Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for providing the ARC.

This book is essentially Forgetting Sarah Marshall in book form. I don't dislike it for that, but it did feel too close to the same story for me to really appreciate it on its own.

Both Olivia and Dom were great characters. I didn't really much like the insta-love aspect of their relationship. I wanted the fake dating arrangement to last longer than it did. Part of what makes that particular trope work is the push and pull between the characters, with both of them wondering what was real between them. Almost as soon as it had started, they had moved on to being in a relationship for real.

The conflict was also a bit underwhelming and also wrapped up too neatly for it have any real impact on the story. But that's not as big of an issue than the pacing of the plot. I think this story would have benefitted more from having a more evenly disbursed story with a meaningful conflict and resolution, but I won't get into it too much because of spoilers.

Decent book overall. I can definitely tell where Parker shines in her prose.

Rating: ★★★★
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

Quotes:

‘I never thought of myself as brave. I only saw this trip as a way to escape my worst moment. My ultimate failure.’

‘That’s not what I see when I look at you.’


“His gaze sweeps down to my toes and back up to meet my eyes, even more slowly than he did in the townhouse earlier today. Like he’s taking his sweet time checking out every inch of my body. If all this feels so real to me, I’m almost positive his act will appear real to them too. ‘You look absolutely beautiful.’”


Short version:

The Best Wrong Move is a charming, heartfelt romance that delivers more than just escapist fluff. With a likable heroine, a hero who listens, and a fake dating plot that feels surprisingly grounded, this is a perfect pick for readers who crave romance with emotional stakes, fresh dynamics, and personal growth. While some areas could have used more depth—particularly Dom’s backstory—the book as a whole feels both satisfying and emotionally honest.

Recommended for fans of:

- Beachy romances
- Fake dating with real stakes
- One POV romances done well
- Light billionaire romances without power imbalance

Thanks to Lily Parker, Joffe Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel for my review!

Full review below:

Tropes:

- Secret Identity
- Fake Dating
- Billionaire Romance

Plot Summary:

Olivia is a successful producer from New York who makes a very public mistake—proposing to her boyfriend, Rex, on live TV… only for him to say no. Humiliated and emotionally gutted, she books an extended getaway to Hawaii with hopes of finally chasing her long-deferred dream of writing a screenplay. But paradise gets complicated fast when she realizes her "dream beach house" is a rundown duplex—and her next-door neighbor is none other than Rex and his picture-perfect new girlfriend, Juju.

Enter Dom, the charming and enigmatic property owner who offers Olivia more than just handyman help—he proposes a fake relationship to save face in front of her ex. Dom's plan seems like the perfect rebound distraction, but he’s hiding a few big secrets of his own. As Dom and Olivia’s connection deepens, their fake relationship begins to feel very real. With career ambitions, old wounds, and unexpected revelations standing between them, they must decide whether the risks of being vulnerable are worth the reward of a real future together.

The Good:

Olivia is a beautifully complicated main character. Lily Parker delivers a surprisingly heartfelt, deeply character-driven story that transcends its slightly outlandish setup. Olivia is the shining star of this novel—funny, self-aware, and refreshingly assertive. Her post-breakup spiral leads to genuine growth, and her desire to pursue screenwriting feels like more than just a plot device. Watching her rebuild confidence—while bonding with a stray cat and navigating a hilariously awkward living situation—was a joy.

Dom breaks from the stereotypes of a billionaire romance in the best way. Dom, though quiet and mysterious, quickly earns reader affection with his protective instincts, emotional attunement, and soft confidence. He listens. He repairs. He surfs. The chemistry between him and Olivia simmers with authentic connection, and even their fake-dating antics never feel too over-the-top. Despite being a secret billionaire (a trope that can easily derail realism), Dom contributes far more emotionally than financially, giving their relationship genuine balance.

The writing is immersive. The pacing is mostly strong, the dialogue sparkles, and the Hawaiian backdrop is both vivid and symbolic—stripping the characters of pretense and allowing them to discover who they truly are.

No unnecessary female competition. Bonus points for the unexpectedly lovely friendship between Olivia and Juju, and the subtle way the book explores kindness between women who might otherwise be rivals.


The In-Between:

The spice was a bit repetitive. Though the book largely excels at emotional authenticity, the intimate scenes started to blur together after a while. They weren’t gratuitous, but by the third, the novelty had worn off. A bit more variation—or fewer scenes with more emotional weight—would’ve helped.

Short chapters made the rhythm of the novel feel a little choppy. The chapter structure sometimes worked against the otherwise strong narrative rhythm. Short chapters made certain transitions feel abrupt and occasionally disjointed.


The Bad:

Dom felt a little underdeveloped. While the book succeeds in many ways, it occasionally skims the emotional surface. Dom, though incredibly likable, remains underexplored; his backstory is revealed late and without the depth needed to fully contextualize his actions or internal world. The single POV choice works well for Olivia’s arc but leaves Dom feeling more like a wish-fulfillment figure than a fully fleshed-out partner.


Spicy Chapters: 32, 37, 41, 44, 45, 53
Cheating: Not by main characters
Third-act Breakup: Third-Act Drama
HEA: Yes
OWD: No

I want to start by saying the first half of the book was amazing. Loved the character growth, the interactions, and the back stories. A lot of it was obvious, with a couple unexpected twists added in. It had all the makings of a 5 Star read, easy. But halfway through things began changing. The timeline for the story was off, details were getting changed, and the plot flow got off. There wasn't much tension or drama in the second half.
It felt like there were a lot of conversations that where half started and never finished, but time jumped. And I'm meaning hours would pass in seconds of conversations. It just felt rushed and details were missed.
I'm the type of reader that can get caught up on the smaller details. It is my biggest flaw as a reader, you could say. I try hard to get past it when these things happen, but if a dog gets left behind in a bar and is never mentioned again, that sort of thing sticks with you. (If you know, you know)
Due to all of this I am rating it a 2 star. It wasn't a dnf, probably should have been, but this author has great potential. She reeled me in those first few chapters and it was fantastic. I look forward to maybe checking out another book of her's in the future.
I hope this review helps.
Happy Reading,
Lily

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Joffe Books, and Lily Parker for sending me this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

This was such an incredibly sweet and wholesome read. The setting was stunning - Hawaii in all of her amazing glory! Dom was delicious. Olivia was such a sweet soul and the way in which she chose to work on healing, while also taking a chance on herself and a life long dream? It was really a great way to see her character work on coming back from rejection and embarrassment.

Olivia is dealing with a lot, and the way in which she meets Dom? Oh, how it just had me giggling. That and the unfortunate neighbor of hers in her airbnb really did have me rolling because well, what are the odds? I loved her friendship with Abby and hope that in a future book we get far more Abby! As she's just great and that friendship felt real and true. The weird triangle of sorts with Rex, JuJu, and Olivia was just odd - I loved how Dom jumped in, but Rex was just a total and utter pig - like I really wasn't shocked to find out how bad he really was.

Dom's brother and SIL were interesting (to say the least), but I can at least see the point of why they were the way that they were. Dom's friends were incredibly wholesome and sweet and I just adored how accepting they were - it really just added to the story overall!

I truly recommend this one and can't wait to see what comes next from Lily!

When Olivia lets her boss convince her to propose to her boyfriend on live TV she never would have imagined that he would say no. But he does, and now she's internet-famous in ways she would never have wanted. At her best friends urging she books an AirBNB in Hawaii - the only one she can afford with her savings and takes off for two months... only to find that her ex has also run off to Hawaii and is occupying the unit next door with his new girlfriend. Desperate to prove that she is not a stalker who followed him halfway across the globe Olivia convinces her hot AirBNB beach bum of a host to be her fake boyfriend while she's in town....

This book is the perfect summer read! Lots of fun moments, including disguises, tropical paradise mansions, a boy toy who supports her dream career aspirations and surfing goodness... oh and steamy scene....

I enjoyed the book and read it quickly. I'd also recommend it as a fun fluff book to friends. It's overall an easy-to-digest read. I gave it "only" 3 stars because while Olivia's story was fun, it also felt a little too convenient with a few coincidences, for me to feel invested. <spoiler> From the ex next door, to the I'm so rich I don't need the income from this rental AirBNB host who happens to be the first person she meets on the island, to the fact that his brother is Hollywood's most prominent director when she's an aspiring screenplay writer etc. I also didn't love that Dom's brother leans into the Casting Couch stereotype of Hollywood to test her - it left me feeling a bit off, considering that he was never confronted about how icky that is, considering how many women have been taken advantage of that way. </spoiler>

What to Expect: Tropical Holiday Romance, Opposites attract, Friends-to-lovers, Fake dating, Forced-proximity, my ex lives next door with his new girlfriend, billionaire romance ...

TW/CW: cheating, proposal rejection (on page 1), public humiliation (proposal happens on live TV)


Stars 3/5
Steam 3/5

A fun, sweet and delighftul romance. Endearing to read and super enjoyable. A good recommendation for those who are looking for a great book for spring and summer

The Best Wrong Move was a cute, fun romance read with loveable characters. Well, there may have been ones that weren’t so loveable….
What do you do when you propose to your boyfriend live on air and he says no????
Olivia just knows she needs to get away….away from everyone and everything.
Will Hawaii give her what she needs?
Beachy vibes
Pet cat
Romance
Secret millionaire
Fake dating
Opposites attract
Friends to lovers
Spice
Perfect summer reading for fans of a spicy romance with a location of Hawaii.
Thank you NetGalley, Joffee Books and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

🌸 5 Spicy, Feel-Good, Totally Swoon-Worthy Stars!
The Best Wrong Move by Lily Parker is an absolute must-read for rom-com lovers—it’s packed with fake dating, sun-drenched tension, sizzling chemistry, and so much heart I didn’t want it to end.

The story kicks off with Olivia proposing to her boyfriend Rex—live on national TV—only for him to say no. Cue viral humiliation, a media frenzy, and Olivia fleeing to Hawaii to hide out and lick her wounds. I was instantly hooked. That opening? ICONIC. Awkward, devastating, and hilarious all at once. I had to know how she’d bounce back.

Turns out Rex is also in Hawaii… with his new supermodel girlfriend, Juju. Because of course. I felt Olivia’s panic and heartbreak like it was my own. And just when things couldn’t get worse—enter Dom, the insanely attractive surfer-slash-Airbnb host who agrees to be her fake boyfriend to help save face. And wow… he’s so much more than just a distraction.

I don’t even like the heat (give me cosy blankets and rainy days any time), but this book had me daydreaming of Hawaiian beaches, salty breezes, and ocean sunsets. Lily Parker’s writing is so immersive—I could see every wave, every tiki torch, every awkward cocktail party moment. It’s like she bottled the feeling of summer escape and poured it into these pages.

And the romance? Ohhh the romance. The chemistry between Olivia and Dom had me squealing, swooning, and smiling like an idiot. From teasing glances to fake kisses that start feeling all too real, the tension built beautifully. Friends-to-lovers? Yes. Forced proximity? Double yes. Fake dating with heart-melting, toe-curling spice? Sign me up 🌶

But beyond the swoon, this story had so much feeling. Olivia’s journey from humiliation to empowerment felt honest and empowering. I loved how Dom saw her—not the scandal, not the headlines, but the messy, vulnerable, hilarious woman at the center of it all. Their connection was as emotional as it was physical, and I adored how their relationship grew into something that felt real.

This book had me laughing, blushing, and even tearing up. It’s the kind of romance that sweeps you off your feet and reminds you that the best things in life often come after the worst moments.

I loved the writing, the characters, the setting—everything. I’d read it again in a heartbeat. Lily Parker, you’ve got a new fan for life.

If you're craving a laugh-out-loud, feel-good, fake-dating holiday romance with serious heat and heart, The Best Wrong Move is 100% the right choice. Don’t miss it!

3,25 ⭐️ It was a cute fake dating romance set in Hawaii. I would have liked if it would have been more of a slow burn romance as it would have helped to build up some tension between Dom and Olivia instead of being so insta-love. It felt a bit rushed and it would have added some chemistry and would have helped set a nicer pace.
Apart from some self-explanatory inner monologue of things that they have already said or we have already seen, it was a fun read!

Thank you to Lily Parker, the publising team and Net Galley for the ARC. ✨

A sweet and spicy fake dating romance set in the beautiful Hawaii? Yes please. Olivia is trying to escape the embarrassment of her failed public proposal by heading to Hawaii for a couple months. I did find the circumstances of Olivia and her neighbour a little unbelievable.. like what are the actual chances? But other than that it was an enjoyable romance that I'd definitely recommend for a read on vacation

Olivia is in Hawaii to escape her embarrassment over a rejected proposal, but bad luck that her now-ex is there still too. A fun read, with a great setting.

A sweet cute romance with a little bit of spice. The author has done a stellar job with the setting of Hawaii when I did stop reading and looked outside it was raining and miserable so I went back to the book with the sunshine, beaches and waves with hot guys. The book is a bit too sweet at times but I didn't mind because it was nice and refreshing after reading dark thrillers. The romance is slow burn and I was screaming at them in my head to just get together but I like that it took awhile for them to work out. There are also other characters in the book that I would like to see find love so maybe it could be a series? I was interested in the book from the beginning and it made me feel light and happy and left me with a big grin.

I was fortunate enough to be given an arc from another debut author and so far I’m 3 for 3 on trying out these new authors in the last few weeks. This spicy rom com is one I definitely didn’t know I needed but am so glad I took a chance. I brought this on our mini vacation and it was the perfect place for these Hawaii vibes. I can not believe this was a debut novel. I laughed so many times, and was constantly cheering on Olivia as she fled New York to Hawaii to recover from her recent heartbreak and social media humiliation. Her meet cute with the “Airbnb guy” was so stinking cute and though we got the impression Dom would be the grumpy to her sunshine, I’m so glad he wasn’t written that way. He was such a sweetheart to her and slowly helped her heal at her own pace. There was quite a bit happening in this book but never too much that it felt scattered or irrelevant to the story line, nor drawn out which can happen often in a rom com. We touched on the miscommunication trope (my LEAST favorite trope) BUT the way it was written into the story, and with these characters, I think it may have salvaged the trope for me. Also, don’t let this sweet cover fool you, cause the spice 🌶️🌶️.I adored this one so much and I am so excited to see what big things this author is going to do once her first novel is out in the world in just a few short weeks!

2.5 Stars

The Best Wrong Move starts off with a bang! Our FMC, Olivia, proposes to Rex on live tv. He rejects the proposal and she unfortunately goes viral for all the wrong reasons. She goes on an 8-week sabbatical to Hawaii so that she can reset and work towards her dream of becoming a screenwriter.

She arrives on the island of Oahu and tries to check into her AirBNB but couldn't get the door open. A passerby helps her into her townhome unit. It ends up being a townhome with a shared large back deck and you'll never guess who the neighbor is... That's right - her ex, Rex, and his stunning and charming new girlfriend Juju.

There were no window treatments so anyone could look inside her unit. She calls the property owner and lo and behold it happens to be the passerby that helped her in - Dom. He arrives to the unit to install curtains and explains that the rental rate was so good because the place needed some work.

They begin fake dating and real feelings start to emerge soon after.

This book had a nice pace and was entertaining.

A few things that bothered me though:

-I was really excited for the Hawaii setting, but I don't think it was as immersive as it could have been. I did love the ABC Store shoutout, lol, but homegirl was there for 8 weeks and didn't even try LOCAL FAVORITES?! I would have loved if she tried musubi, malasadas, poke bowls, shoot - even the Portuguese sausage and Spam breakfast platter from McDonald's!
-Olivia met a few of Dom's friends at a local bar and one of the girls kept talking about how "great of a package" Dom has. They hooked up in college and it was nothing serious. It was info that didn't add anything to the plot line and the comments were weird AF to me especially since she was there with her husband.
-We all know Hawaii has a housing crisis and the fact that Dom "owns 85% of the rentals and small hotels" was so FUCKING OFF PUTTING. It truly pissed me off. ALSO - it made zero sense to me that he'd be so rich and successful that he wouldn't have his properties perfectly ready for guests to move in to.

I do believe that a lot of people will enjoy reading this story, it just wasn't for me due to the things that gave me a strong negative reaction that I listed above.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review The Best Wrong Move

well where do i even start with this book

Firstly, i would like to say i appreciate netgalley and the publisher giving me the opportunity to review this book before it comes out.
The book was certainly spicy and it does claim to be, however i do not particularly enjoy most spice but i can appreciate it sometimes when its well written but this was not, the chapters in the book was so short it sort of felt episodic when they got down to it because it would start out of nowhere and end before i even got my head around what was going on.

I did love the fmcs character traits and the plans she had for her life but i found it sort of funny we never learned what her plot was for the script even at 80% in especially since it was the whole reason she was in hawaii, i mean id probably not have cared all too much for it but i would’ve appreciated to know.

Also i fully do not know what she look like and don’t remember her name, there was like barely any descriptions of what she looked like but i figured out farther into the book that maybe that was perhaps because description is not this author’s strong point but rather she’s fantastic at conversational writing which i hear is hard to make work so kudos to her!!

JUJU MY GIRLLLL she was so cute idc idc especially at the beginning, but on the topic of her the characters names in this book were like so weird lol eg. Rex : dog name, JUJU : black magic, and the mmcs name is Dom… do i need to expand? oh and back the the spice scenes it was so weird to see her scream out the name Dom but yeah.

Although this book never claims to be slow burn, i expected less of an insta lovey feel but this is technically a novella i think so how slow could she really make the burn.

All things said i think the book is a fast an cozy read, it’s very easily digestible but this also makes it easily forgettable

This was a fun, lighthearted rom-com and such a relaxing read. A series of unfortunate (maybe fortunate?) events lead Olivia to make the best wrong move of her life by agreeing to a fake dating relationship…As luck would have it, Olivia runs from a failed proposal/social nightmare and her struggling job to retreat to Hawaii-only to find her vacationing neighbor is the ex she thought she left behind. A super cute meet-cute with her sexy landlord, Dom, turns into a fake dating experience that becomes more: a slow-burn and spicy romance. Dom is such a golden retriever MMC, caring for and catering to Olivia, showing his feelings with so many small gestures. The tropical setting and imagery were realistic and beautiful, really bringing the magic to a vacation relationship. I enjoyed escaping into Olivia’s story and was there for the drama, romance and the scenery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this ARC, I loved it!

This book gave me all the feels! What began as a tale of a girl running away from an embarrassing moment broadcast across national tv became a beautiful love story which I enjoyed throughly.

In some places, this book felt a little bit rushed but overall the story was lovely. I loved the friendship and banter between the main female character Olivia and her best friend Abby, and I loved how Dom, the MMC, and Olivia's relationship blossomed!

I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a lighthearted, easy to read romance!

A holiday romance with some sprinkles of fake dating.

I believed it would be a slow burn when I signed up for this. But it was my mistake to expect things beforehand. Overall, it was good writing except in some parts the dialogues or the inner monologue gave me second-hand embarrassment.

As for the plot development, I believe it would have been better if it was a slow burn then it would have given some more time for the characters to interact cuz at first the interactions were very less. I believe it wasn't enough and this caused the plot to be rushed. The character development, and the story development felt rushed.

As for Olivia and Dominic, they were cute together. Dom was nice and Olivia was decent.
The setting was very refreshing, the beachy-tropical vibes and the descriptions of sunset were very heartwarming. I loved those parts.

Overall, it was a fun read and I had a good time reading it.

Thank you so much, Lily Parker, the publishers and Netgalley for providing this ARC

This is a fun, lighter, steamy read. Dom and Olivia are interesting, relatable, complex, wounded, strong, feisty, intriguing, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have a major weak spot for golden retriever MMCs, and The Best Wrong Move delivered in the best way! This book had me glued to my Kindle I didn’t want to put it down. It gave me Forgetting Sarah Marshall vibes in the best possible way, blending romance, spice, and just the right amount of drama. And the setting? Absolutely dreamy. If I wasn’t already desperate to visit Hawaii, this book sealed the deal! If you want a setting that transports you straight to paradise, this one’s for you! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review!