A perfect story is the first thing I read by Benavent and although I didn't dislike it... it didn't drive me that crazy either.

I think there is a lot of hype around this author (and that may be justified), and I feel like she is not for me. Let's see, I'm not saying that I'm not going to read anything else by her, far from it, but it's not the type of reading that I like or that I enjoy in my free time.

Yes, I must admit that I love the way he writes and how he presents the characters and how each one of them is well differentiated from the other. It creates micro conversations that, although they do not ADD to the story, give us a lot of content in terms of what they are like and what their dynamics are like between them.

What I missed was connecting with the protagonists, their stories and their romance. That's where I couldn't really get into the story. And although it shows us much more than a romance story (because it has a lot of growth and discovery on the part of the protagonists) it is also a central piece of the story.

Thanks SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and NetyGalley for the ARC

I wasn’t sure what to expect when starting this book as I’d never read a book that was originally published in a language other than English. At times, the translation was a bit awkward and took a couple times of re-reading sentences to understand, but the storyline really made it worthwhile.

From the get-go I was instantly laughing at the FMC’s sarcastic humor and the witty banter between the sisters. It grabs you instantly and sucks you in! A love story between two people from different worlds, beautifully depicted scenery, and the perfect dose of humor made for an enjoyable read. The only critique I had was it felt drawn out in areas and probably could have been condensed to a shorter more palatable novel, but it is a worthwhile story that tugs on your heart strings in the best way!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

So, A Perfect Story by Elísabet Benavent? Let me tell you, it was such a cute read! 📚💕 At first, I gotta admit, it was a bit slow for me. But once Margot and David crossed paths, things got real interesting, real quick! Their fake dating plan was totally genius! And I loved the chemistry between them!

The character development was on point, too. Margot's journey from perfect princess to finding her own happiness felt so relatable. And David? Talk about swoon-worthy! I couldn't help but root for them the whole way through.

The trip to Greece had me craving a summer adventure of my own! 🌞🌴 The romance, the adventure—it was like living vicariously through Margot and David's whirlwind romance.

Now, I'll be honest—the sex scenes had me cringing a bit, and the book did feel a tad long in parts. But hey, minor details compared to the overall feels this book gave me! And don't even get me started on that ending—it was unexpected yet strangely bittersweet. It left me with all the feels! 😭💔

I felt like the translation was a bit clunky at times, but it didn't take away from the magic of the story. Overall, A Perfect Story is a must-read for anyone who loves a good rom-com that's equal parts heartwarming and hilarious. I will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love. Highly recommend!

Margot and David, from vastly different backgrounds, find their lives unexpectedly intertwined: she, the heiress to a hotel empire; he, juggling three jobs to make ends meet. Their serendipitous meeting uncovers a shared chance to reclaim lost love.

Adapted from Elísabet Benavent's novel into a Netflix Spanish romantic comedy miniseries, then translated into an English novel, this captivating story is bound to enchant romantics everywhere. It serves as a poignant reminder that the "perfect story" may not always align with our reality. Margot and David's journey deeply resonated with me—I laughed, empathized, and cheered for them until the final page. Undoubtedly, I'm a hopeless romantic, and this novel only deepened that sentiment.

My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for graciously providing this eARC.

Fake dating vacation???? This was so cute and fun! I loved Margot and David together and found their chemistry was great! The plot and writing was also really good!

I learned after starting that this book was a translation and to be honest I found it a little hard to follow at times, unfortunately I feel that it has been somewhat lost in translation. Just not for me

Traditional format 📕 (digital). Did not finish at 15%. I am going to assume that this book is a little lost in translation. I stuck with it for a bit because I thought maybe there was some potential but as I continued to read the writing style just wasn’t working for me and when I saw this was a 450 page book I knew I couldn’t stick it out. The writing was just too choppy and at times awkward to read. I am sorry to say I had to throw in the towel at chapter 12 on this book.

Thank you Net Galley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I found "A Perfect Story" by Elisabet Benavent to be a disappointing read. While the premise of two heartbroken individuals finding solace in each other on a fake-dating vacation sounded promising, the execution fell flat. The writing, perhaps due to translation issues, was often confusing and felt like it lacked depth.

One of the most concerning aspects of the book was how the male characters talked about women. They seemed to view them as objects rather than complex individuals, which I found degrading and off-putting. This aspect of the book made it difficult for me to connect with the characters or become invested in their journey.

Additionally, the book's pacing felt off, with repetitive scenes that did little to advance the plot. While some moments showed potential, such as the descriptions of Madrid and Greece, these were overshadowed by lackluster writing and character development.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The night he met her, she had just thrown away her whole life.”

After finishing this book, I legitimately had to sleep on how I would write this review and I’m still not sure I’m going to get it right. Actually, I know I’m not going to get it right. It was just that good. To start, I’ll tell you I loved this book. I really, really loved this book. Sometimes stories find us exactly when we need them and that was definitely the case for A Perfect Story. It came into my life exactly when I needed it.

Here’s what I’ll say- The story had a great pace. Nothing felt like it moved too quickly or too slowly. Margot and David (our FMC and MMC) complemented each other and the story so well. The side characters added depth to their lives and pushed the story forward organically. The dual POV was beautifully written and engaged the reader in the story even more. The "fake dating" trope is not usually my favorite but this one felt so different! It was packed with emotion and managed to captivate the complications of life in a “breath of fresh air” type of way. Plus, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time wondering how the book was going to end!

It had strong character development. It made you really think about life. It was honest and real. It was magical and captivating in all the right ways. It had ALL the summer vacation vibes.

This book… this book. It was a perfect story. That’s what I can say.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Read if you love..
a really, really perfect story

Ideally I would give this book 2.5 stars, but I rounded up to 3. It took me a bit to get into the book, and there were a few sections of it that continued to lose my interest but I kept giving it a chance. The story is very interesting and I enjoyed it, however there were parts of the book that I could not decide if it was due to a language barrier or just a choice in words.

While I don't think i will recommend it to people to read, I am glad that I picked it up because the story was captivating for most of it. While I read it on my kindle so I am not sure how large the book actually is but it felt like I was reading in circles and just experiencing the same scenes over and over in slightly different ways, which was a bit frustrating to read.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy.

Yikes, this translation was badddd. Most of the time it didn't make sense. If you told me Google Translate did it, I wouldn't be surprised. I'm actually pretty shocked I finished it. It was a SLOW start, a struggle to get through with the subpar translation, and it was LONG!

I really enjoyed the idea of this book and I loved the descriptions of Madrid and Greece. It made me want to travel. I also enjoyed the romance between Margot and David. As far fetched as it was, Elisabet nailed down a lot of the emotions of complicated love. I still don't know how I feel about the ending(s)? I guess it leaves me with something to think about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.

Fun quick story. Many great tropes mixed together. I love a good fake dating story and this as a fun one. Great setting and characters.

Fake dating + a bit of opposites attract = such a delightful read! I loved the characters and their chemistry — it made me think of classic rom coms and how good they make me feel.

This was my first read from this author and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it! I highly recommend.

loved this romance of two sad people who end up falling in love . He is poor and she is rich and they are both wanting to win back other people but along the way they both fall in love. Loved the family and that they both figured things out and back to each other.

I thought this book was phenomenal. It did feel a little long and I had a bit of cringe at some of the sex scenes but overall I felt like the characters were actually real! Would recommend this for anyone looking for an emotional rom com that might make you cry more than you expected!

Enjoyed the story! Characters were relatable. I would read another book by this author. Just long enough to effectively tell the story.

A Perfect Story lives up to its name! A novel that blends humor and heartwarming emotions with a dash of depth. The fake-dating trope is refreshing, and the characters' growth alongside their sizzling chemistry makes for a delightful read. Fans of romantic comedies won't want to miss this one! 5 stars!

A Perfect Story by Elisaet Benavent was a perfect story. I loved this story of opposites attract, mixed with fake dating. This was the perfect beach read for me. Benavent did an amazing job with the characters & storyline with this one. Did I mention the trip to Greece? Such an added bonus. You’ll want to read this one!

Thank you NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the ARC copy of this book.

I had a hard time with this book. I didn't love the writing style and I thought it was way too long. Some of the sex scene descriptions and dialogue were cringy and/or cliche and some of the characters were just genuinely unlikeable for a reason I couldn't figure out. The ending was satisfying, though and I did like the scenery of Madrid and islands of Greece - definitely made me want to travel!

Loved this story, and specifically this translation! I read Un Cuento Perfecto alongside this ARC of A Perfect Story, and was delighted to see the subtleties of Benavent’s original stories illustrated quite well in English! Qué cuento hermoso, realmente. Loved reading Margot and David’s stories. I do think this leans a bit more on the “women’s fiction” end of the spectrum than it does “romance”, but this is in no way a deterrent. Cannot wait to read more from this author!