The Best Worst Thing surprised me in the best way…sharp, heartfelt, and so deeply human.
Nicole’s journey through heartbreak, infertility, and rediscovery felt raw and real. I was frustrated with her at times with indecisions but I felt for her. Stuck between pain and possibility.
And Logan? I adored him. He’s soft, gentle and patient. A walking green flag wrapped in empathy.
This isn’t a neat romance. It’s messy, emotional and full of hard choices but it works.
Be sure to check any trigger warnings.

Nicole, an infertility podcaster, faces profound upheaval when she discovers her husband’s infidelity just as her surrogate successfully becomes pregnant following an embryo transfer.

Unfortunately, this novel didn’t work for me. I found the narrative repetitive and boring, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters. However, early reviews suggest that many readers are responding more positively, so I’m sure it’ll be a hit. This is a romance novel that addresses themes of infertility and infidelity. I’m not typically a reader of romance, and this book hasn’t convinced me to change that. Ultimately, a miss for me.

This was one of those books that I was willing to stop every other book for. I just loved the premise and wanted to see how the delivery would play out in the story. This was a great love story that was completely not linear. It was messy and it was real. It addressed some hard topics which made it all the more real and one subject in particular that is very dear to the author. Lauren.

This book made me smile, it made me laugh, and sometimes I wanted to shake some sense into Nicole. It had the absolute best banter. I’ve seen a lot of people on booksta ask “what book would you like to see made into a movie?” And I never knew how to answer that until now. This one. This should definitely be a movie.

I LOVE this book! I was 100% invested in Nicole’s beautifully messy and complex story.

After years of fertility struggles for Nicole and Gabe, after one last ‘Hail Mary’ attempt with their surrogate, Nicole finds out Gabe is cheating on her with their dog-walker. Naturally, she proceeds to get really drunk with her best friend, Mari, and they end up on the doorstep of their former colleague, Logan, who is nerdy, hilarious, and actually pretty hot. Mari claims Logan always had a crush on Nicole. Nicole laughs it off, but the chemistry between Logan and Mari is indisputable. Of course, little things like Nicole’s falling apart marriage and potential impending child, create a messy, but beautiful, heartbreaking but hopeful love story.

I have totally neglected all the chores these past few days because I could not be bothered to do anything besides read this book whenever I had the chance! The tension and the yearning between Nicole and Logan is off. the. charts!! Another aspect that made this particular romance so bingeworthy is the suspense- Will Nicole finally be a mother? Will her and Gabe make it work? Will her and Logan finally get the timing right? Will Logan stay in CA for Nicole or move back to the midwest? So many crosswords without knowing if we will get a “happily ever after” beautifully tied up in a bow.

The characters and the plot do not follow the traditional “rom-com/romance” format (so refreshing!), so just buckle up and let yourself get carried away in this story. How is this Okie’s DEBUT?! It would make such a good movie!! This book is for you if you love: Jim & Pam from “The Office,” and/or any of the following novels: “Something Borrowed,” “Evvie Drake Starts Over,” and “Maybe Once, Maybe Twice.”

Thank you to netgalley and avon for an early release copy. “The Best Worst Thing” releases October 14. Put this on your radar!!

I ATE THIS BOOK UPPPPPP. Wow such an incredible debut. The writing was so good i kept highlighting passages on my kindle. I was rooting for nicole and logan the entire time. they were seriously meant to be together. This book is definitely for fans of renee carlino and I cant wait for the whole world to get the experience to read it!!

First and foremost, I cannot believe this is a debut novel. Lauren Okie wove together a masterpiece that tackles some heavy hitting topics (TW: infertility, miscarriage, infidelity) while also telling a love story for the ages and making you laugh between crying. If you pay attention, you’ll catch the elements woven so seamlessly into the story that add just ann extra touch to the scene you’re reading. The pacing? Perfect.

As someone who is child free by choice, I can say I didn’t think the infertility would hit as hard for me as it did. Through Okie’s writing, I felt every devastating moment of Nicole’s journey to motherhood. Nicole is imperfect and she’s messy and I wanted to shake her a few times but the way we watched her grow with the help of those around her was wonderful. She so desperately wanted a life that got ripped away by her ex in the blink of an eye. Nothing felt more earned than watching Nicole make her mistakes, remedy them, and come out the other side with happiness and love in spades. What a beautiful journey.

I’m not sure there’s a MMC that embodies the golden retriever trope like Logan Milgram does. He was 3D printed for her and I think that’s one of the silliest, most endearing things I’ve ever read in my life tbh. He loves her for who she is, he SEES her for who she is, even when she can’t see it herself. He knows she’s been on that pedestal for years (he put her on it for goodness sake!!!) and he’s ready to knock her off of it because all he wants is a life with her, whatever that looks like. All he’s asking for in return is some non-judgement in his terrible food choices and, you know, her heart.

There was some messiness thrown in when Nicole was desperate and scared but I think Okie handled the resolution in a manner that worked and still had you believing in them and, more importantly, rooting for them. I am their number one fan.

I love this book. I am so excited to see people fall in love with Lauren Okie and her masterful storytelling. Congrats to Okie on this debut!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. I COULD NOT STOP READING, The moment this book started- I knew this was going to be a serious, emotional journey, and I was correct. The way both Nicole and Logan's characters were written made me feel like I was reading a years long love story about old friends. The emotional depth in this story and the journey they both went through was powerful. This book could have topics that are triggering for some readers but I felt that all topics were covered with care. For me, one of the most successful parts was her friendships. Nicole had very real and wonderful friendships that helped her navigate every up and down she went through in this book. I can't say enough good things- everyone needs to read this book ASAP!

This book was so good. It gave me all the feelings and I love how the author was able to make us see the flaws AND the redeeming qualities of all the characters. Logan was such a simp and I loved him. Nicole really had a hard time of it, and I was so glad that she got her happy ending. There was a moment there when I wanted to shake her ("WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!") but she came around. Even Gabe I could empathize with. Dude blew up his whole life. It was sad to watch, even if he deserved it. The fertility journey felt very true to life and I think it was a very important story to tell. This was a 5 star read for me (and yes, I paid $5 each for those stars and Lauren Okie STILL gets them all). Do yourself a favor and read this book!

The Best Worst Thing

Huge thanks to Avon and the author for the eARC of this book!

I really enjoyed this one! I’ll admit it took me a little time to fully get into the story, but once I was in, I was all in.

First things first: as a 32-year-old woman myself, it was incredibly refreshing to see a character my age in a book. It instantly made Nicole feel more relatable — and even more so as the story unfolded. From the heartbreaking realities of infertility, to the struggles of marriage, to the challenge of losing and rediscovering yourself after building your identity around a relationship, this story hit home in so many ways. I found myself truly feeling for Nicole and the circumstances she was navigating. While at times I felt she could have used a little more emotional maturity, I completely understood her inner turmoil and connected deeply with her journey.

It also took me a little time to warm up to the MMC, but their chemistry became more and more believable as the story went on. He may not have been the MMC we thought we wanted at first, but he was absolutely the one we needed. By the end, he had completely stolen my heart. Everyone needs a Logan.

Overall, I really enjoyed the way the story was laid out, weaving between their past and present to show how everything led to where they are now. I’m a big fan of flashbacks in general, and this was done so well. Also, give me all the Jim and Pan correlations… yes, please!

That said, there were two small things that bothered me. First, the frequent use of the word “like” in the dialogue; it’s a personal pet peeve of mine and drove me a little crazy seeing it written out so much. Second, while the banter between the two main characters was cute at times, other moments made me cringe a little. I’m all for good banter, but when it starts to sound like straight-up insults, it takes me out of the story.

All that to say, none of these minor things took away from the overall impact of the book. It left me emotional, thoughtful, giddy, and absolutely rooting for Nicole to take charge of the hand she’d been dealt. Watching her and Logan rebuild trust and rediscover their love was raw, rewarding, and exactly the kind of hopeful, hard-earned story that stays with you long after the final page. I truly enjoyed how the story wrapped up and every single monologue leading up to the perfect last line.

It’s easily one of my favorite reads of the year — and one I know I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

This book. Alright. *Rolls up my shirt sleeves*

Let's dig in a little bit.

I will be the first to say, this book may not be everyone's cup of tea. It's angsty. It's heavy without being too heavy, but deals with topics that might make some people shy away, (ie, pregnancy, fertility), but handles it with care.

This book gave me the same feelings that "When We Had Forever" by Shaylin Gandhi did. It was raw and real but you were still able to feel the love between the two people (definitely a right person, wrong time situation). I would say if you love Kennedy Ryan (the deep-touching topics) or a TV show like This Is Us, this book is going to be for you.

The only thing that made me dock it to a 4.5 instead of a 5/5 stars was the (minor spoiler?) two third act "break ups". I've never been a fan of a third act break up to *that* proportion, but I was definitely all for the ride that this book gave me! Please, please check it out on release day come Oct! Definitely a "cool weather, cozy up, hit you in the feels" kind of read.

ahhh I ADORED this 🥹 such a beautiful love story that’s filled with so much banter, tension, humor, and heartache. Logan and Nicole’s chemistry is INSANE and their love language of hurling insults was sooo fun to read lol

also, he reads all the books she recommends even after they stop talking for a period of time?? they watch pride and prejudice as foreplay basically??? he supports all the dreams?? she gets to know all his nerdy interests?? YEAH I love them so bad 😭

I think people will be frustrated with certain decisions characters make in this story but me personally?? I have to give grace because I certainly know I haven’t made the best decisions when it feels like my world is crumbling. It all just felt really realistic to how something like this would’ve worked out in the real world. Shit is not easy!!! And Nicole’s life suddenly became extremely complicated.

Overall this was such a beautifully complex romance with a “right person, wrong time” vibe. Perfect for fans of Ready or Not by Cara Bastone or even Funny Story by Emily Henry.

Lastly make sure to check TWs as topics like infertility and miscarriage as massive themes of this book

I’m so glad this book had the ending I wanted and that these characters deserved. I was so scared for a moment. This book was so thoughtful, hopeful, and full of love. I never wanted to have Logan and Nicole stop talking. It was too good!! I can’t wait for others to read this story. They are going to love it.

The Best Worst Thing is the debut novel by Lauren Okie. I loved her writing style. This author has the ability to make her characters feel real and raw. The emotions that are conveyed on the page really pull at you. This book does talk about some heavy topics that for some people may find triggering so I always like to say check this first before diving in. This book deals the sadness that comes with infertility, IVF and miscarriages. It also deals with infidelity. I love watching Nicole and Logan’s relationship through the trying times. Okie does a great job with character building and her side characters were really fun and enjoyable. They felt so important to the story. Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have to be honest, this book was way more than I anticipated.

the characters were complex, the story was so real and the way that feelings and the growth of the fmc was delivered was just amazing. Lately a lot of books are very surface level, the story is predictable and just leaves you feeling meh.

this story was, instead, a rollercoaster of emotions, it gave me hope that even if things don't work out the way we expect them to, they can still resolve themselves and be even better than our own limited expectations. The love story was off the charts.

To the author, thanks for sharing your story, Nicole's story and the story of a lot of women in the most authentic way.

I hope one day I can become a mother, in whichever way the universe has decided and be able to take it and cherish it.

PS: if the universe can also send me my own Logan, I would not complain, not one bit.

*Thank you netgalley, publisher and author for giving me this ARC

My heart hurt for Nicole throughout after seemingly one bad thing after another happened to her. Nicole’s thoughts, feelings and actions hit me square in my heart, even as delicately as the author was, the pain came through honestly and so true to life. To my life in particular. I’m old so I’ve had years to heal, but if pregnancy loss and/or inability to carry are a trigger for you, may want to hold off until you’ve healed. The friendships and the new relationship she embarks on had funny dialogue, loved the D&D game she plays with him and his friends. The pace was perfect for me, whipped though this very quickly. And being from the South Bay (of Los Angeles) I loved the references to cities in my hometown. Pier Ave got a shout out!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read an Arc of The Best Worst Thing for my honest opinion. Recommend!!

This book wrecked me in the best way possible. If you want a well-written romance novel that tackles tough issues, don’t miss The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Okie.

Nicole has been through hell and back to achieve her dream of becoming a mom. The worst, and best, things happen—she discovers her husband has cheated on her and learns her surrogate is pregnant with their baby. As her marriage falls apart, she falls in love with Logan. But will the circumstances of her life get in the way?

Read this book if you like:
🩵 Workplace romance
🩵 Found family
🩵 Banter

I’m endlessly thankful to Avon and Harper Voyager, as well as NetGalley, for the eARC of The Best Worst Thing. I’m calling it now: This is the best book I’ll read in 2025.

A contemporary romance that tackles difficult topics, The Best Worst Thing is about Nicole, who has a seemingly perfect life. A handsome, successful husband, a popular podcast about their fertility journey, and endless resources to invest into IVF and surrogacy. She tells herself that she doesn't miss her career and her former coworkers, like her work bestie Logan. But when she walks in on her husband with another woman, her world crumbles.

Second Chance romance (with dual timelines)
Infidelity
Fertility Issues
Workplace romance
The One that Got Away
Some spice
Quarrels with exclamation points!
Supportive friends

At times I was not on board with Nicole's choices, I liked that the book handled infidelity in a mature way with lots of different viewpoints - what should Nicole do? She is in a difficult situation and her choice is not as easy as it may seem. Logan is fully in love with her, and he is one of those "book boyfriends" who completely ruins the real world male population for you.

She loves reading and he actually reads her favorite books. Only my mom does that! Boys would never! But Logan does. The epilogue is very sweet and endearing.

Great for fans of Elissa Sussman and Abby Jimenez

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. Book to be published October 14, 2025.

I loved this book! I am a huge fan of stories that deal with tough topics but also have humor and romance, so this ticked a lot of boxes for me. Nicole and Logan had so many obstacles in front of them, I wasn't sure how it would all wrap up, but it resolved perfectly.

such a great and enjoyable book! I love how it makes you notice that things may seem perfect from the outside looking in, but once you look inside, there is a facade being out up. I like that. It was well written and it kept me entertained!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I saw that Jessica Joyce was reading this book, one of my favorite authors, and thought the premise was interesting and different. I wish I had shared the same wonderful experience as other reviewers had while reading, as I was so excited to receive this e-ARC, but I just had a fine experience. The book is written in 3rd person, and there are tons of chapters, but they're short, which I loved and appreciated; it was easy to keep saying, "One more chapter," but similar to another reviewer, I felt like the chapters needed more depth. I LOVED Nicole and Logan's banter; they're both so funny! Logan was funny, quirky, charming, and sweet; he really had golden retriever energy! I liked the flashbacks, but they jump right into Nicole and Logan already having a connection, being work friends/crushing on each other. I would've enjoyed it more if we saw how they became friends, how Logan's feelings shifted from platonic to romantic towards Nicole, and how Nicole dealt with her developing romantic feelings towards Logan despite being with Gabe. Nicole and Logan shared some adorable moments in the flashbacks, such as lingering glances and gentle touches. However, I didn't feel a strong connection to their romance. It was clear from the beginning of the flashbacks that they liked each other, so there was no real build-up to their connection. Like another reviewer, I wish there was more showing of Nicole and Logan's strong connection instead of telling readers they had this connection. The book would benefit from showing the establishment of Nicole and Logan's connection/romance rather than telling and showing them already having a romantic connection from the start.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager & Netgalley for the e-ARC!