lives next door. You go girl!!

As mentioned in other reviews, this is less rom-com and more about spreading the messages of body positivity and self worth. It's a joyful read that leaves a huge grin on your face.

Mimi certainly steals the limelight. She's exuberant, extroverted and imparts many Mimi-isms (or totally random words of wisdom). This granny isn't too afraid to flick the finger to the world (and her daughter) and somehow, that's very refreshing!! Mimi is such a wonderful role model not only to Perci, but to all of us!!

Freaking loved everything about The Do-Over and found it impossible to put down.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

[Büşra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bu tür kitaplar da bazı şeylerin birinin yanına kâr kalmasından nefret ediyorum. BEN KİNDAR BİRİYİM. HAYIR AFFETMİYORUM.

[Ashley M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok let me get this out there first: I LOVED this book. The Do-Over was a charming read with great character development and delightful writing.

Perci Mayfield’s new year started off horribly. Her boyfriend broke up with her over the radio, she’s trapped in a job she hates at the family business and her mother is constantly making remarks about her size and calorie intake. She needs a change. While wallowing with jalapeño poppers and booze, her best friend Mathias creates her a resolution list for the year. Or rather, her anti-resolution list. And after reading it Perci scoffs and yet she unknowingly embarks on a year of self-discovery and change. And romance, with a certain neighbour named Nate.

Perci is a plus sized woman who, at the beginning of the book, was definitely unhappy with where her life had taken her. She would wear the clothes her mom told her to, style her hair like she wanted her to and basically deferred to her mother, even if it made her unhappy. After the breakup and anti-resolution list is created, we see Perci start to change and grow. It was honestly such a joy to see her come out of her shell and shine. Perci is charming, a little awkward and infinitely lovable. I found I was cheering for her as the book went on. She had her faults, and there were stumbles along the way, but the difference between Old Perci and New Perci was so good. Nate, her neighbour and love interest, seemed like a good man as well. He didn’t rush her feelings and didn’t belittle her like so many others in her life. And the little one, Lilah, was a delight!

Her one constant ally was Mimi, her grandmother. Every chapter would begin with a Mimi-ism and I absolutely loved it. Mimi is a character and I wish she was real and accepting granddaughter applications, because I would so apply. Perci’s mother was pushy, overly involved and her brand of love was smothering. She definitely had a ‘mother knows best’ mentality and while it was hard to see her interactions with Perci at times, it also provided an opportunity for growth for everyone.

The writing was so charming and easy to read. Perci’s thought processes were interesting to see and her way of talking is fun. I loved the interactions between her and Mimi as well as her and Nate. Oh and Sal, the fish. There is zero spice in this book, but honestly? It wasn’t needed. This book was lovely without it.

The Do-Over is a perfect story about changing your outlook on life, not letting yourself be molded into a shape you don’t want and standing up for yourself to people you love. It’s a great read for anyone and there’s some great lessons to be learned along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, funny, escapism. Sometimes you just need a happy ending with some kissing.

[Weronika (AirsickLowlander) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning: this review is just me calling everyone in the book an asshole. Except the kid. I liked the kid.

The expectations

I often ignore blurbs or only skim them. This was not the case – the blurb and the cover are what made me pick up this book. I was expecting a story about a journey to self-acceptance framed as a rom-com, and to a degree, that’s what the story was, but the romance was a comparatively small part of the book.
The line on the cover promises: A totally laugh-out-loud, feel-good romantic comedy. Yes, there were numerous comedic tropes used, but rarely in a “feel-good” way. On the contrary, they left me cringing and annoyed at the characters.
A lot of my issues with the book come from the book simply not meeting my expectations. I enjoyed some parts of it; I was exasperated with others.

The premise

Perci is dumped on radio by her boyfriend Brent, whom she works with in her father’s company. Her mother is meddling in her life, her father is unsupportive, her job doesn’t bring her any joy and she is unhappy with her looks. Trying to regain some control of her life, Perci tries to become New Perci: she quits her current job (so she no longer needs to deal with Brent and her father) and claims to have started dating her neighbor, Nate (so her mother stops trying to get her back with Brent).
Oh, and her friend, Mathias, makes up a list of anti-resolutions for her to follow:
1. I will not try to lose weight.
2. I will not try to be more confident.
3. I will not put more effort into my job.
4. I will not date.
5. I will not try to be a better daughter and sister.
Each of these points is explored in the book through var, as Perci more or less consciously tries to stick (or not) to these resolutions and we explore each of the points through her various relationships: with her ex-boyfriend, parents, protegees, love interest, best friend, sister, sister’s fiancé, grandmother. There’s a lot going on besides the romance.


The romance

The fake dating that we’re promised in the blurb starts only at around 50% mark of the book, though we’re introduced to Nate earlier. Even though she only knew him as her neighbor and the father of a child at her daycare, Perci told her family she’s dating Nate to try to dissuade her mother from setting her up with Brent. I disliked that she does not consult this with Nate in any way: making up an imaginary boyfriend is one thing, using a real person, without their knowledge, is another. Fortunately, Perci does acknowledge it was a shitty thing to do. The fake dating ensues, Perci also helps Nate by babysitting Lilah (Nate’s niece), though I felt Nate and Perci spent very little time together on page and we never saw any depth in their relationship.

The characters and the relationships

TL; DR everyone is an asshole, I was struggling to find anyone likeable

Perci

She’s 27, lives alone, works at her parent’s company. At the start of the novel, she’s insecure, meek, afraid to speak her mind. She has many issues with her controlling mother, she constantly compares herself to her younger sister, Phoebe. She struggles with her body image, she’s miserable with her life, she isn’t sure what she wants, she lacks agency, is susceptible to pressure from others, avoids conflict but is hot-headed at the same time. There are very few people who are not exploitive of her. She clearly doesn’t like herself and, frankly, I don’t blame her, because it is difficult to like her. She’s mostly reactive to what’s happening around her, and the very few things she decides on her own are mostly to get her mother off her back: getting a job at a daycare, (fake) dating Nate. The New Perci she’s trying to become is just her spiraling the other way into becoming a total asshole, like pretty much everyone in the book. She’s completely blind to the fact that she treats others the very way her mother treats her (more on that later) and the whole time I was reading this book I (metaphorically) wanted to throw something at her. Examples: She's upset Brent broke up with her on the radio (completely understandable to be upset) but then she drags her issues with her mother and with Brent publicly, in front of her parent's friends, during their wedding anniversary party. Instead of learning to be in charge of her emotions and discussing her issues with people involved, Percy just goes on to be a total assholeTM. She also had no business spilling Phoebe's secrets in front of a crowd of their family friends, and being drunk is no excuse: if you can't control your behavior while intoxicated, you should control your drink intake.

Perci only starts to be likeable around 90% mark of the novel, when finally, finally she sees how her actions are affecting others, though it takes some nudging from others for her to realize it. And I’m glad most of her issues were addressed, but I felt it was all done too late and it was exhausting dealing with her through first-person narration of someone who doesn’t see a problem with herself for the bulk of the story.

💎 The grandmother, Mimi 💎

This woman is the true villain of this story from the very first sentence of the book.

There was a rumor my grandmother, Mona Raye Perkins, bashed my grandfather in the head with a frying pan.

💎 We're told that Mimi hits her husband with a frying pan when she finds out he's cheated on her. The husband ends up in a hospital. Mimi never faces any consequences for that, because her husband doesn't want to admit his wife hit him. This is used to characterize Mimi as a bad-ass, take-no-shit character, who is a role model to Perci. It’s problematic to say the least – there are other ways to create a strong character and using physical violence against your partner and being proud of landing someone in a hospital is not one of them! Domestic abuse against men is still widely unacknowledged in the real world, and this book just perpetuates the idea that it’s ok for women to be violent with men. I don’t find the circumstances of this case extenuating, I felt uncomfortable seeing the violence presented in a positive light with no pushback from any of the characters.

💎 Mimi's daughter (and Perci’s mother) legally changed her name to Roberta 15 years ago and Mimi still uses the old name when referring to her. That's just icky. The daughter is set up as the bad guy, so we're supposed to clap along to Mimi mistreating her? You can call her on her bullshit, that's all right with me, but straight up ignoring her wishes on what she wants to be called is just callous and petty. Maybe if you didn’t name your daughter Bobbie Jo she wouldn’t have changed her name, have you thought about that? Not once in the whole story does she address her daughter as Roberta, always sticking to ‘Bobbie Jo’, even after being explicitly asked not to do that.

💎 Mimi ridicules her daughter for running for high school president her senior year to make positive changes. Really? Your child wants to do something good and instead of showing support you bring it up years later, mocking her because it's so obvious she lost to another candidate, whose only contribution to the community was buying beer? Way to go.

💎 When Roberta finally speaks up to Mimi about some of her childhood issues (though she does so in a public way, on the wedding anniversary party when everyone decides to be a jerk), instead ow acknowledging her daughter’s feelings, Mimi reacts by downplaying her issues. Then she spills her drink on Roberta, makes another cutting remark her way and throws a quiche at her face. I just can't. Was this supposed to be funny? Your daughter is opening up to you with her feelings, she puts herself in a vulnerable spot!

💎 She confesses to Perci, "This might be hard to believe, but I’ve made an awful lot of mistakes in my life." No Mimi, it's not hard to believe at all! I was waiting since the very first sentence of the book for someone to acknowledge this already. Though there is some sort of reconciliation between Mimi and Roberta at the end of the book (”You make some decisions I don’t agree with, but that’s okay. You are you and I am me, but it doesn’t mean I love you any less.”), Mimi doesn’t apologize once for mistreating her daughter.

💎 When Roberta is commenting on Perci's weight, saying that she needs to lose a few pounds for her sister's wedding, otherwise she will embarrass herself (yuck!), Mimi tells everyone that Bobbie Jo was "a chubby little thing when she was little", and tells her "Now your skinny and a bitch. Eat some cake honey, we'd all appreciate it." Mimi, have you ever stopped to wonder how your daughter managed to grow up to be such an asshole? Gee, I wonder who she got the example from.

The ex-boyfriend, Brent

OMG this guy made me want to flip a table. He breaks up with Perci on radio, by calling the radio hotline during a segment made specifically for people to call in and break up with their SO in exchange for concert tickets. Look at what he says about her: “I’ll die of boredom if I stay with her one more day. And it’s New Year’s. A good time for change.” What a jerk. He later says he’s sorry for that, but it’s a half-hearted apology at best, preceded by things like “I didn’t think you’d mind” and “I hoped we wouldn’t have any hard feelings”.

And he is the only person who has any business being a total unlikeable jerk – we’re supposed to hate him and to commiserate with Perci, so job well done here. Another plus for the annoying voice he has in the audiobook.

He’s also, like pretty much everyone of the book, a person trying to pressure Perci to behave a certain way: to ignore how he treated her with the breakup and to behave professionally at work.
What I absolutely hated is how everyone treated Brent after the breakup. No one in her family seemed to care how he humiliated Percy. OK, Phoebe, the sister, came to Perci to check in on her afterwards and was very sympathetic, but that’s about it. Her father and mother certainly did not give a damn. And I can understand why he was kept in the family company: business and private lives are separate, it’s not like they can fire him for how he treated their daughter. But it seems like both the father and the mother see nothing wrong in his behavior. They keep trying to get Perci back together with Brent! Brent is constantly invited to various family events! He’s still treated as a friend of the family, he is invited to the wedding anniversary of Perci’s parents, and he’s even present at the very last scene of the book, at the New Year’s Eve dinner party for the Mayfield family. He never showed any true remorse for what he’s done! Why is no one bothered by his presence! Perci got way more sympathy for the whole radio breakup thing from total strangers than from her own family.

The best friend, Mathias

He makes up a whole list of resolutions for Perci, with the purpose of making her more assertive and less prone to bowing down to her family's influence. She's supposed to turn down requests from her coworkers and ignore the pressure her mother puts on her. At the same time, he asks her to give a presentation in front of a group of people (he was supposed to do that and something else came up, he needed a replacement). He ignores her protest, hangs up on her and disregards her discomfort. He's doing the same thing Perci's family and coworkers are doing, and it's even worse in his case, since he's supposed to be her friend.

Another thing that made me scream NO, NO, NO! : withe kisses Phoebe (Perci’s sister, whom he is in love with, but who is engaged to another men) without her consent (!) during a meeting with her to discuss the photography that he’s supposed to do at her upcoming wedding (!).

The sister, Phoebe

Perci has a complicated relationship with Phee – she's supportive, she's attentive, but there's some resentment stemming from the unequal treatment the girls receive from their parents: Phoebe is the younger sister who has the looks, the job, and the man, while Perci is the failure of the family.
Phoebe is one of the few people who’s not a total asshole. She is packing some issues herself, but at least she's supportive of Perci... Till the moment she basically manipulates Perci into organizing a 30th-wedding-anniversary party for their parents. Which, again Perci explicitly says she doesn't want to do, but is ignored. Another person who was supposed to be in Perci’s corner and failed to do that.

I don’t understand why is she dating the asshole Joel Allen (news anchor at the station she works at)? The reason we're given is that her mother, Roberta, explained to her she should find a man who will help her advance her career. Baffling, since Joe behaves like a man-child and is no support on the career front. The fact that Phoebe is exchanging one controlling relationship (that with her mother) to another one (that with Allen) is a huge flag she needs to work some things out for herself. She dumps his ass in a public way, which is a nice call back to Brent dumping Perci, but at least here Joel 100% percent deserved what he got: he was controlling (picking out exact outfits for Phoebe), unsupportive (belittled her career, wanted her to quit her job once they have children; he even went as far as telling the producer of their show he would quit if they offered Phee a promotion), straight-up mean to people she cares about (i.e. Perci).

Oh, and the kiss with Mathias, the one without her consent? She slaps him in the face for that, deservedly so.

I suppose she would be one of the few people I could find likeable if not for her relationship with Joel that lasted 90% of the book. I wish Phoebe all the happiness, but she, as well as the rest of her family, deserves to get some therapy.

The mother, Roberta

Yes, she was an asshole, too, but just like Brent, that’s the way she was supposed to be. She is the epitome of controlling: picking outfits for her daughters, commenting on their looks, choosing their haircuts, disapproving of their partners, setting them up on dates, counting the calories they eat…
She even purchases the building where the daycare Perci works at is located, all to hike up the rent and run them out of business, just so Perci doesn’t have to work at a daycare, which in Roberta’s opinion is not a suitable job for one of her daughters. She clearly cares about the appearances more than anything else, she also ropes in her husband to aid her meddling.

But I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards her, seeing how her own mother treated her. At the end of the book, Roberta and her husband are seeing a marriage counselor, but I would love to see Roberta and Mimi working on their relationship as well.

The love interest, Nate

I admit, Nate was not an asshole. He was supportive, attentive, helpful, responsible and never made Perci feel like she was not enough. Even when Perci was at her worst, he still had her back. I also loved seeing him taking care of Lilah, but I have a soft spot for single parents in romance. Though Nate was nearly perfect in every aspect, even he did not escape the trend of ignoring Perci’s wishes: While Perci and Nate are sort of fake dating, Roberta calls Perci and invites them to an Easter lunch. Perci tries to decline on Nate's behalf (they're not actually dating, they're practically strangers - they had one fake date in front of Perci's family and other than that their interactions were all just different instances when Perci was babbling to Nate). Nate, however, asks to speak with Roberta. Perci refuses to give him the phone (and she is in every right to do so, it's her mother she's speaking to and it's an invitation to a meal with her family, after all). Nate ignores her refusal and takes the phone away from her, speaks to Roberta and accepts the invitation. And this is all somehow framed to look as if Nate is doing Perci a favor. Come on.

The father, who was so insignificant I have already forgot his name, but who still managed to be an asshole

Obviously, an asshole, I don’t have much to add except this: at the end of the book, when Perci (who went back to working for her father’s company) comes in to his office with the intention of resigning from work, he fires her. He doesn’t know Perci wants to quit.

“You know your mother and I love you very much, and even though we haven’t seen eye-to-eye at times, we only want you to be happy. […] So, in the name of all that, you’re fired.”
[…]
“But why?”
“Because we realize you’ll never be happy working here.”

We’re at the end of the book. Issues are supposed to be resolved, characters are supposed to have developed and learnt from their mistakes. Nope, not here. Once again people go behind Perci’s back and decide things for her. I know she’s already decided to quit her job, her father firing her doesn’t change her plans. I have issue that still things are not discussed with Perci! He gives her the building where the daycare she worked at was located, and it is what Perci wants, but could someone finally consult Perci first?

Oh, and he also forgot Perci’s birthday, when a family dinner was scheduled to celebrate it, he thought it was Phoebe’s birthday and not Perci’s. Though this one I guess was a deliberate part of assholery, as it happened in the middle of the story – he is supposed to grow from there.
I just can’t believe both of Perci’s parents claim to love her and to want what’s best for her while treating her like shit.

The protégées, Lilah and Bria

Lilah is an 8-year-old kid, Nate’s niece, who attends the daycare Perci works at. She is the too-wise-for-her-age, observant, intelligent child, and I don’t mind the clichés one bit.
She is the most emotionally mature character in the whole book. Every character in this story should aspire to be like Lilah.

Perci is projecting her childhood issues onto Lilah and tells her how she shouldn't do bird calls for a school's talent show, because other children may make fun of her for that. But Perci, don't you think the responsibility is on the other children to be respectful and not on Lilah not to pursue her talent? This is a theme in Perci's family, mothers shutting down their children's dreams instead of being supportive (though Perci is not a mother here, but daycare worker / babysitter). In this case, Perci has a lot to learn from Lilah, who just doesn't care what others may think of her. Cheers to you Lilah, Perci has been trying to get there since the beginning of the book, maybe talking to you will give her some insights!
continued in the comments

[Arthur Howell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

In the new contemporary romance (well, it's marketed that way, although I'm classifying it as a "growmance" in which the lead's personal growth is more relevant to the story than the romance itself) The Do-Over by debut author Sharon M. Peterson, Persephone "Perci" Mayfield is, suffice to say, putting up with plenty of crap. Her milquetoast boyfriend dumps her over the radio for a concert ticket giveaway on New Year's Eve, working at her dad's business is a soul-draining experience, she can't help but feel small next to her perfect sister Phoebe (or Phee), and her mom Roberta constantly nitpicks her over her weight and pretty much everything else about Perci's life. While lamenting the state of her life with her best friend Mathias, he encourages her to transform her life by creating a list of New Year's anti-resolutions, such as not putting in effort to lose weight and steering clear of the desire to be her mom's perfect daughter—all goals that are meant to help Perci focus on her inner self. As she puts this plan into effect, some unforeseen events end up unfolding over the course of the following year, including her getting wrapped up in a fake-dating scheme with Nate, the ruggedly handsome and mysterious next-door neighbor in her apartment building.

Whenever I get into new books, especially those coming from debut authors, I'm always in the position of hoping I'll love them or at least like them. Unfortunately, I have to say that The Do-Over just isn't my cup of tea, a huge part of which is due to the interrelationship between the book's depiction of fatphobia and the intense hatability of Roberta's characterization.

First off, I've read plenty of books that promote plus-size representation in different ways. Some star fat women whose size isn't commented on, whose size is accepted as normal and even gorgeous in their world—one such example being the Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert. Other books star fat women whose size becomes a target on which fatphobic scumbags can hurl their spite, a route that can succeed as long as it's handled with enough sensitivity and respect—something that Olivia Dade has accomplished with her contemporary romance novels. If a book is going to head down the Olivia Dade road, the writing for the fat character in question needs to involve enough layers that she feels like a complete person. Otherwise, her personality will come off like it's made up of her weight and nothing else. But that's how The Do-Over made me see Perci as it insistently shoved all her mom's weight-related snipes in my face. Even in the beats when she's trying to shed her doormat past and embrace the New Perci stage of her life, I found myself wishing she could be even bolder. Instead, she's fairly passive most of the time, particularly around her overbearing mom.

And that's where we can segue into my other major issue with The Do-Over: Roberta, who is quite possibly one of the most despicable book parents I've ever read about. She has repeatedly meddled in both of her daughters' lives when it comes to their looks, their jobs, their boyfriends, etc. Roberta's prying nature is particularly virulent when she aims it at Perci every other minute by, say, asking her if she can lose some weight by a certain date or advising her to avoid "unhealthy" food. You know that icky sensation you automatically get whenever you're in the presence of a toxic person? That's what I felt every time Perci had to interact with Roberta. Without getting deep into spoilers, the book doesn't even do the justice of dealing with the ramifications of this relationship and realizing that it might be healthiest for Perci to distance herself from her horrible mom. Nope, it chooses instead to wrap things up with a Hollywood ending that encourages the reader to suddenly sympathize with Roberta and forgive her for the emotional abuse with which she's saddled her daughters. Furthermore, the conclusion involves her interfering once more, except it has a positive effect this time. It genuinely feels like The Do-Over wants us to think it's actually a good thing that Roberta is a busybody at heart, which adds a false layer to a narrative that’s already depicted her behavior with such heavy-handedness.

The romance between Perci and Nate isn't all too memorable, especially since it plays second fiddle to Perci's personal evolution, but it does have its charming moments. In addition, it's tons of fun whenever Lilah, an adorable little girl whom we assume is Nate's child, comes onto the page to lighten up the story with her endearing obsession over birds and whatnot.

As for the C plot that concerns Mathias carrying a torch for Phee while she's in a serious relationship with her smarmy narcissist of a boyfriend Joel Allen (my distaste for him is almost as acute as it is for Roberta), I think it's perfectly acceptable but nothing special. It does feel quite a bit like a friends-to-lovers romance, and while the trope can engage me if it's deployed effectively, I find it to be thinly developed here. But I appreciate Mathias being a platonic male best friend to Perci (they'd actually tried to kiss once to see if sparks would fly, but the cringeworthy result assured them that they would never share any sort of amorous entanglement), and it's the kind of companionship I'd like to see more of in rom-com literature.

At least we have the existence of Mimi, Perci's lovably spunky grandma, to alleviate the situation. Strongly evocative of the equally endearing grandma Gigi from the Brown Sisters series, Mimi brings a whole lotta sunshine with her sassy wit and edgy tendencies. This is definitely made clear upon the revelation that's made early on about her smacking her husband over the head with a cast-iron pan after finding him cheating on her with another woman. Her words of wisdom, or Mimisms (two of which are, "Know your worth. Then add tax," and "A good friend'll help ya bury the body. A great friend knows how much rat poison you'll need."), opening up each chapter only adds to her charm.

Overall, The Do-Over boasts a few bright spots, but they aren't enough to compensate for the difficult time I had slogging through its portrayal of fatphobia and its toxic parent-child dynamic.

[⊱✿⊰ Alicia ⊱✿⊰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Relatable stars!!



It was okay, a light read with some funny moments. I liked Perci and found her very relatable, I hated some of the things her mum would say to her it was a little too close to home for me.

I LOVED Mimi, Perci's grandmother, she was really funny and was probable the reason why I continued with the book.

This had little to no romance in it which was a bummer, I would have liked to see more of Perci and Nate after they got together. I wish I knew if Perci's ex won the concert tickets, I waited the whole book but still nothing was mentioned.

[Nihan D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kadın karakterin annesine o kadar kızdım ki yemek savaşı sahnesinde içim rahatladı, sonuna kadar hak etti.

Perci'nin yaşadıkları zor şeylerden sonra kendini bulma yolculuğunu okuma güzeldi. Ortalama bir kitaptı ama son kısımlar okurken gülümsetti.

[Nomnivor]

Okay, dass jeder verfickte Scheiß mit Protagonist*Innen unter 40 als New Adult vermarktet wird, bin ich ja schon gewohnt*, aber das ist auch keine Romanze, obwohl es als Romanze vermarktet wird.

Schöne Grüße von Nom, nach 4 Stunden des Hörbuchs, bei denen ich vergeblich auf eine Romanze wartete

* Es macht mich allerdings trotzdem stinkig. Ihr kennt mich.

Edit: Okay, jetzt haben die Motherfucker Schluss gemacht, weil sein Kind Erdnussbutterkekse gegessen hat, obwohl es auf Erdnüsse allergisch ist, und scheinbar können sie deshalb keine Beziehung führen?? Hä??? Ich meine, ich liebe Erdnussbutter auch mehr als Kinder, aber Hä???²

Oh, und ihre Mutter hat das Gebäude gekauft, indem Prota arbeitet, und die Miete erhöht, damit Prota gefeuert wird, weil Erzieherin nicht der richtige Job für sie ist. Hä???³

Ich bin Verwirrung.

Bin fertig. Meine Verwirrung hat sich nicht gelegt. Eh.

[designatedguys · Rating 5 out of 5]

»The Do-Over« habe ich bereits in der Aufbau-Vorschau gesehen und gewusst: Das muss ich lesen. Ich liebe RomComs sehr und so habe ich das Buch anggefragt. Was ich nie erwartet hätte: Dass es so tiefgehende Themen beinhalten würde.

Perci hat Zeit ihres Lebens von ihrer Mutter genau eines mitbekommen – nämlich, dass sie das hässliche Entlein der perfekten Familie sei. Ihre Schwester macht alles besser, ist hübsch, dünn, schlau, beliebt und hat vor allem einen wundervollen Verlobten (der eigentlich ein richtiger Kotzbrocken ist, doch in der Vorstellung von Percis Mum ist er perfekt).
Als Percis Freund mit ihr übers Radio Schluss macht, beschließt sie, dass sich etwas ändern muss. Sie kündigt ihren Job und distanziert sich von ihrer Familie (so gut das eben geht). Stattdessen nimmt sie einen Job in einer Kindertagesstätte auf, wo sie aufblüht. Durch Zufall lernt sie auch ihren Nachbar kennen – der nicht nur wahnsinnig nett und gutaussehend ist, sondern auch ihr neuer Fake Boyfriend. Denn durch einen kleinen Verplapperer glauben nun alle, dass Perci einen Neuen hat … aber ist alles nur gespielt? Und wie kann sich Perci gegen ihre furiose Mutter wehren?

Wie ihr schon anhand des Inhalts seht, geht es hier um sehr viel mehr als einfach nur eine Fake Relationship. Stattdessen findet das Thema Körper, Wohlbefinden und Familie einen großen Platz. Perci ist eine wahnsinnig angenehme Protagonistin, weshalb ich super gern gelesen habe. Auch ihre Entwicklung, gerade gegenüber der Mutter, war wirklich schön zu sehen.

Fazit: Ein wirklich schönes Buch – ich hoffe sehr, dass wir noch mehr von der Autorin bekommen.

[Amanda M (On The Middle Shelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can I just say, everyone needs a Mimi in their lives.

This is the story of Perci who is just down on her luck. failed relationships, failed job aspirations, and an extremely strained relationship with her mother have all led to her making some rather unusual New Year's resolutions. Stop dating. Stop trying to lose weight. Stop working so hard. Stop trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. Stop trying to please her mother.

Of course as soon as she makes the list she meets extremely attractive next door neighbor, Nate. How could this not go wrong?

I really enjoyed my time with Perci. I loved the platonic relationship between her and her best friend Mathias. And of course her grandmother, Mimi, who just stole the whole show. The "Mimi-isms" that started every chapter were amazing and well placed within the narrative. Perci's relationship with her family felt relatable while still maintaining a level of comedy to alleviate the tone. This is a nice clean "romance" which is really more a book about finding yourself in your twenties and learning to make decisions for yourself and not your parents. I would highly recommend checking this one out and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an Advanced Listening Copy of this title for review.

[Leona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five perfect stars!!!!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and fluffy and the narration was great, but it was also pretty average and forgettable.

It's essentially a story about self-love, self-acceptance and learning to put yourself first instead of doing what others say you should do. It actually centers a lot more around that and family bonds/drama, than on the romance.

The story is cute but nothing special and the characters fell kinda flat, even though I did enjoy Lila and Mimi.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the audiobook in exchange of an honest and voluntary review

[Suzy England · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a 4th generation Texan and a Houstonian for 28 years, this book spoke to my heart! I literally know ALL of these characters! I devoured it in a matter of hours. Come for the self-love and carving your own path, stay for the brilliant Mimi-isms!

[Caitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really didn’t jive with this one. I did not appreciate that the main character’s mother was so concerned with her daughter’s weight, yet the author repeatedly listed what and how much she was eating. Just gave me a yuck feeling about the book.