Cute read about a pianist who has a game designer roommate forced upon her. Of course, they don't like each other, but that changes, because this is a romance novel. There is some drama and some intrigue, but overall, a fine romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Autumn Adler is set to make her come back as a pianist after 10 years of break and she needs all her focus in that. But her focus and peace gets disrupted when a random stranger barges into the townhouse she's renting and starts to move her furniture out so that he can move in. Autumn is later told that her townhouse owner has rented out the bottom floor to Elijah, who is a video game designer and is working on building his company from ground up. She wants him out of the house but Elijah is here to stay, and thus we follow a story filled with banter and tug of war.

Check this book out if you like:
✨ Grumpy (Her) × Sunshine (Him)
✨ He falls first and harder
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Suspense
✨ Enemies To Lovers

The cover of this book gave me cute romcom vibes but I was a little thrown off with the meet cute and the whole stalker angle. If a guy comes inside my apartment uninvited, I am calling the police! I won't be standing there and let the workers take away my furniture or my TV without prior notice. And then, for the guy to be so cocky about it? Nooo!

What I really enjoyed though was the author's writing style and the ease in which the story flowed. The characters really came together by the end and I was pretty entertained. I also loved the chronic pain representation as I suffer from it too so it was nice to see some relatability.

So, even though this book was just okay for me, I will check out her other books.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

This was a cute romance about a pianist that experienced a terrible accident trying to make a comeback. She's been living alone and that's been working for her -- somewhat. However, her landlord decides to let his son move into the house for the time being too and that's where things kinda start to fall apart. Referred to as "Ms Perfectly Fine" while in rehab after her accident, Autumn is still trying to show that she really is perfectly fine but it's just not hitting the mark, especially with the unexpected new roommate, Elijah. While not my favorite romance that I've ever read this was still an enjoyable, cute story that showed just how not fine the main character was and how she works to become better than fine and maybe even find love along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for giving me an ARC of this new release to read!

Rounded up from 4.5
After a tragic accident, Autumn, a famous concert pianist, is trying to make her come-back as a soloist. She needs all her energy devoted to her playing, but one morning she wakes up to find out that her landlord, Tim, has rented the bottom floor to Elijah, a game designer building his own company. Autumn won't hear of it, but she doesn't really have a choice. One house, two strangers, and a dark secret. What could go wrong?
I have so many things to say about this one! This is as grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, romance with a touch of mystery. Autumn lives with chronic pain, but tries to hide it and always says she's perfectly fine (hence the title of the book). I did find Elijah to be very clueless and selfish, especially in the beginning, where both MCs were super immature about, I'll admit, a very frustrating situation. However, there is great character development along the way, and with a twist that I did not see coming (what?!?). The entire time I was reading this I was thinking this was a solid 4 stars. Definitely not a 5, but a solid 4. But the last few chapters? And no third act break up? That certainly gained it half a star.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ms. Perfectly Fine by Kate Callaghan was a different romance read but in a good way! This book brought the enemies to lovers, forced proximity tropes and throw in the mystery and suspense. LOVE IT! Autumn and Elijah was the couple I didn't know I needed but kept wanting more. While I thought I had it all figured out, the end threw me for a loop. Great writing and looking forward to more from this author.

*****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review*******

So, I like enemies to lovers stories and I really like forced proximity but I didn't like this. What I didn't get from the blurb was that the battle of wills was going to take the form of "pranks" that just went way beyond what I think of as being funny or ok, and that the Hero and Heroine just suddenly fall in love like a switch has been flipped and never deal with any of that at all.

They're both just horrible to each other until they're not and then you don't really understand why they're together because the book hasn't done the work explaining about why either would find the other attractive (except for looks) because all they've done to each other is do horrible things to each other. So, there's that.

It also as a lot of other plot going on. The plot about Autumn returning to the stage after her accident was fine - the suspense element of it was a bit much and a bit heavy handed and ramped up in a completely out of character way from the way the rest of the book was presenting itself. You could probably have managed to do the concert plot and the romance well *if* it hadn't also been doing Elijah's issues with his father and the plot around his company. So basically too much going on, and not enough depth on any of it.

Re the pranks: if you were ok with the Christina Lauren where they were playing incredibly unprofessional pranks on each other, you'll probably be fine with this. These aren't comptency based sabotage, but it's a similar vibe.

If you really want a spoiler:
<spoiler>His opening salvo - on a day when he's moved into a house where she's been very clear that she didn't know that anyone had rented any of the house and that she wasn't happy about it - was changing all the locks on the house so she can't get in. This was after she refused to give him the code for the burglar alarm. You can decide what your mileage on that is. </spoiler>

The cover? AMAZING

The romance? ALSO AMAZING

The mystery? ACTUALLY SURPRISING

This book was EVERYTHING my romance and mystery loving heart could want. It’s entirely predictable (in the romance) and also surprising (in the mystery). For her first ever HEA, Kate Callaghan blew me away. Absolutely loved this book!

I believe this is my first time reading a romantic suspense novel and to be honest it through me off. The cutesy romantic moments juxtaposed with the mystery/suspense was odd. To me it felt like while the story was complete, I was craving a more rounded out romance or a more true suspense/mystery. The resolution of the novel felt cliche. I do not mean this is a bad way, more so that it was a bit underwhelming because of the clichés. Overall, I just felt like I kept wanting more from the mystery, from the characters. I will say the chronic pain representation was incredibly thought out and detailed. You can very clearly tell it is something that is very close to the author’s heart.

Such a lighthearted romance with suspense and mystery. I genuinely thought I solved it until the end.
I LOVE that the FMC has a chronic illness that doesn’t magically go away. It’s something she lives with day in and day out.
If you’re looking for a book with a little bit of this and a little bit of that, then look no further!

I'm giving this book 3 stars for its likability, decent writing, and pleasant story that I know others will enjoy.

Although for me, personally, it’s just not for me. I had to give up reading after reaching the 52% mark. Life is too short to keep reading a book I can’t get invested in. However, since I believe others will enjoy it, I cannot give it a lower rating. If it appeals to you, I suggest you try it out.. Maybe your opinion will differ from mine.

Ms Perfectly Fine- Kate Callaghan🪻

🎹 Pianist
🎮 Game developer
🩻 PTSD
💋 Enemies to Lovers
🩶 He falls FIRST!
😈 Forced Proximity
🥀 Suspense
🌻 Healing
❤️‍🩹 Chronic Pain

Fresh & witty writing ✍️ I was swept away by this story. Sprinkle of heat 🥵 suspense and love. I thought I knew what was gonna happen but I was WRONG. Please go check this out 🫶

"Just because you love what you do doesn't mean it doesn't take its toll."

Summary
Autumn is a piano player, made famous by her young success and by an stage accident that killed her best friend and left her with lasting injuries and pain. As she is gearing up for her big showcase return, she is surprised and confused when a stranger unexpectedly moves himself into the house she is renting from an old family friend. She doesn't have time to be distracted by this handsome, stubborn, video game programmer, especially when she receives mysterious flowers from a stalker on her doorstep.

Why did I pick up this book?
I was gifted this Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley. I thought the premise sounded slightly different, so I requested a copy!

What did I enjoy about it?
A big feature of this book/Autumn's character is her chronic pain and how it impacts her physically and emotionally. I don't feel like I see this component very often, despite it being something that many people struggle with, so I appreciated this somewhat rare piece of the story. I also haven't read many Romance novels with a mystery/suspense element, and I liked this additional angle to the story, outside of just the showcase and the budding romance between Autumn and Elijah.

What did I not enjoy about it?
I think I was expecting a lot more hijinks as a part of the forced proximity/stubborn nature/conflicting schedules and interests between the two characters, but in my opinion the pranks and jabs were short-lived. Also, some of them went way too far past the line of appropriate in my opinion (like, felony-level offenses). With regard to each characters' resolutions, Elijah's felt very rushed and Autumn's seemed to last forever, both of which I didn't love.

Autumn is a pianist working on her big comeback to the stage after a tragic accident ten years earlier. She is very private and she likes her routines but one day she wakes up to a noise as some dude is putting her stuff into a storage and moving in.

So uhm if someone moved in to my home without asking, started stealing my food from the fridge and then brought in a dog, there would be no chance in hell for us to become friends.

But, as we all know, romantic novels aren't about real life. They're fairy tales for big girls, and we don't mind narrative gaps, crazy details, or irrational conduct as long as the HAE follows.

The mystery was a bit much, but I prefer it to the third act split, so it's OK.

I didn't have great expectations because everyone gave this book three stars, and I have to admit that I agree with the majority this time; this book was charming, but I'll definitely forget about it tomorrow.

Thank you to Kate Callaghan and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and evaluate this book.

This was a fun, suspenseful romance perfect for fans of Hannah Grace or Ali Hazelwood books. It definitely has that BookTok quality of banter-filled dialog, hot-and-cold romance, stubborn female leads, and jerks-who-turn-out-to-be-nice male leads. The added suspense/mystery element also sets it apart nicely from other titles in the contemporary romance genre!

My favorite part of the book was getting to see Autumn's past, her injury, and her journey to overcome her trauma. I really loved that her injury wasn't magically cured, and that the chronic pain wasn't treated as some moral failing that could be "solved". It was just something she had to live with, and the better she treated herself and allowed herself to be loved, the easier it was for her to let the pain be part of her life instead of her entire life!

I think this book will be hugely enjoyed by many readers. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for sharing a copy with me!

Piano prodigy Autumn is used to routine and controlling her environment. When Elijah bursts into her life and delights in shaking that up, she does not handle the change very well.

Callaghan writes chronic pain realistically and a supporting MMC beautifully but also realistic. This isn’t a title I would’ve picked up but I’m glad I read it. There is plenty of room for growth in seeing a bit of myself in Autumn but also having compassion for people in my life in similar situations.

I didn’t pay attention to the genre on this one, so I was surprised by the thriller/mystery element. By about 80% I was frustrated with the play out but was intrigued with the twist.

There is a healthy authors note to begin the book. Pay attention to this if you have triggers or content concerns. Callaghan made a fantastic debut into this genre, making me want to try her fantasy novels.

Thank you to CallaghanWriter, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and NetGalley for the DRC. This is review is mine alone.

Thank you to Kate Callaghan and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Ms Perfectly Fine" is a captivating and enchanting romance that takes you on a journey filled with music, passion, and unexpected twists. Autumn Adler, a resilient concert pianist, and Elijah Wells, a determined game designer, clash in a battle for space and find themselves entangled in a complex web of emotions. The chemistry between them is electric, and their banter is both witty and charming. As the story unfolds, secrets and suspense heighten the stakes, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Kate Callaghan's storytelling is masterful, effortlessly weaving together the elements of romance and mystery. The characters are relatable and endearing, and their growth throughout the book is heartwarming. With its unique blend of tropes and themes, "Ms Perfectly Fine" is a delightful and satisfying read that will leave you longing for more.

*3.5 stars*

This was a great story. This story is told in dual third person POV and leaves you with a HEA. Although, there were a few plot holes and questions that I didn’t get answers to like I wish I would’ve.

I loved that Autumn was determined to not let her tragedy and issues keep her from getting back out there to do what she loved. I loved that Elijah was a hard worker but also knew when to have fun. I loved they were complete opposite of each other but were also perfect for each other. I loved their banter (although a tad childish for people in their 30s), humor and chemistry.

I do think that it was odd Autumn didn’t call the cops or her landlord when she woke up and a stranger was moving her things out and his in. I don’t know of anyone that would just accept a complete strangers excuse.

I would have liked to know how Elijah’s godson had Francis’ hair and Aiden’s eyes. That isn’t possible… Also, what was the outcome of the child’s issues of why his father had to take him to the hospital/doctors?

Did Elijah ever call his mom back like he promised he would? If his stepdad wanted to get to know him better, what was Elijah’s excuse (except for the fact that he was already an adult when he entered his life) to push him away and not want to get to know him? He said that his mom deserved better, but he didn’t take the steps to make sure her new husband was what she deserved?

I know it said that Elijah and his Biological Father were taking steps to make amends and get to know each other. But did his dad actually come out publicly like he said? How did his current family and his coworkers take the news? Did they truly make amends or is it still rocky between them?

Lena/Heather….where was her dad when they couldn’t get ahold of him?! You would think they would try to make sure he was okay if him and Lena/Heather had a good relationship. Did her mom and Autumn’s mom ever reconnect? Did her and Autumn stay in touch when she went back to school?

Autumn and her parents…did they ever work to fix their relationship? Also, how was Autumn’s dad and Todd’s relationship? I know her dad asked him to keep an eye on her, but was he really okay with him pretty much stepping up to play pseudo-dad?

We know that the stalker wasn’t connected to the case Aiden was working on since it mentions they found the receipts. But what happened to that case? Was it solved? Aiden was obviously stressed over it, I would have liked to see how that plays out.

Did Elijah and Autumn ever go to the ballet that she won in the auction with his money?

Regardless of all this, the story did hold my attention and it has so much potential. But with all the questions unanswered, I can’t rate it as high as I would’ve liked. I in Kate’s newsletter she said she hasn’t written anything like this yet, so I am encouraging her to keep at it. With a little more editing and proofreading with her/an editor and some alpha and beta readers, this could be a really great book.

I wasn’t fond of Eric being such a brute in the beginning especially when he told her he wouldn’t mind her practicing so early in the morning and then when she does taking her to her room against her will and threatens to tie her to a bed if she didn’t let him sleep. This scene wouldn’t have bothered me as much if it was later in the book and they knew each other better, but with them just meeting, if I were Autumn I most definitely would not have been comfortable around him at all and would’ve been looking for another place to stay and/or calling the cops. I did love how sweet and thoughtful Eric became and how he didn’t treat her any differently than a “normal” person. I loved that he was upfront about how sneaky he was to get information about her.

I have enjoyed the last couple books I’ve read by Kate and although this wasn’t a favorite, I will continue to read for her work.

I was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and the author. These thoughts and opinions are my own and left voluntarily after reading for my own personal enjoyment.

Thank you Net Galley for providing the ARC!

3.5/5 stars

This was a quick and fun romance that I loved snuggling up with during some really rainy days. It had so many tropes I loved from "forced proximity" to "antagonist to lovers". The banter and bickering were so fun to read, I really loved Elijah and Autumn's dynamic. Though I do wish there was more build-up to the romance, it seemed night and day from when they couldn't really stand each other to when they loved each other. Other than that, I really enjoyed this story!

First, thank you @netgalley for my ARC of MPF. Second, I’d like to make it clear that this story is worth checking out for people who enjoy a quick-blooming romance. I found Autumn to be relatable quirky, strong, and a solid representation of invisible disabilities that often go unseen in the literary world. I thought Elijah was intriguing, considerate, and I liked that he is never portrayed as trying to downplay Autumn’s struggles or baby her for having them. However, I wasn’t a fan of how fast their relationship progressed within the enemies-to-lovers trope. I felt like their relationship felt like it almost sprung up out of nowhere; while this isn’t inherently bad, I’m just not big on the idea of fast love. That is the one thing keeping me from giving this story a 4⭐️ rating. I will say that the twists within the story outside of the Autumn/Elijah romance kept me interested while I was reading though.

This was a sweet romance mixed with a cozy mystery. The mystery was the best part of the book. I totally fell for the red herring at first.

The romance piece was just OK. Autumn and Elijah went from enemies to lovers very quickly and without much build up.

The chronic pain representation was done very well and I appreciated a perspective you don’t often see.

Overall, this was pretty much a Hallmark movie with just a teeny bit of spice. Which is totally cool - sometimes I love a good Hallmark romance 😊🧡