I went into reading this with no expectations whatsoever. I was in the mood for a book that wasn't too heavy and one I could read in between a series/companion novel. But wow was I surprised about how much I liked it!!

First of all while this did have romance sprinkled all over it, the book is mostly about navigating grief. I thought that Aly was suuuper realistic and relatable in the way that she deals with grief and navigates herself through it. The unexpected (but expected for the reader) romance she has with her brother's best friend was really sweet because you just knew that they weren't reeeally enemies. The forced proximity could neverrr keep them apart haha.

There were moments where I felt complete heartbreak and joy but also where I felt like I needed to defend both Aly and Wyatt - the author did such a great job in the building of characters and their personalities!!

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for an in-between book, loves a good brother's best friend trope, forced proximity or is not in the mood for a completely light-hearted, fluffy romance.

*review posted on Goodreads

Good for you was an okay book. The storyline had the makings of a book that I would like but there were a few plot points and inconsistencies that I didn't like.
For instance:

1) Aly has this weird thing against swearing and while I am not for dropping the f bomb in every sentence it's a big deal to her. When she used words like heck or beach instead of the appropriate swear word it made me roll my eyes, she even mentioned at one point that if she worked with someone she would have it in their contact what kind of language they could use around her. It felt very juvenile and also rubbed me the wrong way. Reminded me of my old coworker who would tell me that if women swore it made them automatically unattractive in his mind. *eye roll*

2) One of the inconsistencies that I couldn't stop thinking about was how Aly mentioned that she had her brother cremated and had his remains in a box on the credenza in the living room, but later on in the story she mentions that his body was never recovered and only his sailboat was found drifting off the coast of the US. Maybe this is a little mistake but I think it could make a difference in a character's grieving journey/closure -- either having their loved ones ashes or their body never being found.

3) One of the biggest plot points is that Aly often blacks out during an argument. By the end of the book she does have an idea of what is causing this but there is no resolution on her seeking help or delving deeper into what is happening with her/ ways to prevent this from happening again. I guess I just wanted more closure in this specific plot point because that's what was one of the reasons this book drew me in.

Overall this book isn't bad but I feel like it could have gone through a few more edits and read throughs. I guess I was left with wanting more closure at the end of the book and I didn't get it.

I feel like this one was a little disappointing to me since I was expecting a light and cute romance. I knew the main character (Aly) was dealing with grief but thought it would be a side plot. Grief, PTSD, and the MC's mental health and career journey were a much bigger part of the book than the actual romance. I'm not saying that's bad, but definitely not what I was expecting.

As for the romance between Aly and Wyatt - Aly was just really unlikeable for me throughout the whole book. She's immature for her age and can be quite selfish. I really enjoyed Wyatt but never felt real chemistry between the two. When Aly decides she loves him, I literally said out loud, "you do?!" I loved the flashbacks with Aly's brother Luke and it seems like they had a great relationship. Through Luke, we get some great life advice.

Overall, it wasn't bad but it also wasn't very memorable. It would be a good weekend or vacation read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me an eBook to read in exchange for my honest review.

There’s the unmistakable Pagán’s peaceful signature in this story—a soft-spokenness in the face of a tragedy and delicacy which glow off the characters, making you want to wrap them in your arms or squeeze yourself and snuggle into their embrace. I loved it and wished it had been a hundred pages longer.

A very well written, emotional tale of loss, friendship, and romance. The story is in some areas quite realistic, which is a bit unheard of for a romance novel, but where it touches on PTSD, addiction, and grief, they’re written in a sensitive manner, but without shielding the reader from the effects. It was a good story that doesn’t leave you feeling sad or depressed despite the sensitive subjects discussed

After landing her dream job as the editor in chief of a magazine, Aly Jackson hears her coworkers belittling her and gets put on paid leave as a result of her public meltdown. Determined to make use of her time off, she retreats to the beach house she inherited from her late brother with the intention of putting it on the market — but her plans come to a screeching halt when she discovers her brother’s best friend has inherited the place, too.

I loved watching Aly learn to grieve, not to overcome it but embrace it and figure out life as she came to terms with her brother's death. Her past was a difficult one, but she was intentional about getting help in the end. She had to make some tough decisions about her future, but recognizing that her identity wasn't in what she job was, or who she was with, was beautiful to see.

Her relationship with Wyatt at the beginning was as tumultuous as the waves on the lake outside their beach house, but they found their way back to each other. Luke definitely played a part by being matchmaker 😄

This was a beautiful story. I loved it ❤️

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC.

Emotional story about a family and set in a small town in MI. Aly (or Allegra if you're her mother) and Luke grew up in an abusive household and Luke really looked after his sister. After Luke dies, Aly, who is an editor-in-chief in NYC, is dealing with the aftermath. There is an incident at work and Aly loses her job, apartment and boyfriend in a span of 12 hours. Wyatt was Luke's best friend and totally opposite of Aly. He has baggage too, and they bond (eventually!) over shared experiences and the connection to Luke.

Child abuse (past), death of a sibling, cancer

Thank you to NetGalley, Camille Pagan & Lake Union Publishing for an arc of Good For You in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

Let’s just take a second to drool over the gorgeous cover!!!! Based on the cover, I was totally getting Beach Read type vibes.

The story centers around Aly who has just recently achieved her dream job, only to hear who co-workers badmouthing her just a few months later. Her response? A complete & utterly humiliating meltdown. After her meltdown, it was suggested she take a month of unpaid leave. So, she decides to retreat to the beach house on Lake Michigan that her brother left to her when he died. However, when she arrives, she finds that her brother’s slacker best friend, Wyatt is there as he also inherited the beach home. Aly wants to sell & Wyatt doesn’t. This is not a new trope. And over the next month, they next month the get closer. Now Aly must decide if she wants to give up her dream job for the opportunity to heal her heart.

While this is a trope we have seen before, it doesn’t take away from the fact that this was a fabulous story. I loved Aly & Wyatt and their banter and chemistry. You’ll be rooting on them from the start. There was a lot of heart and feelings put into this one. Dealing with the grief of losing her brother and spending time with his best friend, Aly really goes through her grief and the process of finding herself. It’s really beautiful.

This book is on the shorter side, so it was a super quick read. It’s a quick read for the story alone, but the smaller page number just makes it that much quicker so if you’re not in the mood for a 500 page book, grab this one!

This just released on March 1st, so you don’t even have to wait to grab a copy!

4/5 Stars

I liked the idea behind the novel and the execution of that idea was impressive. The writing style was simple and effective and the overall flow of the story felt very smooth. I read this book in one sitting.

GOOD FOR YOU is about a love story that addresses darker tones of PTSD and abuse. After several big changes in her life, Aly must decide what it is she wants in life. It is the loss of Luke, Aly’s brother and Wyatt’s best friend that brings them together, and over time connects them on a deeper level. It is in a way beautiful to see Aly navigate her grief while falling in love at the same time. I enjoyed the ending.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I’ve read a few of Camille Pagan’s books and this is the absolute best! Aly Jackson is doing the job that she has always wanted: magazine editor in chief. Aly overhears a couple of her co-workers degrading her in a restaurant and throws a tantrum that is captured on video by a bystander. Of course, the video shows up online and her boss sees it. Aly is forced to take a month long leave from her job. Fate takes her to a beach house that her late brother left her in his will. When Aly arrives at the beach house she meets Wyatt. Wyatt is her late brother’s best friend who inherited half of the beach house. Aly thinks she has nothing in common with Wyatt but she is mistaken. Will Aly give up her dream job? Will her heart heal from the childhood trauma? This short read is so good! Thanks to @netgalley for this very enjoyable ARC!

I really enjoy Camille’s writing. This was such a beautiful story about love, loss, and grief. I genuinely enjoyed getting to know Wyatt and Aly and their love story.

This followed your general contemporary romance structure, with a trope of brothers best friend, forced proximity, and some harder topics like grief and PTSD.

To me this was a fine book, I loved the idea, I appreciated the discussion of grief and PTSD but it was not nearly fleshed out enough and felt very surface level.

The FMC in particular was infuriating and her lack of sled awareness quite annoying and despite her kind of having a full circle moment I think they should of focused a bit more on healing her very heavy wounds.

Great outlines and enjoyable enough just needed more.

With a realistic plot and lovable characters, Good for You by Camille Pagán tells a beautiful story about love, family, grief and self-discovery. This is Aly's journey of learning to live and love through loss.

I would like to start off by saying I'm amused by the lack of profanity and the measures the author takes not to include it. I find it so funny when Aly says "beach" and "ducking" (not that she actually said it because she stated after that it was just a placeholder word for something else) or "the F-word" instead of spelling it out. Of course, I don't mind it at all. It fits Aly's character a lot, considering she grew up with an abusive father. I don't think people who have experienced domestic violence are comfortable with things associated with it.

Aly Jackson and Wyatt Goldstein were great. Grief can bring people together. Aly has kept her grief towards her beloved brother Luke's depth buried for months until she suffers a public breakdown that gets her suspended from work for a month. Wyatt has lost his best friend in a sailing accident that he could have prevented. The two ultimately find themselves living under Luke's roof, the house they both inherited according to his will. They don't seem to have anything in common, with Aly being a hardworking and driven and Wyatt being a bit of a slob, but they bond through their shared grief and love for Luke. AND Wyatt improved himself by making a point to become cleaner. Either way, I like Aly and Wyatt, but this book is so much more than a love story.

Aly is so resilient. This story talks about child abuse from the perspective of the victim after she's grown up. Readers can clearly see the effects of her trauma on her today, which is realistic. Childhood trauma doesn't go away just because you are older. Your body remembers it. I'm amazed by her character growth throughout the book. Her relationships with other people such as her mother Cindy and best friend Harry are also explored. I really like them.

Luke Jackson, Aly's beloved big brother, was the absolute best. First off, it's established that he died last September while sailing in Florida. But he's just amazing. I love him so much. He's an amazing older brother to Aly. When he was alive, he constantly looked out for her, and even in death, he made plans for her so that she could live a good life.

I recommend this book to readers of women's fiction and contemporary romance. This story really touches one's heart. This book deals with trauma, PTSD and the death of a close family member. The author did a great job touching on heavy topics in a gentle manner.

I do not understand how Aly could have blackout moments and no one seemed to worry or question it except Harry - and he only mentioned that maybe she should see someone about it. I didn't like the way the story started out at all, but I kept reading hoping for improvement.

I was disappointed that Aly didn't seem to grow and change. She started out what felt like to me as weak, but I thought once she left her boyfriend and job, she would become independent and strong. I just found her whiney and irritating. She did have a lot to deal with, but it felt like there wasn't any progress, then it was all better at the end.

I enjoyed this book. The author used humor very well to show the real characters expressing true and real thoughts. This was very well written and the story was just so raw and real.

Camille pagan has the uncanny ability to make you smile and open your heart even in the saddest circumstances. This raw book about grief, self expectations, and letting go is full of love, hope and strength. Loved it

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Good for You! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a very real seeming exploration of grief, and how it can consume you. I would have liked a little more development of the male MC, but I did like the evolution of Aly’s character, and even her mother. I also loved the relationship between Aly and her best friend Harry. Definitely a book I’d recommend, and I flew through it in only two days.

4.5 ⭐️

I am a sucker for an emotional romance, and this one totally hit the mark!

Synopsis: Aly is an ambitious planner. However, after a work-related incident, she escapes to her brother Luke's lake house in Lake Michigan. Still grieving his death over a year ago, Aly hasn't visited the house and is surprised to learn that it was actually left to both her and his best friend Wyatt, who has been living there. As they live in the house together, Aly and Wyatt come to learn that their life experiences are actually not so different. Together, they even start to help one another heal...

Thoughts: I cannot believe that this book is under 300 pages! It definitely did not lack in substance in light of its short length. I find stories of personal healing mixed with romance to be so impactful, and Pagan did an excellent job capturing this balance. Both Wyatt and Aly were well-developed as characters, and their personal journeys were a delight to read about!

Read if you like:
-brother’s best friend trope
-forced proximity
-personal healing

I went into this thinking it was a romance, but this book goes into heavy themes of PTSD, abuse, and grief. It was well written, just not what I expected. Overall, I didn't quite connect with the main character, Aly.