Overall Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five Stars !

Spice rating 1/5 🌶️ but 5/5 slow burn 🔥

“A good romance is everything,”

Jack said it best, and he’s right, this book is everything! “Yes No Maybe” by Jessica Sherry is an out of the gate absolutely wonderful book that has worked its way up into my top 3 reads of 2024 so far.

I adored this book! The slow burn is excellent and you really get a chance to understand and fall in love with Rowan and Jack.

Rowan’s struggle with her scars are extremely relatable to anyone who has ever felt like they are not “society’s definition of beauty” and I really loved the character development with her and everyone in this book as the story unfolded. You could really feel Rowan’s emotions through the pages.

This book made me feel so many different things in a good way and I loved every second of it! I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it!

Some of my favorite tropes like Grumpy/Sunshine, Opposites Attract, and the slow burn is absolutely sizzling.

I sincerely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, this book is absolutely 5 stars!

Huge thanks to Jessica Sherry and NetGalley for this ARC!

This book was a little slow to start for me. I love the premise of it, and was glad I read it, but it was easier to put down from time to time than other books I've read in this genre. Rowan prefers to live a quiet live where she goes about her business without much acknowledgement of her presence. She expected the same from a future proposal and, even though it didn't quite go as she expected, she's convinced herself that she wants this marriage and all the things that go along with marriage. To jump start that idea she decides to buy a small home that will someday be shared with her own family. But things quickly go from ideal to nighmare-ish thanks to her not so nice, but definitely cute, neighbor. And when his writer's block just happens to be lifted after he meets Rowan, well... that's when the story picked up momentum for me! I recommend reading this book when you've got some time to stick with and see it to the end because you won't regret it when you finally get to that ending!

Rowan meets Jack when she buys the house next door to her. I wanted everything for Rowan, but didn't like Jack's behaviour a lot of the time.

It's a Definite Yes!!! Stepping into this neighborhood Jessica created was a treat. Everything about Yes No Maybe was a joy. I loved Rowan and Jack, they grew so much throughout the story. The Little House is the best setting for Rowan finding herself. Between the Neighbors, the students, and cats I fell in love. Do yourself a favor and buy this book.

Thank you for allowing me to read an ARC copy.

Rowan is navigating a botched proposal and the effects of spending some time apart from her kind of fiancé, Dean, while also trying to ignore her new neighbor, Jack. This is definitely easier said than done as the neighborhood is tight knit and he's right next door. They disagree about everything from lifestyle to book genres since Rowan is a high school English teacher who loves the classics and Jack writes contemporary romances that Rowan has never touched. What is a girl to do when the grumpy party animal may have a softer side to him?

I genuinely had warm fuzzies from reading this book! Jessica Sherry absolutely nailed everything from the characters to the plot to navigating difficult topics with grace. From strangers to friends to lovers, I cried alongside Rowan with her downs and smiled and laughed with her ups. Jack also navigates his own trauma and communicates with Rowan in a way that feels as if they are real people. Jack is absolutely setting the highest bar for relationships in romance books. Does this mean that they are both perfect? Absolutely not! They are multi-faceted and feel like they are so real. I feel like this is especially true since I related so much with the main character, Rowan. She is such a relatable character for so many different parts of her personality and we get to experience them alongside her. It also helps that I also teach English and her interactions with her students shows that she is one of the best fictional teachers.

This is a must read for anyone who loves romance novels! She includes some of my favorite tropes which include forced proximity and grumpy/sunshine. This is one of those books where I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time and experience the journey with the characters all over again.

There is mild sexual content, but very limited and towards the end of the story.

Trigger Warnings: history of assault, death of a loved one, burns/scars

I loved this!! It was my first ARC that I couldn’t put down. I fell in love with the characters, the MMC was so wonderful and they didn’t take the grumpy sunshine too far which I appreciated. She did an amazing job covering topics like fostering, loss and found family. Great work!!

Two people hurt by life, but still resilient and generous, meet and clash in “Yes No Maybe”, by Jessica Sherry, a story where scar tissue is seen as normal .
I liked the leads and the cast of secondary characters that mskr the story lively.
Rowan is a strong heroine, a teacher bearing her scars with courage. Jack is a writer afflicted with writer’s block and carrying a lot of hurt.
I liked how sparks fly when they meet and how they connect afterwards over the pain they both experienced, the mutual love of books, reading and writing, and the will to help others.
I enjoyed having a teacher as the heroine and watching her doing her job.
I appreciated the initially grumpy hero, although I would have liked that resistance to linger a bit more.
I loved how naturally Jack contemplated and assimilated Rowan’s scars as something organic, just a part of her lovely person.
I felt the book was too long and some parts were a bit surprising, disappointing or simply uninteresting for me.
The exposure of feelings and private matters, the constant talking about emotions, sometimes with teenagers/students, was too much for me.

This is a love letter to this book.

I know they said don't judge a book by its cover but I saw the black cat on the cover in this one and immediately needed it, and well... the rest is history.

Think neighbors with small town and gilmore girls vibes, grumpy tortured writer living next door (he also has a cat), a female character who's a teacher (think Jessica Day but bookish high school class). Their cats are named after authors, she gets him out of his author's block....

There's grief, there's a journey to acceptance, there's mentions of past abusive relationship, there's the slowest of the slow burn but it is worth it, everything in this book is worth your time.

She was proposed to, but didn't exactly say yes, her "fiancé" is a wannabe actor leaving for the summer, she buys a house that reminds her of her favorite childhood book. The grumpy neighbor and her go from strangers to dislikes to friends to lovers...

Rowan has scars on her body and even though she is very sure of herself, she also brush off the fact that some people are just assholes, she already accepted this "truth" to her life and she makes the best of her every situation. She is strong, kind, lovely and jaded, she loves herself and protects herself like no one else could do it for her, she truly is the main character of this book.

Jack has playboy tendencies, but he treats his neighbors like family, takes care of everyone and is a best seller romance author with a bruised soul. Watching this man discovering love is thrilling and beautiful. Jack is a very special and interesting character

If you like Emily Henry, if you want a book that will warm up your soul and bring tears to your eyes, if you love slow burn romance and a story about unconditional love, different kinds of finding your family, queer rep and an overall heartwarming but also touching romance, this book is for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Jessica Sherry is a new author to me and I was not sure what to expect from this book. I was unprepared for how much I was going to LOVE this book and how emotional it was going to make me feel. Also, I do not typically read “love-triangle” troped books, but this one did not bother me at all, with that being a huge part of this plot. This was less “love triangle” and more “realizing you were with the wrong one all along”.

Jack is a grump, hands down and Rowan is his polar opposite in so many ways. There were so many great micro-plot points throughout this book that wove this story together in such a beautiful way. Roman is a survivor and she thinks she knows what she wants in life until a question throws her balance off and she takes a moment to hesitate. This hesitation activates a chain of events that leads Rowan to Jack, even if they do not want to be near each other. Add nosy neighbors who mean well for a “found family” storyline and this novel is worthy of these 5 stars.

There is banter, traumatic pasts, and many literature references throughout the book. This is a highly recommended read.

This will be included with the recent great rom coms. It’s the whole package. Well rounded characters, great chemistry between the two main ones, and a lovely and immersive setting. It’s funny and heartfelt. And I’d stay in this world with these characters for longer if I could.

This was an interesting book! I found the plot a bit slow at the beginning and the set up felt like something that could have just been referenced to get things going quicker. The writing was pretty good and I liked Jack's character

I have such mixed feeling about Yes No Maybe. The lead female character, Rowan, flubs her answer when her boyfriend proposes. After, her boyfriend decides he needs to clear his head and decides to spend the summer away pursuing his acting career. Meanwhile, Rowan moves into a new house and meets her neighbor, romance author, Jack. This is where things, including my feelings towards this book, gets confusing. It very much gives Ross and Rachel “but we were on a break” vibes (IYKYK). While this was an issue for me, I was able to move past it and enjoy most of the book. I admired Rowan’s relationship with her students and enjoyed how all of Rowan’s new neighbors made a dysfunctional chosen family. Overall this was a cute book.

I loved this story. The dialogue was so well written, especially compared to other novels in the same genre. I love an author MMC and pair it with a teacher FMC- the dynamic was gold. I thought the discussion regarding her burns and trauma was done tactfully. I can't believe this author doesn't have more reads/reviews, the storyline (and previously mentioned dialogue) have so much more depth than your average romance book. I will be reading the rest of her novels!

Thank you Jessica Sherry and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Mein Leseerlebnis

In “Yes maybe no” geht es um eine Frau, die zwischen ihrem Freund und ihrem neuen Nachbarn steht. Doch diese kurze Beschreibung wird dem Buch nicht gerecht, denn es geht auch um eine Frau, die ein traumatisches Erlebnis aus ihrer Vergangenheit verarbeitet bzw. mit dessen Folgen lebt. Durch diese Kombination an Themen ist die Geschichte vielschichtig und besitzt Tiefe.

Beim Lesen bin ich leicht in einen guten Lesefluss gekommen und habe zudem gerne mehr über Rowan, die Heldin des Liebesromans, erfahren.

Mit dem Helden bin ich leider nicht so richtig warm geworden. Er war mir in verschiedenen Szenen etwas zu wertend anderen gegenüber und hat Rowans Beziehung zu ihrem Freund in einer Szene auf eine Art und Weise beeinflusst, die ich nicht ok fand.

Darüber hinaus erschien mir das Buch einen Tick zu lang, gut 20-40 Seiten weniger hätten der Romance unter Umständen gut getan.

Auch wenn ich die Liebesgeschichte im Verlauf des Romans nicht in jeder Szene überzeugend fand, so konnte mich der Epilog begeistern und tief berühren. Er stimmte mich zudem etwas versöhnlich in Bezug auf den Helden.

Nehme ich das alles zusammen, dann fand ich das romance Buch nicht so einnehmend wie erhofft, bin zugleich aber froh, ihm eine Chance gegeben zu haben. Ich werde die Geschichte der Heldin sicherlich nicht so schnell vergessen.

🖤🖤🖤 1/4

Für wen?

Wer Liebesromane mag, in denen die Heldin ein zwischen zwei Männern steht und sie zusätzlich dramatische Ereignisse aus ihrer Vergangenheit verarbeitet, für den könnte das vorliegende Buch eine gute Wahl sein.

Yes No Maybe was absolutely adorable, and such a quick and fun read, but was a bit of a slow start for me! While it did take me a minute to get into the story, I ended up really enjoying it, and loved the chemistry and banter between Rowan and Jack! My only true complaint is I felt like the last part of the book was a bit rushed and would have liked to see more of their relationship in the future, but overall was a wonderful read!

My favorite thing about this book was the little house vibes. It felt like the vacation I want to go on and live in. I enjoyed this book a lot. I did feel like most things were wrapped up 200 pages in and could have been cut shorter. Overall I think this had great summertime/ vacation feelings.

This exquisitely crafted, eloquent tome stirs profound emotions, radiating with genuine authenticity that exceeded my expectations. Its narrative encompasses a rich tapestry of elements: authentic and flawed characters who share candid honesty, delightful felines, heartening foster children, a comically vibrant neighborhood, and the nurturing embrace of found family. And let's not forget the abundant presence of literature, for our protagonist Jack, a romance author, ensures that books are never far from the heart of the story. Truly, can a man aspire to greater heights?

Despite its hopeful and often light-hearted tone, this narrative tackles tough, real-life issues with a grounded sincerity. The characters' connections resonate deeply, evolving with genuine realism as they navigate the intricacies of love. Their journey unfolds gradually, punctuated by witty banter, earnest discussions, and unwavering loyalty.

Like a comforting embrace suffused with affection, this book embraces my favorite tropes: the grumpy neighbor who finds himself irresistibly drawn to his counterpart, inevitably succumbing to love's allure. And to add to the charm, he writes about her, a testament to the enduring imprint she's left on his heart since their initial encounter years prior. Jack is, undoubtedly, the epitome of romantic ideals, capturing the admiration of all who encounter him.

For enthusiasts of Abby Jimenez, Mazey Eddings, and Tarah DeWitt, this book offers a delicate handling of sensitive themes, ensuring that its characters linger in the mind long after their tale has been told. The vibrant neighborhood depicted within these pages beckons for further exploration, leaving readers eager for more.

Heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley and Jessica Sherry for granting me the privilege of delving into this masterpiece ahead of its publication. It is an honor I deeply cherish.

4.5 stars
First, thank you to @jessicasherry_books and @netgalley for this ARC copy! | made the authors auto approve list and couldn't be more excited!
Another stunning book. I absolutely could not stop gushing over the authors last book (One Thing Better), and honestly this book was equally as compelling. I absolutely loved Jack and Rowan!
I love how she weaves together the characters and creates such a beautiful story of found family in the midst of so much trauma. And the character growth!
There were so many times in the beginning that I wanted to grab the characters and give them a good shake, but they really came into their own (and together) beautifully.
I loved the bookish theme throughout, with the FMC being an English teacher and the MMC an author. It was really fun to see both of their processes. I loved all the details about how much Rowan put into her work. It was such a labor of love. I wish I had teachers like her growing up!
I also really loved all the side characters. The neighbors really provided the comedic relief in an otherwise emotional book! "Vernon, no"
Highly recommend this author and her books!

I loved the cover and the story was interesting having a romance male author and how that has something to do with the female character that doesn't believe in love after something that happened before and how man have treated her.
I liked that both of them don't really get along, this book had so many things, there were times were I didn't get what the main character was doing and the reaction of the male character, I understand them but you know when something are going to cause trouble, I don't really like love triangles, so it was interesting the situation with these three people. I liked how the author managed the inclusion of a teen we know that she is going to be important in some way for the main couple

The end feels so rushed, and also we dont really get to see more future of the characters, I loved that we have so unique main characters and how different their stories are so I feel like that I will remember them fot the uniqueness but usually it would be a normal romance novel
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this beautiful book

This was such a cute and heartwarming book. I enjoyed the chemistry between Rowan and Jack, along with their busy-body neighbors. After living with the scars from devastating burns for most of her life, Rowan is used to the stares and judgement she receives. When she moves next door to Jack, a famous romance author, she expects the same from him. But the more she gets to know Jack, the more surprised and confused she becomes.

This book brought a whirlwind of emotions. The author does a good job portraying Rowan's trauma and strength. I enjoyed the elements of humor, swoony romance, and found family.

Thank you Netgalley and Jessica Sherry for the opportunity to read this adorable ARC.