Blog Tour: The Partner Plot Review

Hello, all!

I read The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest last year (review here) and loved it, so I was excited to get an early copy of her latest release, The Partner Plot. Big thanks to Berkley!

Pub Date: 2-27-24
Adult - Contemporary

Violet Greene is always on the go. As a celebrity stylist, she's always moving from one thing to another, but the exhaustion is worth it to live out her dreams. While her professional life is thriving, her personal life is in disarray after her ex-fiancé cheated on her right before their wedding. Violet is determined to focus on her career, but one little white lie turns her world upside down.

Xavier Wright had big plans for himself when he was a teen. He was going to play ball in the NBA, and he was going to marry his high school sweetheart, Violet. Instead, he's a high school teacher and basketball coach who rarely leaves his hometown. When Violet and Xavier unexpectedly run into each other in a Vegas hotel, they spend the night reliving their youth and wake up with rings on their fingers. Could their impulsive decision be the shake-up they both needed?

Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite romance tropes, so I was ready to eat this up. It was cute and had its moments, but ultimately fell short. I liked the characters. I thought Violet was independent and driven, and Xavier was smooth and level-headed. Their lives are so different, but they complement one another so well. Because they had a history together, the romance felt natural. My biggest issue was with the pacing. It felt too slow, and this is a personal preference, but I don't think romance books should be over ~350 pages. It makes the story feel drawn out. Still, I'd recommend this if you enjoy second-chance romances, but it dragged a little too much for me.

Rating: 3/5