I went into this book blind. It almost felt like it was two books in one. The first half focuses on Ingrid as she learns who she is and what she really wants, and then the second half is her rebuilding herself and figuring out how to make that happen. Overall, it is a super fun book about not settling, discovering what you want, and never giving up because it is never too late. There was nearly no spice, but not necessarily a “clean read”, either - just a fun story of a young 20-something finding herself with a friend along the way.

I really enjoyed this book! It was so sweet and it took place in the cutest town. I could really picture it all happening. Definitely recommend for an easy weekend read!

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins was a huge hit for me. I found the whole book to be very well written with well developed characters. Once I started this, I was hooked. A few times I didn’t know what direction the author was going to take us on, yet the execution was perfectly timed and just what I wanted. All the stars- this book was a total delight with characters that will stay with you even after you’ve finished.

Many thanks to the publisher and also NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

Overdue was such a delightful surprise! I picked it up expecting a charming small-town romance, and while it definitely delivered on that front, it also offered a refreshingly honest look at love, timing, and the scary, sometimes messy business of growing up emotionally.

Ingrid is the kind of protagonist you root for immediately—cheerful, a little awkward, and deeply human. Her long-term relationship with Cory felt believable in both its comfort and its stagnation. Their decision to “take a break” could have easily felt like a cliché, but it was handled with nuance and emotional honesty. I appreciated that the book didn’t villainize either of them, but showed how sometimes love can evolve—or fade—in ways we don't expect.

And then there’s Macon. The grumpy librarian with a hidden soft side? Yes, please. The chemistry between him and Ingrid was a slow burn in the best way. Their banter felt natural, and watching Ingrid start to question everything she thought she knew about love (and herself) gave the story real heart.

The only reason I’m not giving it a full five stars is that the pacing dipped a little around the middle, and I wanted just a bit more exploration of Macon’s backstory—it felt like there was more to unpack there. But overall, Overdue hit all the right emotional notes for me.

If you love character-driven romances with warmth, wit, and a heroine you’ll want to hug, this one’s well worth checking out.

I want to start this review by saying that I adore Stephanie Perkins and I will always read anything she publishes.

So, getting to read this book early was such a treat. The premise of a long-time couple taking a month to have new experiences and deciding whether or not to stay together really intrigued me. It felt just as toxic to read it as it would probably feel to live it. That being said, Ingrid immediately trying to kiss a co-worker knowing she was probably going to get back together with her boyfriend seemed really mean. It's definitely a mistake one would make in their twenties, but I fully understand why Macon was so put off by it.

I think this novel does a lot of things really well. It felt long, but in that length we watch someone slowly and painstakingly realize a dream of theirs. As someone who would love to open their own bookstore, the minutia of the paint colors and shelving made me feel cozy. I loved the house renovation pieces of the story because isn't that the dream? To renovate someone else's house just to our own taste and then get to move into it? The real romance of the story isn't between Ingrid and Macon. It's between Ingrid and interior design. It's between Ingrid and the fairly unreachable American Dream of owning a home or a business that you can decorate however you'd like. That's the fantasy here--and boy, was I into it.

My main critique is with Macon as a character. I'm normally a sucker for grumpy/sunshine, but there was something about him that was offputting to me. It was like he was almost a Luke Danes character but he's season 5 Luke instead of season 3 Luke. The instalove ending was a bit much, but I'm willing to overlook it. I just wish there was more of a slow burn with tension building. It felt like he rejected her, people then said he was in love with her, and then he was in love with her. That was it.

There were some serious themes in this novel including mental illness, addiction, depression, and death. There were also great moments that everyone experiences in their twenties with Ingrid feeling stuck and behind and lonely and all of the horrible things you feel when you're comparing your life to your peers.

Overall, I really liked this book. It was a cozy and escapist coming-of-age story set in what sounds like the coziest library, the coziest diner, and the coziest house with a garden in the world. It was like reading a warm cup of tea and I'm willing to overlook my quibbles just because I'm thankful for the good vibes in this shitshow of a year.


Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the eARC! I can't believe I got to read this one early! <3

I enjoyed this book. Ingrid is sidelined by her fiancé when he decides he wants to take a break for one month and each of them to date and sleep with other people, so they would have some experience before they married. They both embarked on a journey to experience the dating they had not had with other people during their college years since they were each others first. Ingrid is a librarian that has an older coworker Macon that she has been crushing on for years. She grows in many ways emotionally and romantically. Very good read. I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review. #netgalley #stephanieperkins #stmartinspublishing

Okayyyy the second half of this book almost made it a 5 star read for me. The first half is kind of quirky, I didn’t love it but I obviously liked it enough to keep going. Ingrid is a likable character, even though I don’t agree with some of her choices. I loved the librarian aspect, and lived for the scenes with Macon. Which brings me to the second half of the book…LOVED. The love story is tender and the tension is so well done. It’s a wonderful friends to lovers depiction. Also I’m always here for a super slow burn so it was very satisfying to me, I can see how others might feel it was too slow.

I did also have to knock off at least a half a star for some of the comments throughout, felt a little political at times which I prefer just to be kept out of fiction for the most part. Just personal preference.

I’ve always thought that I was so lucky to spend the bulk of my career surrounded by books, from a retail bookstore to a wholesaler to a publisher to a sales and marketing team, and now I’m volunteering at a library during my retirement. I was lucky enough that my husband gave me a library for Christmas, building wall to wall bookshelves in the front room for me.

And now I was lucky enough to read a book about another girl, a girl named Ingrid, who was lucky enough to work in a bookstore, started working in a library when the bookstore closed, and then was brave enough to start her own bookstore. And throughout all of this, she learned about love, what it was and what it wasn’t, what she wanted, and what she wouldn’t settle for, how it made her feel and how she could make someone else feel.

Page by page she learned more about herself, more about who she loved, how to love, and how to accept love.

I loved this book.

Very cute and fun with powerful messages. The romance was a little drawn out and it really felt like 3 plots in 1. But overall enjoyed

After living with her boyfriend for 11 years, Ingrid is surprised when Cory wants to take a month-long break. Ingrid is sure he will return to her and make a commitment of marriage. In the meantime, Ingrid decides she needs to date as well and tries to follow through with her long crush on fellow librarian Macon. Macon wants no part of it and Ingrid, crushed decides to use dating apps. After one month of dating, Cory asks for more time. Disappointed and hurt by Macon's refusal to get involved with her, Ingrid tries to remain friends with him. A slow burn romance with unexpected results. Very enjoyable and fun to watch the relationship evolve.

This was such a fun, quick read which sometimes you just want in your life when the world is *gestures* chaos. I'm a huge fan of Perkins's YA, so this was SO FUN to see her stretch her writing legs in an adult setting. If you love the whimsy, coziness, and humanity of her YA and want to see that translated to adult... you'll get exactly that in Overdue. The perfect amount of spice for me, the perfect amount of literary references, and I hope this means we'll be seeing a lot more of Stephanie in the adult space !

Slow burn?… way too slow… so slow I questioned whether it was ever gonna happen. This book is too long and seemed to drag on forever. I was not a fan.

This book was just way too long that's the authors issue here. It started out strong and interesting, and then it become a little boring and felt like she was trying to write 2 separate books into one.

2.5 stars rounded up. This one was such a slowwwwwwwww burn. Like really slow burn romance. Maybe too slow for me. Otherwise very cute premise.

watching paint dry would've been a better use of time. this took slow burn to a whole new level. i've had candles melt faster than this.

that being said, this was really cute and sweet and heartfelt. if you're someone who loves books and loves genuine connections, this will be your perfect read. i loved that it was grumpy x sunshine and i LOVED! the age gap. macon was such a refreshing love interest and his passion for cooking, gardening, reading and, of course, ingrid fill your heart with all the warm and fuzzies.

my only real qualms with this one were the fact that it was set over a year and felt just as long as an actual year. i also didn't love the beginning just because i didn't feel like the sleeping around was true to ingrids character and she treated some hopefuls pretty poorly.

overall, a great little read from an og. she's still got it! look out for this in october!

First…thank you NetGalley and St. Martins publishing for the ARC copy of Overdue! This was my first ARC book so I hope I do this review justice!

Overdue is a sweet, wholesome, feel good romance. It’s set in a small North Carolina town where we follow Ingrid in her hunt to find herself and her next big relationship. Her and her boyfriend Corey decide to take a short break from their 11 year relationship to date other people to see if they are ready to get married themselves. This all happens after her sister gets engaged and Ingrid starts thinking about her own future. In the course of the short time between her and Corey’s split, Ingrid goes on a few dates but her heart is set on trying to see how her long time coworker, Macon, may feel about her.

Over the next almost year of her life, we read the slowest of slow burns between Ingrid and Macon. It’s one of those stories where you kind of just want to yell at the book….”Just kiss her already!” I did feel like it was almost too slow of a burn for what I prefer to read, but by the time the story picks up a little bit it gets kinda sweet.

I enjoyed reading something a little different than my typical thriller or dark romance. This book is definitely for all the hopefuls out there!

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own. This one was a decent story but seemed at times to drag. The slow burn was a bit too slow for me. The idea of this couple wanting to make sure they’re compatible and want to date other people since they’ve been together so long was an interfering premise. And I enjoyed getting to watch Ingrid really discover who she is in ways more than just romantic. I do feel the love in here has a foundation, which was good, but I felt like it was a little too awkward and had two people unrealistically oblivious for too long. BUT positives are that you see not everyone loves the same or needs the same things, and the friendships are pretty cool in this story with some nice representation as well. Overall, although it wasn’t a favorite, I felt it did have some good qualities and will find a home with some romance lovers. FYI profanity, sexual situations

Ingrid is nearly 30 and still figuring her life out (like all of us). Her long term relationship ended, and she has a lot of growing up to do before she finds the love that has been waiting for her. That coupled with a bookish environment made this romance more relatable than most, and also much sweeter.

I read this book in 24 hours because I could not put it down!! This book made me cry and smile. What she went through with Cory broke my heart, but little by little she built herself back up. I love the friendship between her and Macon, one can only wish to have someone know and love them like that.

Stephanie Perkins debut adult romance was everything I didn't know I needed. I love her humor and dialogue. This was sweet and so well paced. Thoroughly enjoyed.