deal me in

Marina Spicer is done with bad dates. It wasn’t that long ago that her longtime boyfriend decided to leave, saying he had decided he didn’t want kids. They’d been together since they were teenagers. Now she was 30 and wanting to start a family, and instead, he leaves.

So she’s dating again, having to deal with the dating apps and all those small lies and annoyances that come up when you meet in person. So as a side project she started an app called Dealbreakers. As a coder, she knew just how to create is as an add-on to the dating apps, and it allows women a chance to tell others on the apps what they found to be dealbreakers with the men they went out with. Marina needs this, so she can get her life plan back on track and find someone who wants to have kids while she still can.

Also on her plan is to find the perfect apartment. But she can’t afford it until she gets a promotion at work, so her next focus is on making the two guys who run the start-up where she works takes notice of her and lets her create a team of coders to take their app to the next level.

But as soon as she makes her presentation about taking their start-up that helps people find activities and focusing on highlighting activities that would appeal to groups, there is one dissenting voice in the back that rises above the rest. Marketing copywriter Lucas Kennedy disagrees. He thinks that the app would work better if they appealed to couples, creating fun and adventurous dates. Of course he would say something, Marina thinks. He’s the same guys who’s been shooting down her emails for months, either that or responding with only a “k.” Who does that?

And when it turns out that Lucas is also hoping for a promotion. So when the bosses decide to pit the two of them together, have them try out some of the activities and see how they could be marketed for either groups or couples, Marina has no choice but to spend time with this man she thinks of as her nemesis. They will be surprised with the activities, so Marina can’t plan much ahead of time, but she’s got her game face on for whatever comes.

So when the first activity is axe-throwing, she decides to go with it. No plan, no agenda. And when the axe bounces back and comes for Lucas, she won’t complain. And while no copywriters were hurt in the completion of the activity, Marina had to admit she had fun with Lucas. But when she looks him up on Dealbreakers, she finds that he as a lot of reviews, and they are not great.

Apparently, Lucas is exactly the guy she’s been trying to avoid, the one who doesn’t want to get serious and who is willing to waste a woman’s time. She doesn’t have any time left to waste. But while Marina is having to spend this time with him as they compete for her promotion, she can’t help but find herself enjoying being around him. She realizes she’s going to be faced with a choice—does she follow her heart and spend time with Lucas, or does she stick to her plan and hold out for the guy who is ready to settle down with her and start a family?

Author Lauren Forsythe has packed Dealbreakers with fun and friendship. This rom com has a lot of playful scenes with laughs and some serious ones with friends and some tough truths to face. It’s well balanced and really engaging. Forsythe’s characters have depth and genuine motivation for what they’re looking for, and it’s easy to cheer them on and want to see good things for them.

I enjoyed this book so much. While it would make for a great pool/beach read, it would also be a spark of sunshine in colder months, curled up with hot chocolate with too many marshmallows. It’s just a great book, empowering and entertaining and really something special. Loved it!

Egalleys for Dealbreakers were provided by G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley, with many thanks.