3.5-
This is a cute romcom about a girl who’s looking for love in all the wrong places. Ana is a 32 year old TV producer in Manhattan working on a show about proposals and her best friend is getting married. She has a crush on a guy who doesn’t know she exists and her bestie and her soon to be husband are trying to set her up with a well known artist who is 30 years her senior. One day when she’s back in her childhood house she finds a list of the 4 qualities her perfect man will have and she decides to date 4 men, all of whom have one of those qualities.
The book reads like your standard chick lit and is a bit predictable because of it. Some of the predicaments Ana finds herself in are quite humorous, while others are a little cringy, but ultimately she finds her way.
While I enjoyed the bulk of the book I felt like the ending could have used an epilogue just so we could have seen real growth in Ana. I felt like she didn’t grow enough as a person for the length of time the book covered. While there were a couple of parts in which Ana faced a hardship they both felt forced and the resolution felt too easy. However, Ana is a very likable character and I found myself cheering for her all along.
Lissette Decos is a reality tv producer and I loved how she used her personal life in her debut novel. I am definitely interested in seeing what other books Ms. Decos has in her. This hit shelves on Feb 28 and I thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Fun story about someone who is finally giving themselves the credit they deserve and not taking anyones bs.
Ana was so relatable and loved the trope of the person for you being right under your nose

I have taken a while to review this book because I didn't want just to write the first thing I thought. So Ana the main character is a bit flighty when trying to find a new man. She has a list of four things she wants to meet. She finds four different guys with each a quality. So this was fun to read.
Her best friend and Ana don't seem to have a healthy friendship. I find this the most challenging and believable relationship in the book. Immaturity is all throughout this book as well

On a positive note for a women's romance, it sure did have some funny parts. I will not give away the ending. I will say I read this book but, I've heard listening is much better


ARC provided by NetGalley and the author for an honest review.

TW: cheating and implied cheating

The synopsis of this book caught my eye and I was excited to read it, unfortunately this one didn’t work for me. The heroine wasn’t a likeable character, the “romance” took way too long to come about, and while I appreciate a good list I’m truly surprised she didn’t have a list on the proper way to go to use the bathroom. She drove me absolutely nuts and when I can’t connect to a character in a book, that’s not a good thing.

Ana is a reality TV producer of an over the top marriage proposal show. When her latest proposal goes awry she loses her favorite editor to another producer who seems to be in favor with the network manager and her new editor is a man who thinks what Ana’s show does is ridiculous. On top of that her best friend is getting married and Ana worries that her friend’s cousins aren’t stepping up with the wedding planning, but she’s on top of it with her millions of lists.

Ana wants to find a man, and remembering the list she made of her perfect man in college she realizes that she knows four men who satisfy each of the four characteristics she wants in a man so she decides to date all four at the same time. She does learn from this experience, more what she doesn’t want in a relationship but honestly I just didn’t find this all that interesting. It was like she was going through the motions when she knew none of these men were right for her, so why bother? All the while there was a man waiting to figure out what she did want out of a relationship.

This book was too busy and had no focus and therefore I slogged through it, it took me days to read when I normally finish a book a day but I just couldn’t make myself keep reading it at times. While I do think some might find what Ana does for a living interesting and they might even enjoy her dating misadventures for me it was tiring and not all that interesting.

I was expecting this to be a fun, empowering romance about a career-focused woman trying to succeed at life and love in the city - one of my favourite story types. And at first, this book seemed to be just that. I loved the beginning of it, getting introduced to Ana, her TV production job that she’s great at, and her family, and I really enjoyed Ana’s habit of making lists to help her make sense of different things in her life.

But the core plot point in the story is Ana’s decision to date multiple guys to fulfill her different relationship needs, and unfortunately, things went off the rails pretty quickly for me once Ana began dating different people. None of the men in her life felt like real people - they were all caricatures of stereotypes (e.g. the emotional artist), very over the top in their one defining personality trait. The book almost felt like a fever dream at times, with how oddly things developed.

I also didn’t understand Ana’s relationship with her best friend, which seemed extremely one-sided and kind of toxic, and I never bought into the apparent romantic connection with the guy that Ana ultimately ended up with.

Because I’m big on the character element of stories, these issues made it difficult for me to really get invested in Ana’s journey.

This book started out so funny, quick witted, and genuinely charming but towards the middle it sort of dropped off a bit. I really enjoyed Ana's character when she was happy go lucky but after finding a list from years past of traits her perfect man would have, she decides to find 4 different men instead of 1 man with all 4 traits....? The men she picked all had serious red flags, all while the man for her was right under her nose. I think a lot of times it's difficult for me, personally, to connect with impulsive characters. I mean, really, think about this for a second. I loved that Ana was professional and towards the end she seemed to be branching out to further her career that she loved. Overall this was a fun debut and I'd be interested in another book by this author!

Read this book if you like: Multicultural representation (Cuban American), lists, reality shows

I wanted to love this. The cover is gorgeous. I expected this to be more romance, but it's Women's fiction. There was romance but it took a backseat to Ana growing. It wasn't bad but it fell flat for me. There were funny parts. The characters were well-developed but a few of them seemed very immature for 30's. Some parts really bothered me though I know cheating is a realistic thing. This was not it. You may love this more. I didn't connect.

Thank you to the author and Forever Books for the gifted book ❤️

This book just didn't do it for me. It took me forever to get into it. It didn't flow and it didn't hook me. I wasn't rooting for anyone and everyone annoyed me.

3 ⭐️

Ana Takes Manhattan has an exciting synopsis and cute cover but unfortunately I didn't love it. Ana's character was quirky but sometimes unlikable. The storyline was fun but not super well executed, and it lacked heavy romance since it was a slower build up to the final relationship. All the side characters were not overly likable either, but it was cool seeing details of Ana's job. This categorizes more like a women's fiction instead of a romance. I'd recommend for some readers, but is not a must-have!

Review 3.5⭐️
I was really looking forward to this but just had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. Mostly because no one is really likeable. Ana loves to makes lists, so it's no surprise she has a list for her Mr. Right. However, I don't understand why she took each bullet point from this list and found different guys that only fit one point. Therefore, making up her Mr. Right. I also didn't agree with her seeing multiple men, but she didn't tell them that's what she was doing. Ana's best friend, Gia, was just the worst. She was self-centered and manipulated Ana into apologizing for something when they were both in the wrong. As far as for the romance, I wish it would have developed sooner. I knew which guy she would end up with fairly quickly but it didn't happen until almost the very end. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes of Ana as a reality show producer. It was cool to see how everything worked and came together. Overall, it had some strong points but its characters brought it down for me. I would recommend this is you prefer women's fiction where romance takes the back seat.

Ana Takes Manhattan by Lissette Decos is a fun and charming novel that follows the adventures of Ana, a young woman from Cuba who moves to New York City to pursue her dreams. The story is full of humor, heart, and cultural insights, as Ana navigates the challenges of adjusting to life in the big city. Decos' writing style is engaging and lively, with vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds of New York City. The characters are likable and relatable, and the relationships between them are well-developed and believable. The themes of self-discovery, friendship, and cultural identity are woven seamlessly into the plot, making this a book that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Overall, Ana Takes Manhattan is a delightful read that will leave you feeling inspired and uplifted.

I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. At first, I really liked the main character, Ana. She seemed quirky and relatable in all the right ways, and reminded me of Jess from New Girl and Mindy from the Mindy Project. I also liked that it was set in New York City, and I liked any time the city was referenced throughout the book.
The plot, however, seemed to really be all over the place and chaotic (not in the best way). I had a hard time following the story which ultimately led me just not to care about what was happening. We were following her relationship drama which involved 4 separate interests…, her work drama which was confusing to me for some reason, and drama with her best friend’s wedding. It lacked a strong focus and felt like all 3 of these storylines were fighting to be the main one with none of them being the clear winner. Additionally I don’t think Ana’s character has any character development and in fact she seemed much different at the end and not in a good way. Speaking of the end, it was very abrupt and sudden. The middle part of the book dragged on and on only for the end to not really resolve anything.
I will say that I really love this cover though!!
Thank you for this ARC!

I was super hyped for this book because I felt like the plot was basically the story of my life. Girl meets boy, boy and girl date and then boy and girl break up. This book starts like any other romance, where the girl is down on her luck and wants to be in a relationship but none of the guys she meets is up to the standards of her "list." After a huge letdown at work, she decided to say yes to anyone who asks her out. This leads her to be in relationships with 4 different men. Throughout the book, we get to see her relationship develop and fizzle out with the men. Until she finds "the one."

I personally think this book was a little choppy and hard to follow. There were a lot of pieces of the book that were not threaded together and we were left with some time gaps that didn't make enough sense. I feel like it might have been better if the author focused on 2 or 3 boys relationships instead of the 5. Because on top of the romantic relationships, we get to read about the trouble the main character is having with her best friend, which also becomes sort of a plot hole. Overall, I liked the book and it would make a PERFECT beach read. However, if you're looking for a book that has a little more complexity than just a romance, I would skip this.

I really enjoyed the storyline of this Cuban American woman finding love in her 30s while navigating the workplace and friendships. I myself being Cuban American this story resonated with me all too well.

⭐️Rating: 3/5
✍🏼Author: Lisette Decos
📖Genre: Romance Comedy

::My thoughts::
Such a cute romcom! This story is about Ana, a reality tv producer who finds herself stuck in a rut- not sure where she wants to take the next chapter in her life. Suddenly, an opportunity comes knocking at her window. Now Ana, is ready to take on Manhattan and control of her life.

I thought this book was so fun, I loved the setting and theme centered around her job in reality tv. There were some really funny moments in this book too -and you cant help but love the characters.
I cant wait to read more from Lisette Decos!

*Thank you to the Author and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for my review.

There were some things I loved about this debut novel by Lissette Decos, and some things I didn’t care for quite as much. I absolutely loved this “behind the scenes” look at a television producer. And after I finished read the story, I realized that the author herself is a television producer, so she should know how to write a character who is the same! She did a great job with these aspects of the story. There were many moments that made me laugh out loud. And it was a pretty quick read!

What I didn’t care for as much was the romance aspect to the story. I didn’t love all of the characters, which may be why the romance was a miss for me.

Even for all of this, I still think this was a solid story. I just personally feel it would have been better as a women’s fiction story than a romance. I wanted to see Ana more in her role as television producer.

Ana has been a successful reality show producer helping couples have their perfect proposal despite a total lack of success in the dating pool. While helping her best friend plan her dream wedding she decides maybe it’s time to stop saying no to every guy who doesn’t fit her list for perfect guy requirements and start saying yes. To everyone.

But will relaxing her standards help her find happiness? Or was there a reason she had them in the first place.

This book did not do it for me. My main issue was I just didn’t like the female main character. I understand she likes to make lists but there were just too many of them. It was excessive and wasted a lot of time. Then there’s the disaster that is her dating life. There’s nothing wrong with a woman wanting to date around but my problem is she doesn’t tell any of the guys that she is seeing multiple people at the same time. Lying by omission is still lying and it honestly made me start to resent her. The final nail in the coffin for me with Ana was bringing back an old flame who did her dirty. Also she went on and on about how funny he was when all he did was flirt with other girls in front of her and do the robot….I’m not even joking that’s literally their first date. The fact that she would put herself in a position to be burned again and then be stunned by it just made me lose all respect for her.

No one in this book was likeable. I didn’t feel a genuine connection with any of the characters. Ana’s best friend was probably the worst though. She was selfish and somehow gaslighted Ana into apologizing to her after all the crap she pulled. And then I mostly felt sad for everyone Ana was stringing along while she tried to find herself. I was invested enough to finish it but because I kept hoping it would turn around. It didn’t. I can honestly say this has been my least favorite read of the year.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley for review.

Ana has a list of qualities that she doesn't want in a man and qualities that would make a perfect man. However, in order to feel like she has the perfect man, she feels like she needs to date 4 separate men - Phillip, Sam, Fernando, and TJ. Meanwhile, she's working on editing to a video she's producing with Richard - a rival per say... and trying to get the attention of Landon who she thinks IS the perfect man.

While Ana Takes Manhattan was a cute book, overall, it fell flat for me. None of the characters really felt memorable and the lack of chemistry made it difficult for me to really engage or feel connected to the story. I didn't feel any chemistry between Ana or the male characters. Her best friend, Gia, annoyed me. Overall - I felt like they were all characters with no personality and no character development. I think with better characters and better interactions, the story could have been a winner for me.

Thank you though to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ana Karina is a reality tv producer who orchestrates over-the-top proposals everyday. However, her own love life is lacking and she's looking for her own romance. She finds an old list she made in college with the four things she wanted in a man - a romantic talented artist who gave her butterflies and made her laugh. She decides to go out with four different guys who all embody one of the criteria on her list, hoping she'll feel fulfilled by each of the guys who have aspects of her dream man.

This was a pretty fun debut! It was a bit slow at times and more character than plot driven, but it was laugh-out-loud funny at times as well. I enjoyed Ana's growth throughout the book, though I wondered at times why she was dating some of the men when she didn't seem to like them all that much. Ana tells us at the beginning of the book that she thinks her REAL dream man is Landon, the best man in her best friend Gia's wedding, after only seeing a photo of him. She obsesses over him for most of the book, though she's never really spoken to him and doesn't make any effort to. Her fawning over Landon sort of threw me off because she seemed to want him so much, without knowing him at all or trying to form a relationship, even when she had the opportunity to attempt to do so.

Speaking of Gia, she was the worst! She was not an enjoyable character at all, flirting with other men when she was engaged and sending them photos of her in her wedding dress. She just did not seem like a good person, or even a very supportive friend to Ana. I wish we got to see more of Ana interacting with her family, especially her stepmother, as I felt that was an underutilized part of the narrative. There were a lot of scenes that felt unfinished, especially the date scenes with the various men Ana was seeing. I did enjoy the ending and who Ana ended up with, though it did feel a bit rushed and I wished we got more time with them.

Overall, this was a fun story! I would definitely put it in the contemporary/women's ficiton genre rather than romance; at the end of the day, the book was about Ana's growth rather than her relationships, and I did enjoy how she progressed as the book went on.

This was a DNF for me. I originally found myself interested because ANA TAKES MANHATTAN had been compared to books by favorite authors of mine (see Abby Jimenez, Alexis Daria, etc.) but knew within the first few chapters that this one would not work for me.

Giving it a three star because it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read, I just knew I would really dislike it if I read on. I hope other women's lit/romance readers will enjoy this one!