Marcella has harbored feelings for her best friend, Ben, since college. She knows it's time to move on when he gets engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Alice. Then Ben's brother, Theo, steps in and he's always had a thing for Alica. It's messy. Marcella and Theo decide a no-strings-attached relationship is the best way to get over their unrequited crushes.

The Next Best Fling is cute and lighthearted but also has genuine depth and angst — all with a little bit of spice thrown in. We see Marcella truly develop and grow as a character. Plus, she's relatable as she struggles with self-confidence, fear of abandonment, etc. Theo's a giant cinnamon roll and Ben is absolute garbage.  

The most standout thing for me was author Gabriella Gamez's portrayal of what it's like to be a plus-size woman. It's so real and relatable. Gamez depicts the complicated mix of self-awareness and size inclusivity/body positivity without making Marcela's weight feel like her only character-defining feature. Instead, Marcela is so much more — something I hope to see more of in the future.

Many thanks to the author, NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.