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A review by arlettesheyla
The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez
3.25
3.25 stars ✨
This was sooooo messy and so frustrating, but alas, I was entertained.
Marcela is admirably graceful and patient. She knew how to mind her own business, despite how much it broke her heart. I appreciated the plus-size representation, especially in the context of Latino culture. I liked the mindful approach to how Marcela discussed her insecurities and the fat phobia she experienced while dating. Also, I’m glad we’re addressing the body-centered nicknames Latinos use as terms of endearment when they’re actually not endearing (like the use of “gorda” in this story). I strongly sympathized with her character—between her insecurities and the disappointment of never being “the one,” her portrayal felt very genuine.
However, she was also too generous for her own good. Having a kind heart is one thing, but she didn’t know how to prioritize her own well-being and then was somehow confused by all the suffering she endured as a result. I honestly can’t believe Marcela held onto her feelings for Ben for so long. The guy was a giant red flag, and I needed her to set boundaries and show more self-respect. I understand that she thought she was in love in college, but girl, it was only a few dates NINE YEARS AGO. This is why you shouldn’t stay friends with your ex.
Theo is an absolute sweetheart and a true romantic at heart. He is so open about his feelings and so patient with Marcela as they both sort through their emotions. He was also incredibly tolerant of Ben. I appreciated that their complicated familial issues were kept open because, in real life, conflict in does not get resolved so quickly, if ever. I also liked that everyone eventually acknowledged that while it would be nice for them to repair their relationship, neither of them are obligated to even make the attempt. It’s sad, yes, but the decision is theirs, and everyone else needs to respect that.
I would’ve liked to see clearer signs that Theo was genuinely choosing Marcela over anyone else. I never got the sense that he had truly fallen out of love with Alice, but instead that he had come to terms with the fact that she did not reciprocate his feelings, therefore he shifted his focus to Marcela. It was easy to see that she had fallen out of love with Ben because he was a total douchebag, but Alice was a kind person, so it was harder to believe that Theo was actually ready to move on because he loved Marcela more than anything. Their relationship as a whole needed more clarity. There were many moments where it felt like they were simply settling for each other because their first loves didn’t work out the way they had hoped.
In terms of the writing, I wasn’t a huge fan of it. There were several points where I felt like we were getting unnecessary details that served as filler rather than contributing to bringing the story to life. Then there were other times when the scene descriptions and the characters’ movements were unclear.
Overall, the characters were both very sweet, but their behavior was frustrating. Their romantic arc lacked clarity, and it never felt like they were truly choosing each other rather than settling. While the writing had some fluff, the complicated relationships caused so much drama and made it a fun read.
This was sooooo messy and so frustrating, but alas, I was entertained.
Marcela is admirably graceful and patient. She knew how to mind her own business, despite how much it broke her heart. I appreciated the plus-size representation, especially in the context of Latino culture. I liked the mindful approach to how Marcela discussed her insecurities and the fat phobia she experienced while dating. Also, I’m glad we’re addressing the body-centered nicknames Latinos use as terms of endearment when they’re actually not endearing (like the use of “gorda” in this story). I strongly sympathized with her character—between her insecurities and the disappointment of never being “the one,” her portrayal felt very genuine.
However, she was also too generous for her own good. Having a kind heart is one thing, but she didn’t know how to prioritize her own well-being and then was somehow confused by all the suffering she endured as a result. I honestly can’t believe Marcela held onto her feelings for Ben for so long. The guy was a giant red flag, and I needed her to set boundaries and show more self-respect. I understand that she thought she was in love in college, but girl, it was only a few dates NINE YEARS AGO. This is why you shouldn’t stay friends with your ex.
Theo is an absolute sweetheart and a true romantic at heart. He is so open about his feelings and so patient with Marcela as they both sort through their emotions. He was also incredibly tolerant of Ben. I appreciated that their complicated familial issues were kept open because, in real life, conflict in does not get resolved so quickly, if ever. I also liked that everyone eventually acknowledged that while it would be nice for them to repair their relationship, neither of them are obligated to even make the attempt. It’s sad, yes, but the decision is theirs, and everyone else needs to respect that.
I would’ve liked to see clearer signs that Theo was genuinely choosing Marcela over anyone else. I never got the sense that he had truly fallen out of love with Alice, but instead that he had come to terms with the fact that she did not reciprocate his feelings, therefore he shifted his focus to Marcela. It was easy to see that she had fallen out of love with Ben because he was a total douchebag, but Alice was a kind person, so it was harder to believe that Theo was actually ready to move on because he loved Marcela more than anything. Their relationship as a whole needed more clarity. There were many moments where it felt like they were simply settling for each other because their first loves didn’t work out the way they had hoped.
In terms of the writing, I wasn’t a huge fan of it. There were several points where I felt like we were getting unnecessary details that served as filler rather than contributing to bringing the story to life. Then there were other times when the scene descriptions and the characters’ movements were unclear.
Overall, the characters were both very sweet, but their behavior was frustrating. Their romantic arc lacked clarity, and it never felt like they were truly choosing each other rather than settling. While the writing had some fluff, the complicated relationships caused so much drama and made it a fun read.