My best mistake would have been not requesting this book. Alas, I made it.

It was shaping out to be good. A lot of repetition here and there but then it just turned negative. I couldn’t understand the character motivations, the behavior and just didn’t make for an enjoyable read.

I realised recently I’ve been reading a lot about twins, and the narratives are often quite similar. This however was a pleasant surprise, it was so unique and unlike anything I was expecting! I do feel like the pacing was a little rushed which really took me out of it, I would have liked to get to know Bea and Dee more. The speed ended up feeling quite unrealistic.

I do think most romance readers will like this, it works well as a palate cleanser.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc. 🫶🏻

Dee ia the family disappointment and is on her last warning at her new job and now she has an injured ankle and can't go to work for the most important week ever.

Her almost identical twin sister Bea works with her best friend Jem on their IT start up so when Dee calls for help Bea finds herself once again coming to her sisters rescue and taking her place at work.

Jonah is struggling, after a really public break up with his influencer girlfriend, his dad has given him a short time to make his hotel a success but his assistant is pretty incompetent until one day she is not and why is he attracted to her....

Bea is loving the job but really shouldn't be falling for her boss after all he thinks she is Dee.

This was a great book, the sisters are very well written and I liked that Dee wasn't painted as an airhead, loved this story and was sorry when it ended.

This is a charming rom-com delivers all the chaos, chemistry, and swoon you could want, wrapped up in a deliciously fun workplace romance.
Beatrice Donovan helps her twin sister out by temporarily stepping into her high-stakes hotel management job. Little did Beatrice know when she agreed to do this, there is a lot riding on her sister's success in her role. The hotel is on the brink of closing down, and her sister has promised to turn things around. But hey, no pressure, right? All Beatrice has to do is get the job done and avoid her boss Jonah in the process. Jonah is a brooding, gorgeous, ex-rockstar-turned-hotel-boss who’s got some pretty large baggage he's dealing with.
The banter is razor sharp with delicious tension and equally delightful romantic moments. Bea’s antics to stay incognito while cleaning up the hotel mess (and trying not to fall for Jonah’s gruff charm) are equal parts hilarious and heartwarming. Jonah is the grumpy dreamboat who slowly unravels like a cinnamon roll with trust issues.
If you're a fan of mistaken identity hijinks, slow-burn chemistry, and found-family vibes, this book is one you definitely don't want to miss.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

3 stars – Cute concept, but a bit of a mixed bag

Best Mistake Ever by Christy McKellen has all the makings of a fun, light-hearted romantic comedy: mistaken identity, forced proximity, workplace hijinks, and a grumpy ex-boybander boss falling for the sunshiney twin standing in for her injured sister. And for the most part, it delivers exactly what you'd expect—a quick, sweet read with some amusing moments and a charming premise. I appreciated the sister dynamic, especially Bea’s willingness to step in and help Dee during a crisis. There’s something endearing about a romance that starts with selfless intentions, even if it does involve a morally gray decision like impersonating your twin.

Bea was a likable lead, if a little too passive for my taste. She’s described as kind and generous, but that sometimes translated more into being a pushover, especially when it came to her sister and later Jonah. Jonah started off strong—grumpy but charismatic—but his character took a turn in the final third of the book that made me disconnect from their romance. While his reaction to discovering Bea's deception was understandable, the way he handled it felt out of sync with the person we were beginning to root for. The emotional fallout lacked nuance, and it diminished what could have been a stronger romantic payoff.

The pacing was a little uneven, with the first half dragging slightly while setting up the twin-switch scenario and workplace tension, and then the romance itself feeling a little too “insta-love” once it kicked in. I also found the dual POV approach a bit unnecessary—Dee’s voice didn’t add much to the story, and I would’ve preferred deeper insight into Bea and Jonah instead. Still, this was an easy, breezy read with a satisfying ending and some genuinely sweet moments. If you’re after a rom-com with low stakes, a picturesque hotel setting, and a little bit of mistaken identity mayhem, this might just be the cosy read for you.

Thank you Netgalley and Christy McKellen for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Bea and Dee are identical twins but very different characters. Bea has always been disciplined, hard-working and eager to please her father by being succesful. Dee is more an artistic and flighty type who drifts from jon to job looking for her breakthrough as an artist.
When Dee asks Bea to pretend to be her in order not to loose her job as an event planner at a hotel Bea reluctantly aggrees. But what is she to do when there is obvious attraction between her and Dee's boss Jonah, who thinks she is Dee and hates being lied to...
I really enjoyed reading this book. I felt that both main characters were relatable and their attraction was believable. The story was fast-paced, entertaining and the HEA gratifying.
A very sweet and entertaining romance.

Best Mistake Ever by Christy McKellen presents a classic romantic comedy setup with a charming twist, focusing on the twin switch trope. Beatrice Donovan’s decision to temporarily fill her twin sister Delilah’s shoes in a hotel management role leads to a series of entertaining and romantic entanglements. The premise of Bea navigating a new professional environment while pretending to be her sister, and simultaneously dealing with the attractive yet grumpy ex-rockstar boss, Jonah, provides a strong foundation for the narrative.

The development of the characters, particularly the dynamic between Bea and Jonah, is a key strength of the novel. Bea’s determination to maintain professionalism while grappling with her growing feelings for Jonah adds a layer of relatable conflict. The chemistry between the two is palpable, and their interactions are infused with witty banter and genuine emotional connection. The hotel setting, along with the various events and challenges Bea faces, provides an engaging backdrop for their budding relationship.

The combination of the twin switch trope, the workplace setting, and the grumpy sunshine dynamic creates a delightful and entertaining story. While some plot points might be predictable to genre enthusiasts, the charming characters and the enjoyable romantic development make this book a satisfying read for those seeking a sweet and lighthearted escape.

I have to admit, the twins’ dynamic is a make-or-break theme for me—but I still found the book fun and engaging. In my opinion, the story’s premise, where a bitter divorce at age ten splits the sisters between two very different worlds, is both intriguing and well-executed. Bea ends up with her formidable, no-nonsense workhorse father, while Dee is raised by her free-spirited mother.

When Dee hurts her ankle and convinces Bea to fill in as the hotel’s events manager, the plot really kicks into gear. I appreciated how Bea’s transformation—especially having to cut her long hair to convincingly pass as Dee—symbolizes the striking contrast between the two sisters. It left me forming a clear opinion: Bea seems like a bit of a pushover compared to Dee, who appears to play helpless to get her way. Meanwhile, Jonah, a former rockstar determined to prove himself, adds an interesting twist to the narrative with his own set of challenges.

Overall, while I have mixed feelings about the twins’ setup, the book delivered a clever mix of humor, drama, and family dynamics that kept me turning the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC of this title to read and review. I love a good unhinged premise to hook me into a book, so adult identical twins swapping places in the workforce and one of them starting up an office romance is an instant sign-me-up-for-the-chaos! This started off really great, when it was all about that - it felt like a plot that twin sisters might have dreamt up in elementary school, and instantly got found out for. It was fun to see the sisters Bea and Dee's different personalities come to light through the job, because they're so opposite about their interests and qualifications. And the writing is really engaging and fast-paced, with not a lot of other plot distractions competing for attention.

But somewhere along the way, this story really went off the deep end for me. Maybe mild spoilers ahead as I describe, though I won't be too specific! <spoiler> This did not feel like a forbidden workplace romance where there's a power imbalance so both leads are trying to resist their feelings -no. In this case, the boss Jonah was already weirdly close to that line with one sister in the beginning, and got super invested in the other way too quickly. It actually wasn't predatory, but it *felt* like that, because he was so intense with Bea, instantly trauma dumping on her about his family issues, his ex, how he's living in the shadows of his dad's fame and fighting off groupies... the only thing is that Bea actually loved this and felt like it was Jonah really opening up to her and being honest and showing his vulnerabilities. I'm glad she was into it, because I sure wasn't sold! He didn't bring up his ex in a wounded way, to show readers his backstory and understand his reservations to finding love again- he was obsessively bringing her up in the way Angry Men do, in almost the This Is Why You Can't Trust Women way, and no! thanks! as far as that's concerned. Joanh was also sexually aggressive in a way that wasn't hot, it was like -- vindictive and retaliative? And I cannot imagine starting any kind of relationship out on that foot OR continuing on with it and pretending it was 1) okay and 2) justified! </spoiler>

I do like author Christy McKellen's overall writing style and have other books from her to check out next, so I hope this is just a major dislike for Jonah and how he was presented that kept me for being fully invested here!

Best Mistake Ever is a cute, light-hearted read following the lives of twin sisters who make the decision to swap places!

Throughout this, they learn a lot about themselves, and each other too. All in all, it was a fun read.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.*

I enjoyed the beginning of this book, but found it quite difficult to get into as it all felt very unrealistic and rushed to me which put me off. I did finish the read and didn’t hate it, but equally wasn’t desperate to finish and finding it hard to put down!

This book started out well and I liked the premise - Bea stepping in for her twin sister at her job. Things were going well. Bea was getting close with her sister's boss. But then I felt like it went off the rails. This progressed more quickly than I thought was realistic. I also felt the characters make unrealistic choices. But - if you like a light, fluffy romance without a lot of depth, this may be for you.

This was really cute. I liked the plot - this is definitely my first romance read wherein the twins switch places so I thought that was a fun concept.

The thing that I didn’t like as much was the storyline. I didn’t mind that it was fast-paced as I’ve read romance books that were the same. However, this was fast-paced in a way that it all felt so rushed, but at the same time nothing really happened in that timeline - basically, there was very little going on but it all happened so quickly.

For the characters, I wasn’t a fan of anyone. They all had their flaws, and unfortunately, I couldn’t really connect with anyone because they were just frustrating for me. I do like the pairing between Beatrice and Jonah, but I’m not a fan of them individually.

Overall, this was just a lighthearted read for me; something to pass the time. Given that I finished this in only a couple of hours, I’d say it was an easy read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to share my honest review on this ARC.

For some reason, I just couldn't get into this book. I tried really really hard, but I just could not push through so I have to dnf at about 15%. This wasn't on the book, it was most likely a not in the right mindset when I tried to read it kind of thing. I am looking forward to buying this book soon though and reading it then.

Overall this book was cute but in the end I didn’t think the couple would actually last. Not my favorite but a great palette cleanser.

This book was so funny. When twin sisters need to switch places, they find out what they really do want, uncover some unfortunate personal truths, and come out the way that life was supposed to be -- not at all what they thought it'd look like. Nothing wildly new but the mix of tropes were a bit different so it kept it light and entertaining. I kind of want a companion book of the sister and business partner and their trip abroad. There seems like there'd be quite the story there too!

#netgalley
#arc
#bestmistakeever

Best Mistake Ever by Christy McKellen is a story about identical twins who have different personalities. one responsible, namely Bea, and the other irresponsible, whose name is Dee. Dee is about to lose yet another job, and Bea decides to step in to help. That's where she meets Jonah, a very strict but handsome boss, who is undergoing his own personal problems and is also under pressure to make this hotel business work. Bea, unlike Dee, is very good at her job, and now she also feels attached not only to the job but also to her boss, and the feeling is mutual since her boss is starting to feel the same. But then Bea knows that that is a mistake she's not ready to make, although the feelings within her are stronger than her reasoning. To find out what will happen in the end, read this book Best Mistake Ever by Christy McKellen.

I like characters in the book; they seem easy to relate with. The author's writing style is also very good; it is simple and direct. Additionally, I like the consistency between the chapters, there are no gaps, hence the story has a smooth flow.

In my opinion, the theme of the book does not fit very well.

I rate this book Best Mistake Ever by Christy McKellen 5 out of 5 stars. The plot is captivating, with the twists and turns taking the book to another level.

I recommend the book to readers who love romance books, with a great deal of twists and turns, not to mention, the intriguing story the author has put together.

Best Mistake Ever is a workplace romance with elements of deception. Bea has to switch places with her twin sister Dee to help her keep her job, but the boss Jonah is a complication. I liked the story and read it super fast. There is an inevitable complication but doesnt drag on too long and everything gets resolved appropriately. I think I am more interested though in the story hinted at on the side with Dee which sounds like will involve fake dating, travel and enemies to lovers.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but it ended up being a really fun book!

* I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. Cute!