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helen's review against another edition
4.0
A contemporary romance with the 'Battle Couple' trope where the battles are racist misogynistic TV executives and uncooperative reality dating show contestants.
These MCs are manipulative and do morally grey things for the greater good (making the first racially diverse season of a Bachelor/ette type show a success), but when they try to manipulate each other it goes very wrong for them, but very right for me, a reader who loves competent, scheming MCs who are undone by their love for each other.
Other beloved tropes in this book: forced proximity, friends to lovers, providing food as a sign of love, pining, public declaration of feelings, second chance.
I also really appreciated this: "so what if part of me was always going to be pining for her? No one said that the love of your life had to be a romantic one."
And this: "In all the time we'd known each other, he'd listened to every single word I'd said. And god it was hot."
But most of all this: "Every time I think I have a handle on what you're doing you rip the carpet out from under me. I'm angry with you all the time, I'm worried about you all the time. I miss you all the time."
I haven't read the first two books in this series which follow the same events but from different points of view. This book made me want to go back and read them.
Content notes: the FMC is grieving her dead husband for a lot of this book (not a spoiler - this is revealed in the prologue), and it's set during the covid-19 pandemic.
These MCs are manipulative and do morally grey things for the greater good (making the first racially diverse season of a Bachelor/ette type show a success), but when they try to manipulate each other it goes very wrong for them, but very right for me, a reader who loves competent, scheming MCs who are undone by their love for each other.
Other beloved tropes in this book: forced proximity, friends to lovers, providing food as a sign of love, pining, public declaration of feelings, second chance.
I also really appreciated this: "so what if part of me was always going to be pining for her? No one said that the love of your life had to be a romantic one."
And this: "In all the time we'd known each other, he'd listened to every single word I'd said. And god it was hot."
But most of all this: "Every time I think I have a handle on what you're doing you rip the carpet out from under me. I'm angry with you all the time, I'm worried about you all the time. I miss you all the time."
I haven't read the first two books in this series which follow the same events but from different points of view. This book made me want to go back and read them.
Content notes: the FMC is grieving her dead husband for a lot of this book (not a spoiler - this is revealed in the prologue), and it's set during the covid-19 pandemic.
kntaylor1216's review
5.0
There are not words to adequately express how much I loved this book. I had not read the first two books in the series, but I’m almost glad I hadn’t. Getting to know Lily and Murray organically through THEIR story, while still getting to see the couples from the other two books just means I have two other books to read now.
My ONLY complaint was that Lily’s Big Event that happens at the start of the book was almost too shocking to happen so soon at the start of a new book. Other than that, the pacing, the characterization, the dialogue, the plot, everything… it was perfect.
I wish it had a LITTLE more spicy action but I’ll take what I can get.
Lily, as both herself and Lily Fireball, was a lovable and hate-able character, and you still cheered for her. I will forever go down with a friends to lovers trope, so this one had me by the neck.
Thank you to Simon and Shuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.
My ONLY complaint was that Lily’s Big Event that happens at the start of the book was almost too shocking to happen so soon at the start of a new book. Other than that, the pacing, the characterization, the dialogue, the plot, everything… it was perfect.
I wish it had a LITTLE more spicy action but I’ll take what I can get.
Lily, as both herself and Lily Fireball, was a lovable and hate-able character, and you still cheered for her. I will forever go down with a friends to lovers trope, so this one had me by the neck.
Thank you to Simon and Shuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.
andisnalls's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Pining, friends to lovers, reality dating show tropes? Count me 100% in. I was instantly sucked into the Marry Me, Juliet verse from the first chapter. Murray and Lily, co-producers on a Bachelor-type franchise, have been in love with each other for ten years but both timing and self-sabotage prevented anything from happening. When Lily turns up after a year of no contact on the latest season of Marry Me, Juliet, they are both forced to confront their feelings (over and over). I loved the format of the book, with flashbacks from Lily that showed how much this was an idiots in love story.
The chemistry the characters have with each other is excellent, and not just Murray and Lily. McAlister builds the stakes higher and higher until writing in a very satisfying conclusion that got me a little choked up. This is a book I would read again on a rainy day. I realized about halfway through reading that this is the third romance set in this universe so if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to read the others.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The chemistry the characters have with each other is excellent, and not just Murray and Lily. McAlister builds the stakes higher and higher until writing in a very satisfying conclusion that got me a little choked up. This is a book I would read again on a rainy day. I realized about halfway through reading that this is the third romance set in this universe so if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to read the others.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
hanhoffie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
taylorc19's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sungmemoonstruck's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I've enjoyed the whole Marry Me, Juliet series immensely but this one is unquestionably my favorite. I loved the angsty, fiery, emotional friends to lovers story between Lily and Murray--their chemistry crackles. But it's also funny and smart and swoon-worthy, as well as a snarky yet ultimately hopeful look behind the scenes of reality TV. The evil mastermind romance of my dreams.
melcolourful's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bek_p87's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I loved this! It was such an emotional and heartfelt romance, and even though I've read both "Here For The Right Reasons" and "Can I Steal You For A Second?", having this book be largely from producer Murray's perspective meant it didn't feel like I was reading the same story a third time. I did get a little frustrated at times with Lily and Murray - stop being scared/stubborn/proud and be together already - but ultimately this was the my favourite romance of the three so far in the 'Marry Me Juliet' series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual content
laurenabayne's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm not a fan of The Bachelor, but I was definitely a fan of this.
The love story between Murray and Lily was just so good. The mutual pining over the years, the recognition of different kinds of love, the dual POV with Lily set entirely in the past and Murray set in the present. These two deeply flawed, conniving, lovely human beings have a beautiful story of finding each other again after loss. From Lily's need to reinvent herself after the loss of her husband to Murray's desire to make everything perfect for the love of his life, to the point of rigging an entire season of a reality show, it was just stunning. I loved the meta looks at reality TV, and McAlister's research acumen is in full force here.
The best part of the book was definitely Lily's POV in the flashbacks. What a stand-out narrative device! The quasi-emotional cheating never really bothered me, especially since we already know these characters are morally grey.
I went into this book cold; I had never read anything by this author. While reading, I found myself getting confused a lot by the sheer number of side characters, especially since we are supposed to care about these other romances as well. It wasn't until I was so frustrated that I looked it up and found out this was the third in a series! It's pretty ambitious of McAlister to set three romances in the exact same time frame (we love subplots), but it was definitely confusing at times and took away from the central relationship. I'm sure for long-time fans of this series, seeing an alternate perspective to beloved characters was wonderful, but I found it distracting. I couldn't bring myself to care about any of them. Maybe I'm the morally grey one here.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The love story between Murray and Lily was just so good. The mutual pining over the years, the recognition of different kinds of love, the dual POV with Lily set entirely in the past and Murray set in the present. These two deeply flawed, conniving, lovely human beings have a beautiful story of finding each other again after loss. From Lily's need to reinvent herself after the loss of her husband to Murray's desire to make everything perfect for the love of his life, to the point of rigging an entire season of a reality show, it was just stunning. I loved the meta looks at reality TV, and McAlister's research acumen is in full force here.
The best part of the book was definitely Lily's POV in the flashbacks. What a stand-out narrative device! The quasi-emotional cheating never really bothered me, especially since we already know these characters are morally grey.
I went into this book cold; I had never read anything by this author. While reading, I found myself getting confused a lot by the sheer number of side characters, especially since we are supposed to care about these other romances as well. It wasn't until I was so frustrated that I looked it up and found out this was the third in a series! It's pretty ambitious of McAlister to set three romances in the exact same time frame (we love subplots), but it was definitely confusing at times and took away from the central relationship. I'm sure for long-time fans of this series, seeing an alternate perspective to beloved characters was wonderful, but I found it distracting. I couldn't bring myself to care about any of them. Maybe I'm the morally grey one here.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.