I saw this was immediately available in the catalog and "Librarians in Love" jumped right out at me. Unfortunately, once I started reading, I was deeply mired in the messy book. The Next Best Fling was one big Charybdis of complicated feelings and broken hearts. Instead of a love triangle, this book featured a love parallelogram with unrequited yearnings flowing every which way. The novel started off with two people hung up on an engaged couple who were due to marry someone else that weekend. I couldn't wrap my head around this. This romance novel felt so wrong and I couldn't root for people pining over emotionally unavailable characters with someone's ring on their finger. I mostly skimmed this and struggled to focus. I definitely won't be returning to this author. I will have to be more vigilant in the future when placing requests in the catalog, especially those that are in the Read Now section. The Next Best Fling was a poor substitute for a real relationship and I won't be accepting stand-ins in the future!

3 stars

Marcela loves Ben, Theo loves Alice. Ben and Alice are engaged to each other.

It's a premise rife for tons of angst and Gabriella Gamez squeezes every drop she can out of it. Most of her characters are grappling with a Big Emotion or two and there are tons of obstacles that both of our main characters have to tackle in order to get their happily ever after. I will give this book credit that it definitely delves into the emotional turmoil of letting yourself accept love than any other book that I have ever read. For me, this did make the book overly long and I found myself a little tired of how repetitive the thought patterns got from our single POV. While those particular aspects of the book were not to my particular taste, I think that there are a lot of readers out there who will really connect to the journey that these characters take.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

The Next Best Fling - ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
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WHAT I LIKED:
-Latina Lead
-All of the book quotes and library references
-Cute Grand Gestures
-Theo! He was warm, open, honest, kind, and so swoony! His flirting was adorable.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
-Marcela’s secret keeping and lying: She lied to Angela and she kept secrets from Theo far too long. I wish she had come clean on her own and earlier. It was hard for me to believe Theo could trust her after all of that.
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Thank you @netgalley for my eARC copy. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

Ehhh... it wasn't horrible but I was also I bit bogged down by the messy messy back and forth.

They chemistry just was NOT there for me. What was even drawing these two together besides mutual pain and pining?

It got exhausting going on the ring around the rosy.

I would read this author again, but this book just felt very unsatisfactory by the end.

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez is the debut novel and first book in the Librarians in Love series.

Why You Should Read It:
- Fake dating
- Best friend’s/ex’s brother trope
- Ex-NFL player
- Librarian protagonist
- He falls for her first
- Flirty banter
- Latinx representation
- Angst
- Steamy scenes

4 ⭐️ | 2.5 🌶️

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Marcela has been in love with her best friend for years, so when he gets engaged, it devastates her. She intervenes when his brother, Theo, almost confesses his feelings to the fiancée. After leaving together that night, everyone assumes they had a fling, so they decide to continue the facade and pretend to date. What starts as a fake relationship soon becomes real as they spend more time together and develop genuine feelings.

From the outset, they were clear about their intentions, but Marcela (or Marce, as Theo calls her) kept from him that she needed to move on from his brother, Ben. She excuses herself, believing their relationship isn't real and would end naturally, so she didn't see the need to share. Marcela struggles with abandonment issues from her parents’ failed marriage and her father leaving them, influencing many of her actions. She kept Ben close, hoping he would choose her and wanting to support him. Ben treated her poorly—dating her, then friend-zoning her, and constantly interfering in her relationships. She unfortunately heeded his advice.

Theo, retired from the NFL due to a past injury, also faced difficulties because of Ben. As Marcela and Theo grow closer, they help each other overcome their pasts, leading them to realize their mutual feelings.

Theo was the opposite of Ben's depiction. He was attentive, supportive, excellent company, and a kind person. Marcela, despite her body image issues and abandonment fears, was compassionate, sweet, and beautiful.

I loved how Theo planned their dates, though one scene broke my heart. Their romance, though largely one-sided with Theo falling for Marcela first. As for the spice, it was amazing. Their flirting, how desirable and confident he made her feel, and how beautiful he found her—she was amazed to cause that effect in him.

Angela, Marcela's best friend, provided excellent support and insights, always being there for her.

While the book excels in portraying Latinx culture, food, and family dynamics, the frequent miscommunications and dramatic twists occasionally overwhelmed me. Marcela's prolonged struggle with unrequited love and insecurity tested my patience but realistically underscored her character's complexity.

Overall, The Next Best Fling is a compelling read for fans of angst-driven romance and fake dating tropes. I eagerly anticipate Gabriella Gamez's future works.

Thank you to NetGalley & Forever for providing an advance copy. This review was submitted voluntarily.

Cute cover and I enjoyed the book but felt like it was similar to many other romance novels I’ve been reading recently. I read a ton of romance though so it’s difficult at times to find ones that are stand-outs!!

In this phenomenal debut novel, Gabriella Gamez tackles some of the messiest parts of getting over a break up, discovering yourself after distancing one's self from "their person" and just falling in love in general.

Marcela and Theo are in the exact same boat - the people they are in love with and have been pining after for years are getting married. The kicker? Those two people are getting married to each other. Marcela has been in love with Ben since college and Theo has been in love with Alice probably for forever, and now Marcela and Theo have to figure out how to get over their exes through the most healthy and mature means necessary - rebounding! Due to a slight miscommunication, or assumption with the lack of clarification, Marcela and Theo end up fake dating (which is a bonus point since that is one of my favorite tropes). As Marcela and Theo get closer, the lines get blurred and Marcela starts to reevaluate her relationship with Ben.

This felt like the most mature handling of conflict between the main characters that I had ever read - the key conflict between Marcela and Theo was something that in other books would have caused a full blown third act break up, but they way they handled it was absolutely amazing and I really appreciated how it was handled. Additionally, while I adore a dual POV book, being able to read and feel Marcela's inner thoughts and watch her grow as a character was a huge positive for the book. Reading through how she handled her insecurities, her relationships (both platonic and romantic) as well as her past made her all the more relatable. While I would have loved to hear Theo's inner thoughts, I would not trade those if that were to mean I would lose Marcela's development.

Overall, this was an absolutely phenomenal book and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who wants a funny, spicy and maturely handed romance! If you loved Funny Story by Emily Henry, you need to read this as well! They are very similar, but also are very distinct in a way where you do not feel like you are just reading the same book over again.

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 5/5
Things to Look Out For: Body Insecurities, Slight Body Worship, Ex's Brother, Hot Mess MCs, Fake Dating

I really loved this book! The emotional pull between the two characters was so good. This follows Theo and Marcela both of who are in love with someone else at first. Marcela has loved Theos brother for years but he has now just proposed to his girlfriend who Theo is in love with. The relationship starts as just something to protect them but becomes so much more. It’s messy in all the best ways but Theo and Marcela make each other better people. I loved the way everything worked out and the plus size rep was excellent. Really enjoyable book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever publishing for this ARC.

Debut author coming in hot! The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez is going to make you laugh & swoon! I flew through this book about two people who have been harboring long term crushes for a newly engaged couple…they’re a “love square,” Think: Funny Story with a messy twist. Marcella stops Theo from blowing up his brother & fiancee’s engagement party, and they realize that they can help each other distract or get over their crushes with a no strings attached fake dating situation.

Theo is one of my favorite MMC names, and this guy fits the mold! He’s a newly retired NFL player and every time he shortens her name to “Marce” I swooned a little 🤣

✨highly recommend picking this one up when it comes out on July 9th!

Thank you Netgalley & Forever Publishing for this e-arc!

I was really excited about this book, and it was a good experience for the most part. But somehow, it did not make an impact on me. I couldn't connect with the main characters, and I feel bad about it because it was a beautiful story. I'm just not the right reader for this one.

I love a good romance! And there was a lot about this one to enjoy - a woman realizing her strength and standing up for herself! insane chemistry with her longtime crush's brother! Said crush planning some very thoughtful and sweet gestures. our leading gal is a librarian! so much book love! Inclusitivity and body positivity - I firmly believe that there is never enough, and I loved how much this was featured - both overtly and also in passing.

Overall, I enjoyed this one - a very quick read. I do not love books that have a ton of dialogue, so at times that took me out. And I really wanted to see our leading gal take charge earlier and have more confidence. But it was a cute story, and by the end I was very invested in the characters.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Forever publishing for the ARC!

I wanted to like this so badly but I just couldn’t. It was decent in the beginning until things started getting complicated because for some reason she didn’t feel like she could trust Theo with the reason why she went along with their rebound arrangement. I found the miscommunication to be unreasonable and a little petty. Also it bothered me that they seemed to solve their issues with sex. Just not for me.

The Next Best Fling was an adult romance that had elements of fake dating, sports romance, and a love square in the pages. This story was a quick read that you could easily binge on the beach.

Theo Young was an ex-NFL player whose brother was getting married. And he was in love with the bride to be. Marcela Ortiz had previously dated the groom, was besties with him, and she was still in love with him. This setup for a drama filled book. Yet when everyone assumed Theo and Marcela were together, they went with the farce. And end up trying not to fall for one another in the process.

I adored Theo; he was sweet, kind and had a huge heart. Marcela had a lot of internal thoughts that I felt like I could skim. I just couldn’t connect with her all the way. Especially since she kept truths from Theo, whereas Theo laid his cards toward the bride on the table. Yet Theo and Marcela’s moments together were steamy and fun. I liked how they tried to put one another’s nerves at ease while forming what felt like a true friendship.

With adorable dates, spicy scenes, and heartfelt conversations, this book had a lot going for it! But with all the drama, which was considerable, there were also self-sabotage moments that just didn’t sit well with me. Plus, there was an epilogue at the end, but I felt like there wasn’t any part of their future secured. It felt more like an additional chapter. While this book didn’t necessarily resonate deep within my heart, I feel like plenty of people will still adore this story!

- best friends brother
- fake dating/friends with benefits
- ex football player
- plus size FMC

I thought this one was super cute. I loved that the FMC was a plus size girlie. My only dislike was the fact that I struggled to connect to the characters at times. I personally couldn’t imagine pining over the same person for 10ish years, that’s just bonkers to me, especially when that person gets into a committed relationship. But at the same time, I don’t think it was handled distastefully either.
By the end, I loved the relationship between Theo and Marcela, they both took each other’s broken pieces and held each other together. I couldn’t help but to cheer them on.

I’m not the hugest fan of romances that begin with one of the MCs in love with someone else. The fact that they both did in this book could have put me off but I was actually intrigued from the moment I read the description and have been eagerly waiting to read this book and although im definitely still not a fan of that sort of plot line, this book won me over!

The main reason why it didn’t bother me was they incredibly open communication and the way they both knew what they were getting into. Seeing them open up and fall in love with each other was adorable. Theo was so cute and such a nice guy - I loved his honesty and how he fought for Marcela. She was a bit more closed off and her fear of abandonment made it harder for her to to be as open as Theo but they truly brought the best out of each other and made each other want to be better and finding love and happiness along the way was a great bonus.

I really enjoyed their character developments. Marcela, especially had a tough realization about her relationship with her best friend and how toxic it was and thought it wasn’t easy, she eventually was able to put herself first and let it go. Similarly, Theo also had to get some space from a not very healthy dynamic with his brother but I wish we’d count out more about what brought the brothers to where they were.

Overall, a really enjoyable read. If you’re looking for a romance with two lovely characters who are honest each other and have great chemistry, check this one out.

I'd like to thank Gabriella Gamez for reminding me that I don't have to settle for mediocre romance books when books like this exist in the world. I was truly blown away by this book, I don't even know if I get get across all my feelings in words. This book was so healing in so many ways -- from being the friend that no one ever wanted to date or pining for someone for so long to just being a librarian in the year 2024, I just felt so validated by Marcela's experiences and I'm sure so many readers will agree. Also, Theo's grand gesture is any book lover's dream (and even though I was expecting it to happen, that didn't mean I loved the plotpoint less).
PS -- If Ben has no haters I am dead.

"Call me whatever you want," he says against my lips. "As long as I get to call you mine."

A hot librarian and a professional football player, ex’s brother? Tell me less honestly.

What I liked:
- Such a cute book. I loved Theo & Marcella together
- It was pretty low stakes, but we get some good angst throughout.
- Love how Marcella found her voice throughout the book

What didn’t work for me:
- The pacing felt a little odd to me
- Didn’t love the third act conflict.

The concept behind this book sold me immediately on reading it. The dialogue in this story was so enjoyable. I didn’t love the pacing of this novel and the conflict wasn’t captivating enough to be entertaining. There was a little spice which was enjoyable. I loved the plus size representation.

4.5 🌟 this book was so different from what I was expecting but in the best way possible! I thought I was getting a spicy, fluffy, rebound romance but got the depth and the realistic relationship problems I typically associate with an Abby Jimenez/ Emily Henry story. Even though it was easy to be frustrated with Marcela, it was so clear how her past relationships and family dynamic impacted her character. Theo was such a great love interest and gave all the golden retriever energy! & how he made Marcela feel so confident and only further instilled that confidence when she was vulnerable with him 🥹 Overall, such a good read and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
spice: 🌶️

this book was so cute! i loved that marcela was a librarian. 🥺 that is my dream job!

theo and marcela were so cute together, i loved the way their relationship started out.

this was such a fun read, but i felt like there was so much conflict in this book and it took away from theo and marcela as a couple.

this book includes:
• librarian fmc
• former nfl player mmc
• love square
• fake dating
• ex’s brother