[Review] The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist - Sophie Gonzales

Summary: Ivy Winslow has the house to herself for a week and her only plans are to binge-watch her favorite fantasy TV show, H-MAD, hang out with her best friend, Henry, and avoid her former best friend-turned enemy (and neighbor), Mack. But things go awry when Ivy wakes up one morning to find Weston, the gorgeous and very fictional main character of H-MAD, in her bedroom, claiming to be her soul mate.

Ivy’s fanfic writing has somehow brought Weston as she’s imagined him to life, but living out her fanfiction dreams isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Her not-so-fictional crush is causing some major real-world problems and Ivy is desperate for help. To figure out why Weston is suddenly three-dimensional, she ropes Henry and a reluctant Mack into the chaos. As they spend more time together, Ivy and Mack are forced to deal with the fallout of their broken friendship and might just realize that they both want something more… (Pub Date: Mar 26, 2024)

 

Ivy was in love with her best friend Mack but it all fell apart when she started feeling Mack was more interested in her friends from the volleyball club than in her or her hobbies, to a point Mack called her favorite show boring. Cut to the present and as Ivy secretly still misses Mack, now her worst nemesis, she focuses her energy on idolizing the main character of that show, Weston. And maybe that was too much energy because one day she wakes up and the character has come to life.

3.5 rounded up

I love Sophie Gonzales. I'm always looking forward to her next work because no matter the plot she manages to keep me interested. However much that still happened here, if I were to compare, this is probably her weakest book. It's still good. Though part of the idea comes from the trope, she gave spins that worked very well. Also, even though a lot is happening, it didn't feel overwhelming. Each character could develop at their own time, and the plots, thicken. 

Even while I was reading, I couldn't find out what exactly that didn't get me as excited. Unfortunately, you'll have to take my opinion as a mere feeling that something didn't connect. Something wasn't enough.

This story plays with fanfiction clichés and if any of you have ever been into fanfics, this will surely appeal to you. But that's far from being all that's going on, though it is very fun to read. Ivy and Mack's bitter lingering feelings, the idea of having everything you'd want, we get to think a lot while having that fun. 

Even if it's not her best work so far, it's still great entertainment and far above your regular YA. I can't not recommend something Sophie Gonzales has written!

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 4 out of 5.