PERFECT FIT was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it's safe to say that it was a perfect fit (ha) for my bookshelf! I tried to savor it, but once I started reading, I just couldn't stop and devoured most of the book in a day. The story follows Josie and Will, who haven't seen each other since high school, until their worlds (literally) collide again, years later. Josie is a smart, savvy CEO on the brink of burnout—she's poured her heart and soul into creating Revenant, an Austin-based fashion brand, but she's beginning to wonder if other areas of her life have suffered as a result. When she's encouraged to hire a consultant, Josie discovers that she has to team up with Will, the twin brother of her ex-best-friend...and that the chemistry they shared in high school definitely hasn't gone away. Can Josie and Will overcome their complicated history to build a new future together?

I adored Clare Gilmore's debut romcom LOVE INTEREST, and I recently flew through her twisty campus mystery WHAT HAPPENED TO HELEN ROCHESTER. However, PERFECT FIT just might be my fave of hers yet! And Josie is one of my favorite romantic leading ladies ever. I just loved her character so much, from her struggles with anxiety, social anxiety, and burnout, which were so realistically portrayed, to the way that she was an unapologetic "girly girl," who could pick the right outfit for any situation and curate her aesthetically pleasing Pinterest boards to perfection, but also shine as a hugely successful businesswoman. It was such a delight to follow her journey! And of course, Will was the absolute dream book boyfriend—so thoughtful, patient, and supportive (and totally swoon-worthy) from start to finish. I thought their love story was so sweet (and was extra glad that there was no third act breakup!), but beyond that, I also appreciated the role that strong female friendships played in the story, and enjoyed reading about them just as much. The whole concept of mistakes in past relationships (including friendships, not just romantic ones!) helping you learn how to be a better friend and partner to people who enter your life in the future, was really well-done.

If there's one thing I didn't love, I did want a little bit more from the ending (trying not to be too spoilery!). I think a couple other reviews have touched on this point, but I always find it a little bit frustrating in books when a woman is expected to give up her career goals, or be less ambitious, to experience true happiness and/or love. There is definitely a happy medium between being a workaholic and doing basically nothing, and I felt like this book was kind of getting at that with Josie's ending, but didn't totally stick the landing for me. It didn't take away from how much I enjoyed the story as a whole, but I was a little disappointed by it personally! Still, I obviously loved this one, and can't wait for Gilmore's next book! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

This was an unforgettable rom-com! I was expecting a cute, fluffy romance but it was so much more than that. It had depth while also making me laugh out loud. Josie was such a relatable millennial; working to be productive and her unhealthy relationship with social media. Will Grant… Well, he can hit my car anytime. Even the supporting characters shine through.

As a Texas girly myself, I absolutely love that this took place in Austin. Torchys and HEB ALL DAY!

“Use me. Please. It would be an honor. I can only exist for you in moments like this one. I can be scarce when you need me not to exist.”

“You make it to this door, sweetheart, and I will carry you back to bed.”

“On my honor, you will die remembering this night.”

🧵 work romance
🧵 best friends brother
🧵 frienemies to lovers
🧵 found family

WOW WOW WOW.

For all my rom-com girlies! Perfect Fit was… well, perfect. This is the kind of book you just want to read again and again. It was so cozy, full of rom-com charm, and undeniably lovely. I kept dragging my feet on finishing it because I really, truly, didn’t want it to end. I’m so happy I got the opportunity to read and review this gem.

Josie was so relatable in her struggles of trying to “have it all.” It was like I could feel her burnout coming through Clare Gilmore’s writing instead of Josie speaking about it (and Clare’s writing is fantastic, by the way). Her struggles with her relationship to social media and tying her self worth to her career made her realistic and multidimensional. The best thing about Josie was that I knew she was a girl boss and could totally do it all, but as the story progressed I just really wanted what was best for her. A lesson I think we have all needed or will need at some point in our lives!

The romance! THE ROMANCE! Will Grant you have stolen my heart! Will was everything you could want in an MMC. Will was patient, respectful, and supportive in all the ways Josie needed to find herself. We love an encouraging swoon-worthy MMC! Again, the characters were so realistic and well written it was the most enjoyable thing about this book.

All of Josie’s female friendships worked as an overarching theme in the novel and I loved how her healing journey came full circle at the end. I enjoyed her growth in her relationships as much as the romance in this book.

Overall, this was an all encompassing, wonderful read that I would implore all of you to pick up immediately.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

You know when a book is meant for you , this is the book for me .This is my first Claire Gilmore book and I was wowed away

This book is fantastic. It reminded me of what true love is .Not only does it focus on the romance but also talks about friendships in adulthood, self discovery and more .

I love the two main characters very much . Josephine ( FMC) is a phenomenal character .she’s undoubtedly among my top ten favorite FMC’s . Reading about her in this book , given her workaholic tendencies, blossom and discover her true self was heartwarming. It’s crazy how much identity with her , was the author sleeping under my bed when she wrote this 😭😭😭. Will ( MMC) captured my heart . He is patient ,kind and supportive. He was alway there for Josephine when she needed him , he challenged her and was there to support her in overcoming her insecurities. This man is good with his words , I was swooning the whole time reading this book 😍. Their chemistry was top tier . Will was completely enamored with Josephine . I couldn’t get enough of them .

This book made me think deeply about who I am as a person and the friendships I have with people. Among the many things I learned from it is that it's acceptable to want change even as you become older.

I didn’t want this book to end but i couldn’t stop reading it . I found myself returning to my highlighted notes and rereading my favorite scenes . This book is definitely going to stick with me for a really long time . I’m eager to read it again . I highly recommend it😊

Thank you Netgalley , St.martin’s Griffin for this Arc . This Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review

Clare Gilmore is the author of many sweet and funny romances, and "Perfect Fit" is just that -- a sweet, funny romance. This book centers around Josephine (Josie), a workaholic trying to get her clothing business off the ground. She decides to hire a consultant to help her determine how she can best help her company grow. Along comes Will, not only a fantastic consultant, but also the man she once had a fantastic make-out session with decades ago. Josie is stunned to determine that the sparks are still there. Not only is he great at his job, but he's a good man determined to help her learn that her life doesn't need to revolve around her work. I really enjoyed the chemistry between them, but also the tender care they have for each other. I would recommend Gilmore's books to anyone looking for a sweet, fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

It was…perfect. Josie and Will have a history, and it all comes back in a (literal) crash. Josie is a single-minded, driven, young CEO and Will is a business consultant. She needs help making her next business goal a reality. He wants to offer his expertise. But, there’s one rule: this needs to stay professional.

Will Grant has moved straight to fave book boyfriend status. The chemistry was off the charts and the tenderness had me swooning. I highlighted so many quotes and (gah!!) cannot wait to share them.

What to expect:
Second chance
He falls first
He takes care of her
No 3rd act break up (yessss!)
Excellent side characters
Strong female friendships

Obsessed would be an understatement! I cannot wait for more people to read this romance!

Honestly, this is the closest I've come to a 5 star read this year.
I had so much fun reading this, it was such a fun, sweet story. I adore Josie and Will. I really loved how much emphasis there is on friendship and the importance of them to Josie, because that's also how I feel about my friends and how thankful I am to have them. I would genuinely be no where without them.
But if I'm being 10000% honest... my favorite thing about this book is: no third act break up!!! I was getting so sick and tired of reading romances/romcoms with third act break ups. Also, Will might just be one of the most patient MMC's to ever exist.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc!

Such a cute romcom! I loved the friend reconciliation too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is a very fun romcom. I really liked the characters of Josie and Will. I did feel like the other characters were a bit surface level and wish we could have expanded them a bit more. I LOVED the emphasis on friendship in this book! Both Josie’s current and former friendships are seen as key reasons for why she is the person she is and healing and nurturing friendships remains a priority for her, regardless of the romance (and sometimes because of it!). I liked that the main characters truly did grow and develop throughout the book. My only other complaint is the pacing sometimes felt off and the book did feel a bit slow at times, but overall, I really enjoyed this.

My first book by Clare Gilmore and I can’t wait to read more! I saw a lot of myself in Josie and loved her growth. Will was the sweetest partner.

This book was practically perfect. We love a man who is totally gone for the FMC right from the start. Will is sweet, caring, kind…. The ultimate cinnamon roll, golden retriever. I love Girl boss Josie, who just dreamed of a soft life. Every character in this book was fantastic, looking at you Camilla. The best part about this story? No third act break up! But also, it’s so relatable to me. In your twenties, you hustle and work your ass off and worry about what other people think, society’s expectations of success. Then as you edge into you 30’s you start running out of fucks to give. Hello burnout! And then you get to start over and create a life that works better for you and your desires. This book encapsulated that lesson for all of the main characters and I just enjoyed every single part of this super special book.

This book was a breath of fresh air. I found Josie’s character to be very relatable in all her existential glory. The yearning & pining in this book was top tier. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Perfect Fit is a lighthearted, warm read. It follows Josie, who is a CEO of a clothing company who “crashes” into someone from her past and end up falling for each other. I would recommend this book to lovers of this genre. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the Arc. Perfect Fit releases on October 24, 2024.

This little romance was so pleasant! My first Clare Gilmore, and I will have to check out her back list. A budding second chance romance between two high school acquaintances (hello, brother's best friend) between Josie and Will. Josie, a CEO of a fashion company, lives and breathes it. She encounters Will and we see how their lives intertwine to change for the better or the worst? This novel is definitely for individuals who feel imposter syndrome and never feel just quite good enough which I think resonates with many. Let me tell you how much I loved Will. He was the constant in the novel and Josie's biggest supporter. Truly a disservice to have this only in one POV because I would have ATE up his POV. My one gripe was the Gen-Z references that could have been done without since it made the dialogue more cheesier.

Read if you like;
· second chance romance
· work place romance
· take care of me when I'm sick trope
· healthy communication!!!!!
· slow-burn
· a bit of spice

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC of this book. This was my first book by Clare Gilmore and I really enjoyed it!! At its core, this was a contemporary romance with a second chance trope (my favorite!) but I liked how it tackled other topics such as work-life balance/burnout and doing what really makes you happy in life, t. The main character really grew as a person throughout the book and it was enjoyable to see her growth.

Josie is the owner of a wildly popular clothing brand and on the brink of burnout. She hasn't dated in years and her entire life is her company. When she has a chance encounter with Will, the twin brother of her former high school best friend, the course of her life completely shifts. He helps get to realize what matters to her and to focus on things in life beyond work. The love story is a second chance and involves a fun trip across the world. The events and details of their relationship felt real and their banter was also well done. Highly recommend this one!! It comes out on October 29, 2024!

This was fun! The stakes were low, which kept it a nice, breezy read, yet the plot stayed interesting enough to keep me reading. I enjoyed the romance - I particularly enjoy this brand of MMC. I love an emotionally available, honest, and open MMC.

Some of the writing and story telling was clumsy at times. Despite directly poking fun at the concept the FMC was giving "girlboss". I can tell the author did try to put a more gen z friendly spin on it but even that came off clunky and shoe horned in. [[minor spoiler alert]] I also don't love these books where the women have to give up their career aspirations to find happiness (looking at you Happy Place). Like the only two options in the world are not just "girlboss" or soft living, I think we can find something in the middle here ladies. Idk I felt like maybe the author was trying to make some societal commentary, but it was under developed (which is fine! this is a romance!) and missed the mark for me. However I'd say the core of the book was solid and I enjoyed being along for the journey

I love the characters!!! Such a fun story. Depth but still a quick story. Will reread agsin just to visit the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! I LOVED this book. It had everything — from banter to an examination of self-worth to friendships at different stages. Will was the perfect book boyfriend, and Josie was so likeable. I loved their chemistry, but I also loved the maturity of their second time around (and no real third act breakup, hallelujah!). I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

3.5/5

I have very mixed feelings about this book. There were some moments in this story that I absolutely loved and was so excited to see what they lead to, but then there would be moments that dragged so much and left me so uninterested. The pacing and character dynamics were weirdly inconsistent at times. But I still very much enjoyed this book - it was a fun, easy, and quick read!

I think this premise was so fun but I couldn't connect to the characters. You start the story by being thrown right into the action, but I can find that a bit disorienting. But an amazing rarity in this book: there is no third act breakup! So if you're a hater of those, you're gonna be so happy with this.

These characters felt a bit too cookie-cutter for me, they were such put-together people and almost formulaic in some of their choices. I think that is my biggest "problem" with this book. I do know plenty of people that love that, so I can see this book being so successful.

I would definitely recommend this to someone who wanted a cute and fun read. I mean, the owner of a fashion brand paired up with her ex best friend's brother - now, that's fun!

Thanks to NetGalley for an E-ARC of this book! My review on Goodreads is already posted and my review on TikTok will be uploaded at the end of May/very beginning of June with my May reading wrap-up.

I read Love Interest last summer, and it was fantastic so I was very excited to receive an advanced copy of Clare Gilmore's new book.

I did enjoy this book but not as much as Love Interest. I liked Josephine and Will, but I didn't think their chemistry was as strong as Alex and Casey's.

I still liked the book and absolutely will read Clare Gilmore's next novel.