Evelyn Lozada

Holly Lorincz

When a single mom ends up playing an unwilling fake girlfriend to a charming playboy baseball player, love suddenly turns everything upside down in this fun, heartwarming multicultural romance. Angel Gomez has never lived by the book. A Bronx-based unwed mother by the time she was sixteen, Angel’s personal mission has always been to show the world that a Puerto Rican girl is not to be messed with—especially by a man. The only thing that matters to Angel, now, is providing for her son and earning enough tips at the club to complete her nursing degree along the way. Love is nowhere on her agenda. Caleb “The Duke” Lewis is a star pitcher for the Bronx Bolts whose romantic escapades make delicious fodder for gossip columns. But lately he’s been trying to keep a lower profile—so much so that when he meets Angel, first while she’s in her nurse uniform and the next time behind the bar, she has no idea who Duke is, fails to fall for his obvious charm, and ends up throwing a drink in his face! She is the perfect woman for Duke...to fool the tabloids into thinking he’s finally settling down. But what begins as a charade soon has Duke and Angel hurtling into a full-blown romance that rocks each of their worlds and begs the question: Is this the real deal—or are some love stories just too good to be true?

The Perfect Date

Gisela Ayala 

I was able to read The Perfect Date in about two days! It was definitely gripping with its very dramatic plot. In The Perfect Date with have our heroine, Angel a young single mom studying to be a nurse and working two jobs to make ends meet. Then we have our hero, Caleb (or Duke as everyone else referred to him as), a baseball player for the Yankees who is harboring a couple of secrets throughout the book. 

As I said, the book did have me hooked. I liked that the main girl was Puerto Rican (Boriquas in the house). We just don't get that too often in romance books and reading the way she would react to things and how she cared for those around her was very relatable. I don't know if I understood her chemistry with Caleb though. I think it could have used a bit more building and growth throughout the book. There were a few times that they would argue and even then I didn't even feel hateful chemistry. He also wasn't really a swoon-worthy kind of hero. The only time I liked him truly was the last few pages of the book. 

I think I would have given this book a higher rating, but I was kind of thrown off by the plot. I know we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but the cover and title sort of suggest a rom-com type book. I wouldn't market this book as a rom-com. It's definitely more on the dramatic spectrum, kind of soap opera-ish. 

Either way, I got through it quickly and the cast of characters were mostly entertaining! Thank you Netgally and St. Martin's Press for giving me the chance to read this book!

Linda Quintanilla

The Perfect Date has been released.
And unfortunately, I just did not like it. I really wish that I could but I just could not I tried my best but I could not. I felt that the whole story could have done so much better. But instead, they treated the main character, Angel, so terrible. Like how can you treat her that way? She is the best but these famous character were so trash especially Caleb. I could not deal with him at all. He was the worst and had no remose at all. 
1 Star

Alexis 

* I was sent an Advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

3/5 stars 

I can't say I was all too impressed with this book. I don't feel like I brought anything new to the table here. Then romance was just alright but I didn't really care much for it. There were a few moments throughout the book that I really enjoyed. However everything seemed very predicable and convenient. I would say if you're looking for a short easy romance book to read, this will do.

Arwa El

Wow, where I should I start with this.
The cover and the first chapter were so promising and I was really excited to read this. But as soon as the second chapter started, everything went downhill and there was not a single moment where it got any better. 
This book is horrible. Do not, and I seriously mean it, do not waste your time on it.

It's super sexist, I can't even deal with that. It's only about dragging other women down. Sentences such as "I am not like the other women" or "She is not like the other women" appear in abundance, as if it's still normal in 2019 to write something like this. 

STOP DRAGGING WOMEN DOWN! 

Then, the "love story" is such a piece of shit. I'd be mad af when a random, rich, famous dude starts stalking me out of nowhere and starts a fake relationship with me just to prove the media wrong (even though, they were right). 
Also, it is so apologetic about toxic behaviour. This is an actual sentence from the book: 

"... Duke is a good guy. He might drink too much, or get moody, but in his heart he is truly a good person. If you end up dating, he'd treat you right, if you gave him a chance." 

As if not enough women suffered, or were even killed, in the hands of these "truly good person". Bullshit, seriously. 
Apparently, the author tries to make it right by letting Angela think that she is a "feminist" because she wants to put on make up. Like, dude, what the hell? That is so out of place. No person should be forced to call themselves a feminist JUST because they want to put on make up. That's dragging other women down who put apply make up on regular basis or do not at all. 

This book is a mess. IT IS A MESS.

Jolie

I was excited to read The Perfect Date. The blurb totally pumped this book up for me. Then I read the book and was let down.

I liked The Perfect Date’s plotline, despite not liking the book. With everything stripped away, I thought that the plotline was solid. If the author chose to focus on that main storyline instead of bringing in all of the outside drama, it would have made this book a little bit better.

I did not like Angel. She was a rage fueled, nasty, immature woman. Every scene she was in ended in some sort of confrontation. She left a bad taste in my mouth. Now, I did feel bad for her with her issues with Dr. Collins. But other than that, nope.

I didn’t like Duke either. The way he treated Angel throughout the book made me sick. He manhandled her (twice!!), he didn’t stick up for her when she needed it, and he objectified her sexually. There were parts of the book that I did feel bad for him. He was obviously in pain from his ankle injury. His survivor’s guilt over his teammates killing was palpable. His relationship with his father was tenuous at best. But I couldn’t like him.

What I didn’t like was that this book insinuated that sexual assault and sexual harassment was something that should be put up with. The scenes with Angel and Dr. Collins standout in my mind. As well as the scenes with Duke and Roland at the club. There were times in the book where I couldn’t believe what I was reading.

I got zero sense of romance from The Perfect Date. Angel and Duke had zero sparks between them. Plus, whenever they were out together, he treated her like crap. The sex scenes, thankfully, weren’t graphic. But if they had been, I have a feeling that they wouldn’t have done it for me. Because of how I felt about Angel and Duke. And because of the lack of anything between the two of them.

I also had an issue knowing when the book shifted to another character. I would be reading Angel’s part of the story and bam, it would be Duke. I had to reread chapters because of that. Again, something that drove me nuts about the book and just added to my displeasure with it.

The end of The Perfect Date was interesting. I liked how everything was combined at the end. I felt that justice was served in several instances. But at the same time, it didn’t ring true with me. And the epilogue, well, that definitely didn’t ring true with me.

I would give The Perfect Date an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would not reread The Perfect Date. I would not recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Perfect Date

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