Before I even started to read this book, the beautiful cover caught my eye!!
After reading the summary, I instantly was intrigued on the book premise and was excited to see how the book would play out.
I was hoping the book was going to be written as a dual POV to get glimpses of what Ingrid’s boyfriend was also doing during their break - I think that would have brought an exciting element to the book.
About 1/3 of the book in is when the slow burn element started with Macon. I was rooting for Macon the whole time - I felt like the book could have possibly been a little shorter, it dragged in some parts, but was happy with the ending!

There were two devils inside me: one who read Stephanie Perkin as a wee teenager and fell head over heels in love with romance books ( as an avid fantasy only broody type of teen) & one who saw "we're taking a break" as a premise and immediately rolled her eyes.

The first devil won and WOW THANK GOODNESS.

Stephanie Perkin, I'm sorry for doubting you - I was wrong. I should have known better. This was a bright light at the end of a long day. It was quick and witty and smart and heartfelt and sometimes pointed a little too much at me but that doesn't matter!!!!

I adored this and it's incredible. What a debut. I need more of my fave childhood authors to keep me feeding me adult books, so we can continue growing up together.

I had BIG expectations for this book because Anna and the French Kiss was one of my favorite YA books growing up. While this book was good and cute, I kinda struggled to get through it. The main reason for this is because the plot progression and pacing didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Like the plot was clear for about 50% of the book and after that I just didn't know when it would end or what the characters were really working towards. Also there isn't a really clear conflict in this, just a lot of small things they need to overcome. That all being said, it made it feel realistic (because that is what real life is like).
There is also the added bonus of me being insanely jealous of their lives and possessions and jobs. So in general, I would describe this as a cozy romance. Not incredible but still a lovely read.

If you’re a fan slow burns, a la Mariana Zapata, this may be your kind of book. But if you’re looking for a fast-paced or escapist romance, Overdue might not hit the mark. I’d actually classify it more as women’s fiction than a traditional romance—it’s realistic, emotionally grounded, and sometimes heavy.

There’s a lot to admire here: the friendship between Ingrid and Macon is quirky and endearing, and I appreciated how the story explored the pressure of not meeting conventional life milestones. The library setting also gave the book a cozy, heartfelt backdrop.

That said, the pacing really held me back. The beginning dragged quite a bit—I didn’t feel invested until around Chapter 6. While I ended up appreciating the single POV (Ingrid’s), I still wished for a bit more insight into Macon earlier on. The emotional payoff was there by the end, but getting there felt like a bit of a slog.

I love Stephanie Perkins and her ability to really make you feel for the characters and get in their head. She also does angst and slowburn like no one else. This was so reminiscent of her early-YA books that it took me back. I loved every second of these and can't wait to see her explore more in the adult/romance/women's fiction realm.

I was hoping for a cute little love story about some cozy small-town librarians but this was not quite that.


I’m not sure why I expected the premise of this book to be more romantic? But the actual story felt cringey and very forced in some regards and I'm not quite sure how to explain it, it just felt odd. I understand people get stuck in relationships because they're comfortable and exploring other avenues can be healthy but doing it for one specific person is a bit of a red flag. I also get that the original relationship was not healthy, and maybe I am the absolute wrong person for this book but I don't really get what the big deal is about them getting married or not. Honestly this book just kinda made me confront my own opinion of weddings/marriage and I truly think most of it is a gross waste of money and time; if you're happy together, why do you feel the need to declare it so publicly and legally. But maybe that's just the aromantic in me.


I will say, for those like me who have been sick of all the third-act breakups lately, there is in fact not one in this book… because they don't get together until 85% through the book… and somehow they almost still break up… I don't understand it either.


One thing that was interesting was the year that this all takes place in. I made the comment a few months ago that we have entered the era of books that were written during/postcovid and it's weird to revisit that mindset all these years later; seeing how people process that trauma in both fantasy and fiction. This book in particular had a lot of lingering mistrust of coming in contact with people and what the ramifications of being in lockdown, on businesses and relationships. It seems odd to me as such a natural introvert whose life truly did not change at all during any point of lockdown, seeing how deeply people were affected and still bearing the long-term effects was interesting.




thanks to netgalley and st martin’s press for the arc

3.5 Stars!
~~~~~~~
I am usually not a huge fan of a slow-burning romance. I mean, I get it. You have to have the buildup and all of the details to build a relationship. I’m cool with that, but to stretch something all the way to the extreme ending of the book, I am not that big a fan of that type of structure. So, knowing that with this review upfront, you can understand why this reader got a little frustrated.

I loved the female main character. She was a little gutsy, but definitely beat herself up constantly. She was completely in lust and in love with Macon. She was also a bit confused as she was taking a break from her long-time boyfriend.

The main male character, on the other hand, it took me a really long time to warm up to him. He didn’t have any endearing characteristics that I could find at first. It was a little baffling why the FMC was heartsick over him at first.

He had minimal conversation skills. He was awkward; secretive. He didn’t speak much or interact much until the last half of the book. It would’ve helped if we had his point of view dropped in every so often to balance the loooong day-to-day yearning.

The plot itself and what the FMC was building were great. I love the fact that they became really good friends, and Macon was such a huge support to her. It certainly made up for the first part of the story when his qualities did not come through.

Overdue is a sweet story. There are some really great parts, and the author added in humor, hope, and lightness to balance out this slow-burning romance. The ending truly made this story.

3.5/5 stars

Overall this was a super cute slow burn, friends to lovers romance. I also felt the first half of the book gave more of a women’s fiction story with Ingrid working through life and her relationships.

At approximately 50% of the way through was when I started to actually enjoy the book and connection blossoming between Macon and Ingrid. Leading up to that point in the book, I didn’t really get the appeal or see their friendship as something that had a deep connection.

Definitely some super cute moments in the book and by the end I was rooting for the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.

Ingrid Dahl has been happily dating her boyfriend, Cory, for the past 11 years, since they were both 18. When Ingrid's younger sister gets engaged, Ingrid and Cory realize that they haven't gotten engaged or married because they are each other's only relationship. So they devise a plan to take a break for a month and date other people--to see what else is out there, with the idea that they will come back together and get engaged. Instead, Ingrid dives into the world of online dating and finds that with each date--whether successful or not--she's questioning whether she and Cory really belong together. And then there's Ingrid's library co-worker Macon, who she's had a crush on for years but doesn't know whether there are any reciprocal feelings there. By the end of the experiment will Ingrid figure out what direction she wants her life to go in, both romantically and in other areas of life?

This was a sweet slow burn of a romance, set in a small North Carolina town. Ingrid is such a nice person that it's hard not to root for her at every turn. While it's clear that she and Cory aren't made for each other (that's pretty clear within the first few chapters so--no spoiler!) he isn't a villain. Instead Perkins paints both characters as somewhat clueless twentysomethings who've just now dug out of student loan debt, figuring out how to save money and have consistent employment, that they can finally start to consider what they want their lives to look like. The secondary characters in the novel are also delightful and I especially enjoyed the plotline of Ingrid's best friend being a woman named Kat who lives in Australia, that Ingrid has only ever talked to online or by Facetime. While there are some big emotions that happen in the book, OVERDUE feels as close to a cozy romance as I've read in a while.

Great read if you like: friends to lovers, small town romance

Overdue is out October 7, 2025

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's/Saturday Books, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I enjoyed reading this book. It was way too slow for me. I love a slow-burning book; however, sometimes it can be way too slow, as this one was. If it had been at a faster pace, it would have held my interest more.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins follows Ingrid, a 29‑year‑old librarian who mutually decides with her boyfriend to take a one month break from their relationship to reassess their commitment, while they both date other people to help them decide if they want to get married to each other. This break leads to Ingrid’s journey of self-discovery, emotional clarity, and love. A solid pick for fans of character-driven stories with literary charm who enjoy being fully immersed in the main character’s head.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me a complimentary advanced reader copy of the ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and based off of this draft; the final publication may be different. Expected publication date is October 7, 2025

Like many twenty-somethings, Ingrid has suddenly realized she doesn’t actually feel all that confident about any of her life choices. Reeling in the wake of her younger sister’s seemingly sudden engagement, Ingrid finally decides to evaluate her decisions, mainly her career and partner, who both leave her feeling as if something is missing.
Much to my own dismay, I’m a fan of a slow-burning romance. I’m not, however, a fan of characters who inexplicably change their entire personality for their love interest 90% of the way through a novel. I am also, unfortunately, not a big fan of miscommunication tropes. On its surface, the plot of Overdue was sweet. On any other level, it was unsurprisingly shallow and unrealistic. Our protagonist takes one business course and is suddenly a successful businesswoman. She spends the entire story complaining about her financial situation, but uses her super-secret savings account to open her own store.
Ultimately, this book took me a thousand years to finish, and it should not have. I think I would have liked this book a lot more if it were slightly less horny and a lot more targeted towards a YA audience.

"Overdue" is a cozy romance filled with heartfelt characters. Ingrid and Macon’s chemistry is genuinely endearing. It's definitely grumpy-sunshines vibes. The single POV wasn't my favorite but still gave the story enough depth. The slow burn is rather slow. . I enjoyed the bookish setting of a small town library/bookstore. Bookworms will eat it up. I do kind of wish we got more Macon scenes in the first half of the story to get more tension and build up given it was a slow burn. I look forward to reading more by Perkins in the future though!

Didn't want to finish the book as I fell in love with Macon. Such a big hearted grump that you couldn't not fall in love with.
So happy that Ingrid finally grew up and realized what was right in front of her and made the move.
The life they created together was idyllic with not only the two of them but their friends who were there to support them.

This was perfect. I enjoyed every moment of this story. There is nothing better than reading a book about book lovers!

3.5/5 📚💕👓
Thank you NetGalley :)

Nothing too crazy to write home about but the slooooowwwww burn was cute. I haven’t read one in a while so the build up was actually pretty good once they FINALLY got together.

I didn’t realize it would be that way going into it, though, so do be warned because the FMC was very annoying the first 50% of the book. Homegirl couldn’t make her mind up cuz she didn’t know what she wanted in the first place. She also creepily went through his belongings???

Age gap (omg) but like wasn’t too bad or obvious. I liked Macon, but didn’t realize like that he named rhymed with bacon (I think).

It was very atmospheric. I could sooooo clearly pictured the scenes and small town in my head. Not a lot of romance stories are like that. So great job on that.

I like the way the story was told in months. It took course over a year, which again, I didn’t expect from the synopsis, but it actually ended up working in favor of building up Macon and Ingrid’s relationship.

A great premise, but this book was slower-paced than I prefer. I like the characters (I worked in a public library for nearly a decade, so I loved that aspect), but I feel that 100 pages could have easily been eliminated from the novel. I did enjoy the back-and-forth banter, the writing style, and the themes and setting, I just wish the pace was a little faster. Loved the cover art!

Net Galley Feedback

I really loved this book. This is the first time in a long time that I have read an author that I am unfamiliar with and been pleasantly surprised. The characters were genuine and authentic, there were multiple plotlines and they all blended seamlessly, and the author really makes you feel what her characters are feeling. The book is on the longer side, but I enjoyed every page. I will definitely be on the look out for the next Stephanie Perkins book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I think this book will not be for everyone. It’s an extremely slow burn that meandered on at points. I ultimately ended up loving it and enjoyed the deep dive into a lot of emotional turmoil.

This book was not at all what I expected, which honestly made me enjoy it 10x more. I thought I was getting a breezy break-up romcom, and instead it turned into one of the most tender, careful, emotionally grounded friends-to-lovers stories I’ve read in a while… which is saying a lot because I’m basically a friends-to-lovers purist.

Overdue the slowest of slow burns—like, GLACIAL—but damn, it worked for me. It’s about Ingrid slowly finding herself and falling in love in an extremely authentic, non-cliche way. And Macon is such a soft, sensitive, unique MMC. We only get Ingrid’s POV, but I still felt like I understood him deeply by the end.

Tbh, the story felt like the “acts of service” love language personified. Macon and Ingrid just constantly show up for each other, and for everyone else around them too. But it was never codependent because they lean on their friends and community too. It all felt so healthy.

And the setting was absolute perfection. I adore Asheville, NC (which Ridgetop is based on). The bookish vibes are so cozy—libraries, bookstores, people who love books and aren’t trying to be cool about it… aka me.

Personally, I think this leans more women’s fiction with a truly beautiful central love story. It’s soft, quiet, and full of feeling. I’ll definitely be picking it up again when I need a comfort reread because this one is just really special.