Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun read for me, from the celebrity love story, to the LGBTQ+ representation, to body positivity, to a dose of spice! Nina and Ari together made my heart so happy, I adored how fast they fell for each other in such a genuine way. And all of Nina's friends and her aunt were incredible side-characters, each having such a bold personality. I will say, the self-doubt aspect of the book on Nina's part was verrrrrry heavy and a little over-done in my opinion, but I understand where a toxic ex can translate into other aspects of your life until you can properly heal from them. All in all, I enjoyed the story and felt it was a cute, feel-good read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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For Her Consideration tells the story of a dream-abandoning screenwriter who finds herself 1. in the suburbs of LA, 2. with her great aunt as her best friend and 3. with a work from home job writing emails for celebrities as a low level employee at a mid tier agency. Nina’s life is bland and predictable - just how she likes it after a traumatizing breakup a few years prior. Her whole world gets flipped on its head, though, when she’s forced to meet with one of her clients face to face to discuss problems with her email correspondence. Nina’s life takes a turn, but is it for better or for worse?
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I actually really enjoyed this except for one important part - Nina and Ari have 0 chemistry. Zilch. None. I love their sweet moments, but even then, it’s a struggle to see the two of them together. The side characters were endearing and fun. I honestly think this should’ve been dual POV and that may have solved some of the issues? Nina just didn’t intrigue me much! All in all, this was hella cute though!

Explaining my thoughts on this book is a bit difficult. I quite enjoyed my time reading it. It truly wasn't bad at all and I do recommend it to other people. I really liked the romance and cast of side characters. This was also quite an addicting read and I constantly found myself wanting to pick this book up again. However, I also had several issues with it. Even though I really liked the main character, her insecurities and self-destructive behaviour did get on my nerves a few times. I just feel like her character growth went about quite slowly and suddenly once we did get around to it. I would have liked a more visible progression throughout the book. I also thought Ari was quite an underdeveloped character as well. I don't know anything about her besides the fact that she's a queer icon and most people find her "difficult", even though we never actually see her be "difficult". Oh yeah, and she has a cat that no one has ever seen. Some scenes could also drag a little and I just overall think this could have been a bit shorter. So yeah, based on those complaints you probably think I hated it. I truly didn't. Like I said at the start I overall had a really enjoyable time reading this book. I thought the romance was quite cute and the side characters were truly everything. They were so much fun and really brought this story to live. I also quite liked seeing Nina's job and aspirations in life. I always love a Hollywood story but I really liked the different aspects of the industry were included in this book.

This is such a cute and fun read. There are so many lovable characters. I absolutely adored the friendship group and would definitely read books about the rest of them. They’re such a cool, diverse group of people and I would like to be friends with them immediately. I also fell head over heels for Nina’s Aunt Lorna and her hilarious group of friends.

The romance side was cute. I’m not a huge fan of the miscommunication (or in this case absolutely zero communication) and 3rd act breakup tropes but it was done well enough that I didn't mind. It was a bit frustrating that Nina didn’t have any sort of character growth until the last few chapters but I couldn’t help but love her. The ending did feel a bit rushed but this was a solid read and I very much enjoyed it. I would love a series to get to know the rest of the friendship group better.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding is such a fun, cute, romantic story. Great story of friendship and family ties with a blooming love affair. Another happy rom com. It just wasn't a stand out book to me. It was a typical storyline and I was hoping for more. I do agree with how people can wallow in their thoughts and faults after a breakup like Nina so that part was relatable.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and Amy Spalding for this digital galley in exchange for my honest review!

For Her Consideration is a sapphic Hollywood romance. Ari Fox, an up-and-coming queer actress,
is a client of Nina Rice, who writes her emails for her. Ari and Nina slowly start to become friends, and fall in love. This book has lesbian and plus size representation and overall was really adorable. This book also had one graphic smut scene, with some fade-to-blacks in there as well.

I loved Ari’s character. Honestly, she’s something anyone would want in a woman. She’s ambitious, caring, thoughtful, and fun. I really enjoyed watching Ari and Nina’s love story unfold.

On the other hand, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Nina.
I understand having low self-esteem after a break up.
Especially the way her ex did it. That makes sense. But to cut out literally every single person in your life and turn into a hermit for three years? It felt very excessive. And why did her “best friends” not go and find her in that time? It was hard to read from Nina’s POV the whole time because of that. I would have loved some Ari chapters as well, I think it really would have balanced it out.

Besides that, I really enjoyed this book! I thought the moments and dates and swoonworthy parts were there! I really enjoyed this story and ate it up and think it’s worth reading!

Absolutely loved this book! Not only are the characters diverse, they're hilarious and kind and just the kind of friends we all hope we have. The love story between Nina and Ari was in some ways so perfect in showing how much we can internalize our own fears and the projections of others but also work to overcome that. Their relationship was just the right amount of spicy for this mostly light-hearted romance.

Nina (and now Ari's) chosen family is amazing and reminds me of the families my friends and I have built for ourselves in our cities across the country. But I'm not going to lie... the cherry on the cake was Lorna and her besties showing the longevity of beautiful friendships over the decades. I would love to read a sequel to Nina and Ari's story as well as learn how the rest of their chosen family is doing down the road.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC for an unbiased review.

This was such a fun, cute, romantic story. It was full of found family and physical barriers that a person has to overcome due to emotional trauma.

Nina was so understandable and someone I would be friends with. She was real, and loved herself physically but had to overcome a bunch of mental barriers. The one thing I wasn't a fan of was her running and the ack of communication she had with her found family.

Ari was so sexy and confident. She is someone I loved because she had to control all the situations which reminds me a lot of myself!

Thank you NetGalley, and Kensginton Books for granting me an eARC of this! I loved it and cannot wait for more stories from this author!

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cute sapphic celebrity romance, with so much emotion. I really enjoyed that even though it was a Hollywood setting, ari wasn't a massive star (yet) & everyone had "normal" industry jobs.

I loved both of our main characters, and that they were both flawed but in realistic way that didn't feel to far away and outlandish. They were so loveable, and such a great fit together.

One of my favourite parts were all the side characters, who were all so loveable. From Lorna, to the fierce friendship group all the way down to max.

I'd love to see a sequel, maybe with Chloe's story? With the little glimpses we got of Chloe's character we got, I'd definitely love more of her!

Amy Spalding had me at famous/non-famous queer romance.

Nina is a decidedly behind-the-scenes character: Her very job is to manage celebrity email accounts for a talent agency (i.e. she pretends to be each of several celebrities). Following a bad breakup, she's stowed away her aspiration of becoming a screenwriter with a happy marriage, fulfilling friendships, and a few adopted rescue dogs. Instead, she does her job, visits her great aunt, and keeps up her daily crossword streak.

But then client Ari Fox, an up and coming young actress, asks for a meeting. Ari, who just so happens to be gorgeous. And maybe, just maybe, seems interested in Nina?

There's a lot to like here, from Nina's close relationship with her aunt Lorna to her close group of friends. The pacing and conflict are frustrating at times, especially if miscommunication is a least favorite trope (as it is for me). I tried to respect Nina navigating her challenges on her own time, in the way in which she felt comfortable, but I'd have liked more on-the-page flirting/chemistry and/or Ari's point of view to balance out Nina's. Still, this was an enjoyable romance with a nice sub-focus on found family.

This was such a fun story! I absolutely adored the two main characters, and I have to give mention to the amazing friend group. Everyone needs a group like that in their lives!

For her Consideration starts off with heartbreak. Nina has gone through a break up and is trying desperately to keep to herself and not hurt others with her toxicity - something her ex made clear would happen. She’s been fine, struggling along on her own, until the gorgeous Ari Fox falls into her life and turns it upside down.

I love the way Nina grows throughout the story, and how supportive her friends are, even when they don’t understand what’s going on. Ari is a force to be reckoned with, but she has a heart of gold. I love the way she shows Nina how important she is in her life, and how she’ll do anything she can to help others. With the exception of Taylor, I adored every character and loved their interactions. It’s definitely a story that will put a smile on your face.

For Her Consideration is Amy Spalding’s adult debut, and she knocks it out of the park. The novel focuses on Nina Rice, a freelancer working for an agency in LA, and Ari Fox, an up-and-coming actress who hires the agency to support her. Nina and Ari hit it off and after a few communication breakdowns, their friendship evolves into a sizzling romance.

While the dynamic between Ari and Nina is the stuff that romance novels are built upon, I was really hooked by the journey of self-discovery that Nina experiences over the course of the novel. In the preface to the story, we see Nina experience a heart-wrenching break-up with her girlfriend of three years, who lets Nina know in no uncertain terms all the flaws that led to their relationship’s demise. Nina lets this go to her head, and copes by running away not only from the relationship, but from all of her friendships and even the city itself, relocating to the suburbs and withdrawing into a life of solitude. Her connection with Ari brings her back into the world she left behind; she reconnects with old friends, starts working toward her dream of becoming a TV writer again, and lets herself fall for Ari.

Like most romances, this novel does have the late-stage break-up before they can find their happily ever after, but because Nina’s character was so well drawn, I wasn’t as frustrated as I usually am by this plot device. As anyone who has done real soul-searching can attest, it’s rare that journeys of self-discovery happen without a little backsliding. When she and Ari have a fight, Nina panics and withdraws, falling back on the defenses she built after her previous break up. This time, however, her friends refuse to let her go, and are there to support her through the rough patch and help her to move forward. I will admit feeling frustrated with Nina at points throughout the book, and when her friends urge her to seek therapy, I may or may not have cheered. This is a woman who has been deeply hurt, who is afraid to trust, and whose self-image is so damaged that she can only see herself as someone who can cause pain, instead of seeing the value she can bring to those she loves. Ir’s hard to read at times, but it helps to see how Nina’s friends stand by her through thick and thin.

Yes, this is a romance, but it’s also a novel that celebrates the power of found families while exploring the process of growing up and overcoming our fears. I couldn’t help but root for Nina throughout the book - she’s such a captivating character, and it was great to see her figuring everything out for herself. My only complaint? Nina encounters that truly heinous ex late in the story and instead of a dramatic showdown, she pays her no mind. While this is absolutely the more mature and appropriate response, I really would have loved to see her take her ex down several notches - but we can’t always get what we want!

For Her Consideration celebrates queer love and the power of friendships and found family to help us navigate the challenges life throws our way. I highly recommend checking it out!

happy to share my favourite romance of 2023 (so far), as well as one of my most anticipated books of the year. amy spalding's adult debut 'for her consideration' follows 32-year-old nina, an aspiring tv writer working as a celeb email account manager & living in the la suburbs while recovering from a breakup three years prior. when a surprise meeting called by ari fox (the young, hot, very queer actress getting oscar buzz) makes nina feel things she had sworn off of after her last relationship ended, suddenly nina feels like maybe this is where her life takes a turn for the better. between rekindling lost friendships and working on a new script in her free time, a relationship with a movie star might be too far out of her league. but is seeking new love worth the risk?

this book was HOT. it was fun, it was very relatable, and i fell for both the main characters instantly. their relationship develops quickly but believably, and i really felt like we got a sense of why nina made the decisions she did. i knocked off a star for the classic third-act breakup (ugh) but aside from that, this book was a dream to read.

This was such a fun read! I loved Ari and Nina as a couple, and I loved their found family too. Both of the main characters were flawed in believable, non-annoying ways, but they complimented each other well. I loved the Hollywood setting but how it was kind of “Hollywood-adjacent” in that Ari wasn’t a huge star and the others were regular workers in the industry. I enjoyed the growth that many of the characters experienced during the story and loved the happy ending.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a sucker for a Hollywood romance. So the moment I heard about For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding, I knew this would just be up my alley. Big thanks to #netgalley, and Kensington Books for gifting me an advanced readers copy to read and review!

My favorite books, especially romances, are ones that go a bit deeper than just a love story. They dig into family, career, friendships, struggles and just the life shit that we all deal with every day. And Amy Spalding did this so well in this very fun, very funny queer romance. I actually took SEVERAL screenshots of passages as I giggled my way through the book.

When we first meet Nina Rice, she is in a car accident on her way to a last-ditch attempt to reunite with her girlfriend. It doesn't go well, and everything her ex says, particularly the 10 point list that outlines all of her faults hits Nina HARD. She retreats from her friends, swears off serious romance and moves into her Aunt's condo in the suburbs.

The bulk of the book takes place a few years later. Nina is still in the suburbs, and her gig is so very Hollywood - she writes emails for famous folks. She is called in to meet with one of her clients - the infamous Ari Fox. She's an actress on the rise, one who is seen as a frontrunner for the Oscar. She is also unapologetically herself. Ari suggests the two hang out so that Nina can be a better ghostwriter. And it takes but one drink for the sparks to fly.

This was a treat from the first page to the last. I. loved how big of roles both Nina's aunt and her friend group played - it felt so authentic. And all of the self reflection! Whew, that hit me in my core but also felt pitch perfect. The struggles in Nina and Ari's relationship felt earned and real. The humor woven throughout was also. just excellent.

Also is it weird that I want to be friends with them?! What a fun read!

Uma história fofa, mas eu queria ter curtido mais. Em alguns momentos, as falas das personagens não pareciam casar com suas idades e experiências, mas é isso. Destaque para a amizades de Nina e eu não sei como ela pensou que suas amizades iam ficar do lado da ex depois do término. Mas temos final feliz para namoradinhas e também representatividade gorda.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. I loved it. I loved the complex characters, the very real depiction of people who choose to retreat when things get hard, fierce friendships and the affect others’ words can have. I also just LOVE a good romance. And that’s what this was. Complex characters who feel real and a good romance all wrapped up in one. More please!

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Nina has a bad breakup - her ex accusing her of being a horrible friend among other things. Nina cuts ties to her friends - and hibernates in the suburbs.
A few years later, Nina is forced out of hiding. One of her clients, Ari Fox, is not a fan of her representation. After a business meeting, something starts between them. Friendship begins - but Nina doesn't want to sully Ari.
Nina runs into her once close friend, Bianca - forcing her to rejoin her abandoned social group.
Let's not forget her comic aunt - who reminds her life is meant to be lived.
Very sweet debut.

Nina has been dumped in a pretty mean way three years ago and never really recovered. Her ex had made her think that she was some evil, toxic person who didn’t deserve to be happy and Nina had believed her. Not only she swore off dating, she also ghosted all her friends.
Ari Fox, calls a meeting with Nina's talent agency and hits it off right away with her. These women are at completely different places in their lives, but can’t seem to keep away from each other with their easy banter and instant chemistry.

I have a lot to unpack when it comes to this LA L-wordian rom-com.

Unlike many other readers, I liked Nina. I understand that people find her frustrating and annoying to read - I get it. I appreciate that she is going through a lot, she makes mistakes, her preconceived notion of just about anything is tear-your-hair-out-worthy, etc. But I found her relatable in many shapes and forms.

However, I have two other major issues.

1. I'm not the biggest fan of the writing style. Especially the steamier scenes felt like watching paint dry, and I can't say I ever found the banter endearing, or that any aspect of this rom-com ever felt like -com to me. I'm actually pretty sure that if I had to read Ari calling Nina her full name one more time, I'd throw myself out of the window. And truly none of it was... funny. IMO.

2. I'm not the biggest fan of the rom part, either. I think Ari is extremely pushy, and there is so much value being placed on her buying things here that it felt ridiculous. The power dynamics felt kind of weird and unbalanced the entire way through, and I genuinely do believe that both of the MCs would be better off without one another. If they met in 10 years, having both done some serious maturing, maybe. Anyway, in my opinion, Ari did some really questionable things, and her worth seemed to lie in her wealth for almost anybody involved, excluding only dear Lorna, whom I want to read a whole book about instead.

It's a shame that the character development or the main conflict did not get even a touch of progress until the very last 20 pages hit.

HOWEVER, I had a good time with the first half. I thought this would be an easy 4-star read. Too bad the second half would have gotten a 2. Would probably still recommend it, though, albeit with a grain of salt.