I just finished a good book that is available later this year. Thirty, Flirty, and Forever Alone by Christine Riccio was a winner for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At 30, Rikki Romona has it all, thriving careers, amazing friends, and success in everything except love. After modern dating disappointments and failing to find a plus-one for a wedding, she attends solo… only to meet Reed, a charming and attractive man who seems perfect, except he lives across the country. A relationship might be complicated, but Rikki figures. . .what’s the harm in trying?

I had high hopes for this book. The title and premise immediately drew me in, and the dedication was an instant win, especially as a single woman who just turned 30. I was excited to see a relatable, fresh take on modern dating and life in your thirties. The early chapters were promising, and the male lead, Reed, was charming and funny. Unfortunately, the story quickly lost its footing.

While the book had potential and a strong emotional setup, it took on too many directions at once. Plotlines felt scattered, and by the middle of the book, I found myself struggling to stay engaged. What began as a grounded, romantic narrative turned chaotic with the addition of an unexpected magical realism element, a journal that teleports the main character across the country. At that point, it was hard to take the story seriously.

Additionally, the characters felt overly idealized. Both protagonists seemed to be experts in every creative field imaginable, from acting to drawing to writing, which made them less believable. While it’s possible to have many hobbies, the lack of limits made them feel more like fantasy avatars than real people.

As a licensed therapist, I also had concerns with a key subplot in which the protagonist provides couples therapy to her cousin and her cousin’s husband. While not illegal, it is highly unethical, even without compensation. It presented a major conflict of interest that could’ve been avoided with deeper research or sensitivity to real-world boundaries in clinical work.

Another challenge for me was the overuse of pop culture references. While I appreciate timely nods to music, social media, and trends, their frequency became distracting. It pulled me out of the narrative and made the main character feel more like a teenager than a thirty-year-old professional.

I truly wanted to connect with this story, especially given how much I related to the setup. But between the disjointed plot, unrealistic character traits, and lack of grounding in key areas, this read more like a chaotic Wattpad story than the layered romantic journey I was hoping for.

I read her first novel, and absolutely loved it, so was so excited for this; it did not disappoint! I loved the characters, the plot, and how everything unfolded. 5/5 stars.

4.5 stars

At thirty, Rikki Romona has a thriving career, great friends, multiple jobs (all she is wildly successful at!) but the one area of her life she has been lacking in is love. Modern dating has not been kind to her and despite her checking off the option for a plus one at a wedding, and trying very hard to find a date for it, she shows up alone. Lucky for her, she meets charming, attractive and age-appropriate Reed at this wedding. Unfortunately, he lives across the country making a relationship hard to pursue, but what's the harm in trying?

This book was just so FUN! It reads like an early 2000s rom-com filled with light and fun and whimsical bits, heartwarming friendships, complicated family relationships, a touch of magic and of course, a swoon-worthy romance.

All the characters in this story felt so real and easy to relate to - Rikki's romantic struggle particularly. Not enough books are set in today's dating landscape so it was refreshing to read about her issues with the apps, and men ghosting her and more recent, relatable problems! She touches on the struggles of seeing all her close friends settle down while she feels like she's falling behind. I also LOVED all the strong female friendships Christine weaved into this story. And I thought she portrayed the ups and downs of adult friendships really well.

Reed was such a great love interest - he was sweet and thoughtful and matched Rikki's freak in all the best ways. I loved the romantic tension between them from the get-go and how their connection felt real and not instalove-y. This book was spicier than I expected from Christine and I loved it!

Other than the romance, friendships and the whimsy in this story, it is also grounded by some intense family relationships shown by Rikki's relationship with her father. Despite being a fun love story, I really liked how deeper, more serious aspects of being an adult were portrayed in this story.

The writing is great and so easy to read - I was flying through this! The chapter names were fun and there are several nods to Taylor Swift song titles. The bizarre things that characters have to do in this book were described vividly and the tone of the book was so reminiscent of a rom-com, I was able to picture everything so clearly. The dialogue and banter is cute and I love how many inside jokes between Rikki and Reed the author managed to pack in! All while making the reader also feel like we're in on the joke.

Overall, this is such a magical love story which balances light and dark so well and if you enjoyed any rom-coms ever, you will definitely enjoy this one! I highly recommend!

This was so sweet!! I really liked this book, and I think it showcased how it feels to be single in your 30s. I found it so empowering and great!

Thirty, Flirty and Forever Alone (TFAFA) is author Christine Riccio's adult debut-and what a debut it was!

Riccio brings a new voice to the world of adult romance. She delves into Rikki's story through a voice that perfectly balances humor, awkwardness, and real. While so many rom-com style novels can blur together into memory in the typical Hallmark style, TFAFA is one that will remain a standout in my head for years to come.

As some background, TFAFA centers on Rikki who is positive she has been cursed in dating. All of her past relationships have ended swifter than you can say Minute-the Newspaper where she has transformed her travesty of a dating life into an entertaining romance column. Beside her professional writing career, Rikki balances between a dozen other side hustles (honestly, these are all full time jobs) including planning her friends and family's weddings (ouch. As if being devastatingly single isn't bad enough, she gets to plan the HEA's for everyone else). At one of which, she meets her Flynn Rider (Reed) and finally falls into her own whirlwind romance!

I swear that with every book, Christine Riccio's writing grows tenfold, which is truly saying something as I have LOVED her writing in each and every book. For this story especially, however, she did more than just make me feel every emotion, she truly made me think. Rikki is truly a FMC that we can all relate to as she attempts to balance toxic relationships of all types, multiple jobs, and her own interests and is a book girlie herself. However, at some point balancing all of this becomes all but impossible as her world starts to suffocate her. Watching Rikki's story unfold truly made me think about my own life and relationships (but in the best way).

On a more fun note, I absolutely fell in love with so many scenes in this book. Most of the time when I read, I have been told I have no reactions. For this book, however, I found myself laughing, holding my breath, and literally tearing up. From Rikki and Reed's meet cute, to her work developments (forgive me for being vague, but this is a book that you should go into spoiler free!), to the final chapter, I went through a rollercoaster of emotions.

If you are searching for a true adult romance that will give you all of the warm fuzzies of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days coupled with the emotional turmoil of The Notebook, then you will devour this book!

My favorite quotes:
♡ "While we can't scientifically organize our fall into love, we can objectively construct and utilize a set of dating rules for ourselves in the effort to lessen the unbearable Is this going anywhere?"
♡ "So do you?" I prompt. "Do I what?" "Believe in the universe!" He mashes his lips together, hesitating for a beat. "If you asked me this any other day, I'd say no."
♡ "I want to open him up and devour all the small print."
♡ "Wearing clothes today? That's new."
♡ "Having emotions doesn't make us horrible people. It's what we do with them that informs who we are."

Thank you SO much Netgalley and Christine Riccio for this early copy of Thirty, Flirty, and Forever Alone in exchange for an honest review! I honestly loved this book more than I can express.