I loved this second book in the series as much as the first! Violet and Xavier are so funny, so cute, and absolutely perfect together. Getting to see how they were with each other in high school and how they almost immediately reconnect as adults felt so much like real life. I adored this book, and now on to the third!

Second-chance romance with pretend marriage and forced proximity?!? Yes please! Overall this was a really fun read that hit so many emotional notes through flashbacks and Violet and Xavier growing together.

So, I will admit, I liked the first book more. BUT I still very much enjoyed this one. Violet and Xavier are both characters with complicated pasts and a messy breakup years ago. Now they're older and have more baggage, but Kristina Forest is the absolute best and creates such an entertaining plot with the emotions!

I think my favorite thing about this book is Violet and Xavier are given the space to grow. This isn't a quick plot, but it's one that allows both characters to overcome their pasts, figure out their futures, and establish themselves. Some of the moments are soft mornings and sweetness, and others they have to work through things. But for the two of them and how they are viewed by the friends and family and how they interact with each other -- it's perfect.

I highly recommend picking this book up, especially if you've read the first one in the series!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

Kristina Forest just doesn't disappoint! I really have been enjoying The Greene Sisters series and this one was just on par with the first one.

I love when a second chance romance is done in such a way that is believable. Violet and Xavier were high school sweethearts who parted ways when their life decided to go in different directions (as it does happen in real life). I really loved the chapters showing how Violet and Xavier are living their best lives and following their dreams...and then get thrown back into the mix with one another.

These characters felt so real and I was so excited to follow their journeys independently and together. I'm so excited to keep reading anything that Kristina Forest writes!

5/5 stars

This romance sounded right up my alley- fake marriage, second chance romance, basketball player. Although I liked the writing, I just didn't like Violet and Xavier wasn't much better. I really have to like the couple for a romance to work for me. I'll try a different book by this author.

sweet, swoony, and full of heart! kristina forest nails the second-chance romance with small-town charm and banter that had me smiling the whole way through. i absolutely loved this book!

This book was probably my favorite out of the series. It was funny and entertaining from beginning to end. Kristina never disappoints!

Violet and Xavier were once high school sweethearts, but as life often goes, they parted ways unexpectedly, drifting in different directions without ever really communicating again—though they kept an eye on each other through family.

Now, Violet Greene is a successful stylist, working with some of Hollywood's biggest stars and musicians, living her best professional life. But when her fiancé leaves her for one of her clients, she’s forced to show the world that she’s moving on.

Xavier Wright had dreams of becoming a professional basketball player, but a single injury derailed those aspirations. Now, he’s coaching high-school basketball and hoping to land an assistant coaching position at a college, needing to prove his personal stability before he can take the next step.

When their paths unexpectedly cross during a trip to Vegas, both realize they might be able to help each other move forward.

This rom-com beautifully captures the power of first love, and Kristina Forest does an excellent job of bringing her characters to life. I’ll definitely be picking up more of her books!

I enjoyed this so much! They both never lost their feelings and his choice to break up in high school was a mistake. When they see eachother again in Vegas and get a little too drunk at a club, they wake up… well you can guess.
It turns into a fake husband situation when she lets it slip and the town gossip gets ahold of it. She’s also stuck back in their hometown with an injury so there is a like forced proximity. Loved his students in his class and his coaching style. She was very successful in her high profile job as well.

The Partner Plot is a delightful fake marriage romance featuring Violet and Xavier, former high school sweethearts who haven’t crossed paths in 11 years—until fate (and a wild night in Las Vegas) reunites them. After an unexpected party, too many drinks, and a fake wedding ceremony, they wake up married. While they intend to brush it off as a mistake, things take a turn when Violet, in a magazine interview, claims she’s married to avoid questions about her ex.

The news spreads quickly to their hometown, and for the sake of their careers, they agree to keep up the charade for four weeks. Close proximity and cozy domesticity rekindles their feelings that never was gone in the first place. It was interesting see what they will do at the end of the four weeks, how they will reveal the reality and if they can give their love chance with different career and life style.

The writing is engaging and fun from the start. I loved Violet and Xavier’s reunion, as well as the gradual reveal of why they broke up all those years ago. Violet instantly became my favorite character (and my favorite Greene sister). Outgoing and rebellious on the outside yet deeply caring on the inside, she has built a name for herself as a celebrity stylist.

Her professional dedication is admirable, but she struggles with work-life balance, often neglecting her own well-being. It takes breaking her ankle for her to finally pause and reassess her life. Living with Xavier not only fills a void in her heart but also pushes her to open up and take a chance on love again. Her hesitation is understandable, and watching Xavier prove he wouldn’t repeat past mistakes was incredibly rewarding.

Xavier undergoes a compelling transformation. Once a cocky, overconfident teenager, he is now a man shaped by heartbreak and setbacks. A sports injury during his freshman year, coupled with his breakup with Violet, shattered his confidence, making him believe he wasn’t worthy—of a great career or even Violet. As a high school teacher and assistant coach in their hometown, he has settled for less than he deserves. However, living with Violet forces him to confront his fears and realize his true worth. Seeing him grow into a better, more self-assured person was one of the highlights of the book.

The second-chance romance combined with the fake marriage trope works beautifully in The Partner Plot. The chemistry between Violet and Xavier is sizzling, their vulnerabilities and struggles feel real, and their love is far more mature this time around. The story is packed with fun, heartfelt moments.

While much of it is predictable, it’s executed in a way that remains entertaining. Their decision to come clean to their family near the end leads to a chaotic and hilarious small-town gossip fest, giving the book a perfect, lighthearted conclusion.

Overall, The Partner Plot is a charming and entertaining second chance romance with fake marriage and high school sweetheart tropes.

This book was a breath of fresh air. A second chance romance that truly felt as though the characters took time to relearn each other, and the things that had changed in the ten years since they last saw each other. I've been on a binge of accidentally married in Vegas stories, and this one did not disappoint. The characters continue to feel very real and relatable, as though they are actually people that you would know in your everyday life, which makes them that much more endearing.

I do think there was less character development in this book than there was in the neighbor favor, but I still very much enjoyed it. It felt real, and raw, and I loved getting to read along as Violet and Xavier fell back in love with each other, both overcoming insecurities and growing together.

I love a second chance romance trope. This one did a great job at showing the beginning of the relationship but I really would have loved to seen more of the angst that typically comes with this trope. The marriage of convince twist was a nice change that I have never read with combined with a second chance trope. Kristina Forest has the coziest, sweetest romances and this is no exception. A perfect February romance to read on a cold day.

This was cute! The story is enjoyable. Unfortunately, I really struggled with the writing. A lot of info dumps and what felt like over-explaining even minor action. It gets very heavy to read.

My love for this series continued with The Partner Plot, except with this one Violet and Xavier held my attention from the jump! I was very curious to see how this fake marriage scenario was going to play out but they pulled it off well. Plus I'm always down for a second chance romance and this one will not disappoint with all the teenage butterflies and nostalgia.

I loved how we got to see Violet and Xavier's friendship and relationship from teenage years into adulthood, a perfectly imperfect pair navigating demanding careers and personal insecurities. This was a warm and refreshing read and I'm looking forward to Angel and Iris in book 3!

The one thing I will say about this author's adult romances is that there tends to be a lot of setup, a lot of complication before we get to the actual premise or even hook of the story that we're promised in the dust jacket copy. But eventually, when we do get to what the story's actually about, then it all clicks and it finally begins flowing.

I do appreciate how this story takes a modern look at what a marriage of convenience can be, makes it feel refreshing, and also kind of "defangs" that term. When I think of a marriage of convenience, I think of how it most often came from this place of women marrying people who they were not necessarily affectionate towards or in love with because that marriage offered them some kind of conventional safety or resources, whether that's financial safety, societal safety, or other forms of stability. And even though now we mostly talk about it as a romantic trope, it does kind of have heavy implications because you literally legally would've had to tie yourself to someone to gain certain advantages.

I don't want to spoil how the story is sort of playing with that trope or convention, but I do appreciate how it's kind of lessening the intensity of that dynamic and putting less legal stakes and social stakes in place.

I think the reason why this romance didn't especially blow me away is that it feels weirdly underdeveloped, which is strange because I feel like I know the characters and what they're struggling with incredibly well, but when they actually got together, when the romance reaches a boiling point, I just felt like they were going through the motions and it didn't really impact me on an emotional level, which is not to say that I don't enjoy their romantic arc or where they end up as a couple and as individuals, but just that it lacked that oomph for me in a way that I can't really explain.

All that said, I've enjoyed both romances in this companion series so far and will definitely be reading the third!

I love a second chance romance and a fake dating trope and this has both!

Violet and Xavier’s story is so beautiful and I love the finding your purpose aspect of Xavier’s story too.

And as a recovering workaholic, I really identified with Violet.

I absolutely loved this book! The vivid writing brought every scene to life, making it play out like a perfect movie in my mind. I couldn't put it down and devoured it in just three days. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, feel-good romance that will have you blushing in public.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for providing me this Digital Advanced Readers Copy of the book!

🌟🌟🌟🌟

*The Partner Plot* by Kristina Forest is a delightful and engaging romantic comedy that explores themes of love, ambition, and the complexities of relationships. Forest’s writing is fresh and lively, capturing the whirlwind of emotions that come with navigating both personal and professional challenges.

The protagonists are relatable and well-developed, each facing their own dilemmas while trying to find a balance between their dreams and their hearts. The chemistry between them is palpable, and the witty banter adds a fun, playful energy to the story. Forest does an excellent job of portraying the ups and downs of romance, making readers root for the characters every step of the way.

The pacing is mostly brisk, keeping the plot moving forward with a series of engaging twists and turns. However, there are moments where certain plot developments feel a bit rushed, leaving me wanting more depth in certain areas. Despite this, the overall journey is satisfying and filled with heartwarming moments.

Overall, *The Partner Plot* is a charming read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance. With its blend of humor and heartfelt emotion, it’s a perfect choice for anyone looking for a lighthearted escape. I can’t wait to see what Forest comes up with next!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the review copy--all opinions are my own!

This was a delight. Kristina writes such lovable stories starring characters who feel like they could be your friends, they're so real and easy to root for. Both Violet and Xavier's individual growth journeys as well as their journey as a couple was touching and realistic and delivered such a wonderful balance of tender vulnerability and swoony joy. Can't wait for Iris's story!!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.