How to describe Perfect Fit? First off, I devoured this book in just a couple of days when normally it takes a week or more to finish a book, you know because of life. But I could not put this one down!

Josephine Davis is living what she thinks is her best life in Austin (sadly she's a longhorn and I'm an Aggie...but I can forgive that for this wonderful tale!) where she is about to open the very first storefront for her clothing business Revenant. She is expectantly reunited with her high school best friend's twin brother, whom was the reason they drifted apart. He's gorgeous and gets under her skin. Will is up front how he feels, but Josephine is afraid that she cannot make anything more important than her business.

Clare Gilmore unfolds one of the best romances I've read in quite some time. I love the settings in Austin and Nashville. The character development is fantastic. You feel like you're one of Josephine's friends or coworker. And watching the relationship that builds between her and Will unfold is super sweet, sexy, and sometimes silly. I love how there is not only romance, but there is a discovery of one's self worth and meaning that really spoke to me. Please, please, please write more stories like this! We all need some happily ever after in our lives.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

There are two things I need to tell you about PERFECT FIT that should immediately convince you to read this sophomore novel by Clare Gilmore.

1. Will Grant, or rather, Will. Freaking. Grant. Clare Gilmore has crafted the perfect book boyfriend. Supportive. Thoughtful. Respectful. Talented. And smoking hot. He’s spoiled me for all future book boyfriends. Maybe it’s just me, but, he’s the total package. Read the book and tell me if you agree.

2. This is a romance where the actual romance takes a backseat to the personal growth of the FMC. Josephine is every woman (young or old) who feels like they have to constantly run faster on the treadmill of life just to get by; who feels like an imposter in their own life; who has bought into the fallacy that having it all means doing it all; who wants so desperately to be loved that she isolates herself from the possibility of being hurt; who measures herself by others’ opinions. In short, Josephine is authentic and the image many women see when they look in the mirror.

This was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read for me for those reasons and many others, including the emphasis on female friendships. There are plenty of lighthearted moments, a terrific romantic plot, and characters you will embrace. I simply loved this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

DNF @ 53%

given all of the positive reviews I have come across for this story, I am sad to report that it didn't work for me. while the premise held potential, as did the second chance aspect, the weight of josie and will's history was not deep enough to hold my attention. also, it was a bit hard for me to believe josie's career path. she seemed a bit over her head by the responsibilities of her position. will's character was sweet, but the scenario designed to have him and josie return to each other's lives felt thin.

however, I did enjoy clare's writing style overall. there was decent pacing and a flow that keep me hoping that I would eventually feel invested in the romance and development of the characters. sadly, I lost interest and couldn't regain enough to push through to the end.

I loved this book from the very beginning! The coincidence of Josie and Will finding each other is just what every romcom dreams of! I absolutely love Will and he is the perfect male main character. Josie is so relatable to me. She talks a lot about how if she doesn’t have a plan/goal she’s trying to accomplish she is afraid she’ll feel lost or fall apart. She also talks about her self worth being tied up in outside sources like her company and that definitely makes sense to me. I really appreciated seeing the growth and thought process. There are lots of “LOL” moments as well as great references to healthy relationships and therapy. All around fabulous read!! My one complaint, that epilogue!!! Girl… IYKYK!

👗 This is an adorable romance set in Austin, TX! It’s out Tuesday— October 29th! Thank you to @stmartinspress and @smpromance for the sneak peek.

👗 I really enjoyed Clare Gilmore’s ‘Love Interest’ and I’m pleased to say this one may be even better! It has…
- an ambitious female MC
- a lovable and patient male MC
- fantastic side characters
- travel
- workplace romance
- a deeper message about learning from our mistakes

👗 This book starts with a bang and doesn’t let up. It’s got banter, spicy, and silly scenes with a deeper message too. Texans will especially enjoy the love for Austin and the UT campus too, and there’s some Nashville fun too! I think you’ll really like it and I highly recommend picking it up October 29th.

👗 A random sidenote: the female MC built her own company in college and is a young CEO. Even though her breaking that mold is what makes her special, I had a really hard time not picturing these characters as an older couple. It gave my imagination a workout!

Can we do an appreciation dance for no 3rd act break up in a romance!!! Josephine has been building up her clothing brand and is ready to take it to the next level. She hires a consultant firm and it's no other than her former BFF's twin brother.

I love Josephine and Will together. He is a total cinnamon roll in how he approached their relationship.

Josephine was extremely driven and I appreciate seeing her struggles for a balanced life.

This was such a great romance with strong female friendships and mature adults tackling a relationship.

Thank you @smpromance @netgalley for a copy of this.

Josie is the successful CEO of her own fashion line. This has been her sole focus since she started designing and creating clothing in college. As she looks to expand her fashion line to a brick and mortar store, the consultant she stumbles across is her former high school best friend’s twin brother. However, he’s the one who caused their falling out ten years ago. How will they navigate rediscovering each other? Will the heat between them cause destruction or be the solution?

This was a great little romance that dotted all the ‘i’s and crossed all the ‘t’s. Both Will and Josie were protagonists that you couldn’t help but root for. Josie’s voice did a great job of addressing insecurities, motivation, drive and the overall arc she covered navigating her work and personal life to find balance. A great, feel good read. 5 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by St. Martin’s Press- St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley. Thank you!

The banter in this book was SO CUTE! It had me giggling and kicking my feet watching them desperately try not to be attracted to each other and absolutely fail. The secondary characters were enjoyable and really felt like they served a purpose in the storyline and weren't just added to check a box. The view of burnout and anxiety and how that feels was really well represented. Highly recommend!

Clare has earned the coveted "if she writes it, I am going to read it" title. This book gave me every kind of feeling under the sun, and I loved it so much. There is no 3rd act breakup, but they still have to work for their HEA, and it is well deserved. I will be thinking about Josie and Will for a long time. If they have no fans, I am dead.

Rom-coms are not my favorite genre. This being said: I LOVED this book! I devoured it and quickly got obsessed with the characters and the story. I especially liked that the main characters, Josie and Will, had an immediate attraction and great chemistry from the beginning rather than a love-hate relationship ending up in a romance.
At 27, Josie is the successful CEO of her own fashion brand, Revenant. When she is hiring a consultant, she is shocked to see Will again, a short time fling from high school and her former best friend’s twin brother. They shared one kiss nine years ago which ruined their relationship and her friendship with Zoe. How can she make the business relationship with him work now? There is definitely a mutual attraction but Josie is determined to not let her desire jeopardize her job and business.
Great writing and the characters are lovable: Josie as the young entrepreneur but humble and down to earth, a kind and inspiring person even though she has a different opinion of herself. And Will, oh my! What a perfect man, not only is he flawless in his job but also has a great personality and good looks. Who would not fall in love with him.
I love that both main characters are equally strong and respect each other. A perfect fit. Both of them are trying not to repeat their parents’ mistakes and focus on personal growth and learning from their past mistakes.
A 5⭐️read for me, I highly recommend this book. The ending makes me hope for a sequel? I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Thank you Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Ms Clare Gilmore for the opportunity to read this advance copy. I truly enjoyed it and the above is my honest review and own opinion.

I liked this author's last book a lot but this one wasn't as good for me. This book definitely had its shining moments but I felt like the way Will spoke was just not authentic. It was a bit cringe. I also was just so frustrated with Josephine -- I can understand teenage trauma but to let one two minute incident (that wasn't that bad) destroy and guide the rest of your life? I don't know, I was missing something for sure. Still, definitely love this author and can't wait for more!

Perfect Fit comes out next week on October 29, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.

Here's the secret to making other people happy: you accept that what makes them happy is what makes them happy, and you don't question it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

This was a perfect rom-com for those who enjoy the early 2000s vibe (ya know, ‘Just My Luck’ or ‘What A Girl Wants’ type of scene). Josie doesn’t expect to have her new consultant to be her ex-best friend’s brother, Will. Yeah, they shared that kiss about nine years ago but she only remembers him as moody and arrogant. Josie tries to stay on her CEO track but eventually starts to realize she can’t stay away from Will. How is she going to reconcile with his sister, who won’t speak to her?

I loved every bit of this cute story + I think you will too! 🤭✨🤍 it’s an easy read but has depth to the characters and plot. Y’all know I HATE a miscommunication trope so my fav part of these two was their openness and communication! There are some really hilarious one liners throughout the book, but seriousness as well. It was a 🤌🏼 mix!

Expect:
-childhood friends to lovers
-slow burn
-female friendship
-rom com
-forced proximity
-closed door
-workplace romance

Thank you NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s press for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

I've heard good things about Claire Gilmore, so I really tried to finish this book, but unfortunately I just couldn't, so I DNF'd at 36%.

Perfect Fit is about a former "it" girl who, after a social "downfall" in high school, has picked herself back up to become an up-and-coming fashion entrepreneur, only to be blindsided by a past love interest suddenly showing up in her personal and professional life.

The beginning of the book shows promise in its unique musings about where all the high school archetypes end up in life, which had made me thinking the book would dive more into lit fic territory. But unfortunately, the predictability of the plot and the lack of depth of the characters steers it in the opposite direction.

I had a really hard time connecting with the characters and the conflicts they face. The reason that the FMC and MMC can't get together doesn't feel serious enough to warrant them staying apart for so long. And along the same vein, it also doesn't feel believable as to how the two could rekindle their attraction so quickly. Also, while the FMC does face some difficult situations in her past, it doesn't seem believable enough to warrant the dramatic thought spirals she goes on at random points in the story.

Even though this book isn't for me, readers of lighthearted rom-coms who want a quick read or a palate cleanser would likely enjoy picking this up.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Perfect Fit by Claire Gilmore will be available starting October 29, 2024.

Absolute perfection. This book is the perfect fit on your shelf!

I related to this book so much. Josephine is the definition of a person in the middle of an identity crisis and i think it’s safe to say it all started when she quite literally ran into Will Grant. I loved her journey of reflection and growth. Her character growth throughout this book was incredible. And Will was so patient and understanding. I absolutely adored every single second of this book…I quite honestly couldn’t put it down.

Infinite thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the early copy!!

Thank you to SMP and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow you know how sometimes you read a book at the exact right time, that happened to me with this book! I was lucky enough to win a giveaway of Perfect Fit by Clare Gilmore a couple months back and I finally picked it up exactly when I needed to.

Perfect Fit follows Josie who’s spent a majority of her adult life building her fashion brand company, Revenant. She’s tired, overworked, and for lack of a better word girl bossing too close to the sun. When she runs into her ex best friend’s brother, Will (well technically he runs his bike into her car!) and he becomes a consultant at her company, she begins to reevaluates her life and if she’s really happy.

I loved Josie so much, she was so relatable and I think anyone in their twenties can see some of themself in her. She’s been working for so long and she feels so much pressure to make sure her brand succeeds because she feels like it’s a direct reflection of her self worth. She’s seeing her friends move on to new phases of their lives, realizing how unhappy and alone she is, and wondering if all of this work is worth it. The discussions about self worth, friendship, love, and finding yourself were so therapeutic to read about and I loved seeing Josie get her happy ending.

Let’s talk about Will Grant for a second please. That man was EVERYTHING! He was so patient, kind, funny, and thoughtful 🥹 he was exactly who Josie deserved! His words and actions truly showed how much he loved and respected Josie.

I’m in my late twenties so I’ve been working for what feels like 40 years but is somehow only like 8 and lately my job has left me exhausted, unhappy, and wondering if life will always be this way. Seeing Josie go through the same things and find her happiness was exactly what I needed to read. I loved the message that it’s never too late to change your mind and find what makes you happy 💖

If you’re looking for a cute, funny, emotional rom com about friendship, love, and finding yourself pick this up when it comes out October 29th!

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Clare Gilmore for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Josephine has spent her early 20s building up a clothing brand to be extremely successful but carefully keeping herself out of the spotlight after having an unhealthy relationship with social media in high school.

Will crashes (pun intended) into her life completely unexpected and pushes the extremely productive and disciplined CEO off her game when he stirs up feelings from the past and encourages her to enjoy life beyond the company.

I really enjoyed this book. There were some good takeaways in the book but it didn’t come across like an after school show!

I loved the history between Wills sister, Zoe and Josie. It was incredibly relatable to have friendships you’ve lost due to not fighting enough and having that regret. The nervousness and feeling like too long has passed is something I can understand and was such a nice twist on the normal conflict in romance.

Normally I prefer dual POV but I didn’t miss it in this story. Will’s intentions were pretty clear so we didn’t lose anything by not having his side (although I loved him!).

Open door-ish.
Second chance.
Coworkers.

👗✈️🩷🚗🏖️

Thank you St. Martin's Press & netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okkkk. i had high hopes for this one. I read Love Interest last year and really enjoyed it so I thought I'd check this one out too! I have come to the conclusion that I really like Claire's writing. Something about her writing instantly hooks me in, putting me directly in the world of the story and I never want to leave! Perfect Fit was super cute! A slow burn workplace romance about rekindling friends and finding love while balancing work. Will is the PERFECT man. He's so patient, so loving, he has a heart of gold. I think that he is perfect for Josie. They have both been harbouring feelings for each other for so long, it was written in the stars that they bumped into each other, reconnected and fell in love 🥺

I'd highly recommend everybody read Will and Josie's story - it's not one you want to miss!!

Tropes:
- slow burn
- work place romance
- second chance
- ex best friends brother
- no third act break up!!!

Perfect Fit: ★★★☆☆ (3)

Pub date: October 29 - preorder your copy now!

I love romance that’s full of friendship, depth, and humor, and Gilmore delivers all three. Not quite a second chance romance, but close enough, Josie’s and Will’s backstory created some history but allowed for present day matters to take center stage. I liked the independence and maturity both displayed especially in times of vulnerability. There was a realness to it all that was refreshing. Overall, a slow burn, endearing romance.

Perfect Fit
Clare Gilmore
Publication date: October 29, 2024
3/5 stars

I loved the concept of this book and the first half of it. I felt like the pacing slowed down for the second half of the book.. I do love second chance romances and I really liked the MMC.

Thank you to Netgalley, Clare Gilmore and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Tropes:
•workplace
•second-chance
(I love the side characters in the story)
•anxiety rep
•MCs in their late 20s
•only in Josephine’s POV
•sloooow-burn!!!!!
•he takes care of her!

I liked that it was told in only one pov, you could see the actions of Will and how he cared through Josephine’s eyes! Will!! WHAT A SWEATHEART!!

My favorite quote is something I can’t share because it’s a big one, but it made me swoon! So cute!