Finished in two days. Absolutely brilliant. It has bestseller written all over it. What a book! Each time I set the book down I had to remind myself to breathe.

I’m giving this 3-3.5; I really enjoyed the idea and the plot of the book but some parts were just hard to get through in the sense of it feeling like a drag. I wish there was more on the four friends as well. It was still a great book but I did find it difficult to really get into this book and dive into the story - I enjoyed the beginning a lot but I don’t think I’m a fan of the main male character. Im not sure if I’ll read the rest of the series but I believe that t is done by different authors (maybe) so TBD. Overall, not too bad but not the best I have read either.

This one is a 3.5 stars for me. I'm rounding up because 3 stars feels too low and overall I enjoyed it.

Some of it felt really childish, and I know part of that is because of the pranks that Paige was playing on Oliver.

Parts of it felt unbelievable (and don't get me wrong, I love suspending belief for a romance novel!), so it was hard to believe they were going to fall in love when I couldn't quite follow his motive for allowing this stranger to bring animals into his home, etc.

Overall, it was a sweet love story and a fun "payback plan"!

The Payback Plan kicks off The Karma Club series with a bang—or more accurately, with a snowstorm, a chunky hamster, and a revenge pact made over too many bubbles at a stranded airport bar. It’s smart, chaotic, and packed with slow-burn chemistry that builds into something heartfelt and genuinely swoony.

When Paige Parker is snowed in at O’Hare, she meets three fellow women dealing with fresh heartbreak. They bond, vent, and hatch a plan to get even with the men who wronged them. Paige’s target? Olly Pendergast—a reclusive, grumpy Englishman who ditched her new friend Bella at the altar. The mission is simple: mess with his life. What Paige doesn’t expect is to move into his pristine house in Cornwall, disrupt his peace with a dog and a hamster, and somehow… catch feelings.

Olly is more than his reputation. Yes, he’s closed-off and a bit arrogant, but he’s also grieving, complex, and, unfortunately for Paige, very easy to fall for. Their banter is sharp, their chemistry undeniable, and the romance unfolds with that perfect blend of tension and tenderness. It’s enemies-to-lovers done right—snarky, emotional, and just the right amount of spicy.

What really makes the book shine is its playful tone. Paige is chaotic in the best way, and her antics—paired with Olly’s quiet resistance—make for some laugh-out-loud moments. The animal companions add extra charm (shoutout to the overfed hamster who steals scenes like a pro), and the small-town Cornish setting adds coziness and contrast to the initial high-drama premise.

If there’s a small flaw, it’s that the friendships between the women could use more depth. The concept of The Karma Club is gold, and while this book plants the seeds, I’m hoping future installments explore their bond more fully—especially since Bella’s story is next.

In short, The Payback Plan is a flirty, feel-good romantic comedy with a touch of chaos, a big heart, and a heroine you can’t help but root for—even when her t-shirts are questionable and her motives are messy.

Verdict: A sparkling start to what promises to be a fun, female-led rom-com series. Pour a glass, grab your cozy socks, and enjoy the ride.

I absolutely adored this book. Paige is fun and quirky but real at the same time. Oliver is kind and caring. Their chemistry is amazing. I love Amy Andrews writing and am going to go read more of hers. I cannot wait to read the rest of the Karma Club!

Amy Andrews’ The Payback Plan is the kind of book that feels like a warm hug—with a side of spice and mischief. It kicks off the Karma Club series with Paige Parker, who gets stranded at O’Hare airport during a snowstorm. Instead of doomscrolling or sulking, she does something we’ve all dreamed of—she bonds with three strangers over heartbreak and betrayal, and together, they come up with a playful revenge plan against their exes. Because why not? This one has humor, heart, and all the messy, wonderful emotions that make a romance unforgettable.

So, what happens when four women end up at an airport, all dealing with heartbreak? They bond over their awful exes and hatch a plan for revenge. Paige is set on a mission, make Olly Pendergast pay for ditching her friend Bella at the altar. It should be simple, right? Well.. Olly turns out to be way more complicated than Paige expected.. he’s decent, charming, everything she didn't expect.

Paige and her friends each take on a different ex in their revenge pact, trying to stay anonymous so they can mess with their guys’ lives without them ever knowing who’s behind it. Paige’s target is Olly, but the last thing she expected was to feel a spark with him. What starts out as a revenge mission quickly turns into a messy situation as Paige tries to juggle her feelings for him with her need to get even.

The Romance was a slow-burn perfection; it’s all slow-burn tension, snarky banter, and that whole will-they-won’t-they vibe that makes you want to keep reading. When they finally give in to their chemistry, it’s as sweet as it is spicy. Although I loved the romance, I had a hard time deciding what rating to give this book because of Olly. He’s not a bad guy, but what he did to Bella was pretty awful and honestly I felt like he needed to face some consequences for it. I kind of wished Bella had been angrier with both of them.

Final thoughts: fun, flirty, and full of heart. The Payback Plan is a rom-com packed with witty dialogue, funny moments, and a romance that feels earned and swoony. The friendship between the women could’ve been explored a little more, but nonetheless I enjoyed this book!

Revenge is a dish best served… with Prosecco, questionable t-shirts, and an overfed hamster.

What do you get when you mix a snowed-in airport, a group of betrayed women, and a little too much bubbly? A gloriously unhinged revenge pact that lands our heroine, Paige Parker, in Cornwall, ready to make a certain heartbreaker’s life miserable.

The Setup: Chaos, Cornwall, and Curmudgeonly Charm

After bonding with three strangers over their respective exes’ betrayals, Paige finds herself in the picturesque town of Cornwall with one mission: make Olly Pendergast pay for leaving her new friend Bella at the altar. Sounds simple enough—except Olly turns out to be infuriatingly decent. Worse, he’s also charming, grieving, and unfairly attractive.

On the flip side, Olly isn’t quite sure what to make of Paige. She’s messy, chaotic, and insists on wearing slogan t-shirts that draw attention to her ... ahem ... attractiveness. And yet, he finds himself reluctantly enchanted as she shakes up his world, helps him process his guilt, and—despite her deeply questionable fashion choices—proves to be the most captivating woman he’s ever met.


The Romance: Slow Burn with a Side of Sizzle

Paige and Olly’s chemistry is deliciously slow-burn, full of tension, banter, and all the should we/shouldn’t we angst that makes for a fantastic rom-com. And when they finally get together it's sweet as well as spicy.

Bonus Charm: A Chunky Hamster and a Lovable Pup

As if the romance wasn’t already delightful, The Payback Plan also delivers peak cuteness in the form of an overfed hamster and an orphaned dog who unexpectedly show up in the storyline. Both are utterly charming and only add to the overall warmth of the book. Honestly, if you weren’t sold before, you should be now.

The Verdict: Fun, Flirty, and Full of Heart

This book is packed with witty dialogue, genuinely funny moments, and a romance that feels both swoony and well-earned. The bond between the three revenge-seeking women is a little underdeveloped in this first instalment, but with Bella’s story up next (How to Get Even by Pippa Roscoe), I’m eager to see their dynamic deepen.

If you love contemporary rom-coms with heart, humour, a little bit of mischief—and, let’s be honest, adorable scarily clever animals—The Payback Plan is well worth your time. I’ll definitely be picking up the next one!

ARC provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I knew I adored the cover, but the story line seemed a bit underwhelming. I was so wrong! This is a fun and cute and adventurous book to get lost in. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Sinopsis:


Cuando el destino deja a Paige Parker varada en el aeropuerto de O'Hare durante una tormenta de nieve, poco sabe que su desgracia es el comienzo de una aventura salvaje y que cambia la vida. Porque cuando conoce a tres completos extraños, rápidamente se unen por historias compartidas de traición y desamor. ¡Y solo por diversión, inventan un plan para vengarse de sus ex!

Excepto cuando el plan se hace realidad, Paige se encuentra en Cornualles con Olly Prendergast. Hijo de una estrella de cine, recluso gruñón y responsable de dejar a su prometida el día de su boda con un mensaje de texto. ¡El plan de recuperación ha comenzado! Paso uno: mudarse a su habitación libre y interrumpir su paz y tranquilidad. Paso dos: traer un hámster como mascota, adoptar un perro y dejar que el caos se desate. Paso tres: hacer un desastre sin disculpas en su casa prístina en cada oportunidad. Paso 4: ¡Muéstrale al Sr. Grumpy cómo es la diversión!

Pero Paige no está preparada cuando el plan comienza a ser contraproducente y comienza a ver al hombre detrás de la reputación. Y cuando ya no puede ignorar su innegable química, Paige tiene que luchar con el secreto que ha estado ocultando de Olly y la lealtad a su amiga y a The Karma Club...




Reseña:



Disfrute de la lectura, no puedo esperar para leer los siguen.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cuatro mujeres se conocen en el aeropuerto mientras esperan su vuelo, intercambian historias y descubren que todas están con el corazón roto: Paige, cuya ex pareja publicó fotos y videos íntimos de ella; Bella, cuya boda fue cancelada cuando su prometido no se presentó y se lo informó por mensaje; Sienna, que tuvo un novio de toda la vida, pero un día él simplemente desapareció; y Astrid, que salía con un hombre casado, pero ella no lo sabía.

Juntas, deciden vengarse de sus ex. A cada una le tocará un ex diferente, para que ellos no sepan quiénes son y puedan meterse en sus vidas y vengarse. Todo comienza con Paige que le tocó Oliver, el ex de Bella. Sin embargo, lo que no esperaba era enamorarse de Oliver. ¿Qué sucederá cuando Bella se entere?






Tenía duda en qué calificación ponerle por Oliver, no es mala persona, pero lo que le hizo a Bella fue feo y siento que necesitaba sufrir.


Yo quería que Bella se enojara con los dos y ya después en su libro los perdonara.

Espero que el ex de Paige sufra y le destruyan su vida, es el único que no debería tener redención.


Nota para mí:
Al parecer Bella conoce al ex de Astrid y creo que no estaba casado cuando solo con A.





Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.