I had the best kind of reading experience with this book - I just couldn't put it down! McAlister's previous Here for the Right Reasons was a charming and easy read, and this, its successor, is no different.
Mandie is a bi woman who works as a mechanic and is getting over a tough breakup. Dylan is a nurse with a son who is burnt out and wanting to escape the frontlines of the oncoming pandemic.
Set in the same timeline as the previous book, the story follows them as they are falling in love on a TV dating show. Unfortunately, it's not with the person they're supposed to - ie. the "Romeo", a Bachelor-style leading man (who as we know from the previous book, is falling in love with someone unsuitable all on his own... ).
They first meet at the auditions and a firm friendship is struck up between them. When they get locked down together in the Juliet mansion in the show's quarantine bubble however, sparks fly and both of them are conflicted about their growing feelings for each other. And of course they have to hide it from everyone, including the other cast, the production crew, the Romeo and each other.
The book is told from Mandie's POV and she's a very sympathetic character - strong-willed, determined, smart and capable but also very impulsive and craving external validation. I love behind-the-scenes books like this (even though I hate most reality tv) and clearly McAlister knows her stuff. This was an enjoyable sapphic love story filled with yearning, angst and a HEA that left me smiling.
I just need to know now - will there be a third book?? Because I MUST know about Lily and Murray...

After absolutely adoring the first book in Australian author Jodi McAlister’s “Marry Me, Juliet” series, I had high expectations for the second instalment: Can I Steal You For A Second? (CISYFOS). Were they met? Mostly. Did I enjoy the read? Absolutely.

The “Marry Me, Juliet” series currently takes place both in front of the cameras and behind the scenes of a reality TV dating show, think the one with the roses. Amanda “Mandie” Mitchell applies to go on the show to get over her ex-girlfriend, and while at auditions meets Dylan G. They become friends, and as the show continues their relationship grows.

However, and stick with me here, book one kicks off with the very first night of eliminations coinciding with pandemic lockdowns in Australia, that limited people’s movement. For the first book and when it was published, it absolutely made sense and also provided a unique look into some of the issues and trials experienced by people around the country and world. However, if you’re expecting book two to pick up after book one and as we learned to live with the pandemic (and with publishing happening early-mid 2023), then you may be disappointed. CISYFAS is essentially the exact timeframe, from our two new main characters perspective. If you’ve read book one, it’s not Dylan JM or “boy Dylan” either; the previous book’s hero and male lead of the reality show. Instead, we are given these two bisexual female leads, who get to tell their story in a traditionally hetero show/format. Do I wish that maybe book two had picked up where book one finished, maybe using flashbacks to relevant plot points? I think so, especially given the timing now and fatigue felt from the pandemic that I don’t think anyone wants to relive. And I definitely would have loved some dual or even multiple POV for a key chapters to understand other characters better, but maybe that’s just my reading preference at the moment too.

However, this book was still a fantastic read. I loved connecting more dots between characters I already knew and loved, getting those new perspectives, and finding out things that had happened our book one heroes had either missed or were simply not revealed. The fact that we find out about specific scripting and manipulation of the reality show should not surprise anyone, and it provides plenty of angst, but also lends itself nicely to the storyline between our two female main characters (neither of whom by the way, let the producers think they are anything other than straight initially). Never fear though, their ending is well worth the struggles they face.

If you’re a fan of reality TV dating shows and queer characters, CISYFAS is a 2023 must read.

Can I Steal You for a Second? is a sequel to 'Here for the Right Reasons' but set at the same time, with the same characters, but from a different point of view. It's set in the same season of the dating show Marry Me, Juliet, during the lockdown due to the pandemic. Having read the first book, I knew how it turned out but there were still surprises along the way. Seeing people from Amanda's (or Mandie's) point of view gave a different light on the people we thought we knew from the first book. There was still plenty of drama, friendship and love. Such a fun story.

[Book Review]

Can I Steal You for a Second?
Genre: Contemporary/Chick Lit/Rom-Com
Publisher: Simon & Schuster AUS

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh, Jodi McAlister, you’ve done it again!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and only took a couple of days to finish it. Not surprising though, I had trouble putting it down.

Jodi takes two of the characters from her previous book, “Here For the Right Reasons”, to be the leading roles in “Can I Steal You for a Second?”

In typical Jodi Mc style, she immerses the reader into the behind-the-scenes of a reality “Bachelor” type series, including all the stereotypical characters you would get on a dating TV show, but makes them entertaining to read and enjoyable.

I have to be honest, I was cheering for Mandie from page one and freaking LOVED her in both books. Jodi gave this gorgeous character a voice, a best friend to champion her, and I was emotionally invested in Mandie’s “Marry Me, Juliet” journey.

If you are a fan of:
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Fiction based on reality TV
✔️ Rom Coms
✔️ Engaging supporting characters

Set your reminder 🔔. “Can I Steal You for a Second” is available 5th April, 2023

And no, you don’t need to read the first book before this one, although I TOTALLY recommend you do. You will love them together as a back to back read, trust me.

A big thank you to @netgalley @simonschusterau and @jodimcalister for the gifted ebook ARC.

Mandie is a longtime watcher of reality show Marry Me, Juliet, but she would never have applied to be on it - before she got dumped by her toxic girlfriend, that is. She's not even sure she has the courage to go through with it. But then she meets Dylan, another romantic hopeful - who should be her competition, not her new obsession! After all, they're on the show for a chance at love - with a man.

How can you not love that premise? Two contestants on a Bachelor-style show falling in love (which has actually happened IRL!)? Sign me the heck up! To say I enjoyed this would be a vast understatement. There was plenty of delicious drama to be had, so much heart-twisting angst, and a strangers-to-friends-to-lovers tale that had me up past my bedtime.

But the best part? Representation. Oh my gosh. YES.

I don't usually see myself in romcoms. I will devour ALL the sapphic romances, but I'm always keenly aware that bisexual women like myself are generally not going to be the heroines. Unicorns are more visible than us lol. So imagine my delight to discover that both heroines were bi!

And pandemic fiction is my biggest weakness atm, so I ate up that aspect of the story. xD

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Here For the Right Reasons. This one was just as well written, funny, and heart-warming. However, I think I would have enjoyed this novel a lot more if I hadn't read the other book first. It made it less exciting as I felt that I knew what was about to happen at every step. With that said, I loved the diversity of characters, the depiction of female friendships, and the pacing of the novel. Would definitely recommend!

3.9 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGally for the arc, in exchange for an honest review 📚.

A dating show. Forbidden romance. Sapphic (and it slaps).

The bisexual representation. Yesssss! Immediately loved this. I don't know what else people could want in a book. This was very cute!

The romance between the two main characters ahh 👀✨. I really enjoyed watching their relationship develop in this book.

The fade to black actually killed me in this one. Killed. Me. I could have used just a smidge more spice.

But if you like fluffy romance books without spice in them this is literally perfect then!

I'm honestly thinking there gonna be a third story in this series. And it's gonna be a fireball 🔥. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

I will posting a review of this book on my Instagram, Goodreads and TikTok accounts in March. My handle for all of these medias is "Tahliareadstoomuch".

I loved getting to see the relationship between Mandie and Dylan grow from their first meeting to realising they were in love. But I didn't love that we didn't get alot of different angles in regards to the Marry Me Juliet series. It didn't really add that much more that you didn't already know.

Overy, this was a well written and really cute read that is set during the same time as Here for the Right Reasons. I look forward to reading more from Jodi McAllister!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

3.5/5

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Schuster Australia for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A lgbtqia+ rom com set on the tv set of “Marry me, Juliet” (Think the Bachelor Australia) only Mandie our protagonist is there to fall for the Romeo, not another contestant.

And thus we enter the world or backstage reality tv with Mandie trying to get though a tv show all the while being plagued by her quickly developing feelings for her best friend in the house, as well as the emotional abuse from her ex that keeps springing into her consciousness.

The book is a fun look at reality tv, all the while shining the light on emotional abusive relationships and their long term effects.

I did find not all ends of the story were wrapped up well but I have since learn this is actually a second book in a series where we are reliving the same season of the show but this time from the POV of different characters.

The book was set around 2020 at the start of the pandemic in Australia which I wasn’t really fond of (as a healthcare worker I’m very much over it!) but I understand how it was needed for some of the plot.

A good quick read and nice to see some lgbtqia+ representation. Hopefully we find out what Lilly was up to and why Murray is so sleep deprived in a future book.

Mandie Mitchell applies for Marry Me, Juliet in an attempt to get over her break-up with her ex-girlfriend. She doesn't intend to fall for one of her fellow contestants, but Dylan G becomes a fast friend before they even hit the set and Mandie is just drawn to her. Dylan's tipped to win and Mandie doesn't want to rock the boat - but the question is, can Mandie overcome her jealousy and let the woman she loves go, or will she fight for her?

Full disclosure - I don't watch reality dating shows (or any reality tv at all). I have zero interest in them, but apparently I don't mind reading them? Having read Here For the Right Reasons I knew exactly what I was going to get in this book, and there's a comfort in that. I loved that it's a sapphic romance (even if it's closed door) and that the relationship is heightened because both protagonists are on a dating show to win a man but they're in love with each other. It was also fun to see a lot of the things that happened in the first book from the perspective of a character who isn't eliminated straight away (both books run parallel). I do kind of wish we'd had Dylan's POV because she makes some questionable decisions that we only ever see from Mandie's perspective that might have made her a tad more sympathetic of a character, but the book overall was deeply enjoyable.

Be aware that both protagonists identify as bisexual but choose not to disclose that information during the filming of the reality tv show because of concerns about how they'll be treated and potential biphobia.

CW/TW: Toxic relationship (past, but heavily influences the main character), pressure cooker environments, set during COVID-19 lockdowns

Tropes/Keywords: Friends to lovers, reality tv show, sapphic, bisexual protagonists, closed door, mechanic, nurse, single POV

I was 62% through this book when I realised why I was loving it so much. There is a kindness to the way McAlister writes that is so warm and genuine and refreshing. As a writer, you can tell that she loves her characters. It’s not that there isn’t capital D Drama, and it’s not that any of them are perfect. There is enough that is messy and chaotic about them that we can all relate. There is just so much joy in the way that she lets them be who they are, and it’s a joy to read. McAlister has embraced her unashamed love of reality tv and romance, and while reading these books, you can tell that she’d support you and cheer you on in every single little thing that brings you joy.

If you want to hugged by a book that is going to let you know how wonderful and worthy you are no matter what, then this is the one.

Can I Steal You For A Second? is the second in Jodi McAllister's 'Marry Me, Juliet' books, set in the same time as Here For The Right Reasons, but focusing on a different couple.

Can I Steal You For A Second? follows Amanda and Dylan G, as they compete in a Bachelor-style competition to 'win' the love of the show's Romeo, Dylan. We get glimpses of Cece, from Here For The Right Reasons, but we get a totally different view and look into the behind the scenes of the show. Amanda and Dylan meet at auditions for the show, and end up forming a great friendship. As they spend time in the villa with the other ladies competing in Marry Me, Juliet, they get closer and end up developing strong feelings for each other.

The show is being filmed during a pandemic, in which everyone is required to stay in lockdown. The timing of Here For The Right Reasons meant that the pandemic was still relevant, however I'm a bit over the pandemic now, and I don't particularly enjoy reliving the difficulties of lockdown. I hope that the next book in this world will be not be another version of this same Marry Me, Juliet series, and will instead move on and focus on something different, moving away from the pandemic talk and focus. I'd love to read about Lily Fireball as the leading lady in 'Wherefore Art Thou Romeo', the Bachelorette version of the show!

Amanda and Dylan are great characters, and I think Amanda definitely grew a lot in this book. She is trying to get over a very toxic past relationship where her self-esteem and self-worth took a hit. Personally I wasn't really excited for the relationship in this book, I just didn't find Amanda or Dylan particularly interesting. Having a Dylan's POV chapter would have been great, and may have helped Dylan to be a little more likeable.

I am a huge fan of anything reality TV, and I loved Here For The Right Reasons. Can I Steal You For A Second? didn't quite live up to the first book for me, but I still love Jodi McAlister's style of writing and humour, so I will absolutely continue to read anything she writes, including future books in this series (should there be any!).

Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book. I did enjoy it, and I would recommend it to fans of reality TV, friends to lovers, and fans of Here For The Right Reasons.