Solid 4 stars. I enjoyed this family drama. It felt realistic, not over-blown, with people I could identify with. The dialogue was true-to-life, and didn't feel contrived.

This was my first book from the author, and yes, I'd read more.

My one complaint, and it's minor, is the cover; I don't think it fit with the book at all, even though I liked the image.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Domestic Drama at its finest! This is the type of book that, no matter how it ends, you don't know how you will feel. One thing rings true: Caitlin Weaver is an amazing writer who can get you invested in the story from the beginning.

As for the story, without giving anything away, I will say that one of my friends is a better person than me; I could NEVER. The first 50% of the book is engaging, but in the second half, you cannot put it down. You will be attached, consumed, and astonished by how things evolved through the story. I recommend this book, but you have been warned it will capture your attention; make time to read because you will be canceling plans to learn what's next!

Caitlin Weaver wrote a strong story and had realistic characters that I was looking for from the description. It had that element that I was looking for and was glad it was so well done and realistic. It was heartbreaking and worked overall.

I enjoyed reading this book. Though at times it was hard to watch the choices Fabi made and her betrayals. But I do like how the author wrapped up all the pieces in the end. The book is well written and it kept me engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read this Book.

Although not my normal genre, I would say this book had just enough of everything to keep you interested, making for a pretty fast paced read. VERY entertaining plot, once you realize what all is going on, You kinda of have to see the fallout through, Who doesn't love a train wreck while they ignore whats blowing up in their own lives! lol

Decent set of characters, I wouldn't pick anyone out I really disliked, except for maybe her husband later on in the book, and then maybe the other one. Couldn't face living in the bed he made, but their men so that's par for the course.

"The perfect Plan" seems to be making your way through life without the men in it haha

THE PERFECT PLAN by Caitlin Weaver is the third book that I’ve read from the author, and I know one thing for sure. Weaver certainly excels at writing binge-worthy novels about motherhood, marriage, and female friendship. Her latest juicy and addictive read had me tap, tap, tapping away on my kindle well into the night.

I’d best describe THE PERFECT PLAN as a domestic drama with a good mix of complicated friendships, messy relationships, and jaw-dropping moments. It explores modern marriage, gender roles, societal pressures and expectations, surrogacy, parenthood, and infidelity. There’s absolutely no shortage of drama, secrets, lies, and betrayal—trust me! You’ll definitely need a bag of popcorn with this one.

Weaver crafted Fabiola, the main character expertly. She’s a character that the reader is somewhat expected to hate. I definitely had a love/hate relationship with her. Even though she means well and comes across as an absolute sweetheart, she makes some questionable decisions that will make you grit your teeth. Yet somehow, I related to her and understood her point of view—especially with everything she was dealing with in her life. She is only human, after all.

The way I whiz through Caitlin Weaver’s novels proves that she’s a new favorite author of mine, and I’ll definitely read anything she writes. THE PERFECT PLAN releases on January 15th, and it gets 4/5 stars from me!

This one was a slower start but still kept me wanting more! Once all the real family got started I couldn’t read quick enough! The ending definitely wasn’t what I expected, but I loved how this one played out! Between family and friends drama intertwined I really enjoyed this one!
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

The Perfect Plan was a solid family drama that kept me interested until the end. The characters were generally relatable and believable, and I enjoyed the book overall. I was a bit disappointed in the ending; I wish there had been more time spent showing the fallout from the events of the book, rather than skipping ahead to "6 Months Later" and just quickly relating what had happened in that 6 months.

What a rollercoaster of a journey of a gripping story of marriage, motherhood, friendship and forgiveness. Not something I would normally read as I am into crime thrillers and who done it. However, I did read it and enjoyed it. Definitely emotional at times

Highly recommended

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing

The three lead women, Fabiola, Alice and Liz seemingly don't seem to fit together as a friendship group at first escription but are steadfast in their feelings, until things start to come apart when Fabiola becomes a surrogate for Liz, showing just how fragile friendship can be in the face of life-changing moments.
The characters, particularly Fabiola, are refreshingly real...not quite together, a bit of a mess, normal in other words!
The story has lots of complex interwoven strands, some tough moments for all of the characters and an oddly satisfying ending.

Caitlin Weaver is another new author to me and one that I will look out for in the future.
This is a very complex story that pulls at the heartstrings, it is a story of deep friendship, deep love and absolute betrayal.
Fabiola, Liz and Alice were very different people from very different backgrounds but became lifelong friends after being room mates at university.
Fabiola was now married to Aron, an entrepreneur who had given up his regular job to chase his dream. Fabiola loved being a mother to nine year old twins, Liam and Ben and fourteen year old Vivi but was running on fumes as she juggled working full time and looking after the family single handed while Aron continued to do his own thing.
Alice was a well to do mother but wasn't very maternal, she had her own strict regime with food, fashion and family, Liz was a busy partner in a successful private equity company, she was married to neurosurgeon, Peter, Fabiola's lifelong friend.
Understandably, Alice and Fabiola were astounded when Liz revealed that she wanted to start a family, Liz had never hinted at wanting a baby, she had never seemed maternal, after previous surgery meant that she couldn't conceive a child the three of them started the search for a surrogate, when non of the applicants came up to their exacting standards, Fabiola had a lightbulb moment.........she would do it, she enjoyed being pregnant, Liz was her best friend, it would be a gift for Peter, the man she had had a liaison with when they were younger, a liaison that she had never forgotten.
This story becomes very complicated when the twisted lives of Peter, Aron and Vivi become involved, secrets, lies, betrayal, devastation and heartbreak. I found this book very difficult to put down, the characters are well written, the plot is intriguing and the end perfect.
Thank you to Storm Publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is voluntary.

The Perfect Plan
By: Caitlin Weaver

4 Stars

Wow. This book was a wild ride. Fabiola agrees to be her best friends, Liz and Peter's surrogate. Soon, the plan turns from perfect to perfectly messy. Affairs, secrets, family drama; this book really has it all.

By the end of this book, I was shocked! Throughout, I found myself very emotionally wrapped in Fabiolas' story. Wow. It is crazy. I loved the characters some more than others. I love the storyline. It had so many ups and downs that kept me engaged and intrigued. I was a bit shocked by the ending, not at ALL like I thought it would end. It ended so much better.

Awesome story start to finish.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author as well as Storm Publishing for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

Caitlin Weaver’s The Perfect Plan is a riveting tale of friendship, family, and the chaos that ensues when good intentions go awry. Weaver masterfully explores the complexities of relationships, motherhood, and loyalty, crafting a story that is as heartfelt as it is suspenseful.

The story follows Fabiola, a devoted mother of three and a supportive wife navigating her husband’s entrepreneurial dreams. When her best friend Liz, married to Fabiola’s childhood confidant Peter, struggles with infertility, Fabiola offers to be their surrogate. At first, this act of generosity seems like the ultimate gift of friendship. However, the lingering history between Fabiola and Peter complicates matters, creating emotional tensions that threaten to unravel all their lives.

What makes this book stand out is Weaver’s deft characterization. Fabiola is a strong, relatable protagonist whose flaws make her feel deeply human. Her struggles with her rebellious teenage daughter, Vivi, and her strained marriage to Aron add layers of authenticity to the narrative. The dynamic between Fabiola, Liz, and Peter is filled with tension and vulnerability, pulling readers into a web of love, betrayal, and self-discovery.

Weaver’s writing shines in her ability to depict the messy, nuanced realities of life. The dialogue feels genuine, and the interactions between Fabiola and her children are refreshingly realistic, capturing the chaos and charm of parenthood. The twists in the plot are compelling, and while some might see them coming, they are executed in a way that keeps the story engaging.

The novel also touches on broader themes, such as the sacrifices women make for family, the societal pressures of being "perfect," and the fragile balance of friendships tested by life-altering decisions. These elements elevate The Perfect Plan beyond a simple family drama, making it a thought-provoking read.

With a satisfying and unexpected conclusion, The Perfect Plan cements Caitlin Weaver as a storyteller who understands the intricacies of human connections. Fans of Jodi Picoult and Liane Moriarty will find much to admire in this book. It’s a must-read for anyone who enjoys stories about strong women navigating life’s toughest challenges.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Perfect Plan is set to release on January 15, 2025—mark your calendars!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely love Caitlin Weaver’s books! Alice, Liz & Fabi have been friends since college. When Liz & her husband Peter are looking for a surrogate to have a baby, Fabi jumps at the chance to help out her friends. However Fabi and Peter have a past together….which makes things a little tricky. Lots of friend/family drama in this one - I couldn’t put it down! Releases mid January. Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC. #booksbyashleynicole

I wasn’t the right reader for this. It gave me the ick the whole time reading.

The authors last book was a 4 star for me, so I’m disappointed but it just wasn’t the right book for me, I couldn’t get past the infertility, lusting over her best friends husband and secret pregnancy of the baby planted for surrogacy.
The ending was also not realistic. I really struggled with this

Again, not an author thing, it was a book thing for me.

Fabiola lived a good life as a child, always the perfect daughter. Her single father raised her to be the person she became. She supported her husband as he devoted all his time to launching a start-up company so his family would have the best. Her number one priority was the care of her three beautiful children.
When her childhood friend Peter married Liz, Fabiola became her closest friend. Liz and Peter wanted to start a family but could not become pregnant. After having three children, Fabiola felt she would be the perfect person to help Liz and her long-time best friend, Peter, whom she still had strong feelings for.
Soon after the plan was set, things began to fall apart. Fabiola fell victim to an irresponsible move. She not only destroyed the perfect plan, but her close friendship with Liz was threatened, and her marriage was falling apart. She must now decide how to protect her best friend, her marriage, and Peter, a man she had never stopped loving.

I am definitely a huge fan of Caitlin Weaver and this book did not disappoint!! It was twisty, thrilling and absolutely enjoyable!!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced reader’s copy!

While the book was awfully predictable I did enjoy it. Sort of like. Low stakes, don’t have to think but go along for the ride type book. While from the start you could tell how things would ultimately unfold, I was interested in easing the small details. So there had to be something that drew me in.

I do enjoy reading books that are entertaining but have an undercurrent of something deeper which this book did with the characters individual self discovery.

I am thankful to have gotten an eARC for free from Storm Publishing through NetGalley to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review. The book comes out January 15, 2025.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

My first read by Caitlin Weaver, definitely not my last. While listed as a thriller, it felt closer to women's lit and had an unraveling of mysteries similar to Jodi Picolt and Lianne Moriarty- two of my favs.

When Fabiola's best friend Liz needs help with the surrogacy of a child, Fab feels she's the perfect candidate. She's has several of her own already and adores her friend- whats the worst that can happen?

Well, things get interesting as the history between Fab and Liz unfolds- specifically that of Peter- Liz's husband, and the unrequited love of Fab's life.
It begs the question: who is Fab really doing this for?

There's a lot going on in this, but the arc of the story lies in the friendship between these two women. It held my attention and even while reading intermittently around the holiday I felt my mind returning to this book, a great sign! This one comes out on January 15th and will be a recommendation to mystery lovers.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and the author for the chance to read and review prior to publication.

This was my first book by this author but I have heard many good things about her other books so I really went into this book with excitement and I am happy to say that I truly enjoyed this book ! It had me hooked from the beginning of the story up until the end. I shared the emotions with all the characters and I really enjoyed my time with them. This really shows the depth of motherhood and friendship and I will honestly recommend this book to anyone who wants to lose themselves in a good book!