The Next Best Fling is an adult contemporary romance by Gabriella Gamez. Marcela has been pining over her best friend for years, and it’s only when he gets engaged that it finally hits her that she needs to move on. Former NFL player Theo has been longing for his childhood best friend, and on the night of his little brother’s engagement party, he is going to confess his feelings for the bride until Marcela stops him. And in doing so, she is presented with an opportunity. Theo is in love with the bride, and Marcela is in love with his brother, but he needs help to hide his feelings, and she desperately needs a distraction from this terrible situation they are both in. But one kiss shared between them opens them up to both craving more, until the distraction descends into something more headier and perhaps, maybe, something more real than either of them were prepared for.

I found Marcela to be so relatable. She loves her books and food, but she’s also stuck in her love life, held back by her longing for Ben, her best friend. Once she moved past that need to please him and started to see who he really was, which was such a glorious journey, she was then held back by her abandonment issues. This was a huge hang-up for her, this fear that it was almost better not to start something real and serious because she didn’t want to be a cause of pain to whoever she ended up with, but she also didn’t want to feel that deep hurt again, and I get it, I really do. I think a lot of us have issues due to our parents, but I was begging her to try, and the little steps forward and then a few back—an almost tug of war between what you want and what your niggling fear is demanding you don’t—is what makes this book so intriguing. It was such a wonderful growth period for Marcela, and of course, this worry won’t ever completely disappear for her, but it was lovely to see her try. I didn’t only relate to her for this but also to her issues with her body. The day-by-day battle of I look good to one little thing throwing you out of whack—the scene I’m thinking of in particular—had me begging Marcela not to let it ruin things, but the way Theo handled it made it such a wonderful moment, right before the spice hit. Aside from the trauma and fear, I loved how Marcela was warm, funny, and giving, and her passion for her job was enjoyable. I even loved it when she spiralled, especially after the drunk text moment, because most of us have been there, right? There wasn’t a moment in this book that I disliked this character. I understood where she was coming from, and I was frustrated by how she let her fears win sometimes, but it made the ending all the sweeter. I especially loved how she made progress with her Mum and allowed her in more.

Even though this book was only from Marcela’s POV, you still get such a great sense of who Theo is. To begin with, you greet him with the apprehension that Marcela has, but he’s like this big softy full of vulnerability and fear, despite his former NFL player appearance. He is so open and honest with Marcela and everyone in this book, and he truly listens and pays attention to Marcela, reading her so well. It was so clear to me that Theo fell first. I think he was falling for her before they slept together, but even through the spice, he was still paying close attention to her, willing to give her space when needed but hoping she wouldn’t need it. The only time I was angry with Theo was in the ten-day gap, but I loved them on the page together; they gave so much cuteness and this friendly flirting that the lines between friends and something more seemed to always be blurred. My love for Theo grew continuously. At one point, he was fighting for her by fighting her fear, and my heart was both breaking for him and blossoming from his actions. Not long before that, my heart was in my throat for how he could have reacted to a revelation, but like the gentle giant he is, he reacted with compassion and understanding. The two are so alike while both seemingly to be different, which makes what they have seem so easy at times and so much harder at others due to both their fears. I also loved how Theo is an all-or-nothing kind of person, but when he was giving his all to Marcela, he still waited, almost with a small gap of trepidation because he knew she wasn’t there yet. This was such a new behaviour for him, but he wanted her, and he was willing to go at her pace, which made me love him even more.

This section is just for the side characters and key moments. I hated Ben, and that hate just grew, so I’m glad with how this book ended for him. Alice, I wasn’t too sure of the entire book. There were moments I liked her, but it was only in the ending that I liked her because she was honest, which she should have been much sooner. When it comes to Angela, I wasn’t too keen on her, to begin with, but I warmed up to her massively as the book progressed, and I’m kind of hoping the next book in the series is hers. Now for those key moments, I love when a first kiss—a kiss that should be pretend—absolutely changes everything. I was literally chanting in hushed tones, ‘Just keep kissing’. Do you love a grand gesture? This book has two! I was dying with how much I loved both of them; the mixing of both their worlds was beautifully done, and his grand gesture had me grinning from ear to ear with how much like a couple they behaved, but I’m going, to be honest, I knew exactly what was in that box, and it was killing me at how long Marcela took to open it. The spice in this is a very nice heat. I wanted more (I always do), but in the beginning, I felt like I was being hampered, but the wait was definitely worth it!

This is the first time that I’ve read an ARC and knew from the beginning that it would be a Five out of Five star read. I fell in love with the way Gabriella Gamez writes four pages into The Next Best Fling. This book took me through a whirlwind of emotions. I was rooting for Theo and Marcela the entire time. I felt their pain, passion, fear, anger, humour, joy, heartbreak, and love. I felt anger towards other characters in the book, and the last 20% of the book had me so gripped that at one point, second-hand anxiety had me verbally exclaiming ‘No’ very loudly in a very quiet, busy waiting room. But the ending was worth the ups and downs I felt for Marcela. I don’t think there has been a character I have related to so much but also wanted to scream at for allowing her fear to ruin things, but maybe that’s why I loved her so much because I got it. I was also surprised by the lovely hit of spice (not too scorching), but as the greedy person I am, I always crave more, not that any more could fit in with this never-dull book. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the Librarians in Love series.

I’d recommend My Next Best Fling to everyone who loves contemporary romance. With an almost friends-to-lovers/friends-with-benefits/fake dating vibe, it’s fairly hard to label this one with tropes, but it has two main characters who think they are in love with two people they shouldn’t be and turn to each other to help themselves through it. Theo is not only a former NFL player, but he’s the swoon-worthy, surprisingly soft, book boyfriend of your dreams (or mine, at least). Marcela is living my dream as a librarian and is so relatable, not only about her feelings when it comes to relationships and love but her body image as well. Her pushing through her insecurity was so touching, but boy does Theo make her feel sexy. I felt all the emotion in this book, and the last few chapters made all the pain and worry worth it for that wonderful HEA. Gabriella Gamez may be quickly making her way to my favourite author list, and I’m off to buy the paperback of this debut so I can reread it in the future.

I want to thank Dialogue Books for allowing me the opportunity to ARC The Next Best Fling via Netgalley. The quotes I have used may not be in the final released copy of this book.

This was a fantastic read. If you loved the new Emily Henry book, Funny Story you would love this as well. The trope is similar.

I loved this book so much. It was such a fun read that made me laugh as well as getting deeper. Theo is so freaking adorable and probably one of my favourite book boyfriends. He should be the poster boy for healthy communication. His honesty was refreshing. The way he dealt with Marcela's insecurities was so cute. I also adored Marcela but her character is more frustrating. I loved her passion for books and her job but her self sabotaging was painful.

The plus size representation was done beautifully. Marcela is gorgeous and confident but she's still human and has insecurities and confidence wobbles. It felt very realistic and it wasn't her whole personality like in some books. The way Theo worshipped her and helped her confidence was swoon worthy. There are some great side characters and I need to be besties with Angela. I really hope we get her story next because she's so lovable. I also adored Marcela's mum. Ben however is trash. I did love that despite all the various drama there was no pitting the women against each other. There are a few twists and turns that I didn't expect from a romance. Such a great read. I look forward to more from this author.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous as well

This book really hit home with me with the abandonment issue and the insecurity, so it was a bit painful to read. I liked how the main characters connected over their pining for unavailable people. Their connection was unexpected but they encouraged and supported each other to be better. Also, the chemistry between them was great. I liked how the author incorporated the minority representation and what public libraries can offer to the community. The twists and turns of the story near the end surprised me a bit, but it was good, because it showed that not everything is sunshine and rainbows and things are sometimes hard and complicated.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the book.

REVIEW
cw: body-shaming, parental abandonment, toxic friendship and controlling behaviour

Librarian Marcela Ortiz has been in love with her best friend Ben Young for as long as they've known each other. When he tells her he's going to propose to his girlfriend of almost a decade, Marcela decides enough is enough. She needs to move on. Ex-NFL player Theo is Ben's older brother. When Marcela intercepts Theo's drunken attempt to break up the engagement by declaring his love for Ben's fiancée, people wrongly assume the two are hooking up. What starts as a convenient white lie quickly turns into something more. But are they both merely on the rebound?

This was a quick and easy read from a debut author who I would happily seek out in the future, although some areas could have been improved on to make the emotional beats hit harder. I liked Marcela immediately and loved her book addiction. Her enthusiasm with the book club was fun, and I enjoyed Andy's teasing. I loved her friendship with Angela, but I never got the same level of friendship vibes from Ben, which was supposed to be a huge plot point. We only got one proper scene between them before Theo arrived, and that was just them talking about the engagement. I'd have loved more scenes showing them as friends (like Angela) to actually be surprised by any of Ben's later behaviour. Marcela's body insecurities were relatable and well-written, and I liked her journey of acceptance and then self-appreciation.
I loved Theo. He was such a sweetheart. I loved his openness and honesty, although his barely explained disappearing acts were peculiar. Still, I loved their book passage re-enactment at the YA book club, and the date he arranged was adorable. I also LOVED how kind and reassuring he was to Marcela when she felt insecure about her body, and how patient he was with her over her conflicted feelings.
I loved Marcela's mum and would have loved more of her. She was hilarious but also gave great advice. I loved Angela, Marcela's best friend. Her candid revelation about her sexuality was moving and I hope we get her story in the future (I'm keeping everything crossed for her and Krystal). As mentioned, I never connected with Ben and liked him less and less as the story progressed. His controlling behaviour was really obvious and unpleasant, and I hated how much he manipulated Marcela. As for how he treated Theo? Wow! But chapter 30 was SO satisfying.
This book was heading for a solid 4-star review until the second half when I felt some of the chapters got quite messy. There were quite a few timeline fillers in the story, like Theo just disappearing for a couple of weeks, and days and days without either of them communicating. Then Marcela refused to look at the gift Theo left for her for what felt like aeons (although I LOVED what was inside when she finally opened it). So, I just wished there'd been a few more scenes between them (or even a text thread or two, or just a simple line about them continuing to do things together) before the declaration, as it was hard to feel invested in their deeper emotional connection (especially given how both started the story). Consequently, it ended up feeling a little too instalove.
That said, I LOVED the ending. It was so stinking cute.
Overall this was a sound debut, but though it had all the foundations of an emotionally rich romance, some parts felt incomplete or rushed.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️.5
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. The Next Best Fling is published today*


Favourite Quotes:

Hiding your true feelings is easy when the person you’re hiding from has never really seen you to begin with.

This doesn't feel like pretending.

You’re a good person— a much better person than I can ever hope to be. You deserve so much better than a man who’s still pining over someone else, and when the day comes that you walk away from me for good, I’ll be cheering you on. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that you’ll find someone just as amazing as you one day. So, if all I am is a stop to you finding him, then I’m okay with that.”

“I must not be doing this properly if you’re still capable of complete sentences,”

“God, Marcela. How has no one snatched you up yet?” His breathing is heavy, voice shaky. “How are you all mine?”

“I used to think Alice was the only person for me, or that I wasn’t a relationship kind of guy. I thought I knew what real love was, and that no one else could measure up to how I felt about Alice.” He shakes his head. “I didn’t know a goddamn thing. Not before you. And all I had to do was be open to taking a chance.”

"If I could do everything about that night differently and still walk away with you at the end of it, I’d do it this second if it meant being worthy of you.”

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, and I believe it's the author's debut novel. There were many aspects of the book that I really enjoyed. The banter and flirtation between characters were spot on, and the depth and layers within the story were impressive. The intimate scenes, however, could have been more detailed. The exploration of family dynamics and toxic relationships added a significant dimension to the narrative, highlighting the importance of confronting harmful routines and beliefs as we grow.

One aspect I particularly appreciated was the positive portrayal of female relationships. The women in the story supported each other instead of resorting to cattiness, which was refreshing. As a curvy woman, I found the depiction of insecurities realistic and well-handled, without it dominating the character's personality or the entire book.

However, one of my major pet peeves in romance novels is the self-sabotage storyline, which was present here. It felt unnecessary given the existing drama, and this is why I rated it 3.5 stars instead of higher. Despite this, it was a solid debut and an enjoyable read overall.

Finally a body positive FMC that doesn’t border on a fetish! This was a funny easy read but I did knock off a star because I just felt like the storyline was littered with insecurities and acts of self-sabotage and it got a bit tiring after a while.

This is a brilliant debut from Gabriella Gamez. The characters were fully rounded, their connection felt genuine and everything about this book felt considered.

I found Marcela really relatable, from her love of books and strong friendships to her body insecurities and childhood abandoned issues. Despite that she is still a strong, fun person, and loyal friend and I loved that her entire personality didn't focus on her being a plus sized Latina. When she saves Theo from telling his brother's fiance he loves her, they unintentionally set the grounds for a fake relationship that will save face for both of them, but also develop into something genuine. Theo is the epitome of a cinnamon roll MMC, he's sweet and honest, especially where he's also dealing with the emotions that come with his unrequited love situation.

The chemisty between Marcela and Theo was palpable and although they navigated some deep emotions, the book managed to stay fun and lighthearted. The additional drama courtesy of Ben and Alice was loads of fun to read, especially as there were some twists I wasn't expecting.

This is such a fun wholesome book, with a nice dash of spice!

ARC provided by Netgally. This is my honest review.

4⭐️

This is a best friends brothers, plus size spicy romance. I really loved Theo and Marcie. I fell in love with Marcie alone just for her being a book lover. Marcie has been in love with her best friend for years and he gets engaged. Theo is in love with his brothers fiance and goes to confront his brother and fiancé when Marcie enters… I really love Theo and was really nice to see a MMC so upfront and honest.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. I really loved reading this.

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

ARC Review

I had expected this to skew more towards RomCom. Instead it's a romance with messy messy people and messy messy problems. Not everything is resolved or wrapped up in a neat bow, which I really like.

There is just a bit too much constant analysis before and after every line of dialogue and at times it was a bit of a slog to get through.

Basic info:
- Contemporary romance.
- Single POV, 1st person, single timeline.
- Part of a series of standalone books.

Tropes and hooks:
- Curvy, Latina FMC
- Librarian FMC
- Complicated/messy relationships (a kinda love square)
- Best friend’s brother
- Friends with benefits
- Ex-football played MMC
- Fake dating

Summary:
This book follows Marcela who is in love with her best friend Ben. Ben is about to marry Alice. Theo Ben's brother is in love with Alice. Marcela saves drunk Theo from confessing his feelings during Ben's and Alice's engagement party. From there on they start to get to know each other and become friends and maybe even something more. Besides the romance, the book explores Theo's relationship with his family and his failed career but also Marcela's insecurities about her body and her abandonment (by her dad) issues.

My thoughts:
This book was very easy and fast to read. If you like drama, angst, and messy (telenovela-like) relationships with a mixture of healthy and not-so-healthy relationships this one is for you. Marcela as a librarian and book lover in general represents us all. Theo starts as a little bit of a grump since Marcela doesn't really know him and his struggles but he quickly becomes boyfriend material. He is truthful about his feelings and very patient with Marcela. Theo and Marcela are cute together and it's nice to see them get to know each other, become friends, and slowly morph into something more. Finally, I appreciate that there were no pining women one against another because we all know that the square in question has only one rotten angle.

I received an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to everyone involved in ARC's distribution. All opinions are my own.

“He wants the bride, she wants the groom. But what if all they really want... is each other?"

An endearingly sweet romance that plays on and highlights the complications of love.

I loved that this story had a mixture of love, lust, messiness and angst. The characters felt full, and I enjoyed that they all had different motivations and character developments that kept the story moving. I was initially worried how the premise of the characters would develop, however that worry was quickly squashed as I was sucked into the story of the two main characters.

I have a soft spot for each of the main characters, the characters in this story truly shone and carried the pacing and flow of the story. I loved their scenes together, it was so sweet to see them supporting each other and how their relationship bloomed. I wanted our main female character to be happy and to work through her challenges - I appreciated the conversations around body image and how they were discussed. Although this does explore the tropes of "love squares" and push and pulling, I really enjoyed how the romantic scenes were done - I think that these 'tropes' added to how the story unfolded and how the tension built as the relationships between the characters faced more pressure and frayed.

The one thing that I would have loved was more insight into some of the characters' pasts. Whilst there was enough insight given to justify motivations and actions of the characters, I would have really loved to have more insight into the history of things that transpired.

Overall, if you are looking for a romance with a slow building romance with scenes of pining and angst, please pick this up!

Thank you to Dialogue Books for the eARC, I am voluntarily leaving a review.

A new author for me, but one who told a clever story . Life is messy, and we are far from perfect as human beings, so it is really refreshing and honest to read about two imperfect people. Theo and Marcella have spent huge portion of their lives what if ing. Then fate draws them together and they begin to realise that maybe the didn't miss out on the perfect person. This is about realising your self worth and not accepting that you are bound by how other people perceive you.
Excellent book and I look forward to reading more by this author.

What a great debut novel! Fun, cute and spicy, romance lovers will be swooning over Theo by the end of this book!

There's definitely alot of messy, complicated feelings & relationships throughout this book. It's basically a love square which isn't something I read often. I'm still not 100% sold on this trope (?), but I did enjoyed seeing how all of the relationships unfolded. One trope that I *DO* love is fake dating, so I was all over Theo & Marcela choosing this route! I was slightly worried when it became a "re bound" relationship, but actually, I really believed in the MMC & FMCs feelings as time passed.

The next best fling was an easy read, with plenty of banter and tension. The author has done a brilliant job for her first romance novel and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Renegade Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Librarian Marcela Ortiz has been secretly in love with her best friend for years—and when he gets engaged, she knows it’s long past time to move on. But before she gets the chance, she has a bigger problem to contend with in the form of Theo Young, ex-NFL player and older brother of the man she’s in love with. When she discovers Theo's plans to confess his feelings for his brother’s fiancée at their engagement party, Marcela is quick to stop him—despite how tempting it is to let him run away with the bride-to-be. She manages to convince Theo to sleep off his drunken almost-mistake at her place and when they arrive at a family brunch the next day together, everyone wrongly assumes they hooked up. Since Theo needs a cover for his feelings for the bride and Marcela needs a distraction from her unrequited feelings for the groom, they decide to roll with the lie. Until one late night at a bar, they take it a step further and discover a layer of attraction neither realized existed. Soon, they find themselves exploring the simmering chemistry between them, whether in library aisles or Marcela's bed. There are no boundaries for the rebound relationship they form—just a host of complicated feelings, messy familial dynamics, and uncovered secrets that threaten to tear them apart before they can even admit to themselves that their rebound is working. Maybe a little too well.

Marcela is someone who has pined for many years after her best friend. However, she very much has kept it to herself and accepts it may never be - no matter how much she wishes it could be so. Something I really appreciated about her character was the fact that she could have been a total bitch and made Ben and his fiancée’s life hell by being clingy and demanding of his attentions. Instead, she is the total opposite. She roots for them, even if it hurts to do so, and wishes them nothing but the best. However, this does feed into her issues surrounding self-esteem. Like many women, she hates how she looks compared to others and feels she is unworthy of love. I so love that she is proved wrong. She is determined and witty and just utterly brilliant to read about. Being a librarian, she sounds like the perfect friend but someone who is passionate about not only her dreams but those of others? That right there is perfection.
Theo seems rather rough around the edges but when you get to know him, there is no doubt that he is an absolute teddy bear. And not just because of his size. As an ex NFL player, you would think he would perhaps be cocky or intimidating but that could not be further from the truth. He’s considerate and charming and certainly fictional because how could a man ever be so wonderful? I would certainly love to have a Theo by my side.

I’m getting more into adult romance now so when I stumbled across this one and saw it was a smutty book including a librarian? I just knew I needed to read it. And I’m so glad I did! I think the plot was great. From the very beginning it sucked me in and I was always loathe to put the book down and continue with real life. I think it addressed some important issues like controlling behaviour and lack of self-esteem (mostly regarding body image) very well and sensitively, giving the story some depth that helped keep everything interesting and engaging. The characters were great too! Naturally, there was more focus on our main pair but I liked that we truly got to know other characters in the story - especially when it comes to a certain best friend! Would not mind that ball of sass on my side! The romance was just brilliant for me. The yearning for the one they can’t have, then the yearning for the one they want but believe they can’t have. I love me a fake dating story but this one just seemed to be elevated and all around amazing. The spice was so nice too. It never felt like it was overdone or in the wrong place. It was well timed and actually interesting to read because it was so varied! The ending was surprising in its direction but I think it worked so, so well for how the story went down. I find myself utterly desperate for more Marcela and Theo content! More, more, more!

Overall, The Next Best Fling is an absolutely gorgeous adult romance I highly recommend you read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Renegade Books for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.

Thanks so much to Dialogue Books, NetGalley and Gabriella Gamez for the eARC, all opinions expressed are my own!

What an interesting read, I don’t think I’ve read a love square before and whilst I’m usually not a fan since someone is left heartbroken but Gamez does an excellent job at tying up loose ends.

The story started a little slow and definitely picked ho towards the middle. I loved Theo’s attention to detail when it came to Marcela but I didn’t quite understand Marcela’s reluctance to give into their romantic relationship, I felt like it dragged on a little bit too long.

Ben was the ultimate villain, and Gamez does an excellent job at creating two very opposite characters when it came to the brothers. I enjoyed how their relationship progressed and the language used for the love confession was beautiful.

A good read.

Marcela is a librarian who’s obviously obsessed with books but sadly her love life isn’t one to write about at the moment. She has had a crush on her best friend Ben for almost a decade but things get even more complicated when he announces his engagement to his longtime girlfriend Alice. When she is invited to the engagement party and stumbles into Theo, Ben’s brother rehearsing a speech to convince Alice to not go through with the wedding Marcela intervenes. Theo then admits that he has been in love with his brother’s fiancée for a long time. The pair then decide to be each others rebound and keep things casual but Marcela has never been one for flings and Theo doesn’t turn out to be the heartbreaker everyone claims him to be…





This book was honestly a great read! Both the MMC Theo and the FMC Marcela were walking green flags and they were soo cute together. I liked seeing that the MMC was the patient one and waited for the FMC to work through her personal issues. That man was sold the very first moment he saw her tbh
The writing style was very fluent and I will be reading more from this author in the future 🤩

"The Next Best Fling" is an exceptional read! From the moment I started, I was drawn into a world of charming characters, swoon-worthy romance, and remarkable depth.

Marcela, the spirited youth librarian, wins Theo's heart with her infectious passion for her job. Her dedication to fostering a love for literature is undeniably endearing. Theo, the genuine and handsome hero, captivates with his honesty and warmth.

The novel brilliantly blends light-hearted cuteness with a meaningful exploration of serious topics. Marcela and Theo's journey goes beyond romance; it's about confronting insecurities, embracing change, and finding the courage to follow your heart.

Their chemistry is palpable from the start, but their relationship stands out for its authenticity. Grounded in mutual respect and genuine affection, their connection feels real and raw. You can't help but root for them.

Three and a half stars for this one. Marcela is in love with Ben who is her best friend and not her boyfriend. At Ben'engagemrmt party, Marcela reacquaints herself with Ben's brother Theo who has secretly been in the love with Ben's fiancée his entire life. Cue a fake dating scenario between Marcela and Theo which is OK but feels very drawn out at times throughout the book. Theo is holding in the way he handles his emotions and Marcela is overdramatic, after a while, you're willing them to get together so they can start acting like grown ups. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy