The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa has been on my radar since it published in February of last year. I was super excited when my hold for the audio version came in last week. Mia Sosa is a new to me author and also a Latina romance author so this book meets a couple of my 2021 reading goals. This story is a diverse romance and #ownvoices story.
I adored this enemies to lovers romance. It has tones of The Hating Game meets The Unhoneymooners with the steam level of The Kiss Quotient. I seem to have a thing for the ex-fiancee’s brother trope.
The Rundown
Three years ago, Carolina Santos was left at the altar. She was able to overcome that painful and embarrassing event to continue her successful wedding planning business. When the expansion opportunity of a lifetime comes up, Lina eagerly embraces it with no idea what she’s walking into.
Max Hartley is determined to prove his worth to his mother’s company when a marketing challenge with a new client pits him against his older brother. He’s shocked to walk in and discover the wedding planner he must work worth is none other than his brother’s ex-fianceé. Who definitely still hates him.
Max follows Lina’s lead in pretending that they don’t know one another. The two strike a deal to put their differences aside and work together to secure their mutual opportunities. When traded barbs, pranks, long hours, and a few fateful twists make them see one another in a new light, they begin to wonder if hatred isn’t the only thing they share.
Rating and Review
Rating: 4.5 stars
Steam Level: 4
I loved this story! I couldn’t stop listening to it and inhaled the audio in less than 24 hours.
It’s told from dual point of views. I enjoyed that the audiobook had both a female and male narrator. Although the male narrator’s voice for Lina or any female character was pretty annoying.
Great emotional depth in both lead characters
In The Worst Best Man, Mia Sosa really developed her main characters’ emotional backstories. I loved Lina’s snark regardless and her personality was fascinating. After learning more about her past though, she became very relatable.
Lina isn’t the ice queen that so many people view her as. She actually feels too much and tries to keep strict control over her emotions to contain them after being accused of hurtful things in the past.
Max is equally developed as a character. If anything there seemed to be more emotionally revealing moments with him. I loved the vulnerability he revealed when he stepped in at a vow rehearsal opposite a groom who was also a therapist.
He was also the first to share his real feelings at the couple’s retreat they wind up in. Getting inside of Max’s head, discovering his history, and seeing him work through his emotional baggage made him an amazing well rounded hero.
Both the humor and the steam were top notch in this story
I loved the tricks and games that Lina and Max played with one another in the first half of The Worst Best Man. Their teasing and playfulness remained strong throughout the story. Lina’s innuendo scene in the hotel and Max’s open mic night had me cracking up!
The sexual attraction between them has a hot undertone in the first half as well. The story takes a scorching turn and from there the steam never cools down! Mia Sosa is up there with Tessa Bailey and Alisha Rai for steamy reads this year.
So many little things to also enjoy
I was surprised to find I really loved the story being set against the backdrop of wedding planning. The descriptions of Brazilian food were also amazing and fun. I loved Lina’s extended family and the dynamics of everyone interacting around different holidays.
I hope Mia Sosa writes a series from this book. There were so many interesting secondary characters between Max’s friends and Lina’s family. I’d also love a glimpse into how Lina and Max are doing in the future. My one complaint would be the ending of their story felt a bit abrupt.
What are your favorite romances from last year? Have you read The Worst Best Man?
