This was a delightfully cringey, heartwarming romance—full of friendship, new love, and libraries! What more could a girl want?

A lighthearted read! If you love a slow burn romance, you will love Overdue! It may even be the slowest burn I have ever read. Follow Ingrid, a librarian, as she navigates changes in her life as she and her long term boyfriend of 11 years “take a break”. As Ingrid questions most of the decisions and possible path she is on, she has a group of friends that help support her along the way. Overdue is a journey of ups and downs (and possible embarrassment) of dating, taking chances and the importance of family—both actual and found family.

Thank you to author Stephanie Perkins, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the chance to read a digital advanced reader copy of Overdue in exchange for my honest review.

Overdue is expected to be published on October 7, 2025.

This is a slow burn romance for people who love books. The story is told over the course of a year from the point of view of Ingrid. She is a librarian who has been in a relationship with her boyfriend for ten years. Their relationship has grown stagnant and when she learns of her sister's engagement, her boyfriend and her decide to take a break. Ingrid starts to go on dates but realizes that her grumpy fellow librarian, Macon, might just be the one she was meant to be with all along.

This was a sweet story and a good escape after a long day of work. I enjoyed Ingrid's story and the changes she made in her life. There were some laugh out loud moments for me. I also always enjoy a story that features a cat and yummy food. After finishing this book I do kind of what to make a career change as well. My only complaint is that it did feel long. The book took place over a year and at times it just felt like the pacing could move a little quicker. Overall, this was a heartwarming story that I think book lovers will like.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Saturday Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

This book was like a look into just mundane regular life. The main characters were just people trying to figure it out. It was the slowest of burns for the love story component, but it was worth the wait. Personally it was kind of slow, but life is too

I've been a big fan of Stephanie Perkins since I first read Anna and the French Kiss so many years ago. I loved that whole series, because it felt real, yet romantic. Perkins writes real people so well. Anna, Isla, Lola, Etienne, the list goes on. So I was incredible excited to see she had a new adult novel coming out this year.

I was even more excited to see the Netgalley had the option for an early copy. I feel like I dove in with abandon. And I'm so glad I did. This was a sweeping, get gentle love story that left me feeling all the things. I felt the cringe when Ingrid felt the ick. I felt the desperate loneliness when she felt like she was alone, misunderstood, and stuck in the mud. I felt her happiness increase, little-by-little, as the pages (and seasons) turned.

I was sad to finish this book, because it felt like I was leaving dear, old friends. But I knew when I closed the (metaphorical) spines, that I left them in a good place. And for that, I'm happy.

If you were an early 2010s Book Girlie who loved Stephanie Perkins, make sure to check this one out when it releases. You've grown up, and so have her characters. You won't want to miss.

I received an e-ARC courtesy of Saturday Books and NetGalley. This in no way impacted my review of the book.

This book was emotional and kept me reading late into the night. To say this was a "slow' burn is an understatement! It was a little too slow for me. That said, the "misunderstanding" at the start of the novel and the lack of clarifying conversations, does align with the characters built by Perkins. The reason for the lack of that clarifying convo is clearly tied to the protagonists cranky disposition and his hurt from current and past relationships. I thought it was a really solid romance title!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

When I first read the description of this book I was super intrigued and it didn't disappoint; however, I can read a book in a day to two days and this book took over a week. It wasn't that the story wasn't good it was just unbelievably slow. I do love a slow burn romance but there is a time where it just is too slow.

The beginning of the story Ingrid is dating Cory, her boyfriend of many years. They decided to take a break and Ingrid and Cory go their separate ways to find other people to test to see if they want to be with each after the break. After many months they break up. Ingrid's coworker, Macon, was someone she always liked and had a crush on and wanted to try something with him during the break but he pushed her off. Weeks later she helps him freshen up his house and she worries she loves him. But he pushed her away? He can't love her back? Contrary to what Ingrid believe he does in fact want to be with Ingrid and they finally become an item.

This was such a a slow burn that I even forgot that Ingrid had her escapades with a couple of other guys at the beginning of the book! Once Macon and Ingrid did get together it was so heartwarming and wonderful! It was just perfect. The characters in this story were complex in their own right but likeable. I did enjoy the story but just wish more of the romance had been in it rather than in the last 20% of the book! Would recommend!

Thanks to Stephanie Perkins, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to review this ARC!

Absolutely loved this book! I'm a wayback fan of Stephanie Perkins, and I've been waiting for this book for a very long time. It was well worth the wait. Ingrid is at a pricipice in her life and it was a pleasure to follow her journey in self-discovery. Macon is so endearing, the slow burn is both devastating and so enjoyable to read. The home renovation portion of this book was completely adorable and full of fluttery feelings

I loved how much this story touched on real issues: the perils of the book industry, the complexity of modern dating, and being a caretaking to a parent. It was rooted in real life and the romance felt all the more authentic for it.

I'm completey smitten with this book and I hope it's the start of many more adult romances.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was so good! I knew it wasn't going to be super romance-y but more self discovery with some romance mixed in so just be aware if you read this one it's not all romance, but I loved it!

The experiment Ingrid and Cory did in the beginning was so odd and strange to me as I just can't see myself or anyone I know mutually taking a break from each other to date other people and then get married once it's out of their systems. Sounds like a recipe for disaster tbh 😅 but this is the reason the book intrigues you and pulls you in!

Even with the sadness and complexity of this novel, I found myself laughing a few times and also impressed by the (mostly) healthy way (mostly after the first 30%) the characters interacted with each other through difficult/awkward times.

The end felt satisfying and more realistic as it was a slow progress of change throughout the course of a year. I was rooting for Ingrid and Macon the whole time and it did not disappoint 💖

- grumpy/sunshine
-friends to lovers
-rediscovering yourself and making life changes
This was beautifully about a librarian and a crossroads with her boyfriend of 11 years who decide to take a break and year that follows. Ingrid and Cory decide to take a month’s break to date other people and before they decide if they want to get married. Ingrid only has her eyes set on dating her co-worker, Macon but he rejects her kiss and their friendship is shattered. Over the next year as she decides to leave the job and open a bookstore their friendship is slowly built back up and they both realize that they have been in love with each other all along.

I loved this slow burn romance, set in a public library! The author obviously is familiar with working at a public library, so the novel was fun for this librarian reader. Macon (the only thing I don't like about him is his name) is an adorable, slightly grumpy character. You have to wait a bit for this couple to get together, but it's worth it!

Such a wholesome book with a great story line, just the right amount of spice and the perfect ending. I wouldn't mind following the story of Macon and Ingrid further!

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins is the embodiment of SLOOOW BURN. If acts of service as a love language was a book, it would be this one.

Ingrid our main character, works in a library, and feels stuck and unsure of what she wants out of life—naturally I found her relatable. I loved Macon as our male love interest, a shy and grumpy librarian, but so gentle and understanding! I couldn’t get enough of him. A man who loves to cook and grows his own vegetables and has a cute cottage home? GIVE HIM TO ME. There were a lot of sweet moments and character growth throughout the story that I really enjoyed reading and made this overall what I consider a “solid” romance novel.

My main complaint with this book was just how long it felt in the beginning. Now, I understand that this is marketed as slow burn and burn slowly it did, however a good first chunk of the book felt a little redundant to me. Our main character Ingrid makes a deal with her boyfriend of over a decade to date other people for a month, except this month-long experiment gets extended twice. So we spend a good third of the book having Ingrid date other people, with the tiniest nuggets of Macon. Now, this whole experiment does lead to self-growth and discovery for our main character, however, by the time Macon and Ingrid get together, everything happens so quickly.

I wish we could have lingered a little bit longer with Macon and Ingrid being a couple, though I did appreciate the lack of a third-act breakup.

I really do hope Stephanie Perkins plans to write more adult romance because I really enjoyed this one and recommend if you’re a fan of slow burn and low-stakes cozy romance!

This book was beautifully, elegantly, almost lyrically written. The story spans a year in the life of a young woman who’s life has been upended, and she’s forced to make tough decisions regarding her future and be honest with herself about what she wants in life. I laughed, cried, and cheered throughout this book. One of my best reads this year so far.

Librarians, a slow burn, and an age gap—sign me up!

Ingrid Dahl’s eleven-year relationship is in shambles following her sister’s engagement. Ingrid and her longtime boyfriend Cory feel pressured to settle down; their solution is to take a month-long break to see other people. Ingrid has the perfect man in mind, her older coworker Macon Nowakowski. They soon realize maybe a month isn’t long enough, and perhaps Ingrid’s relationship with Macon is a little more complicated than she planned for.

I love a good slow burn romance, and Overdue absolutely delivered. Not only did the novel feature a beautiful friendship that slowly blossomed into a loving relationship, but it also showcased Ingrid’s personal growth and self-discovery. Ingrid’s experiences felt very real and relatable, as she navigated what her actual life goals were outside the societal pressures she felt. Her bubbly personality is the perfect complement to Macon’s grumpiness. He is exceptionally caring about the people in his life; despite coming off as a curmudgeon, Ingrid sees through all his grumpiness. Their friendship was saccharine and refreshing. They were each other’s shoulder to cry on during hard times, which made their relationship significantly more exceptional.

Stephanie Perkins does an excellent job capturing one of the slowest slow burns that has the most beautiful payoff. Overdue is much more than a contemporary romance; it felt like a women’s fiction novel at times, but I enjoyed that as much as the romance. I’ve yearned for a beautiful slow burn ever since I finished Mariana Zapata’s entire bibliography, and Overdue hit the spot.

My lanta, this book was long. I could take or leave the first half of the book, but the end half was pretty alright! Suuuuuper super slow burn, but I liked it. If you want a more cozy, emotional version of a Mariana Zapata style romance, maybe give this one a go.

Macon is the perfect shy librarian squish. I liked how much Ingrid grew into herself over the course of the year. That cottage is the stuff of book lover fantasy.

Overall, a nice women’s fiction book with a sprinkle of romance. With a garden/plants being one of the central elements of the book, the main characters also slowly blossom into who they were meant to be and be with.

This one was way too slow burn for my liking. I’m sure it promises to be a beautiful love story in the end but I was way too bored to continue. Dnf at 50%

This is my first Stephanie Perkins novel, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The book starts off pretty slow. At the beginning, I didn't really like Ingrid or Macon, but I'm glad I stuck with it because it ended up being a really sweet, heartwarming read. It's a romance + fiction+ coming-of-age-story all-in-one. Loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

This is exactly what I imagine when I think of ‘women’s fiction’.

Following Ingrid as she makes self discoveries that are obvious to other people it she hasn’t been willing to face herself, the reader goes on a journey of self discovery that includes a very slow-burn romance. It’s a sweet read (though at time I just wanted to shake Ingrid and knock some sense into).

Thank you to Stephanie Perkins, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.