4/5
I thought Not the Plan had fantastic mental health and toxic relationship representation. Anyone who grew up in a toxic household or experienced domestic abuse will identify heavily with both of the main characters. I think that was the main selling point for me. Although, I would issue a trigger warning for anyone who is sensitive to severe manipulation. Isadora's relationship with her mother definitely made me uncomfortable so be safe. .I was seriously invested in both Isadora and Karim getting their happily ever after. I feel like the book was really complex, but still easy to read. The subplot of political enemies and scheming added an interesting spin, so it wasn't just all about romance and falling in love. Although, don't get me wrong there was plenty of romance! The author packed in a whole bunch of spice. I admired the fact that the balance was perfect though, I don't feel like there were any plot holes. Sometimes with really spicy books I feel that there is something lacking in the plot, where if the author just cut out one sex scene, it could have been tied up better. That certainly didn't happen with Not the Plan. I would recommend Not the Plan for anyone who is juggling coming to terms with their childhood and/or relationship being abusive and setting up a life they want to live. It does a great job of pointing out that abuse is real, and all of the feelings you have about your experience are valid. It was great to follow Isadora and Karim growing in their own confidence and taking the political world by storm.

This was my first Gia de Cadenet novel, and it definitely won't be my last. It was a steamy novel with an original meet cute that had the background of the political world. It was nice to see the inner workings of the world of Congress and everything that goes into it as Karim and Isadora figure things out. This story is not slow burn at all in my opinion. It touches a lot on mental health, and I really appreciate how de Cadenet touches on how abuse can affect us with our daily lives and the long-term effects it can have on us. She put them in such different relationships that were so hard to even pinpoint, and it was so well done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own

Isadora and Karim work for rival California senators but are unable to deny their attraction to each other. I love a good workplace romance, and this book had several steamy scenes and lots of sexual tension. On the other hand, Isadora and Karim also had difficult conversations regarding their own mental health and that of those in their lives. Having this balance in a romance felt like a breath of fresh air.

Not the Plan ended up being a middle-of-the-road romance for me for several reasons. Although both of the main characters had their own struggles, I didn't feel much of a connection to them, which caused the book to lag (this might be more of a personal problem though!) and the representation of BPD was a bit concerning to me. We need more stories of those with BPD getting the help they need! I also prefer a bit more of a slow burn, and I felt like the characters got together too quickly. I also wouldn't exactly characterize this book as enemies to lovers because there wasn't really a point in the book where Karim and Isadora really hated each other.

I feel pretty mixed about this one. There were some great moments, and the initial meet cute was done so well. The main couple had good chemistry, and the spicy scenes were well written and flowed in a believable way. There was a lot to like in these aspects.

However, I also found a lot that didn’t work for me at all. Despite the chemistry between the couple when they were together, j didn’t feel very connected to them as characters otherwise. I’m not entirely sure why, because they both did have back stories that were decently explored. I think I just never felt *attached* to them. I also found some things to be incredibly repetitive, such as the pet names. And the pacing was all over the place, rushing through moments that felt like there was a ton of build up, as well as spending a ton of time on little to no plot (ie. The couple doesn’t really even reconnect after the meet cute for… a LONG time.)

But more than anything, I had a lot of difficulty with the mental health rep. Specifically, there was one confirmed character that had Borderline Personality Disorder, as well as a second that was hinted to have it as well, and both of these characters were absolute villains to the story. As a therapist, I am very aware of the harmful stigma surrounding this diagnosis, and I didn’t need an entire book that pained not one, but TWO characters with it in a negative light. I’m unsure what the author’s personal experience with this was, but I feel confident that this story tells only one very harmful side of what is very often a complicated and misunderstood condition.

I wanted to like this more, and I’m open to reading this author again in the future. This just ultimately felt “okay” for me, and sometimes downright not good.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title before publishing!

Isadora is a driven, successful chief of staff for a California state Senator. When she literally crashes into Karim, spilling coffee all over him, only to discover he is her seatmate for her flight to Sacramento. They get to know each other superficially, then part ways at the airport, each expecting to never see the other again. So, naturally, Karim ends up being the new legislative director to another Senator. The Senators, while on the same side of the aisle, are at odds, referring to themselves as Capulets and Montagues. When they cross paths again, only to find they are on opposite teams, can they find a way to work together, or maybe even more?

Drawn together, they find themselves embroiled in a scandal that could affect Isadora's boss', and by extension, her own, futures. Can they solve things in a way that protects their jobs and allows them to be together?

This story was enjoyable reading. I would not call myself an expert on politics, but I found the job-related portions easy to follow. There is a lot of emotional growth, for both Isadora and Karim, as well. It was engaging, at times full of tension, and sensitive with handling what it can be like to experience gaslighting. Isadora and Karim were sweet, endearing characters, and I couldn't put the story down until I found out how everything ended.

*I received a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

It was a little too predictable for me, but they didn’t make it a terrible story. It was cute, and I enjoyed reading, and thank you for the opportunity to read the story.

After loving GETTING HIS GAME BACK last year, this breaks my heart but I couldn’t finish this one.

I assumed the politics would be present because it’s their job, but it was constant and I couldn’t understand half of it. If you studied politics then I guess you’ll do great but I was lost half of the time.

Also, there are some limits I never let books cross, and fatphobic comments is one of them. Seriously, I don’t care if you’re joking, just don’t. Telling someone (who was severely depressed in the first book, by the way) to go easy on the food because he’s getting soft is not a joke and I might be exaggerating but lines like that can totally ruin a book for me. It’s just not funny. There was another similar comment later, and I just can’t stand it.

Thanks to Dell and NetGalley for my ARC. Opinions are my own.

this reminded me a lot of meet me in the middle but unfortunately I liked that one more. I loved the banter in this one and the love story. the plot was different but all in all it fell a little flat for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for this #ARC.

I was very excited to read this book because of the premise. I had never read a political romance before, this was my first one.

I loved Isadora and how bright she was. I loved that she had a career she loved and cared about. I love that the character careers were not sacrificed. I love the DUAL point of view stories, those are my favorite.

I loved getting to know the characters. I thought this was a cute, easy read. Would definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.

I was so excited to dive into this book because it meshed my two favorite genres politics and romance! Boy was I in for a treat with this book. Isadora and Karim work for opposing congressmen but that doesn't stop their chemistry from blooming. I can't even write a more in depth review without giving spoilers just know you should pick up this book. This was my first read by Gia De Cadenet and it most certainly won't be my last!

**Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Gia De Cadenet for this arc in exchange for an honest review**

I should have known this book wouldn’t really be it for me with it being a political romance. It just wasn’t the story i needed it to be. Sadly, not something i would recommend for other.

CW: sexual abuse, blackmail, mental illness, emotionally abusive partner and parent.

This is my first book by Gia De Cadenet, and overall I thought it was decent.

This book is a political romance where the main couple meets on a flight and then again at their place of work. Isadora was focused on her career, so she didn't really make time for her personal life. Until she met the gorgeous Karim, and the immediate attraction was undeniable.

If you're into sappy, HEA romances with a little spice, you may really enjoy this one.

This is a great follow-up to Getting His Game Back. We go from one Sarda brother in a Detroit barbershop to a second brother in California state politics. Both Karim and Isadora carry so much baggage, so it was delightful to watch them learn how to share the load. And the spice was hot, too.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Political rivalry romance.

Just okay for me. The characters were somewhat bland, had a hard time sticking with it.

I thought this was going to be a very different book. But it was still interesting. I also struggled with whether to give it a 3 or a 4. I ended up on the 4 simply because I read it straight through in one sitting, which has to mean something. I didn’t love the writing style, though. I mean, it was fine, just not great. It didn’t give me enough description, I guess. Anyway, glad I remembered it was on my Kindle.

A woman with goals and a man whose eyes are set to the future! Karim and Isadora have a fateful meet up that leaves them both thinking of the other and when they are brought back together they have some choices to make!

I enjoyed meeting Karim in his brothers book (Getting His Game Back) and when I saw this books was Karim’s I just had to read it! Karim is trying to find his future! Trying to find his place and get his world back in order! His attraction to Isadora is a complication but it’s too strong to walk away from!

Both Isadora and Karim have a lot to navigate and overcome but I loved how mature and poised they went about everything! More importantly I love how strong Karim was and how he wanted to be beside Isadora and help her achieve her goals! A very beautiful story and Karim just might be my favorite brother!

Isadora is the Chief of Staff to a US Congressman, who meets a cute guy on a plane but doesn’t get his number. Turns out - Karim was on the plane to move to Isadora’s town to work for her boss’ political rival! I loved that the characters were mature about not sacrificing their careers for their relationship, and they were also smart about discussing past relationships and baggage in a respectful way. This was a smart easy read - I really love this author and look forward to more of her books! This was an especially timely read for me as I just took on a new job as Chief of Staff (though in business, not politics).

This book had me racing to finish. I absolutely loved this story. I found myself rooting for the characters and smiling from ear to ear. I’m not normally one interested in politics but this love story definitely outweighed that part for me. The author kept me engaged, developed the characters in a loving and believable way and had me rooting for their love up until the very end. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Thank you netgalley and publisher for the advanced read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC of Not the Plan. Much like her debut novel, Getting His Game Back, this was such a fun and easy read. True to form, de Cadenet brings the reader a story with vibrant characters who overcome toxic familial relationships while falling for each other. I love how Karim and Isadora connect with each other and their “blunt, honesty” game gave me total Olivia and Fitz vibes.

Isadora Maris has spent a decade in state politics, and she is excellent at what she does. Battling lobbyists and state senators is nothing for her, as she holds her principles dear and has a plan to ensure her boss has a successful campaign for U.S. representative. With that win under her belt, she’ll finally accomplish her dream job: a congressional aid in Washington, D.C.

Everything is going according to plan until she meets Karim Sarda. Although, he may be gorgeous, he works for the scummiest of all California politicians. Isadora can’t ruin her polished reputation, but some things may be worth fighting for. After a failed marriage, Karim is looking to start over. He’s overwhelmed by Isadora’s presence and equally attracted to her. Karim really needs this fresh start, but he can’t help but wondering Isadora may also be want he needs. If his boss takes control of the California senate, it could ruin everything.

I really enjoyed the dual POVs for this story. They helped gain insight into each character’s mindset and complimented them well. I rarely read stories with the main characters involved in politics, but this one truly caught my eye! The forbidden romance or workplace romance aspect was alluring, and I couldn’t help rooting for Isadora and Karim’s relationship. Although this is a cute romance story, there is some substance to it and potential triggers such as: emotional abuse, divorce, mental health, and domestic abuse. I loved this story, touches on therapy and the conversation about domestic abuse. I do not want to spoil too much, but the aspect about mental health and domestic abuse and how it affects men was one of the largest highlights of this story for me! Also, I think Karim was an excellent match for Isadora and showed how a loving and well-matched partner can help you work through your own trauma and not minimize your feelings. My one downside of this book is I felt it could have been shorter in some areas, but the ending was cute and wrapped up almost all questions I had.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!