I enjoyed this, but can understand how its atypical structure may not be everyone's cup of tea.

The first part introduces all the main characters and then mainly focuses on Ingrid's relationship rumspringa (for lack of a better word). All the dates and men (some of whom weren't assholes!) moved the pace along so well that by the time I felt like things were wrapping up, I wondered how she was going to sneak the actual romance in.

Welp, what I thought was the 80% mark was actually 40%.

I shrugged this revelation off because Macon (rhymes with Bacon, also: the MMC), who lurked in the background for the first part, seemed intriguing. And I was enjoying the library-as-workplace setting ( cause "Librarian" isn't just a personality shorthand here, you guys!).

The second part focuses on the main romance arc and the establishment of a retail business. The latter happens to one of my (very few) triggers. But I powered through cause I love me a brooding, pining, nerdy, introverted MMC (with glasses and hints of a six-pack). Despite not even really starting until the second half, the relationship remained a friends-to-lovers slow burn. But anything else would have felt out of character, tbh.

I will say that the denouement felt way too drawn out and introduced a minor internal conflict that felt out of character and unnecessary (and seemed based on a misconception that marriage absolutely guarantees lifelong commitment).

All in all, I would recommend this to readers who have grown wary of the conventional contemporary romance structure. I'd probably also rec this to anyone looking for introverted characters (especially MMCs).

Oh! And competence porn. Lots and lots of competence porn. Dude can garden and cook and build stuff and takes care of his mom and is adopted by a cat and....

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was utterly adorable. This was my first time reading a Perkins book and I plan to read everything else by her.

Overdue is slow burn love story after Ingrid and her boyfriend of 10 years decide to take a hiatus to discover if they are still right for each other.

The build up was a perfect mix of me screaming at the book to go faster and me needed the book to be longer. I greatly appreciate how there is no villain in this story, everyone made mistakes, and there are genuine friendships outside of the love story. For the first time in a while I was completely satisfied with the decisions made and this book felt real, like I was ease dropping on a conversation.

Thanks to St. Martin's and NetGalley for this eARC!

Loved this! Stephanie Perkins shone as a YA author, and her adult debut is similarly sparkly. The premise here is that Imogen and her long-term boyfriend have a kind of relationship Rumspringa, before they plan on deciding if they want to get married. Their "experiment" is supposed to last a month, but we actually see a year in the life in Ridgetop, NC, so this book proceeds far past this premise. The town (based on Asheville) had the charm of a larger Stars Hollow (and the fixation on snow), and the main characters, Imogen and Macon are charming and lovely. This book also really inspired me to think about some changes to the old apartment, plus, a library and a bookstore!

Though I did love this, I had 2 issues: I think it could and maybe should have been a little shorter, and I think people know what bildungsroman means. Otherwise? A pretty great contemporary, and an excellent comp for Emily Henry.

Overdue took a little time to hook me. The dating experiment felt a bit drawn out at first, and I found myself waiting for the story to really pick up. But once the pieces started falling into place, I became much more invested. What really stood out to me was the emotional depth that emerged later in the book—especially as the main character began to reconnect with her family and, more importantly, with herself. Watching her grow into someone more grounded and self-aware gave the story real heart. While it may have started slow, the payoff in the end made it a worthwhile read.

First I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book! And thank Stephanie Perkins for writing this beautiful age gap slow-burn romance. At first I wasn't sure what to expect but as the book goes on and Ingrid learns to love herself and be herself it's an inspiring story of how to move on from a failed long term relationship and find yourself after being a couple for so long. The romance is slow but so satisfying and wonderfully written. Macon is a wonderful man supporting Ingrid in all her endeavors.

Occasionally, the main character appears so oblivious and wrapped up in their own world that you can’t help but root for the love interest to find someone truly deserving of their affection. This narrative unfolds as a journey of self-discovery, inviting the reader to explore the soul's deepest desires and needs. As the story unfolds, it encourages a shift in perspective on the part of the female lead, urging her to look beyond herself and recognize the person right before her, who has been waiting for her to see him all along. That’s the enchanting feeling I experienced while immersing myself in this heartwarming romantic tale.

Unfortunately this one was too slow for me to get into so it’s a DNF for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC

I found the start of the book to be pretty slow going but once it hit the stride of her making it through the first month I feel the speed/chapters moved quickly and was really enjoyable reading through this book.

Overdue is a slow-burn contemporary romance that follows 29 year old librarian Ingrid Dahl as she navigates life changes in the small town of Ridgetop, NC. When Ingrid and her longtime boyfriend decide to take a one month break to date other people before committing to marriage, she immediately knows who she’s interested in. She has had a longtime crush on Macon Nowakowski.

Spanning a year, the novel explores Ingrid’s journey as she comes to terms with her true feelings and reevaluates what she wants from her career to her relationships. The story has a cozy, reflective quality, and while things between Ingrid and Macon don’t go smoothly at first, their relationship develops in a meaningful way. The presence of a small age gap allows for thoughtful discussions about marriage and children, adding emotional depth to their connection.

With up and downs and light humor, Overdue delivers a heartfelt exploration of love, growth, and self-discovery.

Thank you NetGalley and Saturday Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins is about a twenty-nine-year-old librarian, Ingrid Dahl, who has been dating and living with her college boyfriend, Cory, for eleven years. When her younger sister gets engaged, she starts to question her relationship with Cory. One of the biggest questions is, why weren't they married? Did she love him enough to stay together for the rest of their lives? An experiment with them living separately and dating other people doesn't go as planned. Ingrid has had a crush on a colleague, Macon Nowakowski. They work side by side, and when she goes to kiss him, he rejects her advances. The month-long experiment turns into three, and the break-up is uncomplicated. We follow Ingrid's journey for over a year, and the slight changes that happen to her are more of a self-discovery than a romance story. This slow-burning "romance" introspection takes a long time to reach its climax.

This book had its moments, but the main character made me break out in hives. Almost nothing she did was humane or professional. The insta love and bookstore owner tropes are too tired for a book that didn't have enough else going for it.

I started this but will not be continuing at this time. This is not the right fit for me now but I hope to return to it again in the future.

Themes: Slow Burn Romance, Friends to Lovers, Self-Discovery,Opposites Attract, Quirky Protagonist, Small Town Setting, Life Transitions


Rating 3.5/5


Spice: 2/5


Publish Date: October 7th, 2025


My Book Review:
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy! I recently had the chance to read Overdue by Stephanie Perkins, and it was a refreshing dive into contemporary romance with a touch of quirky charm. Known for her ability to create lovable characters and relatable emotions, Perkins does not disappoint in this heartfelt story. The novel follows a young woman in her late twenties navigating the ups and downs of life, love, and self-discovery while working in a small-town library.

While I really enjoyed the premise and the overall tone of the book, I did find that the character's name, Ingrid, didn’t quite align with my expectations for a character of her age group. For a woman in her late twenties, the name felt a bit outdated or perhaps more typical of an older generation, which made it difficult to immediately connect her to the modern, relatable personality the book was trying to convey.

Additionally, the word flow in the narrative felt choppy at times. I understand that this might be a reflection of the character’s energy—a confused young adult navigating big life changes—but as someone with a love for books, I expected Ingrid to be able to verbalize her thoughts a bit more clearly. A character who works in a library and has a strong connection to books would likely have a better grasp of expression, and at times, the writing didn’t fully reflect that.

The beginning of the story, separated by months throughout the year, took me a while to fully get into. These months felt as though they should fly by almost like Ingrid is simply existing, stumbling through the motions of life without much direction. I felt disconnected from the early parts of the story as Ingrid’s daily struggles and her growth didn’t feel immediate. But once Ingrid and Mason's friendship started to unfold, the pace slowed down, and the story really began to pick up. The slow burn between Ingrid and Mason, with their growing curiosity and connection, was much more engaging.

In the end, despite the slow start, the book turned out to be a sweet, cute romance that wrapped up nicely. The gradual build of their relationship made the payoff all the more rewarding, and I was glad to see the characters find their way.

As a fan of character-driven stories, I found the interactions and relationships in this book to be both warm and complex. Perkins has a talent for making her characters feel real, and once the relationship dynamics between Ingrid and Mason deepened, I was drawn more into the world she created. What stood out most to me was how Perkins managed to balance the lighthearted elements with deeper, more thoughtful moments.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins is a love story to libraries and indie book stores, hidden in a story of a late bloomer being brave and shooting for new beginnings.

Ingrid is a librarian and has been dating her college boyfriend, Cory, for ten years. They have been living together and things are easy. But when her younger sister announces that she’s engaged, it has Ingrid wondering why she and Cory haven’t gotten married. They decide to take a month-long break and date other people, thinking they may be in a rut and worried about missing out on life experiences. Once the month is up, they will either get married or break up.

But, when one month becomes two, becomes three, Ingrid wonders if she needs more. If she needs more than just ‘easy’ and ‘familiar.’

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ four out of five!
This book left me feeling all the warm fuzzies and wanting to visit my local library and indie book store. In fact, all my favorite parts were centered around the characters being in or talking about libraries and book stores.

I am a huge fan of slow burn and yearning in my romance stories and this had plenty of it. In fact, it might have been a little too much of a slow burn at times. There is a moment that happens really early on that had me cringing so hard, I almost didn’t get over it as Ingrid didn’t get over it either. There were also parts that dragged a bit, but they pick up quickly.

I really liked that the story tackled the fact that just because you’re in a relationship, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a ‘happily ever after.’ You have to work towards that and find what YOUR happily ever after is, not what you think it should look like.

Stephanie Perkins’ lighthearted and fun romance Overdue is about every book lover’s (or at least this book lover’s) dream of being a librarian and having a career surrounded by books and serving the community. While the premise was engaging,the story, at times, fell flat with the characters’ chemistry for the majority of the book and the decisions that the FMC made. However, this book was a fun read and a cute story.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Saturday Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

3 ⭐️

The story has a charming premise and I appreciated the romantic moments and lighthearted tone. However, the plot felt a bit predictable and some character decisions didn’t feel fully developed. I found some moments to drag, even for a slow burn this was a veryyyy slow burn. It’s a solid book if you’re looking for a casual romance, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Overall, “Overdue” is fun and sweet- but lacking a bit in depth.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins. I didn't know what to expect when I started this story. I've read past books by author and really enjoyed them. Overdue is her first adult book. This story was just okay for me. Having enjoyed books by Stephanie Perkins in past I was disappointed not to like Overdue just as much.

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

This book stole my heart Stephanie Perkins’ writing feels like a warm hug, it’s honest, heartfelt, and beautifully nuanced. I how the story isn’t just about romance but about real life, the messy emotions that come with change, and learning to listen to your own heart. Ingrid’s journey feels so genuine, full of longing, hesitation, and that bittersweet ache of wondering what could be. The slow-burn romance with Macon had me hooked. Their chemistry simmered with just the right mix of tension and sweetness. It’s the kind of romance that makes you sigh, smile, and sometimes even tear up, because it captures the complicated emotions of love and desire without rushing or forcing anything. I loved every moment of it.

This is a true slow burn in the best way! The author makes me feel like I am truly friends with the main character. The author makes you feel like you are a part of these characters lives. Wonderfully written!