Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I think this book had potential but the pacing was so slow that I had a hard time staying interested. The romance seemed to take forever and by then I didn’t really care about it anymore. I also would have liked a dual POV. I think this will be the right book for someone but it wasn’t for me.

Overdue is the literary equivalent of sipping a cup of cocoa on a rainy day—it's cozy, comforting, and filled with quiet revelations. Ingrid, our endearingly indecisive librarian heroine, has been with her college boyfriend for over a decade without ever really questioning if they should be together. When her younger sister gets engaged shortly after dating her partner, Ingrid and her boyfriend decide on a month-long break to date other people. Enter Macon: her delightfully grumpy, secret-crush coworker who slowly evolves from awkward acquaintance to emotional anchor.

I feel like it's important to note that this is not a swoony rom-com. It’s an introspective look at love, self-worth, and how terrifying it is to start over. The romance doesn’t even fully spark until deep into the book, but it feels earned. I did find the pace to be glacial at points, but the payoff is genuinely satisfying. Ingrid’s growth is relatable, and the side characters (especially her online bestie Kat) add heart and humor to the story.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC!

There is slow burn and then there is whatever this is. The writing style is so slow and we spend a lot of time in parts we really didn't need to. I just don't think it worked for me.
At the halfway point something happens with her boyfriend and I realized the book would be much less boring if we followed him, or did a split pov between them both. It is too long and while I like slow burn romance this was done in a way that didn't work at all.

This book was a sweet, romantic story about the importance of friendship, respect, and timing. The characters are well-written and generally likeable. The end seemed to wrap up rather abruptly and I would have liked to see more of the happy couple. There are some real "librarian" moments in here that makes me believe Stephanie Perkins has library friends. My only complaint is the content seemed to veer a little too often into political territory and it kind of took me out of the story. Some may like this aspect, but it wasn't for me. I've loved Stephanie Perkins since Anna and the French Kiss and I will definitely be recommending this one to my slow-burn-loving readers.

I loved this book! Yes, it was the slowest of slow burns but it gave me all of the feels. I really liked both MCs and it was easy, cute, and cozy. Nothing heavy. I read it in one day. It was hard to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (3.5/5)
This late bloom romance has warmth in spades. I felt at ease in the world Perkins builds, and the longing between the characters feels steady and sincere. The story doesn’t move quickly and the drama stays understated. I closed it feeling comforted rather than breathlessly engaged.

This one was so sweet and endearing. It felt like a warm hug or a glass of lemonade right in the middle of summer. The love story was so cute and it made me feel all fuzzy inside. A little bit leaning on the slower pace, but overall, I do recommend it.

Overall rating: 3.5 stars (rounded up)
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Pub Date Oct 07 2025

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, Saturday Books and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A book about books and love? What more could you want? This book was just a fun easy read that I loved! I recommend picking it up!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I so wanted to like this more. It’s a romance - in a library! And I love Stephanie Perkins. This is described as slow burn, but I don’t see it. It’s almost one extreme to the next. There’s grumpy male, but then there’s this. They didn’t take to each other basically for months. I didn’t feel too invested in the romance either and wasn’t a big fan of here. Sorry, it’s a miss for me.

Ingrid works as a librarian in a small mountain town. Her sister is getting married which prompts her and her boyfriend, Cory, of 11 years to discuss whether they see themselves together forever. While they totally do, they decide they should also give themselves a month break to see other people before settling down. 


Unfortunately this one was a miss for me. While I loved the characters of Ingrid and Macon (her coworker) this book was far too slow for my liking. I found myself zoning out because it was so slow. And then there was the chemistry between Macon and Ingrid. We are told they have easy banter but because of where the story starts we don't see that, instead getting this awkward do they even like each other vibe. Finally Cory is a huge presence through the book but the snippets we learn through Ingrid he is an extremely unlikable dude. 


Ingrid is such a bright, warm, bubbly person and I found I was rooting for her to succeed in all her endeavors but ultimately I almost DNF due to the pacing. I stuck in and was rewarded with a lovely ending but it felt like work to get there. 

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins for an ebook arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is like reading a soft, warm hug. We start out with a sad premise that does feel like it's dragged out by the MFC and her long-term boyfriend, but it's also such a real experience that a couple could experience. The romance is a slow, slow burn, but dang is it worth it! I loved every minute of reading this story and I was rooting for Ingrid and Macon the entire time. I smile every time I think about their love and I cannot wait to have a physical copy of this book to add to my collection. Overdue is such a gratifying read perfect for Autumn. I simply couldn't put it down and intend to reread once it's officially published.

I couldn’t finish this book. Very slow to start and just didn’t hold my attention. The plot just wasn’t interesting to me as I got into the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Ingrid works in a library (she's not a librarian - she doesn't have the degree - remove that from the book's description!) and take a monthlong break from her live-in boyfriend so they can see other people, in order to decide if they want to stay together. Of course she makes a move on her longtime coworker crush, Macon, which ends in embarrassment. What follows is Ingrid testing out the dating world while trying to figure out her long-term status. She makes a few bold choices in work and love. This is a slow-burn love story for sure.

This book is pretty easy to read, and it's entertaining. There are some spots where it could have been edited down, and there was an odd emphasis on post-COVID protocol.

Overdue is a cozy, slow‑burn romance that feels perfect for a rainy afternoon! The story follows Ingrid, a small‑town librarian who’s been with her boyfriend Cory for eleven years. Their relationship is comfortable, but maybe a little too comfortable. When her sister suddenly gets engaged, Ingrid and Cory decide to take a one‑month break to figure out if they’re really meant to be. During that break, Ingrid spends more time than normal with Macon, her moody coworker at the library, and starts to wonder if the life she’s been living is the one she truly wants. I liked the quiet, everyday feel of this story. It’s not dramatic or flashy or loud—just warm, thoughtful, and a little bit romantic. I appreciated that the author took the time to develop her characters as much as the plot and so by the end, I felt like I was really vested in both!

I received an advanced copy of Overdue through NetGalley & St. Martin's Press/Saturday Press in exchange for an honest & original review.

Overdue was a... ride. There were things that made me cringe so hard. And there were things that made me grin so much.

I'm all for things other than white cishet characters in a novel and the author obviously is too. But there's a fine line between good, balanced rep in which the under-represented minorities in race, gender, religion, etc. are woven into the story and the sort of rep that reads like a list that's been ticked off to make sure everybody gets a second on the page. Unfortunately, Overdue seems to land more in the List column. The m/m couple was mentioned in passing, one f/f couple got one scene, the cis/non-binary couple got a few scenes, the evangelical Christian/Shia Muslim couple got two or three scenes, the Black character got a couple witty lines, substance abuse & suicide and agoraphobia even got passing mentions... but they were all so minor, so background, that I think it distracted from the story.

The story which was essentially about white cishet people taking their sweet time, while making a dozen stupid decisions, to admit they love each other.

And the love story part of things was just fine. Yes, Ingrid relied on some occasionally infuriating and confusing logic when making decisions. And yes, Macon could've been slightly less introverted and spoken up for himself. But... they were good together as friends and they were good together as lovers, which means they're stronger still. In the end, that's what makes a good romance.

So I didn't love it, but I liked it.

You know what is overdue? The romance between Ingrid and Macon. Honestly though, this was a pretty fun book if you love a slooowww burn. I liked the writing and I liked Ingrid as a main character. I also liked Macon's character but it took me a little bit to warm up to him. I liked that the MC's were a bit older than the typical late teen/early 20's as it felt more relatable and realistic.

With regards to Ingrid and Cory, I think it's silly to take a break from your 11 year relationship to find out if you are meant for each other but considering they were college boyfriend/girlfriend I guess I can understand the reasoning. Although why not just break up?

Overall I had a good time reading this one. I do prefer my romance books a tad shorter but I stayed engaged throughout and finished it pretty quickly. Also, the cover is adorable!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Saturday Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked how this book was more about Imogen taking charge of her own life and finding ways to grow than just the romance with Macon, and that he was wholly supportive of her, but also let down his guard and showed family matters he was dealing with.

Ingrid Dahl is 29 years old, living in a mountain town of North Carolina, working at the desk of a local library branch. Her and her boyfriend of 11 years, Cory, decide to take a break from their relationship to see other people as they have only dated each other, before taking the next steps towards marriage. Ingrid knows right away the only person she is interested in dating during this break is her coworker, Macon. When she makes overtures towards him however, it is not well received, and Ingrid is forced to turn to dating apps. Eventually, Ingrid and Cory realize they are not interested in resuming their relationship, which leaves Ingrid at loose ends on how to move forward with her life.
This book is sold as a slow burn romance, but in actuality for me this was a coming-of-age story about Ingrid, as it follows her for the year, as she moves on from her relationship ending with Cory, and grows in her career, and struggles with other issues. Yes, there is the relationship with Macon in the background throughout the book, but it's primarily about Ingrid and her life. The chemistry between them is definitely there, and the will they - won't they tension was satisfying as well. That said, for me I very much enjoyed this book as a women's fiction entry, and enjoyed getting to know Ingrid, while she also got to know herself. The writing was well done, it was well plotted, and the character growth Ingrid showed was very satisfying.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press Saturday Books and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this review.

I really liked this book and these characters and read it fairly quickly but I do agree with some other reviews that mention a lot of telling vs showing and it being a bit overlong. I like a slow burn and I thought this was done well enough, but there were plenty of filler-type scenes that we could've lived without.

I have deep sympathy for Ingrid as someone who also took a break from a college sweetheart relationship (though we got back together at the end of ours) and I thought Macon was a good love interest (if a bit unbelievable that "he's shy" was a big revelation five years into their friendship). Points for library work accuracy - I wasn't surprised to see in the author note that she's worked in them herself.

The book does skew much more heavily women's fiction than straight-up genre romance; not a negative for me but could be an issue for other readers.

Ingrid and her boyfriend decide to see other people for a month to experience what they missed out on not dating in college. Then they’ll get back together in one month to discuss marriage. Ingrid has her eyes set on Macon, her coworker at the library. Ingrid finds out dating isn’t as easy as it seems.

This is a slow burn romance in the best way! I loved each bit of tension and longing. The way Ingrid and Macon cared for each other was so beautiful. I appreciated that it took place over a year so we could see the characters grow. This book made me laugh and cry in a good way! I absolutely adored it. I can’t wait to buy this when it comes out in the Fall. It will be the perfect cozy re-read.
This has been one of my favorite books read this year!

Thank you NetGalley and Saturday Books/St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.