This is a spicy and irresistible debut romance and is the perfect blend of charm, chemistry, and a little bit of chaos! The story introduces us to Marcela, a sweet librarian with a big heart who’s been quietly nursing her unrequited love for years. When her best friend and longtime crush gets engaged, Marcela knows it's time to move on, but fate seems to have other plans for her. Enter Theo Young, the older brother of the groom-to-be and a man with his own complicated feelings. When a drunken mishap leads to a fake relationship between Theo and Marcela, sparks fly in the most unexpected and delightful ways.

Their "no-strings-attached" arrangement quickly evolves into something much deeper, and what starts as a way to distract themselves from their first loves turns into a sizzling rebound neither of them saw coming. The push and pull of their growing attraction had me laughing, swooning, and rooting for these two to figure it all out. With clever banter, tender moments, and plenty of spicy scenes, this book was such fun to read. Marcela and Theo's journey of self-discovery and love amidst the chaos of family dynamics and secrets is simply enchanting. It's sweet, spicy, and everything a romance lover could ask for!

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez!

This book got me out of my reading slump! It was a great balance of cute + drama + spice without getting triggering. The character dynamic felt real. One thing about contemporary romance books is that it can sometimes feel slow at some points but this did not. Without giving away spoilers, there are plenty of twists and turns in the latter half. 4.5⭐️

3.75 stars
This was a cute quick read. I did enjoy it, but it wasn't the most memorable book for me either.

The Next Best Fling is a fun, flirty romance with plenty of charm. The chemistry between the leads is spot-on, making it the perfect light read for a relaxing day.

It was messy, it was cute, it was fun. This is one of those books where you can pick it up and know that you're absolutely going to have a great time reading it. It hits all the vibes that it promises.

I will always support Latinx author I loved everything about this. It was funny. It was cute. It was everything that I needed. It was a very good pallet cleanser.

I went in blindly on this book, and even there was a lot I liked about it, it just wasn’t my favorite. I don’t know if it was the fact that I couldn’t connect completely with the characters or all the unnecessary drama.

I know this is the authors debut, so I may give her a chance in the future.

I enjoyed the trope of this book ( 2 people getting over other people and find each other). I do feel like i started to lose interest 30% through.

This was a run of the mill romance book for me, I liked it but it really doesn't stand out as a favorite.

This story was very good in terms of plus size representation. It is always a bit hard for the FMC to wonder if he really likes her because of her body but it is also so nice to see his point of view and how much he likes her! The romance was swoony and the plot was pretty good. Not my favorite but definitely one that I am glad I read :)

As a Texan and a librarian, I wanted to love this. I wanted to pick it up and fall in love, but I never got there. I didn't feel the connection between the two characters, and I felt like we needed more of Ben being a good friend to see how awful he also was. It felt like without that, I just questioned why she tolerated him at all. He just sucked. And her friend dating him? That's not your friend. It all felt messy and unrealistic.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I wanted to like this so much: a plus-size librarian, a sexy man, but it just wasn't great.

I loved the premise of this book. I'm a huge fan of fake dating and love a good cinnamon roll MMC. The story and characters, however, fell flat for me. It seemed like all they did was drink and then wonder why bad or unfortunate things kept happening to them. Thank you, NetGalley and Forever Publishing, for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this eARC! I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was well-paced. I think it's good for those who like books with messy plots. I think it may stall sometimes throughout the book but it picks back up. Overall, very enjoyable.

I'm so so so late on this but...

I loved The Next Best Fling! It was addicting and I couldn't put it down!

Thanks Forever for the digital copy in exchange for an honest reivew!

I can't believe I forgot to turn this in!

I loved The Next Best Fling! The was messy in the best way, and I couldn't stop reading because I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next!

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez is a fun, flirty rom-com that I totally couldn’t put down! It’s about a girl named Sophie who’s kind of over her past crushes and just wants to enjoy her life. When she meets this guy, Max, they start an unexpected fling that turns into something way more complicated (of course). Their chemistry is crazy, and I loved the back-and-forth between them.

What I liked most about this book is that it wasn’t just about the romance. Sophie’s figuring out who she is and what she wants, and I totally related to her journey. Max is charming but also kind of mysterious, which makes their connection even more interesting. There’s definitely some drama, but it’s the kind of light drama that keeps you hooked without feeling too heavy.

The writing is super easy to read, and there’s a perfect balance of humor and heart. It’s the kind of book you’d read if you want something fun but also a little deeper than just a typical love story.

Great read. I'm a librarian and honestly this felt like a fairly good representation of what it is like working in a library. Sports protagonists are not my go to but I enjoyed both protagonists. I wish there were fewer twists between the love interests but otherwise liked the book a lot.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Everyone sucks here!

I was so excited to finally get around to this eARC I received that promised plus size and Latina representation. Instead I got a whole cast of characters that had zero redeemable qualities. The MMC is basically a football bro who punches holes in dry wall every time he gets drunk (which is often). The FMC has been in love with her best friend--who is engaged and has been in a relationship for the last EIGHT YEARS. The "best friend" strings her along anyways. I can't stand to read about these people anymore. Their version of a HEA will just be awkward holidays where they can never be sure if their significant other cheated on them with their BIL/SIL.