Thank you Berkley for my copy of The Partner Plot! All thoughts are my own.

One of my favorite books from last year was The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forrest so I couldn’t wait for the next book in this interconnected series! I thought the set up for this book was so cute and I absolutely LOVE the cover. The pink pops off the page and made me even more excited to read it.

I didn’t love this book as much as the Neighbor Favor, but it is still a great read that explores second chances, changing dreams, and forgiveness.

Synopsis:

“To Violet Greene, fashion is everything. As a successful celebrity stylist, she travels all over the world, living out her dreams. Professionally, she’s thriving, but her personal life is in shambles. After surviving a very public breakup with her ex-fiancé six months ago, Violet is now determined to focus on her career. But life hands her something—or rather, someone—that might derail everything…Xavier Wright did not expect to run into his high school girlfriend Violet—the girl he once thought he’d marry—on a birthday trip to Vegas. As a high school teacher and basketball coach, he rarely leaves his New Jersey hometown, so what were the chances? But when the initial shock wears off, they decide to celebrate together. They feel young and reckless as they party the night away—and reckless they clearly were when the following morning, they wake up beside each other with rings on their fingers.Their impulsive nuptials might be a blessing in disguise, though, when they realize that both of their careers could benefit from the marriage. So they play the part of a blissfully wedded couple. Yet when their passion comes hurling back, they realize their feelings are just as real as they were back when they were teens. But are their lives too different to stick it through or will they finally get a happy ending?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Set Up—I love a book that starts in Vegas. Have I been to Vegas? No. But the stakes are always quite high! I also loved how the book started with a prologue of sorts, featuring the characters when they were younger.

The Characters—Xavier and Violet were a delight to spend time with, but I love all the side characters in this series!

The Tropes—Second chance romance and fake dating? High! Stakes!

What Didn’t Work For Me:

The Pacing—This book had all the ingredients to make me fall in love with it, but there was something with the pacing that just missed the mark for me.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5

Content Warnings:

infidelity

Yet again, Kristina has done it! Making me swoon over a couple just wanting them to be together! I really enjoyed reading this book and I am invested in the lives of these three sisters! Violet and Xavier just belong together. You will never forget your first love! I am so happy to have gotten an arc of this even though I read it late but am very happy with it.

2.5 stars. The Partner Plot is a second chance romance between highschool exes! And while this is described in the blurb as a marriage of convenience, it isn’t at all. They do run into one another in Vegas, and they do wake up finding wedding rings on their fingers the next morning, but immediately after that they realize they did a fake wedding ceremony. After going their separate ways they realize if they pretend they really did get married, it would help out both of their careers. So it’s a fake relationship and not a marriage of convenience at all.

I loved the first book in this series, The Neighbor Favor was even one of my fav reads of 2023, so I fully expected to love this one as well. And this book just didn’t live up to that at all sadly. This book took me soo long to get through and I kept moving on to other books instead and coming back.

Basically we see Violet and Xavier when they first meet in highschool and hit it off, we see the ups and downs of their budding romance, lots of breakups and silly fights, but a lot of love. Violet was always seen as “too much” by adults and couldn’t wait to live town, move to the city, and become a celeb fashion stylist. Xavier dreamed of leaving town and becoming a NBA player but when real life steps in and shook up their lives in college, they split. Now they run into one another almost a decade later in Vegas, where her dreams have come true and he’s a teacher and basketball coach at their old highschool.

I just kept waiting to fall in love with this book and characters and it never happened. We get a lot about Violet and her career and thoughts and I felt like we needed more from Xavier or maybe even more time with them together. Like we get a lot of time with both of their careers and I just wanted more of why they wanted to be together. I guess I just didn’t get what they liked about one another. And the reasons for them wanting to pretend to be married and how it all went about just didn’t hit right for me.

We do get a bit of the setup for the next book in the series, so I might still check that out since the first book worked so well for me and just lower my expectations.

I received an ARC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.

Y’all know I’m a huge second chance romance fan so The Partner Plot was just the book I needed.

Briefly…two former high school sweethearts get a second chance in this marriage of convenience romance.

First of all this cover is just gorgeous and fun! I just could not pass it up. The author did a great job with setting up the backstory romance which is soooo important. You could feel the spark of first love. It kind of reminded me of the movie Love & Basketball. Cue the marriage of convenience and I am here for it. Seeing Xavier and Violet rekindle their love was just the sweetest. I really enjoyed the character arc for Xavier and how he grew professionally. Loved it!

If you are looking for a sweet second chance romance you definitely should check out The Partner Plot!

Thank you NetGalley & Berkeley for the ARC

First the cover. I saw the cover and had to get the ARC. So colorful.

The MCs were likable. I was concerned there was going to be an unnecessary third act break up but was pleasantly surprised. The story was entertaining. I was expecting Iris story next since I peeped the vibe between her and Angel at Violets anti wedding party. But this second chance/ fake marriage was a nice surprise. I was hoping for a little more angst between Vi & X; he did break her heart after all. Their high school to early college history was very well developed though. The mystery of their drunken night in Vegas should've played or longer man's more unbeknownst to them that it was a pretend marriage. But overall good read. Can't wait for Iris story!

easy romcom to dive into, love a good ol splash of Vegas drama to stir things up. lighthearted read but didn’t stick with me for long.

"The Partner Plot" was an absolute delight from start to finish. Kristina Forest has crafted a story that's both cute and fun, making it impossible not to fall in love with Xavier and Violet. Watching these two characters grow both individually and together was a highlight for me.

One aspect of this book that stood out to me was the lack of a third-act breakup, which is way too common. Instead, Forest chooses to explore a healthier dynamic where the couple faces adversity head-on, communicating and working through their issues together. This not only felt refreshing but also so much more realistic and relatable.

This book is a fun, cute, and lighthearted read. As someone who can't resist a good second-chance romance, "The Partner Plot" hit all the right notes for me. The chemistry between the characters, combined with their emotional growth, made this an entertaining read.

I would recommend "The Partner Plot" to anyone looking for an enjoyable and easy read. Whether you're a fan of second-chance romances or just in the mood for a feel-good book, I'm sure you'll love this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you loved The Neighbor Favor, you are in for such a real treat with The Partner Plot!!

I am a sucker for second chance romances and this one was done right! Violet and Xavier were high school sweethearts, and now almost a decade later they run into each other while out in Vegas and spend the night reconnecting. When they wake up with rings on their fingers they soon realize this marriage can benefit both of their professional lives. As time passes and old feelings resurface they realize they have a chance of happily ever after.

Violet and Xavier were such fun protagonists, and I loved seeing how in tune they still were with one another while also learning who the other person is as an adult. I love seeing how they have each grown and how they are now able to be the best partner for one another.

Last year, Kristina Forest's adult debut, The Neighbor Favor, made our "Best of 2023" list. The Partner Plot, her follow up, is on track for 2024, because it was SO GOOD.⁠
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This is a second-chance romance between high school sweethearts. Back then they were the school's "it" couple: the on again-off again prom king and queen who seemed destined to end up together. They both had big dreams: Violet was going to be a stylist for the stars, and Xavier was going to make the NBA. Except in his first semester at college, Xavier suffered an injury... and broke up with Violet over winter break.⁠
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It's been ten years since then, and Violet she really IS a stylist for the stars! Xavier, on the other hand, is back in their home town working as an English teacher and assistant basketball coach at their high school alma mater. They run into each other in Las Vegas, get drunk, and wake up the next day fake-married (it is, in fact, not /that/ easy to get married in Vegas, but it is VERY easy to have a fake ceremony). When Violet, up for a 30-under-30 list in her industry, claims to be married to her English teacher high school sweetheart, she starts the ball rolling on a contemporary fake relationship. ⁠
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The book is so much fun to read! Like in her adult debut, Forest avoids common contemporary romance pitfalls (there is no 3rd act breakup!!) and gives us two sincere, decent characters who really care about each other. This is a true pleasure to read! Highly recommended.⁠

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

The Partner Plot follows two former high-school sweethearts who run into each other in Vegas and end up accidentally married. Violet is a celebrity stylist which was a really fun plot to follow. I also really enjoyed Xavier's perspective, who is figuring out his career that has not gone in the way he imagined. It felt so relatable to feel stuck when a dream doesn't work out and when you have to find out where to turn next. This book is dual-point of view which I enjoyed. I really like Kristina Forest's writing- her characters are always relatable and well-rounded.

This was a light hearted cute and fun second chance romance. The characters were so bold and it made the story enjoyable. Would definitely recommend

I absolutely loved her last book, The Neighbor Favor, so I jumped at the chance to read this one. I didn't even read the synopsis.

I'm going to be honest, the second chance romance trope is probably my least favorite, but Kristina Forest has seriously made me love this trope.

This is second chance with a fake marriage and it was so good.

The dual narration was superb, I highly recommend the audio as it really brings the characters to life.

This is such a great book! It’s a sweet second chance, fake dating romance that brought back memories of that first intense love in high school. The story flew along, the writing is well done and I loved the characters.

Violet has always loved fashion, and knew that she’d end up working in that field someday. Her HS boyfriend, Xavier, planned to play basketball in college and go on to the NBA. They broke up when they were both in college and haven’t seen each other since.

Violet made good on her dream, she’s a successful stylist to the stars. Xavier is a high school English teacher and basketball coach for their NJ high school.

After a chance meeting in Las Vegas where they wake up together wearing fake wedding rings, their old feelings come back.
Xavier is looking for a new job and Violet is being profiled in a magazine. They pretend to be married to show their stability, but the longer it goes on the more real it feels.

I highly recommend this book, 4.5 stars.

Thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this second chance story between Violet's and Xavier. Their story checks off more than one romance genre boxes - second chance romance, marriage of convenience, etc. The random and bit of luck that led up to them reconnecting in Vegas was set up nicely. I enjoyed some of the interactions between Violet and her colleagues and how they were also really good friends. I liked Xavier's interactions with his students because they seemed realistic and believable. I had a few laugh out loud moments throughout the book from some of these conversations. I really loved that this story didn't include the expected instances of miscommunication and keeping secrets that would eventually led up to a third act break up between the two main characters.. While some things were predictable, I was also surprised when some things I expected to happen did not happen. While overall, there didn't seem to be a lot of romance going on in this story, it also didn't have a lot of unnecessary drama which was a plus for me.

I really enjoyed The Neighbor Favor so was excited to see where this one would go. And I do love a fake relationship so I had high hopes, and was not disappointed.

Violet and Xavier were each other's first love, dating in high school and planning their lives together. But when college puts a lot of distance between them, and life doesn't go as plans, Xavier ends the relationship and leaves Violet heartbroken.

Fast forward ten years, life has moved on and they both end up in Las Vegas and, oddly enough, run into each other. Violet is a success in her career, and Xavier's NBA hopes were dashed after an injury, and he is back teaching and coaching in their hometown.

One thing leads to another and they wake up together. When Violet is in an interview and panics and says they are married, then gets injured, they decide to play along that they married in Vegas.

I enjoyed this one so much and look forward to more from this author!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I give this book a 4.25! I loved this book. I relate to it a lot more ways than what I care to share on the internet. I loved that even though we got a peak into the past it wasn’t a past/present story format (I simply wasn’t in the mood for that lol). I love second chance romances but often times the authors let too much time lapse between the characters but Kristina got that perfect.

What kept me from rating this book five stars was one, I feel like I wanted to know more about Violet & Xavier. I feel like they were both just all about work & each other. we see a little bit of violet’s strained relationship with her mom but even that felt like in passing. Secondly, I thought the characters were a little too old to think love is enough to sustain a relationship.

Definitely a recommend book overall & I will be going to buy the neighbor favor!

I loved this 2nd chance lovers story! It was fun watching the fall in love as kids and all the nitty gritty that came with then, then seeing them as adults! I will say I loved the flashbacks as kids a little more than the present day love story. But I really liked the MMCs evolution and his story line. Excited to read more by this author!!

Partner Plot by Kristina Forest is an interesting, humor-filled second chance spicy romance between a celebrity stylist & her high school sweetheart turned high school teacher & basketball coach.

Partner Plot is great for fans of…
🩷 Second Chance Romance
🩷 High School Sweethearts Reunited
🩷 Fake Marriage of Convenience
🩷 Forced Proximity

The fake marriage of convenience created an almost miscommunication aspect that personally gave me some anxiety as I was reading, but that could be personal issue. I also am not the biggest fan of second chance romance as a trope. I didn’t love this one as much as the first book but I still enjoyed it. The chemistry between this pair was undeniable & I loved the easy rhythm they had with each other. The successful stylist career was a super interesting addition as it’s something I don’t know enough about but I loved learning more about it.

I love the trio of sisters & their bond & love for each other. I cannot wait to read the third sister’s story. The hints dropped in this book had me so curious to see how Iris’s story will turn out.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Because 3 stars is considered a negative rating, I don’t share them beyond Goodreads.

I wanted to love this book because it had all of my usual favorite things: fake dating, diverse characters, strong female MC, and dual pov. It also has second chance romance for all who enjoy that…

However, this one fell short for me!

While, I think the ideas and plot were great the execution didn’t hit home. I needed a lot more dialogue and, I can’t believe I’m saying this, tension building. I just didn’t feel the chemistry…MORE BANTER WAS NEEDED.

I did love the representation of Black and brown characters though, it made me feel seen and made me want to keep reading as so many things reminded me of my family. I also like the change in communication from being teenagers to adults!

Overall, it wasn’t a bad book, but it’s not one I’ll really remember.

✨ Review ✨ The Partner Plot by Kristina Forest; Narrated by: Aure Nash, Benjamin Charles

Thanks to Berkely, PRHAudio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

A second chance romance that brings together high school sweethearts in a surprising night in Las Vegas. Violet's a stylist to the stars at work in Vegas and Xavier's a high school English teacher and basketball coach. After they get fake married during a whirlwind night together, they find themselves brought back together to continue this fake marriage.

Second chance romances usually don't work for me, but the fake dating/marriage part of this offset the second chance parts for me. I liked the characters and the cinnamon roll high school teacher type, and it worked with Violet's styling fame. I do think the book dragged a bit toward the end, which was a similar critique that I had to Forest's last book, The Neighbor Favor -- both dragged out the middle to the point where I didn't really care so much about the end.

The audio narration was solid and when Nash voiced Violet's niece I was cracking up. Both narrators made the story come to life and made it a good listen!

⭐️⭐️⭐️(3.25)
Genre: contemporary m/f romance
Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
Setting: New Jersey, Las Vegas, etc. etc.
Reminds me of: Forest's last book The Neighbor Favor
Pub Date: Feb 27, 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ second chance or fake dating/marriage tropes
⭕️ high school teacher romances
⭕️ fashion and clothes
⭕️ opposites attract