If it was not for the challenge that Elizabeth and Chelsea had, they would have never met Evan and Basil. They had a list of items kind of like a bucket list that they challenged each other to do. One of the items was to have a conversation with a stranger. Thus, where Evan and Basil come in as they strike up a conversation with Elizabeth and Chelsea.

Basil feels drawn to Chelsea fairly quickly. He wants to get to know her better and spend time with her. I thought the interactions between these two were cute. It felt like when they did hook up it was a fast burn and then things would cool back down. This is mainly due to Chelsea and her past. She is trying to work through it, but it is causing a strain on their relationship or the lack of a relationship.

I felt bad for Basil as he was trying and was very patient towards Chelsea. She is so lucky to have a guy like Basil in her life. I understood where Chelsea was coming from and her actions, but it did get kind of annoying how much she kept pushing Basil away.

The addition of Elizabeth and Evan was a nice one. They had a more upbeat relationship and Elizabeth helped bring humor to the story.

The premise of the book sounded super cute and I truly wanted to enjoy this book but unfortunately it really was a swing and a miss for me. I didn't enjoy or feel connected with the characters at all. The FMC especially bothered me, she just came across as selfish, unfeeling, rude, and predictable to me.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s a funny and heartfelt rom-com, perfect for fans of Kate Clayborn or Lynn Painter. The heroine, with her fear of commitment, is so relatable. I enjoyed watching her dive into this adventure where, for once, she decides to be brutally honest about who she really is. And the Greek guy she meets is simply irresistible—mysterious and charming.

Their chemistry is off the charts, and the dialogue is both funny and sincere. It made me smile, laugh, and even think a little about love and vulnerability. Overall, a super enjoyable read that I highly recommend!

This was a good summer read but a bad romance. I really liked the friendship in this book, I mean I always do love good female friendships in books and this book was one of them. However, romance wise, it was very mid, the characters had very little chemistry and I was just there for the glimpses of Chelsea and Elizabeth. 1.5 stars

Thank you so much for this arc. I loved this book so much. I just could not put it down. (Even though I was reading like three books at once haha)
This book I felt like I relate to it so much. There was a time that I never thought I deserved love, especially when you have a bad example of parents on marriage.
But this is a dual pov of Chelsea and basil
She has a lot of childhood trauma, and abandonment, and fear of love.
Basil is the type of person that does what’s asked of him, but stops doing it because it’s not what he truly loves.
Both of them go through a lot of growing together and opening up, not looking for love but ending up in love.
Don’t let fear stop you. Fear holds you back. Go for it, and it will meant to be.
Amazing book. Love it.

What a fun, realistic story! It tackled abuse and mental health in very positive ways. There were moments that I really didn’t like Chelsea but I could see why she was the way she was and it was so real. I loved how Bas just accepted her and wanted to love her.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I rate books at 1-3 stars I will submit the star rating without a review on Goodreads. I don’t post these review on my social media as I do not like to put out negative feedback and discourage others from reading. For me I didn’t vibe for with FMC, but that doesn’t mean others won’t.

This was a super cute and quick read. I felt like it was a bit cheesy at times and the characters could have been a little deeper. I loved the overall idea of this story but felt like we could have gotten more from the characters.
Overall, I do recommend this book for a cute, quick read.

This is such a great concept! Also the role reversal of her being the villain and him being the love struck character is such cool switch. Also, a huge fan of the setting being Greece instead of a cliche location like France, or Italy.

I had a hard time with this one just because I’m not a fan of books where they hookup pretty early on. The mmc was almost alarming into her very quickly.

I though that this book was really cute. The characters have a lot of emotional baggage to overcome to make their relationship work and, of course lack communication to make it happen. The checklist between the friends was a great meet-cute, and fun way to keep them interested in each other, and the dad joke are the best!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

The book skillfully balances fun and depth while addressing serious issues using a unique checklist narrative crafted by best friends Chelsea and Elizabeth. This approach not only shapes the story but also becomes an essential part of the plot. The dual point of view is a highlight, providing insights into the emotional journeys of both characters. Chelsea's traumatic history is handled with care, and Basil's patience in supporting her growth journey is commendable. While Chelsea's stubbornness, a result of her past, may challenge some readers, it adds to the authenticity of her character. The theme of self-discovery is powerful, leading both Chelsea and Basil to realize they are not defined by their parents' expectations or failures.

Thank you Amara, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for the arc!

Love this. Will give a better review at a later date but definitely 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️s.. thank you NetGalley for this opportunity. Mary Ann Marlowe for writing a fabulous book.

I adored this one night stand to friends to lovers dual POV romance! Chelsea doesn't trust love or relationships after growing up in a broken home with an abusive father and an alcoholic neglectful mother. She has deep trust issues and is working on herself in therapy.

Luckily her best friend Elizabeth is her rock and with a list of dares, the two challenge one another to expand their horizons and go outside their comfort zone. Dared to have an honest conversation with a stranger, Chelsea meets Bas, a Greek American chef who himself is floundering in a dead end career.

With electric chemistry these two have to figure out how to be there for one another without hurting each other. I loved the food, the puns, the Greek culture, the mental health rep and all the European travel in this tender, big-hearted and STEAMY romance! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Chelsea and Elizabeth are best friends who every year put together a challenge list of things to accomplish. For everything they check off, they add points and pick a vacation destination based on how many points they tally. When Chelsea challenges Elizabeth to flirt with a random man at the bar, she doesn’t expect to hit it off with his best friend, Bas. But Chelsea has commitment issues and a strong sense of wanderlust, so falling for Bas isn’t what she’s ready for, but maybe he’s the one who can make her finally want love and happiness.

This was a fun read! I enjoyed the list and challenges and how every chapter was titled with one. Marlowe did a great job of incorporating the list items into each chapter. The dual perspectives worked perfectly to get a good understanding of how both Chelsea and Bas were feeling as their relationship progressed. The pacing worked well, and I adored Bas’s character. What’s not to love? He was sweet, charming, a chef, and Greek! While both characters showed growth as the story progressed, I really struggled with Chelsea.

Chelsea. Chelsea. Chelsea. Oh how I wanted to shake you while reading this! I know her character was dealing with past trauma, but I really wanted her to get over herself. She was extremely self absorbed, and the way she handled their time in Greece made me so mad. Bas was a saint for sticking around as long as he did!

I loved the cover of this book, and I thought it was going to be set in Greece based off of it. I love books set in Greece, so I was a little disappointed it was set in Virginia, but was happy when Bas and Chelsea finally made it to Greece. The banter between Bas and Chelsea was great, and the chemistry between them was undeniable. There were definitely some spicy scenes, but my favorite part of this book was how Marlowe described the foods prepared by Bas and his family. My mouth was watering as I was reading it!

Thank you TLC Book Tours, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I just HAVE to start out by saying this best friend bucket list idea is SO good and SO fun. I've already texted my bestie asking if we can make one together. The female friendship is probably my favorite part o the whole book and I really enjoyed getting to see Chelsea and Elizabeth navigate life and love together. Unfortunately, I was less of a fan of the romance in this book and often felt annoyed when the MMCs were brought up. It was almost like they didn't bring out the best in the girls and the girls didn't bring out the best in them.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Hi Book Besties!💕🌻
I am so excited to share my review for Holding Out for a Gyro😍 By the lovely @mary_ann_marlowe
A Giant thank you to @entangled_publishing for the gifted ARC! This is a stand alone novel and I loved it! It does have some tricky themes so you should absolutely check out those trigger warnings before jumping in! Your mental health is always more important than a book.
The Dual POV in this was great, I enjoyed being able to keep up with everyone's emotions and to get that inside look on their perspectives. That best friend bond was also fantastic and so realistic! I loved that they could be real and push each other out of their comfort zones, so they can get out there and enjoy life . The Greek references were also top notch!

4 ⭐️/5
3 🌶️/5

A sweet love story between commitment-phobe Chelsea and catches-feelings-fast Bas. Their besties Elizabeth and Evan have a subplot romance with each other, which felt both fun and indulgent to have a two for one romance. If you’re into puns, you’ll enjoy the banter.

I loved how Chelsea took chance after chance with practicing her new honest and open self. I loved how Bas was so thoughtful and caring about Chelsea. Then came the major stumbling block between them - and Chelsea and Bas both have to face their default settings to decide if their relationship is worth nurturing. The ending wrapped up quicker than I would have preferred, but overall it was a good read.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts are my own and my review is voluntary.

I was pulled into this book by the description. I enjoyed the book though some of the parts fell flat.

I really liked the dual POVs and the list that Elizabeth and Chelsea have together. Basil was a good character but Chelsea left a little to be desired. I totally got where she was coming from with her family issues and I like that she is straight honest to Bas(as she needs to be). Everything ended well with Chelsea being able to open up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the e-ARC of this book. This review is my own opinion.

Funny, feel good book. I am not usually a fan of romance however the title of this book lured me in with how funny and quirky it was. And the rest of the book definitely did not disappoint. An absolute must read for any romcom lovers.