The Do-Over strives to be a transformative story about accepting oneself but focuses on the self-hatred instead of the self-love.

As a plus-sized person. I seek out plus-sized stories. I don't mind when the plus-sized MC struggles with his/her weight or when it's a plot point, but overall I like to read plus-sized stories where the MCs weight isn't the most "interesting" thing about them. Unfortunately, this story focused too much on the MC's perceived "fatness" than it did on anything of substance.

I say PERCEIVED fatness because I was never fully convinced the MC was fat. The only reason I went into it thinking she was was the cover. The MCs mom makes comments about how she could be skinnier, reminds her how many calories are in everything she eats (TOXIC MUCH?!), and the MC herself talks about how she cringes at the scale or "could stand to lose a few pounds." But there wasn't a description of what she truly LOOKED LIKE from what I can remember. She could be a size 6 who perceives that as overweight for all I know.

I could take some fat phobic comments here and there if there was real change and self-love by the end. However, I do not think that happened in this novel. The MC stopped caring what anyone else thought (go her), but would still make comments here and there about her clothes being too big now which puts across the message that there WAS something wrong with her for being fat and she can only learn to accept herself when living in a smaller body.

I could tell the author had good intentions, but the execution was lacking. I didn't go into this story expecting the MC's weight to be as huge a plot point as it was. The fat phobic comments by her mom and sister's boyfriend were extremely triggering to read. If the author had dialed back on that and had focused on the MC's hobbies or even the romance a bit more, this book would have been worlds better.

Let's talk about the romance. Overall it was fine, but the third act breakup was extremelyyyyyy moronic. It felt like the book didn't have a clear focus on whether it was a romance book or women's fiction and, looking back, I'd say the romance took a serious back burner to the MC's family life, job, and insecurities.

There were a couple of things I enjoyed about the book. The writing style flowed nicely and was easy to read quickly. I loved the MCs best friend and sister. I kind of wished they were the MCs of this book. Oops.

If you're looking for a steamy romance book, this is not the one for that. I don't know what else to say here... okay bye.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I wanted to read this book because I love the cover featuring a fat main character. Came for the cover, but definitely stayed for the story. I loved this one so much and found Perci so likable and relatable. I loved Mimi and the joy she brought to the story. This was truly a fun read about a woman taking back her life and learning to make herself happy. It was such a joy to read and I can't wait for more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this fantastic ARC. All opinions are my own.

In The Do-Over by Sharon M. Peterson, Percy needs a major life makeover (or should I say do-over), after she is dumped publicly and she realizes her mom’s opinions are fully navigating her life. But change is hard, and suddenly she finds herself with a fake job and a fake relationship with her hot neighbor Nate just to make her mother happy.

This book is so adorable and fun to read. What really stuck out to me is how authentically all the relationships are written. I’m obsessed with Percy’s Mimi, she is my new role model. The relationship between Percy and her Mimi was written with such care and attention that it felt so real and gave the reader a comfortable place to rest (just like Percy).

One note I have is that I am tapping my foot IMPATIENTLY for a Phee/Matthias sequel. Pretty please and thank you!

The Do-Over is delightful and it was written for you if:
-You love the fake dating trope
-You’ve ever struggled with letting negative opinions get in your head and you need a kickstart of inspiration to your self confidence
- You want a feel-good romantic comedy

A smashing debut from Peterson who has just created my favourite book character EVER in Mimi!

There was nothing to dislike about this book, it was well written, highly entertaining and I loved it!

It's a well written, uplifting story of self discovery and learning to love yourself.

The characters were well developed and credible, Mimi is the Grandmother that we've all fallen in love with and each chapter began with one of her pearls of wisdom. Nate was running to escape his past, his daughter Lilah was adorable, and Perci our hapless heroine was relatable, in so many ways.

I loved this book and enjoyed every minute of reading it!

Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Perci gets dumped over the radio she decides with a bit of help from her friend to take control of her life, the new Perci is unveiled.

I absolutely adored this book, it had me chuckling away , cringing and furious at some points. It was such an easy read, I was drawn in from page one and really didn’t want to put it down.

There are some fantastic characters in this book, my favourite being Perci’s grandmother Mimi, she just didn’t give a damn what anyone thought and she shone. I loved how every chapter started with a mini-ism, I had to write some of them down so I could remember them and channel my inner Mimi.

Perci’s mother on the other hand, oh boy did she get my heckles up quite a few times, she was so mean at times and it broke my heart at how she treated Perci and Phee.

The Do-over is a story that really brightened my mood, it’s such a feel good story even though there are some tough moments for Perci, you have hope she’s going to overcome them.

Thoroughly enjoyable and an easy 5 star rating from me, I’m really hoping we won’t have long to wait for another book from the author.

Thank-you NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to review this arc.

This was a pretty interesting read. Although it was more like women's fiction than a romance and there's nothing wrong with that I wish I had paid more attention to that. I still enjoyed this. The characters were fun and likable.

This is what books are for.

Yes, yes, I know, Great Literature and Deep Thoughts and Theme and Sturm und Drang und whatever. But be honest - when you pick up a book, do you always want to be harrowed and tested put through the wringer? There's a time and a place for that sort of great book, of course, and some folks <i>do</i> always want that experience - more power to 'em. I think I'm too old for that s ... stuff. What I'm endlessly looking for in a book is good writing, good characters, a good setting the characters can live in, a good plot the characters can live in. A satisfying, unpredictable, well-crafted ending. Sometimes it feels like that's getting harder and harder to find.

Found one!

The description sounded like a light, fun read. And that's exactly what it is - and in no way take that as any shape or form of negativity, or dare to put the word "just" in front of the adjectives. I haven't used the alleged Mark Twain quote about the difference between lightning and a lightning bug in a while. It's the difference between this book and what I was expecting. I wasn't expecting such sharp, smart, funny writing, for one thing. I honestly can't remember the last time I literally laughed out loud at a book - it was probably something Bria said. No, it was <i>definitely</i> something Bria said. <spoiler>Oh right: "You that guy who wears the pizza outfit and waves at people on the street?”</spoiler> And the Mimi-isms at the head of each chapter are keepers. (“Always choose kindness. Unless the other person’s a jackass. Then all bets are off.”—MIMI) (Good writing: check.) (<spoiler>One of my new all-time favorite lines, right up there with "I piggybacked from a pizza dough freezer", is "So, I threw my Spanx on the meatloaf and I lied and said you were my boyfriend."</spoiler>

I wasn't expecting characters I'd genuinely care about. Perci is kind of a mess, and while her mess is nothing like mine the fact of being kind of a mess was definitely something I bonded with her over. Her circle of friends and family are marvelous - imperfect and wonderful and awful and heartbreaking and hilarious in equal measures. At one point the plot takes a turn that scared me enough to know that yes, I really did care about these characters - and then I started to suspect something. And it was perfect. Handled differently, that part of the book might have bene something I'd skewer the writer for, but this was - did I say perfect already? Well, it was. <spoiler>“I don’t have all the right answers though, and I never should have made you feel like my way was the best way. But I want you to know that I’m here . I’m not going anywhere. You can ignore me and not answer my calls, but I will still be here when you need me. Always.” I swallowed and waited for a reaction, an understanding, a coupon for free French fries, anything. “I’m done now.” - If I'd had friends like this, my life would be different.</spoiler> (Good characters: check.)

Perci's home is enviable. I want an apartment in a renovated cookie factory. I want to live in this book. (Which is a pretty clear sign of: Good setting: check.)

And the plot? Check. It's light, sure - but not so frothy that I was positive it couldn't take a turn. It's probably a cliche to say that it had heart, and that's what kept it from being so fluffy it could blow away on a breeze. It didn't hurt that my family has had losses in the past few years, and we always look for cardinals too. The ending? Left me with a smile on my face and that feeling of satisfied contentment a really good finale brings. Could I have predicted some of the ending? Sure. But not all of it, and not how it would be achieved.

The tl;dr of it all is: I loved this book. I've said before that it's easier to write a long review (or sometimes to write a review at all) of a book I hated than of one I loved, and I've speculated that that's because a negative review is about the book and why it wasn't good. A positive review tends to be more autobiographical. Another aspect of it is that it's hard (for me at least) to explain how a writer produced lightning in a bottle. It's easy to point out flaws - they're common. Anyone can write a bad book (except, you know, Guy Kay and Barbara Hambly and folks like that). If it was easy to pinpoint exactly what makes a book wonderful, maybe more people could do it. I wish they would. I hope Sharon M. Peterson does, many many more times.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy for an honest review.

This was cute! Romance was more of a subplot than the main plot of the book which I hadn’t realized going in. Mimi was the sweetest and definitely my favorite character. The rest was fast and sweet but overall nothing super original.

I enjoyed my time in The Do-Over. I found the characters endearing and I laughed out loud several times. I could see this book being a movie! I really liked Perci's development and how she finally started standing up to her mother. And Nate **drool**. He was so charming. I believe this is a debut novel and that surprised me. I found the writing style really enjoyable and it flowed really well. I will read more from this author! As of today this book is listed on Kindle Unlimited and is definitely worth your read.

Thank you to Sharon M. Peterson, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the ARC which did not influence my review.

I truly enjoyed this book - it is a rom com, sure but, it is more about Perci’s journey to rediscover her self-worth and navigate some very tricky mother-daughter dynamics, Grandma Mimi is the best supporting character and her pearls of wisdom dotted at the head of each chapter move the story along in a way that feels purposeful yet unhurried. As an observation, it is interesting, given current trends, for a romance not to have any spice or smut included which I know will appeal to some readers for whom the more…detailed intimate scenes, let’s say…are off putting!

🌱4.5🌟🌱
I absolutely loved this book. This book to me was a romance, but while reading it I felt like the romance was almost like a subplot to Perci’s own journey. Which I absolutely loved. Watching Perci grown into herself was so incredibly amazing to watch, and have it not center the love interest was the cherry on top! I loved all of the characters. Even Roberta who I loved to hate. But I also understood her mindset in a sense. My favourite character was Mimi and her advice is some advice I need to take. Absolutely loved this book.

This book was EVERYTHING. From the characters all the way to the storyline ! I absolutely LOVED Perci, she was probably one of the most relatable characters that I've read about thus far this year. She wasn't this perfect, beautiful, thin supermodel type. She was this character who still wasn't comfortable with her body because of the things her mother would tell her about her weight and her appearance.

The story started off on New Years Eve with Perci in the dentist, dealing with probably one of the most humiliating thing a grown adult woman can go through, she was dumped on the radio in exchange for concert tickets ! This is it, Perci thinks that her life can't possibly get any worse. Then along comes her best friend Mathias who has been infamously known for being in love with her little sister Phee and is also Perci's best friend, and he sits with Perci to create an anti-new year's resolution list. All things that can help Perci focus on being herself and not pleasing others.

I gave this story 4 stars but it was more of a 4.5. Perci, shows women to be confident by loving yourself, be happy doing what you love, and learning these things along with her and watching her relationships grow was heart warming.

This rom com debut from Sharon M Peterson clicks all the boxes for me. We have a heroine whose self esteem is shattered. A Quirky Grandma. An overbearing mother. A beauty queen sister. A male best friend. A handsome neighbor with an amazing kid.

Perci gets serious about changing her circumstances when her boy friend, who also happens to be her boss, breaks up with her over the radio. Her best friend give her a list of non resolutions for New Years that steadily get fulfilled to change her life.

This story has hilarity, but also some poignant moments as Perci deals with her mother.

I highly recommend.

Perci’s in the dentist’s chair when she hears her boyfriend, Brent, dump her on a radio show. With Perci’s mother always making her feel inadequate, particularly around her weight, she pretends her neighbour Nate is her new boyfriend.
Meanwhile her best friend, Mathias, has a crush on her sister Phee but she’s dating pompous news anchor Joel.
This was a witty and refreshing read as Perci learns to stand up for herself, especially where her mother is concerned.
With a highly relatable heroine, an amiable love interest, and a message of self-empowerment, this story is a pure delight from the first page. Grandmother Mimi’s pithy sayings at the start of each chapter are a highlight.

I loved this women’s fiction romcom about Perci, who is unceremoniously dumped in an incredibly humiliating way by a boyfriend she’s not even sure she wants to be with. But much of her life fits into that category. Her job, the way she dresses, what she chooses to eat. Almost of all of is dictated in some way by her overbearing, opinionated mother, and the breakup is the catalyst Perci needs to make some changes in her life. She makes a list of anti-resolutions for the new year that include things like stop dating and stop trying to lose weight and ends up dipping her toes into a new life that suits her so much better. But is the tension it’s causing with her mother and family worth it? And will Perci be able to keep going without letting her own fears and insecurities shut her new life down?

There is a lovely romance in this book (completely steam free), but Perci’s journey is definitely at the forefront. The book is funny and heartwarming and exactly what I needed to get out of a bit of a reading funk. I loved the hysterical quotes from a free-spirited grandmother opening every chapter and the many conversations Perci had with her pet fish. I think this book is the gentle (and hysterical) nudge we all need from time to time to make sure we’re living the life we want to be living.

If there was one word to describe this book it would be charming. Nate gave me serious Roy Kent vibes, and Perci is the girl you root for, the girl you want to come out of her shell and get everything she deserves. I loved her spirit! It was a feel-good story that was only spoiled by an over the top scene that (in my opinion) ruined what could have been a very poignant moment for Perci. Overall, a cute, fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really loved and connected with this book. Perci was an amazing character. I found some of myself in her which made feel so understood. The way the characters developed through the story was phenomenal. Perci became more confident in herself, the mom learned not to criticize everything and let her kids live their on lives, Phee found actual love and learned to stand up for herself. I loved the relationship between Perci and Nate. Nate’s such a great dad to lilah! I really enjoyed Bria character being added it really showed how we need to give other people chances in life. One of my favorite things about this books were the sayings at the beginning of every chapter from mimi. Some of my favorites were “ always choose kindness. Unless the other person’s a jackass. Then all bets are off.”, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If it’s broken, make damn sure it’s worth the trouble.”, “ you could go on a wild goose chase, or you could let the goose come to you. “, and “perfection is boring. Be imperfect. All my favorite people are”. Mimi was so truly herself something I wish to be. Overall this book was absolutely amazing I finished it in one night.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4889539325

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Sharon M. Peterson for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed The Do-Over by Sharon M. Peterson. This is her debut novel but it does not disappoint. She brings the characters to life where they leap off the page. Perci is sitting in the dentist's chair when she hears a radio program where tickets are being given to people who break up with their significant other. Perci’s phone rings and the whole world hears her boyfriend end things with her. She makes the choice with her best friend to make non-resolutions for the new year which includes not losing weight and not letting people walk all over her.
This book just grabs you from the beginning by describing Perci’s grandmother, Mimi. Mimi is not just her grandmother but also her guiding light. It is so nice to see an inspiring figure in her life where her mother seems to fail her. This book is a rom-com by the cover but I would say it leans more towards women’s fiction and is mostly about Perci bettering herself. There is romance in the book with Nate. It is cute and nice to see her with someone better than the wimp who broke up with her for concert tickets.

I would totally recommend this cute read. It has a lot of chapters, but they are short and easy to read. It was a fun, quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this free ePub in exchange for my honest feedback!

Anddddd Happy Publication Day to The Do-Over by Sharon M. Peterson!

Perci Mayfield’s entire life has been planned out for her from a young age. Even now at age 28, her mom has control over what she wears, what she eats, who she dates, what she does for work, and the list goes on and on. Perci is stuck in a rut and doesn’t want to mess up her family’s delicate status quo by trying to get out of it. Then one day while sitting in a dentist’s chair and listening to the radio, her boyfriend breaks up with her on air to win a pair of concert tickets. This event (or should I say reality-slap) sets her off on a completely different trajectory and ends up being one of the best things that ever happened to her.

People pleasing and trying to live up to her mom’s standards are a thing of the past. Perci just wants to be her most authentic self so she quits the job she hates, starts following her passions, and falls for the hot single-dad next door.

Final thoughts:
I loved this strong female MC! She was original, funny, genuine, brilliant, and endearing. I loved that the author based most of the story on her personal journey and growth, and then the romantic relationship came near the end as an added bonus. I loved the crazy family dynamics and her friendships - all of the secondary characters were so vivid and well developed. The story was well-written and fast paced where you just had to keep reading to figure out what happened. I was rooting for Perci so hard and I’m so glad she got her happy ending. I will definitely be on the lookout for whatever comes next from Sharon M. Peterson!

boy, am i a sucker for a sweet romcom. thank you netgalley & the publisher for the arc, in exchange for an honest review!