Rating: ★★★½ (3.5 - 3.75)
Publication Date: October 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stephanie Perkins’ Overdue is a tender, incredibly slow-burn romance following 29-year-old Ingrid—aka Iggy—a librarian turned aspiring bookshop owner who finds herself in the middle of a long overdue (pun intended) life transformation. After an 11-year relationship hits pause, Ingrid starts dating again, reevaluates her future, and finds herself drawn to Macon—her older, brooding, bookish coworker with a heart of gold, a garden full of vegetables, and a soft spot for his mom.

The romance between Ingrid and Macon simmers for nearly a year, and the slow pace honestly worked in its favor… to a point. Their chemistry, emotional intimacy, and realistic relationship arc had great depth, and I appreciated the story's grounded portrayal of dating, growing up, and making big life choices. That said, this book dragged. Certain sections—especially Ingrid’s dating detours—felt overly detailed and bloated. And while I usually love single POVs, this one sorely missed Macon’s perspective. A dual POV would have balanced the pacing and allowed us to better understand the grumpy heartthrob we only saw from Ingrid’s lens.

Perkins shines in her description of setting, food, and character habits—Cory’s frozen pizzas vs. Macon’s slow-cooker lattes was chef’s kiss symbolism. The pandemic-era mentions felt authentic, and the themes of personal growth, maturity, and choosing joy were well done.

All in all, a charming, introspective read with a satisfying (if rushed) payoff. Just… be ready for a very long wait for the swoon.

Sweet, romantic, and perfect for book lovers. Perkins brings cozy vibes and emotional depth in equal measure. The love story was heartfelt and satisfying. A charming ode to second chances and storytelling.

Overdue
by Stephanie Perkins

2⭐️

When I read the blurb about this book I was very excited to read it.
A tribute to book lovers. A librarian in a small mountain North Carolina town falling for her grumpy sunshine / nerdy coworker! And a cushy , cosy slow burn romance !
But unfortunately I struggled through this whole book. I don’t know if it was the writing or the slow burn that was just torture. And when they finally got together , I didn’t feel that spark or magic between them.
I pushed through it hoping the ending would redeem itself but it seemed like it just got worse. I was absolutely bored to death.
Didn’t connect with the characters either, the FMC Ingrid just seemed very unlikable and mean to her close friends.

So I’m kinda bummed ☹️ because I really thought I would enjoy this book but unfortunately I just didn’t vibe with it.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins is a wonderful slow-burn romance. The romantic tension between Ingrid and Macon is delicious.

Ingrid is a librarian who is not sure she’s found her calling in life. She’s also not sure if her boyfriend, Cody, is “the one” and she’s been dating him for 10 years. Ingrid also wrestles with the connection she feels towards her grumpy fellow librarian, Macon. Not only is this book a sweet romance but it also explores how challenging it is to find your passion(s) in life and then have the courage to take a leap to follow those dreams. Although the book was a little slow at times, I really enjoyed the humor, the heartwarming portrayal of librarians and all who love books, and the real-life (messy) depiction of two people finding their way through life and love.

As a librarian, I really enjoyed how the author portrayed librarians and library workers. Perkins avoided all the usual stereotypes which was refreshing.

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Saturday Books for the advanced reader’s copy.

Overdue will be published on October 7, 2025.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. I LOVED this book. A sweet librarian trying to live a little before settling down (or not). Such a relatable character, just wanting to find her way and experience love. So good. Highly recommend.

Slow burn but beautiful romance. I really enjoyed this book. Writing is fantastic and I'll definitely be reading more from Stephanie Perkins. Very well written. Solid four for me!

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins is a slow burn romance with a great story. The whole breaking up to date others story is always funny to me and yet it work in this book. Perkins is a great writer and I look forward to hopefully many more romamance novels by her. I will be purchasing this book as gifts for my family and friends.

The premise of the book is taking a month off a relationship to sleep with as many people as possible before you decide to get married. Gross.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

What a beautiful book. I went in. It expecting anything and was transported into the loveliest coming of age story, a slow burn love story, the creation of a dreamy bookstore, and a charming town. My only small gripe is that Ingrid somehow never ran into the other men in a small town ;)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book kind of reminds me of After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid, but with a twist where she doesn't go back to her original husband but gets with the new guy. Which is honestly a plus in my book, because I hated how After I Do ended (sorry if this is a spoiler for After I Do - but I hope that the synopsis had you thinking that way anyway). I don't really remember this book and I finished it a few days ago. It's a good summer read, though!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & Netgalley for letting me dive into this incredible story!
I knew it would be a winner when I saw it come across Christina Lauren’s Instagram page. An absolute home run!

This was a nice romance book. It’s not like most romance books I read typically. It was a good read to get lost in.

This was a vert straightforward friends-to-lovers trope, but a sprinkle of awkward interactions and the impatience of ANYTHING happening in the first 75% of the book! I liked this one. It was cute, uplifting and I left it remembering that theres literally someone for everyone. so cute, so average. perfect beach read.

This book was a solid three star beach read. I finished it a few weeks ago and am struggling to remember what it was about - so, clearly it was forgettable. Cute story for a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

After an uncomfortable conversation with her college boyfriend Corey, Ingrid suddenly finds herself on an unexpected break, not only from her relationship, but from the life she thought she was building. She doesn’t love her job, her apartment feels like a trap, and somewhere along the way, she’s lost sight of what she truly wants from her life. This month-long break is the perfect opportunity for Ingrid to explore new things, so she makes a move on her coworker and long-time crush, Macon. But when Ingrid’s bold move ends in rejection, we follow her messy, emotional, and funny journey through casual dating, personal rediscovery, and figuring out what means to start over. Those failed dates at the beginning were some of my favorite parts of the book, they capture the emotional chaos of dating and it felt like such a real exploration of figuring out what you want, not just romantically but in life.

One of my biggest frustrations was the “break” in Ingrid and Corey’s relationship. It kept on going for months and honestly, I think they should’ve had the breakup conversation way sooner. It was obvious neither of them saw a real future together, they were just comfortable in their relationship and were better off as friends.

As for the romance, this was such a painfully slow burn, they don’t get together until like 80% in, and while I get that the focus was meant to highlight Ingrid’s personal growth, I think once she stops casually dating and starts reflecting on herself, things slow down a bit. The middle of the book kind of drags on for that reason, but I did love to get to know more of Ingrid’s passions and seeing her friendship with Macon developed into something deeper. Macon is the classic grump with a soft heart, their friendship is one of highlight of this book for me, but I did think Macon’s personality gets a little overshadowed.

That said, there’s so much heart to this story, Ingrid’s personal arc, her reflections on identity, purpose, fulfillment and fear of change hit close to home. The book also doesn’t shy away from real topics like book bans, politics and just navigating life as an adult trying to make it all make sense.

Also, I must admit that for some reason I kept calling the mmc bacon in my head. Make of that what you will 😂

Read it if you like:
📚 slow burns
📚 friends to lovers
📚 grumpy x sunshine
📚 libraries and cozy bookstores
📚 stories about starting over

Final Rating:
3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)
2 🌶️ (some tension and descriptive language but fade-to-black scenes)

Overdue has all the makings of a sweet, slow-burn romance—a small-town librarian, a love triangle, and a month-long “pause” to figure things out. But instead of swoon-worthy charm, it leans heavily on indecision and awkward pacing. Ingrid and Cory’s 11-year relationship feels stagnant from the start, and the one-month dating break setup doesn’t add much tension because the outcome is obvious. While the premise had potential, the emotional stakes feel low and the characters never fully come to life—especially Macon, the supposed grumpy love interest who feels more like a plot device than a real person. The romance fizzles more than it sparks, and what should’ve been a cozy, heartfelt story ends up feeling drawn-out and underwhelming. Not terrible, but definitely forgettable.

This book was a surprise to me. Not your typical rom-com. I work in a library, so I really enjoyed the setting. A little slow going at times, but I liked it and would recommend.

This was my second NetGalley e-ARC, and while I wasn’t completely absorbed by the storyline, I found the writing to be truly impressive. The portrayal of the librarian role was delightful, and the cozy mountain/coastal town setting added an undeniable warmth and charm to the book. Though the beginning was a little slow, the story picked up later with some genuinely funny moments. I especially enjoyed the bold, upfront nature of the main character's friends, which brought a refreshing dynamic to the narrative.

Thank you to Stephanie Perkins, St, Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC!

This is a very slow burn romance and story about self-discovery. The FMC discovers at 29 that she is discontented with her life and decides to take some leaps of faith by ending her longterm relationship (reasonable & warranted) and changing career paths. The lovable side characters is one of the highlights of this book. This read more like a YA coming-of-age fiction rather than adult romance or women’s fiction. But overall, this was a cute & cozy read! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I have loved Stephanie Perkins' YA books and have been curious what an adult romance would be like from her! Overall, I enjoyed this one but I will say it felt more like a women's fiction read but one that I like because there is a romance probably 30% in the women's fiction realm (but there was an HEA here). I just mean there was a lot more time spent on her being ready to fall in love again.

✔️ Workplace
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Grumpy/Sunshine

Ingrid has been with her boyfriend Cory since college but they've never really come close to getting married. They agree to take a month off from their relationship before coming back together. The first person that Ingrid wants to hook up with is her coworker Mason but his rejection and horrified look makes her look elsewhere.

The summary above sounds like a love triangle but it really isn't. You'll enjoy Ingrid figuring out the dating world and then figuring out who she is and what she wants to do with her life. And you will swoon with the glory of her finding her perfect match.

It's not that spicy though there are on-the-page shenanigans.

Overall, I did enjoy this one - I'd say 4⭐️!

Steam 🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕