I had some personal issues that came up and I really want to start off by apologizing for not getting this done sooner. I really liked the author's story. Loved how the relationship between the two main characters progressed. Loved the writing and so glad that their story turned into so much more than the fling it was in the beginning. I really enjoyed reading this story and was sad that I wasn't able to read and finish it sooner. I am so glad that I was able to finish this wonderful story and would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Keep up the w0nderful work!

I loved this omg??? I’d never read anything by this author before, but I may have to check out their backlog because I really enjoyed this.

Thank you so much to netgalley and E.F. Dodd for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I appreciate so much that this was dual pov! It was so fun to see how infatuated these two are with each other. It’s clear that their meeting was only meant to be a one night stand situation, however, these two can’t get enough and want to spend every second they have together in the same city - they want to learn everything about the other person and it’s so sweet to read. Their relationship is positive and uplifting, they’re always encouraging of each other to go after what they want in terms of their careers and relationships, they only want the best for each of them.

This was a quick, lighthearted read and I think it was a good fit for the holiday season. It’s really sweet, it’ll definitely make you smile!

This was the perfect Christmas romance book to kick off the holiday season with. Im so glad I decided to pick this book up because it was so enjoyable and i was giggling and blushing the whole time. I rated this book a three stars because although it was enjoyable and fast paced, I found myself wandering during some parts.

Meeting a hot bartender, while out with friends in a bar over a long weekend vacation in Upstate New York is how Vivian, “V”, met Dave. She was only supposed to be there for a few days, nothing more. But when flirting turns into a one-night-stand, and that turns into spending days together, V and Dave begin to wonder if there could be something more?

V and Dave are drawn to each other from the start. We get to see them from Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas as they deal with family, other thinking, and long distance in their “situationship”.

I loved this story! E.F. Dodd wrote a sweet and sassy romance, and I’m all about it! I felt like I was really able to get to know the characters, and cheered with their successes. I was left with a huge smile on my face. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of Dodd’s works!

I thought this was a cute read. This is the story of a bartender and a doctor, a fling that turns into more.

3.5 stars!

"Almost Perfect" by E.F. Dodd is a minimal angst, high-spice holiday-time insta-love romance story featuring two pretty great main characters. I typically don't like the insta-love trope, but I think it works here because both V and Dave feel like they do belong together. I loved the chemistry between them. I loved their easy joking camaraderie, their sizzling steamy scenes, and their quick but believable heartfelt adoration for one another. Unfortunately, it feels like the story peters out at around the 65ish% mark and drags for the rest of it. I found the final miscommunication and third-act kerfuffle to be pretty silly, unnecessary, and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Still, this book reads quickly, so it wasn't horrible to finish. I do think the cover is a bit misleading, which will turn some readers off of this book altogether. While this story does take place between Halloween and Christmas, I wouldn't necessarily call this a Christmas book. Still, I had a good time reading this book. Can't wait to see what E.F. Dodd does next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sugar Beaver Books, and E.F. Dodd for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This story follows main characters V and Dave who meet in a bar. V is a dr, Dave, the bartender. The attraction is instant and so the relationship follows.
I have to say I didn’t take to the main characters easily and found Dave to be a little annoying, though he kind of lost me at the start of the book, when he describes a female as ‘the brunette who had resting bitch face down to an art’!
I thought it would be more about Christmas, hence the book cover, but we don’t even reach Christmas Day. If you like a lot of spicy content, then this is for you.

Almost Perfect was such a good read. It will grab you from beginning to end. The chemistry between these two was undeniable from the beginning. This book has amazing banter, some great heart-felt moments and realistic characters you can't help but love. I felt like this was a quick read for the holidays. I will definitely be recommending this book.


Thank you NetGalley and Sugar Beaver Books for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Almost Perfect absolutely exuded sexiness. From Dave and V's first encounter (hot stares across the bar? Yes please) to each of their hookup scenes, everything was steamy and so fun to read. Having been in a long-distance relationship myself, I loved the Facetime escapades and the surprise Halloween visit. This book was so heartfelt and so fun, all at the same time.

I didn't read Rae and Kez's stories before Almost Perfect and, while I wish I had read them, not reading them didn't take away from V and Dave's story.

I'd also like to add that I LOVED the Christmas village that Dave helped set up. I have my own (including Victoria Station!) so I could wholly envision this scene. While the book cover suggests this is a Christmas book, it actually spans several holidays, but I did enjoy the Christmas aspect.

This is your typical spicy rom-com book. Nothing really makes it stand out from all the other rom com books currently in the market. That being said, this was a fast, easy read, and had some good spice. If this is your type of book then I totally recommend giving this one a try.

Cute read, went through it in one go. Nice characters, well written and likeable, but the story isn't the most original or something that will draw you in when it comes to how they interact and relate (except for when things turn spicy), and for a Christmas book,there's little Christmas in it. It did leave me wanting a bit more depth, and a glance at their happily ever after.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a cute sweet heartwarming holiday book. Super quick and easy read for me.

Sadly, I DNFED this book. I was just not engaging with it. I'm rating it 3 stars, though, because while it wasn't the book for me, it might be the perfect book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sugar Beaver Books for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

This was a DNF for me. I made it 80 pages in and just couldn't do it. I didn't feel any pull of V and Dave, their chemistry was lacking. I feel like the cover is misleading based on the content of the book. That cover has me imagining a sweet, cozy romance and that's not what I got at all.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive a copy of this ARC! In no way does this affect my rating.

Sadly this will be another DNF for me. The writing style is just not as I prefer. The story seemed rather mature and the characters dynamic seemed terrible. I also felt no chemistry between them at all. As much as I thought I would like this story I just could not get into it!
Remember all readers have opinions and this is just mine. 🤍

I thought that this story is incredibly cute however, it’s very spicy which is not my vibe. with that, I enjoyed the friendships, the family, the relationship, etc. the vibes were exquisite. AND there’s a TON of spice. so for those of who you like spice, this book is for you. and my rating has to do with the amount of sections that I had to skip because the spice scenes were so prolonged.

I dnf'd this at 25%. It just was not for me. This book solidified for me that I am a slow burn, enemies to lovers girlie. I’m not a fan on insta love. All of the characters seemed very one dimensional caricatures of very rigid types.

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Almost Perfect
Author: E.F. Dodd (debut)
Source: NetGalley
Publication: Nov. 1, 2023

Almost Perfect features a hard-working Doctor Vivian, also known as “V” or “Doc,” who goes to a small-town bar with friends and falls in lust with the local bartender, Dave. V has a life plan that includes marriage (for love) but to someone who should be a working professional. A bartender is not going to please her parents. But a much-needed weekend of fun between the sheets with the unbelievably gorgeous and skilled Dave is just what the doctor ordered. What do you get when you mix a Grace Kelly physician lookalike with a super-hot and hunky bartender? I’m glad you asked. You get a lot of action that, while supposedly only lasting a long weekend, turns to months of travel and longing. The story is steamy, but the chemistry is a bit weak. Almost Perfect is billed as a Christmas story, but it’s really from October to December, and the main point of crisis (there is always something) isn’t that big of a deal to me. But you can’t have makeup without a breakup. It is a decent premise but may need some fine-tuning next time. #romance #love #life #doctor #bartender #romcom #funfriends #societyGal #Rochester2Charlotte @netgalley #sugarbeaverbooks #AlmostPerfect
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Sugar Beaver Books, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. Pub. Date: November 1, 2023.
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this was really sweet and cute, I liked how the characters interacted and their relationship

thank you netgalley for an arc

Christmas is right around the corner, so I was super excited to read this one. It did not disappoint! It was super cute, the spice was there, and the chemistry was addictive. This wasn’t overly Christmas, like I like. I loved the long distance rep, as my boyfriend lives in England so I could relate.